How to tell if a News Stand version of a comic exists? 0

[Chapter2099]

Long story short, I’m trying to a find a site or source to tell me if a news stand cover of a comic exists? When I use the CGC Registry, I can see various variants that exist, but I don’t see if there’s a news stand version that exists.

Most of my knowledge just comes from searching eBay, but some comics are sold so infrequently that I can’t tell a news stand version even exists.

For example, I recently purchased a Thor (2014) #1. To my knowledge, Marvel news stand covers were discontinued in 2013, and yet this cover is still denoted with a “Direct Edition” label on the bar code. So does that mean a news stand version exists? Or is that an incorrect assumption? 

The whole point is that I realize news stand versions tend to be more sought after, so if I’m on the hunt for a graded comic, I’d prefer the news stand *IF* it exists. 

I’ve searched for hours and hours, but as a newb, I can’t figure out if I’m looking in the wrong place or if the resource just doesn’t exists.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks all! (And I apologize if this has already been posted.)

 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by Chapter2099

[silversurfer275]

i dont believe so because I think they still planned to do it but they cancelled so they printed comics in 2014 with direct in it anyway an easy way to see for newer comics is if it doesnt say direct on it or for something like ultimate fallout 4 has something different in it like it says black panther in the barcode and if you are gonna try to find these good luck but its way too overpriced in my opinion.And theres no website 

[Chapter2099]

33 minutes ago, silversufer27 said:

i dont believe so because I think they still planned to do it but they cancelled so they printed comics in 2014 with direct in it anyway an easy way to see for newer comics is if it doesnt say direct on it or for something like ultimate fallout 4 has something different in it like it says black panther in the barcode and if you are gonna try to find these good luck but its way too overpriced in my opinion.And theres no website 

Really appreciate the info! (And I apologize in advance for my wordiness. lol)
 

I was reading last night that basically anything after 2000, the *suspected* average direct to news stand cover ratio is 100:1 or less. Factor in the damage on news stands, etc, and basically what you said, good luck finding one for most of these newer issues runs (2000 and later). 

The Ultimate Fallout example is actually one of those I was looking at. News Stands versions are basically untouchable at this point. 

I bought a Buffy (Dark Horse) #1 direct cover graded the other day. (Yes, I’m a big Buffy fan. Lol) Didn’t even realize they made a news stand cover - happened to stumble upon a beat up cover on eBay.

You might have answered this but does the CGC have a registry that keeps tabs on both Direct AND News Stand graded comics so that I can see how many graded News Stand versions exist? 

 

[silversurfer275]

1 minute ago, Chapter2099 said:

Really appreciate the info! (And I apologize in advance for my wordiness. lol)
 

I was reading last night that basically anything after 2000, the *suspected* average direct to news stand cover ratio is 100:1 or less. Factor in the damage on news stands, etc, and basically what you said, good luck finding one for most of these newer issues runs (2000 and later). 

The Ultimate Fallout example is actually one of those I was looking at. News Stands versions are basically untouchable at this point. 

I bought a Buffy (Dark Horse) #1 direct cover graded the other day. (Yes, I’m a big Buffy fan. Lol) Didn’t even realize they made a news stand cover - happened to stumble upon a beat up cover on eBay.

You might have answered this but does the CGC have a registry that keeps tabs on both Direct AND News Stand graded comics so that I can see how many graded News Stand versions exist? 

 

i dont think they do because thats mostly a market thing most graders or collectors dont like newsstand comics i personally dont mind but if I find like a spawn 1 newsstand I get happy then I sell it because I already have 1 regular copy  

[Lazyboy]

3 hours ago, Chapter2099 said:

I was reading last night that basically anything after 2000, the *suspected* average direct to news stand cover ratio is 100:1 or less.

Find better things to read. That is meaningless, made up garbage.

In response to your original question, I know of no definitive source that has information on all issues with Newsstand editions. The main reason for this is that nobody ever cared until the hucksters thought they would be good to hype with misinformation, faulty reasoning, and outright lies. There are some late Newsstands that at least appear to be relatively common because certain people who may (or may not ) be the same people hyping them as superultramegarare bought many copies and are trying to sell them.

The CGC Census will only show a Newsstand edition if one has actually been submitted to them and that submission took place after they arbitrarily decided to acknowledge it for that issue. CGC does not even recognize most Newsstand editions.

[Chapter2099]

41 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

Find better things to read. That is meaningless, made up garbage.

In response to your original question, I know of no definitive source that has information on all issues with Newsstand editions. The main reason for this is that nobody ever cared until the hucksters thought they would be good to hype with misinformation, faulty reasoning, and outright lies. There are some late Newsstands that at least appear to be relatively common because certain people who may (or may not ) be the same people hyping them as superultramegarare bought many copies and are trying to sell them.

