In 20 marvel stopped newsstand editions altogether. As a general rule of thumb, neither edition is harder to find, nor are they considered more valuable or collectible than their counterpart. A direct edition comic book means it was only sold at your local comic book shop. The non direct editions are found in retail stores, drug stores, toy stores and what not and come from newsstand distribution companies instead of the publishers themselves. Looking at diamonds sales estimates, at first glance it seems that the comic book industry has stabilized see chart visible above. Explore books by marvel comics with our selection at. The nondirect editions are found in retail stores, drug stores, toy stores and what not and come from newsstand distribution companies instead of the publishers themselves. Subscribe to marvel unlimited to access thousands of digital comics for one low price. These direct editions showed a slash over the upc barcode, with the issue number and price in a diamond shape, instead of a box. I dont have the figures, but the marvel newsstands were clearly a tiny % of the run prior to them ceasing production altogether with superior. From our humble beginnings, we have grown to the largest, most complete comic book price guide with well over 1,000,000 comics in our database. Up to 50% off preorder, mail order comics, trade paperbacks and collectibles from dc, marvel, dark horse, image, boom. Appropriate for most readers and up, parents are advised they may want to read before or with younger children. Marvel s avengers comic reveals first look at loki.
Marvel did make an increased commitment to books last year, although it was barely measurable on the scale of its business. Lets use my amazing spiderman collection as a reference to see where barcodes appear and. Eventually, by the early 2000s, the words direct sales or direct edition were. Direct edition comics are comics which are sold exclusively through the direct sales market, which is now the dominant way of distributing comic books in the united states.
When exactly did marvel start selling direct edition books. Marvel s june direct edition comics from 1993 have logo boxes while their july direct edition comics have direct edition bar codes. Names from the past, from the present, and even the future. May 15, 2012 if comic book has direct edition on them do they have any value. Comics price guide was the first online price guide for comic books back in 1995. The vast majority of the time, theres not a difference in value. Newsstand editions vs direct editions on comics ground. Direct edition upc boxes do not necessarily include barcodes. Others first surfaced in the pages of other heroes editions. Mar 14, 2019 the comic book industry was at its most recent peak in the 1990s, before a major slump which almost led to marvel comics going bankrupt saw sales drop from levels that they may never equal again. Getcomics getcomics is an awesome place to download dc. The funny thing about that is most direct edition carriers did not have scanners for barcodes at the time.
In the mid 90s to now, both editions featured barcodes of different lengths. There was a short time that both major publications went back to barcodes but inside the barcode are the words. Marvels june direct edition comics from 1993 have logo boxes while their july direct edition comics have direct edition bar codes. Free comic book value and price resources comic book secrets jan 19, 2008 it walks you through finding comic book values and prices and helps you decide the best method for your situation. In truth, the comic book industry isnt really in a crisis. Newsstand comics vs direct edition comics next level. Where marvel would often put a logo like spiderman which would be direct.
Marvel hasnt even produced newsstand versions of their. We have values for any marvel, dc, image, idw, darkhorse, or dell comic book that is in your collection. In my opinion this comic book is in very fine condition. Marvel s june direct edition comics from 1993 have logo boxes while their july. The early difference was simply a line through the barcode of a direct market edition. Feb 26, 2019 direct edition comics are comics which are sold exclusively through the direct sales market, which is now the dominant way of distributing comic books in the united states. What is the difference between newsstand and direct edition comic books. You can observe the same pattern across the marvel line. We monitor the fire hose of online comic book sales across various marketplaces and report on the sales of cgc and cbcs graded books in our comics price guide. Inhumans marvel comic book price guide find out the value of key first appearances of major inhumans members and villains in our hot comic price guide.
Every page is filled with allnew work from this cavalcade of comic book luminaries. Amazing spiderman 225 f vf 1982 fast shipping marvel comic book the amazing spiderman foolkiller. Use these values as a guideline for evaluating the reasonableness of dealer prices, setting up trades with other collectors, and estimating the worth of. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. The premier online comics price guide free comic book values.
In the summer of 1975, marvel comics relaunched the xmen in a comic that would become one of the most collectible comics ever published after 1970. Were dedicated to pop culture as fans and want to become one of the leading product reporters regarding. Newsstand editions would be often sold at your grocery market or drug store. Before 1979, comics were all distributed via the newsstand distribution model of returnable sales unsold copies could be returned to the.
The concept of the direct market was created in the 1970s by phil seuling. This comic price guide tells you the current values. Bronze age marvel comics check out the scans to get a better idea of the condition. Cover for the avengers marvel, 1963 series direct edition marvel comics avengers estimated to be in fnfn condition mark jewelers insert raregeorge perez art the avengers august origin of the scarlet witch and quicksilver by david michelinie and john byrne with steven grant and mark gruenwald the avengers august, 1979 david michelinie. How and why did they affect comic book covers of marvel and dc. Oct 24, 2017 some people i know put out huge bounties on certain issues, e.
Direct edition refers to comics that come directly from the publishers and are typically sold only at comic book stores and other comic specialty places. Many direct edition comic books have artwork, white space, or a message in the upc boxes, instead of any barcode lines. Marvel and dc comic books worth big money showbiz cheat sheet. In this startling origin epic, the breathtaking events that ended world war hulk rocket into this brandnew hulk title. Marvel premiere classic was a line of hardcover comic book collections, collecting older marvel comics storylines in a standardized reprint format. Superstars jeph loeb and ed mcguinness will change the way you see the hulk. Marvel comics began publishing their comics with a upc barcode on the front cover in 676. Marvel comics began publishing the comics on february 11, 2015, and the series concluded with its twentyfifth issue in october 2016. Marvel began to notice that comic sales were increasing and shifting to comic stores. The spectacular spiderman, direct edition by marvel comics. The largest online source for comic book pricing in the world. Insert includes pages of art from spiderman 2099, ravage 2099, doom 2099, xmen 2099, punisher 2099, and 2099 unlimited. Direct edition is the opposite of newsstand edition. In celebration of marvel s 80th anniversary, the greatest array of talent ever to be assembled between the covers of a single comic book have been gathered for this epic comic.
