Newsstand vs. Direct Market single issues

[Mace Dolex]

Just a quick insight I mostly don't care what version of a single issue I might find while browsing for comics just as long as the comic is an decent condition but then I see comic collectors that prefer a newsstand over a direct market version of a comic.

I'd figure that the direct market version of a comic would be the preferred choice as so many newsstand copies are prone to fingerprints from a reader flipping its pages.

Am I right?

[MRP]

Just a quick insight I mostly don't care what version of a single issue I might find while browsing for comics just as long as the comic is an decent condition but then I see comic collectors that prefer a newsstand over a direct market version of a comic.

I'd figure that the direct market version of a comic would be the preferred choice as so many newsstand copies are prone to fingerprints from a reader flipping its pages.

Am I right?

In the direct market era, the newsstand version became the rarer version once the DM was entrenched. Unsold copies of newsstand books were destroyed not returned, so the preference usually has to do with scarcity not condition. High grade newsstand being the most difficult to find obviously. In the early years of the DM, this was not the case, but once the DM is well established by the mid-80s, more copies were selling to the DM, and since DM books were non-returnable there was always a supply for back issue buyers. Newsstand versions started having smaller print runs and still had a chunk of that print run destroyed if it didn't sell, so were harder to find in the back issue market.

I personally don't make a distinction when I do buy back issues, but there are those for whom the scarcity matters and makes it more appealing.

-M

[Mace Dolex]

Well that explains it, thanks. I just thought that whatever design or nifty art that either DC or Marvel put into the lower corner box looked better than a plain UPC symbol.

[TomHudson]

Given a choice between having a upc code or corner box illustration I'd much rather have the illustration. But I don't collect for spec or investment, I collect to read and enjoy.