Garystar

Dr strangelove was released 29 January 1964 so that ages the photo - now need to identify some comics.

Is this one of yours Marwood? Unstamped cents issue so someone appears to have drawn a T&P stamp on it.

I’ve drawn up a template to populate for Marvels. Thought I’d start with the stamped issues I have, first impression is that a very large proportion are illegible especially the early ones with the number in black half circle. I have six early avengers stamped - only one I can read number. If someone was hoping to do some administrative task based on the numbers it wouldn’t be easy. I’ll let you know when it’s populated enough to make some conclusions/assumptions. Second impression - why couldn't Popular Book Centre stamp books just once? Mine, including X-Men #1, all have at least three stamps and sometimes four.

I’m intrigued as to what the numbers signify so going to have a go at mapping Marvels main titles, there is only a 10 year window before the number disappeared from T&P stamp. I’ve made a very brief start and doesn’t look too promising, however when get more examples may see a pattern. I had a thought that these may be remainder copies that sat in US warehouse and never made it to retailers, the comics would still be bundled so different companies (and possibly different titles within each company) would be kept separate so would not necessarily align with each other.

A lot of low grades and UK price variants here but any excuse to look through some books;

Obviously T&P distribution didn’t reach as far as Malaya

From “Paperbacks Pulp & Comics Collector” This would make it possible for T&P stamp on books from 1955ish and comics from 1957ish. All depends on when those import restrictions were lifted, I’ve googled but can’t find anything, perhaps a letter to Board of Trade may reveal answer.

I’m starting to agree with Albert that the stamp number relates to shipping dates - Extensive research of the two Daredevil issues I want to upgrade, 7 and 8, fits the pattern exactly all 7s are stamped 2 and all 8s (2 months later) are stamped 4. other early DDs seem to fit the pattern also. I’ll have a more extensive search of more Marvels titles. However i remain unconvinced it’s for SOR - were US comics SOR? By 1980 (post T&P I know) I was buying a full set of distributed Marvels from newsagent at 12p cover price and a month later I bought everything he hadn’t sold for 6p so he evidently wasn’t getting SOR or my 6p was more than he was paying wholesale and would get in return. As to UKPV I’d like to know did Marvel or T&P decide what issues would be distributed? The haphazard nature makes me think Marvel, if T&P had final say surely we would have had uninterrupted runs of the best sellers?

Yes, especially as Marvels at that time were being distributed by DCs owners.

You may be right and things may have changed later on, but pick on Daredevil 72 (a comic I recall buying “new” in 1973) it exists as a UKPV and cents with a T&P stamp - seems complicated that one would be SOR and one not. Would a newsagent be bothered to look?

I struggle to see this. I don’t believe the average newsagent would know the difference between Marvel and DC or Charlton so having a system where Marvels were SOR and others were non-returnable would be worth their while - unless all shops were exclusively Marvel or exclusively non-Marvel so they only had one system to work with. And what happened later on when you get Marvel UKPV and T&P stamped Versions of the same issue?

My reading shows Fred Thorpe bought a chain of newsagents owned by Porter group just after the end of WW2 so Thorpe & Porter came to be around 1946. However there was a post war ban on importing books/comics so they reprinted American comics in Britain so these wouldn’t have been stamped being home produced. In mid 50’s ban was lifted on non fiction books and ban on fiction comics lifted a few years later. So earliest possible stamp existed on books around 1955 onwards and on comics 1957/58 onwards.

Perhaps simply the stamps had a roller or interchangeable block which had space for only one digit?

By then (around August 1971 cover dated comics) World Distributors had taken over from T&P distributing Marvels. By 1973 when I started collecting (I lived in Gloucester) you could find WD UKPV 6p as well as old T&P 5p stamped and UKPV 1/- but everything was completely random. I never once saw the triangle stamp nor any remaindered logo torn off issues.

Possibly but if they had ordered a pence print run it would have been many months before they knew sales - a tester perhaps?

I have many sleepless nights contemplating UK distribution, lots of questions, some answers but these seem to lead to other questions. Why do T&P stamped cents and UKPV of the same issues exist? As I understand it T&P started distribution of US comics with issues remaindered In the US which he could buy below wholesale prices because they would otherwise be pulped. Later struck a deal to have them printed at source with UK price to save the stamping process. If T&P wanted prices preprinted And eliminate stamping it suggests that the stamp and its number was of no importance does it not? Does it mean that T&P got an equally good deal on purchasing pence preprinted issues as he did on buying the remaindered issues? If not why didn’t they just stick to stamping them? If T&P did get a good deal on preprinted and had their print run order for UKPV why would they then buy a batch of cents issues on top and stamp them? Couldn’t they have just ordered a bigger print run? if T&P could order a set amount of pence copies on the print run why is existence of pence copies so random? Wouldn’t they have just asked for a set number each month of the best sellers say 10,000 every month of Spider-Man and FF etc. I can understand a break for dock strike but why do some titles have numerous pence gaps (Or did we have lots of dock strikes in 60/70s)? Why do odd issues appear, I don’t see T&P asking for a print run of Patsy Walker for one issue, never before or never again. Why does one issue of Patsy Walker exist in pence?

The listing showed best offer accepted so I assume this was an auction with £20 start and a best offer function, ie higher than starting point, whereby seller ends auction if he gets a good offer. Assume during auction he got offer for £120 and accepted it. Someone got a bargain. It’s comics like this making me seriously considering selling some of my comics. My WWBN, Eternals, she-hulk 1, spider woman 1, black panther etc etc just sat in loft and never see light of day. They mean little to me other than being a completest. They were bought for pennies and seems logical to sell the prices they are now fetching.

Got #3 turn up from U.K. dealer this week. Low grade (like most of mine are) but gives me nice little run 1-9. Only need 12 issues for the title so think that may be attainable in next few years.

I prefer UK Price Variant. This defines it as nothing but the price being different from the regular US version, whereas UK Distribution Variant might be construed as being something completely different to and produced separately from US version or even UK Produced. I think UK Price variant ties in with terminology of 30c/35c price variants and Canadian price variant both of which are terms used in the hobby. It’s been an uphill battle to get collectors to understand what UK Price variants are, collectors know what 30c/35c price variants and Canadian price variants are and if UK price variants are going to get acceptance I think it’s best to tag along with these and keep similar naming terminology. Although I might be completely wrong.

Here's my copy of UK reprint, Creepy Worlds #36. These were published by Alan Class who released a number of titles many of which reprinted, virtually at random, Marvel and Atlas issues. Used to be you could pick these up for pennies but in the last 5 years or so they have been swept along in the rush for key issues. The last sale on ebay for Creepy Worlds #36 was a staggering £565.

Late silver/Bronze Age issues do turn up and inexpensive so long as you aren’t fussy about grade. However it’s rare for high grade issues to be on sale here.

No issues distributed in UK so when it comes to Millie and Chilli have to take what I can get.

This is my copy;

Looks a bit like a variation of a 9d Miller stamp actually (and they did do westerns): Make more sense to be a UK stamp, a reduction from 10 cents to 9 cents wouldn't be much of a reduction. 1956 so that would be too early for official distribution?

Apart from a few keys and few issues to complete Rawhide Kid title I don't actively seek westerns I just pick them up when I see them cheapish. However after seeing Gunsmoke #66 on one of the threads here a few months back I went straight out and bought one - it's fantastic isn't it. Although I like Jack's art his covers don't usually pop for me but surely Gunsmoke #66 is one of his very best - it's double fantastic.