The Black Hand ®

Some bad guys just never give up.

I knew I collected Top Notch for a reason Except adds don't count unfortunately.

You're right, especially when some sellers try to advertise it as the second Archie when they know better. You can't tell me that none of the many comic historians never figured this out too. Shield's known about this for at least five years and has mentioned it more than once on these boards and elsewhere. I think that this info is suddenly forgotten when some J4's happen to go on sale.

I loved The Flame, Dr. Fung and Shorty Shortcake. Pretty solid book and typical of that year.

Yeah, if I had to choose between a small color touch and an water cleaning I'd choose the color touch, it's much less invasive and in most cases can be undone.

Man, I've never seen that before...is it uncommon? Great cover!

Good for you, Ray! Do you have scans, perchance? Personally, I believe A-Man 26 is "rarer" than A-Man 5, and is perhaps the toughest book to find in the run. Yet another sad story, I used to have an F/VF copy (with nice paper) but traded it away...which deserves a big STEVE At least you owned one once. Let's face it, these things were meant to be passed on and shared. They're decaying paper, ephemera, childhood memories with a big chunk of history wrapped around it. Life's too short for that kind of regret and from what I've seen so far, you're doing just fine with your collection. Be happy!

was it this copy?

How common or uncommon is that AM22?

That's becoming my favorite nazi cover! The only thing better would be if that gal on the top of the AMF cover were topless. Sorry...I've been channeling my inner ten year old again.

MF 53

That is a great cover!

That's one of the best WW covers.

I'd take the detective. I've had several J3's and even though it's a really funny cover gag, I'm too familiar with it.

Is that a Hangman #3 I see tucked in the middle of that picture, with that wonderful Harry Lucey women in tubes cover?

I'm not a tec collector, although I appreciate the title...a lot. The MM doesn't quite do it for me but the condition of the tec 2 is a turn off. From a purely financial standpoint, I'd tale the MM. If the tec 2 was a higher grade, I might think differently.

Fantastic set of books C-dub!!! Beautiful Spirits and a nice mix of other titles, toss in a Fantastic #3 and a Detective 31 and MAN that is just fabulous! Here is my recently updated "Baker's Dozen" Very nice Bill! And a true Baker's dozen! Thanks CD and ivanko! I am pretty stoked about them as well! And to think, none of them are slabbed...I'm sure it's been noticed,even mentioned...none of them are slabbed. That's pretty cool.

Forgive me...but "Spurt" Hammond ? Sounds like an adult film actor from the 1970's. Great stuff Scrooge.

Jumbo. My next choice would be to award Showcase-4 for the best and most original thread on GA.

Good freakin' freemin' jumpin' jehoshephat!! I snorted milk through my nose and wet myself! I hope you weren't holding a comic.

look at the red on those swords!

He probably thought you guys were snorting something. How many great collections do you think were sold because of drug addictions? I know this isn't a pleasant subject, but an old friend from Oakland California, who had the best collection I had ever seen, lost his collection because of a cocaine addiction. He was a couple of years older and we lost touch after I went into the service in 1970. Years later I learned that he was killed in an auto accident but not before selling his collection piece by piece to fund his new hobby, fast drugs and fast cars. At the end he was working as a security guard with nothing left of his amazing collection. I remember as a kid,laying on the floor in his "batcave" reading stacks of GA, surrounded by boxes and boxes of comics. So sad.

Thank you for this and well done! A nice tribute and a great way to learn more about that amazing period of time. I can't help but be drawn to it. Today's society seems pale compared to the people then.

I tell you, I'm almost starting to feel sorry for the Boy Wonder....almost.

Me too.