Questions about Batman Double Double Comics? 0

[shadroch]

Lots of questions, actually.

When were these made?

From what I understand, these are leftover copies that were bound together. If this is correct, does every copy of a title contain the same interiors or do they vary? 

 

[Qalyar]

15 minutes ago, shadroch said:

Lots of questions, actually.

When were these made?

From what I understand, these are leftover copies that were bound together. If this is correct, does every copy of a title contain the same interiors or do they vary?

Zero consistency.

In principle, there are four 32-page remaindered comics rebound into each [Title] Double Double Comics, with no shortage of title options: Action, Adventure, Batman, Detective, Jimmy Olsen, Justice League of America, Lois Lane, Strange Adventures, Superboy, Superman, and World's Finest. If someone eventually turns up something not on that list, I wouldn't exactly be surprised. They probably did start out using remaindered comics that matched the collection title (that is, putting Batman issues in Batman Double Double Comics). But if they ran out, or had too many of something else, or were lazy and grabbed whatever was on top of the stack, something different would go in. Basically, for any given title, there's not only no guarantee of what issues are inside, but there's no guarantee of titles either. In fact, I know there are at least a couple of known Double Doubles where a stripped Marvel comic got mixed into the DC stack and bound in. The internet also says that at least one has been discovered that only had three comics, instead of four; I guess the stack ran short!

There might be some configurations that are more common and represent what these were "supposed" to contain. Maybe. But trying to figure that out is a job only for poets and madmen. Assume it's essentially random.

EDIT: 1967 to 1969/1970 is the general time period on these.

Edited May 5, 2021 by Qalyar

[shadroch]

Thank you. I couldn't find much on the web and some seemed to contradict others. 

[yrag9591]

My list of all 24 issues is in the comments on the following post (with original US covers noted). I would be very surprised if any other issues existed. I know of several UK collectors (including me) who have been collecting these for years, and these are the only issues we have discovered.

https://themagicrobot.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/thorpe-and-porter-double-double-comics/

 

[Get Marwood & I]

20 minutes ago, yrag9591 said:

My list of all 24 issues is in the comments on the following post (with original US covers noted). I would be very surprised if any other issues existed. I know of several UK collectors (including me) who have been collecting these for years, and these are the only issues we have discovered.

https://themagicrobot.wordpress.com/2008/03/17/thorpe-and-porter-double-double-comics/

 

@themagicrobot

24 it is Gary:

Batman #2 seems to be the popular one.

Can't think why...

13 hours ago, Qalyar said:

There might be some configurations that are more common and represent what these were "supposed" to contain. Maybe. But trying to figure that out is a job only for poets and madmen. Assume it's essentially random.

Here are some content examples from the TCC files:

Batman DD 3 - Batman 188, 189, 186 & 192
Batman DD 3 - Batman 188, 189, 186 & 199
Batman DD 3 - Batman 188, 189, 186 & 204

Detective DD 3 - Detective 352, 370, 356 & 375
Detective DD 3 - Detective 352, 362, 356 & 375
Detective DD 3 - Detective 352, 377, 376 & Metal Men 31

Action DD 4 - Action 356, Avengers 30, Brave & Bold 67 & Fantastic Four 72
Action DD 4 - Action 339, Avengers 37, Brave & Bold 70 & Green Lantern 57
Action DD 4 - Action 364, Avengers 36, Brave & Bold 72 & Superboy 148
Action DD 4 - Action 363, Avengers 52, Brave & Bold 78 & Fantastic Four 63

The odd Marvel pops in occasionally.

I've had a few in my time and they're nice books to own.

[yrag9591]

That’s a beautiful copy of the Batman 2. I don’t think any of my Double Doubles are quite that nice. Both my copies of the Batman 2 contain Batman 181.

[yrag9591]

15 hours ago, Qalyar said:

Zero consistency.

In principle, there are four 32-page remaindered comics rebound into each [Title] Double Double Comics, with no shortage of title options: Action, Adventure, Batman, Detective, Jimmy Olsen, Justice League of America, Lois Lane, Strange Adventures, Superboy, Superman, and World's Finest. If someone eventually turns up something not on that list, I wouldn't exactly be surprised. They probably did start out using remaindered comics that matched the collection title (that is, putting Batman issues in Batman Double Double Comics). But if they ran out, or had too many of something else, or were lazy and grabbed whatever was on top of the stack, something different would go in. Basically, for any given title, there's not only no guarantee of what issues are inside, but there's no guarantee of titles either. In fact, I know there are at least a couple of known Double Doubles where a stripped Marvel comic got mixed into the DC stack and bound in. The internet also says that at least one has been discovered that only had three comics, instead of four; I guess the stack ran short!

