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What makes a Canadian comic Canadian?

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archiver_USA:
I was thinking about the Timely books. US versions are published by one of the Goodman companies, distributed by a US company clearly to US customers. The Canadian Timely use the same are, but the books are published by a Canadian company and distributed by a Canadian company to Canadian customers.

The flip side is Superior books. These are published by a Canadian company, but US versions have US distribution marks. And there are statements of ownership per the "Acts of Congress" requiring such things for US magazines. Are these true Canadian books if the target market was the US? I'm not sure if there are Canadian versions (Canadian distribution marks) to some of these Superior books, but if there are, wouldn't there be US versions of Superior books and Canadian versions of Superior books, just like there are for Timely and DC books?

So, what makes a Canadian comic Canadian?
Is it when the book is printed in Canada.  (then all US books today are Canadian?)
Is it when the publisher/editorial office is located in Canada.
Is it when the book is distributed in Canada.
Do all three condition need to be met or just a two, or one.

Just curious about what the rule is for tucking a book into the Canadian section of the site...

John C:
I don't think I've ever known the formal policy here, but a good guide is where the title was first sold and/or where it was intended for sale.  Publication is, after all, a legal concept.

Today, the lines are blurrier (especially with the Internet), but remember that there were tariffs and other import/export restrictions at the time making the definitions a little more substantial.

Yoc:
I've never given it that much thought.  Superior was a Canadian publisher first so I've always lumped them in there.

-Yoc

darkmark (RIP):
For GA books it's not too hard to tell, most of the time.  They'll say "Printed in Canada" or some such.  Also, they'll often be truncated from the U.S. editions...36 pages rather than 52, for instance.  Plus different prices. 

archiver_USA:

--- Quote from: darkmark on April 21, 2010, 02:44:15 PM ---For GA books it's not too hard to tell, most of the time.  They'll say "Printed in Canada" or some such.  Also, they'll often be truncated from the U.S. editions...36 pages rather than 52, for instance.  Plus different prices. 

--- End quote ---

Truncated versions of US editions are "easy", and you can usually tell a Canadian Timely book because it was distributed by Canadian distributors "SDD" or "CDL".  But what about something like:

Milt Gross Funnies #1
Printed In Canada
Publication office: Rotary Litho Co. Ltd., 60 Jarvis Street, Toronto, Canada
Circulation office: Empire State News Co., 77 E. Eagle Street, Buffalo, New York
Distributor: IND (Independent News Co.)

The book was published and printed in Canda, but was using a US distributor. Is this book truly Canadian if the target market was in the US?

And if it is a US book based on the target market then what about:

Strange Mysteries #16
Printed In Canada.
Publication office: 2382 Dundas St. W., Toronto 9, Ontario, Canada
Distributor: ANC (American News Co. Inc.)

Again, published and printed book in Canada but with a US distributor. Should all Superior books be considered "Canadian" or are there Canadian and US versions of Superior books just as there are US and Canadian versions of Timely books?

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