The term ashcan, coined during the Golden Age referred to the practice of creating a physical comic book for purposes of registering the trademark for titles and logos to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It is rare for early ashcans to have survived. Ashcans are now used as a marketing device by publishers and are the equivalent of a preview. Modern ashcans will be included in this list if their resale value exceeds the amount of their initial selling cost.
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1995 San Diego Comic Con limited edition ashcan
Silver ⋅ Dark Horse ⋅ 1993
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Variant silver-foil Ashcan edition, limited to 1,000
Distributed selectively at comic conventions in a protective sleeve with a gold stamp labeled Official Hero Original Seal of Authenticity
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Variant silver-foil Ashcan edition, limited to 1,000
Distributed selectively at comic conventions in a protective sleeve with a gold stamp labeled Official Hero Original Seal of Authenticity
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 100 copies
Value unknown
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 100 copies
Value unknown
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 100 copies
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 100 copies
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 100 copies
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 100 copies
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14-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 250 copies
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14-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 250 copies
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 250 copies
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16-page black and white sketches by French illustrator Jean Giraud aka Moebius, limited to 250 copies
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Variant cover art by Matt Wagner, creator of Grendel
'Silver Moon' Platinum Foil Edition, limited to 25 copies
Obtained by winning a contest facilitated by Hero Illustrated Magazine
The gold stamp is part of the proprietary Hero Illustrated protective slipcase and not on the actual comic
This much anticipated publisher crossover was written in 1991 but was delayed due to Comico going through bankruptcy proceedings. DC eventually published the story in 1993
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Variant cover art by Matt Wagner, creator of Grendel
'Silver Moon' Platinum Foil Edition, limited to 25 copies
Obtained by winning a contest facilitated by Hero Illustrated Magazine
The gold stamp is part of the proprietary Hero Illustrated protective slipcase and not on the actual comic
This much anticipated publisher crossover was written in 1991 but was delayed due to Comico going through bankruptcy proceedings. DC eventually published the story in 1993
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16-page Ashcan edition
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Ashcan edition
New York Comic Con 2014 exclusive
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Ashcan edition limited to 200 copies
The publisher of this magazine quickly printed this first issue of their magazine to beat rival publisher Eerie Publications from using the title
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Ashcan edition limited to 200 copies
The publisher of this magazine quickly printed this first issue of their magazine to beat rival publisher Eerie Publications from using the title
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Black and white, limited to 2,000 numbered copies
San Diego Comic Con 1996 exclusive
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Black and white, limited to 2,000 numbered copies
San Diego Comic Con 1996 exclusive
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Ashcan, preview edition sent to retailers, two per store
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Ashcan, preview edition sent to retailers, two per store
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Ashcan edition
Features a double-page spread of the Dark Multiverse Batmen alongside heavy metal band, Lacuna Coil
Includes art and interviews from the creators and members of the band
Value unknown
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Ashcan edition
Features a double-page spread of the Dark Multiverse Batmen alongside heavy metal band, Lacuna Coil
Includes art and interviews from the creators and members of the band
Value unknown
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Ashcan edition limited to 1,800 copies
Black and white issue with partial story pages from issue #1 and #2
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Ashcan edition limited to 1,800 copies
Black and white issue with partial story pages from issue #1 and #2
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Origin of the Silver Surfer, a compilation of panels from previous stories
Wraparound cover art by Jim Lee (pencils) and Sean Tiffany (paints)
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Origin of the Silver Surfer, a compilation of panels from previous stories
Wraparound cover art by Jim Lee (pencils) and Sean Tiffany (paints)
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'Ashcan' edition limited to 66 copies
'Ashcan' previously was a term used when publishers would create a prototype copy in order to secure legal intellectual rights to their property, but now its more of an unfinished preview of a book
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'Ashcan' edition limited to 66 copies
'Ashcan' previously was a term used when publishers would create a prototype copy in order to secure legal intellectual rights to their property, but now its more of an unfinished preview of a book
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Ashcan edition, New York Comic Con 2019 exclusive
