The Distribution of US Published Comics in the UK (1959~1982) 15 15

[themagicrobot]

I asked the seller of this comic whereabouts in Ireland she would think it would have originated. She said her father was at a boarding school in Dublin. So this fits in with the theory that DC and Marvel comics (at least in the 1960s) weren't generally distributed across the whole of Ireland. But limited numbers did find their way to Dublin.

 

 

[themagicrobot]

But if it were Thorpe and Porter sending comics to Dublin, why not stick an Ireland sticker over the UK 10d price? Or could the comics with their cents prices have arrived in Dublin directly from the USA?

[Malacoda]

On 1/17/2022 at 6:38 PM, themagicrobot said:

But if it were Thorpe and Porter sending comics to Dublin, why not stick an Ireland sticker over the UK 10d price? Or could the comics with their cents prices have arrived in Dublin directly from the USA?

True.  Given the volumes, I think these must have come from T&P - it would make no sense for someone in Ireland to import tiny quantities direct from the US unless they were makeweights with other publications.  T&P was the sole importer of DC & Marvel to the UK after Miller stopped, so could only have come from them.  If they were only planning to ship a small quantity to Ireland, it would not make sense to ask Marvel to create a tiny run of PV's at a different price. It would make more sense to ask them for a batch of cents copies with the PV's and then stamp them for Ireland.  I agree about the stickers but the evidence suggests that for several years they were being inkstamped rather than stickered, and obviously stamping a second pence price over a printed pence price would be a mess and having 2 different pence prices would be confusing, so getting some cents copies and stamping them would be logical. Once they'd been doing that for years, it seems more likely when they switched to stickers, they would just keep the same system they'd been using for years. 

It's odd though, isn't it?  They were perfectly happy to stamp comics for the UK and Ireland, and then carried on stamping for the UK, but stickered them for Ireland, having previously stamped them?  This is Marvel Tales for the same month, so having stamped this pile, they put away the stamps and got out the stickers for Ireland.  Maybe the stickers were a later stipulation by Irish customs? 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/17/2022 at 7:31 PM, Malacoda said:

This is Marvel Tales for the same month, so having stamped this pile, they put away the stamps and got out the stickers for Ireland.  Maybe the stickers were a later stipulation by Irish customs? 

Being the obvious difference between the two, the tax element might be the reason. Something to do with tax and Ireland, some requirement to state it perhaps, that was not required in the UK. 

[themagicrobot]

Periodicals have historically always been tax (ie VAT ) zero rated in the UK and presumably Ireland too. But perhaps other goods imported into the Republic of Ireland were subject to an import tax. The increased price for the Irish comics must have reflected the extra shipping costs involved.

[themagicrobot]

What do you think is wrong with us in the UK? Here we are debating minutiea as if it is the most important thing on our minds. I've just looked around these boards and most everyone else is saying "Hey!  Look!  I've got a comic! Here's a picture. How much is it worth?"

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:06 PM, themagicrobot said:

What do you think is wrong with us in the UK? Here we are debating minutiea as if it is the most important thing on our minds. I've just looked around these boards and most everyone else is saying "Hey!  Look!  I've got a comic! Here's a picture. How much is it worth?"

Never mind all that, how much do you think this is worth?

 

[OtherEric]

On 1/17/2022 at 12:11 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Never mind all that, how much do you think this is worth?

 

I would probably pay $5 US for it if I saw it at a store or show, just because I think the UK stamped and/or priced books are neat.  But not much more because wow that book is trashed...

[themagicrobot]

If Lichtenstein had used that cover instead of those boring DCs then I reckon about eight bazillion. Even so I'll swap it with you for my coverless Secret Origins 80 page giant (that I actually bought like that from a market stall in 1966).

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:15 PM, OtherEric said:

I would probably pay $5 US for it if I saw it at a store or show, just because I think the UK stamped and/or priced books are neat.  But not much more because wow that book is trashed...

Hey, for Charlton pence copies that's high grade 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:16 PM, themagicrobot said:

If Lichtenstein had used that cover instead of those boring DCs then I reckon about eight bazillion. Even so I'll swap it with you for my coverless Secret Origins 80 page giant (that I actually bought like that from a market stall in 1966).

I aint swappin me Charlton for no 76 page comic. 

[themagicrobot]

DCs had 80 pages (for real good ones). Stan's Marvels only had 72  pages. I always felt cheated.

[OtherEric]

On 1/17/2022 at 12:20 PM, themagicrobot said:

DCs had 80 pages (for real good ones). Stan's Marvels only had 72  pages. I always felt cheated.

Hey, the Marvels had new stories, not just reprints like the DC's.

Or did you feel cheated because you had to pay double for the same amount of new material?

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:22 PM, OtherEric said:

On 1/17/2022 at 8:20 PM, themagicrobot said:

DCs had 80 pages (for real good ones). Stan's Marvels only had 72  pages. I always felt cheated.

Hey, the Marvels had new stories, not just reprints like the DC's.

Or did you feel cheated because you had to pay double for the same amount of new material?

Should've gone for Charlton. Charlton "gave us more". 

More of what exactly, I won't say. 

[themagicrobot]

When you'd spent all your pocket money and then handing 10 comics you'd read and weren't that bothered about and getting 5 comics that looked great in return (and no money changing hands) always seemed like I was the one winning.

[themagicrobot]

Quote

Hey, the Marvels had new stories, not just reprints like the DC's.

Collectors Item Classics? Even the Annuals soon went to reprints.

[OtherEric]

On 1/17/2022 at 12:26 PM, themagicrobot said:

Collectors Item Classics? Even the Annuals soon went to reprints.

Fair enough.  Heck, a few of the DC's had new material.  But with the early annuals for both companies the pattern holds.  (I think Marvel had gone to the 64 pagers by the time they started doing all reprint issues, at least for the most part.)

[Albert Tatlock]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:06 PM, themagicrobot said:

What do you think is wrong with us in the UK? Here we are debating minutiea as if it is the most important thing on our minds. I've just looked around these boards and most everyone else is saying "Hey!  Look!  I've got a comic! Here's a picture. How much is it worth?"

Shame on you!

Here we are selflessly engaged in pursuing knowledge for its own sake, a high and noble endeavour, and all you can think of is a few grubby coppers (cents if necessary, but pence, Sterling or Irish, also more than welcome).

[themagicrobot]

I thought I must be in the wrong thread until I saw that we are now blathering?!? Brief review? Ha!

It's not me doing spreadsheets to calculate how rich I am Albert. According to some dealers who shall remain nameless most of my collection, should I wish to sell it to them, is worth 5p apiece. I've just counted all my boxes and multiplied that by the guesstimate of numbers of books inside and find I am rich beyond my wildest dreams with a value of £1250.00.  

I need to work on my image editing skills but I do like to see some colourful pictures in this thread to break up the blathering....

Edited January 18, 2022 by themagicrobot

[Get Marwood & I]

On 1/18/2022 at 6:14 PM, themagicrobot said:

I thought I must be in the wrong thread until I saw that we are now blathering?!?