C.G.'s "What the Hell is This?" Thread

[The Charlton Guy-migration]

Here's a thread for books that are waaaaaaaay off the map.

 

Has anybody ever encountered these General Electric Promo books before?

 

I can't find them in the OPG, and everyone that I have showed them to says, "Geez, that artwork looks familiar!", but I haven't been able to come up with anything other than a few guesses.

 

All six books are circa 1950 or 1951. I picked them up in a local collection of books that were all from those two years.

 

The copyright on the rear sheet reads: "PUBLIC RELATIONS, DEPT. 2-119, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, SCHENECTADY. NY"

 

Each is numbered using a system as such: "PRD-5" or "APG-17-8A", "APG-17-A" etc..

 

Any guesses as to the artist(s)? The interior artwork is exceptional, as are the covers. Check 'em out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please advise!

 

I have a few more as well. If you would like, I will photograph some of the interior sheets.

[BangZoom]

 

 

Adventures in Science

 

 

[szelim]

Westinghouse Electric put out something similar around the same time:

 

 

[ciorac]

Those are great CG. I'd like to get a set one day.

[selegue]

 

I love 'em!

 

There's actually two series:

 

Adventure Series

 

Adventures in Science Series

 

 

How do I know that?

 

"Indexed by

John P. Selegue"

 

I'm the person that decided to break them into two series since the indicia title (using the little text box on the cover in lieu of actual indicia) changed from Adventure Series to Adventures in Science Series.

 

How many are there? Good question. I may have a full set, but it's impossible to tell because GE reissued multiple editions of them with updates. It's interesting to follow the changes over the years in, for example, "Adventures in Jet Power" and "Adventures Inside the Atom". There are also Canadian editions of some (differing only by a notation on the last page, I think.)

 

Probably the first one is Adventure Series GEC-174 1946 General Electric, Adventures in Electricity Number One, "How Magic is Born…and How it Travels". It's one of the few that's signed -- George Roussos artwork. Joseph Samachson is credited as writer on some of them. MAYBE John Rosenberger and Jack Sparling, but it could be pure "shop work" by whomever was available. Most are credited to Pictorial Media, Inc. or General Comics, Inc. (possibly the same office under two different names) on the bottom of the second page.

 

The last Adventure Series that I know about is:

Adventure Series APG-17-8 1950 General Electric, Adventures in Electricity Number Seven, "A Story of Electronics", Roussos (signed)

 

for a total of ten issues under the original title.

 

Adventures in Science Series runs, as far as I know, from:

 

Adventures in Science Series APG-17-3 1947 Adventures in Electricity 4

to:

Adventures in Science Series APG-17-5C 1964 General Electric; Inside the Atom; Pictorial Media, Inc.

 

The numbering goes from APG-17-A to APG-17-10 with a letter after the number (like APG-17-2E) indicating updating a revision. There are also a few PRD and GEZ codes. I'm not sure how many issues there are with this title including revisions. Probably twenty-some.

 

My favorite issues are the earliest versions of "Adventures Into the Atom". Great predictions of what things would be like in the far-flung future, like 2000. Where's my ray-gun and flying car?

 

Way more than you wanted to know?

 

Jack

 

 

 

Here's a thread for books that are waaaaaaaay off the map.

 

Has anybody ever encountered these General Electric Promo books before?

 

I can't find them in the OPG, and everyone that I have showed them to says, "Geez, that artwork looks familiar!", but I haven't been able to come up with anything other than a few guesses.

 

All six books are circa 1950 or 1951. I picked them up in a local collection of books that were all from those two years.

 

The copyright on the rear sheet reads: "PUBLIC RELATIONS, DEPT. 2-119, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, SCHENECTADY. NY"

 

Each is numbered using a system as such: "PRD-5" or "APG-17-8A", "APG-17-A" etc..

 

Any guesses as to the artist(s)? The interior artwork is exceptional, as are the covers. Check 'em out:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please advise!

 

I have a few more as well. If you would like, I will photograph some of the interior sheets.

[The Charlton Guy-migration]

Thanks! What great info!

 

I figured there had to be another nut or two out there who is crazy about this stuff.

 

I have three or four more. They have some foxing though, so I keep them apart from the others (poor things). I'll compile the titles and numbers.

 

Thanks again!

[Mister_Comics]

GE and Westinghouse both did these giveaway comics as company promos. Most copies went to schools. Some as mail-in giveaways. If you worked for the company, sometimes the employies were given these comics. Some were attached to certain appliances. One of the rarest is THE STORY OF WESTINGHOUSE. That one was only attached to refrigerators. A few years ago I was lucky to find one still in a cellophane bag with the instructions which was still taped to the back of the old frig. The frig was from 1955 and still worked. I was only interested in the comic that I was looking for.

 

It seems that a lot of these giveaway comics were being made during the 50's to mid 60's from all sorts of companies. One of my favorites are the Railroad giveaway comics. Iron Horse Goes To War, Clear The Track, Special Agent, Salute To The Boy Scouts, all have some great Bill Bunce art. He later became famous for his American folk-art. Everyone has to start somewhere. The giveaway comics have pretty interesting backgrounds.

[sacentaur]

One of my favorites are the Railroad giveaway comics.

 

[Mister_Comics]

Nice set of RR comics. I hope to have all mine graded some day. I just recently sold a CGC 9.6 Rails Across America. I'm still looking for a nice All Aboard, Mr. Lincoln to complete the set. Iron Horse Goes To War is my favorite of the bunch. To me The Wheel Of Progress has that weird nightmare style cover that I've always thought kind of strange. In my RR set I would say Special Agent is in near perfect shape. I haven't had it graded yet. But I believe its a 9.8. Kind of amazing since these books are from the early 60's. One other thing, CGC & OS should mention that Uncle Sam appears in Rails Across America.

[sacentaur]

Nice set of RR comics.

 

Thnx MC - I think it's a complete set (several are not listed in the Guide).

 

Kind of amazing since these books are from the early 60's.

 

Clear the Track is 8/56 to lead off the series, and it finishes with The Iron Horse Goes To War from 5/60.

 

 

I'm still looking for a nice All Aboard, Mr. Lincoln to complete the set.

 

PM sent

[Earl Davis]

Cool Railroad run.

 

Earl.