comicnoir

The romances went up in the guide last year, reflecting whats been going on for awhile. I used to get Bakers for guide or a little over from the same dealer who's asking 8X for beater copies. You're right, they've been "hot" for some time, now some are trying to take advantage. I've never seen prices like these before. My point is, don't encourage this. and wait for the right price.

I was at a con on the weekend where a dealer had many Bakers in low grade that he was asking a lot of money for. Here's a beauty I picked up online for $80.00. Don't overpay for these comics just because they're "hot".

Double cover!! Sweet.

Ditto that! The book wasn't even discovered until a few years ago... Another toughy is Romance and Confession Stories #1, squarebound one-shot. As usual the D copy is the best I've seen.

My copy of one that has appeared before.

I see it on Comicconnect along with a big collection of romance. A few nice Bakers.

I think Joanna has a copy. I just want a copy. Joanna has a copy of #1, but no #2. However, with her talent for turning up scarce Bakers, it shouldn't be long before she finds one! I'm surprised she hasn't found it already... #2-The only non-Baker line drawing St.John romance cover.

I think Joanna has a copy. I just want a copy.

Ditto that! The book wasn't even discovered until a few years ago... I saw a copy on ebay a year or so ago- bid on it and lost. There's the D copy and Michelle's copy she showed in her CBM article. That's it that I've seen. Incidentally I think Michelle and Dan Stevenson are owed a debt of gratitude for discovering lost and forgotten comics from the late 40's and 50's that had previously gone undocumented. More stuff to look out for.

I've seen a few copies of the Giant Comics Edition12, all in low grade. Does anyone remember the Jacquet copy, cgc 8.0, on ebay a few years ago? Went for $6000.00. Seems a steal considering 2.0 copies get over $1200. Cinderella Loves are tough, late Teen-age Romances and some in the teens. I'm always looking for a 17 and 42. Diary Secrets digests don't show up. John Benson's book on Archer St.John, considers them the scarcest. Personally, I think the Diary Secrets 25center nn, first brought to attention by Michelle Nolan in CBM, is phenomenonally tough. Wasn't even in Overstreet before then. Guides for $950.00, up from $825.00 in 08. Tied with GCE15 for 2nd place as most valuable St.John. D copy went nuts on Heritage! That's my vote.

Gorgeous cover, perhaps my favorite Diary Secrets cover. I have a CGC 5.0 copy. (Your copy looks pretty nice, too.) But the toughest DS issue, in my experience, is 13. I've only ever seen two copies. The dealer graded it 7.5. maybe it's 7.0. I think there was a DS13 posted earlier, but I've never held one.

A tough one to find in ANY grade.

Teen-age Romances #13- Crippen copy

There is a Canadian variant I use to own with a Wally Wood comic insert instead of the Kubert. Wish I still had it.

I briefly owned a Canadian edition of Phantom Lady17 with all the interior but a hideous cover- so I got rid of it. At least I got to read the comic before it went away.

Thnx for the great comments. I brought my TLP11, after picking it up on ebay, to show my friend Steve at a con. I also brought some comics to trade and sell to Harley Yee. Planets, Marvel superhero- nice stuff. After Harley caught a glimpse of the TLP at the bottom of my case- which I wasn't going to show- he shoved the other comics aside and said "what's this?", immediately wanting to purchase. I said no and he disgruntedly did a deal for the others. I went over to see Steve and a crowd including Roy, who had just bought a JIM83. Steve said bring out the Baker. Everybody stopped and oohed and aaahed. Another copy from the same seller showed up on ebay next week and Roy lucked out- I'd been looking for a nice one for years. I'm also the artist who did the Superman/Baker homage on pg. 8. I'm working on another one. As for the comicconnect PR17 going for $750.00, last year I was an underbidder on a raw 9.0 that went for $600.00. Much nicer than the slabbed 7.0. Oh well.

Thnx Jo and Roy for the warm welcome. I wish I could have met Ray and done an interview. I've toyed with the idea of a Matt Baker movie screenplay, but there is too little known. Ray would be an excellent device for bringing us into Matt's world, Baker being a man of the world and Ray being the eager pupil. Their friendship sounds unique and a perfect symbol for our multi- cultural times.

I'm new to the boards but I have a little insight as far as Baker's last days. Ray Osrin was Baker's favorite inker and a friend. Ray was younger and they first met when Ray showed up at the Iger shop looking for work. Matt saw his talent and nutured, him getting him work doing production art and finally inking. He also helped socialize Ray who was awkward around women and such. In an interview Ray said Matt got increasingly sicker and would pass out on occasion, in public. When St.John's collapsed Ray moved away and did political catooning for a newspaper. He had lost contact with Matt and when he heard of his death was unable to attend his funeral as he couldn't afford the travel, something that always haunted him. Apparently, in his later years, Ray would only rush to the phone when he heard the name "Matt Baker". Ray Osrin died in 2001.