Overspray or ink stain?

[The-Collector]

Hey guys

 

do you think this is over spray or an ink stain? it runs from the front to the back and ithought it might be a production defect but am not sure.

 

Opinions appreciated!

 

Sincerely

 

 

Jake

[JazzMan]

From the placement and color, it seems like overspray to me.

[gadzukes]

Is "Overspray" the term for this? I've always called it "Distributor's Ink", but if "Overspray is the term I'll start using that.

[The-Collector]

Is "Overspray" the term for this? I've always called it "Distributor's Ink", but if "Overspray is the term I'll start using that.

 

Not sure?

 

How would I grade this book? In hand it looks to be a 9.2/9.4. From this defect alone do you down grade or do you consider it a production defect so not relevant until above 9.8. But my understanding is that this was done on purpose to identify books on the shelf in Stores so it is not part of the production process and more akin to an arrival date???

[etanick]

From the placement and color, it seems like overspray to me.

+1

[jimjum12]

Is "Overspray" the term for this? I've always called it "Distributor's Ink", but if "Overspray is the term I'll start using that.

 

.....both are acceptable. They deduct if it's horrible. GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[JazzMan]

Here's some books that I had/have where it's distributor overspray gone wild.

 

 

 

 

[The-Collector]

Wowzers. You should sell me one so I can submit it with this book and hopefully in comparison the good book will seem insignificant. Thanks for the scans.

 

Does anyone know why it is usually that purple or a pinky/red color?

 

Obviously with dist ink it would be coded for the months but for overspray I can't see why it would be different. Unless they are the same thing though the first implies an intentional marking technique while the seconds is an unintentional manufacturing fault.

[Tony S]

Wowzers. You should sell me one so I can submit it with this book and hopefully in comparison the good book will seem insignificant. Thanks for the scans.

 

Does anyone know why it is usually that purple or a pinky/red color?

 

Obviously with dist ink it would be coded for the months but for overspray I can't see why it would be different. Unless they are the same thing though the first implies an intentional marking technique while the seconds is an unintentional manufacturing fault.

 

Overspray - or distributor ink overspray. For certain.

 

I haven't observed that it is usually purple or red. But that could vary by region.

 

Here is the story on distributor ink (and it's overspray)

 

Until about 1976, all comics books were sold as returnable items through regional distriubtors. Just like magazines. The publishers wanted their product to stay on the shelves or racks for as long as possible in order to increase the chance of selling so they would list cover dates 3-4 months past the distribution date. Vendors quickly got wise to this. So that is why you see arrival dates written or stamped on many an older comic - and rarely on books published after say 1980.

 

With arrival dates, individual vendors (drug stores, newstands, ect) were deciding when it was long enough. And they were all making different decisions. So many distributors started spray painting the edge of comics. Then when a drug store would get a box of new comics in there would be a note to "pull all red stripped books and return for credit" in the box.

 

Loge News was the distributor here. In college (1972-1976) I worked at a 7-11 type store and a Loge employee would bring the books in on Tuesdays. Color striped, instructions on what color to pull. I know they used red, green & black But every once in a while some other color was used. If you think about it they would not need more than 2-3 colors.

 

The joke here in Evansville is that Loge employees were paid by the number of cans of paint they emptied, not by the hour. Because some books were drenched. And of course the top and bottom books in a stack suffered the worst.

 

Direct distrubtion of books through Diamond, Friendly Franks adn others largely elimated this. Comic shops bought their books on a non returnable basis - but at a much higher discount of cover price. No returns for credit - no need for arrival dates or spray paint.

 

And at some point - maybe the late 80's or early 90's, the publishers started printing a color bar on the top edge of the book for the titles they still sold on a returnable basis through the regional distributors.

 

[The-Collector]

Thanks for the info! I will be submitting it so it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

[Toz]

So was this just plain old spray paint,water based or what?

[Tony S]

So was this just plain old spray paint,water based or what?

 

Just your average cans of spray paint like you buy at any hardware store. Acrylics I believe. I'm sure the distributors bought whatever was cheap.

[divad]

Overspray - or distributor ink overspray. For certain.

 

I haven't observed that it is usually purple or red. But that could vary by region.

 

Here is the story on distributor ink (and it's overspray)

 

Until about 1976, all comics books were sold as returnable items through regional distriubtors. Just like magazines. The publishers wanted their product to stay on the shelves or racks for as long as possible in order to increase the chance of selling so they would list cover dates 3-4 months past the distribution date. Vendors quickly got wise to this. So that is why you see arrival dates written or stamped on many an older comic - and rarely on books published after say 1980.

 

With arrival dates, individual vendors (drug stores, newstands, ect) were deciding when it was long enough. And they were all making different decisions. So many distributors started spray painting the edge of comics. Then when a drug store would get a box of new comics in there would be a note to "pull all red stripped books and return for credit" in the box.

 

Loge News was the distributor here. In college (1972-1976) I worked at a 7-11 type store and a Loge employee would bring the books in on Tuesdays. Color striped, instructions on what color to pull. I know they used red, green & black But every once in a while some other color was used. If you think about it they would not need more than 2-3 colors.

