Mmehdy

First I owned the masterworks, and in their time they were great...But the liked the larger size and color upgrades of the Omnibuses...so after purchase I sold them. When I go the Spiderman Tashen...it was a big step up. Here is why the Tashen is superior...SIZE....I noticed things, I had never noticed in 50 readings, Format....just like buying it off the newsstand when you were young and smaller and it does not feel like a color hyped up 2022 computer enhanced look which it never had when it was sold. When you bought these off the newsstand their had fresh look to them, and clearly the Tashen edition nails this. The amazing before and after material is vastly superior to the Omnibus both in quality and amount of material. The cost are pretty close 140 vs 100 if you shop it right ,so dollar wise the Tashen blows away the Omnibus in terms of value. So this is a great trade up all the way....you could keep the omnibus and I am until Tashen covers all the material in that edition, but in comparing the editions there is none.

JLA....on the collector ground that was a hot book, not the splash say FF 4,5,6...had and that is when collectors knew this was something special and was going to LAST....but collectors liked the concept...the tie in at that time for the DC universe...Superman was popular but GL was too. I think both Zonker and you are both right. I believe that JLA, in my opinion, has some influence on the creation of FF1...but I do not believe that it was the sole or deciding factor. Again 1961..62 were simply amazing years to collect...we all had the weekly anticipation of what we were going to see next on the newstand. Marvel cira 1962 once it got going would really create a weekly buzz...of what's next. I was very lucky to be with 2 different age groups of collectors. We liked the Kirby monster books, but would in a heartbeat buy a JLA. Rip Hunter Time Master if the cover looked good. That is how marvel created this revolution by upping the game, changing the scripts to more realism and making you not accept whatever came out on the newstand. You would wait to buy if you had a budget for the Marvel books...In term of trading, JLA went 2/1 on the argument that you got some many extra heroes and those JLA covers were fantastic.....

Looks great....looks like my review will be after christmas....still in transit

DC ruled as far as comic collectors in 1961....but FF/AF really gave marvel a collectors buzz...maybe it was just time for a new kid on the block.......

Boots on the ground at the time these books were released, my parents best friends son was 13 and had the killer comic book collection along with another friend of his, I asked him and his friend at the time I would say FF9 ish about the "fantastic four" and he confirmed that it was something great and different. I can remember when AF hit the racks....I will say this Kirby cover on AF 15 was amazing 15 times over...looking at Steves original cover vs Jacks is no contest, both are great but from a rack buyers perspective it is Kirby all the way. That collector valued Amazing Adult Fantasy's at 3/5 to one and FF's at 3 to one..FYI...if you had never seen an "adult" book...you would pay big time, read it and probably shake your head but then convince yourself...this is Adult.....it did look different ,both with the title contents page...making it more a magazine/ adult at least in my mind and the preview pages were like WOW...this was just stuff that was not done at the time....boots on the ground was sold and felt different. I will say this on behalf of Stan..if he was the one who rejected the Ditko cover and replaced it with Jacks......well that WAS probably his greatest contribution to the marvel universe at up to that time. When that book hit.....it was like an atomic bomb in the collecting community and when Spiderman #1 hit....that was it. It was in my opinion the AF/FF combo that started it all, but it was the FF/SM combo that big banged it to what we have today...

super great buying!!!!

MH yes over promise, Billy Wright...no way

35 more promise books coming up for aucton this week on Ha, it look like only one CGC graded a Captain Marvel...would now be the time buy while the collection is down...probably to its last 100 books? Could be deals here!

#9 ist Captain Comet

It played a role at the time of the price increase. We thought in terms of one dollar for ten issues ....it went to 8 issues and 4 cents...it also increased trading on 10 cent issues which were cheaper...If you had to ask me why 24 cents not 30...probably because one quarter could get TWO comics and when either at the drug store or supermarket we would always get more than one comic book during a purchase and at 15 cents each...not really doable. As kids we were aware of price, that is why I and my other collectors stayed await higher price covers until the Strange Tales ANN1 came out, and we then saw that value....by the way the yearly Annuals, especially in year 1963...were a big hit and 5/10 to one trade at the time. It really helped that FF ANN#1 was one of the GREATEST marvel annuals every created...a real trend setter will all NEW material.

