The Co(s)mic ComicBook B'Cast!

The Second Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Price Tags or the Nemesis of any Comic book collector!!

 

Hi, welcome to the second Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, this time I want to talk about one of my pet peeves when it comes to comics, PRICE TAGS!! To quote the late great Gorilla Monsoon: “Oh how I used to hate those!!”
And I still do!!

Once I really got into my hobby of reading and collecting comics, I decided to grab all the comics I could get my hands on.  I devoured what I could find but I gotta say back in the day there weren’t any specialized stores that only sold comics.  Nope.  I had to get my comics from the local bookstore. 
These were the stores that sold newspapers, magazines, books, stationary and snacks all under the same roof.  Comics were placed in a small corner of the shop.  There were two things I hated about the way the comics were displayed, one, they were put in racks which destroyed the spine of the comics and the other, the price tags.

I know they had to put price tags on the comics but those things were horrible.  Let me show you what I mean.  I went and dug out some examples of the comics which were horribly disfigured by these price tags.

That’s Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider Man # 100, written and penciled by Allen Milgrom.  This was a milestone issue which had the break up of Spider Man and the Black Cat.  I do believe this was the first appearance of the Spot.  This issue featured Peter in his original costume after finding out his black and white costume was alive.  Okay note the lower left hand corner.

That’s what happens when you manage to tear off a price tag.  I was able to tear off the tag but it left a sticky residue.  I foolishly placed some tape over it, making it worst. What was I thinking!!!!????  Guess I wasn't...thinking. (sigh)

Iron Man # 184 where the store owner decided to put not one but two price tags on the comics.  Why???  Guess the first one came loose……

The All New All daring Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider Man # 119, not an outstanding issue really, it featured the return of the Black Cat and a big knock down drag out fight the Black Cat had with Sabretooth.  For this issue after I successfully took the price tags off the cover I decided to not do anything like putting tape on it, unfortunately that residue is still there. Sigh.

Marvel Team Up # 147.  Great cover from John Romita Jr and Joe Rubinstein.  Spider Man and the Human Torch taking on the Black Abbott.  This is one of the many, many times when the price tag won and would not budge.  What I could take off took a piece of the page with it.  It was such a heartbreaking sight.

Another example of a store owner going nuts with his price tag gun or something.  I left this cover alone, the sound of a cover tearing was just too much to bear.

I decided not to peel the price tag from this issue.  The price tag looked like it was really stuck to the page and I didn’t want to take the risk.  Don’t think I could bear to see another ripped cover.
The following are examples of how that residue from the price tag also ruined my other comics.

A closer look.  Over time the residue collects the dust and it turns black.  Oh the horror!!

 Another nice issue ruined.
Did you have this same problem?  If you did, then you know how I felt.  It’s heartbreaking.  Okay let’s talk again next time.  If you have any comments, let me know, okay.  Thanks.

#spider man#marvel#iron man#punisher#joe rubinstein john romita jr