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TV Teens probably qualifies, but low-grade IW reprints of The Brain? Short, shorter, shortest bus! Jack

OK, I took some liberties with I Love Lucy. It's even a nice copy (index now pending approval at GCD). For the most part, celebrity humor is fair game on the Short Bus since most people here couldn't care less about it. Hey, I'm the one that came up with Picture Progress, declared the quintessential Short Bus book by acclamation! I sorta like that one! Great story. Jack

I will buy it from you for cheap.... FOR CHEAP!?!!? For shame, sir! Do you think this is a HORROR thread? oh yeah, it is. Jack

I have the money for it, but not the heart. I guess I am just sick of it. I still really like buying books and reselling them, but truly collecting them has left me cold for awhile now. I guess I just look at this stuff and ask "why do I own this?". Most of the time I can't think of an answer. Because you like it ? Usually does it for me. That's the point. I am not sure I like it anymore...hence the "I am just sick of it" part of my post. You would be missed around these parts... Sounds like collector's burn out ... a common affliction. Thanks Ryan. Maybe "it" will come back...in the meantime I will still have fun buying and selling. Good luck. Jack

Journey into Fear 17, Jan-54, Superior (Canada). BTH but very readable. Violent pre-code horror! Make Mine Horror is an odd canine variant on Poe's Cask of Amontillado! Elsewhere axe murders, eyes torn out by crows, vampires, etc. Jack

One of the best Mark Merlin covers -- beats the tar out of the next one (I just posted #30). Amazing what a difference Elsa in a fur bathing suit makes -- right, classic DC Silly Monsters too. Jack

Lordy mama, that's a funny cover. Why punch a robot in the "jaw"? Does it hurt the robot? (Apparently it does make his side-panel pop out.) Why would a robot need a gun -- and a knife! Why do the robots knees make two different colors of sparks? So he can tell them apart? And why bother with the robot at all when it's clear that ol' Baldy controlling him is going to be dead meat after Black Terror Jr. beans him with his spiked club? (OW!) Quintessential Golden Age. Fine purchase, Roger! Jack

Several "House" books recently received. Obviously not high grade, but all "nice for the price". Classic DC colorful covers! House of Secrets 30, Mark Merlin. One of my oldest but I have a few others all the way back to #2, a lucky buy House of Secrets 62, more Mark Merlin with especially wild coloring. MM had quite a long run -- has DC revived the character lately? House of Secrets 76, Eclipso/ Prince Ra-Man crossover House of Secrets 76, Eclipso/ Prince Ra-Man crossover again with that DC blue-green background House of Mystery 30, my oldest in the series and DC PINK! House of Mystery 98. generic monster but nice colors House of Mystery 115, element cover! House of Mystery 130, goofy monster. I wonder why this story wasn't in My Greatest Adventure. House of Mystery 146, getting into the superhero days but who can resist a Zook cover? Jack

A few low- to mid-grade Journey Into Mystery issues just received. (Seller's scans) JiM 69 -- Iron Giant cover and story for the chemical element collection. JiM 81 -- Gene Colan story with giant gorilla called Kunga. Marvel's sparkling originality strikes again! The Kirby panicking populace cover cracks me up. Even a flying hat! JiM 123 -- classic Kirby floating heads cover. Nice fine to very fine copy. I remember it taking me a while to find a copy that was worth the price. This is an upgrade. Jack

I can't post a bunch of books and neglect the Short Bus! I think Dell TV adaptation books qualify, right? I Love Lucy 25, Dell, Oct-Dec 1959 (OK, not real Golden Age, but this is THE Short Bus thread). Nice Lucy & Desi photo cover. Take a look at the strange caricatures inside! On some pages, Lucy has almost a Little Orphan Anie look. Jerry's Who's Who suggests that it's probably by Hy Rosen. Notice the odd squiggle "fill" coloring. Typical Lucy hi-jinks. I don't know whether the stories are adapted from TV episodes or written for the comic book. Jack