Glow-in-the-dark cover
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Ashcan edition, New York Comic Con 2019 exclusive
Glow-in-the-dark cover
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2009 San Diego Comic Con giveaway
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Ashcan edition given away at New York Comic Con 2017 to attendees of the Doomsday Clock panel
12-page, non-standard size, black and white preview of the first issue
Character preview of the second Rorschach
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Ashcan edition given away at New York Comic Con 2017 to attendees of the Doomsday Clock panel
12-page, non-standard size, black and white preview of the first issue
Character preview of the second Rorschach
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First meeting of The Transformers and Ghostbusters
1st appearance of Ecto-1 (Ecto-tron), the Ghostbusters' car as a Transformer
Promotional Ashcan edition
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First meeting of The Transformers and Ghostbusters
1st appearance of Ecto-1 (Ecto-tron), the Ghostbusters' car as a Transformer
Promotional Ashcan edition
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Written by James Hellwig aka the Ultimate Warrior
Ashcan edition with wraparound cover
Cover appearances include: Captain America, The Flash, Wolverine, Bone, Milk and others
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Written by James Hellwig aka the Ultimate Warrior
Ashcan edition with wraparound cover
Cover appearances include: Captain America, The Flash, Wolverine, Bone, Milk and others
Ashcan • Blue Foil ⋅ Chaos! Comics ⋅ 1995
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Limited to 2,000 copies
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Oversized ashcan (11.5 x 8.5) numbered and limited to 400 copies
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Oversized ashcan (11.5 x 8.5) numbered and limited to 400 copies
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Promotional ashcan edition, limited to one per store
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Promotional ashcan edition, limited to one per store
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16-page ashcan edition previewed at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2018
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16-page ashcan edition previewed at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2018
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Ashcan edition available at San Diego Comic Con 2019
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Ashcan edition available at San Diego Comic Con 2019
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16-page black and white preview of Youngblood #1
Limited to 1,000 copies
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16-page black and white preview of Youngblood #1
Limited to 1,000 copies
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16-page black and white preview of Youngblood #1
Limited to 500 copies
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16-page black and white preview of Youngblood #1
Limited to 500 copies
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Ashcan preview
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Ashcan preview of the 2001 one-shot
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Scarce, Ashcan edition
Cates said about this issue "it's the first ashcan I ever produced. Maybe the rarest book with my name on it."
Value unknown
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Scarce, Ashcan edition
Cates said about this issue "it's the first ashcan I ever produced. Maybe the rarest book with my name on it."
Value unknown
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12-page ashcan preview
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San Diego Comic Con 2004 exclusive
Ashcan edition, 12-pages black & white
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San Diego Comic Con 2004 exclusive
Ashcan edition, 12-pages black & white
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Ashcan edition, limited to 350 copies
Signed and numbered by Sam Kieth
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Ashcan edition, limited to 350 copies
Signed and numbered by Sam Kieth
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16-page ashcan retailer incentive
Adapted from the video game of the same name
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16-page ashcan retailer incentive
Adapted from the video game of the same name
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Ashcan edition preceded the first official issue
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ComicsPro Ashcan given away to industry attendees of the February 2019 annual meeting
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ComicsPro Ashcan given away to industry attendees of the February 2019 annual meeting
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Ashcan Edition
Limited to 500 copies
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Variant purple Ashcan Edition with cover art by J. Scott Campbell
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Variant purple Ashcan Edition with cover art by J. Scott Campbell
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Ashcan edition
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Limited to 1,500 signed and numbered copies
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Ashcan edition limited to 4,000 signed and numbered copies
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Ashcan edition limited to 4,000 signed and numbered copies
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Ashcan edition limited to 5,500 copies
Signed by artist and creator, Dale Keown and writer, Brian Hotton
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Ashcan edition limited to 5,500 copies
Signed by artist and creator, Dale Keown and writer, Brian Hotton
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