Night Nurse, The Cat, Shanna the She-Devil

[Mr. Spider-Woman]

I read about these oddities in an installment of Comic Book Legends Revealed sometime last year. Recently I started thinking about them again for no good reason and through poking around the forums here and eBay it seems that copies of The Cat and Shanna the She-Devil are relatively easy to come across, both in mid-grade and high grade. But Night Nurse, for some reason, is more difficult to find and high grade copies go for over $100.

 

My question is why. Is it because the concept and the character is so out there? Or were there simply fewer copies printed? Also, does anyone know why Shanna the She-Devil ran for five issues while the other two only ran for four? And finally, the Comic Book Legends Revealed article notes that an issue of The Cat "drawn by comic legend Ramona Fradon" was never published. Has it ever seen the light of day?

 

I thank you kindly in advance both for your time and for (hopefully) not guffawing too loudly at my interest in these titles.

[Comicopolis]

I agree - I would like to know the answer to your questions.

[Shark]

I agree - I would like to know the answer to your questions.

 

+1

 

I've often wondered why Night Nurse was so high priced.

[Mutant Manatee]

Is it because the concept and the character is so out there?

 

 

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand. It's just an odd, quirky title that is somewhat of a cult classic.

[joe_collector]

Likely because Marvel did the print runs for the books based on their genre, which was superhero for Shanna and The Cat, and more romance for Night Nurse.

 

As a kid I can't even remember seeing a Night Nurse comic, but I saw/knew all the Shanna and Cat comics, so distribution was certainly much lower for NN.

 

 

[joe_collector]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

[Spider-Variant]

And finally, the Comic Book Legends Revealed article notes that an issue of The Cat "drawn by comic legend Ramona Fradon" was never published. Has it ever seen the light of day?

 

Not sure if the entire story for The Cat #5 was ever printed anywhere, but I know I have seen scans of the artwork for sale before.

[nwpassage]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

[shiverbones]

I honestly think it's just a high price habit from the early days of Bronze break out books. In the mid to late 90's, when everyone was starting to pay more attention to bronze, Night Nurse became a key series because it was hard to find at the time. Before the internet hit it's full impact, it was very hard to find. Not so much anymore, but the price still remains high.

[awe4one]

I honestly think it's just a high price habit from the early days of Bronze break out books. In the mid to late 90's, when everyone was starting to pay more attention to bronze, Night Nurse became a key series because it was hard to find at the time. Before the internet hit it's full impact, it was very hard to find. Not so much anymore, but the price still remains high.

 

(thumbs u

 

Jim

[Comicopolis]

The only time I saw one listed on Ebay UK, about a month a go, it sold for about $5. Description had it at VG/FN.

 

Of course I only caught it after it had finished

[joe_collector]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

 

That doesn't mean it's "high demand". I collect those books and very few people share my passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

[Comicopolis]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

 

That doesn't mean it's "high demand". I collect those books and very few people share my passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

 

I do (thumbs u

[Mutant Manatee]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

 

Just to clarify, I didn't say that Night Nurse was a "high demand" comic. I was trying to express that Night Nurse is more in demand than Shanna and The Cat. Maybe I didn't make myself very clear.

[BronzeBruce13]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

 

That doesn't mean it's "high demand". I collect those books and very few people share my passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

 

I do (thumbs u

 

me too!

[joe_collector]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

 

That doesn't mean it's "high demand". I collect those books and very few people share my passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

 

I do (thumbs u

 

me too!

 

I sincerely doubt you would go hog-wild over "50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace".

[BronzeBruce13]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

 

That doesn't mean it's "high demand". I collect those books and very few people share my passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

 

I do (thumbs u

 

me too!

 

I sincerely doubt you would go hog-wild over "50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace".

 

No... I share your passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

Even 9.4's

My Chili 1, Demon 1, Vault of Evil 1 and a couple other obscure Horror titles are not uber high grade.

[MisterX]

I honestly think it's just a high price habit from the early days of Bronze break out books. In the mid to late 90's, when everyone was starting to pay more attention to bronze, Night Nurse became a key series because it was hard to find at the time. Before the internet hit it's full impact, it was very hard to find. Not so much anymore, but the price still remains high.

 

I feel this way about Dark Mansion, Sinister House and the other DC gothic books.

 

I picked up a HG copy of Night Nurse #4 at the NYCC this past February, and although I paid just about the limit of what I'm confortable spending on a comic book, I don't regret it. It was groovy.

 

 

[joe_collector]

I think this is the main reason that Night Nurse is more in demand.

 

I don't see Night Nurse being a high-demand comic ( ) and if it was, the book prices would absolutely skyrocket. It's just one of those semi-rare, esoteric 1972-73 books, like L'il Pals/Kids, Millie and Chili, that somewhat valuable in high-grade.

 

I'd have to disagree. Throw 50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace for a affordable price and bet they'd blow out.

 

That doesn't mean it's "high demand". I collect those books and very few people share my passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

 

I do (thumbs u

 

me too!

 

I sincerely doubt you would go hog-wild over "50 mid-grade books up in the marketplace".

 

No... I share your passion for esoteric, short-run Bronze like this.

Even 9.4's

My Chili 1, Demon 1, Vault of Evil 1 and a couple other obscure Horror titles are not uber high grade.

 

But are they "mid-grade" as the OP stated?

[Mr. Spider-Woman]

Looking at eBay right now, there are nine or so issues of Night Nurse available through Buy It Now. One is a 9.6 slabbed copy of the third issue, which is supposedly the highest graded copy, for $999.99. But you can get VG- copy of the first issue for $57 or a VG+ for $74. Or a very fine copy for $168.80. Or a very good for $24.99.

 

On the other hand, someone is selling all four issues of The Cat and the bidding is at $11.61. Or you can get them all for $39.95. Other high grade copies are more expensive. A 9.6 slabbed copy of the first issue of Shanna the She-Devil is at $9.99 at the moment.

 

And the prices for Night Nurse are high because so many people think it is hard to find so they are willing to pay more than they should? Plus, perhaps, there may just be fewer copies? I find this all very interesting, truth be told. Are there other examples like these, where a few titles were released at the same time, lasted a short while and now one is expensive and the others fairly cheap?