tth2's trip down memory lane

[Comicdey]

This is an interesting way to post those books from bygone days...

 

I still have many images of books I've parted ways with over the years. I laugh at what I sold books for at times with all the movies and hype for SA that has happened in the last 10 years.

 

[showcase22gr1959]

9.4's+ and well centered (perfectly).

[tth2]

9.4's+ and well centered (perfectly).

Thanks, but actually most of the books I've posted so far aren't centered all that well. I bought most of them well before I became afflicted with QP-obsession (in addition to all the other compulsions I was already afflicted with), thanks in no small part to these Boards. The Atom #10 is indeed perfectly centered, though.

 

When I get to the PCs, when I get to the JLAs, then you will see many perfectly centered books. There is not a doubt in my mind that the PC OO picked books off the shelf using great centering as his main criteria.

[1koko]

[Ghost Town]

Killer books, Tim. Tons of old label goodness there.

 

You were a Flash guy too, right? Looking forward to those scans if you have them.

[tth2]

Thanks Barton, coming from a high grade collector such as yourself that's high praise indeed.

 

Yep, lot o' Flash when we get the F's, which should be in a week or so.

[markseifert]

These have all been incredible but this is the one that jumps out at me the most so far. It really does drive home how tough super-high-grade SA DC is, and also how rare it is to find well-centered copies.

 

Wow, look at that 9.4. They don't look that good anymore.

 

[kimik]

Thanks for sharing these wonderful books with us, Tim. (thumbs u

 

I have always been curious to see what you have parted ways with over the years - I was aware of some, but figured that was just the tip of the iceberg. You compiled an amazing HG SA DC run that all of us who thought about/started doing admire.

[tth2]

The last of the Atoms (sort of)...

 

Atom #4. You will hear me throughout this thread saying things like "this is the best 9.4/9.6 copy I've ever seen". Now you will hear me say that this is by far the worst 9.6 book I've ever owned. I bought it from Showcase New England on eBay way back when and I was shocked when I received it. It was not even close to a NM book in my opinion. Just look at the spine, which looks bad in the scan but not nearly as bad as it did in person. It was a book I never trotted out or displayed on these boards. And it was the Mass copy to boot, so double disappointment!

 

 

 

That was the last of the Atoms. However, I decided it didn't make sense to stick with alphabetical order because it was more logical to present the Atom appearances in Showcase.

 

So here is "Atom #3", better known as the Western Penn copy of Showcase #36. This was previously owned by Linmoth/Tom Hanlin, who owned many of the SA DC Western Penns. He posted this, along with the Western Penn 34 and 35 and Flash 123, way back in the day on these boards and from that day I coveted those books. After letting him know (repeatedly) that I was interested in his books, he contacted me when he decided to sell his collection, and we reached a deal on the 35 and 36. I passed on the 34 because I already had a copy which I thought was actually better than the Western Penn copy (more on that later), and to my everlasting regret I was not able to reach a deal with him on the WP Flash 123.

 

The best overall SA DC pedigree, in my opinion, is the Western Penn collection. On an individual basis, the books are absolutely killer. Structurally they're outstanding, and the ones in old labels, which were slabbed by Tom, were not pressed. In terms of eye appeal, they're second to none. The freshness of the books and the lustre of the inks are really incredible, even through a slab. The inks look positively wet.

 

The con of the Western Penn pedigree is that they're not as well accounted for as other pedigrees such as PC and Mass. To this day I've never seen, to my knowledge, a Western Penn Atom, GL, JLA, Adventure or Aquaman. Tom says they all exist, but where they are nobody knows. Perhaps they're still tucked away. Perhaps the owners don't even know they're Western Penns because the collection was branded after they were first brought to market. Perhaps some have emerged but were not identified as Western Penns because the owners didn't know at the time they were sold, and they haven't been identified as such since then because for the most part there are no distinguishing marks on the books.

 

On the other hand, where the Western Penn run has it over the PCs, in my opinion, is that it goes back much further in higher grade and contains more ultra-HG major SA DC keys. The Western Penn run contains a Showcase 34, a B&B 34 (more on that later) and a Flash 123, all in 9.4. Based on what is known to exist (and I'll be showing many more later, particularly when we get to the Flash), and assuming that the other titles have been preserved and are as good as what has emerged so far, I think it's the king of the SA DC pedigree hill. Anyways, judge for yourself (although I note the scan doesn't really do the book justice)...

 

[Hepcat]

I love those Atoms! But did you start with the Atom because you never had many Action or Aquaman books?

 

[Flash105]

That is just a fantastic book. The colors pop and almost a 9.8 There a few little things going on at the bottom. I will agree on Western Penns. They were the best of breed on the Flash run. In most cases they were higher grades. Unfortunately, issue 140 was pressed up to a 9.8 and sold by WW Comics but most of mine were in old labels.

[thirdgreenham]

Gotta agree with you on that #4. Terribly over-graded.

 

 

[thehumantorch]

Gotta agree with you on that #4. Terribly over-graded.

 

 

I don't like the spine ticks but the other 3 sides look straight and clean.

[paperheart]

I love those Atoms! But did you start with the Atom because you never had many Action or Aquaman books?

 

 

oh, i think he can trot out an aquaman #1 that'll make your head spin.

[tth2]

I love those Atoms! But did you start with the Atom because you never had many Action or Aquaman books?

 

 

oh, i think he can trot out an aquaman #1 that'll make your head spin.

Whoops, forgot about the Aquamans! Overlooked them because I didn't sell them in bunch chunks, but in pieces and in most cases didn't keep scans. Plus no one seems to care about Aquaman.

 

Tell you what, I'll post what Aquamans I can after the Atoms are done.

 

I actually don't have many Actions, as I was never into Superman. The only Actions I have are those with Legion appearances, so I still have them.

[jimjum12]

Thanks,Tim...wonderful stuff, great thread. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[COI]

Great idea for a thread, Tim. I remember seeing glimpses of your collection posted over the years, with Brave and the Bold, Flash and GL issues sticking out in my mind. To call you a discerning collector would be an understatement; this will be a fun thread to follow.

 

P.S.- love the old labels...back when a 9.4 was a 9.4.

[jimjum12]

Great idea for a thread, Tim. I remember seeing glimpses of your collection posted over the years, with Brave and the Bold, Flash and GL issues sticking out in my mind. To call you a discerning collector would be an understatement; this will be a fun thread to follow.

 

P.S.- love the old labels...back when a 9.4 was a 9.4.

 

It's a shame Tim didn't have the forethought to have them pressed....he probably had some 10.0's in there GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Silver Surfer]

The Atom's are the coolest. Any Marvel's?

[VintageComics]

The last of the Atoms (sort of)...

 

Atom #4. You will hear me throughout this thread saying things like "this is the best 9.4/9.6 copy I've ever seen". Now you will hear me say that this is by far the worst 9.6 book I've ever owned. I bought it from Showcase New England on eBay way back when and I was shocked when I received it. It was not even close to a NM book in my opinion. Just look at the spine, which looks bad in the scan but not nearly as bad as it did in person. It was a book I never trotted out or displayed on these boards. And it was the Mass copy to boot, so double disappointment!

 

 

That looks like production defect (where the black ink is missing in some spots) and if so, CGC might not downgrade for it as much as you'd like them to.