If the barcode has a diagonal slash printed through the lines, it is an early direct edition. Each edition featured two covers a standard cover and a numbered variant cover for the comic book direct market, which were published in limited numbers and sported a matching trade dress design. Marvel comics newsstand editions 679 12 custom set. It currently consists of diamond comic distributors, which has monopolized such distribution having exclusive deals with major comic book publishers, and the majority of comics specialty stores, as well as other retailers of comic books and related merchandise. To be clear, im not trying to collect whitman variants, if. Read more iron man comic book price guide another of the marvel age of comic book characters, iron man played in the superhero movies by robert downey jr. Any of these books found in high grade to super high grade carry a premium over. My videos are all about comic books, whether they are graded by cgc, pgx, or cbcs or raw comics. Newsstand comics have really become desirable and sought after and people know there are rarer, but they dont really know why that is. Today comic books bought on a newsstand or a comic book store both carry a barcode but it will state on it direct market for comic book stores or newsstand. If comic book has direct edition on them do they have any. The spectacular spiderman, direct edition by marvel comics the spectacular spiderman michael hobson stan lee on. Thats because half way through 1993, marvel switched from logo boxes to bar codes on their direct editions this made it easier for retailers to scan them at the checkout counter and looking at both the amazing spiderman and uncanny xmen titles as examples, we can observe that this change occurred in july i. So the programs became unified with logos that lasted till 1987.
Keep up with the everexpanding marvel universe with this new edition of dks bestselling marvel encyclopedia. Cover for the amazing spiderman marvel, 1963 series direct edition the amazing spiderman issue read the amazing spiderman issue comic online in high quality. Marvel started distributing direct market editions to comic shops in 679. The spectacular spiderman,direct edition by marvel comics. Comics found in specialty comic book stores still had a white box on the cover, but rather than a barcode they would have a picture of spiderman for marvel and the dc logo for dc. Another of the marvel age of comic book characters, iron man played in the superhero movies by robert downey jr.
In some cases a direct edition might not have any barcodelogo box at all while the newsstand edition of that comic does. The release schedule for all comic books was thrown. I would recommend my video on the marvel implosion in the mid 1990s. Direct editions have 17 digit barcodes and usually say direct edition or direct sales for other companies near the barcode. Welcome to the direct edition, where you get the latest news and opinions on comic book, video games, anime, and related movies. In 1979, something happened in comics that would change everything marvel made its first sales of distinct direct edition type comic books to specialty comic shops, at discounted prices but on a nonreturnable basis. The barcode boxes began to have phrases or drawings in the boxes. Basically, direct editions are the ones that go to comic book stores while the newsstand editions were the ones that went to, say, grocery stores or convenience stores.
Direct edition because of this, a slash was added through the barcode for the direct editions sold at comic shops so everyone could distinguish between the two. Updated and expanded, this definitive whos who of marvel comics reveals vital info and secret histories of more than 1200 classic and brand new marvel characters, and provides the lowdown on recent key events including civil war 2. So, barcodes were initially for newsstand editions and logos and other gimmicks were for direct editions. The real reasons for marvel comics woes the atlantic. Both marvel and dc are experimenting with different distribution models that avoid the direct market, with dcs black label initiative and marvel s scholastic deal. Marvel absurd 1995 earthworm jim frantic first issue. Direct edition comics are comics which are sold exclusively through the direct sales market, which is now the dominant way of distributing comic books in the. In the early 80s, comic book stores became more common. So a gradual increase in direct market editions began. Jun 17, 2016 by benjamin nobel, june 17, 2016 newsstand vs.
Marvel comics preorders discount comic book service. The year almost everything went wrong for marvel comics. This means that direct comic sales only account for about 15% of marvel s total sales, although both the dollars and that percentage increased last year. Keep track of your comic book collection online with full comic details, cover images, and current market values. A direct edition is sent to the comic book store and sold there. The direct market is the dominant distribution and retail network for american comic books. They are derived from numerous sources such as dealer price lists, advertisements in comic book collecting publications, and public auction results. The year where almost everything went wrong for marvel. Ive never seen a line through the bar code for any may 1979 book.
A man holds copies of the captain america comic book at a store in new york. Spirits of venom marvel comics direct edition paperback for. Getcomics is an awesome place to download dc, marvel, image, dark horse, dynamite, idw, oni, valiant, zenescope and many more comics only on getcomics. All ages appropriate for readers of all ages a appropriate for readers ages 9 and up t teens. Sep, 2007 direct edition refers to comics that come directly from the publishers and are typically sold only at comic book stores and other comic specialty places. In the midst of the covid19 shutdown, aftershock comics will be adopting a businessasusual approach despite putting a hold on comics releases.
It currently consists of one dominant distributor diamond comic distributors and the majority of comics specialty stores. Darth vader is a star wars comic book series written by kieron gillen, with art by salvador larroca. For each sale discovered, we match it to the specific comic in our massive database which also includes variant covers and printings. Comixology will not be offering marvel comics digitally next week. Charles xavier was murdered and the years that followed, the mutant demigod known as apocalypse came to. Includes a detail from the page 38, panel 3 of the main story.
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