50 Rarest GA Books - CBM Survey (1993)

[cloudofwit]

An updated list would be nice, though I'd definitely prefer to see the ashcans separated out.

 

Some may argue it's apples and oranges, but I just don't see most collectors classifying them together with 'regular' books.

 

Agreed. I find this list to be fairly useless because it`s filled with ashcans and other books that were never mass produced. It`s not such a big deal for a book to be scarce when it was scarce from the day it was published.

 

 

Though anyone who might insinuate negative emotion or context towards ashcans should be struck down like the dogs that they are, -- I agree.

 

It makes little sense to include ashcans or some of these promotional books (such as "If the Devil Would Talk") as the circulation was already scarce/rare at the time of creation. How can one analogize that 6 copies of an ashcan that was created in 1938 yet has all six survive today should be on a list that notes only 75-100 copies of Action #1, which had millions printed in its day, still survive.

 

Of course, both the ashcans and these promotional books are key facets of comic book history, but they should be discussed separate and distinct from books that had general distribution in the marketplace.

 

BTW, for anyone interested in seeing copies of many of these rare books, some of are on my website:

 

Anti-Communism/Cold War Comics

 

Notable Key Issues - features many ashcans

 

Promotional Comics

 

I'm curious, where did you get the figure of millions of Action #1s? I wonder what the U.S. population was in 1938? That's a huge figure, and at first glance seems implausible, but then again Superman was no flash in the pan either.

[ArAich]

I'll see your 1.8 and raise you a 9.2!!!

 

 

And a 9.2 B/W copy!

 

However, ANY copy of Blood is the Harvest is simply AWESOME!

 

 

 

Yours are awesomer....and I never tire of seeing them... (thumbs u

[esquirecomics]

An updated list would be nice, though I'd definitely prefer to see the ashcans separated out.

 

Some may argue it's apples and oranges, but I just don't see most collectors classifying them together with 'regular' books.

 

Agreed. I find this list to be fairly useless because it`s filled with ashcans and other books that were never mass produced. It`s not such a big deal for a book to be scarce when it was scarce from the day it was published.

 

 

Though anyone who might insinuate negative emotion or context towards ashcans should be struck down like the dogs that they are, -- I agree.

 

It makes little sense to include ashcans or some of these promotional books (such as "If the Devil Would Talk") as the circulation was already scarce/rare at the time of creation. How can one analogize that 6 copies of an ashcan that was created in 1938 yet has all six survive today should be on a list that notes only 75-100 copies of Action #1, which had millions printed in its day, still survive.

 

Of course, both the ashcans and these promotional books are key facets of comic book history, but they should be discussed separate and distinct from books that had general distribution in the marketplace.

 

BTW, for anyone interested in seeing copies of many of these rare books, some of are on my website:

 

Anti-Communism/Cold War Comics

 

Notable Key Issues - features many ashcans

 

Promotional Comics

 

I'm curious, where did you get the figure of millions of Action #1s? I wonder what the U.S. population was in 1938? That's a huge figure, and at first glance seems implausible, but then again Superman was no flash in the pan either.

 

It's possible I am thinking of Superman #1 and not Action #1. I believe I have the circulation figures in some of the Siegel-Shuster litigation files, or someone has posted them on the boards somewhere.

[cloudofwit]

An updated list would be nice, though I'd definitely prefer to see the ashcans separated out.

 

Some may argue it's apples and oranges, but I just don't see most collectors classifying them together with 'regular' books.

 

Agreed. I find this list to be fairly useless because it`s filled with ashcans and other books that were never mass produced. It`s not such a big deal for a book to be scarce when it was scarce from the day it was published.

 

 

Though anyone who might insinuate negative emotion or context towards ashcans should be struck down like the dogs that they are, -- I agree.

 

It makes little sense to include ashcans or some of these promotional books (such as "If the Devil Would Talk") as the circulation was already scarce/rare at the time of creation. How can one analogize that 6 copies of an ashcan that was created in 1938 yet has all six survive today should be on a list that notes only 75-100 copies of Action #1, which had millions printed in its day, still survive.

 

Of course, both the ashcans and these promotional books are key facets of comic book history, but they should be discussed separate and distinct from books that had general distribution in the marketplace.

 

BTW, for anyone interested in seeing copies of many of these rare books, some of are on my website:

 

Anti-Communism/Cold War Comics

 

Notable Key Issues - features many ashcans

 

Promotional Comics

 

I'm curious, where did you get the figure of millions of Action #1s? I wonder what the U.S. population was in 1938? That's a huge figure, and at first glance seems implausible, but then again Superman was no flash in the pan either.

