Robot Man

OK, It's a little slow here on the farm today plus I noticed the ACE thread came alive. So if you don't mind here are a few more I had in the bucket: First up is Super Mystery. It seems to get over shadowed by Four Favorites a bit. But there are many great covers on these as well. I am down to only one or two more to get all the ones I want.

Great book! This looks like pre-code horror!

Fair question. I asked him the same thing when he gave it to me. Larry is his brother. One year younger than him. They both bought tons of comics especially EC's off the racks in Oakland, CA. His brother sent for this and Richard swiped it from him.

Here are a few items from the San Diego con 2000 EC reunion. Not many original folks left by then but I do remember, Elder, Williamson, Kamen, both the Severins, Davis and a few more were there. It was the best SD Con I ever attended! The badge on the card were given to attendies of the dinner. The bigger silver badge was given to the special guests I believe. I got mine from Jack Karen who said he thought it might have more to me than it did to him. I was at his table and we had a lot of laughs. VERY cool guy!

I put this in my thread and the EC thread but thought it belonged here as well. This is the 1972 EC Fan Addict Convention Kit. This was held in New York and featured Gaines, Feldstein and ALL the EC folks except Ghastly I believe. This kit is complete even down to the un-used tickets. Now this would have been something to see. I was just a kid and didn't even know about it at the time.

Last, but not least are a few items from the San Diego con 2000 EC reunion. Not many original folks left by then but I do remember, Elder, Williamson, Kamen, both the Severins, Davis and a few more were there. It was the best SD Con I ever attended! The badge on the card were given to attendies of the dinner. The bigger silver badge was given to the special guests I believe. I got mine from Jack Karen who said he thought it might have more to me than it did to him. I was at his table and we had a lot of laughs. VERY cool guy!

Next in line is the 1972 EC Fan Addict Convention Kit. This was held in New York and featured Gaines, Feldstein and ALL the EC folks except Ghastly I believe. This kit is complete even down to the un-used tickets. Now this would have been something to see. I was just a kid and didn't even know about it at the time.

Next up is a complete Fan Addict kit in the mailer with all 5 newsletter that were sent out later. There is also a repro of this kit with a sticker instead of the metal pin. Cool back story on this one. In the late 1970's I used to go every week to Wonderworld Comics to get my new comics. The owner was an older man named Richard Kyle. Richard was an old time fan and ran with the Thompsons, Jerry Bails and was the publisher of Alter Ego I believe. We would always talk old comics. I asked him once what happened to his collection. He told me sadly, they were lost in a house fire. He knew I was a big EC fan. One day in December I went into his shop for my weekly comic fix and he said he had a Christmas present for me. He pulled this kit out from under the counter and handed it to me. I was floored and said I couldn't just take it as it was worth a lot of money. He said that it was the only thing left from his EC collection and he had sent away for it himself. He told me that if I agreed to never sell it it was mine! Richard, if you are reading this, I am a man of my word and still have it. And it ain't going nowhere!

OK gang, as promised, here is some cool EC stuff As the Old Witch would say: "Fasten your drool cups kiddies!" First up is the set of "Ghoulantic" photos in the mailer. There are reproductions of these photos on thin paper but these are the real deal. I believe I got them from Grant Giessman many years ago in a trade.

Last, but not least are a few items from the San Diego con 2000 EC reunion. Not many original folks left by then but I do remember, Elder, Williamson, Kamen, both the Severins, Davis and a few more were there. It was the best SD Con I ever attended! The badge on the card were given to attendies of the dinner. The bigger silver badge was given to the special guests I believe. I got mine from Jack Karen who said he thought it might have more to me than it did to him. I was at his table and we had a lot of laughs. VERY cool giy!

Next in line is the 1972 EC Fan Addict Convention Kit. This was held in New York and featured Gaines, Feldstein and ALL the EC folks except Ghastly I believe. This kit is complete even down to the un-used tickets. Now this would have been something to see. I was just a kid and didn't even know about it at the time.

Next up is a complete Fan Addict kit in the mailer with all 5 newsletter that were sent out later. There is also a repro of this kit with a sticker instead of the metal pin. Cool back story on this one. In the late 1970's I used to go every week to Wonderworld Comics to get my new comics. The owner was an older man named Richard Kyle. Richard was an old time fan and ran with the Thompsons, Jerry Bails and was the publisher of Alter Ego I believe. We would always talk old comics. I asked him once what happened to his collection. He told me sadly, they were lost in a house fire. He knew I was a big EC fan. One day in December I went into his shop for my weekly comic fix and he said he had a Christmas present for me. He pulled this kit out from under the counter and handed it to me. I was floored and said I couldn't just take it as it was worth a lot of money. He said that it was the only thing left from his EC collection and he had sent away for it himself. He told me that if I agreed to never sell it it was mine! Richard, if you are reading this, I am a man of my word and still have it. And it ain't going nowhere!

Since I am on a "kit" run and I've been asked, here is some EC stuff: First up is the set of "Ghoulantic" photos in the mailer. There are reproductions of these photos on thin paper but these are the real deal. I believe I got them from Grant Giessman many years ago in a trade.

