L.B. Cole cover thread! Post your favorites by the master! 40 40

[pmpknface]

All Famous Crime #4 - Continuing at the beginning?  Gotta love Star Pub, another one of those series that went from #10 to #4!  A trippy sunset, and the lowest grade in my run.  That only really bothers me because I have 2 copies of this, and they were soooo close in grade with slightly different defects and it was tough to pick which one to send in.  Maybe I picked the wrong copy, but I can live with it.   

All Famous Crime #5 - Last issue in the run.  I've been dying to send in all 5 issues of these at once, and now I've got 'em all safe and slabbed!  In the next sub I'll have to continue with this "new" numbering and send in the Police Cases title.  I thought maybe this was a 5.0, but I'll take this mid-grade tear-gas cover!  I blame Teddy...  

All of these are really cool, and I have to wonder if the logo didn't take up 30% of the cover would they be more in demand.  Give Cole more room to play and he'll make more magic!   

[pmpknface]

All Famous Police Cases #11 - Speaking of that title, here's the 1 issue of that run I sent in.  I try to send books in lots, like the Crime Cases above, but often I'll just cherry pick out ones that are more valuable.  This is one of those that keeps rising in popularity so I added it in (besides I've got 10 more issues of this run still in the que!).  The key parts to this cover are mint, but the chips are just too many.  I had it as a 3, so I'm happy.  A fine candidate in the realm of looks pretty enough for me!  

Shifting gears to another of Cole's themes...  WAR!

Captain Aero #21 - Chips, a bit of rust, and a bit of a spine split keeps this one down.  Maybe I'll upgrade some day, but I'll live with this.  Now I can just get my greedy hands on a #17... (PM's welcome!!!!)

Captain Aero #24 - This one makes up for the prior book.  Thankfully that top chip didn't detract too much.  One of the few cases I under-graded by .5 in the batch.  I love Cole's planes!  Cool trail lines coming from them too!  NOTE:  The old school more cursive signature on these books too!  Love that! 

[Darwination]

On 3/9/2024 at 5:00 PM, pmpknface said:

All Famous Police Cases #11 - Speaking of that title, here's the 1 issue of that run I sent in.  I try to send books in lots, like the Crime Cases above, but often I'll just cherry pick out ones that are more valuable.  This is one of those that keeps rising in popularity so I added it in (besides I've got 10 more issues of this run still in the que!).  The key parts to this cover are mint, but the chips are just too many.  I had it as a 3, so I'm happy.  A fine candidate in the realm of looks pretty enough for me!  

 

 

That's a fave

[pmpknface]

But wait - there's more!  And of course yet another genre that Cole did!  I promised to finally send in some funny animal books and because I know you all recall every word of mine and would call me out on it (j/k!) I made good on my promise!  

Frisky Animals #52 - I got this one right, and what a cover it is!  Cole went nuts on his Christmas covers, especially here.  The border, the candy cane logo, even the nametags in the stockings.  And a bonus back cover, re-used from Holiday Comics #1 (just ignore the long division in pencil)!  Only 8 on the census.  

Frisky Fables #39 - Only 2 Cole covers in this run and the first one is all about Halloween and pumpkins!  I really wanted a solid copy of this one, and while not perfect worked just fine for me.  Another moon cover too - not just for romance anymore!    Only 7 on the census, 1 qualified. 

Frisky Fables #40 - I recall this one taking a while, and I think it came from the UK.  I think it could have used a press, but that's not my thing.  Only the 5th on the census, and a cool different x-mas cover too!

[pmpknface]

From funny animals to just a holiday theme!  Merry Christmas in March all!   

Holiday Comics #1 - Mentioned before, here's the cover that was re-used above.  Much cooler in color!  Mostly spine and back cover issues on this one with some tape at the bottom, but she sure is purty!  Cole drew one heck of a Santa!

Holiday Comics #5 - Of all the Christmas covers, in my opinion this one takes the cake!  The snow, the purple houses, the spine art, the presents, and he drew all 8 reindeer!  Oh, and even a full moon on Christmas Eve!  I really thought it had a shot at a high grade, but some finger bends kept it down.   

Holiday Comics #8 - Almost tame as compared to the #5 but still cool!  Only 8 on the census, a bit of staining and scuffing kept it down.  These were the best of the Holiday run I had, eventually I'll get to the others.  

[pmpknface]

Did you think I'd forgotten about romance?  Think again!  

Intimate Secrets of Romance #1 - This series is a tough one, probably the hardest Star romance title, seeing as that's there's one these 2 issues although a few have popped up on the auction sites lately.  Only 7 total on the census, higher is a 5.5 & 6.0.  Ok, no moon but the primary colors are right there! 

Intimate Secrets of Romance #2 - I sent in the #1 so of course I'm sending in this one!  I do wish I could have found a better copy, but like I said these were tough.  That nasty crease keeps it from anything higher of course, but there's only 6 others graded and the highest is a 6.5.  The swirly stuff makes this one!  

And just so I can hit yet another genre...

Terrifying Tales #14 - This was the last one I needed to grade so I in it went.  I got what I expected out of this one, so no crying here.  Love the Bettie page look-a-like bondage cover!  This was actually an upgrade if you can believe it, as I had a taped up cover before this (that wasn't disclosed on ebay, this was 30 years ago).  Note - Sorry about the scan glare.  These are all CGC's scans and I'll re-scan them all soon.  

 

Ok, that's it for now.  I actually have 3 more issues to share but I don't have a spot for them on the registry yet (where I share my scans from) and I want to add them into the right place first.  Would you believe 1 of them is actually in another genre I haven't posted in this sub yet?  A no-prize to the person who guesses what title it's from!  Stay tuned for more, and thanks for viewing!  

[ft88]

LB Cole pumpkin avatar?

