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50YrsCollctngCmcs
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Posts posted by 50YrsCollctngCmcs
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On 5/30/2023 at 2:02 AM, BitterOldMan said:
You can use your phone, highlight the text and translate to English or other languages. This feature has been around a really long time.
Yes that is easy enough to do but I couldn't find clues to the company name with Google translate. I suspect it may be the circular mark in the lower right. I wonder if I can cut out that portion of the image and do a search on that somehow?
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I picked up this awesome unlicensed and unused package for some kind of children's rice treat at a Tokyo flea market. Wish I could figure out what year this was made but I think I would need to read Japanese to do that to research the company. MIckey and Donald must have been beloved figures here and I wonder if the back is a take off on Babar. And who is on that flag Donald is waving!!
- tth2, Point Five, dikran and 2 others
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Regrettably I only got the chance to meet Rich in person one time; but it was quite memorable. Rich had made arrangements to be in California to appraise some Outcault artwork from one of his descendants. He was accompanied by his wife Gayle and the board’s own TB. Knowing Rich was a big fan of the Disney parks and having just finished working on the development of the Carthay Circle restaurant in Disney’s California Adventure I made arrangements for a lunch meeting in the restaurant. Rich would also get to visit Disneyland on this trip which he was looking forward to with great anticipation.
Our lunch was quite memorable. Having befriended the restaurant general manager during construction I was able to have us sit in one of the two private rooms for lunch. The Carthay Circle restaurant is also a wonderful homage to Disney being modeled off the theater where Snow White had premiered and contained at that time quite a few artifacts related to that movie.
Rich was also quite pleased on perusing the menu to find that the restaurant featured wines from the Fess Parker vineyard; having been a big fan of Davy Crocket. He ordered a nice bottle for us all to share to commemorate the occasion.
Lunch was a grand affair and Rich regaled us with tales of his Outcault appraisal. I was very happy to have finally had the chance to meet Rich, his wife Gayle and TB and to be able to share this wonderful time in a place of such happy memories for Rich. I’ve scoured my computer for a picture of that meeting but cannot find it which is a shame. Regardless, it is a memory that will always stay with me.
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On 5/10/2023 at 1:00 AM, sagii said:Very sad to hear this
Richard would send me the pins annually like others here as well. We would often PM about Looney tunes comics and cartoons. He had a great collection of the early period of the run. He would remark to me how (but that isn't the case any more as prices have risen) the comics seemed 'undervalued' given the longevity and iconic status of the characters.
My favorite Rich story. He once PM'd me a picture of a very early Dell Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies Comics subscription card. He said it belonged to a friend, but thought i'd appreciate it, and could share the image on the Boards just don't name him as the source. I was floored and couldn't get the thing out of my head. I waited a few days and said to him, if his friend ever wanted to sell, let me know. He said he didn't think that would happen but would let him know, so i thanked him and let it be.
Fast forward years later after i acquired other LT&MM subscription cards, that one came back into mind. It seemed earlier than the ones i had (maybe the first?) and I just had to have it after not seeing even one example ever having popped up on eBay in that time.
I reached out to Richard again, asking about the friend and that card, He said it was so long ago, and could not recall that conversation unfortunately. I said it's fine, was just a long shot but appreciated his time.
A little over a week later, a package from Richard arrived in the mail. I was expecting another one of his beautiful pins to add to my collection. I was stunned at what was inside. It will remain in the collection for the rest of my collecting days. There was note, which i won't share here, but needless to say it one of the few times i've ever shed a tear.
I will never forget the knowledge and anecdotes you have shared with me over the years Richard .
Rest in Peace Yellow Kid
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Rich and I were both big fans of the entire Dell comics line. Besides the Yellow Kid he was also a big fan of Little Orphan Annie and I would occasionally pick up a Dell comic or a reprint volume featuring her stories. Rich knew them all and would tell me which ones to look out for in the comic strip continuity. He was one of the few on the boards who appreciated my interest in all things Dell. We would even discuss the evolution of the Dell logo and Rich of course had every book featuring the obscure horse logo.
