As the name suggests, convention variants are sold or distributed at comic book conventions with a very low number of copies printed aka. Mar 12, 2010 unless your comic is a limited print, it wont tell you what print number it is, however, they will only print x amount of comics before they issue a reprint. How can you tell if a dc comic is a second print or first. Atleast for modern comics, the last digit of the barcode is the printing. How to know if a comic book is a reprint our pastimes. Hi evan the original came out in 1984 and the reprint came out in 1985. One side of the number line is the the printing number, the other side is the year of that printing. Nov 10, 2014 a former newspaper editor and designer, kevin has also worked in advertising and public relations, and as a nightclub manager and promoter. We venture to say that no other piece of terminology has caused so much contention among booksellers and collectors as that of first edition. How to tell if a comic book is a first, second, third or higher printing.
Sep 10, 2014 looking for a way to tell if a book is a first edition. Depending of the comic you may not be able to tell. In other words, it takes a dealer time to sort, bag, board and price any comic book. Our top 60 most valuable comic books published since 1992 will tell you. This is because book values depend upon both supply and demand, the value of a book doesnt usually have a direct relation to the number of books in print. By default, we print comic books on glossy coated papers. Wanted to start a collection of first issue first prints of some of my favorite image comics, but was wondering how to determine its definitely a first print. With print runs of only 25 copies for issue number two, and 30 copies each for.
If ever there was an art form that held itself back and pushed itself down by its own restrictive boundaries, it was comic art. You can use the preset styles in microsoft word or modify them for a custom look. So if the last numbers on the barcode are 0111, it is a first printing. The image above shows daniel, our china office manager, inspecting the first sheets off of an offset press run. How to identify first editions book collecting guide. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
Comic book printing projects can be complicated especially if you indulge in custom options and its important to get the details right. Unless your comic is a limited print, it wont tell you what print number it is, however, they will only print x amount of comics before they issue a reprint. How to tell if a book is first edition know the printing. I know they both have the same cover, but the inside of the book has no mention of what printing it is. Not every comic book is a good candidate for thirdparty grading. With so many comic books being printed over the years it can be hard to separate the everyday stuff from that which is truly valuable. Welcome to comichron, a resource for comic book circulation and other data gathered by. Superman, batman, spiderman, the hulk these are the characters that are typically worth the big time. Additionally, these differences routinely vary by publisher, brand, series and print date, making it difficult for the novice comic book collector to know when he has the genuine article. Convert full color pages to cmyk and covert blackwhite pages to grayscale. The differences between collectible firstedition comic books and valueless reprints can be subtle. Our office in china makes an enormous difference in the level of quality and service that we can provide. So look inside and see if you can see anything that would suggest that the copy you have is from 1985 and not 1984.
Looking for a way to tell if a book is a first edition. Best guess, if it doesnt say specifically that its a second printing, it is probably a first printing. With so many comic books being printed over the years it can be hard to separate the. This special love stems from our cofounders background in collecting comics and interest in sequential art as a kid. It does not apply to every comic book ever printed, but for the most part should be a useful tool for you if you are concerned about acquiring one printing over.
How to determine a books initial press run empty mirror. Kablam digital printing comics, paperbacks, manga and more. How can you tell what print number your comic book is. There are a number of ways that you can tell whether your comic book is a first edition or whether it is fake. Smallpress poetry publishers often publish small print runs, and often limited sometimes numbered editions. Comic book printing projects are still smallrun efforts, and china is a great resource for small runs of highquality printed materials.
I m sure it was a mistake vs malicious, but you never know. How to tell which printing a book is from broken secrets. If you prefer the matte uncoated stock, please visit our matte fullsized booklet page to learn more. How to identify what print comic you have cgc comic book. Comic book and graphic novel sales charts, market shares, and industry. How much are my comic books worth welcome to, a quick and simple guide to help you grade and identify your old comic books. It does not apply to every comic book ever printed, but for the most part should be a useful tool for you if you are concerned about acquiring one printing over another.
The indicia is the small print that includes information for title, volume, issue number, etc. Most possibly youll get the first print when the comic is still new but if youre buying the comic like after 3 months, its most likely a second print. The minimum price is not a real reflection of market value. Find out how to know if you have a valuable comic book on your hands based on its. Depending on the comic book, there may have been multiple prints released. Oct 17, 2016 unleash your selfpublishing superpower. Comic book printing self publishers print cheap at. Top 60 most valuable comic books from the modern age 1992date.
Some comic books will say something along the lines of 5th print, and will give the dates for all of the previous prints that came before it. Top ways to know if your comic book is valuable liveabout. How to identify first editions or a first printing of a book. We will preserve white margins present in the artwork. Ask students to read a comic book for homework to help activate their prior knowledge for the next days workshop. How do i determine if a marvel comic is a first print. Check out this list of items to give you an idea if your comic book might be worth anything.
How do you know if you have a first edition of a marvel comic book. His writing has also appeared in comic foundry, philadelphia weekly and time inc. Using the styles function in word can help you ensure your books font and spacing is consistent. That changed with the printing press, making duplication of books faster and cheaper, which made books more accessible to common people. Comic book printing service self publishing comics. Email share print this page print all materials note. The left side of the number line indicates the years of publication and the right side the printing number. If you like what you see there then follow the directions.
