Different printings of Champions 1st edition?

[rravenwood]

Similar to my last post, I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on printings of First Edition.  Up until very recently, the only cover I had ever seen for 1st edition (including the beat-up copy I acquired a while ago) looked like this:

I recently picked up a different copy (in better shape, but missing the character sheets), but the front cover is different:

Notice the lack of author credits, and also notice that instead of the old Hero Games logo in the lower-right corner, it merely says "A HERO GAME".  This makes me think that it was an earlier printing.

 

The interior contents appear identical (upon casual side-by-side comparison) save for the size of the page contents, and the darkness of the print.

• The page contents in the "alternate" version (lacking Mac Donald and Peterson's names on the cover) are larger than in my other copy (with the names on the cover) - they look identical, but the pages in the "alternate" version have at least 1/4" less margin around each page (as if they zoomed further in on the original manuscript pages when making the photographic plates for printing [or however the process works]).
• The print is somewhat lighter in the "alternate" version - not horribly so, but noticeable when compared to the other copy.

At any rate, I'm always curious about the history of the game, so if anybody has any recollections to share about these slightly different printings, I'm all ears!

[lemming]

I do remember there were different printings at the time.  (sorta annoyed, just did a sorting of all my champs books and seem to be missing my first editions.)

 

The second edition I have is a grayscale of the upper cover which makes me think the bottom cover picture is an older one.

 

Hmm, I thought it was exact, but it's not.

 

The hand in the lower left is gone, and they played with the fonts and placement of "The super hero role playing game" and "By steve peterson and george macdonald" so they don't interact with the guys fist.

[Tasha]

Lemming, A Greyscale version of the above cover shows that you have 2nd Edition. If you look at the title page at the copyright it should say "revised Champions 198x"

[lemming]

Lemming, A Greyscale version of the above cover shows that you have 2nd Edition. If you look at the title page at the copyright it should say "revised Champions 198x"

You missed where I said "The second edition I have is a grayscale"  (that and I was annoyed about my missing first editions)

 

I was just putting out the theory that since it had more in common to the top photo, that the bottom photo was the older first edition.

[Tasha]

You missed where I said "The second edition I have is a grayscale"  (that and I was annoyed about my missing first editions)

 

I was just putting out the theory that since it had more in common to the top photo, that the bottom photo was the older first edition.

Here I go with the bad reading comprehension again. Perhaps I should just not post until I get over this damned flu/cold/whatever it is. :/

 

Sorry

[rravenwood]

I do remember there were different printings at the time.  (sorta annoyed, just did a sorting of all my champs books and seem to be missing my first editions.)

 

The second edition I have is a grayscale of the upper cover which makes me think the bottom cover picture is an older one.

 

Hmm, I thought it was exact, but it's not.

 

The hand in the lower left is gone, and they played with the fonts and placement of "The super hero role playing game" and "By steve peterson and george macdonald" so they don't interact with the guys fist.

 

Thanks lemming - I agree that the 2nd edition cover essentially being a grayscale version of the "regular" 1st edition cover (granting the layout tweaks) is strongly suggestive that the "alternate" cover is older, probably the original printing.

[Scott Baker]

From memory: The grey-scale cover came in the boxed set. After that they came out with another color cover not in a box (but still 2nd edition).

[Scott Baker]

rravenwood: What you really need to do is look at the title page (inside the front cover), and look at the number of pages.

 

I just dug out my 2 color covers. They both have the Hero Games logo. However, one of them is 1st edition (Copyright 1981; 56 pages). The other is 2nd edition (Revised Edition Copyright 1982, Fourth Printing 1983; 80 pages). The 2nd edition one also has a speed chart and attack modifiers chart on the back cover instead of the rest of the Champions in the original cover art.

 

I'll be interested to see what you find out.

[Greywind]

From memory: The grey-scale cover came in the boxed set. After that they came out with another color cover not in a box (but still 2nd edition).

 

From reality: I have a color-cover 2nd that came out of a box.

[rravenwood]

rravenwood: What you really need to do is look at the title page (inside the front cover), and look at the number of pages.

 

I just dug out my 2 color covers. They both have the Hero Games logo. However, one of them is 1st edition (Copyright 1981; 56 pages). The other is 2nd edition (Revised Edition Copyright 1982, Fourth Printing 1983; 80 pages). The 2nd edition one also has a speed chart and attack modifiers chart on the back cover instead of the rest of the Champions in the original cover art.

 

I'll be interested to see what you find out.

 

Just to be clear, I'm not confused about 1st edition versus 2nd edition and how to tell them apart .  My OP was about sharing my realization that there are two different printings of 1st edition out there, with slightly different covers, and also wondering if anyone out there had any more to tell about that particular "story".

 

Thank you, though, for mentioning that your 4th printing of 2nd edition has a color cover.  I've come across other mentions of color-cover 2nd edition rulebooks in various places across the Web, but I think your statement is the first one (at least that I recall) that isn't of the "I kinda sorta think..." type .

[rravenwood]

I have a color-cover 2nd that came out of a box.

 

Greywind, is your version a 4th printing?

[rravenwood]

Since the last few posts here - mine included - are actually in regard to 2nd edition, it would probably be better to continue with any further 2nd-edition conversation over in the other thread specifically about 2nd edition

[Scott Baker]

Just to be clear, I'm not confused about 1st edition versus 2nd edition and how to tell them apart .  My OP was about sharing my realization that there are two different printings of 1st edition out there, with slightly different covers, and also wondering if anyone out there had any more to tell about that particular "story".

 

Thank you, though, for mentioning that your 4th printing of 2nd edition has a color cover.  I've come across other mentions of color-cover 2nd edition rulebooks in various places across the Web, but I think your statement is the first one (at least that I recall) that isn't of the "I kinda sorta think..." type .

 

So I will have to agree the non-logo copy is likely the first printing. I've lost track of my friend that bought Champions when it originally came out and got us all playing, or I'd ask him what his copy had on the cover.

 

As for the story, it seems reasonable that when it came time for the second printing they had come up with more of a plan, including a logo, giving themselves credit on the cover, etc. (Note: I have no inside knowledge, just supposition.)