Soft-Serve

I don't have an entry card to this club yet, but I came close this week and have to tell someone. Anyway, I just bought a stack of silver-age goodies from a flea market. Didn't have a chance to really look through it but saw enough potential to make an offer of about $4/book. Finally one of these deals pays off for me. In addition to a superb run of Sgt. Fury's (1-32, about 2/3 are F/VF), there were 5 early TOS's in it. After already finding the Sgt. Fury #1 and Iron Man #55 in the box, I saw the TOS mastheads sticking out at the bottom of the pile and held my breath.....#67, #66, #65, #42, & ............#36..............soooo close. p.s. the #42 is still pretty cool though....but kinda like finding a Hulk #180. Good score and all, but I don't think there will be a 2nd date....

I really hate when they (Marvel) "ends a series" only to pick it up again but without any real investment in improving the title. Daredevil, I feel, has suffered mightily from this. I understood why they ended volume 1 and started volume 2. I even supported it and was rewarded with an awesome run. Then, they killed it at issue #119 and went back to Volume 1 renumbering (& including Vol 2) at #500. Then, after 2 years, they killled Volume one for good and started Volume 3. While I haven't read any of volume 3 yet, it doesn't look too good. Maybe I'm wrong. Whatever they do, it'll be confusing for the rest of us. I was hoping that one day I would see an ASM #1000. Oh well.

I don't think I would have looked twice at a CI had I come across one at a convention...but...getting a pile is different. You can't help but admire them and what they were to the kids who read them throughout the 50's and 60's. . Very cool and I can't help but look for them now everywhere I go. Don't know if I'll ever want to "collect them all", but I'll be on every 10-center I come across. On a side note, they seem to be made of cheaper paper than other comics of the same age. Often very brittle, especially the covers - even on books of a higher grade. Anyone else think this?

Only HRN #93....(11th printing) still an upgrade from my 20th printing of the same book. At this rate, an original is imminent! (is there a wishful thinking emoticon?)

Thanks for the clarification. I was looking for something like "HRN# 136" printed somewhere. Now, I'm aware of the 10-cent/Preview ad for originals (of which I only have one). It's the early reprints I'm looking out for in my collection. I'll go check now and see were my #1 stands. (oh how I wish it had 10-cents on the cover, it would have been the ultimate $4 find!)

Ok, Over the past few months I've somehow managed to gather about 30 CI's from various sources. Most of them are obviously well-into their 15th or 16th printing (painted covers, semi-accurate later dates, etc..). A few though, could be early reprintings (judging by the line-art covers, etc..) So, I go to search for this HRN # (supposedly located on the back cover of most books) to no avail. To date, I haven't found a single HRN number on any of my books - anywhere. Since I doubt that I've managed to purchase 30 books with the same printing error, I would like some guidance in the form of pictures. I found a great site with lots of info on CI books (classicscentral.com) but can't seem to find any visual references to this identifying number. So, I'm coming here hoping someone will show me a few examples. I've got a #1 (Three Musketeers) with a line drawn cover, but a 15-cent price. I know it's not a first print, or even 2nd - but I would like to know which one.

You, sir, must have the mustache of a Titan.

Gotta see it to believe it..

Ooooh....So jealous of that lineup. I really need to visit Ebay soon...

Well, this isn't the first appearance club, right? (ha, ha). Anyway, I grew up with a tattered 5th printing #1, so when I finally got my hands on a bona fide 1st printing (black cover) copy of the regular Volume 1 run, I felt elated. So, it's still a cool club to be a part of, right? ( at least until I get one of those snazzy white-cover special editions and start a new club...) Anybody own one of those newsletters?

I wish I knew more about it, but alas, I can't read the Kanji. Maybe the next time my sister visits, she can translate. My version of the book has an interview with Todd McFarlane, that much I know. On a side note, I wish we made our comics as stout as the Japanese do...This thing feels indestructible!

I thought the show was awesome! I love Patrick Warburton... Nice books everyone! The show was decent enough, but after loving the comic for so long, it just didn't feel right. Patrick Warburton was born to play that role however....

Then I guess that was a nice find for 50-cents over at the local flea market! (my original copy was UPC as well, but read to shreds...) Thanks for the info! Do you think that trend holds for the later 10-20 issues?

He appeared first as a mascot in the New England Comics newsletter. He was so popular, they decided to start up the monthly book pictured above. So, I would call the the official first appearance in comics. Not sure if any of those newsletters count, but I could be wrong. I imagine that club would be small indeed. (unless, of course, you have access to a 1980's-era Xerox machine.... P.S. Your copy is giving mine a run for it's money...You're in good company.

