Cat-Man_America

Here's my Human Torch #4 (3); this hot number has a newsstand date of March 31st... And here's Marvel Mystery #19 (newsstand March 13th)... Alas, just two measly books from March (sorry)...

woman in fright to woman in freight (sarcophagus)...

Several more Church copies... ...provided for those more interested in visuals than our verbose text stories (to meet 1940's postal regulations)!

Yep, one of Rowena Morrill's creepiest horror paintings, commissioned for Theodore Sturgeon's The Dreaming Jewels (Dell PB)...

strategically placed hands to strategically placed metal idol's arm...

Following MrB's splendid example here's my feeble attempt at Timely eye-poppers from Feb. 1941 (on sale Feb. 6th, 10th & 13th)...

Chuck's tabloid insert in Alan Light's Comics Buyer's Guide is missing page 41 in his posting of the reprint; it's the section that included the Silver Streak from which I bought #7 & 8 from this catalog. With some retrospective sadness, I sold those books in the early 90's to help a transitional move from Oklahoma to Texas; they were very nice copies, especially the #7. Since getting back into comics after the advent of third party grading I've acquired a number of nice Church copies, but those two Silver Streaks never popped up again. Anyway, AFAIC, this is still the best overall pedigree. Here are a few select examples for those wanting to peruse more pedigree pics (sorry, I've already munched all the popcorn):

gal on sled to gals on slabs...

This thread feels like deja vu all over again. Since this is basically a popularity contest featuring fave pedigrees, here's my honest opinion (the top three usually sell for multiples of Guide, so they're shoe-ins): 1) Church 2) San Francisco (Reilly) 3) Gaines File 4) Larson 5) Fill in the blank _________ (Could be Chinatown, Chicago, Okajima, Allentown, Denver, Billy Wright, Rockford, Promise Collection or other pedigree depending on the book & perceived grade)

It was a split decision, ...there was a lot of "buzz" around getting the war info spilled via half measures.

witch with a broom to witch at the stroke of midnight with Toro in cold storage...

I kept my Promise Collection bids within reason targeting specific books wanted and was never awe struck by the hype or eyebrow raising grades which ...apparently... quite a few early auction bidders were. The heroic tearjerker story certainly left a lot of folks enthralled with the pedigree or melodrama behind it, but there were just too many omissions in the story and efforts to keep the original owner(s) and family anonymous provided too many red flags for my liking. It's a shame that some of the prices have dropped significantly (the finger pointing for this is understandable), but I don't think Promise Collection overall value deflation is a market correction, but rather a specific pedigree correction.

Bird-like baddie to Angel with wings on his chest, but mustache has been clipped...

Recent selfie posted to my FB page (one of Ryan's After Basil Wolverton interpretations is behind me and the Buck Rogers Disintegrator pistol)... Ryan Heshka's color interpretations of Wolverton's work are just awesome to behold! The B&W Basil Wolverton Centaur cover art submissions (there were four) are published in the highly recommended Creeping Death From Neptune HC. Note: Just came across this YouTube review video that documents the book and provides brief glimpses of Wolverton's original submissions...

Wertham apparently had a real "thing" for the Human Torch or maybe he just anticipated the bonfires!

...But'cha can't beat dat Schomburg cover now, can ya kid?

Sharp nails to fiendishly long giant sized nails...

This is the 13th post on this topic and it's Friday the 13th!

Joe Simon Claw Silver Streak cover to Jack Cole Claw Silver Streak cover...

I think the San Francisco Collection/Reilly story is more interesting than the Promise Collection because many of the books had never been opened from descriptions contemporaneous to their acquisition. Also, the stamp on the back of some of the books is unique and very distinct to this collection. The misdirection part is certainly possible, but GA comics weren't as BIG a consumer market back in the early 70's with sky high or rather Mile High values. If there was misdirection it was to insure the buyers would have continued access since my recollection is that the collection was bought in lots over several weeks. I wish Bud Plant would come back to the board and share his knowledge as I'm sure he has knows a lot more about these books than most of us. My simple observation is that the stamp on the back could be an owner's stamp or a bookstore, newsstand, drugstore, or other store or chain of stores in operation during WWII. The stamp could be the origin of the name "Reilly" or something like it with a "T" or "Tom" in front of it. It looks a bit more like a business design than a name to me, but it could be either or something else altogether. However, given the sources at our disposal these days, it wouldn't surprise me if some of this information can be tracked down with a little ingenuity and research. It's certainly one of the more intriguing mysteries in our hobby.