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mwotka

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Posts posted by mwotka

    Post-DC/Timely Simon and Kirby

    in Golden Age Comic Books

    Posted

    On 2/28/2023 at 6:57 PM, Sqeggs said:

    Issue 3 is probably the toughest to find. Still looking to upgrade this copy. 

    01742051550000112096587004.jpeg

    Beautiful copies of everything!  The Prize Charlie Chans are great and I've had mostly rough copies of all but never been able to find a 3 and been looking for several years.  

    Eldon Pedigree

    in Golden Age Comic Books

    Posted

    I too have read through this thread several times.  I did some searching on the boards and found a few older posts that hadn't disappeared into photobucket oblivion of some more True Comics from Frisco's earlier posts.  You will note that all of them appear to be issues from the late 1940s.  Given that Hamman was born in 1934, that would have him reading these from about age 11 until maybe 14/15.  Those have cursive in pencil that is quite sloppy, and when looking at the signatures, the E usually connects to the rest.  From what I can see, those are the only ones from Hamman.    

    The open question is the block letter signed issues as seen on the coverless Action 25, Superman 4, 7, 15, 19, 21, USA 3, World's Finest 3, and then the Jungle 47, which goes up to late 1943 (might be others I've missed, I checked HA and Comicconnect).  I don't think there is any way Eldon Hamman was reading these books at age 6 or 7 and writing his name on them so neatly, or leaving them in such nice condition (coverless Action aside).  They just don't line up with the True books from years later. There are numerous sales on Heritage and elsewhere mentioning the Eldon pedigree being from Hamman and these are incorrect. 

    I think we all agree the cursive books, aside from True Comics, are Eldon Tuffentsamer.  They go back to early 1940s books with the tight cursive -script in ink with an E with a curl at the bottom separate from the rest.  See below my Fight 22 from late 1942, USA 4 from early 42, Sub-Mariner 5 from early 42, the Whiz 25 on an earlier page from late 1941, a Cap 1 & 3 from early 1941 and even Batman 4 from late 1940 (all not pictured are on Comicconnect).  Do the two styles connect?  It is possible he sometimes wrote in block letters.  Or there is another Eldon out there. 

    I think Eldon Dedini is out because we've seen how he signed his full name in a block.  He was much older too so why would he sign what looks like a child's signature years after a stylized -script, as seen on the Funny Picture Stories.  And everything of his seemed to come out in one small lot in that auction of a few dozen books, I believe all of which are earlier than everything else that is signed. 

    Therefore it is probably easiest to ascribe most everything to Eldon T.  I don't know that enough evidence exists to do so for the block letter signed copies.  But I have several pieces of evidence that it might be the same.  First is that Jungle 47 with block letters mentioned above and pictured on a previous page.  It is clear Eldon T. loved his Fiction House books and took care of them.  He had a number of issues in this era and run.  What are the odds of another higher grade early mid 1940s FH book with a different Eldon signing.   Second, there is the USA 3 with block letters and the USA 4 cursive, both higher grade.  Again what are the odds two Eldons collected the same issues back to back and saved in higher grade.  Third, is signature placement.  All of them are either above/below the title or in the title.  This is not Recil Macon signing everywhere.  I think the placement on both types of Eldon signatures is very similar, and the signatures are all quite compact as well, and in ink.  But ultimately I'm not completely certain.  There could be a 4th Eldon out there.  But I don't see any way to be certain, unless an issue exists with cursive and block.  He did double sign a few issues over the years so perhaps one is out there with both styles.  If it is him with both styles, he gave up on the blocky signature after 1943, when he was about 15.  

