Life and Loves of Cleopatra -- 2nd? 3rd?

[Rick Bradford]

Maybe some of you guys can help me out with this one.

I've got either a 2nd or 3rd here of Cleopatra. At first I assumed it was a 3rd (it may be) because there's a paper difference from page to page. However, on closer inspection, the difference is page to page but not necessarily sheet to sheet, if you follow me.

In other words, a page that looks like newsprint may be brighter on the other side of it. And a page that's brighter may be be darker on the other side (making it look like the newsprint-y page in tone).

Can anybody with a 2nd and/or 3rd confirm what I'm looking at?

I can post some photos but guess I'd better wait until I've got daylight to take them in tomorrow.

Is there anything in newsprint that can discolor (for lack of a better term) other types of paper if it's been up against it for years?

[50Cent #II (1st print)]

This sounds like it could be similar to one of my Snatch #2's.
By the way, is it for sale?  If so, message me your asking price...

[over40artist]

Rick, I've got (what I believe is) a 2nd print of Cleopatra (a rare steal from Just Kids) as it appears to be all newsprint. But I have not scanned it yet and it is buried somewhere in my 40 short boxes.

Based on your post, though, I'm guessing you have a third print. Only somebody with a known third print could confirm that, but the variations in paper you are describing sounds like a third print. Newsprint contains a chemical compound known as lignin, which is what causes newsprint to yellow with age. Lignin is a powerful agent, used for tanning leather and as a cement, a dye and a fuel. When pressed in the pages of a book, it will transfer some of its properties to adjacent surfaces. You may have an old hardcover novel in your library where you can observe this phenomenon; interior pages (with more wood pulp) staining the inside cover of the book. This can also be observed in some UG comics (yellowing of the inside cover, especially when the cover paper is not coated).

The only way (I know of) that you would have such color variations in your Cleopatra is if you have two different paper types inside the comic book, which leads me to conclude you have the third printing (described in detail in Kennedy's guide). If you had the first print (all white paper) or the second print (all newsprint), you would not have that degree of variation, since the interior pages would be printed on identical paper types.

[dr_s]

The first print is easy to tell, it is a large portfolio sized thing with different art than the other 2 version. I would put it in my top 10 of rare important ugs. I got beat out of an upgrade at the $1000 level by woody100 several years ago.

[over40artist]

Is it filthier sex than the 2nd and 3rd prints, doc? I'd always heard it was pretty crazy, but after buying the second print, I found it relatively tame compared to some other stuff by Crumb and S. Clay. Still a very cool book, as I recall.

After checking Kennedy, I did see how the first print was huge in size and different number of pages. I'd love to have a first.

[dr_s]

I think it is raunchier. By the way, there was  a 4th reprint in comic form. Eros???

[Rick Bradford]

Thanks, guys! O40, that's exactly the kind of confirmation I was looking for. I figured it must've been the case but just wanted to be sure...

[over40artist]

I think it is raunchier. By the way, there was a 4th reprint in comic form. Eros???

There was a 4th print. I believe it was published by Rip Off Press in 1992, and from what I hear it was a complete joke because they edited out most of the raunchy stuff. Don't ever buy it unless you have one of the first three editions first.

[wpbooks]

I have a copy of the 4th and not only has it been expurgated, it also contains some other crappy comix that make no sense being aligned with Cleo.....I also have what is probably a 3rd, but could be a 2nd, so the pain of reading the 4th is indeed lessened a bit.