About 50 years ago, the major comics companies added UPC boxes to their covers. Isn’t that fascinating?
Not really, no.
But it being National Barcode Day gives us an excuse to run 13 DC and Marvel covers that first featured the ugly little set of lines. Charlton actually began using bar codes earlier, but the Big Two began with comics cover-dated May (DC) and June (Marvel) 1976, according to the blog ComicsPriceGuide.
These went on sale in the first quarter of that year:
John Romita
Bob Oksner
Jack Kirby pencils, Mike Esposito inks
Ernie Chan
Kirby pencils, Frank Giacoia inks
Chan
Jim Starlin pencils, Klaus Janson inks
Chan
Rich Buckler pencils, Romita inks
Jim Aparo
Ron Wilson pencils, Joe Sinnott inks
Chan
Dave Cockrum
—
MORE
— Dig These 13 SILVER AGE DC GIANTS Because It’s NATIONAL TALL PEOPLE DAY. Click here.
— 13 CLARK KENT COVERS Because It’s National Eyewear Day. Click here.
June 26, 2025
Hmm…what’s up with the “.30” cents stamp on those first issues? That’s not familiar at all.
June 26, 2025
The plot thickens, Buck. The 30-centers shown here carry a cover price (MSRP?) of 25 cents (According to the images on their fandom pages). What nefariousness is this?
June 26, 2025
Let’s hope ….”the truth is out there.” Dan?!
June 26, 2025
Those are a few examples of the $.30 cover price variants of comics that were printed and sent out in a few select cities. Later on, there would then be $.35 cover price variants as well. There are some people who collect these and some have collected complete sets. More information can be found at: https://recalledcomics.com/Marvel30CentVariants.php
June 26, 2025
Here you go! https://gocollect.com/blog/this-is-only-a-test-marvel-30-cent-price-variant-keys
June 26, 2025
I distinctly remember when those UPC’s popped up. I was not a happy kid.
Always made me wonder why they couldn’t have put it on the back cover.
June 26, 2025
Same here. I can imagine the advertisers didn’t want THEIR stuff covered up.
June 26, 2025
I was wondering the same thing about why the didn’t put those horrible bar codes an the back. Just ruined so many great covers.
June 27, 2025
I remember being worried more about them if they had the black bar crossing it out or no lines and a Spider-Man head. I used to think it put them in the same vein as the Whitman versions. I didn’t realize it was to separate the direct market and traditional newsstands.
June 27, 2025
I was living in San Antonio,Texas at the time those 30 cent variants were released. SA was a test market for those higher prices. I thought they were hideous and they cost me an extra nickel! Plus they had the crummy bar code. My brother who was living in Austin had the 25 cent standard release. I traded most of those 30 cent issues for the standard 25 cent issues that were soooo ugly. Oh well, those limited release issues are rather rare, but I don’t regret it. At least he wound up with them.