BOOT

This isn't a particularly attractive Christmas giveaway, but it does have one of the weirdest clowns you will ever see - ZIMBO! His nose is a balloon, but the string hanging from it makes it look like it is constantly running. Figured this thread could use a bump this time of year...

Great book! I rotated the pic so I didn't have to strain my neck looking at it...

I used to not see what all the fuss was about Matt Baker... Seeing covers like these completely opened my eyes. Thanks for posting these!

Thanks for posting these. Great comics!

PANTOMIME Part 3

PANTOMIME Part 2

Recently picked up this comic book - PANTOMIME by Alfred Crowquill. (AS IT WAS, IS, AND WILL BE...TO BE PLAYED AT HOME) This was published in 1849 by J. Harwood of London. It was printed by Standedge & Company. The booklet measures 6" by 10 1/8" in an oblong format, about the size of a standard comic book. It is printed on heavy paper, with heavier card stock covers. Every page is hand colored. "Alfred Crowquill" was the pen name of Alfred Henry Forrester. He was an English author and artist who lived from 1804-1872. According to Wikipedia he wrote and illustrated many types of stories. This is the only copy of this I have ever seen. There seems to be no mention of this in any comic reference book, and very little mention online. Harvard has a set of Crowquill's originals for another version of Pantomime that can be viewed here. Though these originals show a different version, they contain many of the same elements of the printed comic. PANTOMIME contains a single complete comic story. As I read this, I was amazed to see how this simple, silly tale contains many elements of later comic books: This shows love and lust, double entendres, gratuitous violence, comic mayhem, and the struggle between good and evil. It shows transformation of the main characters into costumed alter egos. Harlequin not only has a costume, but a mask, and a magic bat that grants him amazing powers. His nemesis, Clown, seems like an obvious precursor to the Joker. Like the Joker, the Clown "shows a great contempt for constituted authorities, and receives much applause." The comic does not take itself seriously and pokes fun at itself, ending with... Struck by how similar these characters and their adventures were to many Golden Age comic books, I checked out the history of the Harlequin. A whole genre of British theatre called the Harlequinade featured the stylized adventures of the characters of the Harlequin and the Clown. These plays were popular between the 17th and late 19th centuries. Harlequinade at Wikipedia The characters of the Harlequinade were derived in part from the earlier Commedia dell'arte, a stylized form of street theatre developed in Italy in the 16th century. Commedia dell'arte at Wikipedia Commedia dell'arte at Wikipedia - I hope this group of the savvy collectors enjoys seeing this fascinating link to the cultural antecedents of modern comic books. It's interesting to think how superheroes reflect archetypes from much older periods in human history! Blue Fire! Happy Lovers _ Everybody gets upon everybodies shoulders. Curtain falls. Until next issue...

Different cover art. Is the interior art different as well? Yes, the interior art is all different!

It is pretty slick! I couldn't find any name.

Recently found this weird magazine sized publication. Has some text and photo features, but has several comic stories in it. Black and white, but the art has a certain attraction... Sorry for blurry camera pics - too big to easily scan.

A few cat covers spanning the comic ages. Please excuse the modern indie - not Gold but a great glow in the dark cat cover...

This is the only cover you posted where the cat isn't the victim! What was up with St. John? One starts to feel sorry for the cats! ;-) Some seriously great comics! Love the painted covers.

Things of beauty. That mailer is rare and sweet!

Wrap 'em up...

As read by the poet himself That is fantastic. Thanks for sharing that!

...a wild Bill Everett story.

Atlas humor can be hit or miss, but this issue of WILD has a great Al Hartley female pirate story. And...

Some foreign Classics "World Illustrated"...

One more...

More...

Here are some foreign Classics-related items...

Nice display and sealed packs!

Even humor comics got in the act...

A great harrowing precode horror story with art by the great George Evans. One of the underappreciated precode titles!

Have over FIFTY LOTS of fun comic books on eBay ending Sunday night, September 15. * FUN GOLDEN AGE, including DOLL MAN #32, GREEN MASK #11, JUMBO #105 and #112 * Four SLABBED 1952-1953 HARVEY WAR COMICS FILE COPIES - Two tied for top census copy * LOT OF EIGHT 1940-1942 TOM MIX GIVEAWAY COMIC BOOKS * Fun and scarce giveaway comics, including comic book to promote whiskey drinking, rare EC "Wire Rope" comic, MLK comic, and FIFTEEN COMICS NOT LISTED in ANY GUIDE * Rare 1932 FDR anti-HOOVER campaign comic book * Great 1942 WW II HOW BOYS AND GIRLS CAN HELP WIN THE WAR comic * and MANY MORE! Take a peek at some of these rare and fun comic books in this MARKETPLACE LINK.