WHITMAN VARIANT LOT! 28 books! Marvel, DC and Gold Key!

[howardhallis]

Hi folks. I just put up an eBay auction for all you variant freaks for 28 low to mid-grade Whitman's. Have a look:

 

WHITMAN VARIANT LOT

 

Yeah, yeah... I know there has been some controversy lately as to the validity of Marvel Whitman variants being no different from the regular copies. This is not true. They are different in 2 ways: They have a blank UPC code and a diamond price box. End of discussion.

 

You can see larger images of all the books by going HERE.

 

Here's a list of the 28 books and their condition. All are raw:

ACTION COMICS #487 FINE+ (A nice copy. Glossy. Just a few spine creases.)

ACTION COMICS #488 VF- (Also very nice. Has a small bend on top back cover but otherwise looks like new)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #179 FINE (Solid midgrade copy with spine creases being the primary defect)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #180 FINE (Similar spine wear to issue #179)

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #181 GOOD-/FAIR (A well read, worn out copy with loose cover.)

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #2 VF+ (Really nice copy)

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #3 F+ (A few spine creases keeps this one out of VF)

BEEP BEEP THE ROAD RUNNER #98 VG- (Tear in front cover and spine creases)

BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY #2 FINE (A nice solid copy with minimal wear)

BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY #3 VG+ (Spine creases and a bend in back cover)

BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY #3 VG+ (Spine creases and a bend on top right cover)

GRIMM'S GHOST STORIES #60 G+/VG- (Spine creases and tear in lower right cover)

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #158 POOR (Well read. Incomplete. Coupons cut. Story intact.)

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #160 VF- (Nice copy. Just a few spine creases)

POPEYE #164 VF (Nice copy. Minor wear)

PORKY PIG #101 FINE (Nice copy. Fingerprint on cover. Spine creases)

SHOGUN WARRIORS #1 FINE+ (Spine creases)

SHOGUN WARRIORS #2 VF (Nice copy)

SHOGUN WARRIORS #3 VF- (Nice copy. A few spine creases)

STAR WARS #17 VF- (Spine creases)

STAR WARS #18 VG (Book bent a bit in back. Still nice.)

SUPERBOY & THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #244 VF (Great copy, small bend in BC)

SUPER FRIENDS #14 F+ (Miscut. Small dings.)

TARZAN #12 VG (Well read. Spine creases and bend in upper BC)

TARZAN #13 VG (Well read. Spine creases and bending)

TOM AND JERRY #285 FAIR/POOR (Well read. Loose cover. Tape on spine)

WHITMAN COMICS PRESENTS #2 VF+ (Great copy. DC Comics Presents #2 reprint)

WHITMAN COMICS PRESENTS #3 VF (Very nice copy. DC Comics Presents #3 reprint)

 

Thanks!

[ASM-completist]

"Yeah, yeah... I know there has been some controversy lately as to the validity of Marvel Whitman variants being no different from the regular copies. This is not true. They are different in 2 ways: They have a blank UPC code and a diamond price box. End of discussion"

 

So did the direct editions. They are not different.

[howardhallis]

Direct editions did not have blank UPC boxes.

[ASM-completist]

AS I have said a million times, if you have proof, then show it. I WANT to be corrected however no one has been able to do so. I WANT to know the truth more than anybody but no one can give me PROOF.

[howardhallis]

You're a weird one Taste_of_H8red... Why is it so hard to believe that blank UPC's and diamond price boxes mean it was a comic put out in a bag with a few others by Western Publishing (Whitman)? Sure it may not say Whitman on it like the DC's and Gold Keys, but come on... This isn't like the existence of God or the Grand Unified Theory here.

 

All the following auctions you yourself listed in the Spidey Whitman thread in Comics General are direct editions (diamond price boxes) WITH UPC's. Since one can clearly see that those exist, why is it so hard to accept that the blank UPC's are different from the regular direct editions?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33819&item=6529680731&rd=1 - 5 of them

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33819&item=6529636550&rd=1 - another 5

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33819&item=6530725915&rd=1

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33819&item=6530726151&rd=1 - 2 of them

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33819&item=6530954773&rd=1 - 3 of them

[ASM-completist]

You're a weird one Taste_of_H8red... Why is it so hard to believe that blank UPC's and diamond price boxes mean it was a comic put out in a bag with a few others by Western Publishing (Whitman)?

 

It means it was a comic put out as direct editions and THEN bagged as such. Without the actual original bagged comic, THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL IF A DIRECT EDITION CAME FROM A WHITMAN BAGGED SELECTION OR A COMIC STORE.