Black Diamond Western, Lev Gleason, Feb 1951. Frenetic Biro cover dominated by that @#$% logo taking over half the space. The book is well indexed at GCD -- looks like the stories are mostly one-man efforts by William Overgard. Quirky but not bad artwork. Interesting PSA about giving your teacher an appreciation party signed by Fasang. The topper is a great Bingbang Buster story by Basil Beanery Wolverton! Jack

These are great, but the Slapstick tops them all! I think this is Munson Paddock, based on a discussion (here?) a while back. What a great, crazy cover. You mentioned being "cautiously optimistic" about no restoration. These oddball books are a lot less likely to be restored than (pricier) superhero books, aren't they? Jack

Jack, could Jayson be Disbrow again disguising the fact that he did more than one story? It was not uncommon in pulps for the same writer to have multiple stories in one issue under 3 different names ... I think you're right, based on the signature w/ a characteristic squiggle under it. Yet the artwork w/ his own name looks better. Maybe extensive use of assistants (or his son?) on the Jayson story? Maybe he just put more effort into the first story and rushed to finish the last one. Jack

A bright, bloody L. B. Cole war cover on The Horrors (of War) 11, January 1953, Star Comics. First story featuring Hitler's ghost is by Disbrow and looks pretty good. Most of the other story artwork is pretty weak, including one signed by Jayson (who's that?). A tale of paratroopers "burning out the Japs" that might interest 'Trooper. Jack

Another one received today -- Lost Worlds 6, December 1952 (yeah!), Standard. Cool giant ants cover that has nothing whatsoever to do with the fairly tepid science-fiction stories inside, even the cover story. Overstreet notes Toth artwork. Did he draw this cover? Looks probable to me. I'm not sure what he did inside -- not his best work. Maybe the lead story, Men and Fire. Jack

It's not every day that I have a Timely book to post. Fortunately I found a kindred book to piggyback on. Krazy Krow 2, Fall 1945. Not the greatest scan (from seller). Slightly racist "black crow" cover. Nice funny animal artwork. I wouldn't be surprised if it's all Vince Fago, who signed the puzzle pages but not the stories. Maybe not the last story, which is a little weaker. OK for this thread, or banished to the Short Bus? Jack Don't tell me you don't like Timely's like this?

Oh my, that back cover is rich. It's a R Crumb's "bean effect" shape prototype! Jack

Nice catch! Those early Warner Bros Four Color issues are terrific -- and just look at the coloring on that cover! Donald Duck isn't too shoddy either, but I often enjoy the WB stories more. Jack

Nice! The staging and especially the dispersing crowd are very Kirbyesque. I suppose they were drawing from the same well. Jack

Tough call. No spandex, zombies or gore -- yes. GGA -- no. Sizable Bushmiller Nancy fan base -- no. (This is Bushmiller, right?) Respectable condition -- no. I'm afraid it might have to ride in the long bus with the jocks and geeks. Cool book, really! Jack

Does anyone else notice how closely Kirby's work in the 50's resembles his work in the 70's (like his 4th world work)? Maybe it's by the same guy! Do you mean that it's not as slick as his classic 60s Marvel work? I'd agree with that. Is that because of the inkers? How did Simon/Kirby's collaborations work at Prize/Headline? Is this probably Kirby pencils under Simon inks? Jack Jack

Here's a fun win for a modest price. Cover is credited to Simon and Kirby (seems right to me) and apparently there's Krigstein art inside. Not in my hands yet -- seller's scan. Jack

I am liking that bright purple suit. The yellow hat and green blob really bring out the best in it, don't they? Perry White shares your taste in suits. Jack

Donna Parker (couldn't even come up with a mystery to solve)? Bobbsey Twins? Jack

I wouldn't and you wouldn't, but I don't see any Spandex, X-ray vision, zombies or angst. Let's ask over in Comics General. That poor, neglected Popeye book sat unloved and ignored in skypinkblu's VCC booth until I nagged and wheedled her into selling GIVING it to me. Cost me a pretty penny, nothing;) believe you me. Jack There goes my Big Spender mystique! again Jack (What penny could be prettier than free?)