Robot Man

That seem like a pretty crazy result for a somewhat common low demand pulp. Is this the now considered “FMV” for this one if I should consider my similar copy?

Well, I finally popped my cherry and took the plunge. I actually submitted a few pulps to CGC. Not that I haven’t already. I had Joey press a couple of comics and he submitted on my behalf. But I have yet to actually do so myself. I attended WonderCon on Friday and they were taking submissions. I figure now is the time to do some pulps. The market is wide open. A lot of unknowns, prices on most are still low and there is good potential until they eventually go the way of comics. Showed up with the goods and waited in a short line for a computer. I had no idea of the process and had a lot of questions. The nice young lady was very pleasant with me but probably figured I was some clueless old guy with no computer experience. Actually, I am a graphic designer with decades of experience in photo shop and in-design. Just had a lot of questions. I was submitting a Yakima with a copy of Dave’s COA, a file copy bought on line from a well known dealer with papers and couple more. I was assured they would be considered although there was no space on the form to indicate “notes”. I was also submitting in two different tiers. I stumbled through the first one thinking I could do them all on one form. But no, was told each had to be submitted on a separate form which meant seperate mailing costs and service fees. FedEx only which I don’t like in my area. But Ok… After the second one it let me put the rest on one form (with additional postage and service fees in addition to the regular fee). I then put in my credit card which I winced at in a situation like this. Although, they didn’t tell me to, I then made sure I was logged out. They then took my books and handed me the forms. I was told I would be billed in a few days. Probably to check I didn’t lie about values? How they are going to know is beyond me. And I handed over my precious books to some nice young kid making minimum wage. I noticed some fool next to me with a full short box of moderns and wondered how much of his day would be spent entering them in one by one and how much it was going to cost… So now, I sit and pray. Will they come back with the info I wrote on the back boards and the COA proof I had put in the back of the boards? Will they all come to me in seperate packages? Or one box? I will see how it goes. I am not really much of a “slab fan” but in the case of pulps, I mostly only collect for the covers anyway. Maybe do it again, maybe not. Not a cheap experience. Money I would normally think better spent on more books… Pray for the newbie… I will report back when I eventually get them all back.

There have been several comments about lack of books and high prices at this and other shows. All true to a degree. I, too, went looking for specific stuff and hoping to find some at a decent price. Not much luck for me either. I am maybe a little more open minded or more likely a little “less discplinded” than many of you. But maybe I work a little harder. Yes, I check out the walls. Where the pretty, key and more expensive books are. But I then ask if they have what I want (GA mostly). I look for those boxes and start flipping. Yeah. I end up impulse buying a little usually finding dealer mistakes and books that folks who can’t be bothered or have the patience to look for. Often, dealers have a box or two behind the table. I never come home empty handed. Yes, conventions and other forms of buying in person have changed. But, at a show, you get the “thrill of the hunt” and the discovery. You also get to converse with like minded folks. Catching up with friends and meeting new ones. Yes, a lot of great books turn up online. But a quiet, solitary, quick experience. I do that as well. But, like a slabbed 2 sided book, not much fun for your money. I much prefer examining books in person and taking them home that day.

Yeah, I used to love making the trip to WonderCon in SF. It usually happened the first weekend of the month so I could also hit the massive monthly Alameda antique flea market before I made my trip home. I too welcomed the move to SO CA. A lot closer to home and more convenient. Yeah, lost a little of the NO CA vibe but took on a different SO CA vibe. The show, like all comic cons has diminished a bit. Tough for a lot of out of state dealers to make it worth while. Still, more than enough reasons to attend. We need more Cons here. I sure hope it ain’t going anywhere. I do wish it wern’t Easter weekend though.

I don’t buy very many Fawcetts these days but bumped into these VERY reasonable issues at WonderCon. The Whiz has a cool WWII cover and I have never run into one. The Xmas #4 hits 2 chords with me. A super fat Giant and a Christmas cover. Also has a felt feature on the title and on Santa.

I hunt these Frankenstein books. Especially the later horror issues. They are fairly elusive. One I didn’t have. Yeah, low grade with water damage but it was a mere $25. at WonderCon and fished out of a box. Couldn’t pass it up. Maybe, I can upgrade down the line but if not, at least I have a whole filler until I do.