 

The joke here in Evansville is that Loge employees were paid by the number of cans of paint they emptied, not by the hour. Because some books were drenched. And of course the top and bottom books in a stack suffered the worst.

 

Direct distrubtion of books through Diamond, Friendly Franks adn others largely elimated this. Comic shops bought their books on a non returnable basis - but at a much higher discount of cover price. No returns for credit - no need for arrival dates or spray paint.

 

And at some point - maybe the late 80's or early 90's, the publishers started printing a color bar on the top edge of the book for the titles they still sold on a returnable basis through the regional distributors.

 

These "facts" need to be massaged a little . . .

[Tony S]

Overspray - or distributor ink overspray. For certain.

 

I haven't observed that it is usually purple or red. But that could vary by region.

 

Here is the story on distributor ink (and it's overspray)

 

Until about 1976, all comics books were sold as returnable items through regional distriubtors. Just like magazines. The publishers wanted their product to stay on the shelves or racks for as long as possible in order to increase the chance of selling so they would list cover dates 3-4 months past the distribution date. Vendors quickly got wise to this. So that is why you see arrival dates written or stamped on many an older comic - and rarely on books published after say 1980.

 

With arrival dates, individual vendors (drug stores, newstands, ect) were deciding when it was long enough. And they were all making different decisions. So many distributors started spray painting the edge of comics. Then when a drug store would get a box of new comics in there would be a note to "pull all red stripped books and return for credit" in the box.

 

Loge News was the distributor here. In college (1972-1976) I worked at a 7-11 type store and a Loge employee would bring the books in on Tuesdays. Color striped, instructions on what color to pull. I know they used red, green & black But every once in a while some other color was used. If you think about it they would not need more than 2-3 colors.

 

The joke here in Evansville is that Loge employees were paid by the number of cans of paint they emptied, not by the hour. Because some books were drenched. And of course the top and bottom books in a stack suffered the worst.

 

Direct distrubtion of books through Diamond, Friendly Franks adn others largely elimated this. Comic shops bought their books on a non returnable basis - but at a much higher discount of cover price. No returns for credit - no need for arrival dates or spray paint.

 

And at some point - maybe the late 80's or early 90's, the publishers started printing a color bar on the top edge of the book for the titles they still sold on a returnable basis through the regional distributors.

 

These "facts" need to be massaged a little . . .

 

Feel free. It's not like it's copyrighted material! I'm always interested in additional facts on how comic books have been distributed over the years.

 

Phil Seuling did in fac start direct distribution via his Segate company prior to the mid 70's. He founded Segate in 1972. But I remember when the local comic book store started buying from him in 1976 and it was 1977-78 when he set up regional distributors and direct distrbuition really took hold.

 

But really, please if you have more information or can correct something I mistated I'd love to know. This is important stuff - many collectors fail to appreciate how the change in the way comics were sold greatly affected this hobby.

[The-Collector]

Overspray - or distributor ink overspray. For certain.

 

I haven't observed that it is usually purple or red. But that could vary by region.

 

Here is the story on distributor ink (and it's overspray)

 

Until about 1976, all comics books were sold as returnable items through regional distriubtors. Just like magazines. The publishers wanted their product to stay on the shelves or racks for as long as possible in order to increase the chance of selling so they would list cover dates 3-4 months past the distribution date. Vendors quickly got wise to this. So that is why you see arrival dates written or stamped on many an older comic - and rarely on books published after say 1980.

 

With arrival dates, individual vendors (drug stores, newstands, ect) were deciding when it was long enough. And they were all making different decisions. So many distributors started spray painting the edge of comics. Then when a drug store would get a box of new comics in there would be a note to "pull all red stripped books and return for credit" in the box.

 

Loge News was the distributor here. In college (1972-1976) I worked at a 7-11 type store and a Loge employee would bring the books in on Tuesdays. Color striped, instructions on what color to pull. I know they used red, green & black But every once in a while some other color was used. If you think about it they would not need more than 2-3 colors.

 

The joke here in Evansville is that Loge employees were paid by the number of cans of paint they emptied, not by the hour. Because some books were drenched. And of course the top and bottom books in a stack suffered the worst.

 

Direct distrubtion of books through Diamond, Friendly Franks adn others largely elimated this. Comic shops bought their books on a non returnable basis - but at a much higher discount of cover price. No returns for credit - no need for arrival dates or spray paint.

 

And at some point - maybe the late 80's or early 90's, the publishers started printing a color bar on the top edge of the book for the titles they still sold on a returnable basis through the regional distributors.

 

These "facts" need to be massaged a little . . .

 

Feel free. It's not like it's copyrighted material! I'm always interested in additional facts on how comic books have been distributed over the years.

 

Phil Seuling did in fac start direct distribution via his Segate company prior to the mid 70's. He founded Segate in 1972. But I remember when the local comic book store started buying from him in 1976 and it was 1977-78 when he set up regional distributors and direct distrbuition really took hold.

 

But really, please if you have more information or can correct something I mistated I'd love to know. This is important stuff - many collectors fail to appreciate how the change in the way comics were sold greatly affected this hobby.

 

Please do elaborate, I love all of this stuff.