As for Looney Tunes Rich always told me that while Leonard's store had high grade copies of all the early Disney comics that he never could find high grade early issues of Looney Tunes. So it is likely they are much rarer than their contemporary Disney books. When I got the book below for a bargain price Rich was pleased and reminded me again how infrequently one sees these early issues. Looking at the book below I just realized we never discussed the "L&M comics" logo!!
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On 5/9/2023 at 4:46 AM, Robot Man said:I don’t know how “rich” or “famous” he was, but this might be what you are talking about.
I don’t really know how truly close him and Rich actually were. I think he was a little envious of Leonard and Malcolm’s relationship.
That's the one. There is a classic image of Carl Barks standing in front of Malcolm's 1930's era Cadillac which may be the one pictured here in the video. Malcolm was the first collector to have been able to dig up Carl Barks' identity as I recall and have him come over to visit. Later there was also a famous visit with both Carl Barks and Floyd Gottfredson that was documented in a sales brochure for their paintings as I recall. I have a few of those somewhere. I believe Malcolm's house was off Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena; colloquially know as Millionaire's Row as that's who lived there back in the early 1900's. It's still a pretty swank area though the estates have now been converted to luxury townhome developments.
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On 5/8/2023 at 12:38 AM, sfcityduck said:
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:
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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.
Hope you are happy and healthy! Stay safe.
Alec
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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
I remember that auction and I think Rich and I corresponded about it because it was such a unique item and featured such wonderful Barks comics. I've no idea who won that auction but it is certainly a treasure!!
- sfcityduck and Flex Mentallo
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On 5/8/2023 at 10:26 AM, sfcityduck said:
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:
Rich shared some very interesting stories about Malcolm Willits and Rick Durrell; suffice to say some better not told. One interesting story though is that Malcolm was apparently featured on a cable program (Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous perhaps) that showed off his house and collections. It would be really fascinating to get a copy of that show.
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Rich and I shared a love of the Carl Barks one shot Four Color books. We both were particularly enamored with Frozen Gold. When I first met Rich on the boards I was still in pursuit of a nice copy and had been on the hunt for something like forty years! Rich loved sharing a story of how he scored his first copy in the basement of a used book store on Colorado Avenue in Pasadena. Since I lived in the Pasadena area that story always had a special resonance for me as I had always haunted used bookstores since I was a kid back in New Jersey.
I was finally able to obtain my copy of Frozen Gold a number of years ago and Rich was the first person I reached out to to share the good news. He really understood what it meant to look for these grails and then finally land them!
I’m pretty sure that’s why he branched out into the world of Yellow Kid pinbacks. They were such a hard to find commodity and he not only loved the hunt but also the documentation of his finds for research purposes. Since my Grandmother was the daughter of Irish immigrants settling in New York in the late 1800’s we would discuss the historical aspect of the pins in the context of the Irish immigration.
Here’s my copy of Four Color #62!!
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While I have a number of great memories to share of Rich I will start with one that had nothing to do with comics. When my son was finishing high school we were working on his college applications and considering a variety of schools. I had mentioned this to Rich in an e-mail and we started discussing various options for my son. Rich suggested we visit his alma mater the University of Redlands which hadn’t been on our radar and went so far as to arrange a meeting with the school for us.
I was really impressed with the school and our meeting and thought it would be a really great match for my son. Rich’s influence also resulted in a very nice scholarship offer from the school that really would have helped out. My wife son and I visited the school for a prospect’s orientation day. Since I knew Rich had played on the basketball team I went to see if there were any mementos of his time in the school gym. Lo and behold I saw the picture below on the wall and recognized Rich as probably being the player in the center of the upper row. I sent the photo to Rich and he confirmed it!
Alas, my son had other ideas about where to go college and after an interesting college journey is graduating in a couple of weeks from the University of San Francisco. I will always be grateful to Rich for his efforts in assisting my son in gaining admission at his alma mater even though he did not attend.