 

It's possible I am thinking of Superman #1 and not Action #1. I believe I have the circulation figures in some of the Siegel-Shuster litigation files, or someone has posted them on the boards somewhere.

 

:thumbsup:

[rob_react]

It's possible I am thinking of Superman #1 and not Action #1. I believe I have the circulation figures in some of the Siegel-Shuster litigation files, or someone has posted them on the boards somewhere.

 

Superman #1 sold something like a million copies, I believe. Action #1 was something like 300,000?

 

My memory is fuzzy.

[esquirecomics]

After a two second research undertaking, according to Les Daniels in DC Comics: A Celebration of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes (2003), Action #1 had an initial print run of 200,000 copies. Unclear as to whether there were issues printed beyond that, but by Action #7 the print run was at least 500,000.

 

Mike Benton in The Comic Book in America (1989) stated that the sales of the first three issues of Action were about the same as the companion Detective issues of the day. In 1938 he notes that most comic titles were selling 200,000 copies of each issue., but by the time of Action #4 that title was up to 500,000.

[Moondog]

So looking at this list from 1993, this is obviously pre DC ashcan/Sol Harrison find since the Action and Superman ashcans are not listed.

 

Gary, can you elaborate on what titles and how many copies were part of the Sol Harrison hoard? Or do we have to wait for the article?

 

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans. Mark and I were as thorough as possible. Please let us know what you think.

 

 

[esquirecomics]

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans.

 

Or ... maybe not.

[cloudofwit]

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans.

 

Or ... maybe not.

 

:think:

[esquirecomics]

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans.

 

Or ... maybe not.

 

:think:

 

I'm looking through the Guide and I can't find it.

[cloudofwit]

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans.

 

Or ... maybe not.

 

:think:

 

I'm looking through the Guide and I can't find it.

 

The article itself or the inclusion of the census?

[esquirecomics]

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans.

 

Or ... maybe not.

 

:think:

 

I'm looking through the Guide and I can't find it.

 

The article itself or the inclusion of the census?

 

Fortunately the article is there, although according to the Table of Contents I must be a VP of CGC!!!!

 

No ashcan census that I can find.

 

If it isn't in the book Gary will post it in a thread in the GA section.

[Moondog]

The article (that comes out tomorrow in the new Guide) has a complete census of all known ashcans.

 

Or ... maybe not.

 

:think:

 

I'm looking through the Guide and I can't find it.

 

The article itself or the inclusion of the census?

 

It appears that the census didn't make it in. This is very distressing since it lists - for the first time ever in one place - every known ashcan and the number of copies known to exist. It wraps everything up nicely and puts an exclamation point on the rarity of these comics.

 

Oh well. Mark and I hope you enjoy the article. Hopefully our enthusiasm and affection for these rarities comes across.

[adamstrange]

It appears that the census didn't make it in. This is very distressing since it lists - for the first time ever in one place - every known ashcan and the number of copies known to exist. It wraps everything up nicely and puts an exclamation point on the rarity of these comics.

 

If only there were a place where such information could be made available to large and interested audience without having to be published in a book.

[Moondog]

It appears that the census didn't make it in. This is very distressing since it lists - for the first time ever in one place - every known ashcan and the number of copies known to exist. It wraps everything up nicely and puts an exclamation point on the rarity of these comics.

 

If only there were a place where such information could be made available to large and interested audience without having to be published in a book.

 

 

Mark and I have already decided we're going to post it here for everyone. Should be in the next few days.

 

 

[adamstrange]

It appears that the census didn't make it in. This is very distressing since it lists - for the first time ever in one place - every known ashcan and the number of copies known to exist. It wraps everything up nicely and puts an exclamation point on the rarity of these comics.

 

If only there were a place where such information could be made available to large and interested audience without having to be published in a book.

 

 

Mark and I have already decided we're going to post it here for everyone. Should be in the next few days.

 

 

[G.A.tor]

what I like about the this year's guide is that some folks actually changed their ads...."new eye candy" (same "we buy collections", but none the less)

[Socratic Wonder]

When does the new guide officially come out?

[Forbush-Man]

Today!

[esquirecomics]

what I like about the this year's guide is that some folks actually changed their ads...."new eye candy" (same "we buy collections", but none the less)

 

Are you criticizing me for not changing my ads?