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Randall J. Paske

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Posts posted by Randall J. Paske

  1. On 7/17/2025 at 7:36 AM, Thomas Brockmann said:

    @Randall J. Paske Wow, that's different... first I've seen or heard of a possible second/alternate printing of this comic. Did you order it from Milk-Bone or a third party?

    I should have added that I did hear something about them going back to press after the initial run of comics sold out. I believe I heard that on one of the comics-focused YouTube shows. But I have no idea of how many printings they've done, or how to distinguish them all. Let's hope that all the subsequent printings (if there's more than just one reprint) have a date at the end of the indicia like mine does.

  2. The mail carrier delivered my own copy of this comic since I last posted. It must be a second or subsequent printing, though it doesn't say so. (It does have a printing date at the end of the indicia, though, absent from the indicia provided earlier by @Steven L. Dasinger.) The "Milk & Bone" error got fixed, so now I think it's even less suitable to reproduce it in the CB title entry.

    Here's the indicia from my copy:

    20250714_161741.thumb.jpg.83ed3f761c48726f480720d7768253b2.jpg

  3. On 7/10/2025 at 4:32 PM, Gregory Hecht said:

    Well, there are reasons why the "Item Title" field was created.  And situations like this is one of them.  

    Yes, but can the Item Title field contain more than a single entry? In this case, Superman: A Friendship Unleashed is rightly there, but Milk-Bone Custom Comic is not. I don't know if all text in that field constitutes one piece of data or if it's more like a credits field that can contain multiple pieces of data.

    I'm all for the indicia taking primacy, but I'm not in favor of treating them as infallible. Occasionally they contain typos or mistakes that shouldn't be compounded by imitation. I understand that fixing a mistake in a title when adding it to the database might be seen as inaccurate, but there are other exceptions to exactly duplicating indicia--lots of annuals and specials, for example. But that's just my take.

  4. 14 hours ago, Steven L. Dasinger said:

    I found this indicia for the issue:

    indicia.thumb.jpg.104d24a253163fb41fe0de3742f72770.jpg

    Milk & Bone Custom Comic is a strange title as a search for Milk-Bone probably wouldn't find it.

    Jeez, they're not helping. I know the CB editors like to go with the indicia, but sometimes even the indicia contains errors.  And I'd call this an error, as the name of the product is clearly "Milk-Bone" and not "Milk & Bone."

  5. Also, it looks like there was an effort to move poster books out of the Comics category and into the Books category. Makes sense, except that I can verify that the title 20 Nude Dancers 20 Year One Poster Book consists almost entirely of comics and should be returned to the Comics category. "Poster Book" is a bit of a misnomer in its case, referring mainly to the larger size of the pages. Most if not all of the contents originally saw print in Comics Buyer's Guide when it was in the newspaper format. They are single-page strips--comics--not poster images of the Hulk or whatever.

    Also, these two titles were added to the Comics category: 

    The Roman Stars
    The Trust Book One- Silent Scream


    "The" should come at the end of those titles (Roman Stars, The)

    • Like 1
  6. Another new comic title was added for Fantastic Four 1234.

    The series already exists in the database as Fantastic Four: 1 2 3 4.

    The new title was apparently added because the collected version is being republished. There are already Bk entries under the existing title, and I am not sure how the new version will fit in--whether it's technically considered a new printing or a new edition, whether it's hardcover or paperback. But it doesn't make sense as a new title.

  7. Also in Books:

    * The Art of Carla Cohen was added as a new title when Art of Carla Cohen, The already exists.
    * The Avenger: Roaring Heart Of The Crucible was added as a new title when Avenger, The: Roaring Heart of the Crucible already exists.
    * The Avenger: The Sun King was added as a new title when Avenger, The: The Sun King already exists.

    The three new duplicates are alphabetized by "The," as well, rather than by "Art" or "Avenger."