[thewritestuff]

On 3/9/2024 at 6:07 PM, Darwination said:

That's a fave

I agree. To me, All-Famous Police 11 is  right up there with Thrilling Crime 49 as Cole's top crime books.

Edited March 10 by thewritestuff

[FoggyNelson]

On 3/9/2024 at 7:07 PM, pmpknface said:

Did you think I'd forgotten about romance?  Think again!  

Intimate Secrets of Romance #1 - This series is a tough one, probably the hardest Star romance title, seeing as that's there's one these 2 issues although a few have popped up on the auction sites lately.  Only 7 total on the census, higher is a 5.5 & 6.0.  Ok, no moon but the primary colors are right there! 

Intimate Secrets of Romance #2 - I sent in the #1 so of course I'm sending in this one!  I do wish I could have found a better copy, but like I said these were tough.  That nasty crease keeps it from anything higher of course, but there's only 6 others graded and the highest is a 6.5.  The swirly stuff makes this one!  

And just so I can hit yet another genre...

Terrifying Tales #14 - This was the last one I needed to grade so I in it went.  I got what I expected out of this one, so no crying here.  Love the Bettie page look-a-like bondage cover!  This was actually an upgrade if you can believe it, as I had a taped up cover before this (that wasn't disclosed on ebay, this was 30 years ago).  Note - Sorry about the scan glare.  These are all CGC's scans and I'll re-scan them all soon.  

 

Ok, that's it for now.  I actually have 3 more issues to share but I don't have a spot for them on the registry yet (where I share my scans from) and I want to add them into the right place first.  Would you believe 1 of them is actually in another genre I haven't posted in this sub yet?  A no-prize to the person who guesses what title it's from!  Stay tuned for more, and thanks for viewing!  

Sweet trifecta of books❤️‼️

[pmpknface]

On 3/10/2024 at 6:52 AM, ft88 said:

LB Cole pumpkin avatar?

I can try that out....

[BlackCrow]

I picked this up a short time back.   Love the colors and all the details.

Edited March 11 by BlackCrow

[BlackCrow]

Since I can not afford a Mask I found this one instead in a low grade.  I always say it is better have a low grade vrs no book.

[pmpknface]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:12 PM, BlackCrow said:

Since I can not afford a Mask I found this one instead in a low grade.  I always say it is better have a low grade vrs no book.

One of my earliest pickups!  Congrats!

[comicjack]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:12 PM, BlackCrow said:

Since I can not afford a Mask I found this one instead in a low grade.  I always say it is better have a low grade vrs no book.

Take what  you can get for you may never see it again nice black cover

[Jayman]

On 3/11/2024 at 8:14 PM, comicjack said:

Take what  you can get for you may never see it again nice black cover

Likewise with this little ditty. This was offered here on the boards years ago, I grabbed it and haven’t seen another since.

[Darwination]

Damnit, Jay.  Now you have me looking in (sporadic) copyright registration records and tracking down covers for a humor digest, hoping for more Cole   

Palace Sales Co. listed in the indicias but one issue copyrighted to Swank Magazine Co. - Not the Victor Fox Swank but maybe the second owner that published Swank as a digest (in the meaning of a reader's digest not humor digest like this one) for men

If there's any more Cole it's gotta be issue three which is the only issue I could not find an image for. Yours is issue four from 1946 which, amazingly, Heritage sold a copy of in 2020. Scarce title.

Yours has the deeper color

Not to muddy the pristine Cole waters, but one other good cover in the series, dunno the artist.  First ish, but for some reason labelled volume 2, May 1944

One of those deals where you hold out hope there's an unknown Cole on the third issue.

Edited March 12 by Darwination

[pmpknface]

On 3/11/2024 at 11:13 PM, Jayman said:

Likewise with this little ditty. This was offered here on the boards years ago, I grabbed it and haven’t seen another since.

Great little digest!  I've got mine, had a tough time tracking it down though.  I'm almost positive that this was the only Cole cover of the 3 though.  However he did a bunch of pulp covers, many of which have been posted here before.  This one is the most "Cole-ish" though, with those colors.  I'm a sucker for his old-school sig on it too!  

[Jayman]

On 3/12/2024 at 10:24 AM, pmpknface said:

I've got mine, had a tough time tracking it down though.

Let’s see it! 

[pmpknface]

Ok, I had been waiting to post these last few books because I needed slots for these to be created on the registry.  I couldn't believe one of these wasn't there yet but I'm glad I got all of 'em up!  I now have 150 books in my set, hopefully I'll add a few dozen more by the end of the year.  Here's the last few from the latest sub:

Law Against Crime #1 - This was the one I couldn't believe wasn't a made set yet.  Classic electrocution cover!  I was hoping it was a bit higher, but this is a difficult book so I'm happy with it.  Overall a nice looking 3.5.  It took me forever to send this is, as my other 2 issues in the run are a bit iffy and I like to send in all books in a run at once if I can.  As you can tell, this was a mish-mash of titles so away it went!  

Living Bible #3 - I LOVE this book!  I think it's sharper than a 4.5, but oh well.  What a random crazy cover!  Again Cole's8 rendering of water is so cool.  These guys are just cool customers as they are about to drown!  Talk about unique!

Fun Comics #9 - Let's end with a bang!  Formerly Holiday Comics, Fun Comics was a short-lived kids book that started off with this giant issue.  I didn't realize this, even though it says it on the cover and was $.25, but this is a BIG book!  You can see some of the candy cane square-bound spine in the upper left.  That and the black cover make it a tougher book in grade.  Cool to have a WP book with snow on the cover!  Very happy with this one!   

[pmpknface]

On 3/12/2024 at 10:30 AM, Jayman said:

Let’s see it! 

Has a lot of foxing, but it's not bad.