 

 

All the following auctions you yourself listed in the Spidey Whitman thread in Comics General are direct editions (diamond price boxes) WITH UPC's. Since one can clearly see that those exist, why is it so hard to accept that the blank UPC's are different from the regular direct editions?

 

The ones I listed all have cover UPC boxes with a diagonal line through them. The ones I listed also were put in Whitman 3 packs. Do you think that Whitman 3 packs ALL had blank cover boxes? You are dead wrong. I have a Whitman 3-pack with ASM 199 and guess what, it has the cover box with a UPC code and the diagonal line.

 

Why is it hard for you? Overstreet does not recognize them as variants, nor does CGC. I have asked countless times for you to show me the difference between a direct edition and a Whitman "variant" and you can not, nor can anybody else. Whitmansdo not all have blank cover boxes and the ones that do, are the exact same as the direct editions. WHY CAN'T YOU GET IT?

[howardhallis]

It means it was a comic put out as direct editions and THEN bagged as such. Without the actual original bagged comic, THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL IF A DIRECT EDITION CAME FROM A WHITMAN BAGGED SELECTION OR A COMIC STORE.

 

The ones I listed all have cover UPC boxes with a diagonal line through them. The ones I listed also were put in Whitman 3 packs. Do you think that Whitman 3 packs ALL had blank cover boxes? You are dead wrong. I have a Whitman 3-pack with ASM 199 and guess what, it has the cover box with a UPC code and the diagonal line.

 

Why is it hard for you? Overstreet does not recognize them as variants, nor does CGC. I have asked countless times for you to show me the difference between a direct edition and a Whitman "variant" and you can not, nor can anybody else. Whitmansdo not all have blank cover boxes and the ones that do, are the exact same as the direct editions. WHY CAN'T YOU GET IT?

 

 

 

Dude, chill. Be calm. Lay off the crack.

 

I was looking around for other Direct Editions for some of the Whitman variants I have and couldn't find any listed online. That's interesting to me because this brings up a good point: If they were direct editions, they were still much scarcer than regular editions back then.

 

The whole point for some variant hunters is adding editions to their collections they may already have but are somehow slightly different. For me, being an obsessive Doctor Strange freak, I hunted down the Doctor Strange #33 that I heard had the blank UPC box (as well as the Defenders #52) and whether it be a Direct Edition/Whitman, A regular Direct Edition or an official Marvel Whitman is not the point... I BELIEVE it to be a Marvel Whitman. Prove ME wrong!

 

Besides, it's not like these variants are expensive. Most Whitmans can be picked up pretty cheap. Except for some of the DC ones, which are listed in Overstreet as a bit more expensive than the regular editions (take a look under DC Comics Presents if ya don't believe me), you can get a Spidey or Star Wars "Whitman" for less or the same price as the normal copy. Some places like Mile High may list them for a little more (check out Defenders #52 on their site), but hey... most folks aren't even to the point in their collections where they would care either way and may never be.

 

Speaking of which, Marvel Whitman sounds like the name of a hockey player from North Battleford, Saskatchewan.

 

[ASM-completist]

Prove you wrong? I can do it in several ways. First, there is nothing on the comic that mentions anything about Whitman. Secondly, it is the same as a direct edition. Thirdly, NO comic authority(CGC, Overstreet, etc.) of which I know, recognizes it as being a variant. In fact, some Doug Sulipa and some WWW sites, have also commented on how they are not variants and simply direct editions that did not sell and were repackaged. Also, the majority of posters on the subject agree that it is not a variant and they are mostly long-time, knowledgeable collectors.You, and those that apparently do not understand, are the ones that thik it is a variant.

 

Of course they are cheap because they are simply direct editions and do not differ in ANY way. Why would they be more expensive.

[Nefaria]

I knew this would come to head some day. I'm going to fight my AAD and try and keep this straight.

First off I never liked these comics because they were different, and Ya I like so many others thought they were second printings. But I had to draw those conclusions by myself as there weren't any places to discuss such matters. I sure wish I would have kept some of them bagged so I could have posted the bags for arguments sake. The ones I disliked the most were the blank UPC box with diamond shaped price/issue icon. I bought most of them from K-Mart at reduced prices. I've got lots of them so if anybody wants a scan just let me know. It doesn't mention Whitman anywhere on the comic. But they were bagged as such.

 

Direct comics did not come with the blank UPC or Diamond price areas. I started out a long time ago buying direct (1979), my first distributor I dealt with was Henry Pujol out of St. Louis, MO. I later dealt with Westfield Comics then with Mile High Comics. I probably switched to direct for the same reasons most people did. 7-11 bent comics or buying so many comics people would look funny at you while you were checking out (that always made me uncomfortable). I avoided all that by going direct.

