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Recent Pre-Code Purchases
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Started by *paull*,

22,391 posts in this topic

adamstrange

adamstrange

Posted
Posted
On 9/5/2024 at 4:37 PM, *paull* said:

I love the cover to Frankenstein 23.  Dick Briefer, such an underrated illustrator and storyteller.

(thumbsu

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Telegan

Telegan

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On 9/5/2024 at 3:37 PM, *paull* said:

I love the cover to Frankenstein 23.  Dick Briefer, such an underrated illustrator and storyteller.

Amen.  I've always loved that cover and some of his other covers.  They're like a dose of disgusting crossed with comedy. :D

Edited by Telegan
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Jayman

Jayman

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On 9/6/2024 at 2:01 PM, *paull* said:

Love this book.  Not just the cover.  Briefer's storytelling is great.

Plus this was the issue that switched over from comedy to all horror. (thumbsu

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Telegan

Telegan

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On 9/6/2024 at 5:51 PM, Jayman said:

Plus this was the issue that switched over from comedy to all horror. (thumbsu

That's interesting because I just noticed there's like a 3-year gap between this issue and the previous one (1949 - 1952).  I wonder if they just said "guys, horror is in now ... let's bring him back, but meaner!"

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Jayman

Jayman

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Posted
On 9/6/2024 at 7:07 PM, Telegan said:

That's interesting because I just noticed there's like a 3-year gap between this issue and the previous one (1949 - 1952).  I wonder if they just said "guys, horror is in now ... let's bring him back, but meaner!"

Yeah, they slid his nose down from above his eyes to a more normal position to move away from the comedic look too.

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Telegan

Telegan

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Posted
On 9/6/2024 at 6:43 PM, Jayman said:

Yeah, they slid his nose down from above his eyes to a more normal position to move away from the comedic look too.

Oh wow.  I just noticed that.  Always thought the nose-above-the-eyes look was humorously grotesque.

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*paull*

*paull*

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Twenty years ago yesterday, on September 8, 2004, I posted a photo of a book I just acquired at a show, Haunted Thrills #5, and expressed my excitement about some Recent Pre-Code Purchases. Obviously it wasn't my plan for this post to become a repository for a cavalcade of fantastic pre-code books, 22352 posts and counting! Pre-code horror was not very popular at the time, and it still took many years (10 or 15+) for them to really take off. The great contributions to this post have nothing to do with me, only the shared love of a subset of comic books made this post an exciting read for twenty years. Thanks to all for contributing! If you look through the names from the earliest posts, you can see that many are no longer here, and maybe no longer with us in general. I miss hearing from many that were here before.

I was first captivated by pre-code horror comics through the auction listings in Comic Buyer's Guide in the mid 1990s. These listings were filled with key cover books that suddenly became highly desirable due to the release of the full-color Gerber guides. I just couldn't believe the lurid imagery... I didn't know that this type of thing existed. I couldn't afford to seek out these books, but made mental notes about the covers, publishers and illustrators I liked the most. In 2004, I started visiting smaller local shows, and one dealer had some a large amount of really clean, higher grade pre-code horror. They weren't cheap at the time, but I bought a few Farrell books based on the great covers, wild interiors and beautiful colors. I knew then that I would want to keep these books long-term and didn't expect that my interest would fade. I continued buying Farrell books (Haunted Thrills and Voodoo) and then started seeking out classic pre-code covers and L.B. Cole books that I first saw in the 1990s auctions. I had to buy and sell other non-comics items to fund them, and always remained a small-timer, buying one here and one there. I ended up getting many of the (very) small number of books that I wanted to have (the Suspense #3 ship sailed away early...). Of course, there are many that I love... but there is a difference between "love" and "must have".

My buying slowed as the prices climbed and I gained a feeling generally satisfied about what I owned already. I eventually stopped due to both prices and the changes brought on by pressing. I much preferred books in their natural state, crease, dirt and all. If the right books were available and I was confident that they weren't pressed, I'd be ok with it. But A-level pre-code books are out of reach. And maybe even B-level. But my interest didn't fade.

I really enjoy reading the posts on the Boards and contribute when I have something to offer.  Still lurking!  Below is a panel from that Haunted Thrills #5. I still have it... and enjoy it!

 

Hands.jpg

Edited by *paull*
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comicnoir

comicnoir

Posted
Posted
On 9/9/2024 at 11:35 AM, *paull* said:

Twenty years ago yesterday, on September 8, 2004, I posted a photo of a book I just acquired at a show, Haunted Thrills #5, and expressed my excitement about some Recent Pre-Code Purchases. Obviously it wasn't my plan for this post to become a repository for a cavalcade of fantastic pre-code books, 22352 posts and counting! Pre-code horror was not very popular at the time, and it still took many years (10 or 15+) for them to really take off. The great contributions to this post have nothing to do with me, only the shared love of a subset of comic books made this post an exciting read for twenty years. Thanks to all for contributing! If you look through the names from the earliest posts, you can see that many are no longer here, and maybe no longer with us in general. I miss hearing from many that were here before.

I was first captivated by pre-code horror comics through the auction listings in Comic Buyer's Guide in the mid 1990s. These listings were filled with key cover books that suddenly became highly desirable due to the release of the full-color Gerber guides. I just couldn't believe the lurid imagery... I didn't know that this type of thing existed. I couldn't afford to seek out these books, but made mental notes about the covers, publishers and illustrators I liked the most. In 2004, I started visiting smaller local shows, and one dealer had some a large amount of really clean, higher grade pre-code horror. They weren't cheap at the time, but I bought a few Farrell books based on the great covers, wild interiors and beautiful colors. I knew then that I would want to keep these books long-term and didn't expect that my interest would fade. I continued buying Farrell books (Haunted Thrills and Voodoo) and then started seeking out classic pre-code covers and L.B. Cole books that I first saw in the 1990s auctions. I had to buy and sell other non-comics items to fund them, and always remained a small-timer, buying one here and one there. I ended up getting many of the (very) small number of books that I wanted to have (the Suspense #3 ship sailed away early...). Of course, there are many that I love... but there is a difference between "love" and "must have".

My buying slowed as the prices climbed and I gained a feeling generally satisfied about what I owned already. I eventually stopped due to both prices and the changes brought on by pressing. I much preferred books in their natural state, crease, dirt and all. If the right books were available and I was confident that they weren't pressed, I'd be ok with it. But A-level pre-code books are out of reach. And maybe even B-level. But my interest didn't fade.

I really enjoy reading the posts on the Boards and contribute when I have something to offer.  Still lurking!  Below is a panel from that Haunted Thrills #5. I still have it... and enjoy it!

 

Hands.jpg

My copy is slabbed. Thanks for posting.

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*paull*

*paull*

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On 9/10/2024 at 1:04 AM, comicnoir said:

My copy is slabbed. Thanks for posting.

Page 1 of this thread has two of the splashes from Haunted Thrills #5.  I love the interior art in the Farrell books.  Good page designs and creative use of color. I really like the scripting to the stories, too... a unique style. If I remember correctly, a female writer did a significant amount of work for the Farrell books.

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Jayman

Jayman

Posted
Posted
On 9/10/2024 at 10:15 AM, *paull* said:

Page 1 of this thread has two of the splashes from Haunted Thrills #5.  I love the interior art in the Farrell books.  Good page designs and creative use of color. I really like the scripting to the stories, too... a unique style. If I remember correctly, a female writer did a significant amount of work for the Farrell books.

 

Voodoo # 7 Goodbye.jpg

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