Action Comics # 1 Famous First Edition vs. Archive Edition and others 2 2

[Happyfarm]

I recently purchased a copy of the 1974 Famous First Edition of Action Comics # 1 and was shocked to see the difference between this and the later Archive edition from the late 80's, which was a product of the Theakston method of bleaching original copies and then retracing and recoloring them. Does anyone here know what kind of restoration was used for the Famous First Edition? Is it simply photographed directly from the original 1938 copy or has it also been exposed to retracing etc.?

And do you know what files are used for current publications of Action Comics # 1?

Here are some pics comparing the two. In my eyes the Archive edition looks absolutely horrendous.

 

Edited May 12 by Happyfarm

[vheflin]

Modern archive coloring is all uninspired ms paint bucket fill.  Oversaturated ink and glossy heavy stock paper makes it tough on the eyes.  Original subdued inks on pulp creates texture similar to watercolor painting and is pleasing.

[BLUECHIPCOLLECTIBLES]

The Famous First Editions were created by redrawing the original art and then making stats and doing color guides, et. .  Basically, producing it from scratch lke they would any comic, using the production tech of the time

[Happyfarm]

Thank you. I was not aware of that.

[Happyfarm]

I found an online scan of the first page in the original 1938 edition from a Heritage auction, and I have to say that I find the redrawing in the Famous First Edition quite faithful. Much more so than in the atrocious, slobby Archive edition.

Below you can see panels from first the 1938 and then the 1974 edition.

[Happyfarm]

It would be interesting to do a comparison with the Smithsonian book as well.

[pemart1966]

This situation is quite similar to that of Marvel Comics #1.  There are some absolutely horrible reproductions of that - in particular, the standalone hardcover that came out a while ago.  Do I ever regret buying that.

[Happyfarm]

I bought the first Marvel Masterwork edition of Marvel Comics # 1 but sold it many years ago due to the poor reproduction. Sadly, I've never seen an edition that faithfully reproduces the look of the original.

[pemart1966]

On 5/13/2024 at 9:51 AM, Happyfarm said:

I bought the first Marvel Masterwork edition of Marvel Comics # 1 but sold it many years ago due to the poor reproduction. Sadly, I've never seen an edition that faithfully reproduces the look of the original.

I've never seen the INSIDE of Marvel Comics #1 in person so I can't comment.  

It's probably been doctored but the version that I like the best is the softcover that reprints Marvel (Mystery) Comics 1-4.  

[Happyfarm]

Here's an example of an original page. I think it's beautifully printed and would prefer any reprint to simply scan it in its pure, unaltered form.

Taken from this auction:

https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/marvel-comics-1-timely-1939-condition-coverless-this-is-the-third-most-valuable-comic-issue-of-all-behind-only-acti/a/816-5601.s

 

 

Edited May 13 by Happyfarm

[pemart1966]

On 5/13/2024 at 12:34 PM, Happyfarm said:

Here's an example of an original page. I think it's beautifully printed and would prefer any reprint to simply scan it in its pure, unaltered form.

Taken from this auction:

https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/superhero/marvel-comics-1-timely-1939-condition-coverless-this-is-the-third-most-valuable-comic-issue-of-all-behind-only-acti/a/816-5601.s

 

 

Thanks for posting this.  I compared this to the soft cover and the black lines on the soft cover are pretty close to this.  Some of the colours e.g. hair and suits are different for some reason and some colours are more saturated in the softcover. 

All in all, I find the soft cover the best reprint.  If anyone has another good one - please post it.

 

 

[BLUECHIPCOLLECTIBLES]

On 5/13/2024 at 3:32 AM, Happyfarm said:

Thank you. I was not aware of that.

The Original art for the first few panels still survives, but I don't know about any other pages/panels extant.  In their absence the 70s FFE pages are pretty cool

[archivist]

From which publication are these two pages of original art ?

[aardvark88]

On 5/15/2024 at 7:24 AM, archivist said:

From which publication are these two pages of original art ?

Probably 'art' from DC Famous First Edition (ffe) Action #1 or Superman #1 reprinting Action 1 pages. I still own the artboard to cover of FFE Superman 1, Whiz #2 (1) front cover and All-Star 3(?) front and back cover artboards in my storage.

[BLUECHIPCOLLECTIBLES]

On 5/15/2024 at 7:37 AM, aardvark88 said:

Probably 'art' from DC Famous First Edition (ffe) Action #1 or Superman #1 reprinting Action 1 pages. I still own the artboard to cover of FFE Superman 1, Whiz #2 (1) front cover and All-Star 3(?) front and back cover artboards in my storage.

To clarify the FFE pieces are not stats but actual drawn art.  Just not the original 1930s art;  They meticulously recreate the original art because they apparently did not have original stats for the Superman pages.  IIRC DC have stats (or dupes of OA stats) from the interior of Detective 27 which they used in making a reprint in the 60s, prior to the FFEs, so they most likely still had stats for use of reprinting that book among the FFEs (and maybe they had others as well, just not the Supes). So it's new art that was either created via lightbox or drawn directly on top of washed out silverprints. 

[Happyfarm]

I did a comparison between the different versions of Detective Comics # 27 as well. Here you can see first the original 1939 edition, then the 1974 Famous First edition, and finally the 1990 (Theakstonized) Archives edition. Does this mean that the Famous First Edition of Detective Comics # 27 was not redrawn like the Action Comics # 1 but based on original stats? In my eyes it does look as if it was at least partially redrawn.

 

Edited May 16 by Happyfarm

[BLUECHIPCOLLECTIBLES]

On 5/16/2024 at 2:08 PM, Happyfarm said:

I did a comparison between the different versions of Detective Comics # 27 as well. Here you can see first the original 1939 edition, then the 1974 Famous First edition, and finally the 1990 (Theakstonized) Archives edition. Does this mean that the Famous First Edition of Detective Comics # 27 was not redrawn like the Action Comics # 1 but based on original stats? In my eyes it does look as if it was at least partially redrawn.

 

I don't know if it was redrawn for the FFE or not.  I just know that some stats on aged newsprint appeared on the market a few years ago, which might have been related to a reprint of the first batman story in an anniversary issue in the late 60s (which, I guess would be 1969, for the 30th?).  It would be interesting to compare the original to that reprint.  I think the stats should be searchable as well.  IIRC Heritage sold them.    

[archivist]

On 5/16/2024 at 8:23 PM, BLUECHIPCOLLECTIBLES said:

To clarify the FFE pieces are not stats but actual drawn art.  Just not the original 1930s art;  They meticulously recreate the original art because they apparently did not have original stats for the Superman pages.  IIRC DC have stats (or dupes of OA stats) from the interior of Detective 27 which they used in making a reprint in the 60s, prior to the FFEs, so they most likely still had stats for use of reprinting that book among the FFEs (and maybe they had others as well, just not the Supes). So it's new art that was either created via lightbox or drawn directly on top of washed out silverprints. 

Thank you for the clarification.

As far as I know, the original art for Action Comics #1 was destroyed in a warehouse fire.

[Happyfarm]

On 5/17/2024 at 2:16 PM, archivist said:

Thank you for the clarification.

As far as I know, the original art for Action Comics #1 was destroyed in a warehouse fire.

I've never heard that story. Where have you heard that?

[BLUECHIPCOLLECTIBLES]

On 5/17/2024 at 5:16 AM, archivist said:

Thank you for the clarification.

As far as I know, the original art for Action Comics #1 was destroyed in a warehouse fire.

Except for for the first three panels which were repurposed for the newspaper strip and still exist