Batman # 1 Blue label 9.0 to be auctioned on ComicLink again.

[VintageComics]

One of the problems with using Occam's razor is that it does not make provision for extraordinary circumstances, of which there are many in real life.

 

Occam's razor plays the odds. It says the the most likely solution is the simplest one.

 

Just saying....

 

I love these discussions and it would be interesting to nail down some more facts.

 

Has anyone ever spoke to anyone at DC about the two cover versions?

Does anyone know of any DC historians that might be able to shed some light (with all dues respect if there are any among us that I am not aware of)?

 

 

R.

 

 

[ashrael]

...

 

well... why would that be more likely than having a smaller second printing without the period, a tiny screwup that no one noticed? I'd think that's more likely than the idea that they stopped the initial run to fix something so small. Stopping a print run mid stream is a pretty big deal.

 

edit -- thinking about it, it might be even more likely that there was a small initial/separate run that accounts for the "no period". I've been warming to the idea that some of these known printings were local-distro motivated (a printing for the NY/east coast area, and another one nationwide). But I wish there was more evidence in the form of known provenance on some of the rare versions.

 

I worked at a printing plant for 5 years, and actually worked on the presses for about 1 year. The process was that you would do a brief run to start out with to make sure all of the colors were in alingment. Once satisfied that all was correct, then a customer service rep would have to approve that all was A-OK before continuing. This would seem to explain the presence of a period, or lack thereof.

 

Would the customer service rep generally look at a fully stapled copy, or just a cover sheet?

[bluechip]

I for one, certainly know some folks that I wish didn't have a "."... oh wait, wrong forum

 

But you may have stumbled on the answer. The customer service rep looked at the first covers off the press and said "You missed a period." Then all the guys saidthey had nothing to do with it and ran out of the room.

[nearmint]

It seems unlikely to me that they would recognize that they made an error by leaving off the period, then go ahead and make a 2nd error by placing it incorrectly.

[bluechip]

It seems unlikely to me that they would recognize that they made an error by leaving off the period, then go ahead and make a 2nd error by placing it incorrectly.

 

 

All it means is that someone said you left off the period, so fix it, and somebody fixed it in a hurry and didn't do it right.

 

If that sounds unlikely, then I don't see how it could be more likely that:

 

they recognized they made an error placing the period incorrectly, then went to the trouble of stopping the presses - very late in the run -- and "fixed" it not by placing the period correctly but by removing it altogether?

 

 

 

 

 

[Ze-man]

Check this out.

 

It is from 1977, and obviously totally different then the pre war printing. But it shows just how chaotic a press plant can be. And one dot on one comic was probably not exactly their biggest problem.

 

The comic stuff of the tour starts around the 7:25 mark.

 

Fascinating to see just how many covers and interiors were just sitting there, stacked, and stacked , and stacked.

 

 

 

 

[Aman619]

well, in that case, the mechanical was wrong... it was typeset wrong. happens all the time, and noone at DC caught it. Though, some dope who never graduated high school running the press rushing to add some dumb period to a number might have mistakenly put it closer to the 1 and his bosses, later looking at the new plate that slowed them down a few hours then let it go.

 

but, that doesnt make as much sense. Replating is the more costly solution. Adding the period necessitates a new plate be made. Takes hours. These were metal plates back then. And, if it was the period was then wrong again? I dont think DC says aww shucks go ahead and print it. If you bother to fix something costing that much time and money, it had better be right. UNLESS - -- they made the printer EAT the job at that point.

 

so it still makes more sense to me that the misplaced period was scraped off.

 

but that doesnt explain the period version being more common today..'

 

what to do... what to do.

[VintageComics]

Ze, that's very cool.

 

 

I'd love to hear what DiceX had to say as he worked at printing plants (and possibly even Sparta).

 

 

[Aman619]

wow. great find! Spartan was huuuge. Were these tour once a year? or a regular thing?

 

[bluechip]

well, in that case, the mechanical was wrong... it was typeset wrong. happens all the time, and noone at DC caught it. Though, some dope who never graduated high school running the press rushing to add some dumb period to a number might have mistakenly put it closer to the 1 and his bosses, later looking at the new plate that slowed them down a few hours then let it go.

