Overstreet Advisor Doug Sulipas comments on Canadian Newsstand Variants

[joe_collector]

Everyone, especially dealers trying to get higher prices by misusing the term "variant" needs to read this:

 

FWIW, here are the definitions I go by:

 

Edition: A print run of a specific issue intended for a defined consumer channel. Examples include Newsstand editions, Direct Sale editions, foreign editions, reprints, etc.

 

Variant: A specific change to a particular edition (above) by the publisher for some reason. Examples include price variants to test market reaction (30-cent and 35-cent Marvels), date variants to extend the shelf-life, numbering variants to comply with postal regulations (some EC comics), advertising variants to exploit a segment of the market (Mark Jeweler copies and Military PX copies) and yes, sadly, cover variants created by the publisher to milk the market.

 

Error: A change to a segment of a print run that was not intended by the publisher. Examples include coloring errors, reversed pages, out-of-register printing, bindery goofs, etc.

[bronzilla]

I think the term "variant" is getting a bad rap due to the glut of "manufactured" scarcity of recently produced variant editions.

I have no problem with people chasing those, to each their own.

I think implying a dealer is attempting to create a market out of thin air is a bit of a stretch in this case.

All evidence I have seen is these are in small supply, had considerably lower print runs, and extremly tuff to find in grade compared to the US versions.

I will continue to chase them if for no other reason than I like them.

For me like many collectors it is the thrill of the hunt to find something that is difficult to find weather appreciated by the majority of other collectors or not..currrently.

I really appreciate all the educated opinions received from everyone, especially our neighbors to the north!

[joe_collector]

All evidence I have seen is these are in small supply, had considerably lower print runs, and extremly tuff to find in grade compared to the US versions.

 

Sure, but so are OPC baseball cards, and no one cares.

 

My only problem is someone calling them "variants", as that is totally incorrect. These are the standard Canadian versions that I sometimes bought, and these are not a variation on the newstand edition.

 

If these are the Canadian newstand variants, then where are the non-variant Canadian newstand editions?

[awe4one]

I think implying a dealer is attempting to create a market out of thin air is a bit of a stretch in this case.

All evidence I have seen is these are in small supply, had considerably lower print runs, and extremly tuff to find in grade compared to the US versions.

I will continue to chase them if for no other reason than I like them.

 

That's great...but don't assume everyone else shares your passion. I don't think this dog will hunt...

 

Jim

[bluechip]

I think implying a dealer is attempting to create a market out of thin air is a bit of a stretch in this case.

All evidence I have seen is these are in small supply, had considerably lower print runs, and extremly tuff to find in grade compared to the US versions.

I will continue to chase them if for no other reason than I like them.

 

That's great...but don't assume everyone else shares your passion. I don't think this dog will hunt...

 

Jim

 

Good advice.

 

 

If you like them, it's great. But if you expect anyone else to like or chase them, it's best to step back and consider why you would expect them to like a particular variant. F'rinstance, the other day I found myself talking to a person who collected old Disney stuff and I told them I'd heard there was a "Nazi Mickey" doll, printed in the 30s -- basically, Mickey in a storm trooper's outfit. Now, anytime you tell people about that "variant" you can expect most of them will find it pretty darn interesting for a lot of understandable reasons. There are lots of "variants" which were created to correct something from an earlier edition, or which were made for a specific market.

 

Variants that came about for interesting reasons tend to be interesting and therefore sought after by collectors. But variants created for essentially meaningless reasons, much less so. To me, and I think to most people, it is not automatically interesting enough that a book is a "variant" just because it has subtle markings to indicate which area it was first sold in. If, on the other hand, the artwork or story was purposely changed to suit the sensibilities of that area (or some change in current events), then it becomes interesting.

 

On another thread I pointed out how some WW2 era Canadian comics varied from the U.S. editions because the Canadians were not at war against Japan and so didn't want to offend them.

 

The least meaningful variants of all, so far as I am concerned, are the are "variants" which were created simply for the sake of being a variant just so people would buy more than one issue.

 

Good rule of thumb -- anything which is created to be a collectible... isn.t.

[the blob]

At some point, price discrepancies like that will narrow over time...afterall, Venus # 1 is a difficult Golden Age black cover Timely in any edition, if you want a copy, why pass up the Canadian edition for roughly 20%-25% of what it would sell for if it were the American edition?

------------------

 

I thought most of the GA canadian editions came out after the U.S. edition and are thus reprints? (unlike BA/CA stuff, which are contemporaneous)

 

I was very tempted on a Superboy 1 a while back but thought better of it?

 

As for why there wasn't a response in the WTB threads...if I had any I wouldn't know it! To date my only Canadian version was a 20 cent Gold Key that should have said 15 cents on it (a Turok). Me figuring that out was pure accident, as I had a later issue with the same 15 cents and I got confused. or at least i think that was the deal.

 

But I shall be looking henceforth for 75 cent cover prices that should be 65 or 60.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

I thought most of the GA canadian editions came out after the U.S. edition and are thus reprints? (unlike BA/CA stuff, which are contemporaneous)

 

I can't offer an across-the-board answer, but the cover dates on the Venus # 1 are 8/48 and 9/48 on the US and Canadian editions respectively. So, if the November cover date version of Marvel Comics # 1 isn't considered a reprint, then neither should this book.

 

I agree with most of you that its probably a limited niche field of collecting (unless you are a Canadian of course), but if you are a Golden Age collector who happens to find himself with a golden opportunity to pick up a rare and/or high grade book at a greatly reduced cost versus the US edition, why not?

