GA Mentors

[Vision75]

As a relative newcomer to the GA scene, the Virginia ComicCon was an amazing experience. Most notably I met Tyler (tsp99) through VA collectors/dealers Guy Rose and Donald Jones.

 

Finding out that I had a passion for GA, Tyler talked with me for two hours or so about the hobby's nuances like Roly Poly 14. I learned a crazy amount and, through him, met other great boardies like Jimbo. Tyler - thank you for being such a great ambassador.

 

That brings me to the question. In your own GA collecting history, who has helped you learn the ropes?

 

[jimjum12]

These forums are about as good as it gets...... best schooling I ever got. Great meeting you...... I know you came home with something..... care to share the spoils ? GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[goldust40]

These forums are about as good as it gets...... best schooling I ever got. Great meeting you...... I know you came home with something..... care to share the spoils ? GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Learnt a lot of info on these forums, and from going to countless U.S. shows over the years.

[Scrooge]

I come down on the side of Andy on this. I don't recall any one single mentor in my GA exploration. Maybe the opportunity didn't present itself when I started so I educated myself reading CBM and Alter Ego and from buying books off eBay and dealers. Once I hit this place then my learning exploded and from connections here, my horizons expanded from meeting with such collectors as 143ksk and Bob also from MN then going to the Chicago shows and meeting MrBedrock, Fuelman, StrawMan, October (when he also was a GA babe but he lucked into CentaurMan and Gary as his mentors), etc ... and let's not forget the constant and kind postings of AdamStrange & JonB

[Vision75]

These forums are about as good as it gets...... best schooling I ever got. Great meeting you...... I know you came home with something..... care to share the spoils ? GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

Hi Jimbo. I picked up a Startling Comics 51. I sold a couple books: a Crime Suspenstories 22 and a Daredevil 1 (the Silver-age one).

 

How about you?

[rjpb]

The forums have been a great resource and before that Comic Book Marketplace. Just browsing through the Gerber Guides was an education, and the fanzine Tales to Terrible to Tell increased my awareness of pre-code horror and related esoterica.

 

As a kid I got a basic education from the Steranko books, Les Daniel's Comix and reading articles in Overstreet every year.

 

 

[jimjum12]

..... a stack of pretty Atlas war, some sharp Marvel Tales ( 112 and 134), an immaculate Spellbound 11, a Weird Science 11, two Super Mysteries, and a beautiful Strange Tales 115...... I did a lot of trading but did have to toss in some cash. Had a LOT of fun and stopped on the way home at Sal's for some fantastic Pizza..... a show tradition for us. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[sacentaur]

I didn't have a mentor per se (wish I did, would have saved me a lot of heartache), but two guys who helped me along were Chuck McCleary and Gary Carter. They both had amazing collections and were more than glad to share them with me.

 

Richard O'Brien's Golden Age of Comics was the book.

 

The Boards have been a great resource.

[Cat-Man_America]

As a relative newcomer to the GA scene, the Virginia ComicCon was an amazing experience. Most notably I met Tyler (tsp99) through VA collectors/dealers Guy Rose and Donald Jones.

 

Finding out that I had a passion for GA, Tyler talked with me for two hours or so about the hobby's nuances like Roly Poly 14. I learned a crazy amount and, through him, met other great boardies like Jimbo. Tyler - thank you for being such a great ambassador.

 

That brings me to the question. In your own GA collecting history, who has helped you learn the ropes?

 

[font:Times New Roman]Not so much who, as what. I skipped the ropes and went straight for definitive books on the subject of GA comics and then started connecting with like-minded fans at conventions. There are many books on the topic of varying value to collectors, so my recommendation would be to mull over Amazon reviews and the opinions of other boardies before building a library.

 

That said, books that are definitely worth reading include Steranko's History of the Comics Vol. I & II, Richard Lupoff's & Don Thompson's All in Color for a Dime, and so on. Alas, acquiring the Steranko books is a bit pricey these days, but the articles focusing on various publishers and heroes of the era are fabulous. Hopefully this two part half-completed history will be reprinted someday, perhaps as a single volume hardcover edition in a slightly less unwieldy format. If these classics don't fuel your passion for GA, nothing will...

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Steranko-History-Comics-Volume/dp/B000GW5WFK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385328796&sr=8-2&keywords=steranko%27s+history+of+the+comics

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Steranko-History-Comics-Volume/dp/B001208R4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385328926&sr=8-1&keywords=steranko%27s+history+of+the+comics

 

http://www.amazon.com/All-Color-Dime-Richard-Lupoff/dp/0873414985/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385328362&sr=8-1&keywords=all+in+color+for+a+dime

 

You might also consider subscribing to Alter Ego and/or buying random back issues focusing on interesting GA characters and their artists...

