Show me your Timely's and I'll show you mine. Have a Cigar... 30 30

[Frisco Larson]

[Frisco Larson]

[Frisco Larson]

#29 doesn't seem to get quite as much love as the three preceding issues, but I think it more than holds its own and offers up a rare Timely firing squad cover theme!

[Frisco Larson]

#30 was a Syd Shores cover, but then #31 comes out with a spectacular Schomburg rarity ... Cap saving a damsel in distress!!! Look back over the run (or ANY Cap cover from another run) and see that Cap rarely saves a woman in trouble ... he mostly rescues Bucky! This one is also in my top 5 favorite covers in the GA Cap run!

[Frisco Larson]

And finally, we arrive at the last of the large sized Schomburg Cap covers in the run. Another home run for me and a cover with the detail work Alex would become famous for!!! 

[Frisco Larson]

Probably my favorite early Timely house ad, this is the last page of Mystic Comics #1!!! I wonder, ARE there any other earlier ads in the few Timely comics that precede this issue?

[Cat-Man_America]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:31 PM, Frisco Larson said:

I've heard complaints over the years that some think Schomburg's covers all look the same. While I don't agree with that, I will concede that once the Timely books become smaller in width, many of the covers have more of a similar look to them. I much prefer the half dozen or so BIG FAT Timely covers Schomburg did in the Cap run, which is why some of those are the ones I held on to at a time I needed to liquidate comics to take care of life situations. In my opinion, this 4-issue consecutive block is pretty hard to beat! 

Superb four issue run, no doubt about it. Let me add this caveat though, many Cap collectors point to Captain America #37 as one of the high points of Schomburg's Cap legacy. This cover was chosen as one of the three recreated by Alex for the Buccaneer Graphics lithographic set, the other two being the covers of Marvel Mystery #66 and All Winners #11.

Have no idea whether these three covers were personal favorites of Alex Schomburg or specifically commissioned as a choice of the publisher, but all three are awesome. I can personally attest to the beauty of the original gouache art as owner of the MM #66 recreation. Some lucky collector owns the originals to the Cap and AW cover.  Anyway, Cap #37 is another top drawer Schomburg cover. 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Cat-Man_America

[Frisco Larson]

On 7/8/2023 at 2:34 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

Superb four issue run, no doubt about it. Let me add this caveat though, many Cap collectors point to Captain America #37 as one of the high points of Schomburg's Cap legacy. This cover was chosen as one of the three recreated by Alex for the Buccaneer Graphics lithographic set, the other two being the covers of Marvel Mystery #66 and All Winners #11.

Have no idea whether these three covers were personal favorites of Alex Schomburg or specifically chosen for commissioned by the publisher, but all three are awesome. I can personally attest to the beauty of the original gouache art as owner of the MM #66 recreation. Some lucky collector owns the originals to the Cap and AW cover.  Anyway, Cap #37 is another top drawer Schomburg cover. 

 

I agree Cat, that Cap #37 is an enormous highlight once the comics get small and I'm sure that most would agree that Cap #46 deserves to be mentioned in the same echelon!!! Those are two HUGE examples of there still being great covers after the comics shrink and eventually reduce to one staple (SOMEWHERE in that timeframe! I had two Cap #54s, one had 1 staple, one had 2!). I've only owned one copy of Cap #37 and sold it at the aforementioned time. I never DID acquire a Cap #46, as during my tenure of building the Cap run with enthusiasm, it was always quite a bit more expensive than all of the surrounding issues and just generally expensive in regard to what I was able to lay out cash-wise. The other BIG FAT Schomburg Cap covers we haven't discussed are the first two by him, #3 & #4, both of which are incredible and VERY expensive these days. I've had the 4 (and a nice mid-grade copy of it), but I've never owned a Cap #3.  

[MrBedrock]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:39 PM, Frisco Larson said:

#31 comes out with a spectacular Schomburg rarity ... Cap saving a damsel in distress!!! Look back over the run (or ANY Cap cover from another run) and see that Cap rarely saves a woman in trouble ... he mostly rescues Bucky!

