Bronze-Age Marvel Variants: July 2010

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Listing Correctly is Important Redux

One additional listing tip is in order. Here is a very nice example of one of the very hard to find Marvel Reprint Issues - Marvel Super-Heroes 57. There are only three of these certified by CGC with the nicest being a CGC 8.5.

This book was listed as "MARVEL SUPER-HEROES # 57 PRICE VARIANT ISH LOOK FN+." Putting "LOOK" in the title may seem like a good idea, after all who doesn't want their listing looked at by as many interested parties as possible. On ebay, unless you think that all of your potential variant collector/buyers are looking at all TWO MILLION current listings of comic books to find your price variants, you should put "30 CENT VARIANT" in your listing rather than "ISH or LOOK." Unless of course, you want to continue selling a really neat rare book for $3.25.

Spelling is Important, and Putting the Important Information in the Header is Important too!

Like the Inhumans 35 center in the previous post, this nifty 30 cent variant was well researched and the seller knew that they were listing the 30 cent varint rather than the standard issue. Her spelling was correct.

Unfortunately for the seller, her header was simply "MARVEL TEAM-UP #44 VG+ SPIDER-MAN & MOONDRAGON!" There are more comic collectors who collect Spider-Man than any other character. However, I am certain that Moondragon does not crack the top 100 list. If you are selling a Bronze-Age Marvel Variant, put 30 Cent Variant or 35 Cent Variant in the title. Putting Moondragon in the title instead of 30 Cent Variant is like inviting friends over to your house for dinner to talk NASCAR when in reality Danica Patrick is doing the cooking. The book sold for $3.54. I guess Moondragon isn't really that popular...

Spelling is Important

This really nice Inhumans 12 35 cent variant was recently listed on ebay. The listing was well researched and the seller knew that she was selling the very rare 35 cent version of the book.

Unfortunately, she made one mistake, and it was a big one. She listed the book as a 35 cent variEnt. Your elementary school teacher was correct, spelling is important. Guess what? This book sold for $1.86 since it was the equivalent of a hidden listing. "Varient" does not show up when you do an ebay search for "variant." Likewise, "Double CVR" does not show up when you do a search for "Double Cover."

The moral of the story? I search for "Scoobie" and "Scooby."

Sunday, July 11, 2010

X-Men Double Cover Books

As the title description says, this blog is all about Bronze Age Marvel Variants AND Double Cover Comics Books. There are even a few books that fit both definitions, Double Cover Bronze Age Marvel Variants.

Most of the folks that know me and my collecting, know that I have been collecting Double Cover Comic Books for years, particularly X-Men and a few other of my favorite titles. Double Cover Comic Books are created as a result of a manufacturing error in the production of the books. At the moment, when the cover is added to interior pages, an extra cover was attached and stapled to the book. As you might expect, this production error is very unusual and it is extremely challenging and expensive to put together runs of these books. This post is an opportunity to show a pretty significant run of X-Men double cover comic books. If you can help me with any issues that I am missing, please contact me. Thanks.

X-Men Double Covers

X-Men 1 (No not really, I wish. It is X-Men: Children of the Atom nn#. It does reprint the cover of X-Men 1 which is as close as I will ever get to a double cover of #1.

X-Men 4 This is the earliest double cover that I own in the mainline X-Men series. I believe that there is an actual X-Men 1 double cover that is very high grade that would go well with this collection.

X-Men 5 Magneto/Evil Mutants cvr/story.

X-Men 12 First Juggernaut

X-Men 31 Multiple Errors: double cover and inner cover miswrapped 1" to left

X-Men 34

X-Men 35 Spider-Man crossover

X-Men 38 Origins of the X-Men begin.

X-Men 40

X-Men 41

X-Men 48

X-Men 59 This is a truly unique book. The second cover is attached at the centerfold.

X-Men 71

X-Men 80 Pence Version but still Issue 80.

X-Men 81

X-Men 94 This is one of three copies that I have seen. The first copy I bought on ebay but it was lost by the post office. I will have to tell the whole story in another blog. The third copy is a lower grade copy with a torn inner cover. The first copy also contains a Mark Jewelers insert so it is quite possibly the heaviest X-Men 94 ever manufactured. The second picture is of the one with the torn inner cover. The last picture is the book back from CGC.

X-Men 95

X-Men 99 This is a book from ebay seller Oregonglassman. It points out the dangers of buying raw double covers on ebay. Married cover.

X-Men 100 This is a truly spectacular book. It is a high-grade double cover of the 30 cent price variant.

X-Men 102 Origin Storm

X-Men 105 Firelord

X-Men 106 Old vs. New X-Men

X-Men 108

X-Men 113

X-Men 117

X-Men 118

X-Men 127 This old-label CGC-holdered X-Men book is as perfect as you can get a double cover. Both covers are 9.8 and the Page Quality is White.

X-Men 129 signed by John Byrne

X-Men 139 Kitty Pryde joins the X-Men

X-Men 141 This is a Pence Double Cover

X-Men 142 There is also a CGC 9.6 of this one, but the price has never been right for me. Double covers are so rare, I am very happy with this key Days of Future Past issue.

X-Men 142 This is truly a phenomenal book. The interior cover is severely miswrapped and miscut and extends past the top of the book. It is a wonder that it made it to a shop.

X-Men 143

X-Men 148

X-Men 149

X-Men 150 Yes, this is a double-sized anniversary issue with a double cover.

X-Men 158

X-Men 169 This one turned out really nice.

X-Men 174

X-Men 188

X-Men 193

X-Men 199

X-Men 202 Issue 202 is easily the most common double cover in the entire series. Here are a couple of high grade copies.

X-Men 205

X-Men 207

X-Men 208

X-Men 212

X-Men 227

X-Men 234

X-Men 238

X-Men 249 This book was manufactured with two interiors. It is a double interior book, not a double cover book. Manufacturing Error.

X-Men 250 I have had two of these books - both with "Mark's Jewelers" Inserts

X-Men 251 I have also had two of these books - both also with "Mark's Jewelers" Inserts

X-Men 257

X-Men 258

X-men 262

X-Men 271 This is a severely miswrapped book. Where is the quality control?

X-Men 272 This is a manufacturing error. This book has the cover of Issue 272 but the interior of the second printing of issue of 270. Quality Control?

X-Men 279

X-Men 283 First full Bishop.

X-Men 284 TRIPLE COVER!!!

X-Men 295 Multiple errors: Interior is bound at an angle and 1 inch to left of a normal spine. The staples are attached on the front and not on the spine. The book is folded 1 inch away from normal.

X-Men 299 This is a strange double cover book with the inner cover miswrapped and miscut and severely rotated 15 degrees.

X-Men 440 The outtter cover is attached 1" higher with the bottom margin visible.

X-Men 447 The cover and first four wraps are bound too high, leaving margins and color bars visible; center four wraps not properly trimmed at top, comic not properly trimmed overall, leaving book approximately 1/4" inch taller than normal.