[Groop]what gives ?

[Mark Evanier]

On Fri, 13 Apr 2001 01:39:44 +0100, "Mark Brown"
<MARK@6thebrownhouse.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:

>In the epic run why does the small box in the bottom left hand corner of the
>cover change from barcodes to spidey every few issues ????

ME: For the early part of its Marvel run, GROO was distributed via two
different methods.  One was what is "direct" distribution, meaning
that the copies are sold to bookstores on a non-returnable basis.  The
other is what is called "newsstand" distribution, meaning that the
stores that get them can return their unsold copies for credit.

To differentiate, most companies break the press run and change the
symbol.  They print all the newsstand copies, then they stop the
presses and change the black plate, removing the UPC symbol and
replacing it with something else...say, a Spider-Man drawing.  Then
they print the direct copies.

This is not an absolute situation.  Sometimes, after both kinds are
printed, they'll discover they're short of one kind and so will
substitute the other.  But basically, that's the reason.

------------------------------
NOW ONLINE: www.evanier.com
A website about comic books, cartoons, TV,
movies, Groo the Wanderer, Broadway, Las
Vegas, Hollywood and possums in my back yard.