    And, under Comic Books:

    * American Honda Presents Supergirl was added as a new title, when the issue listed is already in the database as Supergirl (2nd Series) #DOT 1.  It is not easy to find there, which is why I previously submitted American Honda Presents Supergirl as an item title for Supergirl (2nd Series) #DOT 1 and #DOT 2. My submission was apparently either rejected or overwritten. That another person has now added American Honda Presents Supergirl as an actual title proves my point, though--if these giveaway issues are to remain in the database as Supergirl (2nd Series) #DOT 1 and #DOT 2, as they have probably been designated for many years, then an item title of American Honda Presents Supergirl would help people find them and prevent further duplicate submissions.

    * Mercy Sparz: Sweet 16: Issue 0-1 was added as a new title. The construction of this title is very weird and doesn't look right, but I don't know anything about it. It's probably supposed to be Mercy Sparx, though, not Sparz. The database has quite a few other Mercy Sparx titles.

    * PS Artbooks Softee: Police Comics would probably be better listed as Police Comics (PS Artbooks). PS Artbooks reprints are listed several different ways in the database, though. It doesn't help that they are solicited using titles that aren't apparent from the actual books, and the books typically don't have new indicia to help settle debates. But I don't think of "PS Artbooks Softee" as part of the title, because many of their books are offered in multiple formats, "Softee" being only one of them. It's just their term for "softcover" or "paperback." Look at the title Cave Girl (PS Artbooks), for example: there's a "softee" (#1), a hardcover (#1/HC), and a slipcase edition (#1/DLX). Should they decide to publish hardcover or slipcase versions of the Police Comics series, it wouldn't make sense to put them under the PS Artbooks Softee title, even though they would essentially be the same books. Listing as Police Comics (PS Artbooks) sidesteps this problem.

     

  8. One problem is that many times (more often than not?), second and subsequent printings of an issue have new covers that don't correspond to any of the first-printing variants.

    The first example from your list, Angel (Boom!) #1-2, has no corresponding cover art among the #1 first-printing variants. By that token, it's not really a second printing of any specific variant. Changing it to #1/A-2 would eliminate one problem--that #1-2 has no "regular" #1 to correspond to--but it would introduce another problem by implying that it's a new printing of #1/A, which it isn't.

    There's precedent for different printings having different covers, of course--plenty of numbered "regular" issues (#1) have different covers for later printings (#1-2, etc.). So it should be OK to have #1/A and #1/A-2 with different covers, per your suggestion. The Item Description field could help with this, too. But I do think the insertion of the variant letter introduces some ambiguity because of how ComicBase item numbers are constructed.

    As I see it, ComicBase lists variants and printings in its item numbers backwards. The ComicBase hierarchy goes Issue Number /Variant─Printing, implying that specific variants might go through multiple printings. In reality, the typical hierarchy is Issue Number─Printing/Variant. If ComicBase item numbers went 1-2/A, 1-2/B, etc., instead of 1/A-2, 1/B-2, etc., then they would line up more nicely in the grid, and we'd no longer have the implication that specific variants go through multiple printings.

    That is, now we have this as the default order in the grids:

    #1
    #1-2
    #1-3
    #1/A
    #1/A-2
    #1/A-3
    #1/B
    #1/B-2

    But this would make more sense to me:

    #1
    #1/A
    #1/B
    #1-2
    #1-2/A
    #1-2/B
    #1-3
    #1-3/A

    It would be less of a jumble, the variants from each printing would be kept together, and it wouldn't imply that a specific variant is being reprinted.

    But I don't know if this is changeable, and of course I may only be making sense to myself. I do that sometimes.

     

  9. New Yorker Book of Teacher Cartoons, The was added to the Books category, but it sounds like it would contain comics (even if they are mostly single-panel cartoons).

    Art of PONCHO Sampler, The was added to the Comic Books category, but it sounds like it contains illustrations and artwork rather than comics. Also, Poncho should not be in all caps.

    Art of Rudy Nebres, The was also added to the Comic Books category, but it sounds like an art book with illustrations rather than comics.

