Post your San Francisco/Tom Reilly books 4 4

[cheetah]

Hey, Bob. Thanks a lot for all the information. It is really tough to make the connections between the story and the historical record but this is what I can find. I'm sure others have more information, too. Did I read somewhere that one of the three relatives was from New Jersey?

 

There were two Thomas Reillys killed in kamikaze attacks in May 1945 off Okinawa. This is what I have on them.

 

Thomas Francis Reilly

 

Thomas Francis Reilly was killed on 11 May 1945 in a kamikaze attack on the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill while supporting the invasion of Okinawa. As far as I can tell, he was not the only "Tom Reilly" killed in a kamikazi attack during WWII.

 

Thomas Francis Reilly was a Seaman 1st Class and volunteered for the Navy and was reported as lost at sea. I do not currently have a birth date for him. His service number was 811 17 16. He enlisted in the Navy on June 16, 1943. If you assume he was 18-22 when he enlisted, that would put his birth date between 1921 and 1925.

 

Here is his inscription on the Tablets of the Missing in Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

 

His next-of-kin was listed as his sister, Mrs. Helen Redding or 66 Zabriskie Street, Jersey City, New Jersey (just outside of New York City).

 

Thomas Aloysius Reilly

 

Thomas Aloysius Reilly was killed on May 28, 1945 off of Okinawa when the USS Drexler was attacked by Japanese Kamikazes. The boat sank 49 seconds after the second plane hit and 158 crewmen were lost at sea. His service number was 973-43-02. He was a Seaman 2nd Class. He was from Maryland and I believe he was born in 1908, making him 37 when he died.

 

His next-of-kin was his wife, Janet A. Reilly of 30 S. Prospect Avenue, Cantonsville, Maryland (just outside of Baltimore). His inscription is listed right above Thomas Francis'.

 

I've not found any connection to California or an Arnheim for either of them, yet.

 

 

Edited March 25, 2013 by cheetah

[BLBcomics-migration]

I find it remarkable that in the early 70s they were German GA collectors who were willing to pay serious money. Did they buy anything from that collection?

 

the AP or UPI coverage which saw hundreds of articles as far away as Germany on the Detective Comics #27 selling for more than $2000 was about the Tec #27. The finding of this collection was not "newsworthy" in any sense of the word. the articles as ran listed both seller out of Berkeley Calif and buyer out of Houston texas by name. You have misinterpreted what was written. If my fault with not having enough clarity, my apologies.

[BLBcomics-migration]

Hello "Cheetah"

 

As I have begun stating, there are two main levels to this seemingly (to others) mythic collection:

 

1) the who where whys thereof it

 

I leave it to others to being comics detectives tracking down that what you and others deligently seek out. Commendable work.

 

I was told he was killed in a kamikaze attack in the Pacific summer of 1945. His parents then pretty much sealed his room until their death in Dec 1972. In the least they left it as he had left it when he left for World War Two

 

Mayhaps he was not in the Navy per se. Maybe his first name is not Tom rather some derivative there of.

 

Arnheim is a name Scott Maple threw out to me as the doctor who was the husband of the relative who actually inherited one third of the estate of the parents when we were talking about this in the 90s when it came up in conversation in his Sacto home.

 

Scott was hired by me personally to work in the Berkeley store with the older stuff and became our manager of the Sacramento portion of Comics &Comix's operation beginning in late 1973 when we opened our 4th location there on J St near the state government area. He was the one who suggested we move it over on to K St open air maill.

 

When Bud Plant forced changes on Comics & Comix in the late 80s when he bought out John Barrett's percentage via manipulations by his general manager Crittendon, all the 2% guys like Scott were forced out as well. Scott currently works for the state of Calif in Sacto. He is very much reachable to pick what ever nuggets of memory might further such info quests.

 

its size, depth, scope of sheer inclusiveness

 

This is the aspect which most concerns me regarding proper historical record. I know what I know. Three equal size in count batches totalling over 4000 comic books most all in unread NM/M condition with extraordinary white paper brilliant glossy covers.

