Silver-age triple-packs and vending machines

[Rival61-migration]

Anyone remember these? Growing up in Cleveland, when I first started collecting, you could find several retail stores which sold the triple-packs which had 3 12-cent marvels for 25 cents. Lots of things like tales to astonish, tales of suspense, fantastic four, Spidy, etc, and this was just after the price hike to 15 cents.

We used to bend the plastic to try and see what the book in the center was, and these were always pristine issues without the covers chopped. I just wonder if they were released by Marvel from print over-runs, or if they were retail returns. I tend to think over-runs because they never showed signs of newstand bending or creasing. The odd thing was the range of years that were encompassed in them. A single pack might include Fantastic Four #33 AND Fantastic Four #72. You Might find Tales to Astonish #70 AND Incredible Hulk #103.

 

Has anyone seen any of these packs unopened in the last 30 years? It would be kinda neat to find some (not to mention, profitable!).

 

Also, as another twist down memory lane, remember the comic book vending machines in the lobby's of supermarkets? There were several types, some huge like candy machines with 20+ titles, others like newspaper vending machines that only had a single issue. Bet it would be neat to locate one of those pieces of history.

 

-Rival

[143ksk]

Here's a link to a thread I started a while ago asking about comics vending machines. Not too much info sadly. I want one...

 

Comic vending machine thread

[Mister_Comics]

Not too much info sadly.

 

And thats a shame.

 

I love telling about my old comic collecting stories. Heres what I remember about the bagged books.

 

Back in the 60's two of the mon & pop stores in CHICAGO, were I grew-up, carried them. They both had a wire rack on top of their glass counter. The glass counter had candy of all kinds on display inside. On top was the clear plastic can with penny pretzels and another with bullseyes and a assortment of candies in thier boxes. Among them on top of the counter was this wire rack. Not the turning type. This one had maybe three or four tears were the bagged comics were in. The bagged comics were the coverless 3 for 15 cents (earlier they were 3 for 12.). The bag always had in red or blue printing; "COMICS 3 for 15" The books inside could be from any manufacture. Marvels, DC, Archies, Classics, Charltons, all mixed together. You had to try and peek between the plastic to see what the center book was. These books always had the back cover still attached somewhat. Some of the comics I got from these bags were pretty important comics later in life. ASM #1, FF#2, the HULK's #1 throught #5, Avengers #1, S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 and more gotten from these bagged books. Us kids bought these bagged books so often that at some point the store owner would tell us to check out the box behind the counter. Thats were he had the replacements for sticking in the rack when it got empty. Over the years, at one time I had a good size box full of these comics at home. Sold some at garage sales. Eventually I decided to give them to a place for homeless kids. Call me crazy, but I did. The coverless comics ment little to me. I got more out of giving them away. Besides I had what ever comics in my real collection all with covers. The bagged 3 for 15's after a while were something I would just buy just because something about a book would catch my eye. I didn't really collect these. But today I still look for these bagged comics. I'd like to find a nice bagged 3 for 15 in nice condition just to have. To bad I didn't save at least one bag of comic.