    True Comics Eldon Hamman 2.jpg

    True Comics Eldon Hamman.jpg

    fight 22.jpg

    USA 3 Eldon.jpg

    USA 4 Eldon.jpg

    Mystery Men 11 CGC 2.0 Reduced aka the Why Nobody Buy My Book thread.

    in Golden/Silver/Bronze Age Only

    Posted

    Maybe it would help to share the grader notes?  

    cover detached bottom staple
    light spine stress lines to cover
    moderate creasing to cover
    split left bottom of spine
    split left top of spine

    I find the "slightly brittle" designation extremely vague, and this needs work somehow at CGC.  I've never understood how a book can come back with "tan to off white pages" with some basically brown paper that is oxidized and on another book you get a few pages separating at the spine and the rest of the book can be cream or even better and it gets nailed with "slightly brittle".  Sure, if there are flakes in the holder, it is bad.  But paper that is creased at the fold of the spine and read many times can start to separate.  That doesn't make the whole book brittle.  Either that or they need to do a much better job describing what exactly is slightly brittle on the book.  Now if they open the book to grade and the pages split more, than it would be warranted.  But who can tell?  And then what about the cover, it can have a brittle overhanging edge and the interior can be ow/w.  The book is fine if you are careful.  And if the trend above continues with many GA books getting that sb label, people will just stop grading them.  As this book looks really nice, I'd bet it would've had solid offers raw.  Good luck with it.  

    'PLANET COMICS' (is deserving of its own thread)

    in Golden Age Comic Books

    Posted

    Pretty quiet on this thread lately!  There was a nice looking 4 with great color this week on HA.  I tried for it but couldn't keep up on the price, especially for raw with resto.  Anyone have any luck with it?

    https://comics.ha.com/itm/golden-age-1938-1955-/planet-comics-4-fiction-house-1940-condition-apparent-fn-/a/122301-11759.s?ic4=GalleryView-ShortDescription-071515#

    my g.a. pedigree run

    in Golden Age Comic Books

    Posted

    A friend of mine won this Flame 2 in the recent Fox auction. On looking at it I immediately noticed the "SN" notation, and thought he might have a Cookeville pedigree.  Any thoughts on this?  Also has a really cool store stamp on it, almost perfectly placed on the lighter rectangle area.  Of course the stamp mentions "Brooklyn" which wouldn't jive with the TN location.   And the initials don't look like many of the others I have seen.  

    flame 2.jpg

    • Popular Post
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    Rare & Esoteric GA CGC Books (and some regular cool ones)

    in Golden/Silver/Bronze Age Only

    Posted

    On 12/12/2022 at 8:49 PM, esquirecomics said:

    How You Can Defend Your Home (1942) CGC 5.0

    This is an incredibly rare book and thanks to SFCityDuck, who sold a copy last year, I can provide you with some great background info!

     

    "How You Can Defend Your Home" is a D.C. comic which was published in 1942 by All-American through its indicia publisher Jolaine Publications (also the indicia publisher for Green Lantern Comics 1-23, All-Flash Comics 2-26, and Comic Calvacade 26).  "How You Can Defend Your Home" was sold as a 10 cent premium for members of Hop Harrigan's "All-American Flying Club" and "American Observation Corps" through ads in All-American Publications such as All-Star 10, All-Flash 4, and All-American 42.  See here from All-Star 10:

     

    all-star-comics-10-apr-1942-dc_1_f0e74b1f857828cd1077c1c0c2955156.thumb.jpg.eb1361f868a48526e874b254e947c21b.jpg

     

    The editor is M.C. Gaines, writer is Edward Gruskin, and the artist is Hubert Mathieu.  Mathieu (1897-1954) was a notable illustrator who gained fame during WWII as the artist on his "Spot Your Plane" and "Our Democracy" features.  The latter feature lasted 10 years and was run by 2,000 newspapers and magazines.  Gruskin was the writer of such favorite comic features as Street & Smith's Supersnipe, Shadow, and Doc Savage.  M.C. Gaines, of course, was a co-owner of D.C., All-American, and the founder of E.C. Comics.

    This is a truly rare publication.  Ian Levine (does the current Board membership even remember Ian???) noted it as one of the cruxes in his quest to obtain a complete D.C. collection. Aside from Ian, last year SFCityDuck identified that only four other board members have claimed to own a copy (Me, Bangzoom, Jerome34, & BLBcomics) and board member Baz posted he'd seen a copy with a rat chewed corner.  SFCityDuck sold a CGC 5.5 copy last year and noted he found records of only four copies being sold:  Harley Yee for $1,000 in 2009 (although I remember Harley having a copy at SDCC on his wall for $1,500), two copies on this board for hidden amounts around 2015, and a "fair" copy on eBay.  A volume of comics bound by famous SF author Walter Gibson which included a copy was also sold by Potter & Potter in 2017. 