 

Almost none of the books had ever been opened. I figured this out when the books made a unique popping noise due to the drying powder on the cover inks kind of sticking to the outer wrap pulp paper. We made a ceremony about it when we "popped" the last book which had not yet been opened to gaze inside.

 

It is this very collection which allowed me to gain an instant grasp of the innards of the comic books of the era. They were virtually "all there" especially from late 1941 thru the summer of 1945. Seemingly everything in unbroken runs.

 

The printed record to date in two comics history books is, to put in one word, wrong.

 

No one actually connected to aspects of the collection knows who or where Gerber got his nonsense he printed as an afterthought in his PhotoJournal Guides.

 

Steve Duin and Mike Richardson performed less than zero due dillegence when they made their Between the Panels book.

 

This is where umbrage comes from in this humble circle.

 

CGC is not any sort of "final" say in determining provenence of comic book collections. That is simple arrogance on whomever deems themselves an expert there on the historical nature of the scope & size of this collection if it does not come from persons who were "there" when any given collection surfaces and is dispersed.

 

The collection came in three parts: April, May and then late June/early July soon before that year's San Diego funny book trip. Legendary high grade collector Rick Durell bought large swaths of this third batch as upgrades is what I remember. We were making a push to open San Jose and Sacto by mid summer after opening that 2nd store in late May at 720 Columbus Ave near Washington Square in San Francisco. Rick's collection was sold by title groupings via auction thru Ernie Gerber auctions.

 

New Jersey sticks in my brain where the lady who came back out from the east coast lived. Unsure of which state, however.

 

I remember her as a younger person.

 

Not the sister of the original "owner" - more like a grand daughter.

 

She had young kids. How many i do not remember

 

Very much hungry for money - as much as possible to be squeezed from it. We were happy to oblige in order to obtain this :missing link" which filled in quite nicely all the missing holes and runs of titles which I had figured out should be there based on what had already been purchased.

 

Do I wish we had made up an inventory list of some sort at the time? In a word, yes. They were selling so fast and briskly there was no need to advertise them.

 

Soon after they were bought, I restricted any one buyer from buying more than two or three out of this collection in order to "spread the wealth" in order to make as many collectors as happy as possible.

 

The collection was milked for as much dollar value as possible. We had expended something like $27K for all three batches. We were very much in to key-stoning principles at the time as we sought to build a business in order to take over the retail comics world of the Bay Area.

 

Such is the fantasy way in the minds of 21 year olds seeking to conqueor their "universe" when one is younger, still obtaining the knowledge which leads to (hopefully) wisdom

 

I also distinctly remember the very last two books sold out of this collection were less than VF/NM copies of Superman #3 and #4. I also very much remember who bought them in January 1974 when he first hit the Bay Area. Those two books still reside in his complete Superman run. His Superman #1 was bought from Jerry Bails for $800 in 1971 and was Edmond Hamilton's personal copy.

 

The Reilly copies were dispersed to the four winds back that first year. All issues were gone by Jan 1974. Comics & Comix now had four stores spread out 100 miles in four counties - funded in large part by this one collection.

 

I have a query to the "powers that be" in that where did the Detective Comics #27 come from that Heritage auctioned off for over a million dollars? Might it be the copy I sold for $2200 back May 1973 to Burl Rowe who in turn later sold it to gary & Lane Carter? There is a fun trail for some comics detective to attempt to track down its long journey thru time since it left my hands almost 40 years ago now

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2013 by BLBcomics

[Timely]

I also distinctly remember the very last two books sold out of this collection were less than VF/NM copies of Superman #3 and #4. I also very much remember who bought them in January 1974 when he first hit the Bay Area. Those two books still reside in his complete Superman run. His Superman #1 was bought from Jerry Bails for $800 in 1971 and was Edmond Hamilton's personal copy.