 

IMHO, There are crazed people out there that want every variant (Ya , I feel it's a variant simply because it looks different) So the auctioneer is doing a justice to the informed collector who knows the difference in the variants. After all if your looking for one of those dreaded blank UPC issues he's helping you find them. The auction in question could have a sidebar that explains that while this comic is a variant it justifies no higher collector value than the standard issue. Now I’ve gotta add, if the supply isn’t there to support the demand to the informed collector, let the market value reflect that. If CGC ever see the difference in these comics (Probably mostly drawn to their attention by these threads) Maybe the OS Guide will one day recognize them.

 

Jeez I still don’t like them, uck

[gifflefunk]

Direct comics did not come with the blank UPC or Diamond price areas. I started out a long time ago buying direct (1979)

 

From the 10th edition Overstreet Price Guide (page A-2):

Marvel and DC, among other publishers, print comics which are slated for different markets. For bookkeeping reasons, special coding symbols were devised and appear on the covers of these comics. Below are the symbols used by Marvel as an example. The Spider-Man and diamond symbols are for direct sales clients (comic book shops). The covers with UPC symbols are distributed by Curtis Circulation to newsstandds. The ones with the 12p price are for overseas. All of these comics are original first printings. The only difference between them are the symbols. It should be noted that due to the relatively low print runs of the non-newsstand variations, the Price Guide does not intend to show any valuation difference between them.

 

From the 11th edition Overstreet Price Guide (page A-4):

It seems that all comics going directly to the comic shops have to be coded differently, as they are sold on a no-return basis while newsstand comics are not. Marvel held a special meeting with many of the major dealers at the San Diego convention to discuss this subject. Most dealers did not voice strong complaints against the special coding. Both printed versions are first original printings. The emblem on the cover is the only difference.

 

---

 

The auction in question could have a sidebar that explains that while this comic is a variant it justifies no higher collector value than the standard issue.

 

I agree completely. In fact here's a snippet from one of my e-mails with John Miller (of CBG) when asked if the "diamond" books should be listed with a higher value (i.e. "...any notion of whether we should boost prices on these?"):

 

This is a tough call... I don't think we have accurate census data on the "diamond" runs. Some titles, like Star Wars, clearly exist more as "diamond" issues than newsstand issues (especially issues #1-#15) and I suspect most of the popular titles exist in fairly large quantities.

 

My exposure as a collector is primarily centered around the Star Wars run and I certainly value the newsstand issues "more" than the early direct sale issues primarily because the newsstand run is continuous with no skips (so it is the pure run in my opinion). And some titles appear to be more plentiful than their newsstand counter-parts (i.e. the licensed characters like Star Wars, Shogun Warriors, Battlestar Galactica, Micronauts, etc.) whereas other material is much harder to find... the superhero books seem to be in lower quantity and the odd-ball titles such as Kull, Devil Dinosaur, and Howard the Duck are just damn hard to find. This probably has something to do with how Whitman was packaging books... there are definitely "title packs" where all three books are from the same title (I suspect Whitman ordered more of the superhero and licensed characters); then there were "grab bag" packs where there are three "random" issues from the same month.

 

Also, I haven't seen any increase in realized sales on these early direct sale books on eBay during my research, in fact most tend to sell for less. I think there is a lot of confusion regarding "reprints" vs. "diamond" issues. Marvel seemed to be very clear in marking Star Wars reprints as reprints (on the cover or in the indicia or both locations for both the newsstand and direct sale editions). Overstreet tried to simplify reprint identification for these Star Wars reprints in the OPG with the statement that reprints have "...price and number inside a diamond with no date or UPC on cover". Now many collectors view any diamond issue as a reprint. Marvel took great care labeling Star Wars reprints and I suspect there were legal reasons involved (accurate bookkeeping I assume) to identify reprints as reprints and if the other "diamonds" were indeed reprints Marvel would have identified them as such.

 

So even though issues like the 30cent Direct Sale Star Wars #1 through #4 should be "valued" the same as the newsstand editions, they tend to be "valued" less by the buying public as though they were reprint issues. I think any "boost" should reflect that these issues were printed at the same time as the newsstand issues and that their guide-value should be at least that of their newsstand counter-parts. Then as time goes on and better census data becomes available I suspect market factors of scarcity and desirability will become apparent and a better basis for making a price differentiation could be made. I think your article on these early direct sale books will help clear-the-air about these issues... but I'm not convinced they should be valued more (based on scarcity) than their newsstand counter-parts just yet (that's just my opinion, but I'm not in the "price guide" game).