2000AD issue 3

[kev67]

I went to my local comic shop to pick up my copies of 2000AD. In the same arcade was another shop selling old books, toys, card games, and guess what? Issue 3 of 2000 AD, with a cover price of 8p, and I am pretty sure it had a spinner. That surprised me a bit as I thought only issue 1 had the spinner. There were some comics from about the same time, but I cannot remember what the titles were.

[pauljholden]

Was this this week...? Because that shop sounds like it might have been haunted, I'd be wary of any thig I bought there in case it had some sort of ironic after effect...

[kev67]

Today in fact.

[Dandontdare]

Prog 3 had the "Red Alert Survival Wallet" as a free gift.

[Funt Solo]

Of course they ran out of red alert wallets during the "taping on the free thing" part of the process, and so kev97 has perhaps discovered one of the fabled "prog 3 with a space spinner because we've still got a whole bucket of these things from two weeks ago", which nobody thought still existed.

Even if that shop is selling it for, like 50 of your Earth quids, you should buy it because it's worth much more than that on The Ebay, or even (if you can find it) The Darkbay(e)!

Probably. 

[kev67]

Well it was gone when I went back to look, but anyway, I don't know what I'd do with it. I'd probably just put it in a drawer where it would remain until someone clears out my flat when I've gone.

What they did have though, was issue 1, but not with the spinner. However, I don't think you can buy it individually. They come in lots. The comic shop manager where I actually buy my copies of 2000AD says he would probably negotiate.

Also, they had a copy of Starlord from 1978. It had a picture of Johnny Alpha and his companions on the front. It cost 12p in 1978. That is 4p more than the first issues of 2000AD, so I wonder if 8p was an introductory price for 2000 AD.

I was not aware of 2000 AD or Starlord at the time. I was more a Whizzer and Chips boy.

[Dandontdare]

Of course they ran out of red alert wallets during the "taping on the free thing" part of the process, and so kev97 has perhaps discovered one of the fabled "prog 3 with a space spinner because we've still got a whole bucket of these things from two weeks ago", which nobody thought still existed.

wow, wasn't aware of that.

Also, they had a copy of Starlord from 1978. It had a picture of Johnny Alpha and his companions on the front. It cost 12p in 1978. That is 4p more than the first issues of 2000AD, so I wonder if 8p was an introductory price for 2000 AD.

I was not aware of 2000 AD or Starlord at the time. I was more a Whizzer and Chips boy.

Starlord was always more expensive, which is why I rarely bought it at the time, it had higher quality paper and better printing. I actually ditched Whizzer & Chips for 2000ad as one of the two weekly delivered comics I was allowed on the weekly paper bill (Krazy, then Cheeky was the other) - I realised I was buying 3 out of 4 progs anyway, and as the Cursed Earth began, I decided I was going to start keeping them instead of binning them. I bought my current copy of prog 1 from a friend in the 6th form for £4.50. He thought I was a sucker, I confidently believed it would be worth thousands by the distant year 2000!

[Funt Solo]

Of course they ran out of red alert wallets during the "taping on the free thing" part of the process, and so kev97 has perhaps discovered one of the fabled "prog 3 with a space spinner because we've still got a whole bucket of these things from two weeks ago", which nobody thought still existed.

wow, wasn't aware of that.

Ah, sorry - made that up - was trying to be funny.  *wind whistles ... crows caw*

[Dandontdare]

Ah. Sounded plausible.

Was it Eagle that launched with an identical, but renamed and differently coloured space spinner?

[sheridan]

Ah. Sounded plausible.

Was it Eagle that launched with an identical, but renamed and differently coloured space spinner?

2000AD launched with a red space spinner, Tornado with (I think) a red three-pronged spinner and Eagle with a white or silver spinner.  Whichever colour the Eagle one was, I've also seen a silver or white spinner which went out with another comic (can't remember what that one was though).

[sheridan]

p.s. Barney has a list of free gifts

[sheridan]

...some of which stretch the definition of 'gift' to its limit (promotions for sweets, etc).

[sheridan]

Digging further, Barney also has a list of gifts from other publications, including Eagle and Tornado.

[Dash Decent]

Well it was gone when I went back to look

The shop was gone when you went back to look?!?  PJ was right!

There's a point in the early years of the prog where suddenly the prog is more of a smaller rectangle shape and the paper is much nicer.  They look much nicer and always seem a bit more special when I dig them out to have a look at them.  I assume that was using up the better-quality paper they had planned to use for Starlord?

[Tjm86]

Around about prog 110-127.  According to TPO it was down to a sudden and temporary printer change.  Something to do with bunging a printer some work.