 

Hi Bob, you mentioned the Superman #4 is still in his collection, did he send it to CGC? Is this it?

 

[Timely]

Bob, do you a guy named Clay Geerdes who lived in Berkeley 30 years ago? His collection has since been passed on, along with his portion of the Reilly's.

[BLBcomics-migration]

I also distinctly remember the very last two books sold out of this collection were less than VF/NM copies of Superman #3 and #4. I also very much remember who bought them in January 1974 when he first hit the Bay Area. Those two books still reside in his complete Superman run. His Superman #1 was bought from Jerry Bails for $800 in 1971 and was Edmond Hamilton's personal copy.

 

Hi Bob, you mentioned the Superman #4 is still in his collection, did he send it to CGC? Is this it?

 

 

I do not keep up with who submits funny books to CGC nor will I ever.

 

I remember it having a couple rounded corners. Sure looks like it.

 

He might very well still own it. He could very easily have had ot slabbed. It is also entirely possible this person upgraded his collection as he has been on a quest for near perfect to perfect copies on the run all his life.

 

Then again, he also knew when he bought them at the time from me, as I informed him thusly back in early 1974, these were the last two books from this particular collection. He had heard about the high grade nature of the Reilly copies at the time and wanted somet thing from it. At the time he bought #3 and #4 they completed his run from #1 to current. It has been a year or so since I talked with him.

 

My memory of the Superman #3 was even lower grade than this copy.

[cheetah]

What was the earliest dated book from the collection?

[BLBcomics-migration]

I also distinctly remember the very last two books sold out of this collection were less than VF/NM copies of Superman #3 and #4. I also very much remember who bought them in January 1974 when he first hit the Bay Area. Those two books still reside in his complete Superman run. His Superman #1 was bought from Jerry Bails for $800 in 1971 and was Edmond Hamilton's personal copy.

 

Hi Bob, you mentioned the Superman #4 is still in his collection, did he send it to CGC? Is this it?

 

 

I have zero idea and or inclination to learn who has sent any of their books in to the Comics "Guarantee" Corporation which guarantees nothing

 

I do remember it had a couple rounded corners. This looks to be it.

 

I remember the #3 being even lower in grade.

[BLBcomics-migration]

Bob, do you a guy named Clay Geerdes who lived in Berkeley 30 years ago? His collection has since been passed on, along with his portion of the Reilly's.

 

Clay Geerdes is a sore spot within the annals of Comics & Comix.

 

He was twice as old as us at the time back in the day.

 

He once worked for us for a spell post Berkeleycon 73 involvement.

 

Interesting story of sorts: Once he began working for us as a clerk behind the counter of the Berkeley store, there began appearing articles about our company in various local news papers.

 

The first one mentioned Clay as being a "partner" inside Comics & Comix.

 

when we quizzed him on that, he said the reporter must have gotten confused

 

then a 2nd one appeared voicing the virtues of collecting comics and buying them from our stores - funny thing, it mentioned Clay as being a partner as well

 

Clay actually said that reporter must have made a similar misunderstanding mistake as well

 

then a 3rd one appeared, then a 4th - both also mentioning Clay as being a "partner" of the firm

 

At this point we called these reporters to ascertain data our company lawyer asked us to acquire

 

Reporters were to a person quite open with, nope, not a mistake on their part

 

On direct advice of our company lawyer, we then immediately fired Clay. if we did not, those news paper articles would make him a de facto partner since we did not then as of yet have a "contract" between us actual partners. We henceforth had one drawn up - and also officially incoorporated inside the state of California.

 

Regarding Clay's "portion" of the Reilly comics

 

He never bought any - he never had that kind of money. He never bought any from me. he thought us younger "kids" not as smart as he

 

My understanding is there are Timely Marvel Mystery issues as well as others

 

Clay stole them - pure and simple, evidently shipping them off to Lincoln Nebraska where they were kept hidden for a very long time.