Nothing like the truly beautiful books usually posted in this thread but I was lucky enough to stumble into this extremely rare Fox giant at WonderCon. I have collected giant annuals for over 30 years. Other than the copy that is owned by @Hap Hazard (who was present when I dug this out of a box), Neither of us have ever seen another one. Comprised of rebound Fox books. Yeah, the first one is a rather boring Hoot Gibson, but there are two very wild and violent Fox crime books and an issue of Pedro with early Wally Wood art. This is just one of several reasons I like to go to cons and box dive. A fun and unexpected pick up.

Not exactly “romantic” but I picked up the last one I needed at WonderCon. Pretty, high grade, slabbed copies are wonderful, but folks who own them are deprived of the beautiful two interior Baker stories…

Just scored another Marvel teen age painted cover.

Annother one I couldn’t pass up. The colors are just blazing on this one!

A fun WonderCon purchase!

A new surfing cover. Actually, more of a boogie board but an early lady surf riding none the less. Bolles cover?

Will post what I picked up when I get the chance to check them out.

Check out my “Son of my 50 year Junk Obsecession” over in GA for a report.

Check out my “Son of my 50 year Junk Obsecession” here in GA for a report.

My observations… First off, BAD weekend for the show. Easter is a day spent with families. Dealers don’t want to travel. Only a couple of out of state dealers. Mostly the local crowd I usually see at shows. Not to mention we got another big storm blowing through here. Will really impact all the cosplay folks and the fun out door activities today. Was weird that unlike its big sister SDCC, you could just walk right up, buy a ticket and walk in. Lots of folks just gazing at the big high priced wall books. Seems like every booth had numerous high priced ASM 300’s. Why people pay or ask those prices for a book that is common as dirt is beyond me. I seemed to have all the GA boxes to myself. I fished out a few nice very obscure gems at great prices. Just not a lot of WWII, obscure publishers and scarcer GA. I brought a ton of cash and came home with most of it. Most dealers seemed happy with sales though. But what dealer would admit they didn’t do well? Hard to find many Pulps, my current interest. And what was there was priced insane. It was pretty pathetic how small the “GA/SA Pavilion was. 5 or 6 small isles with a slight spillover. Looks like a small postage stamp on the floor map. A pretty large Artist’s Alley but I didn’t go because I really don’t know many modern artists and everybody I used to go see had basically passed away by now. I had no desire to shuffle the rest of the show of new toy dealers, T-Shirts, gamers and the great un-washed… I actually waited in line at the CGC booth to get some pulps graded. There seemed to be a lot of confusion as what to do with them. I figured now is the time to do some. Not many on the census and a lot of them have very few sales. Many real good ones still fit into the lowest tier. For now… I also got this cool pin for my submission. One of the best parts of the show is bumping into old friends and making new ones. I had a few conversations with my older buddies. We all agreed as to how many of us are dropping lately. Now is the time to keep in touch more often. Another thing that was a little disturbing was how many former old time board members have given up posting here. Most cited hostile interactions here as the reason. Real sad, as I have always enjoyed their posts. I urged them to return. Hopefully, they will. Was very easily a one day or less show for me. Still what a great way to spend a day and will go back as long as it’s here.

And here are some usual wall shots of the kind of stuff that interests me.

There were only a couple folks with original art.

Ran into my pal, boardie Hap Hazard. He is holding a cool, fat Xmas comic I bought from his brother in law who had a booth. Had a nice conversation and geeked about books.

I was hunting pulps. Not many there and the ones that were there were priced at to the moon prices. Just not even somewhat realistic. No one knows how to price them right now. But just to be safe, just display them seemed to be what was happening.

Barbie was there as was my friend The Creature!

Metro’s usual wall of drool. Actually, nothing I haven’t seen a million times before. I was there to hunt for unicorns. And no, I didn’t ask prices on the “big boy” books…

Bumped into my buddy Brad Sloan from F-VF comics. Brad was having a real good day.

Hit WonderCon yesterday.