Ug Ashcans

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

Ashcans were originally used for copyrighting back in the Golden age, not more recently.  They still use them now in fact...

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

Another "official" ashcan (per the indica) to LCD #2.

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

http://scoop.diamondgalleries.com/public/default.asp?t=1&m=1&c=34&s=259&ai=62279&ssd=10%2F18%2F2007&sp=superman%20ashcan&sd=10/12/07&arch=y

[dr_s]

That's who had the Superman 1 ashcan years ago... Gary Colabuono   Nice guy.

[over40artist]

Ashcans are b&w copies of a comic book usually by the printer/pub, basically a bound photocopy.  I believe they send them out to distributors so they can decide how many copies they want to order.  But originally it was for legal reasons and they were thrown out most of the times.

Here's a more detailed explanation on how they came about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashcan_edition

It would seem the Wiki entry here would support ComixJunky's point. There really is not much point to ashcanning a 4th print, since the comic book is already copyrighted, established in the market and has a sales record. Authentic ashcans would appear to be relatively rare and implemented only on occasion.

They might have been even less popular in the 1969-1973 underground era, given the publishers' existing relationships with the head shop distribution system and the fact that many UG creators didn't really give a crap about copyright at the time (some even encouraged pirating and free distribution).

Personally, I just don't have much interest in the genre. I'll be much more likely to pursue acquisitions of original art than UG ashcans.

Not that I'd kick one out of bed if it fell into my lap!

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

As I stated before, they were used for copyrighting way back in the Golden age of comics (long before Ug's), they were used for sales later on.  Sometimes sent out to distributors or large order stores for them to decide if they wanted to carry that title and to decide how many to order.  They didn't want to send out the actual item (ie, guess they didn't want to have the store sell it for a profit when they sent it for free or that it was sent before the release of that comic, so they didn't want it seen in full color months before it was actually released).  They were meant to be thrown out afterwards, another reason why they are rare and why many don't know about them or seen them.  They still do it today...

[dr_s]

There is a modern day reason for ashcans. 10 of 20 years ago, the indie publishers realized that could make money selling ashcans. Your can go to any San Diego con and get tons of them. I think my Sunpot is of this type although a heck of a lot earlier.

[Comix Junky]

Well, if you're happy with your find.
If you enjoy your ashcan collection...

I appologize.

I am sorry if any thing i said (or will say) dampens your enjoyment.

Please don't read any further.

***  SPOILER  ALEART  ***
***  WET BLANKET ALERT  ***

OK I confess.
I did them. I've been bootleging comix for years. Xeroxing^TM them off, and selling them to nostalgic suits and young welthy drug dealers, who don't know any better, and expect them to be cheaply produced like the TJ's. I didn't expect them to hit the comix market.
I'm comming clean now cus i don't want my friends here getting ripped off.
I xeroxed^TM about 2 dozzen titles. The Jesus and MO you posted, are some of my work.
Any copier can handle 8 1/2 X 14 paper, which is common. (aka "legal size")
But i had  8 1/2 X 15 cut at work,  which streches the limits of the copier.
I saddle stiched them at work. (30 sec when no one was watching)
If i had intended them as ashcans, i wouldh't have bothered with folding or saddle stiching.
Single sided, with a single staple in the corner would do for an ashcan.

Ok seriously, without documentation, how do you know?
I will go so far as to say:  There are NO underground ashcans!
Even if the sales guy at the publisher's office, xeroxed^TM a few to save himself a trip to the warehouse. They're still bootlegs. I might have made them. Maybe yesterday. Maybe i will tomorrow, just to cash in on this.

> "...to decide how many to order.  They didn't want to send out the actual item
> (ie, guess they didn't want to have the store sell it for a profit when they sent it for free...)..."

Profit? If you're trying convince someone they are going to make money by carying your product, you can't be afraid they're going to make a whole whopping .50 cents on the free sample.

> "...so they didn't want it seen in full color months before it was actually released)"

Sorry, I can't think of a single reason for that scenario.

> "...used for copyrighting way back in the Golden age of comics (long before Ug's),..."
> "...10 of 20 years ago, the indie publishers realized that could make money selling ashcans."

That's not the underground.


In conclusion:
If you are happy with your purchase, I appoligize, enjoy your (ahem) "ashcans".
If you intend to sell,  Get It Documented.
But please do not pollute the wiki with bootlegs.
There are NO underground ashcans.


OTOH:   
They're Underground. ...  They're ALL  ASHCANS !!

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

OK, but the sheets actually measure 10 1/8" x 14", odd size for a regular copier and a hell of a lot of work for special sized paper and a copier to handle it just for bootlegging a .50 cent comic book?


Here's my last ashcan I'll post here.

[over40artist]

I don't quibble with what you are showing there, 50c. Those look like some sort of ashcan version of the comic books. But I also don't doubt for a second Comix Junky's confession about photocopying books. Bottom line, you have to really know what you're dealing with and really have confidence in your sources to be sure of what you have. Arnie probably knows the crap from the real stuff, but even he might be fooled.

Which is why I avoid collecting anything like UG ashcans to begin with. Their providence, even when its genuine, is just too difficult to prove.

Didn't we all just collect comic books in the beginning?

[dr_s]

I only actively seek out only Illustrated checklist items or as of now Kennedy items. Even the Kennedy items are ones I do not go overboard with. The only exceptions are for Corben (what the hell, there are only 1000 or so items and most or them are ugs anyway) and cheap ugs that strike my fancy. All of the ashcans I bought came with collections except the Den. And that was $35 on eBay. I guess the only other one, more of a variant, was the gold Turtlerama ed (10 print run) with Corben. It was only $70. So, while I appreciate ashcans or promo issues or what ever they are, they are just curios to me. I really don't go out of my way for them.  I guess I can say the same for the misprint covers.

[Visitor Q]

Always thought ashcan comic were cool.

Neat!

Jason

[over40artist]

Always thought ashcan comic were cool.

Neat!

Jason

Oh, I agree with you Jason. I think they're cool, too. Like I said, I wouldn't kick one out of bed if it landed in my lap. But like Arnie, I wouldn't necessarily seek them out. But if they were part of a larger collection, I'd be delighted to get them and I'm sure they would become prized possessions.

Just as long as they didn't come from Comix Junky!

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

OK, so I came across one more that I had forgotten about in my mag. size collection from the 80's.  It's a ashcan for Equine #3 (signed and numbered #27/250).
So I lied and here's one more...

There was also the Profit ashcan sold by Dennis Kitchen.