The CGC Census will only show a Newsstand edition if one has actually been submitted to them and that submission took place after they arbitrarily decided to acknowledge it for that issue. CGC does not even recognize most Newsstand editions.

Lol. The internet is a dangerous place. I hear you though and appreciate the info, especially coming from a collector. I read all sorts of stuff, and honestly, have trouble discerning the importance of this from that, etc.

So bottom line:

Am I over hyping news stand editions?

Right now, I’m looking at purchasing Spider-Man 2099 #1. I love that run and don’t even have a graded #1. Checking on eBay, I can buy a CGC 9.8 Direct or a CGC 9.8 News Stand version. Legit there’s $300+ difference between the two. No disrespect to those selling news stand versions, but am I sucker for paying that much more for a news stand cover??

*ESPECIALLY, when you say that the CGC doesn’t even recognize most news stand editions.* 
 

I guess I’m really questioning what’s the point to purchasing a news stand version (at a significantly inflated cost) of a comic that you love if the CGC doesn’t recognize it as any different that the Direct?

[silversurfer275]

4 minutes ago, Chapter2099 said:

Lol. The internet is a dangerous place. I hear you though and appreciate the info, especially coming from a collector. I read all sorts of stuff, and honestly, have trouble discerning the importance of this from that, etc.

So bottom line:

Am I over hyping news stand editions?

Right now, I’m looking at purchasing Spider-Man 2099 #1. I love that run and don’t even have a graded #1. Checking on eBay, I can buy a CGC 9.8 Direct or a CGC 9.8 News Stand version. Legit there’s $300+ difference between the two. No disrespect to those selling news stand versions, but am I sucker for paying that much more for a news stand cover??

*ESPECIALLY, when you say that the CGC doesn’t even recognize most news stand editions.* 
 

I guess I’m really questioning what’s the point to purchasing a news stand version (at a significantly inflated cost) of a comic that you love if the CGC doesn’t recognize it as any different that the Direct?

That’s what I’m saying if I find that I have a newsstand cool but I’ll sell it because there’s no difference and it’s way more money

[Get Marwood & I]

16 hours ago, Chapter2099 said:

Long story short, I’m trying to a find a site or source to tell me if a news stand cover of a comic exists? When I use the CGC Registry, I can see various variants that exist, but I don’t see if there’s a news stand version that exists.

Most of my knowledge just comes from searching eBay, but some comics are sold so infrequently that I can’t tell a news stand version even exists.

For example, I recently purchased a Thor (2014) #1. To my knowledge, Marvel news stand covers were discontinued in 2013, and yet this cover is still denoted with a “Direct Edition” label on the bar code. So does that mean a news stand version exists? Or is that an incorrect assumption? 

The whole point is that I realize news stand versions tend to be more sought after, so if I’m on the hunt for a graded comic, I’d prefer the news stand *IF* it exists. 

I’ve searched for hours and hours, but as a newb, I can’t figure out if I’m looking in the wrong place or if the resource just doesn’t exists.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks all! (And I apologize if this has already been posted.)

Hello Chapter2099 

My old records show that the last Spidey newsstand was Superior Spider-Man #20 which was cover / indicia dated December 2013:

I'm not sure about other publishers but I think this is when Marvel stopped producing them.

I'm not aware of any sites that list them all, but you can always check the GCD if you have a book in mind:

https://www.comics.org/issue/1155437/cover/4/

That will often list a newsstand, especially for popular characters, and you can see the barcode differences where they do - example screenshot below:

 

There are indeed dealers and collectors that pimp these books up for financial gain - Chuck at Mile High is a good example here, as he used to list later newsstand copies at silly prices using the faulty logic that newsstands, for example, were 100 times more scarce and therefore 100 times more valuable. It doesn't work that way of course, as books will find their own value if listed reasonably.

I tried to get a full set of ASM newsstands and nearly managed it. It was the over pricing of them that killed it for me and I ended up selling them all to a fellow boardie (although I wasn't a member here at the time). But not all collectors / enthusiasts are the mercenary money making machines that you will often see touted in threads like these. Comic variant enthusiasts are an odd breed for sure, and often will pay a premium to gather up comparatively scarce books. But they do so because they love them, and love the thrill of the hunt. Looking for newsstands is no different to looking for 30/35 cent variants, Mark Jewelers Inserts, Pence copies or Canadians. They're just another aspect of the hobby, another book to look for. 

