TMNT #1 Club 19 19

[Turtle]

 

One auction that I had looked at stated that only x number were signed before sale. Other auctions have before stated other things....that of the 3000 copies (now 3275) that only x number were sold or x number were sent to libraries or given away etc.

 

Your link is great for a starting point of number produced but is there something concrete on what happened next? Is there anything to these claims made by eBay sellers or are they all made up?

 

Whether they were given away, sold, thrown away, etc. wouldn't impact the print quantity one bit. It would impact only the amount available...which could lead to fewer available for sale. But your argument that this book is "too available" for sale seems very weird.

 

I'm getting confused about what it is you're wanting to know at this point. What concrete info. are you looking for? There were 3,275 copies made in 1984. It's 2015 and some copies get sold each week and some new ones come up available for sale every day. If you have doubts about the print run and, in your mind, that makes these books less valuable, then don't buy one. Case closed.

 

+1

[buyatari]

 

One auction that I had looked at stated that only x number were signed before sale. Other auctions have before stated other things....that of the 3000 copies (now 3275) that only x number were sold or x number were sent to libraries or given away etc.

 

Your link is great for a starting point of number produced but is there something concrete on what happened next? Is there anything to these claims made by eBay sellers or are they all made up?

 

Whether they were given away, sold, thrown away, etc. wouldn't impact the print quantity one bit. It would impact only the amount available...which could lead to fewer available for sale. But your argument that this book is "too available" for sale seems very weird.

 

I'm getting confused about what it is you're wanting to know at this point. What concrete info. are you looking for? There were 3,275 copies made in 1984. It's 2015 and some copies get sold each week and some new ones come up available for sale every day. If you have doubts about the print run and, in your mind, that makes these books less valuable, then don't buy one. Case closed.

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

[BarryAllen]

 

One auction that I had looked at stated that only x number were signed before sale. Other auctions have before stated other things....that of the 3000 copies (now 3275) that only x number were sold or x number were sent to libraries or given away etc.

 

Your link is great for a starting point of number produced but is there something concrete on what happened next? Is there anything to these claims made by eBay sellers or are they all made up?

 

Whether they were given away, sold, thrown away, etc. wouldn't impact the print quantity one bit. It would impact only the amount available...which could lead to fewer available for sale. But your argument that this book is "too available" for sale seems very weird.

 

I'm getting confused about what it is you're wanting to know at this point. What concrete info. are you looking for? There were 3,275 copies made in 1984. It's 2015 and some copies get sold each week and some new ones come up available for sale every day. If you have doubts about the print run and, in your mind, that makes these books less valuable, then don't buy one. Case closed.

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

 

 

I am really confused by your posts: you are dismissing data that exists because you want to and wishing for data to exist because you want it.

 

There isn't a magic number of copies that were set aside and signed before they were sold (at least in any official verifiable capacity). These are comic books - they were printed and then distributed to shops to be sold. All signatures have been obtained after the comic was purchased via meeting the creators at a con, mail-in request, personal acquaintance, etc. All signatures prior to CGC's existence are unverifiable by them and will receive either a blue or a green label - so trust at your own risk.

 

That all being said, I don't think anyone here can help you with what you are looking for...

Edited December 7, 2015 by rfoiii

[rich_TMNT]

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

 

OK, here's the list of factual information you're looking for. Consider it "recorded somewhere."

• The 3,275 copy print run is accurate...confirmed and documented by Peter Laird himself.
  
• No claims to the contrary by any other person not directly associated with TMNT #1 (i.e., anyone other than Kevin or Peter) should be considered valid.
  
• No copies were set aside, designated for special use, or were even signed in a specific way for a specific purpose or promotion (although Kevin and Peter did give away some copies to friends, family, etc.) which likely had personal messages or signatures. Those copies are VERY RARELY ever sold due to their sentimental and/or collectible value.
  
• Kevin and Peter never thought they'd sell all of the copies they had printed. They used the boxes that they came in for furniture in their house.
  
• And finally, this picture alone is what I would say is proof of the print run being limited as has been well-documented and not artificially understated / low for the purpose of creating rarity. While it's hard to know how many copies are in each box, there are probably between 300-400 copies in each box (just for portability and weight). Get more pictures and info. here.
  

 

[valiantman]

The boxes look like they say "315" in the corner. 10 of those plus a partial box would be 3,275.

