...give credit for unsold comics by returning the covers? The way the book industry did?
The reason I ask is, whilst in the Tampa Bay Airport, a shop had about two hunnert comics,all recent vintage, all with no covers, and it made me wonder if the guy was ripping off the publisher and selling them illegally.

That is still normal practice for newsstand distribution returns and for returns of improperly solicited comics thru the DM. I would guess that yes, the guy is ripping of the distributor and the publisher in all likelyhood. Either that or somebody is ripping him off.

Mm. True. Thanks, JB.

I remember a few years ago, one of the owners of a LCS was on a call-in show on the CBC - this was probably around the whole 'Death of Superman' nonsense - and people were encouraged to call in and talk about comics they have, had, or other comic related stuff.

At least a dozen people had called in talking about how they had so many 'big' comics (Amazing Fantasy #15, stuff like that), and they were purchased from a drug store in a town in Saskatchewan and the covers were already torn off.

It was funny - it mostly seemed to have all been people from the same town, all ratting this dodgy pharmacy owner from their youth. It was also funny how the LCS owner had to tell each and every one of them that those comics were worth nothing, and were in fact illegally sold.

...who says all Canadians are honest citizens

OMG....Byrne's Fantasic Four #5 WAS STOLEN!!!!

(What's he gonna do, ban me from his board?)