Marker through UPC code

[The-Collector]

Hey guys

 

How do you grade these types of books? Lets say this one was a perfect 9.8, which I do not think that it is, how much would you deduct for the slash?

 

In my mind it is similar to a date stamp as I think this is done when a book doesn't sell and it is placed in the $1 bin.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Jake

[chunkybutt]

If I remember correctly, they don't deduct for this.

[The-Collector]

Really??

[steveinthecity]

Weren't these "crossed out" barcode issues part of the Marvel 3-packs?

 

Link to 9.8 copy on Greg Reece website

[etanick]

If I remember correctly, they don't deduct for this.

 

+1

[The-Collector]

Oh wow.

[SOTIcollector]

That's not marker. Look carefully at that line and a similar line on other books from that time period. The books were printed that way.

 

If memory serves, these books date to the early days of direct distribution. Books with UPC codes were strictly for mass market outlets, and if they were unsold they could be returned to the distributor for credit. Books intended for distribution to comic books stores were sold at a lower unit cost, but they were not returnable. Direct distribution books had a line through the UPC, as an indicator that they were not returnable. Over time, I guess the publishers decided that they could do more creative things with that UPC space, so they put in things like an image of Spidey.

 

Since this is not a defect at all but is the way the comic book was printed, there's no reason there should be any sort of deduction of this. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that in the early days of direct distribution this direct-sale variation was far scarcer than the mass market editions. Will we eventually see a day when people regularly pay more for direct distribution editions?

[The-Collector]

Thanks! I just picked up 20 of these in the same condition, so it is good know they don't deduct for this.

[Tony S]

That's not marker. Look carefully at that line and a similar line on other books from that time period. The books were printed that way.

 

I'd be willing to bet that in the early days of direct distribution this direct-sale variation was far scarcer than the mass market editions. Will we eventually see a day when people regularly pay more for direct distribution editions?

 

I have occasionally pondered the same question. But it would be more complicated than just paying more for one or the other. Because in the early days of direct distribution, it would be the direct copies that are scarcer. But at some point in time there would be a tipping point - and then the newsstand distributed copies become scarcer. At a still later pointt, newsstand copies become much scarcer than direct.

 

My own guess is that by the mid 80's at the latest more comics were sold direct than newsstand. Because by the mid 80's you started to see a significant number comics that were ONLY distributed direct (wasn't Dazzler - 1981- the first?). And we know what a glut of comics were put out in the early to mid 90's to comic shops. Next time you are in a grocery or drug store, see what you find in the way of comic books for sale.

 

So far, Overstreet states there does not seem to be a preference for one over the other. BTW, I think direct distribution first started in 1975 or 1976.

[divad]

That's not marker. Look carefully at that line and a similar line on other books from that time period. The books were printed that way.

 

[Soft-Serve]

This is funny, I just bought about 30 books like this and my first thought was "who's the freak with the Sharpie and a ruler?" Then, after looking more closley at it, I could see that it was printed that way.

 

I don't know how I hadn't noticed this before but somehow - after years of collecting - I've managed to never buy any of these types of marked-through UPC's until recently. Weird....

[Open]

This is funny, I just bought about 30 books like this and my first thought was "who's the freak with the Sharpie and a ruler?" Then, after looking more closley at it, I could see that it was printed that way.

When I saw the image the first thing I thought was, "that is the most prefect sharpie line I have ever seen".