I see Roger every year or so at The OAF cons, but I think everything we're discussing is well documented and researchable on-line. BTW, do you own a set of the EC portfolios? They're full sized reproductions of original story art and Russ Cochran's first venture with Bill Gaines into bringing out the EC legacy to the fan market. No, I had them once but sold them when the hardcover book reprints came out.

I don't have any of those. Most are post code so I never looked at any of them. Anybody know if the contents are good?

I really like this book too. I have a beautiful copy with the centerfold missing. I like these "book" covers. I have a Young Allies and a Stuntman issue with similar covers. There are probably others I don't know about.

This is cool stuff!! I'm wondering if anyone has the pictures of the Ghoulunatics that they were always trying to sell in the letters pages. I've gotten through about 20 of the EC Archives books and it must have been a decent revenue stream for them since they mentioned them so often. Those have been reproduced, so be cautious if buying them as originals. In the letter columns, you may recall that the EC editors encouraged readers to buy them, to help put their office boy through college! And this was true, as it was the office boy's notion to make them up and offer them for sale -- it generated a decent amount over several years and the office boy did in fact get all proceeds from their sale from Bill Gaines. Johnny Craig served as the model for each of the GhoulLunatics, with makeup and props and photography by Al Feldstein. Here's an amazing set with original mailing envelope that was sold by Heritage: http://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/miscellaneous/ec-ghoulunatics-photo-set-with-envelope-ec-1951-in-ec-s-horror-heyday-its-titles-had-such-a-fan-following-that-feldstein/a/807-5554.s If you feel inclined share some pre code horror? You wouldn't have a nice Voodoo 8? I think it is a much underappreciated baker classic. Yes I do have a Voodoo #8. Not sure what shape it's in but will try and dig it out tonight. Stay tuned Ghoulantics, last night I dug out the photos and kit as well as a few other surprises. I will post them later on today...

I remember reading something about that painting being in Gaine's Office. It's probably in a private collection today. ...Sure wouldn't mind either of those paintings hanging in my office. BTW, if I'm not mistaken that the voluptuous femme fatale sharing space with the Vault Keeper and various ghouls in Johnny Craig's painting on the back cover of Squa Tront #5 was intended as a host for a fourth EC horror title. Unfortunately, the Senate sub-committee hearings and CCA put an end to EC's horror lines before her title premiered. What a cryin' shame. Seems to me I saw a photo of Bill's office with that hanging up behind his desk. I will ask Grant Giessman next time I see him. He was personal friends of Gaines and Feldstein. Roger Hill would probably know too. I don't personally know him but have bought stuff from his eBay auctions.

I have a set of those I believe in the envelope. I'll try and remember to take a photo of it next time I've got my camera out. Yes, they have been reproduced as well as the membership kit. The repro kit has a sticker instead of the metal pin. I'll shoot 'em both for you. This is cool stuff!! I'm wondering if anyone has the pictures of the Ghoulunatics that they were always trying to sell in the letters pages. I've gotten through about 20 of the EC Archives books and it must have been a decent revenue stream for them since they mentioned them so often. Those have been reproduced, so be cautious if buying them as originals. In the letter columns, you may recall that the EC editors encouraged readers to buy them, to help put their office boy through college! And this was true, as it was the office boy's notion to make them up and offer them for sale -- it generated a decent amount over several years and the office boy did in fact get all proceeds from their sale from Bill Gaines. Johnny Craig served as the model for each of the GhoulLunatics, with makeup and props and photography by Al Feldstein. Here's an amazing set with original mailing envelope that was sold by Heritage: http://comics.ha.com/itm/memorabilia/miscellaneous/ec-ghoulunatics-photo-set-with-envelope-ec-1951-in-ec-s-horror-heyday-its-titles-had-such-a-fan-following-that-feldstein/a/807-5554.s

I love Cole funny animal covers. I have a bunch of them as well as the Al Fago ones. I think they get a bit overlooked in the general body of his work.

Oh man, that's purty Richard! Someday I hope to own a copy of that Cap issue,,,

Edgar Church was a commercial illustrator and painter. He collected comics as an adult. I suspect he also bought and kept other contemporary magazines and pulps of the era, filing everything away as a source of ideas. I'm assuming he submitted work to various publishers of the era with the idea of getting work published, but not a lot is known about the specifics of his career or his rationale for building and maintaining such an awesome collection. Yeah, that is the story and I believe it but something in me tells me he was a bit compullsive and obsessive. The only ones that appear ever read are the ones he got used. I remember buying a stack from Chuck after he got them. A couple made that slow "pop" noise when opened like the ink was still stuck to the paper. I opened a few and when I heard that sound, I just left them alone.

VERY nice! Love the white on that one. 'Ole Edgar sure took care of his books. I wonder if he even ever read them or was just one of those compulsive buyers?

Typical GA stuff. Not real great but a couple good stories.

Didn't this hang in Bill Gaines office for years? I wonder who has it now? Maybe one of his children.