Readcomix

Maybe I'm stretching it to call the Muertos a Ras prototype then, but it was O'Neil and Adams coming out of the gate playing with a vampiric-looking character with a source of immortality (garden bed vs Lazaurus Pit), so it shows them playing with a germ that would grow into a major storyline soon enough....It's certainly not TTA#27 to #35, but its interesting in the way that the Challengers are in light of the first 2 issues of FF (non-costumed hero quartet; FF with similar pre-power skill sets) or the way "Thor" is portrayed by Kirby in DC's Tales of the Unexpected #16.

Looks to me that, unconsciously, they may have been evolving this idea of an immortal villain operating in a big, mysterious lair.

Sorry if I oversold the notion, but I'm still fascinated by their first story, a one-off, containing a seed of their Batman magnum opus.

Am I making more sense?

Anyone got a cover for All-American #3 out there? I'd be open to acquiring a cover for that one, as well as open to moving the coverless copy off to an arranged marriage...either is good with me.

For those wondering why my previous post has multiple copies of various 50's DC's listed (Superboy 45, Jimmy Olsen 8, etc) -- how the heck do I know?!?!?

Seriously, I acquired those coverless 50'ss DCs in a batch in the same antique shop near Poughkeepsie, NY -- former home of Western Publishing, parent of Dell/Gold Key. All I can figure is perhaps the plant also printed for DC at some point? Lots of retirees around there from that plant.

Today, sadly, the site of the plant (across the street from Marist College) is a couple of big box stores, Home Depot and one of those office chains...

Thank you for that beauty!?

I'll gripe about a few I can never find in the wild.....last issue of swamp thing (171), that wolverine with the cover where he's got sabertooth's decapitated head a la Crime Suspenstories 22, and the God vs Satan issue of Savage Dragon; 31, I think.

Here's what's in my parts yard, if I can help anyone:

Coverless books: Batman #84, Spy Cases #27, Perfect Crime #5, Miss America v.7 #39, Leading Comics #16, All-American Comics #3, Adventure #95, Jimmy Olsen #'s 8, 9 (2 copies), 13; Wonder Woman #'s76,77; Superboy #45 (2 copies), Adventure #216 and 217. The #216 has a back cover.

I've also got partial wraps for Women Outlaws #3, Superman #14 (28 total pages), and Master #95.

I've got a low-grade Thrilling #14 missing the center wrap, and a Planet #10 missing the 3 center wraps. In the case of Planet, I'd like to find the wraps.

Lastly, though Silver, I have coverless copies of TOS #14 and TTA #40.

God, such a great thread.....I missed the boat on swampy off the racks, but just earlier this year picked up a collection that contained about 40 issues from the beginning of Moore up through the 60-something. I bought them cheap, pulled the 25 and 37 to keep, and flipped the rest for 5x what I paid. But I flipped through one before selling and then read the run non-stop before parting with them. I was so blown away by the entire series; might be the only thing I sold this year that I miss. At the time, I was liquidatiing stuff for an All-Winners #3 that a guy was holding for me. If not for that, I may well have decided to keep them. But I'll likely reassemble a reading run at some point.

Thinking back, I dunno how I missed the boat on this when it was new. I did buy #50 and annual #2 off the racks, just because the covers looked interesting. Both moved immediately into my short box of permanent readers and remain there. Yet I did not turn to the regular series....and I have to say that having read that 40-book run, #50 is even more enjoyable in that context that I now have.

Also, I know this is a copper thread, but since it is a swamp thing thread I also want to express my love for HOS #92. If Hulk 181 is the AF15 of bronze, this is the Astonish #27. Took me years to find and acquire an acceptable copy via the in-person, LCS route.

Thx Jtlarsen! You really expressed the the 395/76 analogy very well!

Jimbo, thx on Worlds Finest! I had thought B&B 79 was the first time Adams had drawn Bats, but WF precedes it (and one gets a Tec 225 Martian Manhunter intro reprint).

This thread also turned me onto Batman #217, which I had been overlooking.

Does anyone think I'm off in calling the Muertos in Tec 395 a ras al ghul prototype?

Bottom line, there's still untapped potential value in that era of Batman books, in the context of their role in the character and his importance today. But if I have to bet on just one book to emerge big time from the pack, I take 395 for the first Adams/O'Neil pairing on the character, a seeming prototype for the biggest Batman villain intro'ed in the bronze era, and its relative elusiveness in high grade.

I'm in for 5 raw...a mid-grade reader, 3 nice mid-9ish, and one that should net a high nine outcome. It'll probably go in for grading with the next batch I submit. But for now it's 5 raw for me.

Completely agree with all you guys on this one. D.C. Acknowledged it's historic significance with a Milennium Edition, but the guide has yet to call it out.

Census only shows 121 slabs thus far, with 59 at 9.0 and above. No 9.8 and only 2 at 9.6.

I can't help but feel that for all the importance of the GL/GA groundbreaking series that Adams and O'Neil did, they also brought Bats all the way back to his pre-Robin roots and laid the groundwork for Miller's Dark Knight, and the character as he is loved today.

I'm not minimizing GL/GA, but I think this book is just as much the start (rebirth) of something important to the hobby. Off the top of my head, it may be the most underrated bronze book out there.

I just traded for a copy recently, for those very reasons! Under appreciated cool book for sure. It's also the first appearance of Victoria Bentley, a Dr Strange supporting cast member who is overdue for a recycling.

Thank you!

I didn't go through all 227 pages of this thread, so apologies if this has been raised, but I cannot help but think Detective #395 is the sleeper here. Of course, it currently doesn't hold a candle to Tec 400 or 411 or Bats 227, 232, 234, but it is the first Adams/O'Neil Batman story, and a ras al ghul prototype, to boot.

I know it lacks the iconic cover of a GL 76, but it's the comparable Bat book in all other ways.

Hello everyone, long-time collector (49 now; started off the racks at the 5) but new to the boards. Been reading for a few weeks, ever since the guys at Comic Book Daily turned me on to these boards.

Grew up on bronze books as they hit the stands; 90's killed new books for me, stuck mostly to back issues. Today, I'm focused on making my collection smaller and better while still keeping it diverse and interesting. For me, of late, that has meant Golden Age and Silver Age of all stripes, and a few bronze keys and oddities.

I've been enjoying buying small collections of late, pulling what I want to add to my permanent collection, and spinning the rest back out in trade or for cash to put back into the collection.

That's the nutshell; more details to come when I am rested enough to release my origin issue over the origin story thread!