Rare Comic Alert: Thundercats #2 M-Logo Direct Edition 75¢ price error variant, Marvel Star 1 1

[Saint_Doyle]

I've made a comment in another thread about this discovery, but now a second copy has been un-earthed by androolx so it's time to officially announce it.

There exists an ultra-rare variant of Marvel Star Thundercats #2: M-Logo Direct Edition 75¢ price error variant.  Previously (incorrectly) thought to be a rare Third Print, it was later discovered that it is likely a First Print as it contains the exact same ads, subscription info, and editor's pages as the other Thundercats #2 Frist Prints.  Below are my 5 identified variations of Thundercats #2.  (I've also got a Dutch language printing that I acquired since snapping this pic.)

Fun notes about this error price variant:

• All ads (including the back cover, interior covers, subscription offer, and Marvel checklist) are all the identical and on the same page as in the 1st print DM/US Newsstand/CAN Newsstand editions.
• This issue was dated Feb. 1986.  Regular Marvel titles had increased in cover price to the 75¢ / 50p / 95¢ shown on this printing in this month, however Marvel Star titles (including Thundercats) would remain at the previous Marvel pricing structure of 65¢ / 30p / 75¢ in Feb. '86 until changing along with the rest of Marvel the following month in Mar. '86.  
• The 75¢ / 50p / 95¢ Thundercats #2 M-Logo error variant does not state that it is a reprint in the Indica.  This is not concrete proof of anything, as this was commonly omitted in reprints of this era, but is still worth a mention.

Given these facts, it seems likely that the person setting up the printing press accidentally ran a few 75¢ / 50p / 95¢ Thundercats #2 Direct Market (M-Logo) covers before catching the error (Star comics are still at the old price this month) and running the rest of the copies at the 65¢ / 30p / 75¢ price.  This seems like an error printing similar to the Captain America #212 35¢ "no Marvel Comics Group banner" error printing, or the Marvel Spotlight #1 "no issue number" error printing, as opposed to the more common error printings where one color of ink was low for a fraction of the run.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Saint_Doyle

[Toz]

Wouldn't ya just love to know what part of the country these were shipped to?

[Qalyar]

I wonder if this was an error per se, or a pricing variant experiment like the 30/35 cent variants. Either way, fantastic book.

[androolx]

Something interesting about the pricing of the book in question - 75c/50p/95c - is that Marvel priced its regular comic books that way for only one month - 02/1986. In 03/1986, the price of regular Marvel comic books changed to 75c/40p/95c.  The fact that the pricing scheme of the book in question was  used by Marvel only in 02/1986 tends to show the book is not a 2nd or subsequent printing, I believe.

[BrooksR]

I didn’t even know there were 2nd prints. I never see these in shops, or any star books for that matter ☹️