Duffman_Comics

Welcome back Andrew Trust the trip was not too tedious - as to weather, all good here. Wet, but nothing like the weather further south. Nice comics and more Barks goodness there. Things in Gold seem to have slowed down a lot since the onslaught (and subsequent calming) of cyclone Mitch. Pick up any interesting books on the trip?

That's a very good question. I don't have a fanzine, let alone a list, but I did buy this in the mid-70's at a retail book store and thought it great read. The Disney mob didn't think it quite so wonderful (i.e. they were not making anything from it) and refused author Chalker permission to use ANY illustrations - in a pamphlet examining Barks That of course explains the absence of Scrooge and the symbolic appearance of his accoutrements.

Is there a Pop Culture item that doesn't interest BZ? The tangential reference to circuses pushes my nostalgic buttons - rainy weekend afternoons watching International Showtime with Don Ameche. Boy, does that take me back

That pinback is neat, Andrew. Funnily enough I dragged out a Mickey Mouse reference book I hadn't looked at in years - thought it may give tb some ideas for fresh fields to conquer. It was given to me by my mother in the late 80's - it's published 1986. Here's the cover: It is an odd size, so things are a bit iffy on my scanner. There is a part devoted to pinbacks, here's a scan: There are a ton of beautifully preserved and photographed licensed items in this book. Everything from Record Players to magazines, piggy banks to original art. There is one picture that stands out - the caption reads: "In his small apartment in New York, Robert Lesser sits surrounded by his collection which includes everything related to American comic memorabilia from early Mickey Mouse toys Felix the Cat, Betty Boop to Popeye.He has been collecting for 20 years." Close examination of the picture (and there is a lot to admire) will also reveal a bed, bottom left. I believe it's a single.

Congratulations I am sure another quest will present itself shortly,and I just pray it does not overlap with any of my interests. On reflection, unlikely unless you decide to pursue low-mid grade odd-ball titles

Neat story, tb. The use of the term "Pristine Mint" really takes me back. Do you know if the collection in whole or part has moved on from Peter Sidelow? If he's still around, judging by the picture, he'd have to be getting on, if you know what I mean.

The earliest issues often have spine splits that kill the technical grade. Sadly, I think it is most likely that this copy is the best existing. This explains the necessity of the highly professional restoration having been performed on my book I really didn't expect you to take note/remember. In any case, not all mysteries should be solved Nope, this isn't even remotely spamming. Please continue . . .

That's interesting. The US's population in 1935 was estimated at a shade under 128 million and Oz had a little under 7 million . 25,000 is pretty strong number for a market so small by comparison. Still doesn't tell me what's underneath

Hey! I have one of those too - but mine has far more character: Now, here's a question for Fowl and Rodent Magazine aficionados. My copy has had an ad page pasted over the inside back cover, specifically done for Australia - note the "Competitions are void in Oz" disclaimer. This was definitely done at the time of distribution, and as you can see it is for a "savoury sauce" - P.M.U. Can anyone tell me what's under this ad?

Emile Mercier - now there's a guy that would have been fun to meet. From the linked Wiki: "While on the staff of Smith's Weekly, Mercier contributed a cartoon which included a cat in the foreground. Mercier added a cross under the cat's tail, representing its anus. The Smith's Weekly art editor rejected the cartoon and gave Mercier an angry lecture about including 'smutty gimmicks' in his work. Mercier then drew a down-drawn holland blind under the cat's tail, which hid the cat's anus but emphasised its presence, and re-submitted the cartoon." Couple of Frank Johnson published WWII Oz comics here, and interesting that that the lion seems to have been swiped from one cover to the other. Which came first, I have no idea as these local products have no indicia and rarely include other identifying date markers, like advertisements and such: Colour covers, but all black and white interiors.

Now there's a Christmas cover with a real European "flavour". Now, AJD had some spare WDC&S books and offered said issues to me. As is my habit, I ignored his P.M.'s and associated imprecations until the offer was just too good to pass up. Here's the Ducks from the recent shipment, 20 issues from 156 to 237: (Took this lot out of the bags for the photo, so there's not quite so much glare). Solid books all, great PQ and eminently collectible. Anyway, lots of kudos to Andrew

Friend of mine was bidding and winning a few Heritage lots recently, and asked if I was interested in the "by catch" - the books he didn't want in the lots. Now, I am a cheap , so of course I said yes. I expected a lot of dogs but was pleasantly surprised by the condition of many of them - some certainly VF-ish. 14 books, WDC&S 168 - 201 range: Lots of lovely Barks goodness.

Be aware, this is NOT an upgrade from girlfriend 9.0. Wife 1.0 is an Operating System, not an application. You have been warned.

