Coverless Golden Age Lot - Unk #'s or Date - Resources for attribution?

[Soft-Serve]

Hello all,

 

I recently bought a box of Golden age comics in well-read shape. Most are complete and, at best, in VG condition. There are a few though, that are missing their covers and/or first pages.

 

Of course, many of the Golden comics had the publishing info on the inside of the front cover, so there aren't many clues to the issue number.

 

In most cases the title is known. I've got: The Phantom, Captain Marvel, Hopalong Cassidy, The Radar, Green Lantern, Date with Judy, Looney Toons, George Pal's Puppetoons, Felix the Cat, Punch & Cutey, & an unknown "soldier" book In all these cases, there is no clue as to year or issue number.

 

I would love to attribute these books, but am loathe to handle them much as many are brittle to the point of disintegration. I've managed to bag and board them, but that's as much contact as they'll take. I seem to remember seeing a thread about this subject, but have been unable to locate it again. I would love any help you guys can give me.

 

If necessary, I'll post some scans of the first pages.

[143ksk]

www.comics.org will provide a way to search by story titles for at least some of those books.

[thehumantorch]

And if you post scans of the first page of each book boardies can probably help

[OtherEric]

The Looney Tunes, at least, should have the issue # and date on the first page.

[Soft-Serve]

It may not be Looney Toons actually, I guessed at it since there were 3 intact copies with the group. The title panel says Warner Bros. Cartoons, inc Present Bugs Bunny.

[Soft-Serve]

Ok,

 

I spent the morning doing research and I've ID'd all but three of the books. Luckily, several folks out there on the interwebs did lot's of research on these characters and provided detail synopsis and story titles that I could nail down a few. the Punch comics is tricky. It's a variety book with a number of character's strips. Most of the series had the same characters in each comic, so it's really hard to positively id it. The #10 cover comes closest to the interior story. The others are 100% It's neat they are all from the 40's. After seeing the values for these books in even good condition, I find myself wishing the covers were still around! (don't we all?)

 

Anyway, Here's what I got (so far):

 

Punch Comics - #10 - (Punch & Cutie)

 

Date with Judy - #1

 

Green Lantern #17 (1941 series)

 

Ace Comics - #125 (The Phantom)

 

Hopalong Cassidy #12

 

Comics Novel - #1 (The Radar)

 

George Pals Puppetoons #12

 

Captain Marvel's Adventures #70

 

Three books are still mysterys (Bugs Bunny, Felix, and the war book). I'll keep searching, but will post scans if I can't figure it out.

 

By the way, a coverless book is an automatic 0.5 Poor grade, right? Most are in terrible shape, but a few are still supple.

[OtherEric]

There still should be some code on the bottom of the first page of the Bugs Bunny or Looney Tunes or whatever it is, in very small lettering normally at the bottom of a panel. A few examples from Dells I have on hand this instant:

 

Looney Tunes 182: L. T #182-5612

Bugs Bunny Christmas Funnies #7: B.B.C.P, #7-5612

Walt Disney Vacation Parade #3: W.D.V.P #3-527

 

On the punch, have you looked at the copies at the Digital Comic Museum? It might help you verify it against a scan, if that issue has in fact been scanned yet.

 

[Soft-Serve]

In the bottom-right corner of the bottom-right panel has a handwritten code similar to the examples you have. I think it says: L+M 54-464 (the plus-sign might be a lowercase t, but I don't think so)

 

The first page has Bugs and Porky going to an Employment agency for a job (for what it's worth....)

[BangZoom]

In the bottom-right corner of the bottom-right panel has a handwritten code similar to the examples you have. I think it says: L+M 54-464 (the plus-sign might be a lowercase t, but I don't think so)

 

The first page has Bugs and Porky going to an Employment agency for a job (for what it's worth....)

 

Yep. That's Looney Tunes #54. (thumbs u

[Soft-Serve]

Thank you sir! That fits with the collection as I already have 61, 72, & 81 from the same series.

[Soft-Serve]

Any clue on how to tell which Popluar Comics I have? It has Felix the cat, smokin stover, smiling jack, terry and the pirates stories in it. I did find a 1942 copyright, so that should narrow it down to issues 71-82.

 

 

 

[Scrooge]

Any clue on how to tell which Popluar Comics I have? It has Felix the cat, smokin stover, smiling jack, terry and the pirates stories in it. I did find a 1942 copyright, so that should narrow it down to issues 71-82.

 

You can check those insides at -

 

http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=567

 

Most of these issues are there though sometimes the copyright information can be misleading as to which year the comic was published for these reprint titles. Good hunting.

[Soft-Serve]

Thanks, what a great resource! As it turns out, since most of these books are around 68 pages, I'm missing about half. So it's time-consuming going through each book looking for the right one. Oh well, its fun seeing all the old stories.

 

Regarding my question about coverless books, they are considered 0.5 Poor grade correct? I know there is a market for them for "parts" to a degree. Is there a good place to advertise what you have in this regard? (specifically for missing pieces?)

[BB-Gun]

Thanks, what a great resource! As it turns out, since most of these books are around 68 pages, I'm missing about half. So it's time-consuming going through each book looking for the right one. Oh well, its fun seeing all the old stories.

 

Regarding my question about coverless books, they are considered 0.5 Poor grade correct? I know there is a market for them for "parts" to a degree. Is there a good place to advertise what you have in this regard? (specifically for missing pieces?)

 

Parts of comics can sell for a good price on ebay. A coverless copy can sell for 35% of good. Timely may sell for a little more and others sell for less. Westerns and Disney can sell for much less. Count the page numbers so people will know whether the centerfold is present.

 

[Soft-Serve]

Thanks for all the tips folks! I just recently got into golden age books, and getting this box of coverless copies was much more fun than I first anticipated. I also collect ancient coins, not for condition for for the fun of attribution. I like all the detective work.

 

Anyway, I know (at least in my case), there's little money to be made with these books - but to me it much more interesting to have comics from the late 40's regardless of condition.

[vaillant]

Price for coverless also depends on rarity, but generally speaking it can be worth to offer them on sale even if they are not rare, because there may be someone missing the centerfold, or a few inside pages, which could marry your interior to their cover.

Of course, i.e. if you do not have *incomplete* coverless copies.

[rangerhouse-migration]

Dynamic Comics is now complete on the website:

 

http://www.digitalcomicmuseum.com

 

Still missing the what if (I believe reprints at the end of that run) All I've ever seen for sale is canadian issues from the end.

 

Working on Heroic Comics now and Catman Comics:

 

Issues needed to scan

 

Heroic #3, 12, and 14

 

Cat-man #7, 8, 9, 16 (7 & 8 on our site are fiche so need upgrades)

 

Looking for low grade to buy or someone willing to lend me issues to scan. I have a Minolta PS5000 Archive Book scanner, so all I do is turn the pages and hit the foot pedal, so no damage to comic book. Phil from these boards has send me most from his collection, and Suspense Comics #3 will be in my hands today from him. He also supplied CatMan #1 which will be posted on Halloween, Phil's Suspense #3 will complete series on site, we are missing a few pages from a couple of issues. Thanks either way..

[Soft-Serve]

Wow, that's a great project you are undertaking! Tremendous resource.