A new hardcover by Roy Thomas is scheduled for later this year…
When it comes to comics, never let it be said that we’ll ever run out of things to talk or write about.
I mean, check this out: Coming this November is Marvel Value Stamps: A Visual History, by comics legend Roy Thomas, according to an Amazon listing.
That. Is. FAR. OUT.
I absolutely cannot wait for this. Just dig the official description:
That looks like Alex Ross on Spidey there…
Marvel Value Stamps: A Visual History
The story of the most inspired comic book promotional campaign of all time, collected here for the first time
In 1974, Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee devised an ingenious promotional campaign—Marvel Value Stamps, which appeared on the letters pages of their monthly comics. Readers could cut out all 100 of these super hero and super villain stamps and place them in a special mail-order booklet. Once complete, these stamp books could then be redeemed for special discounts and exclusive merchandise. The program was so successful, a second set was released in 1975. And now, for the first time, these original stamp books, stamps, and all of the surrounding ephemera and source material are collected into one must-have volume for collectors and fans, along with text from Marvel Comics historian Roy Thomas.
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A few thoughts:
— I eat stuff like this right up, and I’m sure you do to if you clicked on this story: Deep explorations of relatively mundane yet extremely evocative subjects are the bee’s knees. I’m still hoping for someone to do a history of comic-book Slurpee cups (and drinking glasses).
— The 368-page book from Abrams ComicArts features full-color illustrations throughout, according to Abrams. It carries a list price of $24.99, with dimensions of 6.5 x 9 inches, so it looks like a nice, handy guide. The publication date is listed as Nov. 3.
— But all that can change. Like the Retro Marvel Black Light Posters 2021 Calendar — another funky Bronze Age throwback — this hasn’t been solicited for comics shops yet. Not that it necessarily will be. It may just be in the bookseller market. Time will tell on that front. (If it does get solicited, chances are it will be in shops a little before Nov. 3. That’s generally how it works.)
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MORE
— MARVEL’s Classic Black Light Posters Are Making a Comeback. Click here.
— 13 Far Out MARVEL SLURPEE CUPS of the ’70s. Click here.
March 22, 2020
That’s definitely an Alex Ross Spidey piece in the middle. 🙂
March 23, 2020
Ah, the Marvel value stamp. More of the genius of Stan Lee and Marvel. Making me mutilate a few good comics for something worthless that I thought had value. I still have all the ones I clipped out.
My Spider-Man 129 would in pretty sweet shape if not for that dumb stamp.
August 5, 2020
And what were these “special discounts and exclusive merchandise”? Were they ever offered? What are they worth now? Even as a kid I couldn’t be persuaded to cut up my comics for some pie-in-the-sky promise of “exclusive merchandise”.