"Post No. 637"

The above scans are various reproductions of my favorite Jim Steranko "Nick Fury Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." cover from issue # 4 (September, 1968).

Of my the great mysteries to me regarding this cover is why, when it was reproduced in the 2000 trade paperback collection of issues #'s 1-3 & 5 (Marvel Comic), did they choose to use such a rotten copy? Was it a printing error? Was Marvel's own file copy in such poor shape? Come on!? There's 'what"? A Brazillion comic book shops in New York City where a decent copy could have been purchased if they had such a bad one? I just don't understand. The copy they used has a look of a brittle and very aged one, whereas all of the other Steranko copies they used for reproduction have a newstand mint appearance. Judge for yourself.

The top scan is of the 1st. printing of the 2001 trade paperback Marvel did which collects the Steranko Nick Fury stories (from Strange tales) where they used the NF 4 as the cover.

The second scan is of a personal copy I have which is the original.

The third scan is of the one they reproduced in the 2000 TPB which reprinted the NFAOS 1-3 & 5.

Very curious....

And...on to other things...

Got all of my mowing done for the week so I guess I can try to relax the rest of the day. Tomorrow will be hectic at work, I'm sure, as I'll have to work all day by myself. Which means no pulling tools from the warehouse unless I write up an order and someone else does that for me.

Thursday I'm off work again before I start a 5 day in a row stretch. Labor Day weekend quickly approaches. I don't believe it'll be as busy this time as in previous years simply due to the economy, but I could be mistaken. We'll see.

Checking the confirmation code on a package at USPS.com, it states that the lot of 2 dozen (evenly split) issues of Bongo Comics' Futurama and Radioactive Man should finally arrive tomorrow on the 20th., and I'm anxious to read these titles.