I think ComicBase should add the concept of Prime Issues.  

 

Prime Issues are non-variant first print issues if they exist; if they don't then they are variant A first print issues.  This would exist for all types, whether Regular, Annual, Book, etc.

 

Identifying Prime Issues would allow ComicBase to do a variety of things:

• Titles can indicate how many issues are in a Title.
  • Titles can indicate if you have a complete set of Prime Issues.
  • Titles can indicate how many Qualified Issues are owned, how many are missing, and what percent of completeness you have.
  • You could generate reports of Title Completeness.
  • You could search based on "Titles >= 90% complete" or "Titles missing <= 3 Prime Issues"
  • You could add these to Wanted.
• Additionally, Qualified Issue Ownership could have four levels
  • Prime only
  • Prime or any variant, first print only
  • Prime variant only, any print
  • Prime or any variant, any print
• With Prime Issues and Qualified Issue Ownership levels, ComicBase can identify ownership holes
  • can search for "Prime not Qualified Owned run <= 3"
  • You could add these to Wanted.

 

 

14 hours ago, Fred Slota said:

Prime Issues are non-variant first print issues if they exist; if they don't then they are variant A first print issues. 

In some cases, variants are printed in equal numbers.  In such situations, CB has arbitrarily designated which version is "Variant A".   Circa early 2000's, the second issue of Marvel's #2 issues would get two different covers printed in equal quantities, for example.  So there is no real "Prime" issue in those cases.  

Argh.

 

An idea how often this has happened, how many titles this effects?

No, I don't have a count.  Nor do I know how many times non-Marvel publishers have done something similar.