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EC Fanatic Appreciation Weird Thread of Terror

Started by Foxtrot70,

346 posts in this topic

mrmyst

mrmyst

Posted
Posted
I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

FWIW, Al Feldstein contended that Gaines invented reasons after the fact and that they had actually been set aside as evidence related to the 2nd class mailing permit that they needed to support subscriptions.

hm. So why set aside 10 or 12 copies? Why not just 1 of each issue?
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adamstrange

adamstrange

Posted
Posted
I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

FWIW, Al Feldstein contended that Gaines invented reasons after the fact and that they had actually been set aside as evidence related to the 2nd class mailing permit that they needed to support subscriptions.

hm. So why set aside 10 or 12 copies? Why not just 1 of each issue?

 

He didn't address that in the particular interview and I'm not sure how the audit process worked. Presumably, you'd want more than one copy if you had to send one off for inspection. The practice started with his father in the 40s and he may just have continued it/re instituted it once he took over.

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mrmitchgro

mrmitchgro

Posted
Posted
I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

FWIW, Al Feldstein contended that Gaines invented reasons after the fact and that they had actually been set aside as evidence related to the 2nd class mailing permit that they needed to support subscriptions.

hm. So why set aside 10 or 12 copies? Why not just 1 of each issue?

 

He didn't address that in the particular interview and I'm not sure how the audit process worked. Presumably, you'd want more than one copy if you had to send one off for inspection. The practice started with his father in the 40s and he may just have continued it/re instituted it once he took over.

 

Interesting. Wonder what happened to the Pre-trend copies his father kept?

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29dukedog

29dukedog

Posted
Posted
I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

FWIW, Al Feldstein contended that Gaines invented reasons after the fact and that they had actually been set aside as evidence related to the 2nd class mailing permit that they needed to support subscriptions.

hm. So why set aside 10 or 12 copies? Why not just 1 of each issue?

 

He didn't address that in the particular interview and I'm not sure how the audit process worked. Presumably, you'd want more than one copy if you had to send one off for inspection. The practice started with his father in the 40s and he may just have continued it/re instituted it once he took over.

 

Interesting. Wonder what happened to the Pre-trend copies his father kept?

 

There are Gaines File copies of Crime Patrol, War Against Crime, and the Picture Stories titles. Not sure who it was that originally put these away, though- Max, or Bill?

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adamstrange

adamstrange

Posted
Posted
I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

FWIW, Al Feldstein contended that Gaines invented reasons after the fact and that they had actually been set aside as evidence related to the 2nd class mailing permit that they needed to support subscriptions.

hm. So why set aside 10 or 12 copies? Why not just 1 of each issue?

 

He didn't address that in the particular interview and I'm not sure how the audit process worked. Presumably, you'd want more than one copy if you had to send one off for inspection. The practice started with his father in the 40s and he may just have continued it/re instituted it once he took over.

 

Interesting. Wonder what happened to the Pre-trend copies his father kept?

 

There are Gaines File copies of Crime Patrol, War Against Crime, and the Picture Stories titles. Not sure who it was that originally put these away, though- Max, or Bill?

 

I don't believe Bill had any real involvement with the company prior to his father's death so all the early issues would have been set aside by Max or someone working for him.

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Stevemmg

Stevemmg

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Posted

 

Newly graded according to the cert # too. I wonder how many other HG raw copies are out there in the wild.

 

I saw that... Not many I'm thinking... Only one GFC copy from what I've read and I can't imagine there being too many others.

 

 

Even the one GFC isn't a true file copy. Bill Gaines didn't have any copies of 12 in his collection, so he had to hunt a high grade copy down from a dealer. I think he got it from Metropolis.

