THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT EVENTS IN COMIC FANDOM/COLLECTING HISTORY

[BaltimoreLauren]

Number 1 should probably be the creation of Superman.

 

No. You mean Obadiah Oldbuck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[short_box-migration]

Number 1 should probably be the creation of Superman.

 

Maybe the creation of the comic book as we know it would be # 1? Without Famous Funnies there's no Superman. Maybe?

 

(First person to mention Obidiah gets it! )

 

Here comes the pain!

[That Ron Dude]

The story goes that the first convention that was soley for comics, held at a hotel and not somebodies house was run by a guy named Bernie Bubnis in the mid sixties. I could check the date if no one can pull it up from their memory. It was in New York. Pros, including Ditko, were there.

 

Rogofsky, Bell and Passaic Books were early dealers that advertised in the silver age Marvel Comics. They were important to the hobby. However, I have no idea if they cared about comics as a hobby at all. I suspect that they saw it as a way to make some money. Rogofsky was widely, perhaps universally, hated for his prices which seemed way out of line. Remember, this was a time when no fan was making any real money off comics but him. He showed us the way. If my memory serves me well he was selling a drinking cup, used by Frank Frazetta, for $15. And, though I don't have the catalogue, I seem to remember him selling a used up tube of paint, from the Frazetta studio, for $15.

 

We had a local fanzine publisher, no angel himself, who every month would print a fanzine illegally reproducing whatever material had come into his store. He would sell the fanzine for $.35 (if my memory serves me well; it was forty years ago). Rogofsky took one of the fanzines and tried to resell it for, yup, $15. King Features then successfully sued the fanzine publisher settling for $6,000 which would be at least $35,000 in today's money. The fanzine publisher, not a man of means, never recovered financially from this blow.

 

Roy Thomas was reputed to be the first fan ever hired to be a pro, beginning fandom's incestuous relationship with the industry.

 

The name of the kid who paid big dough for Action #1 is Michael Mendy. He paid $1800 in 1970. He made the news in Canada. I cringed as I watched him on TV. He said that he was going to put it in a safety deposit box and the interviewer then asked, "Then how can you read it". If he still has the comic he gets the last laugh but nobody is reporting on that. It would make a great article today, "Whatever happened to Michael Mendy".

[MR.COMICBOOK]

The story goes that the first convention that was soley for comics, held at a hotel and not somebodies house was run by a guy named Bernie Bubnis in the mid sixties. I could check the date if no one can pull it up from their memory. It was in New York. Pros, including Ditko, were there.

 

Rogofsky, Bell and Passaic Books were early dealers that advertised in the silver age Marvel Comics. They were important to the hobby. However, I have no idea if they cared about comics as a hobby at all. I suspect that they saw it as a way to make some money. Rogofsky was widely, perhaps universally, hated for his prices which seemed way out of line. Remember, this was a time when no fan was making any real money off comics but him. He showed us the way. If my memory serves me well he was selling a drinking cup, used by Frank Frazetta, for $15. And, though I don't have the catalogue, I seem to remember him selling a used up tube of paint, from the Frazetta studio, for $15.

 

We had a local fanzine publisher, no angel himself, who every month would print a fanzine illegally reproducing whatever material had come into his store. He would sell the fanzine for $.35 (if my memory serves me well; it was forty years ago). Rogofsky took one of the fanzines and tried to resell it for, yup, $15. King Features then successfully sued the fanzine publisher settling for $6,000 which would be at least $35,000 in today's money. The fanzine publisher, not a man of means, never recovered financially from this blow.

 

Roy Thomas was reputed to be the first fan ever hired to be a pro, beginning fandom's incestuous relationship with the industry.

 

The name of the kid who paid big dough for Action #1 is Michael Mendy. He paid $1800 in 1970. He made the news in Canada. I cringed as I watched him on TV. He said that he was going to put it in a safety deposit box and the interviewer then asked, "Then how can you read it". If he still has the comic he gets the last laugh but nobody is reporting on that. It would make a great article today, "Whatever happened to Michael Mendy".

Would make for a great episode of History Detectives, not only what happened to Michael Mendy but the Action# 1 as well.

[markseifert]

The name of the kid who paid big dough for Action #1 is Michael Mendy. He paid $1800 in 1970. He made the news in Canada. I cringed as I watched him on TV. He said that he was going to put it in a safety deposit box and the interviewer then asked, "Then how can you read it". If he still has the comic he gets the last laugh but nobody is reporting on that. It would make a great article today, "Whatever happened to Michael Mendy".

 

The seller was one of the big dealers of the time, wasn't it? Bell perhaps?

