Number 6

On 6/6/2024 at 3:21 PM, Sarg said:

That's a new one on me. The calligraphy is exquisite, and the overall design is superb. I presume this was the same artist who did the DJ for HPL's Great Supernatural Stories, since both were published by World around the same time...1945-46. Does this have the same low-grade, wartime paper that the HPL volume has?

I think Tales of Terror was published at same time as Great Supernatural Stories (both are Tower imprint). Tales actually has a Wartime Paper blurb on the copyright page (I don’t think 1st printings of the HPL volume have that) and looks like it has the same really low-quality pulp paper as the Supernatural Stories.

This copy of And The Darkness Falls is a first printing and there’s no blurb on the copyright page. The paper feels like it is better quality, though still a bit on the pulpy side, the binding seems to be not quite as cheap as their Tower volumes. 

On 5/29/2024 at 3:28 PM, jimjum12 said:

I'm reading The Codex now, a little diddy about a billionaire who buries himself with his fortune so his 3 spoiled and entitled sons will have to find his tomb and rob it to get their inheritance. I'm reading the actual 1st Edition copy, and I feel a little dirty, but I'm doing it anyway. I also grabbed a copy of this 1st Edition vintage classic, alleged by many to be the source of the X-Men. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

The similarities between the two are pretty strong, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Stan Lee had read this book and either consciously or unconsciously drew "inspiration" from it for the X-Men.

I've noticed recently that the prices some dealers are asking for Fine/Fine copies has ticked up a bit, I wonder if the "X-Men inspiration" angle is starting to get some traction.  Of course, the Kelly Freas jacket art doesn't hurt either.

I was pretty excited to get this in the mail recently.  It’s not in high-grade condition (it’s clear from the spine that it’s a read copy) but I got it for a reader copy and while not cheap was definitely less than copies in collectible condition. 
 

Unlike his previous Tales of Terror volume, this one Karloff actually writes an introduction for each of the stories he selected for this volume (which is why there’s more demand for it) and based on the previous volume I’d say Karloff had pretty good taste in horror stories. Looking forward to digging into this one. 
 

On 5/10/2024 at 11:39 AM, kimik said:

Hard to believe that is over a decade ago now. The last thing I saw him in was the Billions final season last year.

I just saw him pop up in a cameo recently.  The show was excellent IMO but I kind of hate to say what it is as it sort of spoils the surprise of his appearance.  He's clearly older but still looks good.

I was finally able to add this copy to my “nice” book collection last year. 
 

The US paperback is the true first, but this UK hardcover is the first hardcover issue and it was released pretty close to the paperback release. 
 

The boards are slightly bowed out which seems to be one of the common defects as the quality of binding materials isn’t exactly top tier. But other than a small color rub on the bottom of jacket spine panel it’s a pretty sharp copy. 
 

The 1956 film is one of my all-time favorite movies, and the 70’s remake is great too, just picked up the Arrow 4K release of that. The book is really good though it doesn’t quite stick the landing on the ending. 
 

Thank you for the views and purchases.

At this time, I have no other books to add to the thread so I will close it for now so I can list the remaining books in another venue.  I may re-open the thread in the future if I have more books to add.

On 4/22/2024 at 7:02 PM, batman_fan said:

Are prices a little soft on CLINK today?

Perhaps a bit…but rock solid compared to another venue I used recently. Good lord I left a lot of money on the table. 

TYRANT OF TIME by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach

"FIRST EDITION" stated on copyright page with no other listed printings, thus true first edition/first printing, red boards with gold titles and design stamped to spine (this may be the later Donald Grant binding).  Dust jacket correctly priced at $3.00.  Collects 2 new stories along with the following stories previously published in various pulp magazines:

• Tyrant of Time (as The Time Conqueror) - Wonder Stories 7/32
• The Meteor Minors - Amazing Stories 12/35
• The Light from Beyond (as God of Light) - Thrilling Wonder Stories 8/44
• The Place of Orchids (as The God Science Made) - Science Fiction 8/39
• Singing Blades - Strange Stories 2/40
• The Cauldron of Life (as The Cauldron) - Strange Stories 4/40

Book:  Near Fine closer to Fine, some age toning along margins of front and rear pastedowns, binding is firm, no writing or wear to the interior pages.

Dust Jacket:  Very Good + to Near Fine, unclipped, 2 cm closed tear to bottom joint of front panel and spine, spine panel lightly sunned, some light dust soiling to margins of rear panel.  Now in a removable dust jacket protector.

$20.00 shipped in the U.S.  sold to OtherEric

MORE THAN HUMAN by Theordore Sturgeon

No statement of printing on copyright page thus first UK hardcover edition/1st printing dated 1954 on the title page, preceded by the simultaneous Farrar, Straus & Young hardcover/Ballantine softcover US release in 1953.  Red cloth covered boards with gold titles to the spine, dust jacket correctly priced at 12/6 net.  Winner of the 1954 International Fantasy Award for best novel.  Pringle's list of Science Fiction:  100 Best Novels.

Book:  Very Good to Very Good +, spine ends pushed in, small bump to bottom corner of front board, spot in the middle of back board, faint black spotting to boards near the spine, binding is firm with no writing or creasing inside the book.

