AJD

That's right - the books would have gone to landfill. There's no way they would be there 40 years later. In fact, it's possible that many books were thrown out. Half of the basement was empty, and there are hints in the books that were in the collection Chuck bought that there had been others - including funny animals and other titles.

Do you recall what his answers to the first were? I don't remember reading that, though I do know he was on the record saying that the 'divorce period' stories were especially inspired. That would be around 1950-51, so would include Old California, Shacktown, Golden Helmet and most of the classic ten pagers we've mentioned.

That would be cool, but no. Prediction: Harry Lime will want to know if he eats the dog. (AJD's safety tip of the day: if you eat Lassie, don't eat her liver. Douglas Mawson can explain. His mate Xavier Mertz could too, except that he ate a dog's liver.)

I've picked up a few 'odds and ends' Australian comics lately. I grabbed this one because it is very unusual for an Australian book in having the Dell logo. I'm only aware of two Lassie books with it. I love Dells, and it was cheap... My first thought was that the Dell logo just got copied across with the art, but a comparison with the US edition suggests not. The original Dell painted cover has been redrawn (very well) as line work for the Australian version: It's amazing how many things that are amenable to doggie intervention (and commentary) happen to people in Lassie stories!

Yes, the unrolling of the balls of string was genius, and allows Barks to show off his knowledge of Africa from the National Geographic!

I bought an Australian reprint of that story when visiting Melbourne with my mum in 1969 (aged 6). I was completely taken by the story and must have read it 50 times. I still recall laughing at the little diamond chipped bluejays!

That one almost made my top 5 ten pagers list. It's in WDC&S 144. While looking that up, I came across a few other excellent ten page stories - flippism, Gyro's trained worms, think boxes for animals, Maharajah of Howdoyoustan... the list goes on.

Yes, Gilded Man and Golden Helmet could just as easily been in my top 5 too. The 'Omelet' story is the one I called 'chicken farmer'. An all-time classic, and apparently based on Barks' own experience at raising chickens.

Off the top of my head... five of each main type. Long stories: Shacktown, Luck of the North, Golden Fleecing, Tralala, Lost in the Andes 10 pagers: quiz show, chicken farmer, tornado hits money bin, bing! you're hypnotized, new year's resolutions (the skiing one) I'm sure I could add a lot more...

That book would give me no pleasure to own in that state. I'd either sell it or have it restored. That said, you own it, not me. If your feeling is to leave it as is, that's what you should do.

Anyway, there's always another rainbow to chase. Here's my first Australian edition of a Blue Bolt. There are only four Australian issues (that are known), and they seem to be drawn from the second half of the Star Publications run. Covers by L. B. Cole and Wolverton. You can see the Australian issues 2, 3 and 4 here and #1 here. This #4 has a very cool cover that I think must have been redrawn locally from the interior story, because it seems to be an Australian unique cover. Here's the page the main figures came from. Here's another interior page. The close-up dialogue panel is kind of cool.

For 'reference purposes' here's a beautiful copy of a book you can't find a beater copy of... Can't say I blame you though - that is a really pretty book. If it ever needs a new home...

Yup.

Just added this Fawcett book to my war bonds cover collection. It's a bit of cheat since the war bonds ad isn't worked into the cover art, but it's pretty prominent, so near enough. And there's an ad for paper drives on the first page - probably dooming some golden age comic books to oblivion! The luminaries of the Fawcett editorial advisory board are pretty cool too! I REALLY wish I could find a Funny Animals #6, which has a full on war bonds cover. But I've been looking for that book for five years now, without any luck.

You can see why they changed this bummer of a cover...

Happy birthday from across the Pacific, where it's already the 5th.

In my experience they often sell low too. The first time I got an accurately graded book from them I was disappointed!

Hi @Harry Lime The aliens are just bystanders. The story cuts away at the end to an alien schoolteacher explaining that's why the solar system now has only six planets. (Pluto hadn't been shown the door back then.) The thing that gets me about it is why have a laboured scientific "explanation" as a key part of the story - and get it completely wrong? (And, yes, I was once and hope to be again a lecturer in physics.)

Harsh.

Pretty sure there's an EC story along those lines, but I wouldn't know which sci-fi title to look in, and the titles aren't descriptive enough to search for it.