[That Ron Dude]

I don't remember. I barely remember that. I thought his name was Michael Mendev and somebody on this board corrected me, so there are others here who remember the story better than I.

 

I do a power point talk on literacy involving comic books. Iti s aimed at kids at about the grade 8 level and I try to be inspiring. One of the slides is of Michael Mendy. I explain that what he did made him the laughing stock not only of his classroom but of North America, but that he was right and that the comic today could be worth a million dollars. I explain that he was a geek (my next slide is a picture of Comic Book Guy) and that I am a geek and that things worked out OK for me too. It is OK to be a geek. Still, I don't think I could have taken it in 1970 when I was 16, if I was embarrassed to that degree on international television.

 

About that same time, one of my friends went down to the comic shop (we actually had one in town) and plunked down $50 for Superman #2. Each of his comic book collecting pals made fun of him for doing it. He bought it so that he could be king of geek city, not because he viewed it as a wise investment or because he just loved Superman. That is why we made fun of him. He was also terrified that his parents would get wind of it and take away privileges. He sold it back to the same comic store for $35 within a week.

 

Now, if my old friend was embarrassed to that degree, think of how Michael Mendy must have felt.

[drdonaldblake]

The story goes that the first convention that was soley for comics, held at a hotel and not somebodies house was run by a guy named Bernie Bubnis in the mid sixties. I could check the date if no one can pull it up from their memory. It was in New York. Pros, including Ditko, were there.

 

Rogofsky, Bell and Passaic Books were early dealers that advertised in the silver age Marvel Comics. They were important to the hobby. However, I have no idea if they cared about comics as a hobby at all. I suspect that they saw it as a way to make some money. Rogofsky was widely, perhaps universally, hated for his prices which seemed way out of line. Remember, this was a time when no fan was making any real money off comics but him. He showed us the way. If my memory serves me well he was selling a drinking cup, used by Frank Frazetta, for $15. And, though I don't have the catalogue, I seem to remember him selling a used up tube of paint, from the Frazetta studio, for $15.

 

We had a local fanzine publisher, no angel himself, who every month would print a fanzine illegally reproducing whatever material had come into his store. He would sell the fanzine for $.35 (if my memory serves me well; it was forty years ago). Rogofsky took one of the fanzines and tried to resell it for, yup, $15. King Features then successfully sued the fanzine publisher settling for $6,000 which would be at least $35,000 in today's money. The fanzine publisher, not a man of means, never recovered financially from this blow.

 

Roy Thomas was reputed to be the first fan ever hired to be a pro, beginning fandom's incestuous relationship with the industry.

 

The name of the kid who paid big dough for Action #1 is Michael Mendy. He paid $1800 in 1970. He made the news in Canada. I cringed as I watched him on TV. He said that he was going to put it in a safety deposit box and the interviewer then asked, "Then how can you read it". If he still has the comic he gets the last laugh but nobody is reporting on that. It would make a great article today, "Whatever happened to Michael Mendy".

 

wow! great info Ron

 

please post more of this stuff from your memories +expereinces

[aardvark88]

When that article in the 70s was printed in a Cdn newspaper, I thought they used the name "Michael Mehdy." I probably still have the b/w pic in my archives.

[Theagenes]

The story goes that the first convention that was soley for comics, held at a hotel and not somebodies house was run by a guy named Bernie Bubnis in the mid sixties. I could check the date if no one can pull it up from their memory. It was in New York. Pros, including Ditko, were there.

 

Rogofsky, Bell and Passaic Books were early dealers that advertised in the silver age Marvel Comics. They were important to the hobby. However, I have no idea if they cared about comics as a hobby at all. I suspect that they saw it as a way to make some money. Rogofsky was widely, perhaps universally, hated for his prices which seemed way out of line. Remember, this was a time when no fan was making any real money off comics but him. He showed us the way. If my memory serves me well he was selling a drinking cup, used by Frank Frazetta, for $15. And, though I don't have the catalogue, I seem to remember him selling a used up tube of paint, from the Frazetta studio, for $15.

 

We had a local fanzine publisher, no angel himself, who every month would print a fanzine illegally reproducing whatever material had come into his store. He would sell the fanzine for $.35 (if my memory serves me well; it was forty years ago). Rogofsky took one of the fanzines and tried to resell it for, yup, $15. King Features then successfully sued the fanzine publisher settling for $6,000 which would be at least $35,000 in today's money. The fanzine publisher, not a man of means, never recovered financially from this blow.

 

Roy Thomas was reputed to be the first fan ever hired to be a pro, beginning fandom's incestuous relationship with the industry.