 

Probably what ever statuate of limitations on this has long run out, possibly a moot point, as it were, i do not know the law per se on this concept

 

I long ago sold out from Comics & Comix in 1975 so maybe I would never have a dog in that fight. I went off in to my own solo store operations

 

But I stress: Clay never had that kind of money. He was perpetually broke.

 

Most every comic book store ever in existence has suffered thru internal employee theft pilfered a little bit at a time.

 

One of the reasons we made that "Golden Age" room out of the art show wood from Berkeleycon 73: Theft concepts, both internal and external.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BLBcomics-migration]

What was the earliest dated book from the collection?

 

the collection began mid summer 1939 - was spotty in 1939, also aspects of 1940 as well as 1941 did not have every number.

 

for example, I distinctly remember no Marvel Comics #1, not MM #2 #3 - it began with #4 onwards complete run into the summer of 1945

 

From 1942 thru summer 1945 it was virtually one of every comic book printed - or so it seemed at the time.

 

There were comic books in it not as of yet then listed in Overstreet as even known to exist.

[Timely]

Bob, do you a guy named Clay Geerdes who lived in Berkeley 30 years ago? His collection has since been passed on, along with his portion of the Reilly's.

 

Clay Geerdes is a sore spot within the annals of Comics & Comix.

 

He was twice as old as us at the time back in the day.

 

He once worked for us for a spell post Berkeleycon 73 involvement.

 

Interesting story of sorts: Once he began working for us as a clerk behind the counter of the Berkeley store, there began appearing articles about our company in various local news papers.

 

The first one mentioned Clay as being a "partner" inside Comics & Comix.

 

when we quizzed him on that, he said the reporter must have gotten confused

 

then a 2nd one appeared voicing the virtues of collecting comics and buying them from our stores - funny thing, it mentioned Clay as being a partner as well

 

Clay actually said that reporter must have made a similar misunderstanding mistake as well

 

then a 3rd one appeared, then a 4th - both also mentioning Clay as being a "partner" of the firm

 

At this point we called these reporters to ascertain data our company lawyer asked us to acquire

 

Reporters were to a person quite open with, nope, not a mistake on their part

 

On direct advice of our company lawyer, we then immediately fired Clay. if we did not, those news paper articles would make him a de facto partner since we did not then as of yet have a "contract" between us actual partners. We henceforth had one drawn up - and also officially incoorporated inside the state of California.

 

Regarding Clay's "portion" of the Reilly comics

 

He never bought any - he never had that kind of money. He never bought any from me. he thought us younger "kids" not as smart as he

 

My understanding is there are Timely Marvel Mystery issues as well as others

 

Clay stole them - pure and simple, evidently shipping them off to Lincoln Nebraska where they were kept hidden for a very long time.

 

Probably what ever statuate of limitations on this has long run out, possibly a moot point, as it were, i do not know the law per se on this concept

 

I long ago sold out from Comics & Comix in 1975 so maybe I would never have a dog in that fight. I went off in to my own solo store operations

 

But I stress: Clay never had that kind of money. He was perpetually broke.

 

Most every comic book store ever in existence has suffered thru internal employee theft pilfered a little bit at a time.

 

One of the reasons we made that "Golden Age" room out of the art show wood from Berkeleycon 73: Theft concepts, both internal and external.

 

 

 

 

Interesting story. His estate only had a handful of Reilly's, less than 10.

[BLBcomics-migration]

 

 

 

 

Interesting story. His estate only had a handful of Reilly's, less than 10.

 

it is what it is - Clay did what he did.

 

The books never got sold during his life time.

 

Wonder why that is as he surely needed money, especially towards the end of his life battling what he was medically wise.

 

He knew I would instantly recognize what he perped - especially coupled with trying his end run around us to try to make the media declare him a partner in Comics & Comix

 

It was a long time before he was allowed back in to close proximity

[Timely]

I'm Very happy to get this White paged beauty. The back cover is blindingly white too!

