Overstreet Advisor Doug Sulipas comments on Canadian Newsstand Variants

[bronzilla]

Doug Sulipas comments in the latest edition Of the guide I found informative and a lot of fun to read as allways.

But When I read his take on Canadian Newsstand Variants I was even more excited at the respect and interest he has shown towards these editions.

From Mr Sulipas comments in the 38th edition of the Guide I Quote:

"Canadian Newsstand Variant cover price editions sold better than ever before as awareness spreads."

"In general these are about 50 to 100 times scarcer than the USA direct edition printing, 90% only fair to good thru fine/very fine.ABOUT 9% in vf+ and perhaps only 1% in vf/nm or better."

"Very few of these variants have been graded by C.G.C., for example Secret Wars 8 has 1885 copies graded but only one Canadian in [Fine] on their census"

" I expect that variant collectors will regret not buying these sooner."

 

The above is just a small portion on Mr. Sulipas comments on this topic.

I have searched these out off and on the last few years and have found them to be very difficult, and darn near impossible in grade. I grab them whenever I can.

Start looking yourself and you will find this to be true. I have also noticed a few big dealers have started actively searching these Canadian Variants out.

I refer not to the Recent "Variants" such as the Wolverine Canadian flag cover.

I am talking about the issues from the 60s thru the 80s from all the major publishers that had the higher prices listed on the covers.

Mr Sulipa mentions a large premium being paid when he sells them.

Are we seeing the begining of Collectors starting to recognize the scarcity of these, and actively searching them out as I have done?

So I would love to generate some discussion on this topic.

[Earl Davis]

I pick these up when I see them cheap, same with the Australian and UK priced ones.

 

Earl.

[bronzilla]

Are you having a difficult time finding nice copys?

[Earl Davis]

Yes. There was a period when I was more active in looking for copies and used to search listings from canadian based sellers. Very hard to find. I did not notice them attracting much in the way of premium prices though.

[bronzilla]

I think the scarcity of these in relation to the US editions Is generally not understood by the Average collector. That is why I like to read of attention to this subject being generated By collectors and dealers of respected caliber.

After all for years no one paid attention to the US 30 and 35 cent cover variants, nor the whitman Pre- Packs.

Once the scarcity was understood as with many things the collectibility interest was enhanced.

[FlyingDonut]

Shhhhh.

[Lazyboy]

Doug Sulipas comments in the latest edition Of the guide I found informative and a lot of fun to read as allways.

From Mr Sulipas comments in the 38th edition of the Guide I Quote:

"In general these are about 50 to 100 times scarcer than the USA direct edition printing, 90% only fair to good thru fine/very fine.ABOUT 9% in vf+ and perhaps only 1% in vf/nm or better."

"Very few of these variants have been graded by C.G.C., for example Secret Wars 8 has 1885 copies graded but only one Canadian in [Fine] on their census"

" I expect that variant collectors will regret not buying these sooner."

 

The above is just a small portion on Mr. Sulipas comments on this topic.

I have searched these out off and on the last few years and have found them to be very difficult, and darn near impossible in grade. I grab them whenever I can.

Start looking yourself and you will find this to be true. I have also noticed a few big dealers have started actively searching these Canadian Variants out.

 

In general, he is right. Even up here Canadian variants aren't common, although they certainly aren't rare, either. I could go around to every store in the city and buy handfuls... but of course they would not be high grade (and probably overpriced, too). I think most of the ones I own fall in the 4.0-7.5 range.

 

However, Doug makes an assumption that invalidates one of his comments. He assumes CGC is infallible and the census is perfectly accurate. I know I have seen - specifically, at least one high grade Canadian SW8 that was not noted as such on the label - and generally, many slabs that do not have full, proper notes.

[rodan57]

Being a Canadian I would find them interesting but I would not expect an American collector to feel the same way. If part of the collecting experience is nostalgia, I don't think these Canadian editions, for example, would speak to the childhood experiences of an American. Value lies in demand.

[sterlingcomics]

He also assumes that there is enough of an established market to pay the price.

[THE_BEYONDER]

So....are we now calling these 'variants' rather than Canadian editions?

[boomtown]

So....are we now calling these 'variants' rather than Canadian editions?

 

I like that. I have a Mexican "Variant" of Sub-Mariner #1. These are probably even scarcer than the Canadian "variants".

[Lazyboy]

So....are we now calling these 'variants' rather than Canadian editions?

Technically, whatever version is produced in the greatest number is the regular edition and all other versions are variants, but it doesn't really matter what you call them.

[THE_BEYONDER]

So....are we now calling these 'variants' rather than Canadian editions?

Technically, whatever version is produced in the greatest number is the regular edition and all other versions are variants, but it doesn't really matter what you call them.

 

It does when you sell them on Ebay. I'm sure I'd get more hits by posting a book as a 'variant' than as a 'Canadian Edition'.

[nik]

Canadian Editions are variants in a roundabout sorta of way.

[BrianR]

I pick up The Canada editions when I find them. I have a few. I consider them almost in the category as UK editions just a little closer to home.

[the blob]

are these rare because in parts of canada it was the u.s. edition on the stand? did canadians buy more comics earlier from comic shops where they weren't using the newstand variant? i don't get it.

 

if the canadian variants are considered rare, why not pence copies? the U.K. has a bigger population, but I'd think that Canadians read U.S. comics on a much higher per capita basis (particularly given that like half the creative talent is canadian). it certainly seems to be the case based on the # of posters here where we have a disproportionate # of canadians (one would assume 1 canadian per 10 americans, but it seems like more than that)

[THE_BEYONDER]

Canadian Editions are variants in a roundabout sorta of way.

 

Works for me.

[the blob]

i understand why they're rarer than u.s. versions, i get that, although the same can be said about some 1970s direct v. newstand copies too.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Dealers had cases of the direct versions. Dealers never had access to Canadian newsstand versions unless they went around & plucked them from the stands. I imagine there are some variety store owners out there who have a nice stash of these though.....

[bronzilla]

are these rare because in parts of canada it was the u.s. edition on the stand? did canadians buy more comics earlier from comic shops where they weren't using the newstand variant? i don't get it.

 

if the canadian variants are considered rare, why not pence copies? the U.K. has a bigger population, but I'd think that Canadians read U.S. comics on a much higher per capita basis (particularly given that like half the creative talent is canadian). it certainly seems to be the case based on the # of posters here where we have a disproportionate # of canadians (one would assume 1 canadian per 10 americans, but it seems like more than that)

I dont remember the exact figure, but the rarity lies in the lower published issue count.

While Canadas land mass is obviously larger than the UK, The population is miniscule in comparrison. Thus a tiny print run as opposed to the US and UK