    Grimm Fairy Tales: 20th Anniversary Cover Gallery might not really have comics in it if it's just a cover gallery, but it was added to the Comic Books category.

    Harley Quinn: Wild a Heart: DD Compact Comics Edition should be Harley Quinn: Wild at Heart: DC Compact Comics Edition.
     

    • Like 1
  10. 2 hours ago, Gregory Hecht said:

    Since the contents of the Clyde Fans book changes significantly starting in 2019 but then remains consistent, I am wondering if it would be better for the 2019, 2021, and 2025 publications to be listed under a title Clyde Fans (2nd series).  

    If you go this route, then...
    •  the 2019 book becomes Clyde Fans (2nd series) Bk 1/HC
    •  the 2021 book becomes Clyde Fans (2nd series) Bk 1
    •  the 2025 book becomes Clyde Fans (2nd series) Bk 1/HC-2

    This avoids using the A and B variations to designate hardcover vs. trade paperback editions.  IMO this is would way of cataloging these collections would be a little bit "cleaner" than lumping all of them into a single title.  

    (and, just to be clear, I'm good with the first three bullets in Randall's list)


    I wrestled with what to do there, within the limits of the available ComicBase variations and types. I didn't think of what you suggested, which sounds fine to me. I did think about having separate title entries for Clyde Fans, Clyde Fans Part 1, and Clyde Fans Book 1, but that seemed messier than what I ultimately submitted.

  11. 6 hours ago, Mark J. Castaneda said:

    Yeah, we see what you mean that they aren't obviously intended to be listed together. Might be smart just to spin them into a separate title(s). Are you able to figure that out and submit new data for those Randall?

    OK, I just submitted updates for Clyde Fans. The publication history is even more tangled than I realized, so I had to make some changes and additions.

    • I changed Palookaville CS 1 (actually titled Clyde Fans, Part 1) to Clyde Fans 1.
    • Palookaville CS 2, it turns out, was never published (there is no book titled Clyde Fans, Part 2). 
    • I changed Palookaville Bk 2/HC (actually titled Clyde Fans, Book 1) to Clyde Fans Bk 1/HC. There was at least one further printing of this edition, and possibly more. I added Clyde Fans Bk 1/HC-2 for the second printing, but more may need to be added if found in the future. (History repeated itself, and there is no book titled Clyde Fans, Book 2.)
    • In 2019, the complete story (more than what was in Book 1, which was itself more than what was in Part 1) was printed in one hardcover volume simply titled Clyde Fans. I didn't find this in ComicBase. I added it as Clyde Fans Bk 1/A.
    • In 2021, the 2019 hardcover was given a paperback edition. I didn't find this in ComicBase. I added it as Clyde Fans Bk 1/B.
    • The solicited 2025 edition is, as far as I can tell, a new printing of the 2021 paperback. I changed it from Clyde Fans 1 to Clyde Fans Bk 1/B-2. It does not seem that the hardcover is getting a new printing.

    If these changes are accepted, then Palookaville CS 1 and Bk 2/HC need to be removed to prevent duplication. CS 2 needs to be removed no matter what, having never actually been published.

    • Like 1
  12. The 2/20 update also adds a new edition of Clyde Fans by Seth under that title. Previous editions of Clyde Fans are listed, correctly or incorrectly, under Palookaville as Bk 2/HC, CS 1, and CS 2, because the material was originally serialized in issues of that title.

    For consistency, either those earlier versions of Clyde Fans should be moved to the new title, or the new edition should go under Palookaville with the others. For now, I've submitted item titles for the books listed under Palookaville, because they aren't really labeled as Palookaville and it's not obvious that they would be listed there.