 

Edited March 27, 2013 by Timely

[ciorac]

I'm Very happy to get this White paged beauty. The back cover is blindingly white too!

 

 

Gorgeous

[BLBcomics-migration]

I'm Very happy to get this White paged beauty. The back cover is blindingly white too!

 

 

Interesting story re this one as well. About 13 years ago I was contacted by a fellow in Illinois who had his collection for sale. He had all the Marvel runs: FF, AmSpi, X, etc and was a huge Spider-man fan

 

hence, he also collected back in the day a few Golden Age runs:

 

1) Zip Comics for The Web 27 thru 38

 

2) Star Spangled for Tarantula which he did 1 thru 85

 

and he liked Jack Cole a lot, but could not afford Plastic Man, so instead he collected Smash 14 thru the end at 85. He had gone back a few issues to pick up the first Ray issues as well

 

he had four Reilly Star Spangleds, a few Zips, a few Smash

 

also had about 20 Edgar Church issues of Smash

 

This Star Spangled is one of those i got from his collection

 

Seems back in 1973 he had come thru our Berkeley store and bought some issues from me back then.

 

he also had ordered and completed his Smash run off Chuck's single catalog placement in TBG way back when which formed the basis of the semi-master list of what the Church collection had contained.

 

I have been seeing Reilly copies off and on for literally forty years come thru my fingers. I know my Reilly copies when I see them. They were my children for a while.

 

If any one is interested, there is a fun tale which occurred at Bud Plant's house in the mid 90s when I began passing thru there on a semi-regular basis coming back out for Wondercon.

 

Involves myself and Steve Geppi picking out his Reilly comic book out of all his comic books. Seems there was a moment in time when Steve was at Bud's house finalizing the former buying out the latter's distribution business. What? 1989 or so?

 

Afterwards, they retired to one of Bud's comic book rooms and began going thru Bud's Golden Age collection. Steve is flipping thru boxes, stops at a book, looking at its front cover, declares "this is a Reilly copy" or some such

 

Bud, incredulous, said, "How can you tell?"

 

Steve said the look, etc - reasons unimportant right this sec

 

I piped up, "Bud, I could tell also, just by looking at it"

 

Bud remained skeptic, as we went to the same room, I began flipping thru his Golden Age collection

 

After X number of boxes, I stopped at a book, said, "this is it."

 

Bud was amazed, asking me also, "how can you tell?"

 

I had stopped at the same exact comic book Geppi had

 

See, when we bought all that collection, each of us partners decided it would be way cool to keep one book each for ourselves.

 

Ask Bud about this, he should remember.

 

[Timely]

So which book did you keep for yourself? and... do you still have it?

[BLBcomics-migration]

May I ask why you took the Star Spangled #24 down?

 

I had picked out a Detective Comics from the early #70s with Simon & Kirby Boy Commandos. We had made a point it would not be an "expensive" one -

 

Bud's issue which he hung on to was Military Comics #15 with its Reed Crandall "Three Witches" Blackhawk story telling an EC kind of tale

 

This was some time in to when the collection had been surfacing on us, as we realized the scope of it and realized we might want a souvenior of sorts.

 

 

[Cat-Man_America]

May I ask why you took the Star Spangled #24 down?

 

 

 

[font:Times New Roman]It may be a problem with broken links from Botophucket. I've had to reboot images several times recently.

 

The photo storage site keeps trying to improve the system by making it less useful than before.

 

My [/font]

[Timely]

May I ask why you took the Star Spangled #24 down?

 

 

 

[font:Times New Roman]It may be a problem with broken links from Botophucket. I've had to reboot images several times recently.

 

The photo storage site keeps trying to improve the system by making it less useful than before.

 

My [/font]

 

I was cleaning house in photobucket and had 2 uploads of it, accidentally removed the wrong one. It's up again for all to see!

[Timely]

I think this is one of the best DC Simon & Kirby covers.