After joining many various #1 Clubs here, I felt one or two were missing. Thus, I have decided to create the Tick #1 Club. Not widely-loved by many, and hated by more (especially if you watched the Fox live-action show from 2001), none-the-less is beloved by a few. Although, I don't claim this to be the first Tick appearance in a comic (which was Special Edition #1 - White cover), it is can be a difficult issue to get none-the-less. So, considering that it is the first issue of the actual volume 1 run, I think this club is valid. So, post both your Special Edition #1 White Covers, and/or the slightly-less-special Regular Run #1 Covers. So, you few, submit your entries into this exclusive club.* *1st Printings only please.... Here's mine:

Alas, he be battered but worthy all the same....

Alright, gotta join another club. These two submissions should get me into this club, and the Japanese Spawn #1 Super-Happy Club-uru (should it ever be formed). The Japanese version actually contains issues 1-3, so maybe it's a "TPB" of a sort....

Hello all, It's taken me a while to join this group as I don't have many pics to share yet. I did want to pass along this story I have of an incredible group of DD's that I bought recently. They are issues #43-#55 from the original owner. In 1968, when at age 11, she and her brothers decided to ride down to the drug store on their bikes every month and spend $1.00 on comics. She didn't really have any interest in them, but didn't want to be left out. Her brothers bought Spiderman, X-Men, and other "macho" comics . She bought Hulk, Lois Lane, & DD. The siblings decided not to overlap characters, so sadly she was not allowed to buy her own ASM's. Anyway, while her brothers read their own comics many, many times, ( until they fell apart) she kept hers well-hidden away safe in folders or between books. She moved the locations many times as her brothers would regularly raid her room for them. She herself never read a one. At some point, she put them all in 1-gallon ziplock bags and forgot about them. A few months back, I was able to buy them for about $10 a piece. (including Hulk 110-117) Their conditions range from 9.0 to potentially 9.4, maybe higher. They really are gorgeous books with supple pages and vibrant covers. White pages mostly, and high-gloss covers to boot. Corners are excellent, although several are slightly blunted. For me, I love that they were jealously protected for all those years and I was able to buy them from the original owner. In a way, it's my own personal "pedigree" collection. Best of all, her name is Mary Jane. (if it was Karen Page, it would have been perfect...) At any rate, I prize these books above all others in my complete DD collection. Anyway, I will try to post pics of these books soon. Anybody else here have a similar story?

Well, since I'm a huge Daredevil fan, I'm almost obliged to pick a Miller book. But I won't. They are great, especially #181. I don't think we give enough love to Volume 2 though. So, I'm almost obliged to pick a book from the tremendous Bendis/Maleev run. But I won't. Instead, I'm going with issue #51 (Echo: Part 1) written and illustrated by David Mack. It's a beautiful story perfectly illustrated (as only a writer/artist can do) that stands out from all the others. It's not an exciting story, or particularly dramatic. Really, no fighting at all. But what it does is make you think, lke the child the story is told about, and the woman she later became. It was so good, I continue to think about it from time to time. If you read #51, make sure you read the next 4 to complete the story.

The worst thing about comics is that they have a number on them. I think that's why it's easier to pick and choose Golden age books, many have the number only on the inside. Some clever marketing person came along and said "hey, let's make it impossible for some one to go to sleep at night with a gap in their run, put that thing on the cover". I just completed my Daredevil run, all volumes, one-shots, variants, and mini-series. I'm now trying to find all the covers out there with him on it from other series. That's much harder. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside knowing they are up there lined up like little soldiers safely in their boxes. Now on to Amazing Spiderman.... I have a lot of mini-runs going. Some numerical (Tick 1-12) others by artist. I'm working an all books by McFarlane as well as Billl Sienkiewicz. Someday I would like to have a high grade run of all the Amazing Spiderman triple-digit x00's (100, 200, 300, etc..) They would make great dividers in my long boxes...

Got all the DD variants. Love the covers, don't care it's a cheap marketing gimmick. I'll do it on ASM too. You just watch me

I'm 35 and have been collecting since I was 15.

Daredevil....all the way.

About 1600 currently, but hoping to lop off about 400 of those soon as they were inadvertent acquisitions. (i.e. Craigslist long-boxes bought for the one good comic in them!) I've got a full-run of Daredevil, all volumes, one-offs, and miniseries. I've got all the official variants, but not all the price change variants (yet). Currently trying to make a collection of cover appearances with DD. Also slowly trying to complete a run of Amazing Spiderman (this one will take a while)....