ComicBookGuy

Scan 2 of 4:

Here's a Dennis the Menace Sunday from February 23rd, 1958. I finally got over to where I have these stored and found about 40 from the 1950s, and about 20 from the 1970s. Until I buy a legal-sized scanner, breaking these up into four parts is the best I can do. Here is scan 1 of 4:

Now here's something interesting. Notice the number on the upper-right-hand corner of my certificate. It's different from the one on the certificate posted below, which I downloaded from a website. Does this mean that there were over 300,000 members of this fan club? Even though our thread here is establishing and documenting Dennis's incredible popularity during the 1950s to 1970s, I doubt that that many kids would be in a Dennis fan club. But it would be interesting to see what other numbers are on other certificates in the future to try to determine how many kids may have been members.

And here is a copy of the fan club certificate. The two items I have I believe are the hardest of the four to find. The others turn up more frequently so I have not made them as much of a priority to find.

Bill, I talked with Bob about a lot of things but not really the pricing of Dennis books in the guide. The question you raise is a good one, but I rarely think about comic prices, so it was not really on my mind. I have his email if you want it. He's writing a book about the history of comics, and I was telling him about many of the Dennis hardback compilations. When he sees me he always knows I'm looking for Dennis stuff, so we talked about that then general stuff. Believe it or not, even some topics that had nothing to do with Dennis. I can only imagine what a nice copy of Dennis #1 would go for. One day maybe we'll find out. JRW, you mentioned earlier you were thinking of attending the San Diego Comic Con. I'm wondering if you went. Also, do you have any pics of those houses your dad designed? If so, you know we'd love to see them! I'm also looking forward to any other articles or pictures you have to share - as always! I posted an ad for the Dennis the Menace Fan Club last night. These ads are often very useful in establishing what products are available, when they're released, and even what they're made of (e.g., the dolls). The fan club ad shows that members received four items: a pin, a membership card, a fan club certificate, and a picture of Jay North as Dennis. I've seen the fan club set on eBay go for as high as $200 and for as low as $20. It doesn't appear too often, and more often than not it appears one piece at a time. I have only the photo and certificate to post at this time. Here is the photo, with writing as a pre-print, not an original signature:

In 1961, the Dennis the Menace Fan Club began, sponsored by Kellogg's. Here's an ad from the back of a box of Rice Krispies:

When I was at the Wizard World Philly Show this past June, I had the pleasure of talking to Overstreet advisor Bob Beerbohm for about twenty minutes. He told me he thought this was one of the absolute rarest of all Dennis items, the night light from the late 1960s. He also mentioned that the Babysitter's Guide was published as a teacher's edition as well as a regular edition. That is an item I have yet to see.

Here is a rare still-in-the-box Dennis stuff 'n lace doll from Standard Toycraft. Super rare:

Here is the September 1960 issue of JACK & JILL MAGAZINE with a story written by Jay North, who is about ten at the time. Not many people know he was an aspiring writer as well as actor and singer. This was one busy kid, and it's easy to see why he grew up so bitter. According to him, he had his childhood taken away from him by being forced to play Dennis the Menace long after it stopped being fun. Invariably when he has been interviewed during the past decade he mentions he is working on an autobiography, but it has yet to be released.

Shot #3:

Shot #2:

I've been meaning to return to this documentation of Dennis items. My research is finding that his popularity during the last part of the 20th century has really not been documented at all, despite his visibility on tv, in film, and on so many countless products. Even I am constantly amazed by the number of products I continually discover that are out there. A big recent surprise was discovering that Dennis was selling savings bonds for the U.S. government in 1963. Here is a shot of a printing block for an ad:

I think it's actually cool that a lot of people were calling the hurricane "Dennis the Menace." One of the headlines I read was... Dennis the Menace: Hurricane Strikes Cuba With 150 Mph Winds Date Posted: July 9, 2005 GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL STATION, Cuba (AP) -- Packing devastating 150 mph winds, Hurricane Dennis tore down a guard tower at the U.S. detention camp for terror suspects as it stalked Cuba's south coast and prepared Friday to strike into the heart of the largest Caribbean island. Thousands of residents and tourists fled the Florida Keys, fearing Dennis would skirt the island chain or hit it on its way to the Gulf of Mexico, on a path that raised fears of further disruption to U.S. oil operations. A Category 4 storm with 135-mph winds, Dennis killed five people, collapsed a bridge and blocked roads with downed power lines and trees in Haiti and Jamaica on Thursday.... Link: ChannelOne.Com Newslink: Dennis the Menace Here's a cool picture of the storm:

It's good to see people posting in here again. This is one of my favorite threads. The Superman and GI Combat are awesome. I've never seen the GIC before. By the way, where's Adam Strange been lately? He sure is missed here. Joe

Probably all depends if she has a copy of that rare DC comic "How You Can Defend Your Home" That's the funniest response I've read in a long time.

I completed my TTA run back in the 1980s but have dabbled in upgrading during the last five years as needed. Here is one I haven't seen so far, #42, and it has got to be the most undergraded 6.5 I've ever seen: superglossy, pages snow white, like a new comic really:

The other tough one is the #85, not so much condition-wise, but the white cover more often than not has tanning or discoloration around the edges. Good luck in your quest. Joe

Way to go, Silver Surfer You're right -- that is a tough book; it was the last TTA I needed to complete my run in high grade. When I saw that listed the other day I thought that was a really good price. Enjoy it. Joe

Way to go, Ian! Congratulations on your accomplishment. Now you can take your time to read and enjoy them. And, by the way, welcome back to the boards. Joe

My pleasure, Allen! With the Dennis hurricane currently ravaging parts of the U.S. as I write this, comparisons to Dennis the Menace are inevitable. Check out this eBay scam: Dennis the Menace Image on Toast on EBAY The seller is trying to get us to buy an image of the Dennis "the Menace" hurricane that is etched onto a piece of toast like Mother Teresa's image was. Either that or just give him money after we've looked at it. Here is his description in case the link dies on us: Hurricane "Dennis" who really became the "Menace" today... July 10, 2005, caused the Panhandle of Florida a lot of devastation, and ruined the lives of many of those, who never fully recovered from "Ivan". It is my hope that those of you who will look at this toast, keep in your prayers all the people in the South, who must once again start to re-build their lives. I have taken some time to draw an original sketch of "Dennis" the Menace and dated the toast. This is not for consumption, but a memory, of the havoc that mother nature can cause. I will donate 1/3 ( one third ) of all the proceeds raised by this toast, to help those in need in Florida. A check will be made payable to the American Red Cross. Won't you please consider bidding and let your friends know, every penny will help !! I would have loved to start the bidding at $16,000 but I knew I couldn't pay the Ebay fees up front !! So let's make this happen. This is a Toast--first of its kind on Ebay......for this cause. Lets keep those in the South in our prayers. And, of course, here's the piece of toast:

A final image from the 1967 Sears Christmas Catalog. The last time I saw one of these catalogs on eBay, it sold for $43. There are a lot of cross-over collectors that seek these: Dennis collectors, Sears catalog collectors, fashion researchers, etc.

Inside the Christmas Catalog you can play "hide-n-seek" with Dennis and win a $5 discount coupon:

Same for the Sears 1967 Christmas Catalog:

Sears used Dennis to sell its products in 1967. There are over 50 Dennis cartoons in the Summer 1967 Sears Catalog:

Here is the other side of the carpet ad poster: