50YrsCollctngCmcs

Do you really expect him to let loose with that information? The only reason he has to reveal it would be if he does NOT have multiple high grade copies. Otherwise, one can infer the alternative from any silence. It goes back to tth's point. It's a huge amount of HG Ducks coming to market at one time. I'll be watching to see how they do. Hi, I've been catching up on this thread and reading comments from some of the more opinionated posters on this issue. I would like to acquire an issue or two (or three) of those amazing High Grade WDCS books that Heritage has coming up. Obviously it will take multiples of guide to win those higher grade examples but like anyone who will be bidding, the dilemma is fearing that other high grade books from Geppis collection (or this mystery collector with the warehouse) will release others into the market IF indeed there are others. A couple of questions, has there been a list complied (I know that Moondog mentioned that he would post a list, was this ever posted) ? And regardless of the multiples of these books, what is the opinion of those out there whether the ones listed now at Heritage are the highest OR are the highest examples being held until the lower grade ones sell (which makes the most sense for the owner(s) of these high grade books as to max-out, dollar wise …. i.e. sell the 9.2’s first while they are the current highest and then wait a few auctions, grade the better batch next and then sell those 9.4’s which would then be the highest). Appreciate any thoughts on this …Thanks, Hank Hi GAFan, Great to hear from other people who enjoy these books. The February auction is a great opportunity, my message is just to factor in some risk. There are uncertainties about the supply of high grade Dell books that don't seem to apply to most other areas of GA comics. In his most recent market report, Bob Overstreet wrote about how the sudden influx of warehouse finds can affect the market significantly. In the same article, he mentioned how two copies of FC 386 sold for over $25,000 each. Unfortunately, he left out the paragraph about the known quantities of Poughkeepsie and other file copies by mistake. I am sure it will be corrected in the new guide. Thanks ttg2 and tb for the valuable input. While I love high grade condition Golden/Atom age books, and just wanted to add a couple of Ducks to my collection of GA high grade Bats and Supes collection to round it out, it sounds like I better just pick one example that tickles my fancy and stick to my max bid as it sounds like a risk buying these, especially the multiples of guide they will fetch come auction day and the unknown quanties that are yet to be slabbed. Worst thing for any collector is being blinded by pereceived rarity and spending multiples, say $2000 for example, on a 'current' highest graded example of a book that lists in Overstreet for $400 and a year later or two, others are slabbed that are equal or better than my copy. Then that $2000 will never be seen again. - HANK Lots of commentary on the sources and extant of the file copies. Have there been any previous threads dealing with that, where they came from, who got them, where they might be today? I could see where Western could have easily kept an extensive library for many years. They were making a lot of money on these books for a long time and keeping the institutional memory alive is a part of any organization. Only two years ago, my own company (large multi-national entertainment company who you all know) got around to shredding a warehouse full of blueprints that had been in storage for up to five decades. The original pencil-drawn vellums were put into long term storage but we spent a small fortune storing blueprints for many decades. Of course the advent of computer storage of this data had a lot to do with the ability to dispose of blueprints. I have a great photo I took of the storage facility which looks like a small version of the Indy storage facility. Alas it is now gone! Anyway, I could see those file copies lasting at Western into the late seventies or eighties when the comic division finally had expired. Since Western was into so much material does anyone know if a similar situation exists for their other material, playing cards, puzzles, toys etc?

I was showing my daughter my duck collection last weekend and I have a nice copy of the 27 too. The color gradation on the book really caught my eye and I wondered how they did that. That is common today with computers but back in the fifties when this came out that would have been a labor intensive effort. I guess that is why Dell comics are Good comics!

it's not that bizarre - it's just a full nelson. "Bizarre" would be try try to apply a full nelson to a surly gorilla. Not as bizarre as applying that full nelson to a surly Gorilla wearing Sunglasses!!

Nice pick up! I've always wondered whether anyone has ever tried to return a copy to the editorial dept in Racine, WI? If you are looking to make that return in Racine here are pictures of the old offices! Western moved out a long time ago though so good luck on delivery!

Great books! Where is Joe Simon signing? He is getting up there in age these days. I had him sign my Brother Power the Geek once, nice guy.

A nice original edition reading copy of an old Classic Comics. The back cover highlights the next issue. Some great and funky artwork in these early issues. I always wanted one of the original "Classic Comics" as opposed to the later "Classics Illustrated" and this is my first courtesy of E-Bay's RedMelvin (aka the Dentist.)

I woner if Geoff Jones would be interested in researching those records, he put a lot of time into research for his DC book. Didn't Max Gaines get started with Eastern as a salesman? I believe I met Iger as a kid at one of Seuling's shows in New York. A short guy as I recall, I think I might have got an autograph.

