Marvel Newsstand and Direct Percentage Print Runs

Newsstand Vs. Direct Sales (Marvel)

Year % Newsstand - %Direct Market

1979..........94%............6%

1980..........90%............10%

1981..........85%............15%

1982..........80%............20%

1983...........72%...........28%

1984...........64%...........36%

1985...........57%...........43%

1986...........50%...........50%

1987...........41%...........59%

1988...........32%...........68%

1989...........23%...........77%

1990...........15%...........85%

1991...........14%...........86%

1992...........13%...........87%

1993...........12%...........88%

1994...........11%...........89%

1995...........10%...........90%

2000............5%...........95%

2005............2%...........98%

2013............1%...........99%

This clearly shows a huge shift of Marvel sales over to comics shops.

These actual statistics understate the degree of scarcity of newsstand editions in the current back issue market, as they do not take into account survivability and damage.

To explain this in more detail, we have found that VF (8.0) and NM (9.4)newsstand editions are far scarcer as a percentage of issues that I purchase in collections.

Simply put, newsstand readers and the staff of newsstands, were far more likely to beat up their comics. Metal newsstand racks used in general stores actually damaged comics almost near the second that they are racked. As a result, finding the few surviving NM newsstand editions is surprisingly difficult. New comics in the 80s and 70s were often found to be 9.2-8.5 right off the rack

This has turned into a genuine test for me, as I now spend a great amount of individual time looking for these Scarce newsstand issues.

This been said, I cannot begin to tell you how rare these things truly are.  I have not been able to find many newsstand editions that I believe still exist. When newsstand editions are 1:100 variants (eg. 2015 Archie vol 2 newsstands), and they also suffer a high destruction rate, finding them in the secondary/back issue market is near impossible, and takes a lot of luck and perseverance to find them.

When we look at those price variants of the 80s (75,95 cent price variants) we descover a price variant treasure. Some of these variants are as rare as Action #1.

Yes, a comic is only worth what someone is willing to pay. Im simply ready to pay alot more for those issues, and for very good financial reasons.

:)