There might be some configurations that are more common and represent what these were "supposed" to contain. Maybe. But trying to figure that out is a job only for poets and madmen. Assume it's essentially random.

EDIT: 1967 to 1969/1970 is the general time period on these.

Yes, about five or six of my issues contain a Marvel comic or two. And occasionally an ACG comic.

I’m not convinced there are any Double Doubles that contain only three comics. I suspect if a Double Double only has three comics within, it means that it is incomplete. Double Doubles are notorious for having something missing.

[shadroch]

So the interiors are unsold copies of American comics? The insides are in color? Isn't that unusual for British comics of that time. 

[Garystar]

1 hour ago, shadroch said:

So the interiors are unsold copies of American comics? The insides are in color? Isn't that unusual for British comics of that time. 

These are American comics that were imported into and went on sale in UK. Some would have gone unsold in shops and returned to UK distributor, who then ripped off covers and, four at a time, bound them together with a new cover and offered them again for sale in UK. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by Garystar

[shadroch]

So these are unauthorized pirate editions, for lack of a better term. My only copy is slabbed and I don't want to break it out as it is unusual in itself, being a blue label that is missing a page.

 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

2 minutes ago, shadroch said:

So these are unauthorized pirate editions, for lack of a better term. My only copy is slabbed and I don't want to break it out as it is unusual in itself, being a blue label that is missing a page.

 

 

Can you post a picture?

[shadroch]

Just now, Get Marwood & I said:

Can you post a picture?

I can post it later but if you go to the grading forum, I posted it yesterday.

[Get Marwood & I]

2 minutes ago, shadroch said:

I can post it later but if you go to the grading forum, I posted it yesterday.

Got it, thanks. It shouldn't be blue, being incomplete. And it shouldn't be labelled 'UK Edition' either. 

 

[Garystar]

9 minutes ago, shadroch said:

So these are unauthorized pirate editions, for lack of a better term. My only copy is slabbed and I don't want to break it out as it is unusual in itself, being a blue label that is missing a page.

 

 

Possibly. The interiors are four genuine, unaltered comics. However ripping off the covers, binding four such comics under a new cover and selling in the new format may have been an infringement. 
There again the UK distributor, Thorpe & Porter, may have had licence from DC and Marvel to do with and sell the original comics in whatever format he wanted in UK. 

[Get Marwood & I]

10 minutes ago, shadroch said:

So these are unauthorized pirate editions, for lack of a better term. My only copy is slabbed and I don't want to break it out as it is unusual in itself, being a blue label that is missing a page.

Many UK reference sites refer to the likelihood that the books were repackaged on an 'unauthorised' basis. I'm not so sure, as they were the possessions of the UK distributor, Thorpe and Porter, who purchased them from DC. I'm no legal expert, but what law would be broken by repackaging what you already owned in an attempt to sell it in a different manner? Maybe the repackaged covers infringed copyright or something. 

That CGC case must be deep - they're chunky buggers. 

[Get Marwood & I]

1 minute ago, Garystar said:

Possibly. The interiors are four genuine, unaltered comics. However ripping off the covers, binding four such comics under a new cover and selling in the new format may have been an infringement. 
There again the UK distributor, Thorpe & Porter, may have had licence from DC and Marvel to do with and sell the original comics in whatever format he wanted in UK. 

Will you stop beating my posts by three seconds Gary! 

[shadroch]

Most comics of that era had a box on the front page warning not to buy this comic if it had been altered in any way or was coverless.

[shadroch]

4 minutes ago, Garystar said:

Possibly. The interiors are four genuine, unaltered comics. However ripping off the covers, binding four such comics under a new cover and selling in the new format may have been an infringement. 
There again the UK distributor, Thorpe & Porter, may have had licence from DC and Marvel to do with and sell the original comics in whatever format he wanted in UK. 

I'd  be surprised that  Marvel or its Dubious Competition would license someone to co-mingle the two companies books. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

I can see a lot of blue label incomplete books, is the argument it should be green?

Just search 0.5 avengers #1, mine is a "complete yellow label 0.5"

I wish the other's that are incomplete were green, so that people would see that mine is actually a "complete 0.5"

but I'm out of luck  

[Garystar]

2 minutes ago, shadroch said:

I'd  be surprised that  Marvel or its Dubious Competition would license someone to co-mingle the two companies books. 

I would be too, which, has Marwood has said, they are often described here as unauthorised.

Even many of us UK collectors would like to know more about the inner workings and the agreements the UK distributor T&P had with Marvel and the other US comic publishers.