[Fixed] New Mutants Vol. 1 #100 (April 1991) - Purple vs. Blue Background Production Variation

Comics Core | Missing
1

New Mutants #100 first printing exhibits a documented color production variation affecting the background color, ranging from purple to royal blue. This is caused by drifting ink densities during the print run, specifically variations in magenta ink application.

Official Confirmation: CBCS Head Grader Steve Ricketts confirmed this variation in a 2018 CBCS forum discussion, stating: “It’s caused by the drifting ink densities through a production run. Most easily seen in the colors made up of the magenta or cyan inks…Perfectly normal to see on comics pre-2000ish.” He clarified that color variation does not affect grading.

Color Variations Observed:

  • Purple background - Standard ink density (magenta + cyan balanced)
  • Royal blue background - Low magenta density (cyan dominant)
  • Intermediate shades - Varying magenta levels

Market Recognition: Multiple collectors have documented this variation, with at least one collector reporting ten copies all showing blue backgrounds. The variation has been explicitly marketed on eBay as “Rare Royal Blue & Common Purple Cover”, though actual rarity ratios remain undocumented.

Similar Variations: This printing phenomenon also affects New Mutants #87 (orange vs. red) and Sandman Vol. 1 #1 (blue vs. purple), as noted in the same CBCS discussion.

My Request: Please have CLZ Core add a production variation designation for this book. It could be something like:

  • New Mutants #100 (Purple Background - Standard)
  • New Mutants #100 (Blue Background - Production Variation)

This would allow accurate cataloging of a recognized, legitimate production difference that collectors actively distinguish when acquiring this key issue (first X-Force appearance).

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Hi, I will discuss this with the team!

First I want to ask you a few questions to get the discussion going :slight_smile: :

This isn’t well known and not really an uncommon error for comics. Since books are printed by a machine, they can easily cause printing errors like this. I’ve held a book a few years back that came out that week where the whole batch except 1 book in that shop was printed a little brighter. Don’t remember which issue it was but it was very obvious. Would we catalog that as well since it’s basically the same? The only difference in this case is the print run.

“This would allow accurate cataloging of a recognized, legitimate production difference that collectors actively distinguish when acquiring this key issue”

The cover A in core already fades between the 2 colors you mentioned. If it isn’t well known and hard to make out, how would people be able to tell the difference? Are there any for the Canadian and Newsstand copies? Where would the “Intermediate shades - Varying magenta levels” fall into?

You didn’t mention it, so thought I’d bring it up. What about value for Covrprice? This “error” isn’t mentioned on any ebay listings. How would they be able to tell the difference if the difference isn’t obvious? It’s going to be hard to tell when the pictures being used are not scans.

3

Hi, discussed this with our team and with Covrprice. We came to the conclusion that we won’t be adding this as it’s very common printing defect for books released during this time period. You would be creating more confusion instead of an accurate cataloging differences. Especially when you have books that fall in between those defects.