Flee-Marquette

Here are some Whitmans still in the bags. Most of these are the last issues of that series circa 1982. For example the Turok is #130, Doctor Solar is #31.

Yes, LOTS more! I've got to reread that Gregg article in ILLUSTRATION magazine. Anyone know which issue it was in? The Gregg article is in ILLUSTRATION mag #9 http://www.illustration-magazine.com/latest9.html He painted the covers of 212 of the Dell books from 1943 to 1950.

I love the 3-D style logo!

Besides the drug and juvenile delinquent covers, skull-covers are a primary focus of mine. So are "hanging in the shadows" covers..... I also like "airbrushed legs in nylons" covers.... And then there is "bodies on top of newsprint" covers... And of course "women in evening dresses being grabbed from behind by men in fancy hats" covers... I think that about covers it.....

Very cool!

The dials on the device even display the same measurements. I guess the procedure to put a head on a translucent woman and a mummy are the same. The mummy body was just the next in line! Once they moved it out of the way, they could distill their skull for snack time. Jack OSHA wouldn't approve of lunch in the lab. bb That might have been the OSHA inspector.

The dials on the device even display the same measurements. I guess the procedure to put a head on a translucent woman and a mummy are the same.

Was that a "Mickey" crossover appearance at 4:15?

Happy Birthday BZ ! Even though it is a day late.

Toby and the Soaring Sofa! If I ever start playing music again, I think I have a great name for a band. (thumbs u

Hey Christian, I showed this to you briefly at the Creature-Con but it is page 26 from your Horrific #2 comic. My first pre-code original art.

But now the G9K is gazing benevolently at my meager stash in the basement of my home He looks different.

A charismatic Floridian who called himself the Obadiah27-Kid saw an opportunity to fashion an action figure in the likeness of Obadiah. He stormed the south going to revivals, state fairs and health communes and soon every home had an OO doll on their mantle. He convinced a group of investors in the long-term viability of the action-figure market and sold his enterprise for a princely sum. It appears he got out just in time because the bloom was off the rose in the picture-book industry. He later retired to his beloved state of Florida, opened up a gator farm and discovered the elixir Coca Cola.

To promote the high-grade condition of their picture-books some unscrupulous dealers would manipulate the images in their advertisements to get rid of blemishes. This practice was known as "Daguerro-shopping" and much scorn was heaped down upon those who engaged in such activities.

A few addendums: In the late 1800's, there weren't too many options for obtaining your Obadiah Oldbucks if you didn't live close to a city. If you ordered one through the mail your options were: Pony Express Standard Service: Shetland Pony Economy Service: And if you needed Tracking, it could be expensive The California Gold Rush in the late 1840's resulted in hundred's of thousands of treasure seekers flooding the area. With their newfound income the need for picture-books could not be met through the mail system. A young entrepeneur, Horatio Yee headed west with a huge cache of Obadiahs and struck gold himself.

Nothing commands a room like a G9K. Pictured here in the lobby of the Westin Hotel minutes before the attempted abduction.

I heard someone tried to steal the G9K.....

The nation was divided into two camps and what started out as a humor publication for young ones became a very adult issue. As time went on, kids moved on to bicycles, marbles and tin toys. The demand for Obadiah subsided as adult collectors that passed on were not being replaced with younger ones. Eventually the "picture-book" phenomenon and those enamored with it disappeared. Until........

His "best-in-existence" copies from the Chapel Collection were now in jeopardy and he had to investigate. He purchased a "primped" copy and determined that it was not naturally high-grade but had been Rejuvenated! He quickly notified the authorities and an uproar ensued.

Business boomed for Nell and soon huge amounts of high grade Obadiahs appeared on the market. This drew the attention of the gentleman known as "The Podiatrist" who had the best Obadiah collection in the country. He had purchased his copies from a Pueblo Indian in Colorado (Chief Rose-In-Sky) who had found a case of them in the basement of a Pentecostal Chapel.

And finally an enterprising seamstress from Alabama, Nell Matson, realized that her skills at primping dresses could be applied to the "picture-books". She had a smoothing technique using her thumbs that with the right amount of pressure could make the wrinkles disappear. She also had naturally oily skin from a diet of mostly sardines that hastened the process. A Grade AA Obadiah could be made into a Grade AAA in a matter of minutes.

The OBAnalysis was formed to track the sales of husk-wrapped Obadiahs.

Eventually, it was no longer good enough to just "own" a copy of Obadiah Oldbuck, you had to have the one in the best condition. Most copies were well read and had wrinkles from being stuffed in coat pockets. Pristine copies were being sold for a premium as they were few and far between. Soon industries arose out of this need for the best. The Corn Growers Collective for a small fee would wrap your Obadiah in a protective husk and certify it Grade A or Grade AA or Grade AAA.

Hobbyists formed organizations to standardize the terminology of their collecting niche.