[buyatari]

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

 

OK, here's the list of factual information you're looking for. Consider it "recorded somewhere."

• The 3,275 copy print run is accurate...confirmed and documented by Peter Laird himself.
  
• No claims to the contrary by any other person not directly associated with TMNT #1 (i.e., anyone other than Kevin or Peter) should be considered valid.
  
• No copies were set aside, designated for special use, or were even signed in a specific way for a specific purpose or promotion (although Kevin and Peter did give away some copies to friends, family, etc.) which likely had personal messages or signatures. Those copies are VERY RARELY ever sold due to their sentimental and/or collectible value.
  
• Kevin and Peter never thought they'd sell all of the copies they had printed. They used the boxes that they came in for furniture in their house.
  
• And finally, this picture alone is what I would say is proof of the print run being limited as has been well-documented and not artificially understated / low for the purpose of creating rarity. While it's hard to know how many copies are in each box, there are probably between 300-400 copies in each box (just for portability and weight). Get more pictures and info. here.
  

 

 

WOW great stuff !

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

 

OK, here's the list of factual information you're looking for. Consider it "recorded somewhere."

• The 3,275 copy print run is accurate...confirmed and documented by Peter Laird himself.
  
• No claims to the contrary by any other person not directly associated with TMNT #1 (i.e., anyone other than Kevin or Peter) should be considered valid.

 
I would consider the printer who received and processed the order to be a valid source, directly associated with TMNT #1.
 

No copies were set aside, designated for special use, or were even signed in a specific way for a specific purpose or promotion (although Kevin and Peter did give away some copies to friends, family, etc.) which likely had personal messages or signatures. Those copies are VERY RARELY ever sold due to their sentimental and/or collectible value.
Kevin and Peter never thought they'd sell all of the copies they had printed. They used the boxes that they came in for furniture in their house.
And finally, this picture alone is what I would say is proof of the print run being limited as has been well-documented and not artificially understated / low for the purpose of creating rarity. While it's hard to know how many copies are in each box, there are probably between 300-400 copies in each box (just for portability and weight). Get more pictures and info. here.

 

 

Yes, it doesn't make much sense for Eastman/Laird to have maintained a fiction for nearly 32 years. They had no idea what would happen, none at all. They were just doing an homage to Ronin, and left it at that. The number of copies printed was known long before Turtles became a household name and, in fact, before issue #1 was worth anything at all.

 

The same thing happened, on a smaller scale, with Cerebus a few years before. Sim printed 2,000 copies of #1, and then proceeded to offer them for sale. When it became a huge hit in the early 80's, at the very beginning of the B&W explosion, that number had already been documented.

[RockMyAmadeus]

 

 

What is exceptionally cool about this picture is knowing that my copy is in that picture, somewhere.

 

[Ryan.]

Woah.

[buyatari]

 

+1

 

You are mixing my opinion with my question.

 

Ignore my opinion. The question is simple. What do we know for sure about the sales and distribution of the first print of issue #1. Besides the number printed do we know anything else. The few links provided so far have been great.

 

Do we know how long they took to sell? Do we know any other detail on how they were sold? For example how many were sold via mail order versus sent to local comic stores or sold at comic conventions? It is perhaps the single most important comic of the Cooper age and I'd like to know more about it.

[BarryAllen]

 

+1

 

You are mixing my opinion with my question.

 

Ignore my opinion. The question is simple. What do we know for sure about the sales and distribution of the first print of issue #1. Besides the number printed do we know anything else. The few links provided so far have been great.

 

Do we know how long they took to sell? Do we know any other detail on how they were sold? For example how many were sold via mail order versus sent to local comic stores or sold at comic conventions? It is perhaps the single most important comic of the Cooper age and I'd like to know more about it.

 

Privately produced and distributed comic "companies" don't keep those kind of records (or at least that didn't in 1984) - heck even the big two are spotty when it comes to details that are older than 15 years (or even now for that matter). Distribution records of much larger comics have been the center of debate on the boards for many many discussions - and they usually end up left to interpretation.

 

What you are looking for doesn't exist and is honestly irrelevant.

 

We also don't know what Peter was having for lunch the day the comics were dropped off at his house or the color underwear Kevin was wearing when he dropped off his first box at a local comic shop. :shrug:

 

Honestly I am not sure what you are ultimately after, but I will reiterate what I said before - you are not going to find it here.

