Happy Noodle Boy

I would definitely make an exception for that book.

Thanks for the thoughtful points. I don't know if I'm ever going to be able to get past writing on covers, but I think I'm making some progress with miswraps! In the golden age especially miswraps are just the way a lot of comics looked and the kids didn't care, so why should I? The letter "K" on the cover is something I've seen on other books. I'm wondering, if instead of a doodle it's something some newsstand owner wrote on the books? I have a lot of "grail" books from the golden age to go after and limited funds, so placeholders aren't something I can really afford. I'm just slowly targeting the best copies I can afford of the books I want that meet my aesthetic standards. Fine or better, presents well, no writing. I'm trying to relax a bit about date stamps though! I would actually like to make a counter-argument to your point about writing on covers adding to the book's history. Of course you're not wrong about that at all, but it's just interesting to me what some people can tolerate and some people can't stand. For example: restoration. I'm new to posting here (lurked for a couple of years though) but I can definitely see that restoration is anathema to just about everyone on these boards. I don't like color touch and I avoid those books, even when it's hardly visible to the eye, because to me that's the same thing as writing on the covers. It's like graffiti in a way. But I don't mind slight trimming anywhere near as much as most others on this board. I would take a Mary Marvel #8 with a 1/8 inch trim on the top and/or right covers before I would go for the copy I posted in this thread. I know, pieces are being removed from the book. But it wouldn't affect the artwork whatsoever; it's really just a philosophical point, i.e., the book isn't completely intact. And I don't sell my books, so for me it's not an economic factor at all. As much as you would say that I should appreciate writing as part of a book's history, and I just can't do it, I would say (slight) trimming isn't a big deal because it doesn't really take away from the artwork at all, and (I assume) you just can't do it. We all have our aesthetic blinders.

This would be for my personal collection so the price wouldn't really be a factor. I just really want a nice copy of this book, and also I see so many golden age books I'm interested in with writing on the covers that I've just been wondering if there is a way to remove it without damage. I've been passing on lots of great golden age books because of writing on the covers (that, and miswraps, which I keep trying to get myself to accept as somehow representing golden age charm but just can't bring myself to do it.)

No, I haven't bought it. It's a book for sale on DaleRoberts.com and I would love to have it if it didn't have the writing on the cover.

I'm one of those people who hates writing on the covers of books. Date stamps I can maybe deal with if they're unobtrusive, but when people doodle on covers it's an automatic pass for me. Case in point: a grail of mine, Mary Marvel #8. I love Christmas covers and I love Mary Marvel and this is perfect--except for the big dumb letter K on the cover. (Someone filled out a coupon on the back too.) Maybe this is some newsstand or distributor mark but I just don't want a book with this kind of mark in my collection. Is there any way to safely remove this? Are there any people out there offering that kind of service? By the way if anyone has a copy they want to sell, in fine or better, I'm definitely interested.

Thank for the advice. I'm passing on both of those books and I'm going to try some online dealers.

Hi all, I mostly lurk in this forum as my budget doesn't allow for much back issue comic collecting, but I'm considering a couple of golden age Marvel Family books, and as I've only ever bought one other golden age book I would appreciate it if you folks could give me your opinions? There are two different copies of issue 21 on ebay right now that I have my eye on. One is a Canadian edition, CGC 6.0, with a date stamp; and the other is CGC Restored 8.0 with right edge trimming (I know trimming is verboten on this board but this book would be for my own collection, not to sell, and to me its appearance is fine) and a name stamp at the top. Someone named Paul Ladefoged stamped their name on the book. I'm pretty sure I know the answer, and it's the answer I'm leaning toward as well, but which of these copies would you guys find more desirable, and why? Also, is a Canadian edition of a Marvel Family comic less desirable than an American edition? Are they considered interchangeable? And what do you guys think about name stamps? Date stamps I can deal with as long as they're unobtrusive because they have a kind of charm about them, but a stamp with the name of a person is another thing entirely. I'd appreciate any insights you guys could offer!

Thanks for all the informative replies, guys! They really have my curiosity piqued. I'm gonna go do some research now...

I'm brand new here and this is my first post, and I apologize if it's a dumb question. I've collected comics in a haphazard way for my whole life, starting in the 1970s, and to me the golden age stuff was a vast undiscovered country. So many companies, so many titles. For myself I was mostly a Marvel zombie, but as I've grown older I've become more and more intrigued by golden age comics, specifically the lesser known stuff from the smaller companies. And that got me to thinking: there was just so much stuff published during the golden age, and so much of it has been lost to time--is it possible that there might be a golden age comic book out there, maybe a one-off that didn't sell many copies, that no one has ever heard of before? An unknown series, or maybe just an unknown issue of a series? Is it possible that someone might discover some old comic in an attic someday that no one has ever seen?