496 extra large world class clear pages..THE Frank Frazetta book for all time.Retail is $200 if you shop it right on Amazon it could go as low as $150........ Over the years I have gradually come to the understanding that FF and his incredible body of work might not ever be unsurpassed. Yes I know his OA sold for over 5 million( great one) and with the publication of this book,which will be distributed to a number of high $$$$ art collectors...do not be surprised to see a significant OA price jump on everything and especially the "good stuff". If you were ever on the fence to buy an original FF...do it before Jan 6, 2023 Tashen is big time.... I have met the author and she is fantastic....as you can see from some of the photos of the book, it is gonna contain stuff NEVER published before as well as a clarity of his painting that is unsurpassed. I like the Painting of FF and of course the price on that book was just unbeatable at $39..and I bought collectors from David Spurlock at $69 for money spot on deal...now I know the notes were a bit off and some claim the paintings did not look as good as they could of...I can agree to that, but its not $200 or $150 if bargain hunting or tight budget I still like it...I have bought the Arine, Spurlock, and first ones. the soft cover ones.....ok....but this looks like FINALLY it will be the last and by far BEST one....I will give you my review as soon as I get it....Jan 6,2023 ship date in a perfect world from Amazon....your thoughts and if anyone has an advance copy or gets it early...post a review!!!!!!!!!

shipped out early today...they say get it by the 28th...I am hoping sooner. I will do an big review once I read it thru..... Here is my plan...Read FF1-19 and Ann1...go back and read the intro, they finish reading the back. I want to go in "cold" without any preconceptions of what anything means etc, then add the intro like frosting on a cake. The very important thead which is taking month by month Ditko's, Kirby's and Stan Lees creation of the marvel big bang is a fantastic companion to the "proper" release of the Marvel Library in the theads below...my highest recommendation to take a look. Should take me 2 days to go thru it.

It is true but before crypto Cap #1 was one the best GA buys out there, for years on this board I have placed my highest recommendation on a purchase and before and after I still maintain that is a very underpriced GA Key. I have been cautioning purchasers of the Promise to hold...I cannot deny what is going on with the disaster resales, similar to other quick resales on HA of major GA collections...this is to be expected. What was not expected was the Crypto crash and interest rates shooting up like rocket on home and auto and credit card purchases. The Fed wants assets to decrease in value..and they have the power to do so...Promise books...any GA comic books are gonna feel the effects of this economic takedown. It just so happens at the very economic height of our economy the promise books hit....wow take about great timing. If you own promise books and do not have to sell,in my opinion they are a GREAT long term 5 plus year hold....if you cannot then God help you!!!! PS Ha today is auctioning 67 promise books, all non-cgc graded so the collection is still being sold...

One of the big pluses of AW1 is the Kirby Cap which only appeared in on 1/2. I have always liked #19/21 like everyone else on the board and think those are really great books, early in the 70's All Winners was one of the top GA books to get, over time the luster has faded, so I would agree that is a great book period.

Excellent point...the 24 page story is one of my favorites, the "pop" art is unmatched!

I thing that is going to be GA Cap 1-13...something like that...but for SA...its wide open, I like Thor but of course some of the early issues were not Kirby and I feel they suffered for that...Can anyone confirm what issues of Cap and either GA or SA?

In youtube there is a similar approach that you are using on a channel called World War Two in real time....looking week by week at WW2 and hosted by Indy Neidell which is fantastic. Here in this thead, you are investigating month by month the creation of the Silver Age Marvel Universe but your observation above of the "white out" of the signatures with smoking gun original art proof...is just on a other level....Thank you, this is in my opinion the best researched thead ever created on this board and while we have our disagreements, we can agree on one thing...everyone here is learning stuff that was supposed to be forgotten, hidden in history...and covered up the usual convenience of the ongoing Stan narrative by the very promoter himself. History needs to be corrected and you month by month, inch by inch are doing it. Thank You.

Great, these classic books deserve that type of presentation....any thoughts of what you would suggest next for silver age marvel Tashen?

Anyone get this book in the last week or so? Today its $162 and sold by Amazon!!!!

The way that cover just explodes. Fantastic....remember everything seemed bigger when you were smaller ..what kid could turn that book down....it really stands out in the crowd . We are at the start of the Stan Lee hype....but again that feedback helped create a buzz among collectors.