 

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by MrBedrock

[Frisco Larson]

On 7/8/2023 at 5:30 PM, MrBedrock said:

 

 

Incredible copy Ricky!!!  

[Cat-Man_America]

On 7/8/2023 at 4:23 PM, Frisco Larson said:

I agree Cat, that Cap #37 is an enormous highlight once the comics get small and I'm sure that most would agree that Cap #46 deserves to be mentioned in the same echelon!!! Those are two HUGE examples of there still being great covers after the comics shrink and eventually reduce to one staple (SOMEWHERE in that timeframe! I had two Cap #54s, one had 1 staple, one had 2!). I've only owned one copy of Cap #37 and sold it at the aforementioned time. I never DID acquire a Cap #46, as during my tenure of building the Cap run with enthusiasm, it was always quite a bit more expensive than all of the surrounding issues and just generally expensive in regard to what I was able to lay out cash-wise. The other BIG FAT Schomburg Cap covers we haven't discussed are the first two by him, #3 & #4, both of which are incredible and VERY expensive these days. I've had the 4 (and a nice mid-grade copy of it), but I've never owned a Cap #3.  

Douglas Adams may have been mistaken, the meaning of life, the universe and everything isn't 42. In fact, in the Timely universe, it's 46 ...specifically Cap #46 & MM #46.  

Maybe it's just my warped perspective (...undoubtably), but the reduced dimensions of covers don't seem to make much difference in respect to the quality and reproduction of art. Others may differ with me on proportions, but in MrBedrock's hands all comics look like postage stamps.

In an earlier post you mentioned Cap rarely rescued damsels in distress, which is a very astute observation. Poor Cap tried often enough, but usually seemed awkward around women in peril ...maybe it was all those steroids the scientist's juiced him up with. After all, it was Bucky who rescued the damsel on Richard's sweet copy of USA #12 ...! And Bucky who attempted rescuing Cap from the doxy trollop on the cover of Cap #65. This was such an embarrassing encounter that Alex went on vacation and left it to Syd Shores and the tabloids to expose the sordid affair.

Cap did recover his dignity, but Bucky was so traumatized and vulnerable after being backhanded that he fell victim to another femme fatale in the very next issue! Sadly, even Cap's brief fling with Golden Girl ended badly as she split for Vegas before he got hoodwinked into battling the Red Skull in purgatory. The rest is history! 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Cat-Man_America
Saturday evening post ale!

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:41 PM, Frisco Larson said:

And finally, we arrive at the last of the large sized Schomburg Cap covers in the run. Another home run for me and a cover with the detail work Alex would become famous for!!! 

I never really thought about it, but you are absolutely right. I, too, prefer the larger format Caps 1-33. My 36 is so skinny and inconsequential, by comparison. And they remain (to me) skinny and puny sized all the way to the end

 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[Mike Bromberg]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:34 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

Superb four issue run, no doubt about it. Let me add this caveat though, many Cap collectors point to Captain America #37 as one of the high points of Schomburg's Cap legacy. This cover was chosen as one of the three recreated by Alex for the Buccaneer Graphics lithographic set, the other two being the covers of Marvel Mystery #66 and All Winners #11.

Have no idea whether these three covers were personal favorites of Alex Schomburg or specifically commissioned as a choice of the publisher, but all three are awesome. I can personally attest to the beauty of the original gouache art as owner of the MM #66 recreation. Some lucky collector owns the originals to the Cap and AW cover.  Anyway, Cap #37 is another top drawer Schomburg cover. 

 

Cap #37 is one of the highlights of my collection. I got it a couple of years ago, and I still find it stunning, whenever I look at it. And I’m always seeing something new in it. (It’s only 4.0 because the cover is detached. It looks way higher. I love non-visible defects!)

[Frisco Larson]

On 7/9/2023 at 1:08 AM, Cat-Man_America said:

Douglas Adams may have been mistaken, the meaning of life, the universe and everything isn't 42. In fact, in the Timely universe, it's 46 ...specifically Cap #46 & MM #46.  