Jay, I assume you are reading Alter-Ego, volumes and volumes of history in each issue and back issues are available at cover price. Most issues are themed so you can pick a subject you want to read about. I highly recommend reading this fanzine. If you have never read Steranko's History of Comics you owe it to yourself to read both of those volumes too. Frank

Great thread! One of the best panels I attended in recent years was Mark Evanier's interview with Gerald Jones at WonderCon in 2007. While there were no new disclosures not revealed in his book, Men of Tomorrow; it made you realize how far a little dedicated research could go in sorting out the mysteries of the Golden Age. Recently we have seen the estate sale of Carl Barks which shed some interesting light on his work and his surroundings. I would suspect we might see other estate sales involving the paper ephemera of artists; including their journals of work performed for a variety of publishers. If only someone had kept a diary! That would be quite a find.

Who is the mystery collector with the warehouse full of pallets of early Dell and Harvey file copies? Must be nice!

If any of you are into podcast go listen to the latest Golden Age of Comics podcast. It is the Christmas edition and features Barks' Christmas on Bear Mountain! Which I note was the first Barks book in this thread!

Wow, interesting thanks. I recall seeing that cover being reprinted at one point in the Buyer's Guide, probably in the Thompson's column in that publication, "Beautiful Balloons."

Thanks! Is anyone on these boards familiar with the early work done by Don and Maggie Thompson in investigating the Four Color series? I believe they were the first to figure out the publishing schedule or at least write about it in early fanzines. I would be curious if anyone knows where they first published their research. I have some late sixties issues of their fanzine Newfangles but I think that was after they had published the Color / Four Color information. Also, does anyone know the story behind the various Dell / Western Publishing file copies? Finally, some of you Four Color fans might get a kick out of the following pictures, which I snapped in Racine Wisconsin a few years back. I detoured over there on the way to Millwaukee and asked a postman if he knew where the old Western Publishing building was and sure enough he gave me good directions. These were the Racine headquarters of Western Publishing although they also had offices in New York city, Los Angeles and I believe Poughkeepsie, NY. Enjoy, and if anyone has any good Western Publishing stories, please share or point me to them on the boards.

A win from the last Clink auction arrived this week. I have been looking for this book since the 70's so it was nice to finely snag a decent copy. It is a CGC 7.0 but I rescued it from it's plastic cell and let it out to run free! Great backup story with Dumbo and the Seven Dwarfs. Funny how Thumper meets the Seven Dwarfs came out prior to this book's release. Makes you wonder who thought up that early team up!!

Can anyone point out what post had the last tally on this thread. I have some older four colors I could post but don't want to repeat anything.

Mike, Welcome! Is that a Terror on the River file copy duck peeking out of your icon?? Frank

Hey Jay, hope all is well. Mike and I still talk about that Encounter dinner, too much fun. Next dinner we should set a goal of getting a picture of 100 books together in one place!!

Yes, those early Nationals seem pretty pricey. I first got turned onto these stories when reading the DC 100 pagers of the early 70's which would reprint some of the Quality tales. I really dug Kid Eternity and just picked up my first issues earlier this year. There is a picture of that a few pages back in this thread on the table at the SoCal Forum dinner. Has anyone ever published the story behind that DC buyout of Quality, I would like to read that someday.

Wow, what I find so fascinating about this shot is how long Dollman was an ongoing feature. What was his run in years? I have picked up a few Quality books over the last year from the Crippen collection and they have a nice feel to them, almost but not quite a DC. It is also interesting to observe how Dollman was featured at a larger scale on some of those issues and then became more diminutive and finally dissapearing at the end of the run. Makes you wonder what editorial decisions drove that, although similar decisions were being made on the later issues of Green Lantern, Flash and other hero books. Great collection, I am looking to pick up a National or Uncle Sam one of these days, any suggestions there?

Those remaindered books is how I started collecting comics. We used to go to a flea market on Saturday mornings, Englishtown Auction Sales in New Jersey. They had regular indoor vendors and transient vendors at tables outside. One of the vendors inside sold back issue magazines and paperbacks. But I could care less about that as the biggest attraction to me were the stacks of remaindered comics which I think sold for a nickel. My brother and I managed to talk our Dad into spending a quarter each week and we got hooked on Harveys! That stand was there well into the early seventies as I vividly remember some guys buying Supermans in the 230's to 240's which is about when I started to get into him. That's also the time I became conscience of collecting and I no longer wanted comics missing their covers! Lots of great back issue buys outside but that isn't this thread.

I'm not sure if this has been posted yet or not, but a fun San Diego buy from a number of years ago.