 

The name of the kid who paid big dough for Action #1 is Michael Mendy. He paid $1800 in 1970. He made the news in Canada. I cringed as I watched him on TV. He said that he was going to put it in a safety deposit box and the interviewer then asked, "Then how can you read it". If he still has the comic he gets the last laugh but nobody is reporting on that. It would make a great article today, "Whatever happened to Michael Mendy".

 

Great post! I love hearing these stories about the early days of the hobby.

[goldust40]

When that article in the 70s was printed in a Cdn newspaper, I thought they used the name "Michael Mehdy." I probably still have the b/w pic in my archives.

 

I saw this guy at an SDCC several years ago, so he's still involved in the hobby. He should do a panel about that book.

[Duffman_Comics]

When that article in the 70s was printed in a Cdn newspaper, I thought they used the name "Michael Mehdy." I probably still have the b/w pic in my archives.

 

I saw this guy at an SDCC several years ago, so he's still involved in the hobby. He should do a panel about that book.

 

I remember the guy's name as Mitchell "Mehdy" or "Mehdi" as well. I think it was the rather flamboyant Theo Holstein (of the remarkable Overstreet ads) that sold the book.

 

I'm sure I've got the original fanzine article around here somewhere . . . .

[VintageComics]

I don't remember. I barely remember that. I thought his name was Michael Mendev and somebody on this board corrected me, so there are others here who remember the story better than I.

 

I do a power point talk on literacy involving comic books. Iti s aimed at kids at about the grade 8 level and I try to be inspiring. One of the slides is of Michael Mendy. I explain that what he did made him the laughing stock not only of his classroom but of North America, but that he was right and that the comic today could be worth a million dollars. I explain that he was a geek (my next slide is a picture of Comic Book Guy) and that I am a geek and that things worked out OK for me too. It is OK to be a geek. Still, I don't think I could have taken it in 1970 when I was 16, if I was embarrassed to that degree on international television.

 

About that same time, one of my friends went down to the comic shop (we actually had one in town) and plunked down $50 for Superman #2. Each of his comic book collecting pals made fun of him for doing it. He bought it so that he could be king of geek city, not because he viewed it as a wise investment or because he just loved Superman. That is why we made fun of him. He was also terrified that his parents would get wind of it and take away privileges. He sold it back to the same comic store for $35 within a week.

 

Now, if my old friend was embarrassed to that degree, think of how Michael Mendy must have felt.

 

Ron, always a pleasure to hear such cool stories.

 

 

Helps put things into perspective.

 

You'll always be a great geek in my books!

[That Ron Dude]

Can someone affirm Michael's last name? If I have it wrong I would like to correct it. Anyway, he was a turning point in our hobby because he was the first person to pay crazy money for a comic and because he was among the first if not the very first to get national attention for his involvement in the hobby. It would be great if someone could find him and get the story first hand, from his point of view.

 

This is a great topic but it is hard to limit the progress of fandom to ten distinct actions. So many good ones would be pushed out.

 

Also, fandom for me, was what I did between the ages of 16 and 23. I am sure that there are things going on today that I don't even know about. There is a thread on the boards right now about Wizard Magazine and why people hate it. Wizard means nothing to me but it was an important progression (degression) that went from RBCC, to the Buyers Guide, to the Comics Journal then, I suppose to Wizard. It could be that by now something else has picked up the torch. Wizard was the first magazine, I suspect, to go overground. In a way it legitimized the hobby. It is not the fandom I care about but it was an important step in arriving at where we are today.

 

What about websites? Which ones are popular and intelligent? There must be some website that is a symbol of where fandom has gone. And then there is ebay which changed everything about the way we collect. Now I can buy a comic from a store and not have the price of it cut in half an instant after I put my cash down. I don't deal with Heritage but it must be a godsend for people dealing in big money items.

 

I am going to google Michael Mehdy and see what comes up.

[jimjum12]

Can someone affirm Michael's last name? If I have it wrong I would like to correct it. Anyway, he was a turning point in our hobby because he was the first person to pay crazy money for a comic and because he was among the first if not the very first to get national attention for his involvement in the hobby. It would be great if someone could find him and get the story first hand, from his point of view.

 

This is a great topic but it is hard to limit the progress of fandom to ten distinct actions. So many good ones would be pushed out.

