sfcityduck

For your comic book room: Rarely seen - a very early (maybe earliest?) magazine cover showing what we all love to see - someone reading a comic. Our Navy (Mid-April 1945). $50. A cool bit of interior decorating at a price that you don't need feel stress for putting it on display.

Hors d'oeuvres 2. For owners or wannabe owners of Reform School Girl (the comic) and maybe also the paperback, who would like to complete the set: The back cover is all that matters on this book. An outtake from the photo shoot for Reform School Girl's cover featuring model Marty Collins, but here censored with a crude paste up skirt extension. AVON Pocket-Size Books 399 - ...plus Blood in Their Veins by Robert Paul Smith - VG-F (comic grading with defects shown in pics) - $25 (postage for this lot also included). This rounds out the story of the Reform School Girl comic and paperback.

Hors d'oeuvres 1. For the Caniff's Steve Canyon collector who thought they'd seen it all but now finds out they hadn't: The Press Club of San Francisco's annual publication - Scoop (1971) $45 (and for this lot only includes shipping). I'd call it g/vg (but grade may largely be irrelevant because has anyone else got a copy?). The cover is a specialty Steve Canyon Sunday drawn for the SF Press Club. Hardly ever seen. I've seen two and I bought them both. And this wasn't a one off for the SF Press Club, they also got Charles Shulz to do a specialty Sunday for a cover for a different year's annual:

Next up: I'm back from lunch. So I'm ready to move on to a few cool hors d'oeuvres offerings and then, I've convinced myself, one once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at a very rare and historically significant book. And I mean that seriously.

Apologies to you as well! I will pm you shortly.

Its yours! Sorry for delay, but was away getting lunch with my kid freshly back from abroad. I will PM you regarding shipment details.

Two Faces of Communism nn - SLICK COVER SOLICITATION COPY VARIANT (Christian Anti-Communist Crusade (1961)) - CGC 6.5 ow/w. Here's the first secret: The CGC census shows 14 copies. BUT there are FOUR VERSIONS of this comic! There are two newsprint cover versions with version A having an ad soliciting customers to order customized copies on the last page and version B having the customer's customization or a blank space on the last page. There are also two slick cover versions with version C. having an ad soliciting customers to order customization on the back cover and version D. having a blank back cover (or a customized back cover which I just haven't seen yet). The solicitation versions would have preceded the versions that have blank covers or customization. And here's second secret: The slick cover solicitation versions are the rarest examples of this comic! This CGC 6.5 is the highest graded copy of the slick cover that I've seen (and believe me I look). Subject to correction, I believe this is the highest graded slick cover copy. It presents beautifully $700.00:

I would never call Toth, Barry, Thompson, Frazetta, Krigstein, etc. "too clean." I wouldn't call Foster, Raymond, or Adams that either, but they are all "very clean" illustrators. Those DC back-ups just had some great art in support of stories with a tone that some comic fan, maybe most, find uncool today. As I understand it, DC made an intentional decision, that Timely did not, to stop running WWII stories or covers in its superhero titles before the war ended. The reason it did so was because it thought kids were suffering war fatigue, didn't want constant war reminders, and its superhero comics would sell better if they turned away from the war. The strategy worked for DC (and other publishers) so its sales sustained the core titles, unlike what happened with Timely's superheros. DC consequently focused on crime and costumed criminals, science fiction, and imaginary themes to keep reader interest. That also worked. So DC's heroes (and some others) had a staying power that Timely/Marvel could not emulate. The end result are comics in the 1950s that are NOT "cool" in the dark and gritty sense of the 1980s. Instead, the DC superhero comics of the 1950s are entertaining, funny, diverting, and very enjoyable so long as you are not looking for any profound meaning or graphic violence. Like Barks' Duck books, they are lighthearted adventures intended to entertain. And they did. Most folks my age first encountered these comics in the Superman, Batman, and Captain Marvel 1930s/1940s to the 1970s books. And reading the Batman and Superman books certainly helped me appreciate how the characters' portrayals changed and the various merits of the different versions. My guess is that DC evolved the characters away from being a gun wielding vigilante and a New Deal liberal crusader against fascism in the US and abroad, and into role models for kids, for good commercial reasons. The fact that the "cool" dark and gritty portrayal of the 1980s helped propel comics into a much smaller and more adult audience than anything seen in the GA when comics were at there distribution heyday may retrospectively vindicate DC's decision back then or it may not. It does not really matter, those 1950s stories were popular and they certainly had a lasting impact on me and others. I still prefer the happy Batman family of the early SA to the hellish Batman dysfunctional family of the modern world. Color me a Ted Lasso and Marvel movie fan, but a little humor, joy, and overall happy endings fall within the spectrum of comic stories I enjoy and appreciate (of course I also loved Miller's Dark Knight and appreciate the dozen or so pre-Robin stories).