Edited December 7, 2015 by rfoiii

[rich_TMNT]

The boxes look like they say "315" in the corner. 10 of those plus a partial box would be 3,275.

 

It does look like "315" is on pretty much every box. One or two of them seem that they might have "215".

 

 

I would consider the printer who received and processed the order to be a valid source, directly associated with TMNT #1.

 

I would agree. I think my statement is probably best without the "(i.e., anyone other than Kevin or Peter)" and just simply, "No claims to the contrary by any other person not directly associated with TMNT #1 should be considered valid."

 

 

What is exceptionally cool about this picture is knowing that my copy is in that picture, somewhere.

 

 

I know. I've always thought the same thing. I've always wondered if my copy is one of the ones depicted in some of Kevin and Peter's old photos of them sitting at the comic convention tables. They have multiple copies of TMNT #1 just sitting out waiting to be purchased. Need a time-machine...

[PeasOfCrap]

the color underwear Kevin was wearing

 

I understand Kevin does not wear underwear.

[BarryAllen]

the color underwear Kevin was wearing

 

I understand Kevin does not wear underwear.

 

And how did you come to that understanding...?

[PeasOfCrap]

the color underwear Kevin was wearing

 

I understand Kevin does not wear underwear.

 

And how did you come to that understanding...?

 

Yeah, I set myself up for that one!

[BarryAllen]

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

 

OK, here's the list of factual information you're looking for. Consider it "recorded somewhere."

• The 3,275 copy print run is accurate...confirmed and documented by Peter Laird himself.
  
• No claims to the contrary by any other person not directly associated with TMNT #1 (i.e., anyone other than Kevin or Peter) should be considered valid.
  
• No copies were set aside, designated for special use, or were even signed in a specific way for a specific purpose or promotion (although Kevin and Peter did give away some copies to friends, family, etc.) which likely had personal messages or signatures. Those copies are VERY RARELY ever sold due to their sentimental and/or collectible value.
  
• Kevin and Peter never thought they'd sell all of the copies they had printed. They used the boxes that they came in for furniture in their house.
  
• And finally, this picture alone is what I would say is proof of the print run being limited as has been well-documented and not artificially understated / low for the purpose of creating rarity. While it's hard to know how many copies are in each box, there are probably between 300-400 copies in each box (just for portability and weight). Get more pictures and info. here.
  

 

 

I always love seeing that picture!

[GM8]

Does anyone know the price and date of the highest sale ever for this book?

 

This summer/fall I saw a comic link pending sale for 22K I believe but I have no idea how accurate that was.

[SpideyFein]

 

No I think the original print run of 3275 is accurate. To me it does look like there are just too many available for such a small print run but that doesn't mean I don't want one. I just don't want to buy a fake.Knowing what happened to those 3275 copies should be interesting to anyone interested in a TMNT 1, no?

 

Some seller have made claims. Most of them are made up I am sure but I was hoping that there would be something recorded somewhere about the run that we do know. Most importantly, if X number of copies were set aside and they were all signed in the same way before they were sold then that is the copy I want.

 

OK, here's the list of factual information you're looking for. Consider it "recorded somewhere."

• The 3,275 copy print run is accurate...confirmed and documented by Peter Laird himself.
  
• No claims to the contrary by any other person not directly associated with TMNT #1 (i.e., anyone other than Kevin or Peter) should be considered valid.
  
• No copies were set aside, designated for special use, or were even signed in a specific way for a specific purpose or promotion (although Kevin and Peter did give away some copies to friends, family, etc.) which likely had personal messages or signatures. Those copies are VERY RARELY ever sold due to their sentimental and/or collectible value.
  
• Kevin and Peter never thought they'd sell all of the copies they had printed. They used the boxes that they came in for furniture in their house.
  
• And finally, this picture alone is what I would say is proof of the print run being limited as has been well-documented and not artificially understated / low for the purpose of creating rarity. While it's hard to know how many copies are in each box, there are probably between 300-400 copies in each box (just for portability and weight). Get more pictures and info. here.
  

 

 

Thanks for posting this. I love the history of the toitles!! I had never seen or read this before.

[Cyclops]

 

 

 

What is exceptionally cool about this picture is knowing that my copy is in that picture, somewhere.

 

 

[Bronty]

such a great pic!