Previously undocumented variants for Batman in Detective Comics 4 4

[Cpt Kirk]

After careful research and collaboration with others such as Mark Weiss, David Loesch, Jerome Wenker, @Warlord, @mysterio, @onlyweaknesskryptonite, @RockMyAmadeus, @archivist, and other gurus, I really thought we had found all of the unmarked reprints of Batman and Detective Comics that were produced during the hey-day of reprints from the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.  And then…  bam!   Three more reprint variants have come out of the woodwork. 

I recently found reprints of Detective Comics 637, 638 and 643 that I’ve never seen listed before in anyone’s database.  I found them when I accidentally stumbled across a 3-pack containing Detective 637/638/643 on ebay, and then bought it simply because I had never seen that pack before.  I thought for sure it would contain first printings.  When I got the pack in hand, I pried open the edge of the shrink wrap to confirm that those comics had the same back cover as the first printings.  I was surprised to see that they did not.  So in the name of variant science, I opened the pack.  Lo and behold, each issue had the KEMCO “Shift Happens” ad on the back cover, just like other Batman and Detective 2^nd printings from that same time frame.

On closer inspection, I found an obvious difference on the cover of Detective 643 that we should have noticed a long time ago.  The first print only has the names “Milligan and Aparo” in the UPC box on the front cover, whereas the 2^nd printing corrected that error and included all 3 names of the creators in that UPC box, namely “Milligan, Aparo, and Badger”.  On closer inspection, you will also see some differences in the indicia (some of the 1^st printings were made in the USA, whereas all the 2^nd printings were made in Canada).

I have some spares of these newly found variants and I am willing to send them to my friends on CGC for about the same amount as what I paid for them.  If you want any of them, please let me know.  First come, first serve.

Here's a comparison of TEC 643 (1st print on left; 2nd print on right) followed by their back covers (2nd print is the "Shift Happens" ad.  Note the difference in the UPC boxes.

 

Comparison of TEC 637 front and back covers (no noticeable difference on front covers; 2nd print is the "Shift Happens" ad).

 

Comparison of TEC 638 front and back covers (no noticeable difference on front covers; 2nd print is the "Shift Happens" ad).

 

And finally, here's photos of the pack that these came from:

 

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Cpt Kirk

[JTLarsen]

Fantastic work!

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 9/13/2021 at 10:11 PM, Cpt Kirk said:

After careful research and collaboration with others such as Mark Weiss, David Loesch, Jerome Wenker, @Warlord, @mysterio, @onlyweaknesskryptonite, @RockMyAmadeus, @archivist, and other gurus, I really thought we had found all of the unmarked reprints of Batman and Detective Comics that were produced during the hey-day of reprints from the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.  And then…  bam!   Three more reprint variants have come out of the woodwork. 

I recently found reprints of Detective Comics 637, 638 and 643 that I’ve never seen listed before in anyone’s database.  I found them when I accidentally stumbled across a 3-pack containing Detective 637/638/643 on ebay, and then bought it simply because I had never seen that pack before.  I thought for sure it would contain first printings.  When I got the pack in hand, I pried open the edge of the shrink wrap to confirm that those comics had the same back cover as the first printings.  I was surprised to see that they did not.  So in the name of variant science, I opened the pack.  Lo and behold, each issue had the KEMCO “Shift Happens” ad on the back cover, just like other Batman and Detective 2^nd printings from that same time frame.

On closer inspection, I found an obvious difference on the cover of Detective 643 that we should have noticed a long time ago.  The first print only has the names “Milligan and Aparo” in the UPC box on the front cover, whereas the 2^nd printing corrected that error and included all 3 names of the creators in that UPC box, namely “Milligan, Aparo, and Badger”.  On closer inspection, you will also see some differences in the indicia (some of the 1^st printings were made in the USA, whereas all the 2^nd printings were made in Canada).

I have some spares of these newly found variants and I am willing to send them to my friends on CGC for about the same amount as what I paid for them.  If you want any of them, please let me know.  First come, first serve.

Here's a comparison of TEC 643 (1st print on left; 2nd print on right) followed by their back covers (2nd print is the "Shift Happens" ad.  Note the difference in the UPC boxes.

 

Comparison of TEC 637 front and back covers (no noticeable difference on front covers; 2nd print is the "Shift Happens" ad).

 

 

 

 

 

One thing I wanted to note, since I'm working on listing a bunch of issues of Detective on eBay, is don't think that you can identify the difference by the color on the front cover for 637. Grays that are made up of a mix of all four process separations are notoriously hard to keep consistent (the reason why the Hulk was changed from gray to green after his first issue). I noticed a color difference between my copy for sale and images I saw on the internet, with mine being the duller blue color, but mine is a first print:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/234185256999

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by GeeksAreMyPeeps

[revat]

Incredible 

[ganni]

Fascinating ......

Status of mission, Captain?