Some of the lighter DC back-ups of the 1950s that I've always found enjoyable. "Grittier and dark" just wears me down after a while:

The cover art for DC genre books of the late 1940s and early 1950s was nothing to sneeze at:

True, but rarity can depress prices.

To me superhero’s are pop culture at this point based on looking at box office results. But as to your question, who can say? Batman 1 has been a strong book but the pool of buyers shrinks as prices increase. It takes a lot more resources for a Batman 1 to double in price than a Pep 22. I don’t really “invest” in comics so you can get better answers, but Action1, D27, Superman 1, Batman 1, are all going up most of the time.

You are a tough audience. LoL!

What decline? So many artists peaked in the 1950s. Maybe the best example is Bill Everett! But all the famous EC guys (Kurtzman, Frazetta, Williamson, Krigstein, Craig, etc.) were hitting highs in the late 40s and 50s at EC and elsewhere (DC, Atlas, etc.), DC guys also were hitting highs in the late 40s and 50s such as (Toth, Infantino, etc.). Romance books had incredible art by Baker and Toth others in that time period, PCH had so many interesting artists, War was becoming a genre that mattered, and some of the storytelling innovations used in that time period were literally decades ahead of their time. The SA was a decline in art compared to a lot of what you see in the 50s. And then there were the Ducks. Barks also hit a high point in the late 40s and 50s. And he's on the Mt. Rushmore of Comics as a result. Timeless stories that are still inspiring tv shows today. Superheros never went away. Aside from DC which was constant, Atlas had new titles and a revival in 50s pre-dating the SA, Quality never stopped, Fawcett would not have stopped but for lawsuits, Harvey, Charlton and lots of cool little publishers also put out superhero books. For me, the late 40s to mid-50s was a high point for DC, with a lot of really fun superhero stories featuring the big 3 (Superman, Batman & Robin (who was a solo star)), as well as WW, Green Arrow, Robotman, Vigilante, Shining Knight, Wildcat, Aquaman, etc.).

The 6.5 is the third highest graded copy. The top graded is an 8.5. The 6.5 is a very beautiful book. There are raw copies that likely would grade out higher than the 8.5, so I would not buy the 6.5 thinking it will stay no. 3. But Pep 22 is a rare book, has continuing pop-culture significance, a fantastic WWII cover, and is treasured by collectors. What's not to like about this 6.5 copy? The second highest graded 7.0 ow/w sold for $143K prior to the Pandemic and Promise Collection bounces in prices. A 3.0 hit $66K in 2021 after the bouncing started. I think this 6.5 ow will go north of the 7.0 price easily, despite the slightly lower page quality, but others on this site are better at judging prices than me because they buy, sell and actually might be bidding on a Pep 22.

Wow. That is sharp and detailed! Great art! You should frame it.

How about MM? Don't know that one.

Care to share?

Not mine. But a cool object. And inexpensive.

I'm an outlier when it comes to "cover only" books. For me, a comic can be collectible for a lot of reasons, including a great cover. But there are so many other factors, including great interior art, historic significance, pop culture significance, a notable story or writer, provenance, completing a run, first appearance of character, etc. etc. etc. The most valuable comics have multiple factors - sometimes all of them. I just don't think a "cover only" book ticks enough boxes to warrant some of the prices we saw during the Promise frenzy. Part of the reason why I think this way is that there are a lot of competitors for a comic that is viewed as just a nice piece of cover art. Obvious examples include posters (movie, rock, black light, comic related, etc.), fine art, advertising art, and even objects like pinball machines you can play with: And MANY examples of those alternatives are available for a fraction of the price that issue of Suspense got during the Promise frenzy. I do think the Promise collection brought attention to some really beautiful examples of covers that may have been overlooked. And in some cases, the prices paid for the Promise copy appear to have found significant support from transactions in non-Promise copies. For example, the incredible Mary Marvel 5 cover was unknown to me. Prior to Promise, this 8.5 MM 5 sold in 2018 for $900: Prior to that, the highest prices paid for 8.5s were below $300 - both for the above copy and this one: Things changed during the Promise auction which resulted in some incredible prices for MM issues, including for this perfect 9.6 MM 5 for $21,600 - 9.6 for a black book!: People noticed how cool some of these MM covers were, and after Promise we've seen this non-pedigree 8.5 MM 5 sell for $7,800 - pretty much validating the Promise price: To me, $20K is pretty reasonable for a "cover only" book, and for some folks a copy of MM is more than just the cover as its not an insignificant run. But the price for that Suspense? Seems very high. I like your $35K gut reaction much better than the purchase price of that Suspense. Because if I was going to spend $100K+ on art, instead of comic history, pop culture significance, first appearance of a character, etc., I would be considering whether my money was better spent on buying a bunch of other pieces of art - some of which display a lot better - instead of a comic that doesn't have anything going for it other than its a nice piece of printed art. Having said that: There's nothing rational about buying art - its only worth what people will irrationally pay for it.