Bats #196? Lovely books though. (thumbs u

Beautiful books, Andrew - I've never seen Point Five's undercopies look better That 93 sure has some lovely colours. Congrats (thumbs u <-- the good one

Maybe. As a kid I was completely oblivious to the Dickens' character and came to know it via various "A Christmas Carol" adaptations - and that is where I made the "Unca Scrooge" connection. That's not to say an adult editor may not have made the connection and the cover adjustment. I never considered Donald US Navy - he's a duck in sailor suit. This reprint is from 1962 - decades before the "Duck Tales" series, which was screened here. Donald's always been difficult to understand, but at times US's faux Scots accent was also a puzzle. Why did "Duck Tales" focus on Scrooge? Like Barks, the producers realised that stories where Scrooge is involved drive the narrative. Rather than endless "Donald and the Kids" squabbles, Scrooge adventures were loftier, "grail" based yarns. Anyway, that's my 10c

Very interesting - a mystery likely never to be solved. Could it be in some way related to the "Uncle Scrooge Value Approved" cachet? I mean it's Uncle Scrooge approved - so we'd better stick him on the cover?

Aarghh The last one I need for this incredible (and I mean that literally) 3-issue run. What I like about Pirana is that there are so many absurdities, starting with the name. "Pirana" on the cover is an accepted variant of the spelling, though most times I've seen it in print it's Piranha . Leave that aside it's a freshwater fish. Rivers and lakes. This guy spends all his time in the ocean. His sidekicks are two barracuda, imaginatively named "Barra" and "Cuda". Barracuda are known for fearsome sets of dentures, so these guys spend their time "bumping" the bad guys. Pirana would be better off with a couple of electric eels. (thumbs u This cover.I like the way the "bubble trail" from the sinking or sunk boat breaks up the CCA stamp. Cute. What I have difficulty working out is the perspective in this drawing. The "Human Anchor" (I'll get to him in minute) is standing on the sea floor, attached via a chain to a boat. Is this on the surface? Can't be, bubbles present. Underwater some distance away? Umm yes, but seems to be below the anchor. How can that be if he's on the sea floor? Undersea mountain range? I haven't read this book, but I need to know, frozentundraguy, what is the Human Anchor's story? Just grabs random ship anchors and drags the boats to Davy Jones' Locker? Duffman, What is the Human Anchor's Story. He is a hired thug for Brainstorm. He and the Brainstorm look nearly identical, but for the Human Anchor's extra girth, and the stars that revolve around the Brainstorm head that is. As it turns out the Brainstorm has quite a few tricks to dole out to the Pirana. Chief among them, and I'm not making this up, is Murderina Mermaid. She is turned loose on the Pirana, and he falls for her hook line and anchor. As far as the Human Anchor, he is dealt with by Bara and Cuda, though they need some extra gadgetry to tackle him. He does attempt to drag the Pirana's boat under at one pont in the story, so the action depicted on the cover is present in the story. The book really departs from the norm with the letter page, as the characters of the book give voice to their thoughts, including bara and Cuda, along with Pirana's girfriend Betty, who doesnt even appear in the story. Since #3 was the last issue, there wasnt a chance for feeback from the readers. Hepcat, Thanks for the "kudos". Wow. That mess just makes me want it even more. A letters page . I think the chances of that being "editorially concocted" are pretty good.

Aarghh The last one I need for this incredible (and I mean that literally) 3-issue run. What I like about Pirana is that there are so many absurdities, starting with the name. "Pirana" on the cover is an accepted variant of the spelling, though most times I've seen it in print it's Piranha . Leave that aside it's a freshwater fish. Rivers and lakes. This guy spends all his time in the ocean. His sidekicks are two barracuda, imaginatively named "Barra" and "Cuda". Barracuda are known for fearsome sets of dentures, so these guys spend their time "bumping" the bad guys. Pirana would be better off with a couple of electric eels. (thumbs u This cover.I like the way the "bubble trail" from the sinking or sunk boat breaks up the CCA stamp. Cute. What I have difficulty working out is the perspective in this drawing. The "Human Anchor" (I'll get to him in minute) is standing on the sea floor, attached via a chain to a boat. Is this on the surface? Can't be, bubbles present. Underwater some distance away? Umm yes, but seems to be below the anchor. How can that be if he's on the sea floor? Undersea mountain range? I haven't read this book, but I need to know, frozentundraguy, what is the Human Anchor's story? Just grabs random ship anchors and drags the boats to Davy Jones' Locker?

This was interesting - thanks for posting. According to Wiki (I know, I know), he "reportedly deployed the funding from his Guggenheim Fellowship to bind his comic book collection, most recently valued in the millions of dollars, rather than to travel abroad as the award intended" Given that he was awarded the Fellowship in 1938, he either saved the money and later bound the books or bound a lot of newspaper strips. Has anyone ever seen any of the volumes shown in the pic?

Just watched an episode of "WWII in Colour" and there's a shot of a naval rating reading a funny book. I had the thing PVR'd so a few freeze frames and a GCD quest later and determined it was this. Kinda neat as the ship ended up going to the Pacific to fight the Japanese. Oh, August 1943 issue.

How about the thought of ducks eating a moose for Thanksgiving dinner? No problems there as moose and ducks are not exactly closely related in the genetic stakes.

I think Donald has pinched the lion's food - snaffled using the pitchfork - rather than any butchery.

The thought of a duck eating a turkey makes me a little, ummm, "uneasy"