[Cpt Kirk]

On 9/13/2021 at 11:11 PM, revat said:

Incredible 

On 9/14/2021 at 3:54 AM, ganni said:

Fascinating ......

Status of mission, Captain?

 Continue to explore strange new comic shops. To seek out new discoveries and new variants. To boldly go where no man has gone before!

[mysterio]

[David Buck]

The Detective 643 is on GCD with the 2 name / 3 name variants - saw it there a couple of weeks ago and wondered how it came about ; was only updated on the 08/08/21 though, was this related to this discovery? 

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by David Buck

[jdandns]

Wow, neat stuff. I remember wanting a set of those cards printed on the backer board and getting those 3 packs when I saw them.

I ended up with a decent stack of them, but didn't come close on a whole set.

I didn't really collect those comic titles, but I still likely would've saved the books, so hopefully, I've got these. Thanks for making us aware of this.

[ganni]

Captain.....   Fascinating is a word I use for the unexpected.  I like to believe that there are always possibilities.

[Cpt Kirk]

On 9/14/2021 at 8:36 PM, jdandns said:

Wow, neat stuff. I remember wanting a set of those cards printed on the backer board and getting those 3 packs when I saw them.

I ended up with a decent stack of them, but didn't come close on a whole set.

I didn't really collect those comic titles, but I still likely would've saved the books, so hopefully, I've got these. Thanks for making us aware of this.

If you don't have the 2nd prints and want a copy, send me a PM and let me know.   I'm willing to part with them for about the same amount as what I paid for them.  First come, first serve.  I'm more interested in helping friends on CGC than making money, because those same friends have found really hard-to-find stuff for my collection.   

[Cpt Kirk]

On 9/14/2021 at 5:59 PM, David Buck said:

The Detective 643 is on GCD with the 2 name / 3 name variants - saw it there a couple of weeks ago and wondered how it came about ; was only updated on the 08/08/21 though, was this related to this discovery? 

 

Wow..... that sounds purely coincidental.  I only discovered these variants on Sept 2, 2021, which is the date that 3-pack arrived at my house.  It sounds like someone else figured out the variant on the Detective 643 at about the same.   Which is even more astounding that two separate guys would discover the same variant after we've been searching and documenting these variants for more than 15 years now.

[jdandns]

On 9/15/2021 at 4:18 AM, Cpt Kirk said:

If you don't have the 2nd prints and want a copy, send me a PM and let me know.   I'm willing to part with them for about the same amount as what I paid for them.  First come, first serve.  I'm more interested in helping friends on CGC than making money, because those same friends have found really hard-to-find stuff for my collection.   

That's awesome, very kind, but I'm not collecting these variants. I would love to get the rest of the trading card sheets, though.

Did you get any of those to spare while acquiring the extra variants?

[Cpt Kirk]

On 9/15/2021 at 2:41 PM, jdandns said:

That's awesome, very kind, but I'm not collecting these variants. I would love to get the rest of the trading card sheets, though.

Did you get any of those to spare while acquiring the extra variants?

yes, I have a bunch of those trading card sheets, and I would be glad to help you out with that.  I just sent you a PM.

[Warlord]

Very nice discovery! 

Thanks for the kind offer.   This type of variant collecting is not on the radar for me, probably another rabbit hole I should avoid going down!  I appreciate the generous offer to part with your dupes, and I imagine you'll get or already have gotten some takers!

[Cpt Kirk]

On 9/17/2021 at 9:48 PM, Warlord said:

Very nice discovery! 

Thanks for the kind offer.   This type of variant collecting is not on the radar for me, probably another rabbit hole I should avoid going down!  I appreciate the generous offer to part with your dupes, and I imagine you'll get or already have gotten some takers!

I am surprised that no one on the boards has requested a set of these.  I have a couple of friends who wanted them, and I gladly sent them a set.  I have one set left that I would sell for $10 per comic book.   If someone wants them, please let me know by this Sunday night.  Otherwise I will list them on feebay.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Cpt Kirk

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 9/18/2021 at 8:54 AM, Cpt Kirk said:

I am surprised that no one on the boards has requested a set of these.  I have a couple of friends who wanted them, and I gladly sent them a set.  I have one set left that I would sell for $10 per comic book.   If someone wants them, please let me know by this Sunday night.  Otherwise I will list them on feebay.

I noticed your tags....

@mysterio if he hasn't responded, he may be at Fan Expo Dallas this weekend. Not sure

[chevalmeow]

PM sent, Captain!

[Cpt Kirk]

update:  I've only got a couple TEC 643's left and one beat-up TEC 638.   Feel free to reach out if you want them.

 

Edited September 19, 2021 by Cpt Kirk

[Cpt Kirk]

I listed this TEC 643 2nd printing on ebay and I've seen practically no interest.  It is always interesting to me the difference in demand for variants.   I suspect if this were a variant in the title of Batman comics, it would be a different story.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165093769327