    Only three public institutions (two University library archives and the Library of Congress) supposedly have the book in their holdings.  

    Simply put, it's a small club that has a copy.

    You can see Ian's copy in the top row of this picture of his key comics:

    791847225_comicdckeygroupshotianlevine.thumb.jpg.5e3013a4dab9fb472c9041f890ec2b0d.jpg

     

    SFCityDuck asked a great question in his thread: how do you price a book like this?  Rare, top of census, significant to DC and Max Gaines/EC collectors, rarely offered for sale. None have sold through any of the major auction sites. Not Heritage, not ComicConnect, not Comic Link and not Hakes.

    And, yes, every copy I have ever seen had the punch hole in it. I believe the book was intended to hang from the wall or on a hook so you can grab it when unidentified aircraft would fly over! I have included this book in my comic book history presentation for years!

    Good luck finding one! Except there is one available here:

    FORUM PRICE: $1,750.00 

     

    How you can Defend your Home.jpg

     

    On 12/13/2022 at 10:22 AM, esquirecomics said:

    If an A-bomb Falls (1951) CGC 4.0 Cr/OW

    Super rare promotional book with amazing atomic bomb explosion cover that instructs Americans on how to survive a nuclear attack. This was produced by Malcolm Ater's Commercial Comics outfit in Washington, D.C. He is the King of promotional comics (https://tomchristopher.com/comics3/malcolm-ater-and-the-commercial-comics-company/).

    I have been tracking this book for many years. It was said to have also been published as part of a comic page insert in the Washington Post but I have never seen it, but the few copies of the comic book I have come across often have stamps from civilian civil defense units (I know of Ohio and Delaware). I have used it in my comic book history lectures for years because it has some of the (now) funniest guidance on how to survive an attack, such as jumping in a ditch and covering yourself with a newspaper or making sure housewives unplug their toaster ovens!

    Full story includes: 1) How important it is to know the signals of an impending atomic attack; 2) The meaning of the different tones of air raid sirens; 3) What to do if you are attacked without warning ; 4) How to react to the brilliant flash of an atomic explosion; 5) How to find the safest place in your home; 6) The equipment you need for a home safety and emergency kit; 7) How to store a good supply of canned goods and water for extended sheltering; 8) How to prepare for an attack if you have advance warning How to seek protection from an impending attack; 9) Remembering to keep calm to stifle panic during an attack ; 10) How people caught outdoors will suffer the greatest casualties; 11) What to do if you are on a car, bus, or train during an attack; 12) How the worst danger from atomic attack is radiation in the air and water; and 13) How to decontaminate yourself if you think you have been exposed to radioactive dust or mist. The back cover features a chart showing the number of deaths and the number of injured people that can be projected if an A-bomb explodes in a populated area.

    You can read the entire book here: http://www.historymuse.net/readings/If_an_A-Bomb_Falls_1951.pdf

    I do not know of any copies being sold by major outlets that I have seen. Every once and awhile I come across a copy on Ebay. If anyone knows of any sales, please let me know. GPAnalysis does not have an entry for it. There are actually nine copies on the CGC census, which surprised me.

    This is a key Cold War book that is a Must-Have for a complete collection.

    FORUM PRICE: $1,250.00

     

     

    If an ABomb Falls.jpg

    Take these via PM!  Thanks!

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    Fox Comics Appreciation Thread!

    in Golden Age Comic Books

    Posted

    Nice wins Gino and comicnoir!  I sense we were all thinking along the same lines last night, as I too ended up with some Blue Beetle bondage from the same run, along with a later Mystery Men with even more bondage.  I think we have a problem!  Or at least that is what my wife tells me when she sees them...

    And thanks for sharing your "beaters" Bob.  I'd be happy with any of those!  

    Blue Beetle 11.jpg

    Mystery Men 25.jpg