DCML Digest, Vol 42, Issue 21 (Postal Regs)
JTorci3511 at aol.com
JTorci3511 at aol.com
Thu Aug 17 13:57:58 CEST 2006
Everyone:
Robert Hutchings writes:
>>Joe is correct in stating that the comic books were required to contain a
backup story which did not include any character anywhere else mentioned. A
brief editorial on page 512 of the Carl Barks Library Uncle Scrooge 1-20 (this
is the second volume in the set) confirms this. >>
Good detective work, Robert! At the time I sent my comments, I couldn't
remember exactly where I'd read this, though I knew it was somewhere in the CBL!
In further proof of this I offer UNCLE SCROOGE # 75 (June, 1968), in
which Gyro had a major role in the main story, "The Battle of Marathon", and,
according to regulation, could not appear in the back-up. Daisy Duck and
Dimwitty filled the back-up requirement for this issue.
Robert also said:
>>It was news to me that they [ text pages ] were actually only required
beginning in 1956.>>
They would have been required before that, if Dell had applied for Second
Class Subscription Mailing Privileges before that. It strictly ties in with
when Dell began offering subs on their regular comics line.
Looking at some other comics, you can see that BATMAN # 54 offered
subscriptions as “Second Class Matter” at least as far back as 1949. Inside there
was a text on Dr. Alexander Fleming and Penicillin and a comics-illustrated
piece on speedboat racer Gar Wood (…to satisfy the “Second/Guest Story”
requirement) …Under the regulation, I suppose, Batman could never have solved the
hypothetical mystery of Gar Wood’s missing speedboat, if it occurred in Batman’
s title! But, oddly, Superman or Green Lantern could!
Back to Western, BUGS BUNNY # 49 (June/July 1956) began Second Class subs
for that title, and “Guest Stories” and Text Pieces were in place with that
issue. For a few issues prior, the indicia read “Application for Second Class
Entry pending at the Post Office at New York, New York”. Guest stories began
appearing during that period, but the pairing of Guest and Text begins in
earnest once the Second Class subs were officially offered.
Either this clarifies – or further confuses – matters.
Joe Torcivia.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://nafsk.se/pipermail/dcml/attachments/20060817/ed823245/attachment.html
More information about the DCML
mailing list