New Hardy Boys Starter Set

[SDLagent]

New Hardy Boys releases by Grosset & Dunlap are few and far between these days, and this fall they will release ''The Hardy Boys Starter Set''. ''The Starter Set'' includes redesigned paperback editions of the first six Hardy Boys novels.

[003Robin457]

A Paperback The Tower Treasure?

[SDLagent]

Yeah, I think this is a first for North America. Also, the new design looks like a huge improvement from the flash light design used since 1987.

[Olivia]

Ooooh, I want to see the covers.

[tomswift2002]

Yeah, I think this is a first for North America. Also, the new design looks like a huge improvement from the flash light design used since 1987.

If the books are actually released as Trade Paperback editions then this will indeed be a first for North America, and a change to the court ruling of 1979/80, which allowed Grosset & Dunlap to reprint the first 58 books in the same format that they had been printing them in in the 1970's.

[Lola]

Has anyone ordered this? I pre-ordered on amazon.com but when it came it I got hardbacks not paperback covers. I called amazon and they were going to reship only I got hardback again! Supposed to get a refund now. Yesterday I went to Barns&Noble to see if they had them.....same thing. Hardbacks. The salesperson went on the computer....seems it's a problem from the publishers. They made the mistake so who knows when the paperbacks will come out.

[tomswift2002]

I got mine a few weeks ago and it appears that, right now, Grosset & Dunlap is still sticking to the court agreement and whoever input the info into the computers clicked the paperback button when it should have read hardcover.

[SDLagent]

Is it a nice set?

[tomswift2002]

The cardboard sleeve is pretty nice considering that it essentially looks like the old blue tweed Nancy Drew books, but with the shadows of the Hardy's. 

[SDLagent]

What are the books like? Still the same flash light design?

[tomswift2002]

What are the books like? Still the same flash light design?

They are just the same old flashlights that have been on the market for the past 22 years.

[SDLagent]

That's kinda lame. I was hoping they re-branded them to  match the boxed set art.

[tomswift2002]

That's kinda lame. I was hoping they re-branded them to  match the boxed set art.

Well I would think that it is getting close to that time when Grosset & Dunlap would be starting reissue the books in a new type of cover style, but using the cover art from the 1960's and 1970's. 

When you think about it:

1927: Books debut in red cover and white spine dustjackets
1932: Red covers get replaced with brown covers
1934: White spine dustjackets change to yellow spine
1951: Tan tweed covers debut
1962: Picture cover editions introduced; dustjackets discontinued
1987: Flashlight design debuts

It's been 22 years since the Flashlight design debutted, so I'm sorting of expecting Grosset & Dunlap to be announcing a design change in or for 2012 pretty soon.

[hardygirl847]

I know this is an OLD thread but I just bought them myself. I love coupons. Anyways, I don't want to open it if I should be buying the originals instead....Are these still good enough or do they not compare to their former versions?

[SDLagent]

Personally, I prefer the 1959-1986 style with the heads on the spine. It's a matter of personal taste, really. I just never really liked how how the 1987 flashlight style looked, design wise.