 

Also, fandom for me, was what I did between the ages of 16 and 23. I am sure that there are things going on today that I don't even know about. There is a thread on the boards right now about Wizard Magazine and why people hate it. Wizard means nothing to me but it was an important progression (degression) that went from RBCC, to the Buyers Guide, to the Comics Journal then, I suppose to Wizard. It could be that by now something else has picked up the torch. Wizard was the first magazine, I suspect, to go overground. In a way it legitimized the hobby. It is not the fandom I care about but it was an important step in arriving at where we are today.

 

What about websites? Which ones are popular and intelligent? There must be some website that is a symbol of where fandom has gone. And then there is ebay which changed everything about the way we collect. Now I can buy a comic from a store and not have the price of it cut in half an instant after I put my cash down. I don't deal with Heritage but it must be a godsend for people dealing in big money items.

 

I am going to google Michael Mehdy and see what comes up.

 

My Mom showed me that article...and if I remember correctly, Rogofsky had an Action 1 for sale for 1800 BEFORE the article was published....may have been the same book Rogofsky also began advertising in the T.V. Guide in the mid 60's....that first ad, seen by millions of NON collectors who until that time simply threw old comics in the trash would certainly be an event of sorts.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Crowzilla]

I remember the guy's name as Mitchell "Mehdy" or "Mehdi" as well. I think it was the rather flamboyant Theo Holstein (of the remarkable Overstreet ads) that sold the book.

 

I'm sure I've got the original fanzine article around here somewhere . . . .

 

It was indeed Theo Holstein that sold the book for $1800.

The total sale price was $1801.26, because Theo wouldn't include shipping and made the buyer pay the $1.26 postage.

 

[PokerKid]

I remember the guy's name as Mitchell "Mehdy" or "Mehdi" as well. I think it was the rather flamboyant Theo Holstein (of the remarkable Overstreet ads) that sold the book.

 

I'm sure I've got the original fanzine article around here somewhere . . . .

 

It was indeed Theo Holstein that sold the book for $1800.

The total sale price was $1801.26, because Theo wouldn't include shipping and made the buyer pay the $1.26 postage.

 

 

 

Theo thread

[Beau]

I remember the guy's name as Mitchell "Mehdy" or "Mehdi" as well. I think it was the rather flamboyant Theo Holstein (of the remarkable Overstreet ads) that sold the book.

 

I'm sure I've got the original fanzine article around here somewhere . . . .

 

It was indeed Theo Holstein that sold the book for $1800.

The total sale price was $1801.26, because Theo wouldn't include shipping and made the buyer pay the $1.26 postage.

 

Since it was mailed, this Mitchell guy bought the book sight unseen? For the highest price ever paid for a comic? Even with all that having been achieved, the seller wouldn't cover shipping?

 

So that's what Ebay based their current model on.

[PovertyRow]

be interested to hear peoples opinions on this one

 

1.Bob overstreet starts the OPG circa 1970

2. Chuck Rozanski discovers and sells the Edgar CHurch collection

3. the 1st comc convention! when and where and who?

4. the 1st comic fanzine ?rocket blast??

5. cgc opens in 1999

6. dave anderson purchases Mile High Action1-10 run in the early 80's

7. cgc deems pressing is not restoration

8. jason ewert is exposed as a fraud

9. 1 million dollars is offered for Action Comics in NM in 2001

 

discuss!

 

Well I certainly would not put some (many) of those in the top 10. Especially since you are talking collecting. I would include:

 

The Gerber Guides (well said Zonker!). How many comic covers wewre seen for the first time thanks to them? Howe many collectors started going to toher genres/ages? And speaking of them...

 

The formulation of the various Ages (GA, SA etc) in comics.

 

The concept of genres as being a viable collecting criteria.

 

The creation and further definition of grading (not talking CGC here - grading well pre-dates CGC).

 

The concept of a "Key" book and how that has evolved with the evolution of publishers, characters etc.

 

The recognition of and defining of Pedigrees. (I know this is implied in the Church listing but I think the overall concept of Defining Pedigrees is a bit different.)

 

There are more but I fear I will bore people even more than usual!

[jpepx78]

18 yr old mitchell mehdy of carmichael calif. paid $1801.26 for action #1 from theo holstein in 1973. holstein got the book from bruce hamilton for $1500.

 

from the google news archive:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ub8MAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9F8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4428,97825&dq=action+comics+1973

 

[Duffman_Comics]

18 yr old mitchell mehdy of carmichael calif. paid $1801.26 for action #1 from theo holstein in 1973. holstein got the book from bruce hamilton for $1500.

 

from the google news archive:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ub8MAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9F8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4428,97825&dq=action+comics+1973

 

That's the one. I think I can even recall the disgust with which this news was received by a fanzine of the day, headlining the occasion: "Wretched Excess".