You'll see estimates for newsstand numbers vs direct copies online but no one really knows the exact figures. But it is possible to identify that they become increasingly scarce as you get closer to 2013, when they ended (for Marvel). I recently gifted two copies to a collecting friend here on the boards - to prove that we're not all mercenary pimps - and you won't find another copy of them anywhere on eBay or online. It doesn't mean they are worth a bomb though, only that the collector who seeks them will find it really, really hard to find them.

If you love them, great, go look for them. If you are indifferent to them, and the newsstand vs direct debate, then just collect what you do love, can afford, and don't worry about whether CGC notate them correctly. 

Hope that helps

[Lazyboy]

If you legitimately like Newsstand editions, you should buy and collect them regardless of what anybody else thinks. However, paying significant premiums for them (keeping in mind that actual sales and ridiculous asking prices are not at all the same thing) is a different story and should be carefully considered before any purchase.

As for CGC not recognizing them, that really doesn't matter. A comic book is not defined by what appears on CGC's labels. If that's important to you, you might want to reexamine why and how you collect.

26 minutes ago, Chapter2099 said:

Right now, I’m looking at purchasing Spider-Man 2099 #1. I love that run and don’t even have a graded #1. Checking on eBay, I can buy a CGC 9.8 Direct or a CGC 9.8 News Stand version. Legit there’s $300+ difference between the two. No disrespect to those selling news stand versions, but am I sucker for paying that much more for a news stand cover??

No offense, but I would have to question the sanity of anybody even thinking of paying a $300 premium for any copy of Spider-Man 2099 #1.

[shadroch]

9 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

If you legitimately like Newsstand editions, you should buy and collect them regardless of what anybody else thinks. However, paying significant premiums for them (keeping in mind that actual sales and ridiculous asking prices are not at all the same thing) is a different story and should be carefully considered before any purchase.

As for CGC not recognizing them, that really doesn't matter. A comic book is not defined by what appears on CGC's labels. If that's important to you, you might want to reexamine why and how you collect.

No offense, but I would have to question the sanity of anybody even thinking of paying a $300 premium for any copy of Spider-Man 2099 #1.

 

 

As opposed to someone spending hundreds or even thousands on a price variant of a 1970s Marvel reprint book like Kid Colt 214 or a Sgt. Fury?

 

 

 

 

a

[Qalyar]

Here's my opinion on the whole topic.

I get that many collectors don't really care about the difference. However, eventually, these are going to be recognized as substantively different books, at least for the specialist collector. I like to make comparisons to philately: two stamps that have the same design and are printed in the same color might still be different stamps from a collector's standpoint if they have different perforation gauges or are printed on paper with a different watermark. Right now, there's no equivalent to the Scott catalogue for stamps or even to the Red Book for coins. Overstreet is not really the same category of collector's tool, which makes us depend on directly commercial sources like MyComicShop and Mile High. I'm glad those resources exist (even though they're not comprehensive either!), but the inherent conflict of interest makes it harder to depend on them as a source for "catalog value".

What no one should do, though, is assume there's a simple mathematical formula for value differences. Chuck seemingly believes there's a "newsstand value multiplier". Chuck is, with all due respect, crazy. Valuations for varieties of collectibles don't work that way. Back to stamps, "coils" -- with straight edges on two opposite sides -- were printed especially to be sold in stamp vending machines, making them arguably the closest parallel to the direct market vs. newsstand comics distinction. Ask a serious collector of early 20th century US stamps "how does it change the value if the stamp is from a coil roil?" They'll laugh at you... or else they should. Some -- many -- coils are worth no more than their sheet-printed equivalents. On the other hand, Scott #319 is a sheet-printed 2-cent stamp from 1903, worth maybe $20 in the highest realistic grades, but its two coil versions -- #321 (vertical coil) and #322 (horizontal coil) -- are among the greatest rarities of 20th century US stamp collecting. Only about 150 of the latter are known, while there are only around a half-dozen authenticated example of the former, each of which is easily worth in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Many newsstand issues (and similar variants) are probably worth right about the same as their direct market counterparts. Some will be exceptions. Some of the 1999/2000 Marvel newsstand price variants are extremely hard to find and would likely be worth substantially more. Batman #457 2nd print newsstand is a famously rare book. On the other hand, some of the earliest direct market titles are probably "worth" a premium over their normal (newsstand) versions. Or would be, in a fully mature market. And that's not even getting into edge cases like the Adventures of Superman #443 mall variants!

