RIP-OFF REPRINTS, OR WORTH THEIR WEIGHT IN GOLD? WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Take a look at the above comic from 1976.  The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL #198, featuring half of the introduction of WOLVERINE, reprinted from The INCREDIBLE HULK #181, from 1974.  At this time (if I remember correctly), the panels in MWOM were trimmed, clumsy lettering amendments were instituted, the reproduction wasn't always as sharp as it should have been, and ugly 'Zipatone' obscured some of the detail in the artwork.  But guess what?  This comic is being touted on ebay for anything from £75 right up to around £700.  (The price for the copy above is £196.26, but it only has a 3.5 grade.)  Yup, just 'cos it features the 'first' UK printing of Wolvie's debut.  (Some sellers include #s 196, 197 & 199 in the higher end prices, though there's one asking for 'only' £149.95 for all four.)

No way in hell is it worth more than a tenner, and then only so someone can complete their collection of MWOMs.  Sure, it's cheaper than the original US printing, which can set you back close to £12,000 (for higher condition copies admittedly), but it's a poor quality UK reprint for goodness sake.  Hulk #181 has now been reissued in a facsimile edition (and 180 and 182 will soon be available), so would anyone be daft enough to pay out several hundred quid for an inferior UK partial reprint?  Maybe, but surely only if they're millionaires.  (Having said that, I see one dealer is asking for £89.95 for the facsimile.  Strewth!)  Are comic dealers colluding on the asking price for this comic, or has one chanced their arm and the others followed suit?  Either way, the asking price far outweighs the value of the comic and once again I'm left feeling that dealers need to regain a sense of proportion over the arbitrary pricing policy they adopt in regard to reprint comics.

What's your own views about this, fellow Crivs?  Could you ever see yourself paying out several hundred pounds for a mag just to complete a set?  Or do you think that some comic dealers need a good hard slap on the kipper for being more than a bit greedy?  Let rip in the comments section!  (Oh, and in case you were wondering, no - it isn't a comic I was looking to buy.)

The original 1974 issue

Posted in: Cartoons