    • Like 1
  13. Some more clean-up for the 1/17/2025 content update:

    • The newly-added title Beetle Bailey: Strategic Withdrawl has a spelling error and should instead be listed as Beetle Bailey: Strategic Withdrawal.
    • The new title Big Nate Attack of the Cheez Funk Breath! needs a colon after "Nate" to make it Big Nate: Attack of the Cheez Funk Breath!.
    • The new title Foothold: Rigsby W.I. should not have periods in the postal abbreviation for Wisconsin. Also, this is apparently going to be the first of a series of Rigsby WI graphic novels, with Foothold only being the title of Volume 1 (see the cover image). So the series title should be Rigsby WI.
    • Going by the cover image, the new title Magnificent McCoys should be Magnificent McCoys, The.
    • The new title Monster High Bull's Eye needs a colon after "High" to make it Monster High: Bull's Eye.
    • The newly-added title Spitball A CCAD Comics Anthology needs a colon after "Spitball" to make it Spitball: A CCAD Comics Anthology.
    • The title Thun’Da, King of the Congo (Magazine Enterprises) was added, but this series already exists in the database under its parent title A-1 Comics, so this newly-added title is a duplication. See A-1 Comics #47, 56, 73, 78, 83, and 86. This is confusing, but I believe cases like this are why the Item Title field was added.
    • The new title What Would Blueys Mum Do is missing the apostrophe in Bluey's, and it is a picture storybook rather than a comic book, so it belongs in the Books category.

     

    • Like 1
  14. 1 hour ago, Gregory Hecht said:

    Newly added Comic title New York Comic Con:  What is this?  Is this a convention program, a comic, or a promotional pamphlet of some sort?  

    I added that one. New York Comic Con is the unfortunately generic title in the indicia for an ashcan-sized comic from Virgin Comics that includes the first several pages of their then-new series Dock Walloper and Dan Dare. This info is in the Notes field of the entry I submitted.

    • Like 1
  15. I usually wait to hop on to one of @Gregory Hecht's posts, but he hasn't done one for the 1/09/2025 content update yet, so I guess I'll start:

    • The book title The Marvel Art of David Finch was added. This should follow the usual format of Marvel Art of David Finch, The.
    • The comic book title All in Saga was added. When "in" is used as a preposition in a title, it should not be capitalized. But here, I believe "in" is being used as an adverb, and as such it should be capitalized in a title. So it should be All In Saga.
    • The title Avengers: Assemble TPB was added to the Comic Books category. Should this book be instead listed under one of the existing Avengers: Assemble series?
    • The title DC X Sonic the Hedgehog was added. I confess that I find the relatively recent convention of using "X" instead of "&" or "/" a bit annoying, but I wonder if it's meant to be "X" (uppercase) or "x" (lowercase) or "×" (multiplication symbol). I don't know if there's even a way to tell.
    • In the new title Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe III, the word "the" should not be capitalized.
    • The title Drumming Up an Appetite With Vinnie Paul was added to the Comic Books category, but it appears to be a cookbook, not a comic book.
    • In the new title Free For All, the word "for" should not be capitalized.
    • In the new title Heroes Of Echo Company, the word "of" should not be capitalized.
    • The new title Presents (Jim Henson’s…) should be Presents (Jim Henson…)--no possessive.
    • The title Romero’s Axa Classics was added. I only see this elsewhere as Axa Classics. But if Romero's is part of the title, then the ComicBase convention would be Axa Classics (Romero's…) .
    • The new title Smurfs, The: Who’s Is That Smurf? should be Smurfs, The: Who Is That Smurf? .
    • The magazine title Hero Special Edition Vol 3 was added. From what I can tell, this should instead be listed as Hero Illustrated (Volume 3). I'm basing this on the model of Hero Illustrated (Volume 2) and its existing entry.


     

    • Like 1
  16. 14 hours ago, Adam Sternberg said:

    Side note:  The cover artist on 1/B is listed as "Mr. Garcin".  Is that correct, or should it be "M.R. Garcin"?

    "Mr. Garcin" is the pseudonym of Pascal Garcin. Opinions may differ on whether the database should have him as Pascal Garcin (my preference) or "Mr. Garcin," but "M.R. Garcin" would definitely be wrong.

    • Like 1
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