 

but, that doesnt make as much sense. Replating is the more costly solution. Adding the period necessitates a new plate be made. Takes hours. These were metal plates back then. And, if it was the period was then wrong again? I dont think DC says aww shucks go ahead and print it. If you bother to fix something costing that much time and money, it had better be right. UNLESS - -- they made the printer EAT the job at that point.

 

so it still makes more sense to me that the misplaced period was scraped off.

 

but that doesnt explain the period version being more common today..'

 

what to do... what to do.

 

Sorry, but if somebody was anal enough to think the period is slightly to the right of where it should be, making it a tiny typo, I can't imagine that same person instructing the printer to remove the period and make it even more of a typo.

 

The sad truth, I'm afraid, is likely that when it was noticed, they added that extra dot of color.

 

Which means, sadly, that all of the "." copies are restored.

 

 

[Mr. 10%]

well, in that case, the mechanical was wrong... it was typeset wrong. happens all the time, and noone at DC caught it. Though, some dope who never graduated high school running the press rushing to add some dumb period to a number might have mistakenly put it closer to the 1 and his bosses, later looking at the new plate that slowed them down a few hours then let it go.

 

but, that doesnt make as much sense. Replating is the more costly solution. Adding the period necessitates a new plate be made. Takes hours. These were metal plates back then. And, if it was the period was then wrong again? I dont think DC says aww shucks go ahead and print it. If you bother to fix something costing that much time and money, it had better be right. UNLESS - -- they made the printer EAT the job at that point.

 

so it still makes more sense to me that the misplaced period was scraped off.

 

but that doesnt explain the period version being more common today..'

 

what to do... what to do.

 

Sorry, but if somebody was anal enough to think the period is slightly to the right of where it should be, making it a tiny typo, I can't imagine that same person instructing the printer to remove the period and make it even more of a typo.

 

The sad truth, I'm afraid, is likely that when it was noticed, they added that extra dot of color.

 

Which means, sadly, that all of the "." copies are restored.

 

[fishbone]

Question: Is this the next million dollar comic ?? Is it possible at all in anyone's opinion ??

[G.A.tor]

Question: Is this the next million dollar comic ?? Is it possible at all in anyone's opinion ??

I would be shocked if this particular copy hit 250K

[adamstrange]

well, in that case, the mechanical was wrong... it was typeset wrong. happens all the time, and noone at DC caught it. Though, some dope who never graduated high school running the press rushing to add some dumb period to a number might have mistakenly put it closer to the 1 and his bosses, later looking at the new plate that slowed them down a few hours then let it go.

 

but, that doesnt make as much sense. Replating is the more costly solution. Adding the period necessitates a new plate be made. Takes hours. These were metal plates back then. And, if it was the period was then wrong again? I dont think DC says aww shucks go ahead and print it. If you bother to fix something costing that much time and money, it had better be right. UNLESS - -- they made the printer EAT the job at that point.

 

so it still makes more sense to me that the misplaced period was scraped off.

 

but that doesnt explain the period version being more common today..'

 

what to do... what to do.

What if the plate was damaged late in the run and the damage was that "dot" being struck off? Do we know by distributor date markings when the "no periods" are from?

[VintageComics]

Question: Is this the next million dollar comic ?? Is it possible at all in anyone's opinion ??

I would be shocked if this particular copy hit 250K

 

Ah, what do you know about Batman?

 

[MrBedrock]

Question: Is this the next million dollar comic ?? Is it possible at all in anyone's opinion ??

I would be shocked if this particular copy hit 250K

 

Ah, what do you know about Batman?

 

He knows that, investment wise, if you have one it must be on a downward spiral

[RockMyAmadeus]

9.0?

 

Drek.

 

Call me when a 9.8 surfaces....

[VintageComics]

Question: Is this the next million dollar comic ?? Is it possible at all in anyone's opinion ??

I would be shocked if this particular copy hit 250K

 

Ah, what do you know about Batman?

 

He knows that, investment wise, if you have one it must be on a downward spiral

 

[Calamerica]

Great Thread!!!

 

Cal still learning something every day!!!

[RockMyAmadeus]

You know, I just have to say

 

"You know, before I answer any more questions there's something I wanted to say. Having received all your letters over the years, and I've spoken to many of you, and some of you have traveled... y'know... hundreds of miles to be here, I'd just like to say... GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a period! I mean, look at you, look at the way you're dressed! You've turned an enjoyable little Comic, that I collected as a lark for many years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME! "

 

Don't EVER collect coins....