"German Edition" Comics. Are They Counterfeit, Reprints, or Variants?

[shadroch]

I've seen a couple of Spanish language books that contain stories from different companies. Are these bootlegs or did Marvel and DC license to the same company?

 

Do you have any examples? Bootlegs are much less commonplace than one might expect. Oftentimes, yes, both DC and Marvel (among other publishers) did all license to the same company.

 

In Spain, the main publishing houses who had the Marvel and DC licenses were Vertice, Planeta DeAgostini (under the Comics Forum imprint) and now Panini España.

 

However, my theory is that you are thinking of the Mexican publisher Novaro, which published primarily DC books (a grip ton of them from the 50's all the way to the late 80's, IIRC) but also had the license for Hulk.

 

 

I ll dig some up.

[Define999]

Foreign books often get re-purposed in funky ways. There can be little changes or big changes, major changes to story or artwork. Thats why in the foreign niche world we have moved on to calling these books foreign editions.

 

For example, here in the UK Secret Wars II ran for 48 issues!! This is how X-men #196 looked to us.

 

 

 

 

 

Exactly, that doesn't look like a simple reprint to me.... I haven't personally seen the inside, but There could have even been subtle changes in language or story.... And it's still an English book. We have seen this sorta thing in some Aussie foreigns as well. Calling many foreigns "reprints" simply does not do them justice. But, hey it's up to every collector to make that leap in their own mind. I think as the niche grows the vernacular will evolve and hopefully with that evolution, negative connotations will change. Call em what ya like... All things change, it's the only guarantee! (thumbs u

[Foxtrot70]

I've seen a couple of Spanish language books that contain stories from different companies. Are these bootlegs or did Marvel and DC license to the same company?

 

Do you have any examples? Bootlegs are much less commonplace than one might expect. Oftentimes, yes, both DC and Marvel (among other publishers) did all license to the same company.

 

In Spain, the main publishing houses who had the Marvel and DC licenses were Vertice, Planeta DeAgostini (under the Comics Forum imprint) and now Panini España.

 

However, my theory is that you are thinking of the Mexican publisher Novaro, which published primarily DC books (a grip ton of them from the 50's all the way to the late 80's, IIRC) but also had the license for Hulk.

 

 

I ll dig some up.

 

Hey , they are not bootleg, but are your thinking of the non-canon Spiderman and St Fury from La Prensa?? published in 70s. I have a few issues. They tend to leverage swipes, but they are decent and licensed material, or so far as our sources indicate.

[shadroch]

Found an example, only its in French

Looks to have been published in Montreal in 1981 and is called Comicorama

Features Captain America, Hulk, FF, Kamani, Wonder Woman and Kid Flash.

Stories are in black and white, but there a color covers. It's about two hundred pages nd the stories look pretty new for the publishing date. It looks like six or seven comics published separately, then unsold copies were bound together.

[vaillant]

didnt they print german issues of GA Caps of him fighting the nazis in germany? Because that is really weird.

 

Yeah, but they altered the swastikas

 

They had to, by law.

 

Wow! That really surprised me, and it’s amazing, but it is actually very understandable.

For them (germans) the whole thing remains a scorching reminder of certain facets of their culture that cannot be consigned easily to history.

I do not personally believe it makes sense, as under different circumstances nazism could have culturally happened in other countries, but it can be understood when we think that on one side there are still neo-nazist movements (not always aware of the full scope of it, historically) and on the other side people which superficially take historical events at face value, with obviously misleading results, instead of studying them by each and every angle.

 

Said this, I’d love to have a copy of that, where can it be found?

[shadroch]

didnt they print german issues of GA Caps of him fighting the nazis in germany? Because that is really weird.

 

Yeah, but they altered the swastikas

 

They had to, by law.

 

Wow! That really surprised me, and it’s amazing, but it is actually very understandable.

For them (germans) the whole thing remains a scorching reminder of certain facets of their culture that cannot be consigned easily to history.

I do not personally believe it makes sense, as under different circumstances nazism could have culturally happened in other countries, but it can be understood when we think that on one side there are still neo-nazist movements (not always aware of the full scope of it, historically) and on the other side people which superficially take historical events at face value, with obviously misleading results, instead of studying them by each and every angle.

 

Said this, I’d love to have a copy of that, where can it be found?

 

Ebay.

[MusterMark]

didnt they print german issues of GA Caps of him fighting the nazis in germany? Because that is really weird.

 

Yeah, but they altered the swastikas

 

They had to, by law.

 

Wow! That really surprised me, and it’s amazing, but it is actually very understandable.

For them (germans) the whole thing remains a scorching reminder of certain facets of their culture that cannot be consigned easily to history.

I do not personally believe it makes sense, as under different circumstances nazism could have culturally happened in other countries, but it can be understood when we think that on one side there are still neo-nazist movements (not always aware of the full scope of it, historically) and on the other side people which superficially take historical events at face value, with obviously misleading results, instead of studying them by each and every angle.

 

Said this, I’d love to have a copy of that, where can it be found?

 

 

I'm surprised that you're surprised.

It's relatively well known that in Germany the swastika is banned, in almost every form.

[TheLiamSturgess]

Found an example, only its in French

Looks to have been published in Montreal in 1981 and is called Comicorama

Features Captain America, Hulk, FF, Kamani, Wonder Woman and Kid Flash.

