General Category > Comic Related Discussion
Why are so many comics missing covers?
JonTheScanner:
I think age explains more than remaindering. I know I lost lots of covers on my own comics over the years. Centerfolds are a bit less common being protected on the inside, but once they come loose, they can disappear. It's not uncommon to find "outer wrap missing" comics. Because the outer w rap is next to go after the cover.
sandmountainslim:
Thanks guys! I wasn't aware of the fact covers were ripped off and returned for credit back in the day.
JonTheScanner:
--- Quote from: sandmountainslim on March 26, 2017, 04:25:15 PM ---Thanks guys! I wasn't aware of the fact covers were ripped off and returned for credit back in the day.
--- End quote ---
I don't know that that was ever literally true. I know in the late 50s and 60s, they ripped off the top third or so of the front cover and returned that. If you see a comic described as remaindered, that's what it means. Of course one the top third is gone, one of the staples will no longer be holding the cover so it will increase the chance of its being lost. I think most coverless comics are due to wear and tear. Believe it or not, back in the day, we used to read them, rolled them up and stuff them into a pocket, etc. Early on, I was one of the picky ones, and even I lost any covers.No one ever heard of near mint, fine, or anything like that back in the day. We had "good shape", "coverless", and similar terms
OtherEric:
They were sending back partial covers as least as late as the mid-70's. I've got an otherwise Fine or so copy of Giant-Size X-Men #1 missing the logo. My LCS actually let me borrow a copy they had on the wall long enough to run to the copy shop and get a color photocopy, which I dropped in behind the 3/4 of the cover that survives. It presents well, is quite readable, and I could actually afford a copy of that **** book to complete my run of the Giant-Size Marvels from the 70's.
erwin-k:
Unfortunately some of the folks who did the stripping were very heavy handed.
Yesterday I downloaded a 3/4 cover pulp magazine. One quarter of all the ads at the front were also missing, as were one quarter of the contents page and the illustration heading the first story. OUCH!
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version