Cat-Man_America

Frank R. Paul cover art to Frank R. Paul cover art...

Hugo Gernsback (Editor) to Hugo Gernsback (Editor)...

The year isn't over yet, and comics aren't the only thing I've been drawn to acquire, but here's a pick-up from the OAFcon awhile back...

Astonishing to Astounding...

Flying rug to flying BUG...

Flying claws to flying Claus...

It seems like this is the right time of year to reflect on our personal acquisitions and views of the hobby in general. This thread's emphasis should be on collectible comic books, pulps, art, movie posters, lobby cards, music collectibles and memorabilia and even movies (BD, DVD, 16mm, etc.) including recommended reading and goals for the new year we choose to share. No limitation on items presented for forum consideration. Whether you mortgaged the farm to acquire the holiest of grails or cracked open the piggy bank to snag an oddball treasure reacquired from your childhood, it’s all game. My goal for this thread isn't the business side of collecting, the financial health of the hobby or applauding which acquisition was best, but if you want to claim bragging rights for acquiring that grail trophy for a song and can do it in the right key, hey, that's perfectly fine. Also, I’m leaving room to acknowledge best publications that comic and nostalgic memorabilia collectors should embrace. We already have threads that focus on current trends in the hobby such as it’s financial health and MasterChief's got at least one pedigree completely sorted. In short, this thread's focus is primarily a personal collecting year in review thread. Whatever you're proudest of having added to your collection since January 1st of this year is fair game for inclusion and discussion. Hopefully this thread will do justice to all aspects of our nostalgia collecting interests in 2023 ...including those unexpected holiday delights to come. This will remain open for additions through mid-January 2024 to capture late arrivals ...and probably won't disappear unless or until it scrolls off into obscurity and I lazily cut & paste it next year. As always, I’ll add my meager contributions to this thread as it evolves. Have fun!

There are several Kirby covers that I like as much as Cap #1 (which always looked a little off because of the "wings" on the right side of his mask being off ...but that's nitpicky) For Alex Schomburg, it's difficult because there are so many great ones, but MMC #46 with nazi zombies and ghoulish green Hitler cover is just hard to top...

GL's wonder dog Streak to Silver Streak's Daredevil battling The Claw in a dog collar belt!

Blackhawk to Private Dogtag...

caveman in a Nazi Viking helmet to red headed caveman and clothed monkey speaking english...

bookended EC to seeing double (bookend) EC...

ghastly EC imitation unearthed to Ghastly EC migration unearthed...

Interesting; apparently there were at least three issues of Stag under Goodman's masthead before the change to Male; there were earlier issues too ('37). My logical assumption was that Male was a one shot (unavoidable pun not intended in this instance). The timing was probably bad for another Esquire-like slick magazine with the war and tightening budgets. Stag would return as a Men's magazine in the 50's with lots of b-grade fiction about nazi seductresses in high-heeled jackboots.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm saying, although manipulation isn't outside the realm of possibility in some instances. I'm just suggesting that auction results should be viewed as a bigger picture. It's a mistake to ascribe "trends" to any particular auction based on a couple of results without assessing all the extenuating variables. Any number of factors can be responsible for a difference. Speculation on any market shift involves looking at a range of criteria. This! ...Folks love to speculate, but there's always an inclination to read too much into any one sale. The one analysis which has real merit is MasterChief's in depth research into Promise Collection sales.

Judging from the cover, I think this can accurately be described as a one shot.

Are you claiming you may own unlicensed nuclear comics!? You need to register those Atomic Age books immediately! This makes entirely too much sense. My BS detector's needle didn't move one bit. Maybe I need to check the batteries! Airboy stopped transporting cheese in 1948 because of this... BTW, hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

vat of molten metal to vat-cat of molten metal...

WARNING: Bodacious philosophical nonsense follows (no kiddin')... There's something to the idea of comic book ages being moot, but this would probably manifest as "The Tangible Age" verses "The Intangible Age" and collectors require the tangible in order to thrive and multiply! Memories can be relished, but they're fleeting, momentary things without evidence of persistent longing, pursuit, engagement, conquest and pride of achievement. The digital age ends in "Dōmo arigatō, Mr. Roboto" analogous to Styx after Dennis DeYoung was canned.

There's not a lot that can be gleaned from this result beyond speculation on which variables might've affected the sale. Some may point to the label making a difference, others would point to the apparent condition of each copy (the 4.0 looking sharper than grade while the 5.5 looks more ragged and too much off the right edge). Also, the bidder dynamics might've changed over two days with additional collectors getting onboard for the latter auction ...perhaps looking for bargains... who weren't involved on the 16th (note: This point would've been moot if the books had been auctioned back to back). Is it about the CGC grade, how each book presents, the label, timing or something in the notes about each book's history? ...Inquiring minds want to know!

Really looking forward to this! Your analysis provides the most accurate assessment of the Promise Collection sales history, but also which titles have been least and most affected by market fluctuations. MasterChief, we may have to wait awhile longer till your promotion gets through Congress, but you've earned our DOW Jones command!

Just now getting back to this thread: For Superman the B&W first season is best, with 26 episodes filmed (the second also had 26, with Noel Neill replacing Coates to reprise the role of Lois she had in the earlier Columbia serials). The first season was very edgy and gritty in a pulp kinda way with Phyllis Coates being a much more assertive Lois. Some folks like the campier style of the later seasons. The last four seasons ...only 13 episode each... were filmed in color, but there's too many wink/grin episodes with a few good ones mixed in. The problem with the series is that the plots after the second B&W season (also 26 episodes) often devolved into simple cookie-cutter resolutions that would only please a very young demographic. As for other comic based live action, I never cared for the campy Batman TV series in the mid-60's and could barely handle the spin-off Green Hornet, although appreciated Bruce Lee as a very formidable Kato. British Hammer films were often quite good, but some of those are hit and miss as well. Absolutely agree that only comics could pull off some of the wilder characters in the 60's. And I think comics would've done just fine without the CCA meddling to claw back some of excesses if given more time and the opportunity. The problem was too much government attention focused on what influenced young minds during a period of cold war paranoia. The conditions were just right to produce a perfect storm of repression.

skull to bones via unsolicited acid test...