We do not have a fully mature market for this material. CGC didn't initially care, which I think was a mistake. Their hesitation to do so now is owed in part, I am certain, to the enormous backlog of slabbed books that would have incomplete labels (and thus be eligible for technical issue reslabs if they embraced the difference). That means we lack the CGC Census's power to determine the quantities of these books on the market and their available grade curves. Also, again, we don't have anything remotely like a comprehensive guide to comics, not even for the main publishers. I hope that at some point, Overstreet will step up to fill that role. If they don't, sooner or later, someone else will. Once that happens, collectors will have an easy means to see what exists to collect. Some collectors -- many here on the boards, for example -- will become what philately calls "type collectors", as uninterested in UPC box variants as their stamp-collecting brethren are in perforation sizes. They won't pay premiums for whichever books deserve them by dint of variant rarity. But other collectors will when warranted... or won't, when the (lesser) demand is comparable to the (lesser) supply. But Batman #457 2nd print NS will likely be considered a key piece to a truly comprehensive collection of '90s Bats.

And so on. Someday. Until then, newsstands and a lot of other weirdness is trapped between lowball pricing (from people who don't know there are variants, or who aggressively don't care) and what is essentially speculative pricing in the belief that their apparent rarity translates to huge factors of extra value. Truth, for most books, is likely in the middle.

[seanfingh]

I find this to be an excellent post.  I, and many other collectors of my vintage, do not care a whit about newsstand variants.  My collection was littered with them from my days of riding a bike to the Hook's drug store for whatever I could get my hands on, and even before that, from when my dad would stop at Village Pantry and lay a stack of comics on me.  Being a teenager in the eighties, they were completely interchangeable, and quite frankly, most seemed to prefer the art-bearing boxes versus the clunky UPC codes.  But for those of different vintages, and those for whom the joy of hunting down rarities is part of the fun of collecting comics, I can see it continuing to be "a thing."    

[shadroch]

What I collect rocks. What you collect sux.  A lesson I learned in fifth grade. Imagine having the complete set of 1-44 Matchbox cars, including the rare Blue Rolls Royce and moving to a neighborhood where Hot Wheels ruled.

[Chapter2099]

3 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

Hello Chapter2099 

My old records show that the last Spidey newsstand was Superior Spider-Man #20 which was cover / indicia dated December 2013:

I'm not sure about other publishers but I think this is when Marvel stopped producing them.

I'm not aware of any sites that list them all, but you can always check the GCD if you have a book in mind:

https://www.comics.org/issue/1155437/cover/4/

That will often list a newsstand, especially for popular characters, and you can see the barcode differences where they do - example screenshot below:

 

There are indeed dealers and collectors that pimp these books up for financial gain - Chuck at Mile High is a good example here, as he used to list later newsstand copies at silly prices using the faulty logic that newsstands, for example, were 100 times more scarce and therefore 100 times more valuable. It doesn't work that way of course, as books will find their own value if listed reasonably.

I tried to get a full set of ASM newsstands and nearly managed it. It was the over pricing of them that killed it for me and I ended up selling them all to a fellow boardie (although I wasn't a member here at the time). But not all collectors / enthusiasts are the mercenary money making machines that you will often see touted in threads like these. Comic variant enthusiasts are an odd breed for sure, and often will pay a premium to gather up comparatively scarce books. But they do so because they love them, and love the thrill of the hunt. Looking for newsstands is no different to looking for 30/35 cent variants, Mark Jewelers Inserts, Pence copies or Canadians. They're just another aspect of the hobby, another book to look for. 

You'll see estimates for newsstand numbers vs direct copies online but no one really knows the exact figures. But it is possible to identify that they become increasingly scarce as you get closer to 2013, when they ended (for Marvel). I recently gifted two copies to a collecting friend here on the boards - to prove that we're not all mercenary pimps - and you won't find another copy of them anywhere on eBay or online. It doesn't mean they are worth a bomb though, only that the collector who seeks them will find it really, really hard to find them.

If you love them, great, go look for them. If you are indifferent to them, and the newsstand vs direct debate, then just collect what you do love, can afford, and don't worry about whether CGC notate them correctly. 

Hope that helps

I really appreciate you posting this. 
 

This is all new to me, so I appreciate the input. I love hearing everyone’s opinions because I’m so new to grading and collecting, I really don’t know the do’s and dont’s. 
 

I can’t stress it enough but thank you for your post!! 

[Get Marwood & I]

8 hours ago, Chapter2099 said:

I really appreciate you posting this. 
 

This is all new to me, so I appreciate the input. I love hearing everyone’s opinions because I’m so new to grading and collecting, I really don’t know the do’s and dont’s. 
 

I can’t stress it enough but thank you for your post!! 

You're welcome. It's a great, rewarding hobby, comics. Find the things you love, within your budget, and build up your knowledge over time. You'll get flack from some when you venture thoughts and opinions, that's human nature, but if you're honest and decent with it you'll always find people here who will help you learn, even if it means repeating what more experienced members have heard a thousand times over. Have fun with it