My 1st Golden Age run!

[dgillock]

My GA buying began several years ago sporatically. Sort of the "Hey that's cool and I can afford it!" method of collecting. Over the past few years, I've been trying to focus on completing runs of a few titles that really interest me. With my purchase of a copy of Clue Comics #5 at Wizard Philly yesterday, I've completed my first GA run, Clue #1 to #12:

 

 

I hope people enjoy seeing these all togther (I know I do!).

Next up for me are the 3 S&K "Vol 2" issues of Clue-$$$!. I'm also getting pretty close on the pre-crime issues of Headline Comics (#1-22), and I'm making some good progress on putting together the first 40 issues of Boy Comics (though a #3 seems a long way off). Wish me luck!

[deathlok]

great looking covers! Great job!

[Scrooge]

Love it!

 

Could you tell us more about the contents of these? Who is the Boy King? And what about that blond on 2 of the last row's covers?

 

I have to admit I am not familiar with this title at all (even after reading all CBM and Alter Egos in the world and I must've glanced over these in the Gerber many times!). The only one vaguely familiar is the one with the open book on the cover and I seem to remember a Fred Kida cover with similar design. I am at work and can't check if it's this one or from another comic. Does it ring a bell to anyone?

 

Thanks for sharing.

[Jayman]

Beautiful run! Congrats

That cover of issue 11 is fantastic!

[CentaurMan]

Awesome!!!

 

I love seeing them all lined up like that. I know exactly how satisfying that feeling is. Well done!!!

 

That's the great thing about Golden Age collecting vs. Silver and later: If you have the money, you can get pretty much any run you want from 1960 and beyond. You have to focus your collecting on specific grade requirements to make it a challenge, and even then, it's quite likely that you'll succeed, given enough funds.

 

But in the Golden Age, finding ANY copies of the issues can be a real challenge, which makes it all the more satisfying to put something like your Clue run together. Low demand issues like that lead to low prices, which is great for the collector, but the low supply means that the thrill of the hunt remains very high.

[143ksk]

Congratulations! That's a nice run!

 

[dgillock]

Clue was published by Hillman, best known in the pre-crime era for Airboy. Very excellent art and stories consistnetly, IMO.

 

Boy King is the heir to the throne of a European country called "Swisslakia", geographically similar to Alsace-Loraine. The Nazi's roll in to take over and slaughter many, including the King. On his death bed, he informs the Prince of the secret that has kept Swisslakia safe for many years. This secret is a giant mechanical man created by Nostradamus. With his father's passing, the Prince becomes King and seeks out this giant. Boy King uses the giant to drive the Nazi's from Swisslakia and transport his people across the Atlantic to safety in America. During the journey across the ocean, Boy King and his giant help save an Ally fleet from a Nazi attack. Arriving in New York, they are welcomed, even though the Giant manages to accidentally wreck some buildings and sort of assaults the Statue of Liberty.

 

The Boy King's arch-nemesis The Crane (a Nazi with extendable mechanical arms) appears as the leader of the Nazi spies in America and several epic battles ensue, including a great story (#3) where the Crane takes over the Giant and lays waste to the Financial District ( ). Issue 4 and 5 feature the Giant battling a huge robot T-rex created by the Nazi's. I'd recommend these two issues at least to any GA fan. There's some very sharp art in the title and some nice continuity between issues- something sorely lacking in many GA titles. The first 5 Boy king stories are actually one story arc, running from BK's origin and arrival in NY and ending with the Crane locked up.

 

The back-up characters are equally as interesting. Nightmare and Sleepy are a wrestler and his young manager who become crime-fighters between matches. Nightmare's original costume, basically and black and white skeleton garb, is one of my GA favorites- really gruesome for a hero. Micro-Face is a scientist who develops technology that allows him to see in the dark, throw his voice, and have super-sensitive hearing. His mask is very cool with sort of a gas-mask Sandman look. Zippo is kind of a Flash knock-off with the exception that his speed is mechanical (basically super-rollerskates). Twilight is an ex-PI Marine sgt. who dons a really wild costume (it includes a long brown wig) to fight crime. Stupid Manny is a Lil Abner/Joe Palooka, good-natured bumpkin strong man.

 

With issue #10 Gunmaster is introduced and takes over the lead feature (though Boy King returns in a back-up story in #12, he is absent in 10 and 11). Gunmaster, aka Dumas Poe, is descended from a group of Tibetian monks who apparently invented gunpowder and the gun itself. He is highly trained in fire-arms (sort of like gun kung-fu) and he uses his skill and knowledge to battle crime. The woman on the covers of #10 and #11 is Velvet, a female criminal mastermind who gives GM alot of trouble and a kiss or two.

 

Long-post! More later (I haven't even mentioned "Rackman"!)

[dgillock]

Oh, also the Clue #11 cover is by Kida...

I don't know if he did another similar cover for another title.

[dgillock]

That's the great thing about Golden Age collecting vs. Silver and later: If you have the money, you can get pretty much any run you want from 1960 and beyond. You have to focus your collecting on specific grade requirements to make it a challenge, and even then, it's quite likely that you'll succeed, given enough funds.

 

But in the Golden Age, finding ANY copies of the issues can be a real challenge, which makes it all the more satisfying to put something like your Clue run together. Low demand issues like that lead to low prices, which is great for the collector, but the low supply means that the thrill of the hunt remains very high.

 

This is a great summation of my feelings as well and it has been a major factor in my gradual shift over to collecting almost exclusively GA.

[Scrooge]

Thanks a million!

 

This is very interesting. You mention that the first 5 issues are almost a (what we would call today) story arch and you point out very accurately that this feeling of "continuity" is absent in most GA stories. Now, we would all probably agree that while continuity is welcome in some form, the last 20+ years of, let's say, X-Men proves that continuity can quickly become a liability for a title. I don't want to debate the importance of continuity itself in this forum but I would like to get a feel for how many series do we know from the GA that had this hightened (by GA standards) sense of continuity.

 

If I recall correctly, Blackhawk had one member disappear in an early issue to come back later at some point.

 

Obviously, we have countless recurring villains but to what extent were their previous appearances referenced to or hinted at in the series. I am thinking Red Skull, Joker, Iron Jaw, the Valkyrie, Satin (sp.?) and such type of characters here. Any insights / recollections are welcome. Thanks.

[Arty]

Great thread! Thanks for that excellent summary.

 

Most informative post of the month award goes to dmgcsr

[tb]

Very interesting scans and background info. If Gerber had had a description

like yours for every title it would have sold better than the Bible and Elvis'

Cookbook combined. Thanks, dmgcsr!

[ArAich]

Congrats on a Fantastic run!!!... ..I also am very unfamiliar with that title but it does seem interesting...maybe I'll buy the #1 eventually since at this point....I don't have a Clue...

[kryptonitecomics]

Sweet run of books. I am working on one run like that myself, but have been unable to find the books I need in acceptable grades. I might just buy what I can get now and then upgrade later

[dgillock]

I've got an upgrade or two to do myself at some point on this run, but I'm in no big rush. The #4 in particular is a little rough even for my accepting tastes. But like I said, no rush. Lots of other comics to get to before I really start obsessing over these twelve being perfect...

[ArAich]

I'm halfway to a full run of "Monster"...