Being on a comic book collector along with a bunch of other kids in my neighborhood, AF#7 was a game changer also. Stan at his best marketing, every kid wanted that "adult" book thinking that it was somehow better and forbidden......and at a early age those short stories took hold in your mind easily. I do not think that "Adult" and respect your intelligence was ever marketed that way...EC was superior and began 10 years prior, but those books were just not available until the EC paperbacks came out, I think in 1964 which I bought them too as released. So the format of a preview page, table of contents, and the genius move of making it Steve Ditko gives me opportunity to bow to Stan the man...its rare but this book with "Adult" commanded a trade of 3 to 1 minimum among collectors. The connection between the reader and the comic book was the key here. Creating giants among the collectors was a key marking tool. Why Did AF fail after 15....and yet FF went on to become a superstar....it was the same reason why the TV networks ran their business of continuity of characters...each week, or in this instance every 60 days early on. In contrast FF 3-1 trade did not occur until after issue 6 or just about that time. Still I think this is one of the most overlooked events in marvel history...again on ground level this was game changer which I feel let to more attention to their entire comic book line and benefited FF, Hulk, Thor and of course SM.

I do not buy the Human Torch before FF1 but I do see the argument on the stories themselves and it could easily have been a joint type venture, however someone would have remembered that. The synopsis in my opinion was real, but could have been altered at some time after FF1 became a hit, meaning that this exact document could have been a recreation of the original coming from Stan's head to cement his place in history, I would not put it past him to do it. One thing for sure, this is a true collaboration and not a solo Stan Lee created synopsis. My guess is 70% Jack and 30% Stan.

As we are heading to FF#1 and as a person who paid 10 cents off the new stand, probably supermarket, I was at a San Diego Comic Con one year, and noticed a 50% discounted book entitled "Fantastic Four #1 Panel by Panel hardcover." I remember how great that book was But is was 4, 5,6 which really stood out in my mind, still I did a blind buy on it. To my surprise I learned a very important lesson. Going Panel by Panel in original comic book form I was simply stunned how really great this issue was. I had read probably 50 times FF1 in my lifetime which included the 25 times as a Kid. Jack Kirby put Roy Lichtenstein to shame 100 times over. I was stunned and my taken for granted appreciation hit a brick wall. This is a "pop art" 25 page masterpiece on elevated level yet to be achieved in comic book history. I highly recommend this still highly discounted book. It opened my eyes up and I was there from the beginning. I look forward to your amazing insight on the real creation of the marvel universe big bang. I do want to do a shout out to the late Greg Theakston and my conversations with him at SDCC on his very important "Pure Images magazine #1 (vol 3) and #2 on with his "birth of marvel comics"...I believe he was the first to publish the Ditko AF 15 cover and an early FF cover reject also....those articles were fantastic as they were not Stan Lee marvel propaganda. This guy interviewed Kirby, Ditko( who refused to let Greg use him word for word) and Ditko's former roommate in PERSON. There is a 33 page history in depth article. However it was my conversations with him concerning the birth of both Marvel Comics which I was really interested in, the stuff that never made either publications which simply blew me away. If anyone has those and can post those issues, I think it went about 4/5 issues, I have them but they are in storage as a supplement to this best article of all time on marvel, which someday should be consolidated in a book or website...bring them forward. I can still remember the look on his face, the smile with pride on my comment to him about How did you do this?...this is simply amazing....since this is 3d party I will qualify my comments to remind you in the future about the source....The conversations along with the great magazines changed the way I thought about the Big Bang coming up with FF1 and after. That is why this posts and your other ones are so refreshing, honest, and reflective of a past lost with the real story being brought out month by month. Keep up the great work!!

Here is a thought Steve Ditko sends in story with his signature and Stan later adds his name knowing that Ditko would never check… it appears Stan’s signature was done after Ditko ……

I agree on this "big change" and I do not want to get ahead of myself...but to me the biggest change came in the total story page count of FF1...earlier you had Marvel editions asking if readers liked the expanded stories from 7 to 10 to 15....but FF #1 was 25 pages.....that to me was the key, I do not know the page count of the All Winners Squad issues but do you know what was the last 25 page Timely/Marvel story before FF#1 in any format?