Dusk Jacket:  Very Good, unclipped, creasing to edges and general handling wear, spine just lightly sunned, spot on the back panel matching the one on the rear board, very light dust soiling to back panel, 5mm small tear to top front flap fold and 3mm small tear to top rear flap fold.  Now in a removable dust jacket protector.

$85.00 shipped in the U.S.

I'll have one more to add, but I have to take some pictures of it this weekend.

DYING INSIDE by Robert Silverberg

"A-10.72 (V)" stated on copyright page as called for a true 1st edition, dust jacket correctly priced at $6.95, red paper covered boards with black titles to spine.

Book:  Fine, a bit of pushing to the head of the spine.  Binding is tight and firm, feels like an unread copy.

Dust Jacket:  Near Fine, unclipped.  A bit of wear to the top corners of the front panel and slight wear with an associated crease to the bottom corner of the front panel.  Now in a removable protective dust jacket cover.

$35.00 shipped in the U.S.  sold to Surfing Alien

JIZZLE by John Wyndham

"FIRST PUBLISHED IN GREAT BRITAIN IN MCMLIV" stated on copyright page, 1st UK and true 1st edition/1st printing with no other printings listed in 2nd state dust jacket (10 titles listed on the rear panel and priced 15s net).  Red cloth covered boards with silver titles to the spine.  Author's first short story collection.  Title story was filmed as "Maria" for the 7th season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Book:  Near Fine closer to Fine, a small spot and slight blistering to front pastedown.

Dust Jacket:  Near Fine, unclipped and correctly priced (for a 2nd state) at 15s net.  Some slight wear and bending to edges and corners.  Impact color break to top left corner of front panel at spine with very tiny puncture.  Sune shadow to top of rear panel.  Some faint foxing spots to reverse of front panel with no show-through.  Now in a removable protective dust jacket cover.

$135.00 shipped in the U.S.

THE MIDWICH CUCKOOS by John Wyndham

"First published by Michael Joseph LTD" stated on copyright page.  1st UK and true first edition/first printing with no other printings noted.  Black cloth covered boards with gold titles to the spine.  Filmed 4 times, most notably in 1960 as Village of the Damned starring George Saunders and Barbara Shelly and remade in 1995 by John Carpenter starring Chrisopher Reeve and Kirstie Alley.  Pringle's list of Science Fiction:  The 100 Best Novels.

Book:  Near Fine closer to Fine, touch of dust soiling to top of page block, slight offsetting to endpapers and front/rear pastedowns (not as bad as usual for this book).

Dust Jacket:  Near Fine, unclipped and correctly priced at 13s 6d net.  A faint spot just below "the author" at the top area of the front panel.  Slight soiling to the white areas of the front, spine and rear panel.  A strip of the orange a the top of the front panel and the orange on the spine panel just slightly faded.  Slight crease to the women's skirt on the spine panel.  Now in a removable protective dust jacket cover.

$425.00 shipped in the U.S.  sold to Bookery

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..........

Bump as some of these start ending in about 30 minutes. 
 

As someone else politely put it, the bidding has been “subdued”. 
 

Edit to add:

Well. Clearly that was a mistake. 

On 4/13/2024 at 10:20 AM, Darwination said:

 

or this one from far earlier (wonder if this ever made it to paperback)

I think the first Sturgeon-specific pb collection with this story is Aliens 4 by Avon, cover art is Powers-esque but not great. Looks like the first paperback to feature the Killdozer on the cover is a French pb from ‘71. 

Anyone know what’s going on with their Prime Auction?  Auction listings say they open on the 6th but we’re several hours into the 7th and bidding still isn’t open. Is this normal for them?

On 4/5/2024 at 4:42 PM, Darwination said:

This edition is on my huntlist (and an epub next up in my digital reading queue).  I saw the movie (most excellent) recently and ended up talking with a couple friends who mentioned differences with the novel. 

The flick was even better imo than some higher regarded later Hitchcocks.  Raymond Chandler has a writing credit, apparently undeserved (and unwanted). Read the wiki for a good laugh on clashing personality types

The film is one of my top favorite Hitchcock’s, Bruno is great. 
 

Yes, the book is different, but not in a bad way, just different, much more of noir. 
 

You hear the phrase “haunted by guilt” but Strangers on a Train is the one book I’ve read that most effectively conveys that feeling, to the point it made me uncomfortable at times. 

Thought I’d give My Comic Shop Prime auction a try, I have these books that will open for bidding this weekend. 
 

Just one more bump as these start ending today in about 10 hours.  Prices on most of these are pretty anemic so far so you might get a decent deal.

The last book I won a couple months ago was shipped FedEx.  But I don’t buy from them enough to know if that’s who they use all the time. 

On 3/18/2024 at 8:10 AM, F For Fake said:

What I want to know is, did anyone actually win that Camaro??? And was it all pimped out to look like Thunderhawk??

Yeah, because most of the people who entered that contest probably weren't old enough to even drive, let alone be entrusted with a Camaro. 

A lot of contests have an option to take a cash-equivalent of the prize.  I wonder if whoever one this had their parents step in and say "Nah, we're taking the cash to pay for collage, braces, etc."