Not sure if stat or fake...Detective 526 cover 0

[Sideshow Bob]

Posing this to a wider audience than my CAF page. I picked up a stat cover to Detective #526 (published May 1983) in the recent ComicLink auction. Not a huge deal since its a stat, but I really like that issue and to me its Don Newton's magnum opus. Anyway, the description was that it was likely used in a UK reprint. I accepted that at face value (again, its a stat), but when I got it home, it got more complicated. 

The concern I have is that the stat cover says "Batman's 500th Appearance" with some white-out on the edges of those words. Each of the words in that oval are pasted on. The published cover, however, appears with "Batman's 500th Appearance In", counting from Detective #27. The "In" appears on the US, US/Canada, and Canadian covers without fail, but for some reason, it is missing on this particular piece. With the "In" included, the B in Batman is flush up against the oval border; in this one, it has got plenty of room. In some ways, it almost like the initial design excluded the "In" as the spacing works with the font size, and then someone re-did it after once they realized it wasn't Batman's 500th appearance per se, but the 500th in Detective Comics. I lean towards this being the US stat that had the oval later fixed, and I say that because the ears on Batgirl are a stat on a stat here, and they are perfectly placed when compared to the printed copy. That's is a bit difficult to pull off perfectly for a reproduction (not impossible though), but it still leaves me with plenty of doubts. 

Helping this is the back, which has a circular stamp that says "DC IVT'Y __/__/8_" and handwritten in that is "12/29/82". Assuming that is real, that stamp and date predates the publication date and seems to work with my perceived timeline.

Three other small points: I have never seen the original art for this cover (anyone?), the faces of the rogue's gallery were likely a negative overlay so that is consistent, and the "Anniversary" stat was used in other issues so I will also rate that as consistent.

So, what do I have? Some stats on a period piece of DC stock paper with a back stamp (i.e. a forgery)? An early production mistake that was later corrected? A foreign reprint cover? Definitely not sure. If you know of a reproduction of this cover that drops the "In", do please let know! Or if you have any ideas, let me know or drop it in the comments. After writing all this, this seems like a lot of detective work for a stat cover...

Bob

As a plug, if I ever find the DPS from this issue (incidentally, the title page art also says "In"), it would make my year! If you know where that DPS is, I will make it worth your while for any productive info!!!!! 

Here is the CAF zoom-in option: https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1505057

Edited October 18, 2018 by Sideshow Bob
extra link

[Catwoman_Fan]

Looks like it's for the US edition.  With the date and CCA stamp (do they use those in other countries?), that seals the deal for me. 

[malvin]

As some might remember, I was the one who consigned it to comiclink.  I can't add too much more, I was buying art from someone, and asked what else they had for sale and this item was one of it.  That comic itself was before my collecting period and when I asked my friends (who is a boardie) what the stat cover was used for, one of them suggested it might be for a UK reprint since the seller was from the UK.  The seller had it or awhile, I think at least 10 years, but I don't recall if he said where he got it from, but it could have been from the US (and therefore it's a US reprint).

I can't add much more, hopefully others are more knowledgeable.

[Sideshow Bob]

12 minutes ago, malvin said:

As some might remember, I was the one who consigned it to comiclink.  I can't add too much more, I was buying art from someone, and asked what else they had for sale and this item was one of it.  That comic itself was before my collecting period and when I asked my friends (who is a boardie) what the stat cover was used for, one of them suggested it might be for a UK reprint since the seller was from the UK.  The seller had it or awhile, I think at least 10 years, but I don't recall if he said where he got it from, but it could have been from the US (and therefore it's a US reprint).

I can't add much more, hopefully others are more knowledgeable.

Thanks Malvin. I appreciate you giving me the green light to discuss this on the boards, and as well for the extra info. Its starting to look more like it was sourced in the US as part of the initial production process, given the date stamp on the back. I'm definitely leaning toward the text within the oval having been corrected on the fly, probably with another stat. Maybe the stat that fixes the "In" is sitting on the acetate overlay with the rogues. I'll add a picture of the date stamp and see if anyone can place it as standard DC protocol in 1982.