Stories are in black and white, but there a color covers. It's about two hundred pages nd the stories look pretty new for the publishing date. It looks like six or seven comics published separately, then unsold copies were bound together.

 

Those are among the most popular and well-documented licensed foreign editions. They were published by Editions Heritage Publications, a French Canadian publishing house. They published Marvel, DC, Archie, Gold Key, etc. from the late 60's and are still active today.

 

You are correct on the Comicorama - those were leftover issues bound together.

 

Very much not counterfeit, and just as legitimate as the original American issues.

[mackenzie999]

Does anyone ever think the market will correct itself in terms of value for these far rarer variants/editions etc, particularly the older ones? Or is it simply a case of low demand = low value?

I collected in the 1970's, then started up again around '08 and the hobby seems quite a bit more knowledgable and sophisticated now than it did back then (thanks, internet!). I can see the scarcity factoring in to value, but I suspect the demand will never really be there on a large enough scale.

[TheLiamSturgess]

Found an example, only its in French

Looks to have been published in Montreal in 1981 and is called Comicorama

Features Captain America, Hulk, FF, Kamani, Wonder Woman and Kid Flash.

Stories are in black and white, but there a color covers. It's about two hundred pages nd the stories look pretty new for the publishing date. It looks like six or seven comics published separately, then unsold copies were bound together.

 

Those are among the most popular and well-documented licensed foreign editions. They were published by Editions Heritage Publications, a French Canadian publishing house. They published Marvel, DC, Archie, Gold Key, etc. from the late 60's and are still active today.

 

You are correct on the Comicorama - those were leftover issues bound together.

 

Very much not counterfeit, and just as legitimate as the original American issues.

 

Just for some fun visual examples, I've included samples from my own collection

 

[TheLiamSturgess]

Does anyone ever think the market will correct itself in terms of value for these far rarer variants/editions etc, particularly the older ones? Or is it simply a case of low demand = low value?

I collected in the 1970's, then started up again around '08 and the hobby seems quite a bit more knowledgable and sophisticated now than it did back then (thanks, internet!). I can see the scarcity factoring in to value, but I suspect the demand will never really be there on a large enough scale.

 

It's already starting to correct itself. Take the UK Alan Class edition of Tales of Suspense #39 - it sells for just under a grand nowadays whereas a year ago it wasn't cracking $100. Same with the british Hulk #181, it's up to a few hundred.

 

As far as scarcer books like Yugoslavian keys, people are paying hundreds for books when they do come up on the market (though it's usually not on the public market so it's hard to track).

[Define999]

What Liam said!!!!!!

[TheLiamSturgess]

I can represent occasionally

[vaillant]

didnt they print german issues of GA Caps of him fighting the nazis in germany? Because that is really weird.

 

Yeah, but they altered the swastikas

 

They had to, by law.

 

Wow! That really surprised me, and it’s amazing, but it is actually very understandable.

For them (germans) the whole thing remains a scorching reminder of certain facets of their culture that cannot be consigned easily to history.

I do not personally believe it makes sense, as under different circumstances nazism could have culturally happened in other countries, but it can be understood when we think that on one side there are still neo-nazist movements (not always aware of the full scope of it, historically) and on the other side people which superficially take historical events at face value, with obviously misleading results, instead of studying them by each and every angle.

 

Said this, I’d love to have a copy of that, where can it be found?

 

 

I'm surprised that you're surprised.

It's relatively well known that in Germany the swastika is banned, in almost every form.

 

This is a reprint of an historical book. :shrug:

Does it mean that if someone reprints nazist era material for historical purposes the swastika can’t be reproduced?

[Zalgardos]

only if it is used for art or educational purposes ( school books, documentation, etc.)

 

In the end of the 90s comics weren't considered a serious form of art by those people who decide what is allowed and whats not. E.g. the first german printing of Danger Girl Vol. 1 is still an indexbook here in germany ( it is not alowed to sell or promote it in public or make it available to people under the age of 18).

 

Today it is not that strict, but if a book is on the index it stays there for at least 15 or 20 years ( iirc)

 

[vaillant]

I see – that is very interesting, thanks for the explanation. (thumbs u

 

If you can get a copy of this book it is very interesting, it was the catalog of an exhibition, and a scholar friend of mine (Paul Shaw) wrote an essay for it:

http://www.amazon.ca/Blackletter-National-Identity-Peter-Bain/dp/1568981252

[Lavaman-migration]

Interesting thread.

 

Is this worth anything? Has a strange paper cover and looks quite new inside.

 

 

I've also got an X-Men #1 German reprint but that looks brand new and cost just 99p!

 

 

[TheLiamSturgess]

Interesting thread.

 

Is this worth anything? Has a strange paper cover and looks quite new inside.

 

 

I've also got an X-Men #1 German reprint but that looks brand new and cost just 99p!

 

 

I wouldn't say it's worth more than a few dollars, but if it's in NM then you could probably get $8-10 for it!

 

I'd love to see the X-Men #1 reprint as well (thumbs u

[Lavaman-migration]

Koolio, here's the X-Men #1

 

 

I'll gladly sell both if you or anyone else would like to buy them

[shadroch]

I don't see a price on the X-Men cover. That's the 1999 reprint that was part of a set. Unread, they go for around $20 on a good day.