Dark Knight Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I too have an "A" on my Pep comic. Not sure if all of them,have it or what it even means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 You sure that "A" isn't an ink stamp? Definitely looks like a printed ink "A" to me. It's the same color blue as the rest of the type on the page. BUT... I just noticed the "A" is in a slightly different place on the two "A" variants I've shown. Some of you other Archie 1 owners need to chime in on whether your copy has an "A" on the back cover. Maybe we need to call this the "Shifting A" variant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 I too have an "A" on my Pep comic. Not sure if all of them,have it or what it even means. What issue of PEP? 22? Does it have the same back cover? I was thinking the "A" might have meant Archie, but if it's on the old PEPs that wouldn't make sense. Maybe it's a registration mark of some kind? Can any of you board members who were printers maybe chime in on what this is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 I just dug out my undercopy of Archie 1 and it has the "A" in the EXACT same location as the 7.5 restored copy on ComicConnect. Again, this is not a huge deal, but I think it shows there were 2 printings of Archie 1. It's kind of like the "period" variant on the Batman 1 cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
143ksk Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 The Pep should have a "P." Those are marks on the back covers that designate the title of the book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Mann Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 The bottom of the back cover of my PEP COMICS #60 and #62 have the letters "Pep"... the back cover of ARCHIE #26 has "ARC"...the back cover of BLACK HOOD #19 has "BH"...and my SUPER DUCK #40 has "S D". mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Knight Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 The Pep should have a "P." Those are marks on the back covers that designate the title of the book. You're right it's a P at the bottom back cover next to spine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotemo Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Okay. You made me look. My Archie #1 has the "A" on the back cover. So do #'s 2 and 3 but not 4. Some of my Pep's have the "P" so it is for the title. I had Suzie #51 nearby and it has "Su" on the back cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenPRGuy Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I am sure you already looked, but if you go back to page 8 I posted both my back covers and both have the A. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 I am sure you already looked, but if you go back to page 8 I posted both my back covers and both have the A. Ok, we've established that many of the Archie 1 comics have an "A" on the back (which stands for "Archie" obviously) And many PEPs have a "P" on the back. But, many of the Archie 1 comics DON'T have an "A" on the back. And it's not because it's been cropped off, it's because there are two different versions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lotemo Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I am sure you already looked, but if you go back to page 8 I posted both my back covers and both have the A. Ok, we've established that many of the Archie 1 comics have an "A" on the back (which stands for "Archie" obviously) And many PEPs have a "P" on the back. But, many of the Archie 1 comics DON'T have an "A" on the back. And it's not because it's been cropped off, it's because there are two different versions. I'm not sure how they managed comic printing and distribution back then but I wonder if the comics were printed at one central location or at several different printers across the country. I've collected old records for years and there are often differences between original pressings due to their being pressed at different plants around the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 I am sure you already looked, but if you go back to page 8 I posted both my back covers and both have the A. Ok, we've established that many of the Archie 1 comics have an "A" on the back (which stands for "Archie" obviously) And many PEPs have a "P" on the back. But, many of the Archie 1 comics DON'T have an "A" on the back. And it's not because it's been cropped off, it's because there are two different versions. I'm not sure how they managed comic printing and distribution back then but I wonder if the comics were printed at one central location or at several different printers across the country. I've collected old records for years and there are often differences between original pressings due to their being pressed at different plants around the country. If that's so, I'll bet all the old Archie titles that we're seeing with an "A" or "P" or "J" or "BH" were all done at the same printer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 I am sure you already looked, but if you go back to page 8 I posted both my back covers and both have the A. Ok, from looking at a bunch of Archie 1 backs, I see 3 variations. Archie 1 with no "A" on back cover Archie 1 with an "A" at the bottom under the "g" in guarantee. Archie 1 with an "A" at the bottom under the "$1.98" price. What do you think? Three different printings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 SC Archie 1 went for $5352. I actually thought it would break $6k. Still, a big price for an incomplete Archie 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenPRGuy Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 You think it was the CC distraction? I mean clearly two different ballparks, but I think it pulled some money away from this one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago Boy Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 What was incomplete about the book? I tried to zoom in on the label but was unable to see. Please and Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenPRGuy Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Missing centerfold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Columbia Comics Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Managed to stumble across this gem (single highest graded as well) And it does have the "A" at the bottom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenPRGuy Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gadzukes Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 Managed to stumble across this gem (single highest graded as well) And it does have the "A" at the bottom That one should have an "A+" at the bottom. Congrats & welcome to the club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...