Maybe it's just my warped perspective (...undoubtably), but the reduced dimensions of covers don't seem to make much difference in respect to the quality and reproduction of art. Others may differ with me on proportions, but in MrBedrock's hands all comics look like postage stamps.

 For me, the earlier, BIG FAT Timely comics (as I refer to them), have always felt like such mammoth copies when compared to the later, smaller issues which seem much closer to Silver Age size to me. They're wider and thicker and just look and feel like a local phone directory (if ya remember THOSE) in your hands! So, in reference to the issue size, the discussion for me was never about the quality of the art or printing ... those have always been different subjects.

In an earlier post you mentioned Cap rarely rescued damsels in distress, which is a very astute observation. Poor Cap tried often enough, but usually seemed awkward around women in peril ...maybe it was all those steroids the scientist's juiced him up with. After all, it was Bucky who rescued the damsel on Richard's sweet copy of USA #12 ...! And Bucky who attempted rescuing Cap from the doxy trollop on the cover of Cap #65. This was such an embarrassing encounter that Alex went on vacation and left it to Syd Shores and the tabloids to expose the sordid affair.

Thank you! Although I hadn't heard it spoken of to my memory, I DID notice that Cap seldom got to rescue a gal, which felt like he got cheated a bit! Maybe it's just sidekick syndrome, something Superman avoided so as to be able to rescue Lois all the time.  While I LOVE the early Timely issues, I also love the later issues when the Timely gals come into the light, many of whom get their own series!!! I wished that they'd have gotten their own all-girl team! Can you imagine what they could've done with Namora, Sun Girl, Miss America, the Golden Girl, Venus and the Blonde Phantom to create a team from??? The possibilities seem endless!!!

 

Ha! This was my first time addressing multiple things in one post. My replies are in red, in case it confused anyone.  

Edited July 9, 2023 by Frisco Larson

[Badger]

On 7/9/2023 at 10:26 AM, Mike Bromberg said:

Cap #37 is one of the highlights of my collection. I got it a couple of years ago, and I still find it stunning, whenever I look at it. And I’m always seeing something new in it. (It’s only 4.0 because the cover is detached. It looks way higher. I love non-visible defects!)

I'm with you there, Mike! I love non-visible defects and "defects" that just don't matter that much to me. I do not think I have any Caps that qualify as all the ones I've been able to afford seem to have defects on their defects.  

[Badger]

Still, the #46 is just jaw-dropping no matter what the grade as long as the cover image is there. So happy I was able to get this book from Dale.

[Badger]

And the number 3. 

[Primetime]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:13 PM, Frisco Larson said:

Probably my favorite early Timely house ad, this is the last page of Mystic Comics #1!!! I wonder, ARE there any other earlier ads in the few Timely comics that precede this issue?

For the Red Circle Pulps, yes. But for Timely Comics, I don’t believe so…only have Marvels 1-5 and Darings 1-3 that predate or out concurrently with Mystic 1. 

[Frisco Larson]

On 7/9/2023 at 3:44 PM, Primetime said:

For the Red Circle Pulps, yes. But for Timely Comics, I don’t believe so…only have Marvels 1-5 and Darings 1-3 that predate or out concurrently with Mystic 1. 

Yup, that's not a lot of comics to draw from and I don't have any of them anymore, which stinks, because at one time I had them all except the Marvel #1, but I don't remember if they had house ads in them or not. Well, the Mystic #1 ad is pretty awesome, so I guess that's a good start!  

[Primetime]

On 7/9/2023 at 6:28 PM, Frisco Larson said:

Yup, that's not a lot of comics to draw from and I don't have any of them anymore, which stinks, because at one time I had them all except the Marvel #1, but I don't remember if they had house ads in them or not. Well, the Mystic #1 ad is pretty awesome, so I guess that's a good start!  

Marvel 1,4,5 and Daring 1 don’t have any ads. The rest I am not sure. 

Edited July 10, 2023 by Primetime