Copper Age 80’s action movie keys 2 2

[Qalyar]

On 5/4/2024 at 9:27 PM, Parabellum said:

@QalyarHere are all the variants to the Universal Soldier comics.  The photo covers are the newsstand copies with the toned down story.  Looks like  #2 newsstand has a “variant” due to the “better than ever” slogan versus the UPC.  The painted covers/direct editions contain the more graphic art.  The #1 with the painted cover and UPC was a Walden Books exclusive that came poly bagged.  I didn’t open the poly bag to confirm whether it contained the uncensored artwork or not.  If I come across an opened one I will purchase it and find out.

I'd sort of forgotten about the Waldenbooks version, but they're not actually that hard to find.

On the other hand, the most interesting book here is that #2 with the UPC. Normally, I'd expect the newsstand cover to come with a UPC. However... a quick inventory of the internet reveals only "NOW Better Than Ever" copies. That's what MCS lists for that cover. That's what MH lists for that cover. That's what the GCD shows. That's what all the currently available ebay listings with that cover include. So... what on earth is that other book?

I think there are two options.

First, it could be another store exclusive, maybe another Waldenbooks edition. But if that were the case, I'd expect some sort of label. Either there would be bagged copies with a sticker, like with #1, or stickers on the comics, or... you know, something. Also, frankly, although they're not raining from the sky, Waldenbooks copies of #1 aren't exactly rare. I could buy a half-dozen of them right now. If the UPC Newsstand #2 had the same distribution pathway, I would expect to see more copies.

So, I'm just guessing here, but here's what I think happened. That book should never have had the "NOW More Than Ever" slug in the first place. NOW used that slug in place of a UPC on direct market books that still had a cutout for the barcode (and on quite a few books that don't appear to have had newsstand distribution at all). But based on the covers, this was a newsstand book, which means it should have had a UPC. I'm guessing that one or more of their distribution partners (potentially even Waldenbooks, frankly) had some unkind words for NOW when they realized they got shipped books that couldn't be scanned by point of sale. And that NOW was confident enough in sales of this book (or beholden enough to the whims of one of their distribution clients) that they swapped the cover slug and ran off some additional copies. If that's the case, that's basically a 2nd printing ... although I don't think NOW ever officially had a second printing of anything, and I'm fairly confident they wouldn't have altered the indicia (although you might as well check, with that copy in hand). Frankly, they may have had surplus "guts" on hand to marry to the corrected covers. ...again, if that's what this book is.

[Parabellum]

@QalyarI took a closer look and the indica for both the newsstand bar code and “NOW Better Than Ever” #2’s are the same; October 1992.  Another thing I noticed was that the cost was different for the newsstand editions.  Newsstand was $1.95 and the Direct Edition was $2.50.  The Warren Books #1 with the bar code was priced at $2.50.

[MAR1979]

As this thread is in Copper hope a Sept 1990 book/mag counts.  During my youth, In 1990-1991 when going to local cons (but not school) I sported  a "Who Is Darkman" promo pin on my denim jacket

Tough magazine to find in High Grade!  Sought one in 9.8 for nearly 20 years and still NONE Exist. When I saw this 1 of 2 9.6 that Presents Above It's Grade (based pics form CGC site) i was all over the auction. I believe light color rubbing on back cover is reason for 9.6. I seen many less appealing looking books graded the past 2 years score a 9.8.

Thrilled to finally have a nice displaying copy. Mine from back in the day is 9.2 at best. As I recall my LCS' only got a few copies of the book back then and given how condition sensitive zero chance they were going to be in my preferred condition - and weren't.

Note the scan makes the color rubs far more noticeable than on the actual slabbed book in hand.

Edited May 7 by MAR1979

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 4/9/2024 at 9:30 AM, F For Fake said:

 

Yes, definitely MCSS! First Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Blade Runner, Dark Crystal, so many more. 

Don't forget Buckaroo Banzai

[F For Fake]

On 5/7/2024 at 7:13 PM, GeeksAreMyPeeps said:

Don't forget Buckaroo Banzai

It's never far from my mind!

Well ok that may be an exaggeration, but I do love the movie for sure!

[Parabellum]

On 5/7/2024 at 3:32 PM, MAR1979 said:

As this thread is in Copper hope a Sept 1990 book/mag counts.  During my youth, In 1990-1991 when going to local cons (but not school) I sported  a "Who Is Darkman" promo pin on my denim jacket

Tough magazine to find in High Grade!  Sought one in 9.8 for nearly 20 years and still NONE Exist. When I saw this 1 of 2 9.6 that Presents Above It's Grade (based pics form CGC site) i was all over the auction. I believe light color rubbing on back cover is reason for 9.6. I seen many less appealing looking books graded the past 2 years score a 9.8.

Thrilled to finally have a nice displaying copy. Mine from back in the day is 9.2 at best. As I recall my LCS' only got a few copies of the book back then and given how condition sensitive zero chance they were going to be in my preferred condition - and weren't.

Note the scan makes the color rubs far more noticeable than on the actual slabbed book in hand.

That Jusko cover is awesome!

[Jayman]

[F For Fake]

On 5/9/2024 at 7:03 PM, Jayman said:

I think Now are still underrated. They had a very interesting lineup of licenses.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 5/10/2024 at 8:16 AM, F For Fake said:

I think Now are still underrated. They had a very interesting lineup of licenses.

The Green Hornet covers were very nice.

[Jayman]