Life with Archie #268 95c cover price direct edition copy.

[bill999]

I received in a batch of Archie comics I bought a "Life with Archie" #268 9/88 with a 95 cent cover price as a direct edition copy?. This book as a direct copy should have a 75 cent cover price on it?

Is this a price error or was it meant to have a 95 cent cover price on it as a direct edition copy? I have seen 2 other different Archie title issues with a 95 cent cover as a direct edition, both of them cover dated 10/88. Anymore of these out there cover dated 9/88 or 10/88 as direct edition copies with a 95 cent cover price? Please post any that you may have.

 

 

[juggernaut]

Canadian - Direct Market

[bill999]

Canadian - Direct Market

 

If more 9/88 and 10/88 Archie issues are known existing as direct copies with 95 cent cover prices on them then you could be correct.

[TheLiamSturgess]

http://www.comics.org/issue/212905/cover/4/

[bill999]

http://www.comics.org/issue/212905/cover/4/

 

The Direct copy 95 cent cover price edition of L.W.A #268 should not at all exist back then at that time period unless they were possibly test marketing the book as a "direct edition" with a 95 cent cover price?. A 95 cent cover price as a direct copy makes no sense at all on that issue at that time period?. As a newsstand edition it has always existed as a US edition 95 cent Canadian price variant, but I never knew it existed as a direct edition back then?--- how interesting.

[bellrules]

This is kind of like G.I. Joe #5 (Marvel) with the 75 cent cover and a spider head instead of a UPC. Will need to look through local shops to see what I can find. Lately, I've only found newsstand copies

[bellrules]

Quickly looked through my boxes and found these. One is a direct with 95 cent cover, the other has 75 cent. Looks like it happened in the previous month as well as an Archie from Sept; had the same variance you pointed out. Wonder if they had a direct version for comic shops in Canada? Canada is one of the biggest markets for Archie books; especially Alberta.

[juggernaut]

http://www.comics.org/issue/212905/cover/4/

 

The Direct copy 95 cent cover price edition of L.W.A #268 should not at all exist back then at that time period unless they were possibly test marketing the book as a "direct edition" with a 95 cent cover price?. A 95 cent cover price as a direct copy makes no sense at all on that issue at that time period?. As a newsstand edition it has always existed as a US edition 95 cent Canadian price variant, but I never knew it existed as a direct edition back then?--- how interesting.

 

You are trying way to hard to make something out of nothing.

 

US - Newsstand Ed (75 cents)

US - Direct Market (75 cents)

Canadian - Newsstand Ed. (95 cents)

Canadian - Direct Market (95 cents)

 

Archie comics was also distributed to comic shops in Canada not just Canadian newsstands.

[bellrules]

I think he's asking because usually direct versions would have U.S., U.K., and Canadian prices in the box. Always good to learn more about the hobby.

[bill999]

http://www.comics.org/issue/212905/cover/4/

 

The Direct copy 95 cent cover price edition of L.W.A #268 should not at all exist back then at that time period unless they were possibly test marketing the book as a "direct edition" with a 95 cent cover price?. A 95 cent cover price as a direct copy makes no sense at all on that issue at that time period?. As a newsstand edition it has always existed as a US edition 95 cent Canadian price variant, but I never knew it existed as a direct edition back then?--- how interesting.

 

You are trying way to hard to make something out of nothing.

 

US - Newsstand Ed (75 cents)

US - Direct Market (75 cents)

Canadian - Newsstand Ed. (95 cents)

Canadian - Direct Market (95 cents)

 

Archie comics was also distributed to comic shops in Canada not just Canadian newsstands.

 

It appears from what I have seen so far that only 9/88 and 10/88 cover date issues can be found as 95 cent direct market copies unless someone out there posts a later date example of one?

Archie comic books cover dated 9/88 was where Archie direct market copies began in the US on most all the main Archie titles, so a short two months of 95 cent direct copies distributed in Canada definetly appears to have been a test marketing and is indeed interesting. It is also nice to see other examples of these posted.

[kidcolt]

Got to admitt that the whole price variant thing makes me scratch my head. I understand they are more rare but that don't change the story or art. I love comics but I read them and enjoy them for the art work and stories. I don't see how having a different price can make me want it more especially at the crazy prices alot of these go for. The story is still the same and its still a first print. The beauty of collecting is that everyone collects what they like.

[fufat70]

Got to admitt that the whole price variant thing makes me scratch my head. I understand they are more rare but that don't change the story or art. I love comics but I read them and enjoy them for the art work and stories. I don't see how having a different price can make me want it more especially at the crazy prices alot of these go for. The story is still the same and its still a first print. The beauty of collecting is that everyone collects what they like.

 

 

That is the truth!!! One man's trash is another man's treasure!!!

[bill999]

I came across another US edition 95 cent Canadian price variant (direct edition) test market issue a key book in the Archie Giant Series Magazine series. The book is the first Explorers of the Unknown issue as stated in the Overstreet Annual price guide.

 

 

 

 

[bill999]

When I first began this thread not too long ago I felt these were possibly test market or print error editions and as it now turns out they are print error direct market issues printed with a 95c cover price that were somehow mixed in with the newsstand 95c price variant copies sold in Canada. The direct market 95c cover error editions appear to only have occurred on four Archie issues unless others surface. The only known issues the printing error occurred on appear to be Archie #360, Life with Archie #268 and Archie Giant Series Magazine #586, #587. If any others surface out there please post them.