MPI Shan-Lon variants

[matewan1990]

Does anyone know anything about the MPI Shan-Lon variants? There are at least seven of them, four Spider-Man and three Captain America. It appears they are comics that came with audio cassette recordings of the story (kind of like the book and records of the 1960s and 1970s). I've heard there are also Batman variants from this same group, but haven't been able to confirm that.

They are a lot smaller than comics, but way bigger than digests and considerably larger than ashcans. They have subscription ads and were published in 1990. That's about all I know of these, but would love it if some educated collector could give me more information on them. How rare are they? Where and how were they sold?

Thanks for reading.

Mike B.

[Spider-Variant]

Mike,

I bought the non-reprint Spider-Man back when it was originally sold (must have been 1990, like you state above). I seem to remember picking this up at a K-Mart or similar store, not a LCS. It was packaged with the comic and cassete against a piece of flimsy cardboard, all polybagged, as I remember it. I have seen these from time to time on e-bay. I think there are only three Spideys, not four as you state. I watch out for the other two Spider-Man reprint issues (303,319). I saw the 319 listed for a $60 BIN, but passed.

 

Don't have much experience with the non-Spideys.

[Earl Davis]

I have the Batman ones. They are from the Untold Legend of.... series.

 

Earl.

[BrianR]

Saw the 319 today at the Phx con in about vf- for $2.00 and passed on it because I didn't know what it was or worth.

[Earl Davis]

They only go for a few dollars when they show up on ebay.

 

Earl.