DC Greytone Cover thread 3 3

[Inaflash]

Just cracked this new arrival out of the slab.

 

Ken

 

[adamstrange]

Might this be a wash-tone?

 

There are washtone effects but, IMHO, not enough to make the cover a "greytone." Clearly, it's a subjective opinion but it illustrates that there are books that are definitely greytone, others that are definitely not and some that fall into the gray area in between.

[AtlasFan]

Might this be a wash-tone?

 

There are washtone effects but, IMHO, not enough to make the cover a "greytone." Clearly, it's a subjective opinion but it illustrates that there are books that are definitely greytone, others that are definitely not and some that fall into the gray area in between.

 

Would that area be called..."the Gray-Zone"?

[bigfiver69]

Just cracked this new arrival out of the slab.

 

Ken

 

 

 

Great book!!

[Inaflash]

Does anyone know if there is a list of all the greytone covers that have been published?

 

Ken

[buttock]

We've asked that, and nobody seems to have one. I tried making one on my own recently, but got distracted. I keep finding new ones. Maybe I'll give it another shot.

[Inaflash]

Any chance you want to post what you have and other people can add to it?

 

Ken

[buttock]

Sure, I'm out of town but I can dig it up when I get back.

[JohnT]

I'd love to collaborate on a washtone list. But the big question will be where to draw the line on partial ones. For example, look at the sky in this one...

 

[bigfiver69]

I call partial greytones as greytones.... but that's me. A lot of guys don't.

 

Shep

 

 

[comick1]

Maybe we as a collectors forum could agree on a "survey" for whether something is a washtone or not. Some kind of 10 point scale where people could rate how much something appears to be a washtone? For example, I'd give GIC 109 a 10 and Secret Hearts 59 an 8, but I'd only give the Flash 117 a 3.

We wouldn't necessarily need to set any criteria. It could be that the scores get averaged for each issue in question. Maybe something like 0-5 doesn't qualify as a washtone, 6-7 qualitfies as a partial washtone and 8-10 is a washtone.

Something like that?

There've certainly been lots of debates over what constitutes a washtone including the different processes that give it that effect or look.

 

I can see it now. . .

 

Richard Dawson: Name a washto. . .

 

Family Patron #1: (Slapping button) Beepeepeepeepeepeep! Wonder Woman 108!

 

Richard Dawson: Survey says:

"Buzzzzzz" Oh, sorry about that. (Turning to Family Patron #2). Name a washtone cover.

 

Family Patron #2: Uhhhh, GI Combat #96?

 

Richard Dawson: Survey says. . .

"Clangggg!!" Fine, fine! Are you going to play or pass?

 

Family #2: Play, play, play!!!

 

Family Patron #2: We're gonna play!

 

 

 

[JohnT]

I'd like to start with a list of unquestionable ones.

[comick1]

OK, let me see. Can't think of any A's before Rex having washtones/greytones. There are a number of 12¢ ones that I don't own (and haven't really kept track of) and probably a few 10¢ ones that I'm just unaware of. But here's a start:

 

Adventures of Rex the Wonderdog 31, 38, 39, 42

All American Men of War 35, 81, 100, 110, 111

All Star Western 96, 102, 103, 109

Big Town 46

Brave and the Bold 18, 21, 22, 23, 44

Detective 239

GI Combat 44, 51, 69, 75-104, (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 109, 113, 119

Green Lantern 8

House of Mystery 92, 93

My Greatest Adventure 17

Mystery in Space 36, 40, 45, 46, 55

Our Army at War 49, 57, 60, 124, 126

Our Fighting Forces 20, 71

Sea Devils 1-

Secret Hearts 59

Showcase 3, 25, 27, 28, 29

Star Spangled War Stories 45, 122,130

Strange Adventures 80, 110, 143, 151

Tales of the Unexpected 15, 17, 43

Tomahawk 65

Western Comics 64, 69, 71, 81, 82

 

That's what I can recall off the top of my head right now.

Anybody wanna add some stuff to that? I think there are quite a few that are partial or semi-washtones, but I stuck to what I would consider "unquestionable" ones as John put it.

 

Somebody else wanna fill in the ones I missed?

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2009 by Comick1

[JohnT]

OK, let me see. Can't think of any A's before Rex having washtones/greytones. There are a number of 12¢ ones that I don't own (and haven't really kept track of) and probably a few 10¢ ones that I'm just unaware of. But here's a start:

 

Adventures of Rex the Wonderdog 31, 38, 39, 42

All American Men of War 35, 81, 100, 110, 111

All Star Western 96, 102, 103, 109

Big Town 46

Brave and the Bold 18, 21, 22, 23, 44

Detective 239

GI Combat 44, 51, 69, 75-104, (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 109, 113, 119

Green Lantern 8

House of Mystery 92, 93

Mystery in Space 36, 40, 45, 46, 55

Our Army at War 45, 57, 60, 124, 126

Our Fighting Forces 20, 71

Sea Devils 1-

Secret Hearts 59

Showcase 3, 25, 27, 28, 29

Star Spangled War Stories 45, 122,130

Strange Adventures 80, 110, 143, 151

Tales of the Unexpected 15, 17, 43

Western Comics 64, 69, 71, 81, 82

 

That's what I can recall off the top of my head right now.

Anybody wanna add some stuff to that? I think there are quite a few that are partial or semi-washtones, but I stuck to what I would consider "unquestionable" ones as John put it.

 

Somebody else wanna fill in the ones I missed?

 

 

 

Pretty good for off the top of your head!

 

We can add Wonder Woman 108.

 

[comick1]

I find myself "questioning" WW 108. I'm not saying it's NOT a washtone, but I think it falls into a bit of a grey area (pun entirely intended). I respect your opinion (and I scrambled, long ago, to score a nice copy which I covet very much), but this would be where a survey might come in handy.

[buttock]

I'm on the fence on WW 108 - it's definitely a "washtone effect", but I'm not quite comfortable calling it a "washtone cover".

 

Semantics, I know. But that's my $0.02.

[buttock]

Add OAAW 49, Tomahawk 65, My Greatest Adventure 17 - and I should point out that we're ignoring (intentionally on my part) many that were published in the bronze age.

[JohnT]

I took another look at WW 109 and I agree, it's a partial at best.

 

I'd also call the Secret Hearts 59 and All Star Western 109 partials.

[comick1]

I fixed the original post to include Tomahawk 65 and MGA 17. I also changed the OAAW 45 to a OAAW 49 (which is what I meant in the first place). Just to clarify in case you guys immediately started looking up OAAW 45 as a potential greytone--OAAW 45 is NOT a greytone or even a partial greytone.

 

I also think we should clarify between what constitutes a "partial" and what constitutes a "washtone-effect." I like what Dan said about WW108 being a "washtone effect."

 

I think Secret Hearts 59 and ASW 109 are certainly "partial" greytones because a significant part of each of their covers IS greytone (and not just in "effect"); but other things we've been discussing--like WW108 or WW101--have nothing in the cover that's washtone except as an effect.

What do you guys think?

Again, maybe it should come down to a survey and books like ASW 10, Secret Hearts 59, WW 101 and 108 could be given points under 3 separate categories:

Greytone/Washtone

 

Partial Greytone/Washtone

 

Washtone/Greytone Effect

 

Make sense?

[Aman619]

the Flash has a watercolor bkgnd. Greytines to me are painted in b/w guache, like magazine illustrations often were, and then had colors stripped over the greys. Like a hand tinted b'w photograph.