Marvel Unlimited Variant (Daredevil)

[sandman-migration]

saw this auction, with a few other variants selling in EBay now.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=32753&item=2201223900

 

the seller wrote this:

 

"It seems Marvel did some funny things for a couple of years when distributing Daredevil on newsstands. Starting with issue 16 and running through issue 25, they retitled the series "Marvel Unlimited Featuring: Daredevil" (on the cover only) and printed the books with no issue number on the front cover. Presumably to test how well the strength of the Marvel brand could sell a lesser known character. Starting with issue 26 they dropped the "Marvel Unlimited" but didn't return the numbering to the front cover That produced the so- called "no number" variants that ran (with two exceptions- 30 and 32) until issue 44. Also included in that run is issue 41, one of the new Marvel price variants.

 

Anyway, these are a lot tougher than you'd think, especially in high grade since they were no more than 10% of the total print run and were distributed in the anti-high grade newsstand market. Not a bad little run to collect."

 

can anyone provide more information on these variants? thanks!!

 

 

[rob_react]

I can provide what I wrote in the auction

[Darthdiesel]

So Rob, how did you erase the numbers from all those covers?

[rob_react]

So Rob, how did you erase the numbers from all those covers?

 

Very carefully.

 

[awe4one]

If you ask me, it was a very confusing experiment. The issues didn't look like a regular Daredevil comic and sometimes featured Electra on the cover as well. For regular Daredevil readers buying off the newsstand, the comic might well have been a special or reprint similar to the Marvel Unlimited(?) magazine that was sold on newsstands a little over a year ago. I can only use a couple of newsstands as evidence but it seems the regular Daredevil title sold out after a week or so. Those with Marvel Unlimited on the cover languished. I wouldn't be surprised if your number of 10% sold is mighty generous.

 

 

Jim

[rob_react]

If you ask me, it was a very confusing experiment. The issues didn't look like a regular Daredevil comic and sometimes featured Electra on the cover as well. For regular Daredevil readers buying off the newsstand, the comic might well have been a special or reprint similar to the Marvel Unlimited(?) magazine that was sold on newsstands a little over a year ago. I can only use a couple of newsstands as evidence but it seems the regular Daredevil title sold out after a week or so. Those with Marvel Unlimited on the cover languished. I wouldn't be surprised if your number of 10% sold is mighty generous.

 

I didn't say 10% sold. 10% printed was the figure I quoted. I can tell you from experience these are pretty tough to find, especially in high grade, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if far fewer made it into circulation.. I just sold a pair to a guy who's finishing his run and the best I could do for him was a couple of modern-age style "beaters" (VFs)

[awe4one]

I can tell you from experience these are pretty tough to find, especially in high grade, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if far fewer made it into circulation.. I just sold a pair to a guy who's finishing his run and the best I could do for him was a couple of modern-age style "beaters" (VFs)

 

I have no doubt they are tough....

 

And yet again, first being the FF#60 newsstand variant, I had the opportunity to buy as many as I wanted and didn't.....

 

 

Jim

[rob_react]

I can tell you from experience these are pretty tough to find, especially in high grade, so it wouldn't surprise me at all if far fewer made it into circulation.. I just sold a pair to a guy who's finishing his run and the best I could do for him was a couple of modern-age style "beaters" (VFs)

 

I have no doubt they are tough....

 

And yet again, first being the FF#60 newsstand variant, I had the opportunity to buy as many as I wanted and didn't.....

 

 

Jim

 

I still haven't even seen one of those FF 60s.

[awe4one]

I still haven't even seen one of those FF 60s.

 

I saw a row of about thirty. Even picked one up to see if it was 9 cents. And didn't buy a one.

 

 

Jim

[Aman619]

I spoke to a Marvel Editor a few years ago about Marvel Universe newsstand versions. He told me they werent a test of any characters or alternate covers. Marvel had the idea that newsstand distributors would buy more (and more) copies of a consistent title. And Marvel could put whatever they wanted inside. It made sense when he explained it! Along the lines of supplying these uninterested newsstand guys with a simple way of ordering their books: they cant tell the differenece from one to another, couldnt care less....so without chosing which comic book title to order each month, they could just remember to order the generic "Marvel Universe".

 

The newsstand versions are still coming out each week...but no alternate covers. Only difference is in the UPC code box; they DON'T say DIRECT EDITION, and sometimes say the month instead. And they are "rarer" nowadays, but....

[rob_react]

Sweet. And thus ends a misinformation thread started I don't even know where...

[Darthdiesel]

Rob, start something about this

 

Variant?