 

I remember a story, which is now almost a legend of comic fandom lore; many years ago, Jerry Weist and Bill Gaines negotiated a trade in which Bill gave Jerry a bottle (maybe it was two bottles) of extremely rare and valuable wine, in exchange for three high grade copies of Vault of Horror #12 (the actual first issue from 1950). It was not clear, though, just why Bill wanted the comics. However, it is interesting to note that the famous Gaines File Copy collection, when it finally saw the light of day in 1989, was found to consist of up to twelve copies of each and every comic that EC ever published, except Vault of Horror #12, of which there was only a single copy. If there was any connection between the famous trade and the mysterious shortage of Vault #12's, I don't think it was ever revealed.

 

I hadn't ever heard that story, thanks for sharing!

 

I was really excited to score a high grade copy when I did. The fact that CSS 22 is outpacing Vault 12 seems a little ridiculous, especially considering the above comments.

 

I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

 

I can corroborate on this. Bruce Ayres who owns Capital City Comics in Madison, WI was visited in the store by Gaines some years ago. One of Bill's daughters lives just up the street from his shop. Bill had asked Bruce if he could help provide copies of Vault 12 to complete the sets for his kids. When the books were brought to market, it was noted that the bottom three copies of each book would go to his children. They must have decided to sell them at some point, as I have several of what would have been their copies in my collection.

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Twistty1

Twistty1

Posted
Posted

 

Newly graded according to the cert # too. I wonder how many other HG raw copies are out there in the wild.

 

I saw that... Not many I'm thinking... Only one GFC copy from what I've read and I can't imagine there being too many others.

 

 

Even the one GFC isn't a true file copy. Bill Gaines didn't have any copies of 12 in his collection, so he had to hunt a high grade copy down from a dealer. I think he got it from Metropolis.

 

I remember a story, which is now almost a legend of comic fandom lore; many years ago, Jerry Weist and Bill Gaines negotiated a trade in which Bill gave Jerry a bottle (maybe it was two bottles) of extremely rare and valuable wine, in exchange for three high grade copies of Vault of Horror #12 (the actual first issue from 1950). It was not clear, though, just why Bill wanted the comics. However, it is interesting to note that the famous Gaines File Copy collection, when it finally saw the light of day in 1989, was found to consist of up to twelve copies of each and every comic that EC ever published, except Vault of Horror #12, of which there was only a single copy. If there was any connection between the famous trade and the mysterious shortage of Vault #12's, I don't think it was ever revealed.

 

I hadn't ever heard that story, thanks for sharing!

 

I was really excited to score a high grade copy when I did. The fact that CSS 22 is outpacing Vault 12 seems a little ridiculous, especially considering the above comments.

 

I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

 

I can corroborate on this. Bruce Ayres who owns Capital City Comics in Madison, WI was visited in the store by Gaines some years ago. One of Bill's daughters lives just up the street from his shop. Bill had asked Bruce if he could help provide copies of Vault 12 to complete the sets for his kids. When the books were brought to market, it was noted that the bottom three copies of each book would go to his children. They must have decided to sell them at some point, as I have several of what would have been their copies in my collection.

 

That's very cool. I am surprised that they would sell them though. I guess nothing is sacred. If you don't mind me asking how do you know that they were from Bill's children's sets?

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29dukedog

29dukedog

Posted
Posted

 

Newly graded according to the cert # too. I wonder how many other HG raw copies are out there in the wild.

 

I saw that... Not many I'm thinking... Only one GFC copy from what I've read and I can't imagine there being too many others.

 

 

Even the one GFC isn't a true file copy. Bill Gaines didn't have any copies of 12 in his collection, so he had to hunt a high grade copy down from a dealer. I think he got it from Metropolis.

 

I remember a story, which is now almost a legend of comic fandom lore; many years ago, Jerry Weist and Bill Gaines negotiated a trade in which Bill gave Jerry a bottle (maybe it was two bottles) of extremely rare and valuable wine, in exchange for three high grade copies of Vault of Horror #12 (the actual first issue from 1950). It was not clear, though, just why Bill wanted the comics. However, it is interesting to note that the famous Gaines File Copy collection, when it finally saw the light of day in 1989, was found to consist of up to twelve copies of each and every comic that EC ever published, except Vault of Horror #12, of which there was only a single copy. If there was any connection between the famous trade and the mysterious shortage of Vault #12's, I don't think it was ever revealed.