- BuscemasAvengers, Ltpink2002, AJD and 19 others
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I've some very sad news to share; Richard Olson (Yellow Kid) passed away last Sunday close to his home in Mississippi after battling ongoing health issues. His wife Gayle of 54 years was with him that day. As many know Rich was a very early collector of comics in the Southern California area and good friends with back issue retailing pioneer Leonard Brown. In fact he partnered with him in his earliest forays into buying old comics for resale; posting notices in grocery stores in the early 1960’s.
Leonard wanted Rich to join him in opening Collector's Book store in Hollywood but Rich chose a different career path and pursued a science degree at the University of Redlands in Redlands California. He eventually chose an academic career settling in the New Orleans area and retiring at his beloved Red Oak ranch in Mississippi.
For those of us who got to know him on the boards; Rich was not only a great source of early comics collecting history but also a generous soul willing to reach out to those sharing his love of the medium. I am sure there are many wonderful stories about Rich from various members on these boards and this would a wonderful place to share them.
- Randall Dowling, LDarkseid1, Bird and 49 others
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Those last two covers featuring "Holy Moley" lead-offs got me wondering what the origin of that phrase was and if it was an invention of the Marvel family of comics or something else. A co-worker used to say it all the time but he was way too young to know who Captain Marvel even was.
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On 4/30/2023 at 1:50 PM, blackterror said:
https://www.facebook.com/excitingcomics1/photos/a.1558223771089769/2464766097102194/
Superman! He's not a Sissy or a Cream Puff! This wonderful cover from 1944 is so creative and under appreciated.
I love how the title is essential to the cover art as it ties into the Circus High Striker.
If the title were removed the cover art would actually be incomplete.
Can you think of another comic that combines the cover title with the cover art?
That is a great cover. I remember seeing this issue at a SDCC a long time back and being struck by it but honestly I didn't notice the integration of the logo at the time. There must be other books like this but nothing springs to mind right away. DC did some fun graphic titles in the forties with interesting patterns repeating on the cover but I can't think of another integrated logo!!
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On 4/26/2023 at 3:27 AM, ttecwaf said:
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Awesome to know we are going to get to see more great books in this form! Can't wait to wade through!
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A Masterful Journey! Thanks for posting all of these; great covers and those early issues are a treat to see. Those and some of the early DC comics are never seen.
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On 4/16/2023 at 12:31 PM, ttecwaf said:
The first 6 issues were bigger. First three were 15 cents. Sneak preview inside Master Comics #2 showing text. Hope this answers your question.
Thank you; yes that explains it. Though I thought with them advertising the "Giant Type" it would be bigger than shown!!
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Aren't these early issues bigger? Also, how big is that easy to read Giant Type? Can you take a picture of that?
Thanks for the long masterful journey!
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On 4/13/2023 at 5:45 AM, sfcityduck said:
I always assumed the EC logo was a copy of the DC 1940s bullet, but I also thought that those logos were copied from railroads who used round logos because of the engines:
Very likely; I wonder if the Southern had a train that ran up into Pennsylvania Station. That's where they would have seen the logo or in ads in the papers. My brother and I were train buffs and one day in either the late sixties or early seventies we went down into the lower tracks of Grand Central and got to see a big New Haven Engine pull out of there. The New Haven line had a great orange and white color scheme on their engines. Besides the majesty of that engine's style I remember the tremendous clouds of billowing black diesel exhaust it spewed as the engine moved out!! Cough cough!
I was also lucky enough to ride behind the glorious GG1 engine when I would head home from college on weekends. It was the end of the line for that engine from the early 1930's a masterpiece of design.
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While I thought the fold in was brilliant it was his "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions" that my brother and I really loved. Reading those books gave me an appreciation for that type of humor and would get me in trouble as a younger man when I didn't have as much of a filter as these days.
Now I may think of those retorts but often think twice before saying them though the temptation is great. I hope as an elder man someday that filter goes away again and I'll let some witty retorts fly!!