 

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=55

 

I'm sure that others will contribute more suggestions on learning the ropes in respect to GA collecting. Everyone has slightly different approaches, interests, strategies for collecting, etc. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask and most here will gladly oblige. [/font] (thumbs u

[jimjum12]

As a relative newcomer to the GA scene, the Virginia ComicCon was an amazing experience. Most notably I met Tyler (tsp99) through VA collectors/dealers Guy Rose and Donald Jones.

 

Finding out that I had a passion for GA, Tyler talked with me for two hours or so about the hobby's nuances like Roly Poly 14. I learned a crazy amount and, through him, met other great boardies like Jimbo. Tyler - thank you for being such a great ambassador.

 

That brings me to the question. In your own GA collecting history, who has helped you learn the ropes?

 

[font:Times New Roman]Not so much who, as what. I skipped the ropes and went straight for definitive books on the subject of GA comics and then started connecting with like-minded fans at conventions. There are many books on the topic of varying value to collectors, so my recommendation would be to mull over Amazon reviews and the opinions of other boardies before building a library.

 

That said, books that are definitely worth reading include Steranko's History of the Comics Vol. I & II, Richard Lupoff's & Don Thompson's All in Color for a Dime, and so on. Alas, acquiring the Steranko books is a bit pricey these days, but the articles focusing on various publishers and heroes of the era are fabulous. Hopefully this two part half-completed history will be reprinted someday, perhaps as a single volume hardcover edition in a slightly less unwieldy format. If these classics don't fuel your passion for GA, nothing will...

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Steranko-History-Comics-Volume/dp/B000GW5WFK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1385328796&sr=8-2&keywords=steranko%27s+history+of+the+comics

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Steranko-History-Comics-Volume/dp/B001208R4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385328926&sr=8-1&keywords=steranko%27s+history+of+the+comics

 

http://www.amazon.com/All-Color-Dime-Richard-Lupoff/dp/0873414985/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1385328362&sr=8-1&keywords=all+in+color+for+a+dime

 

You might also consider subscribing to Alter Ego and/or buying random back issues focusing on interesting GA characters and their artists...

 

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=55

 

I'm sure that others will contribute more suggestions on learning the ropes in respect to GA collecting. Everyone has slightly different approaches, interests, strategies for collecting, etc. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask and most here will gladly oblige. [/font] (thumbs u

 

.... how could I have forgotten Alter Ego...... worth it's weight in (cough) GOLD ........ GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[BitterOldMan]

I enjoy reading American Comic Book Chronicles 1950-1959 by Bill Schelly.

 

http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1111

 

Hopefully the 1940's books will be out soon.

 

I agree with David Merryweather on Steranko;s History of Comics.

 

I have been collecting since 1971 and learned more since joining these forums than in my prior years just by hanging around in the golden age threads.

[AnkurJ]

Tyler would be a great mentor and resource in my opinion.

[october]

For strictly golden age stuff, Centaurman gave me a great start with resto checking and grading his books. That helped an incredible amount when I started buying and selling more expensive stuff.

 

On the collecting side, Adam Strange has been a big help...and still is!

[goldust40]

Yep, before the boards came along there was CBM for information regarding scarcity, covers, shifts in the medium and fandom in general. The classic pre-code issue that showcased Weird Mysteries 4 and many other non-E.C. horror books, and the Schomburg special, had a huge impact on my collecting.

 

And then there was CBG, which I only got into late on, which was my access to fandom and the market across the water. Used to spend hours poring over the dealer pages. Very much the pre-ebay focal point.

[jimjum12]

Tyler would be a great mentor and resource in my opinion.

 

.... Tyler is just a dynamo of positive energy...... he'd make a great road trip stick man..... GOD BLESS....

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[mrmyst]

Yep, before the boards came along there was CBM for information regarding scarcity, covers, shifts in the medium and fandom in general. The classic pre-code issue that showcased Weird Mysteries 4 and many other non-E.C. horror books.

 

Aw shucks Andy.

[goldust40]

Yep, before the boards came along there was CBM for information regarding scarcity, covers, shifts in the medium and fandom in general. The classic pre-code issue that showcased Weird Mysteries 4 and many other non-E.C. horror books.

 

Aw shucks Andy.

 

I'd have to locate the box with all my CBM back issues (I have them all) to check the author of said article and that may take some time....

 

So did you write that article, Jon?

[Straw-Man]

my initial g.a. area of interest was timely, and i was fortunate enough to have the tall geek, one of the preeminent timely collectors, as my guru. he gave me the crash course, to be sure.

[goldust40]

my initial g.a. area of interest was timely, and i was fortunate enough to have the tall geek, one of the preeminent timely collectors, as my guru. he gave me the crash course, to be sure.

 

The tall geek has his acolytes. Perhaps I should've paid more attention to him back in the day...

[BaltimoreLauren]

These forums, Marc Nathan (guy who runs Baltimore Comic Con), and countless others have taught me much about GA books.

 

I also read as much as I could about the history of comics in books and magazines...and found I also have a passion for platinum age books!