Randall Dowling

That miswrap is so far off the mark, I almost want it for it's eccentricity.

Should have left it alone.

I'm closing this down. Thanks to all for looking and those who purchased! A new thread will be started with mostly comic books in the near future.

Wikipedia shows first pro work as House of Mystery 179 (April 1969). Web of Horror 3 is a year later. I always understood that it was the first cover but I could be wrong.

Not at all, I'm not 100% sure myself. OE is right, the Creepy 9 is on the fan page (which is still a big deal to me, as a collector).

First cover, correct Dave?

Yeah, he's managed to put up with me all these years. Before and after I lived over seas, we went to the same middle school and high school together.

Always loved this cover! Congratulations!!

This is what we did mostly. I think a large amount of the fun for the DM was being able to come up with a story and challenge for the players. @Hamlet was particularly good at it when we were kids.

There are a lot of cool Captain America pins from the shield to the sentinel of liberty badge- both original (very expensive) and reproduction(reasonable). @Robot Man would have some ideas for unusual Cap stuff.

Over the last few years, I've learned to embrace the wisdom of this comic. Although I'm not a fan of people repeating the same flawed information over and over so they can feel superior, I feel less inclined to point out their foolishness unless it's concerns are clear and present. Disclaimer: I'm not making any value judgements or assessments of opinions currently or recently posted on the boards. Just referring to a general phenomenon.

This is the kind of thing that could make for a great story. But as you said, so far, it's a missed opportunity.

It's practically unwatchable. Terrible writing, sketchy directing, cinematography is mediocre. Acting is aimless despite some talented actors. Nobody seems to know what the right emotion is for a given scene. I'm having trouble finding anything to care about as I watch this show. And that's the signature characteristic of a really bad story, poorly told.

Wonderful pieces, Rick! I love the Bridge bidding reference from Snoopy and Charlie Brown! Not many people play anymore.

I tend to agree with you about preserving cultural heritage. The Europeans are considerably better at it and it does make for a valuable resource to visit historical locations, not just for historical government sites, but cultural ones as well. But as Americans, we're pretty well conditioned to always pursue what's new, what's different, and/or what's better. Another way of putting it might be that we highly value change, in whatever form it may take. Meanwhile, Europeans seem better at managing change while preserving the valuable parts of their past. And it shows in their cities and traditions. In some ways, one can trace America's affection for change all the way back to the foundation of our country. When your origin myth is revolution, then it's hard to see the value in holding on to your past.

Agreed. I just checked and my copy is a 2nd with the HRN 58. Pretty sure this cover was done by Paul Stahr, who was a remarkable illustrator for his time.

Take your time, sir. There's no rush. Make sure you get all the details sorted out before you launch. If it takes you another few years, so be it.

Very nice looking books! Creepy 9 is getting pretty tough in grade.

All good reasons why every collector should learn how to assess condition and grade raw books for themselves. And in this pursuit, there's nothing better than practice.

One of the all time classic covers.

That's a book you don't see everyday!

Completely agree. Typically, corporate culture flows from the top. Not pointing fingers at anyone but that's usually the case.

For anyone interested, James has a bunch of really great mags in this thread:

I think he's referring to the sample chapters that were distributed at one point (Allentown was one, if I recall correctly).