- steveinthecity, KirbyJack, Black Bat and 1 other
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I recall being down in the New York City subways in the early seventies and walking by an underground newsstand that had TOP Comics on display hung from clothing pins. So that practice of hanging books went on for a long time. I remember thinking it was odd that they had those TOP comics for sale since they were already pretty old at that point; but lots of weird stuff dealing with distribution went on in NYC and the surrounding areas back then.
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On 4/3/2023 at 5:50 AM, ttecwaf said:
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I love how those thick 64 page books stack up together!
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On 3/27/2023 at 11:26 AM, Robot Man said:
Yeah, Friday seemed pretty quiet. I spoke to a few boardies and friends and it seemed most were there for one big book. A dealer that had it, might have done well. But if not, sales seemed light.
I was also looking for a special book but no avail. I just spread my spending around several dealers I liked on checking off a few cool want list books and upgrading. I brought a large wad of cash as well as my cards. I came home with 2/3’s of my cash and didn’t need the cards.
I went back on Sat with my son in law and my two grandaughters. Got there about an hour after opening. We parked in the venue lot and walked right in to get my son in law’s pass. It seems like not long ago it was online ticketing only and sold out.
Seemed a little busier but we had no trouble walking around.
Yeah, the guys with the big price stickers from WA looked like they wanted to make their show with just a few sales. Prices were so high, I just didn’t even want to try and make an offer. I understand paying up even a bit hard if you really want the book, but even though they had a couple of interest to me, I just didn’t want them bad enough.
Hey, had a fun local weekend. Got a nice little pile without all the crowds and expense of SDCC. And watching my grandaughters at their first con made it all worth while.
Wow, it sounds like Wonder Con has changed quite a bit. I have been going to this show for about fifteen years from the Moscone days. When it shifted to Anaheim under Comic Con it changed a bit but was still fun and being a local took the hassles of travel out of the equation (though going to SF for a day was always fun.) The last few years I was there pre-Covid the dealer's area got pretty slim and my buddy and I would spend half our time enjoying lunch and a beer and talking comics.
Some of those early Moscone shows were really fun with some interesting dealers who had some nice inventory. Sure miss those days.
As for pricing I've been watching the insanity of the Heritage auctions and things are literally going for twice what I think they are worth and maybe more. The number on the slab driving the pricing more than the intrinsic value of the book in hand. Sure smells like another bubble for high grade second and third tier books.
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On 3/14/2023 at 12:37 AM, Robot Man said:
Next week is the LA paperback show. Tons of PBs, pulps and a few comics. As well as other paper ephemera. And the week after that is WonderCon. I love March in LA. I just get “junk drunk”…
Damn I miss those shows! There is a gigantic Anime festival in Tokyo March 25th and while I don't know all the characters I think I will head over to check out the action. Lots of cosplaying and bound to be lots of other sights to see. But I sure am missing the smell of pulpy paper these days!
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On 3/7/2023 at 8:26 PM, DavideD said:Here an early DD... nice album with many Fantasia production pictures.
This is a really fun early Four Color. I was very lucky to have found one at a flea market as a kid for all of a quarter. I still own it and it was for many years the earliest comic in my collection. A great book and it along with Phantom Blot and Dumbo one of the great initial Disney Four Colors.
- AJD, Badger, Bigphatpaulie and 2 others
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Awesome books illustrating how the publishers were throwing anything at the wall to see what would stick! Hydroman and Zip Jet are my favorites here but bonus points to Captain Red Cross for his flask of plasma!
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Show Us Your Ducks!
in Golden Age Comic Books
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I'm curious if these pieces are pre or post war. I bet the piece above is pre-war but I'm not sure on the piece I have. The Imperial war powers would have frowned on the use of American imagery at some point in the 1930's as they became more repressive. After the war there was a boom in American looking products as the Japanese struggled to rebuild the economy under occupation forces. I've been on the hunt for iconic imagery from that time but it seems hard to come by or I don't know where to look. I've found one bookstore with a healthy supply of old movie magazines from the sixties. Bright red was a staple color cover!!