Mismatch Covers

In the 1970s there was a fair number of times when Marvel had to print a reprint instead of the intended story, but it was too late to replace the cover. Conan the Barbarian #22 is an example. The cover was supposed to go with the story in #23, and the issue carried a reprint of Conan the Barbarian #1 instead:

There are cases of mismatch from other periods as well. Detective Comics #40's cover was supposed to go with the second Joker story, but that story appeared in Batman #1 instead. So this cover was the Joker's first cover appearance, although he didn't appear inside:

This cover from Baffling Mysteries #8 belongs with a story that appeared in The Beyond #2 and was reprinted in Web of Mystery #27:

I thought it might be interesting to put together a collection of as many cases like these as possible. Please chime in with any you know.

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  • 1936968416?profile=original

    This one had a reprint of FF 101.

  • The GCD notes the villain on the cover of Detective Comics #35 is the Duc d'Orterre from #34 (which didn't have a Batman cover):

    1936968540?profile=original

  • In turn the cover of #36 shows Batman battling the Mongols who work for Sin Fang in #35:

    1936969178?profile=original

  • The cover of Detective Comics #39 resembles the climax of Robin's debut in #38, so perhaps it was an alternative cover prepared for that issue:

    1936968645?profile=original

  • Geez, just think of an example of where the "Dreaded Deadline Doom" struck and Marvel already had the cover prepared. This one ran a reprint of a Jack Kirby Inhumans story from Amazing Adventures.

    43834875912.9.jpg

  • Ghost Rider #10 (F'75) promised us the Brimstone Biker versus the Incredible Hulk but what we got was a reprint of Johnny Blaze's first appearance in Marvel Spotlight #5, which wouldn't be the worse thing except for the cover!

    1936971112?profile=RESIZE_480x480

  • Captain Marvel #36 had new pages book-ending a reprint. The scene on the cover was the climax of the next issue.

    1936971078?profile=original

    The reprint was Mar-Vell's first appearance, from Marvel Super-Heroes #12.

  • The cover of The Hooded Horseman #25 featured "Cowboy Sahib". This was a series about a Wyoming cowboy who becomes the ruler of a small state in the Himalayas.

    1936970381?profile=original

    The feature didn't debut until the next issue. The cover only says it's "coming soon", but it's possible the feature was supposed to debut in #25 and wasn't ready. #26's cover was based on a scene from the story, but it has a scene where the hero rides a tiger too.

    The covers of #25-#27 were drawn by Leonard Starr, the feature's original artist. After #27 the title went on hiatus. When it resumed it continued a different title's numbering.

  • After Action Comics #1 the next Superman covers appeared on #7 and #10. The cover of #7 is a variation on a panel from Action Comics #1, from the sequence where Superman abducts Alex Greer. Superman's victim isn't drawn just like Greer, though. He had a moustache, and was dressed in a bow-tie and a plain, brown suit.

    1936969648?profile=original

  • #10s cover is a variation on the scene from Action Comics #2 where Superman fights a plane:

    1936970300?profile=original

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