 

I hadn't ever heard that story, thanks for sharing!

 

I was really excited to score a high grade copy when I did. The fact that CSS 22 is outpacing Vault 12 seems a little ridiculous, especially considering the above comments.

 

I read an article from the book "Tales of Terror" about the GFC copies. Bill stated that he wanted a complete set for each of his children. It's true that there was only 1 GFC copy of the VOH 12. I'm sure that is why he wanted the HG copies, to complete the remaining sets for each of his children. Makes sense why he would actually give an expensive bottle of wine for them.

 

I can corroborate on this. Bruce Ayres who owns Capital City Comics in Madison, WI was visited in the store by Gaines some years ago. One of Bill's daughters lives just up the street from his shop. Bill had asked Bruce if he could help provide copies of Vault 12 to complete the sets for his kids. When the books were brought to market, it was noted that the bottom three copies of each book would go to his children. They must have decided to sell them at some point, as I have several of what would have been their copies in my collection.

 

That's very cool. I am surprised that they would sell them though. I guess nothing is sacred. If you don't mind me asking how do you know that they were from Bill's children's sets?

 

Any Gaines File copy ranked 9 of 12, 8 of 11, 7 of 10, 6 of 9 or higher, belonged to the sets that were saved for Gaines' kids. (It was actually the bottom four sets.) And yes, a great many of those books have come to market in recent years. I have a few of them, myself. Perhaps one day we'll see those enigmatic copies of Vault 12.

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adamstrange

adamstrange

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Posted

Gaines definitely did pass on sets to his kids and several of them have come to market. (thumbs u

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jimjum12

jimjum12

Posted
Posted

According to Steve at www.wwcomics.com ..... his most often shoplifted publisher is E.C. .....but he still has some nice ones available. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

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originalisbest

originalisbest

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Posted

Thanks for the links! Always love learning or re-learning things about good old ec. :)

 

While some would look askance at gfc's belonging to gaines kids being sold by them, doesn't seem a big deal to me. It adds up to a lot of money, and perhaps they just had need of cash? I wouldn't presume to pretend to know.

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29dukedog

29dukedog

Posted
Posted
While some would look askance at gfc's belonging to gaines kids being sold by them, doesn't seem a big deal to me. It adds up to a lot of money, and perhaps they just had need of cash? I wouldn't presume to pretend to know.

 

Right, and don't forget- each kid received an entire collection of complete sets of every New Trend and New Direction title that EC published. I don't believe my own sentiment could be so great that I'd feel the need to keep everything. I would at least save my favorite title(s). (All nine of them.)

 

 

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Sqeggs

Sqeggs

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Posted
While some would look askance at gfc's belonging to gaines kids being sold by them, doesn't seem a big deal to me. It adds up to a lot of money, and perhaps they just had need of cash? I wouldn't presume to pretend to know.

 

Right, and don't forget- each kid received an entire collection of complete sets of every New Trend and New Direction title that EC published. I don't believe my own sentiment could be so great that I'd feel the need to keep everything. I would at least save my favorite title(s). (All nine of them.)

 

 

Absolutely. Who knows what their financial situations were or whether they were in a position to properly store and preserve the books? If it were me, and I had no real interest in comics, I would probably keep a few and sell the rest.

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originalisbest

originalisbest

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Posted
Ran across this in my collection...Always liked this cover.

 

8700889037_35fec336a1.jpg

 

mm

 

Very nice! Still looking for a HG copy myself :cloud9:

 

Very nice copy! That is one that I haven't ever found readily in high grade. Most all copies I've found, including the one in my collection, tend towards chipping of the cover and fraying at the edges. I did lay hands on a really nice VF years ago, but had to return it due to dratted color touch.

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