You know, I believe that it is not derailing a thread about a person’s passing to discuss the passions and information he wanted to pass along. It instead is evidence of a legacy. When I die nothing would make me happier than if some folks remembered some of my threads and thoughts and gave them some discussion. I like to think I had something helpful, interesting or valuable to say. People die but it’s like a rock thrown ito a pond and the ripples that result. The hope is the ripples are noticed.

Willits was the first fan to ascertain Barks’ identity and get his contact info. He was also the first fan to meet Barks in person. That bound volume was signed at that meeting at Barks’ house. It is a very cool momento of the moment that Barks met his first fan in person - the one who had discovered him. No longer would Barks labor in obscurity with his accomplishments unrecognized. Barks was now on the road to recognition, fame and the validation of being recognized as a “Disney Legend.” A great moment for comic fandom. PS The first fans to talk to Barks, on the phone, were the Spicer brothers. Barks appreciated the fan contact and added a shout out to one of his stories:

And here's an interview of Richard that he sent me. Probably not a surprise to some here that I like comic history. So I was grateful that Richard shared this material with me. I re-read these after reading this thread, it was nice to see the stories again and the posts above by others with more to share. I didn't really know him well, but I'm grateful for his generosity. He emailed me once: "If we ever get the chance to visit, I will tell you some amazing stories." I never did. I really am glad that others who knew him are sharing those stories and that some of them ended up being put down on paper like the interview below. One of the last communications began with the statement "Comics have always been a part of my life, sometimes a large part, and I have been fortunate to be involved at just the right time." Later the discussion turned to a particular issue of Uncle Scrooge in high grade, but hadn't found one for all his efforts. He stated: The juxtaposition of the statement about how he'd been fortunate be involved at just the right time in the 1950s-1960s, and how it was still "just the right time" because great books (like, he hoped, a US 6) found back then would be coming to market is something I found touching. It was a mixture of optimism, delight, maybe a bit of melancholy, but mostly something I'd call wisdom. My sympathies to his family and you folks here who knew him much better than me.

Well, no one knew himself as well as he did. He sent me an article he wrote about Leonard Brown and Malcolm Willits. He clearly was very proud of the association he had with them, although he did not hide that he largely exited their story due to the choices he made to pursue his academic and professional pursuits. He sent me this article he wrote about them:

Richard and I started corresponding a bit when I sold him a copy of FC456, which I gathered was his favorite book. It was a census topping copy and he was concerned enough about the book that he offered to fly my wife and I to New Orleans so I could personally deliver the book and hang out with him at his house. I regret turning down his offer but I was busy with cases. Richard was kind enough to share with me stories and information about his early days of collecting. I am grateful for his generosity. In one of our exchanges he posted something I feel compelled to share: ------------------------------------- Richard, I am just curious if you bought, or know who bought, the Barks bound volume inscribed to Malcolm Willits. I don't want to harass the owner or seek to buy it, but I am curious if it found a good home. I know you love ducks, and that bound volume is, in my opinion, an important historical document that deserves to be owned by a true duck lover. On the off chance you don't know what I'm referring to, this is a link. https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/humor/dell-giant-comics-bound-volume-signed-by-carl-barks-dell-1949-51-/a/122049-11117.s?type=lotlink--bidnotice-tracked-dailystatus Hope you are happy and healthy! Stay safe. Alec ————————————— Alec, I did not buy the volume, and neither of the two major duck collectors I talk with most frequently didn't buy it either. However, I think the bidding was strong enough that it went to a collector who will treasure it. Mal did write me in early 2020 and say that he had decided to stop going to doctors and taking his meds because he had had enough. He died a few months later and I think of his handwritten letter to me as a sad but important piece of comic history. Leonard Brown and I had a mail-order comic business. When I didn't want to open a store with Leonard, he found Mal and they opened Collectors Book Store in 1964. The three of us would have lunch together when I visited my parents at Christmas in Long Beach. I visited Leonard for a week before he died, and Mal joined us one day and I treasure the picture Leonard's wife took of the three of us as it was the last time we were all together. We liked to think that we were one of the driving forces in developing the rare comic business in Southern California. Now they have both died and I am 76 and when my time comes, it will mark the end of an important chapter in the history of our hobby. Take Care, Richard