CentaurMan

I just print them up myself. Gerber guides, laser color copier/scanner, a bunch of crappy old Timelys I can use for the paper stock..........presto: "Centaurs"! Actually, a big key is to find someone selling a Centaur and then engage them in a dialogue. No one with a Centaur has only one Centaur. Another key is having cool books to trade with them, as few Centaur collectors feel as though they get enough cash for their books to make it worth their while to sell them outright.

That's part of the curse of collecting Centaurs. Some of the issues are so rare that, despite cool covers, they're almost uncollectible because people are barely aware of their existence. These books are from April, May, and June of 1940, right in the sweet spot of early GA superhero books, and yet thanks to horrific distribution they are far less known than, say, Fantastic Comics #5-7 published in the same months (despite covers of comparable quality, in my mind). Fantastic Comics #5-7 are rightly viewed as scarce. Heritage has offered only 10 non-pedigree copies of those issues over the years, a pretty low number (and I think a few of those 10 were re-sales of the same issue). But how many non-pedigree copies of Funny Pages #36-38 has Heritage offered? One, a #37 in 2.0 with a heavily taped spine. I think if more copies existed they'd perversely be more collectible, as more people would see the run as attainable and would be shooting for it.

Here's a series of 3 neat Funny Pages covers featuring Mad Ming. The later issues of Funny Pages are quite hard to find and are usually prized because of their Arrow covers, but I find this run of 3 hidden within the longer Arrow run to be underrated. #36 (Larson): #37: #38 (Larson):

By the way, how do you find a book like that, when there's only one copy that'll do? Did you know for a long time where it was, and just had to wear down the owner? Or did you not know where it was until recently?

Wow, what an awesome book and even more awesome accomplishment! Those blues are unbelievable. Congrats!!!

Nice books! I've never seen a King #13 before. My King collection is from #1-#12. That's a neat cover, and the condition looks really sharp for that era. Well done!

A recent pick-up, Silver Streak #4 (thanks to Andy for spotting it in an out-of-the-way longbox at the Chicago con): My Silver Streak collection is close to completion. I'll start a thread on it one day.

I'm not ignoring your questions...I just don't have my copy here with me now. I'll get back to you. In the meantime, here's one of the scarcer Amazing Mystery Funnies I just picked up recently: The condition isn't great but this is one of those "beggars can't be choosers" books.

Here's a mini-run of 2 mini-issues: The "Little Giant" Centaur books are simply murder to find. Besides these 2 issues, there are 4 issues of Little Giant Detective Funnies and 4 issues of plain old Little Giant.

Absolutely. Spine was rebuilt. I couldn't afford otherwise. That book looks great in person, really a sharp copy. Win had to force me to grade it, and he had to personally bring it to my house to scan. NO WAY I was taking posession of that book for more than 10 seconds! Should I tell them the cat story? Sure, go ahead. Doesn't necessarily put me in the best light, but on the other hand, it's true. I'll never mind true stories being told. Plus, it sheds some light on why I don't mind people handling or flipping through my keys at the forum dinner.

Wow, bam! bam! bam! Three books I've never seen before. And while I had the Keen #2 and the C-M-O #1 on my list, that Double Comics wasn't even on my radar screen. But with the Masked Marvel on the cover, I'd say that although it's tangential, it's something a completionist shouldn't be without. Just an astounding collection, Jon.

yes please bring this to the forum dinner, I would love to see it, and correct me if I'm wrong but, isn't this your second copy of Action #1 ? you say this was a recent pickup, I thought you had had a copy long before recently. No, this is my first (and likely only, unless I trade up some day). I'd taken a photo of it in a group of "keys" that I posted a couple of months ago, right after I got it, but I hadn't actually unveiled it officially to the boards yet. And Jon's right, this is how the stigma of restoration can work for us instead of against us, by making some books that would otherwise be out of reach financially available.

Absolutely. Spine was rebuilt. I couldn't afford otherwise.

A recent pick-up that I might be bringing to the Chicago Forum Dinner if anyone wants to flip through it:

Funny you should ask, I just scanned it today at october's house. Here's C-M-O #2: We're going to need Jon or someone else to show us #1; I don't have it.

With the recent arrival of this book to Chez CentaurMan, I just may yet complete my collection: Gerber no-show, rare as hen's teeth. Now all I need is a Keen Komics #2 to finish the 3 issue run. PM me if you'd like 8x guide for your copy.

Ok, now the cover of my other copy has been scanned: Much better.

Here's the first issue: I just picked up a much nicer copy of this one, but I don't have it scanned yet. As such, though, this one is available in trade for anyone looking for a complete beater copy.

I try and I try, but I can't come close to Mr. Berk. I'm missing 4 issues of Keen Detective Funnies and those are two of them. The bottom one in particular I've never seen even in a private collection before, much less for sale.

I agree about Super Magician being underappreciated. There are some nice covers in that run, quite a few actually, and yet no one ever talks about the series. Does anyone here collect Super Magician?

Here are a couple of other, more serious Western-themed Centaur covers:

Ok, total change of pace (and maybe one that won't be appreciated ). Here are the first three issues of Star Ranger, all oversize. Some pretty mifty stories in here, but obviously to appreciate them it helps to like Westerns.

That would be great! Although I'm not a pulp collector I definitely appreciate them. Besides, I'd like to meet you, as my jedi mind tricks are stronger in person and apparently that's the only way I'm going to get my hands on some of your Centaurs.

Man, Fuelman, did you tap out the dealers at SD?? If there are no Centaurs left in Chicago I'm coming for you! Fantastic books! That Arrow #3 is a toughie, and of course the Funny Pages Arrow cover and the 1st Amazing Mystery Funnies are absolute must-haves.

Sounds interesting... The show was so dead, that I just left my booth and walked around. There was this guy at a small table with a half box of comics. I started flipping through it and lo' and behold, there was a Suspense #3. I took it out and looked through it to see if it was complete. It was. I asked him how much he wanted and he said $600. I nearly broke my wrist getting my wallet out. As I walked back to my booth, Harley and Mike Goldman saw me with it and swooped down on me trying to pry it from my hands. Since the show was so awful I ended up selling it to Mike. I had sellers remorse the entire long drive home. Haven't had another one since. When you said "dead show" I thought you meant a Grateful Dead concert. You picked the right avatar, Towelie Man.