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Expert: - 5/16/2010


Question

Misprinted Page
Way back when, i bought a copy of Spawn #21 (as soon as it was on the stands), to add to my collection.

4 or 5 of the pages do not have black ink. They came with color ink, but no black. So all the images are without any black outlines, and text bubbles are without outlines (and/or any black text), etc.

I asked one person about this at the time, (the local comic shop guy). And he told me that all of the issue 21's were like that, and that it's nothing special. but I have seen lots of 21's since, and so far, I have not seen another with the same "no-ink" pages that mine has.

Have you ever an issue like mine, or is it a rarity? And if so, how can I find out what it may be worth?

**I have attached one image as an example. I can send pics of the other few pages that have the "misprint" if it helps.

Thanks - M

Answer
Hi Marshal

Actually, I recently had a similar experience.  I bought a set of old Tarzan comics from the 50s.  On one of the comics, the inside covers are blank.  I imagine this was a printing flaw where two covers went together through the printing press.  I have never seen this on an old comic before, and very likely my copy of this Tarzan issue is the only one out there with blank inside covers.  However, I'm not confident that the comic is worth a premium because of that.  A collector might rather buy a regular copy where he can actually see what is on the inside covers, rather than my one-of-a-kind copy.

I am not familiar with the printing flaw you mention with Spawn 21, nor could I find any reference to it when I did a little research (though I did notice a message you put on Spawn.com a few years ago).  However, I think your situation is somewhat similar to mine.  In general, comics are not like coins or stamps, where all copies are expected to be perfect and any noticeable flaw can make something worth huge amounts of money.  Rather, the comic printing process can result in numerous flaws, and most collectors want the copy that comes off the printing press as near to perfect as possible.  The main exception to this rule is double covers, which can always command a premium.

Which is not to say it would be impossible to get a premium for your copy.  However, at this point, it does not seem to be a recognized misprint with any clearly established value different from the value for a regular issue of Spawn #21.  Some people might consider it less valuable, since the text does not appear on the pages with no black ink, and hence those pages are not readable.  However, others might well consider it a unique variant that they want a copy of, and I suspect you are right that there are not a lot of copies out there that were printed with that error.

So about all you could do is put it up on eBay or some other auction site and see how high the bids go, or send the info to Overstreet or other Comic Book price guide publishers and see if they choose to list it as a variant in their books.

Hope this helps.  It does seem like a fun copy to own, an example of how the printer can screw up an otherwise well-put together comic.

Chris  
    Questioner's Rating
    Rating(1-10)Knowledgeability = 10Clarity of Response = 10Politeness = 10
    CommentVery informative. Thank you for your time and quick response.


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Chris Brown

Expertise

I have extensive knowledge on comic books published from 1897 through 1975. My knowledge goes beyond superheroes to include early strip reprints from 1897-1930 or so, science fiction, horror comics of the 50s and 70s, love, crime, satire and other genres. I can provide advice on buying or selling comics as well as answering general queries.

Experience

I am a longtime collector and occasional seller of older comics.

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Arts

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