Alternative covers

Parodies

International

Early ashcans

Vampirella Monthly ashcans 1

Vampirella Monthly ashcans 2

Crossover ashcans

Manga ashcans

Vampirella 2nd Series ashcans

Ashcans are usually smaller sized comics that are produced to ensure the name of the main comic is registered and thus a rival cannot publish a comic with the same name. The classic example is Eerie #1, the first issue of the Warren famous black and white magazines, which was published overnight to prevent a rival publisher from launching another black and white horror magazine called Eerie before Jim Warren could produce his own sister magazine to Creepy.  Thus the first genuine issue of Eerie was Eerie #2.

Harris Comics have published quite a number of ash cans to  announce a new series of comics or promote the next few issues rather than to prevent other people from publishing a competitor. Most of these consist of black and white art from the first comic of the series, some alternative covers, possibly an interview or sketches and one or two other goodies.

I have collected all the ash cans I am aware of on these pages.

  All images on this site are copyright © 2002, Harris Publications, Inc.  VAMPIRELLA ® and other characters are trademarks of Harris Publications, Inc. Text and concepts © 2002 Mike Grace. All rights reserved.