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JenKitty Posts: 3
3/10/2016
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I was just curious....I always thought that first printings of a comic were generally worth more. I'm adding my comic collection in here for the first time and seeing a lot of them where the 2nd and 3rd printings are actually worth more than the first (for example the Superman action comics #684). So, just a general question I wanted to see if anyone knew how it works. Thanks!
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CapnDoug Administrator Posts: 151
3/11/2016
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You are correct that usually the first printing is the more desirable copy, but there are a few things that occur when a later printing becomes more valuable.
In most cases, the 2nd, 3rd and later printings have lower print runs and are rarer as a result. Some people do actually want all the printings, and when a book is common, like with the Death of Superman storyline, the later printings can be more valuable.
More recently, publishers have started adding different covers to the second printing, making them more sought after. So, while the 1st printing is usually the more valuable one, that's not always the case, as you are discovering.
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Gilgandra Posts: 1246
3/11/2016
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Well said Doug! I think most collectors back in the day didn't see them as much of anything (an inferior copy of the 1st print) Thus they where either badly handled or simple lost.
I have a thing for second printings. They are much rarer through the 80's & into the 90's. (not well learned in them from then on)
They do exist from the silver age.
Marvel was the classic gold 2nd print & silver for 3rd print. meaning back grounds or headings on the cover
DC was harder to spot with a little II, III so on...under the info top LHS.
But for most cases it's just written in the indica.
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benpartain12 Posts: 2
4/19/2016
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what about The Dark Knight Returns? where does it say 2nd print if it is?
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Oxbladder Posts: 487
4/19/2016
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benpartain12 wrote:
what about The Dark Knight Returns? where does it say 2nd print if it is?
The UPC may be the source here. If it ends in a 2 then it is a second print.
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connorstrt Posts: 17
7/11/2016
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more newer comics are seeing 2nd, 3rd and even 4th printings gain significant value lately. of course a lot of older comics with additional printings are seeing some nice value today when years ago we would have considered them inferior.
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mainelement Posts: 1
7/26/2016
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It's certainly weird for me as a collector from the 90's to see 2nd and 3rd printings gain value. Back then when I bought New Mutants 87 2nd print and 100 3rd print, I never thought they would be worth more than cover price. It was usually a disappointment if I couldn't get the first print.
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lealew7 Posts: 73
7/26/2016
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just like special appearances; variant covers can vary in value. there are several printings now of many different comics, such as the walking dead. depending on the artist popularity and skill, what they reveal/create, how many prints were issued during that run, and if they were released as a special edition to a convention of sorts or as a special release. when i too started collecting my comics, i never collected them for value purposes (maybe a little now) and all i wanted was to have some of the coolest comics in my own personal collection. now, like i just mentioned, i view its value differently when i am collecting; although i am restricting myself to sets or issues i have been looking for as of late, but i had fun at my run of box sets from the shops
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normdamarine Posts: 4
8/8/2016
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As I have just recently gotten back in the game (still populating my library here) I have found myself picking issues of variants by reprints for one's I can't afford. Example, ASM #129...
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Oxbladder Posts: 487
8/9/2016
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I think you can thank the much maligned variant craze for people taking a new view on second prints. People will pay for manufactured scarcity now and all modern reprintings have lower print runs.
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lealew7 Posts: 73
8/9/2016
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I find it a little fun to collect a few variant covers, but i am not going to go out of my way to obtain them; unless it is an item i do actually wish to own i end up with numerous variant covers just by accident and i archive them like all the rest of my comic books. unfortunately, some variant covers are just ridiculous to try and obtain by any means. I get that value is what people look for in comic books now instead just the comic book itself; but some people have an absurd view on what they think their items are valued at or worth. you price anything too high, all it will do is collect dust where ever you have it stored. price it fairly, you have a way better chance at getting any value from it, if that is all you are looking to do. just random comic book collector/seller advise.
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kds_comics Posts: 652
8/10/2016
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Oxbladder wrote:
I think you can thank the much maligned variant craze for people taking a new view on second prints. People will pay for manufactured scarcity now and all modern reprintings have lower print runs.
It's called insanity!!!
No wait - it is called good business, trying to help retailers make a buck.
Nothing wrong with that. I pick up variants only if dirt cheap, but I am a cheap b@*&@^d.
If you have perspective on variants from the 1990's... most are barely above the price for a regular comic. Be careful.. be very careful.
Just my opinion.
KDS
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Oxbladder Posts: 487
8/11/2016
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But most of the variants from the 90's did not have artificial rarity factored in. They were 50/50. In the middle to late 90's independent publishers did rationed variants, and limited editions, Marvel and DC did some "reward" variants that had much lower print runs. Things like the retailer platinum Superman #75, and Uncanny X-Men #354 Bachalo Phoenix variants were both rationed. Glow in the darks, and other such covers were pretty much printed to order (as in the retailer could order both the fancy cover and the regular cover) or 50/50.
When newsstand distribution was basically wiped out and direct distribution was forced to consolidate (eventually giving Diamond the monopoly it has) it allowed the incentive variants to come into being. Not that the rewards and "surprise" variants didn't encourage certain ordering behaviors but now it was easier to set up and track because the bulk of the numbers comes through one system not several.
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