Double Action Comics

[chromium]

Gary Colabuono

Who is he ??

How do I get in touch with him ?

 

Gary Colabuono, the former CEO of the Chicago Comicon and a veteran collector.

This used to be his email addy....moondog100@home.com

 

happy hunting

[Ian_Levine]

Thanks for the information. The site automatically truncates the e-mail address, like most message boards of every kind do. Can you re-send it leaving a space between either side of the @ sign please That way it won't get chopped down.

[aardvark88]

There was mention of a Double Action cover only in the letters pages of the Advanced Overstreet quarterly book/guide. It was 1 of the later issues, but don't recall the specific #.

[jeff2004]

I saw a picture of the Double Action Comics a while back. I think it was in the Overstreet Guide or something. I think it caught my interest since I was such a huge fan of Action Comics when I was growing up. Does anybody know if these included Superman stories?

[Ian_Levine]

The interesting question is whether the hippo cover of Double Action 2 pre-dated the Adventure 37 with the same picture on it ?

[Timely]

Ian,

I have been thinking about the Double Action Comics #1 and 2. I'm not convinced there is a #1. If the purpose of Double Action #2 was to secure the title as an ashcan so logically there would be no need for a Double Action #1. I think the ashcan "Action Funnies #1" may be your mystery "Double Action #1".

 

Obviously DC was trying to copyright any title with the word "Action" in it. DC knew that Superman was on his way up to stardom, but a pole they did in late 1938 made them realize that the kids were looking for "that comic with Superman in it". They wanted to secure the "Action" title so other companies would not use it or something similar, and apparently it worked. Just a thought.

 

Timely

[Ian_Levine]

I don't believe that for several reasons.

 

1 - Stephen Fishler said he saw a black and white mockup of the cover once

 

2 - For DC to release a number 2 as they did, there had to have been SOME form of a number one, even if it was just an unreleased ashcan

 

3 - Overstreet specifically says there are seven copies of the Number Two, and two copies of the ashcan of Number One, with a black and white cover.

 

Someone here must have enough contact with DC to obtain a xerox of the cover of the ashcan. Think how much interest it would generate in collecting DCs. A bit like the Cancelled Comic Cavalcades.

[Timely]

You may be right. Based on Overstreet's detailed description of a #1, obviously he's seen a copy. Ask him, he must know!

 

Timely

[tb]

This copy sold in 1994 for $6,037.

 

[Ian_Levine]

I wish I'd bought it. The price is right for sure.

Do you think anyone would ever pay the seventy five thousand that's being asked for the 9.4 copy ?

And who knows Bob Overstreet well enough to ask him for me

[Bronty]

I don't think that price will be met. I think even well to do collectors would prefer a lower grade at that price. After all, for $75K, you could buy a Detective 27 or an Action 1... there's just no comparison for most people.

[Ian_Levine]

I'm glad you said that, cos the mere idea of seventy five thousand turns my stomch. It just reeks of being a major rip-off. And the problem is that now, while it's OBVIOUS no-one will pay that for a copy, how the hell am I supposed to find a copy that I can ever afford ??

[Bronty]

I think, should anyone decide to sell, that you will find a copy within your means. It's very rare, but realistically it's also quite a low demand book. It's tough to buy and tough to sell, I should think.

 

My interpretation of the $75K is that pgcmint (who is known for their high prices, btw) is trying to get, for their higher grade copy, multiples of what a lower grade would sell for. But it doesn't work that way. You can't just plug in a formula of 20x vg or whatever to determine what a high grade copy should sell for. To use a modern age example, I sold some high grade cerebus comics lately that did not go for substantial multiples of vf. Hell, the 9.4 #3 sold for more than the 9.6 #4. You need depth of demand, like on spider-man books, to get really obscene condition multiples. High grade copies of books that have a few die hard fans like my independents or your double action 2, simply won't trade for the multiples in high grade because there is a limit to what people will pay for a copy, no matter how high grade. A book like Action 1 or Spidey 1 however, there is virtually no limit to what people will pay to get the best copy.

 

So, in time, I think you'll get your copy. It's just that a little patience may be needed.

[Ian_Levine]

Stephen Fishler's very low grade copy only went for a couple of thousand.

I phoned him yesterday to find out if he could trace where that copy is now.

[jeff2004]

Does anybody have any info as to what the story in Double Action Comics #2 is? Judging from the cover it doesn't look like superhero stuff.

 

[TomG]

The cover is the cover from Adventure Comics #37. Double Action #1 is an ashcan, but the second issue was not an ashcan.

[Ian_Levine]

Yes I'm also fascinated to find out what was inside BOTH issues.

If most of the Number Twos are slabbed, it won't be very easy. (This is why I refuse to have one single slabbed comic in my entire collection.)

 

I have heard SO many varying reports.

I heard that the ashcan of the number one contained repeats of all the early Doctor Occult strips from More Fun. My copy of New Fun 6 certainly contains the first Doctor Occult, but it's only one page long, and curiously it's printed in blue, whereas the rest of New Fun 6 is in black and white apart from the front cover.

But whether this ashcan does indeed contain repeats of all these Doctor Occults, I have no idea how true or false this is, but I am seriously desperate for a black and white xerox of the Number One.

 

I have heard that the Number Two is in black and white apart from the cover, but I find that hard to believe, as it was actually released on sale, although the cover is indeed the same as Adventure 37. Which came first ??

I'm surprised there aren't more people around able to answer these questions.

[TomG]

The interior of Double Action #2 is missing both the 1st and last page.

[Ian_Levine]

I don't understand, Tom.

Is that in EVERY issue or just one that you've seen

If it's every issue, then how come ???

[Timely]

I have serious doubts that Double Action #2 was ever on the newstand for sale. Here is the evidence.

1. Name one other DC where the #1 is an ashcan and the #2 is on the newstand for sale?

2. Name one other DC where the cover is the EXACT same cover used on another one of their books just months earlier?

3. Name one other DC where the entire interior is all black and white in 1940?

4. If the DA#2 does indeed have the first and last pages missing from all the copies that is undeniable evidence that it was NEVER on the newstand.

 

Perhaps DA#2 was used as some sort of in-house item at the DC offices. I think the fact that DA#2 has a 10 cent cover price on it is what misleads us into thinking it was on the newstands. That was obviously left on the cover as it was reprinted from the Adventure Comics #37 cover. The only difference between DA#2 and Adv #37 is the logo and the"Reg U.S. Pat. Office" lettering below the DA#2 logo.

 

Timely