 

 

 

 

[bronzilla]

I dont assume anything

Frankly my passion in collecting is something I am sure others enjoy as well.

 

What I did not expect is the Childish belittling of anothers collecting passion from some on these boards, I assume we are all Adults and should expect better.

I see this all to often on these boards.

Possibly others share my interests but feel too intimidated by others to comment.

This does our hobby nor our forum community any good.

Peace to all and thanks!!

[Silver Surfer]

I'm of the opinion that Canadian variants of older books, particularily GA books, are still a very much underappreciated part of the market.

 

For instance, I picked up the Canadian Superior comics edition of Venus Comics # 1 in CGC 9.0. The book is beautiful, and is the highest graded copy of either edition. I paid under $500 via ebay. The Carson City copy of the American edition recently sold on Comiclink for $1,700, and its a 8.5.

 

At some point, price discrepancies like that will narrow over time...afterall, Venus # 1 is a difficult Golden Age black cover Timely in any edition, if you want a copy, why pass up the Canadian edition for roughly 20%-25% of what it would sell for if it were the American edition?

 

 

 

 

I agree with Jive since I collect GA Canadian issues. These books are totally under appreciated (especially Timely prints) and many are super rare and would fall in the category of Gerber 10's if they were ever rated. Back in 1949-1950 anything that was considered to be bad for the youth was essentially banned by Canadian law so most of these books were probably tossed in the scrap heap and print runs were stopped. This all came down as the US verions of these books were at an all-time low in terms of popularity. The 1980's 75 cent stuff is cool, and you'd think that most high grade collectors would want to have a Canadian version of these in their collection if they are working on completing runs. I recently got the Pence bug as well so lets keep these cheap for the next little while.

[Silver Surfer]

I thought most of the GA canadian editions came out after the U.S. edition and are thus reprints? (unlike BA/CA stuff, which are contemporaneous)

 

I can't offer an across-the-board answer, but the cover dates on the Venus # 1 are 8/48 and 9/48 on the US and Canadian editions respectively. So, if the November cover date version of Marvel Comics # 1 isn't considered a reprint, then neither should this book.

 

I agree with most of you that its probably a limited niche field of collecting (unless you are a Canadian of course), but if you are a Golden Age collector who happens to find himself with a golden opportunity to pick up a rare and/or high grade book at a greatly reduced cost versus the US edition, why not?

 

 

 

 

George the GA books I have have different advertisement that the US originals. Your copy of the Venus #1 is probably still in the slabb so you probably can't double check this? I like your arguement but it probably falls somewhere inbetween a variant and a reprint.

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

I thought most of the GA canadian editions came out after the U.S. edition and are thus reprints? (unlike BA/CA stuff, which are contemporaneous)

 

I can't offer an across-the-board answer, but the cover dates on the Venus # 1 are 8/48 and 9/48 on the US and Canadian editions respectively. So, if the November cover date version of Marvel Comics # 1 isn't considered a reprint, then neither should this book.

 

I agree with most of you that its probably a limited niche field of collecting (unless you are a Canadian of course), but if you are a Golden Age collector who happens to find himself with a golden opportunity to pick up a rare and/or high grade book at a greatly reduced cost versus the US edition, why not?

 

 

George the GA books I have have different advertisement that the US originals. Your copy of the Venus #1 is probably still in the slabb so you probably can't double check this? I like your arguement but it probably falls somewhere inbetween a variant and a reprint.

 

I would propose a third alternative: Edition. Let's face it, they were intended for a different audience (hence the different ads and sometimes altered stories), so I think the word "variant" isn't entirely appropriate, as I associate variant as being essentially the same book with the exception of something related to the cover (price tag, actual cover art variants, a chrome-hologram cover, etc.).

 

As for reprint, that term is erroneous too. That term generally denotes that the first (and possibly subsequent) printings sold out, and were later reprinted due to demand (ala Superman # 1). Of course, Superman # 1 is a bad example as the seems to be no collector interest in differentiating between the different reprints versions. Perhaps a book like G.I. Joe # 2, circa 1982, is a better standard definition of what a comic book reprint is. Unless, of course, you equate being published by a different publishing house in another country as reprinted material...

 

Oh, who cares...the Canadian books are cool, but Demand for them will likely always far behind those of the US editions. Case Closed.

[Silver Surfer]

Indeed Canadians are cool.

[joe_collector]

How did this thread derail into GA books?

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

How did this thread derail into GA books?

 

Because there is GA, and then there is everything else....

[comicdonna]

How did this thread derail into GA books?

 

Because there is GA, and then there is everything else....

[awe4one]

How did this thread derail into GA books?

 

Because there is GA, and then there is everything else....

 

Says the former very active Bronze collector...

 

Jim

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

How did this thread derail into GA books?

 

Because there is GA, and then there is everything else....

 

Says the former very active Bronze collector...

 

Jim

 

Touche. (thumbs u

[Silver Surfer]

How did this thread derail into GA books?

 

Just another "variant" of this discussion.

[rodan57]

 

On another thread I pointed out how some WW2 era Canadian comics varied from the U.S. editions because the Canadians were not at war against Japan and so didn't want to offend them.

 

OK. I can't resist: Canada declares war on Japan on December 7th, 1941. U.S. declares war on December 8th.

[Silver Surfer]

 

On another thread I pointed out how some WW2 era Canadian comics varied from the U.S. editions because the Canadians were not at war against Japan and so didn't want to offend them.

 

OK. I can't resist: Canada declares war on Japan on December 7th, 1941. U.S. declares war on December 8th.