Difference between volume and issue forum comicogs database. Do i understand it correctly, that issue refers to say monthly comics whereas volume refers. Another common method of identification is the number line thats a line of numbers on. A number of factors are involved in deciding whether or not a comic book should be submitted to a grading service such as cgc. When you research printing companies, be sure to explore printing and binding options. How to tell if a book is first edition know the printing number. When your comic was published, and if it is a real first edition, can mean the difference between an investment and a waste of time and money. How can you tell if a first print of an image comic is legitimate. The most important criteria is the comics title and issue number.
Dec 23, 2018 with so many comic books being printed over the years it can be hard to separate the everyday stuff from that which is truly valuable. Needless to say there werent too many comic book shops that jumped on that. In publishing terms, an edition is technically all copies of a book that were printed from the same setting of type and the book is only described as a second edition if substantial changes are made to the copy. Variant, incentive, and combo packs will be 2 5th number designates print number. Check out this list of items to give you an idea if. Learning the print run for a given book may be interesting, but its not usually of tremendous value to collectors. If the initial print run of this first edition sells out and the publisher decides to produce a subsequent printing with the same typeset the book would be described as a first edition, second printing.
You dont have to be an enhanced metahuman to have a story that prints beautifully in comic book form. Sep 11, 2018 discussed are four extremely valuable comics that might be in your collection that you have possibly overlooked. Depending on the size and nature of your work, we offer a number of choices. Books rise of the superhero, among other publications. If you have the first printing, it will say either first printing or have nothing about the printing. Apr 09, 2011 in the older comics, you want to look at the indicia located on the first page. Weve shipped over 150,000 orders and printed more than 3 million comics. One of our favorite products to print are comic books. Comic books and comics culture have a lot of nuances and traditions and continuity that can be a bit difficult to navigate. Kablam digital printing comics, paperbacks, manga and. We created this guide to help the many people who call us asking how much are my comic books worth. Comic book collectors are often lifelong enthusiasts of the comic book stories, and they usually focus on particular heroes and attempt to assemble the entire run of a title.
Since then, telgemeier has published several more popular graphic novels. You can tell the difference between the first, second, and subsequent prints based on the cover design, usually. Edition and printing can be used fairly interchangeably in talking about collectible books, especially in regard to modern fiction. If youre looking for pricing information just click the links in the header and youll be taken to our pricing calculators. There are more than 18 million copies of her books in print. Sub reddit a place for fans of dcs comics, graphic novels, movies, and anything else related to one of the largest comic book. In order you sell a comic book, you must first be able to identify it. For instance, i have a batman beyond unlimited in my hand. The first issue of a longrunning comic book series is. Get free advice on what your spiderman book collection is worth. As weve mentioned elsewhere, first edition means the first printing of a book. Where abouts in the comic book does it tell you if its a first edition. Build your book format a paperback manuscript word for.
How to print comic books and graphic novels chilliprinting october 17, 2016 april 21, 2020 thanks to online printing and digital selfpublishing tools, it is easier than ever to create and produce your own comic book or graphic novel from endtoend. The first comic book from mirage studios published. How can you tell if a first print of an image comic is. The number of books printed is based upon both projected and past sales. To get 1% cash back on your ebay comic book purchases, click on this link. Colors will pop, shadows will lurk and the durability and shelf life of your comic books will rival that of adamantium. Top 60 most valuable comic books from the modern age. Reading it will help you know what to watch out for, and how to make the correct choice when. Wanted to start a collection of first issue first prints of some of my favorite image comics, but was wondering how to determine its definitely a. Sep 24, 2010 how to tell which printing a book is from. Learning the print run for a given book may be interesting, but its not usually of.
I had a teenage mutant ninja turtle comic that i couldnt tell if it was a 1st or 2nd printing. How can you tell that the comic you have in your hands is worth anything. Discussed are four extremely valuable comics that might be in your collection that you have possibly overlooked. Im sure it was a mistake vs malicious, but you never know. Dec 27, 2012 how to tell if a comic book is a first, second, third or higher printing. The reorder coupon is usually on the outside back cover. Luckily, there are other ways of telling if your book is a first edition. How to tell if a comic book is a first print quora.
If it is not on the back cover, the next most likely location is. Since the number line method wasnt widely used until the 1980s, you may well find books older without one. Whether you draw the comic by hand and scan it, or create it from scratch on your computer using photoshop, pagemaker or another visual creation tool, you need to know what you comic is about before you can publish it. The number 1 free online comic book community featuring a comic book price guide database, friends, lists, blogs, and more. The smallest comic book printings of alltime zapkapow comics. Numbers and years are removed as the book continues through its course of sales. And, if you ask, these publishers are usually willing to report how many books were published. Having those popular characters in your comic book will make it worth much more. Just like paperback novels, reprinted comic books will list when they were printed originally and to which reprint run they belong. Highest reorder number hrn the highest reorder number of a classics illustrated comic book. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Sometimes this information is found on the books page, or in a colophon. What i have learned is the general rule for telling if a comic is a first, second, third or higher printing. Using styles also saves you time because you dont have to format the font and spacing for each part of your book.
The indicia is that bit of fine print, usually on the title page, that tell you about the publisher, publishing frequency, etc of the book. How to tell if a book is first edition know the printing number garage sale addict. Before anything else you should check to see if the book has first edition, first printing written inside the cover. The indicia small print on the first page or inside front cover of most comics also tends to. Volume numbers can also be on single issues when there is a new run of a series. Industry experts say she paved the way for many more graphic novels for kids.