Frisco Larson

As I mentioned earlier, I have very few Fox superhero comics left. One that I remember being gifted from a pal (I think he needed the centerfold) is a coverless, cfo copy of Wonderworld 33, which always eluded me back when I was collecting the Fox books. So, I dug it out and snapped some pics for those curious as to what awaits them between the covers! The color copy cover is just for easy recognition in the box. I took a pic of every splash page (except Yarko, 'cause cfo) and a few interesting ad pages and such, and I will post them in the order you'd see them if you were thumbing thru the comic. Enjoy

New in the box.

Indeed he could!!! I seldom see him doing westerns though ...

Taped torn written on and still cool PHM to torn written on and still cool PHM

Wow, nice copy Billy Boy!!!

This Atlas book is on its way with a handful of Timey Miss America issues. I don't see these very often.

These next two don't have Miss America stories in them, but they DO have Patsy Walker stories. I gotta admit, the cover colors really pulled me in on this one!

I know, I know ... these aren't exactly everyone's cup of tea, but the first two copies DO have Miss America stories in them (just like many Marvel Mystery issues do) and they also have Patsy Walker stories (which I like). Miss America #3

Whooped to whooped (but all still cool!!!).

Pulp noose to pulp noose.

What a beautiful copy!!! Congratulations!!! First Schomburg cover in the title (I think tied as first ever with Daring Mystery #1, not sure which came first) and first new iconic logo in the title!!! Well done!!!

As I remember the story that's been told, it was the later comics (1944/1945) that were supposed to be the unread issues. I myself always felt that it was perhaps Tom Riley himself that put the ink stamp with his name on the back cover, which would make sense, as that ink stamp generally was absent after around mid 1943. MANY to most of the earlier issues I've seen have that ink stamp on the back cover, but I recall nothing after mid 1943 having it, which was supposedly when he went off to war, if we're able to believe the story we've been told. Anyway, a quick check shows that the earliest confirmed Frisco Star Spangled I can find quickly is #23, which has a penciled capital cursive G code with arrival date, just like your Top Notch and it also has a Riley ink stamp on the back cover. I have seen later books with a lower-case cursive g code without an arrival date or Riley stamp identified as Friscos, like my old copy of Marvel Mystery #60, which as I recall was a 9.0 with white pages. Yours is an interesting combination of somewhat contradictory identifiers ... earlier time period book, with later lower-case g pencil code with no arrival date or Riley stamp. I'd say the best way to be certain is to send it in for grading. Matt has certainly had more Friscos in his hands than I have, and he'd probably be able to give you a quick opinion on the matter. Onto the topic of any general wear in condition, keep in mind that the San Francisco collection was discovered decades ago and it's possible that random dings, nicks and wear have accumulated since their discovery and assimilation into private collections. At any rate, that's a very nice looking copy you've got there!

A quick group shot and a splash by a seldom seen western artist!

Wow, that's sharp!!! No question about that copy!!! Keep me in mind if you ever want to sell it!!!

I'd have to get the Star Spangled in hand to be accurate. Are the pages bone white? The penciled G isn't enough to go on. Nice copy though!

Wow, it's been two years since this thread has seen any activity!!

Great pick-ups! Actually, with the advent of certification, cover collecting has become a much larger focus with many collectors. Some that I've talked with have never cracked a book out of its holder and had no plans of ever doing so. I'm also at a point (for the most part), that completing a Golden Age run isn't a practical goal anymore, unless of course it's a small run and reasonably priced.

Thanks! I couldn't believe that I had never seen the book before! It's a mainstream Golden Age run, which I've never collected per se', but I've certainly seen plenty of. Proved to me that after several decades buying Golden Age comics, that there's still new stuff to discover!