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Reproduction covers? Where do you find them?

Started by Xmansdad,

57 posts in this topic

rjpb

rjpb

Posted
Posted
Does the cover feel like glossy newsprint or does it feel like heavier stock? Most reproductions are done on heavier stock. You can also use a microscope or magnifying glass to see how the ink is on the paper. Modern ink printers have a distinctive look. Look closely at a genuine older cover from that time period and see how the ink is applied is similar or very different in appearance. It is not a definitive approach, but should give you a better idea.

 

Thanks for the suggestions Ari.

I compared the feel of the paper to my other Planets ( specifically my 22, 25 and 27 ) and it is similar in weight, feel and how it bends/ moves. I can't really tell the difference to be honest. I will try a magnifying glass.

 

It should probably be inspected by someone well versed in the differences between digital and off-set printing. That being said, I've noticed that older black cover books usually have a difference in density and reflectivity between the line art and the backgrounds, that I'm not sure are exactly replicated digitally.

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Semicentennial

Semicentennial

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No worries. In my case as mentioned I need to find a way to ensure once the repro cover is attached that it maintains its blue label status.

 

I know this might be a dumb question but would you be expecting a blue NG label or an actual numbered grade? If its a NG then what benefit would there be to reattach the cover versus just submitting the cover wrapped, unstapled, to the book? Will CGC not include the cover unless its stapled to the book?

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Captain Canuck

Captain Canuck

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Yes, unfortunately CGC will not accept a repro cover unless it is attached. Otherwise I would leave the cover wrapped. CGC used to give Blue 0.5 for complete comics with repro covers. Now the best you can expect is a Blue NG, but if they feel it is obvious that the staples were tampered with then it would come back Purple NG. I don't understand it because it is obvious that the staples were tampered with if there is a repro cover attached, but that is what I have been told by them.

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Semicentennial

Semicentennial

Posted
Posted
Yes, unfortunately CGC will not accept a repro cover unless it is attached. Otherwise I would leave the cover wrapped. CGC used to give Blue 0.5 for complete comics with repro covers. Now the best you can expect is a Blue NG, but if they feel it is obvious that the staples were tampered with then it would come back Purple NG. I don't understand it because it is obvious that the staples were tampered with if there is a repro cover attached, but that is what I have been told by them.

 

Ok thanks. I guess a blue NG is better than a purple NG but you're right, how do you get the repro cover on without tampering with the staple?

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AGGIEZ

AGGIEZ

Posted
Posted
Yes, unfortunately CGC will not accept a repro cover unless it is attached. Otherwise I would leave the cover wrapped. CGC used to give Blue 0.5 for complete comics with repro covers. Now the best you can expect is a Blue NG, but if they feel it is obvious that the staples were tampered with then it would come back Purple NG. I don't understand it because it is obvious that the staples were tampered with if there is a repro cover attached, but that is what I have been told by them.

 

 

:popcorn:

 

I hope someone can answer this one. I'd like to get a repro cover for my coverless AF#15 and have it slabbed for display, but I'd hate to have is in a PLOD.

 

Curious as to how the covers are attached...

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Kevin.J

Kevin.J

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So here is my Planet Comics #1. The interior pages just look like a book that has been coverless for some time. The condition of the cover suggests either a reproduction like the ones in this thread, or a married cover. The cover has sharp corners and no tears and the spine is excellent. It is possible it was restored but I find evidence of restoration difficult to detect.

 

PlanetComics1front_zps7fcb6e31.jpg

 

 

003_zpsbe90c3bf.jpg

The interior pages are quite dirty, and as expected get better color and condition wise the further into the book you go. The outside wrap has some mold. My gut is that the book was without a cover for some length of time.

The cover is either a very well repaired restored, possibly a married cover or a reproduction.

My concern is that if this is a reproduction cover attached to a coverless book then the price paid is not what it should be.

 

Is there any kind of "test" I can do myself to determine if this is a repro cover?

 

 

I hope your book is a real cover married to a different book, but it does look a bit too good to be true, I would think that it is a repo.

That said, I have had a few repo covers from Fedoraman and I could tell instantly by the feel that it wasnt a real cover, it just felt a bit more flexible but thicker stock.

Looks wise, it would be very hard to tell, it just doesnt feel right to the touch.

I would definitely recommend Fedoraman for anyone thinking of this for display reasons, the man does top notch work.

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mackenzie999

mackenzie999

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Personally, I wish Fedoraman and others like him would include a subtle "REPRODUCTION COVER" on the b/c's of his books. I once purchased an AF15 that had a repro cover, and while I eventually got most of my money back, it was a huge pita to deal with. Thieves could easily mask this detail but it would make it at least a little bit harder on them, especially for in-person hand offs. On the plus side that struggle led me to discover this board...

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Artboy99

Artboy99

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Posted
Personally, I wish Fedoraman and others like him would include a subtle "REPRODUCTION COVER" on the b/c's of his books. I once purchased an AF15 that had a repro cover, and while I eventually got most of my money back, it was a huge pita to deal with. Thieves could easily mask this detail but it would make it at least a little bit harder on them, especially for in-person hand offs. On the plus side that struggle led me to discover this board...

 

Agree, if not on the back cover at the very least on the interior of the cover.

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Illustrious

Illustrious

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Once you feel one of Fedoraman's covers you can instantly tell it's a reproduction, not to mention the sharpness and colors are slightly off since they are based on scans and have a slight loss of the dot matrix detail when he prints them, so I don't think adding "reproduction cover" is necessary. I've bought about 10 covers from him the past two years, and I'm about to buy 5-8 more covers from him, so I'm pretty familiar with their idiosyncrasies and details. In fact every book in my sig line is a coverless comic with his reproduction covers except the Phantom Stranger. He doesn't print any creases or age marks on his covers, so if you pick up a AF #15 that looks like a 9.9 from the exterior, you should assume the cover is a reproduction.

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Captain Canuck

Captain Canuck

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Posted
Once you feel one of Fedoraman's covers you can instantly tell it's a reproduction, not to mention the sharpness and colors are slightly off since they are based on scans and have a slight loss of the dot matrix detail when he prints them, so I don't think adding "reproduction cover" is necessary. I've bought about 10 covers from him the past two years, and I'm about to buy 5-8 more covers from him, so I'm pretty familiar with their idiosyncrasies and details. In fact every book in my sig line is a coverless comic with his reproduction covers except the Phantom Stranger. He doesn't print any creases or age marks on his covers, so if you pick up a AF #15 that looks like a 9.9 from the exterior, you should assume the cover is a reproduction.

 

I know Fedoraman tries to match the color/quality of the pages to repro so they somewhat match. In regards to all the repro covers you have from him, are yours loose wraps or are they attached at the staples? As well, have you submitted any of them to CGC to see how they graded Blue/Purple?

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Illustrious

Illustrious

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They are just like any other comic you submit to CGC, if you do any restoration to the pages such as pieces added, solvent cleaning, or replacing the staples it will be a purple NG. If you just take the interior and don't do anything but attach the cover using the original staples, it will be a blue NG. All mine are attached at the staples.

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