L.B. Cole cover thread! Post your favorites by the master! 39 39

[Ameri]

Edited September 8 by Ameri

[thehumantorch]

On 9/2/2024 at 10:02 AM, aardvark88 said:

LB Cole Startling Terror Tales 11, Suspense Comics 3 (Continental) plus Ruben Blades's collection auction soon at Comic Connect:

 

Thanks, fun video.  Many beautiful books.

[pmpknface]

Well, I was supposed to get most of my recent submission back today but it looks like I'll have to wait until Monday.  However I've got the grades in for 25/30, all but 3 that are ASM's are Cole books.  Overall I got back grades higher than expected!  

Here is the first one, shared a few months ago that I got raw.  It is the last of the Captain Aero books I needed for the Cole cover set and the first in the run.  I had hoped for a 3.0, but it's a nice looking 2.5.  And the pages aren't bad for an 80 year old book!  I love the angle in this one!  Cole likely didn't have to draw 4 planes and 2 battleships - but he did!  Here's Captain Aero #17!

[jmg3637]

I was going through my Classics Illustrtated Juniors  the other day

I thought I had the full set , but in putting it together I found I was missing 9 of the 77

When entering those on MCS want list  I noticed a few of them  had covers by L B Cole  which surprised me as I had always thought of his art as not being intended for children

I  noticed this thread  and started looking.around, even more surprised that he had done 25 books for Gilberton.

It was easy to research the Jumiors on MCS  I found that he did  11 issues there 558-568.   I don't think the reprints ever changed the art.

 

A bit harder to find which issues from the main title he was involved with

 

 

 

[pmpknface]

On 9/8/2024 at 7:32 PM, jmg3637 said:

I was going through my Classics Illustrtated Juniors  the other day

I thought I had the full set , but in putting it together I found I was missing 9 of the 77

When entering those on MCS want list  I noticed a few of them  had covers by L B Cole  which surprised me as I had always thought of his art as not being intended for children

I  noticed this thread  and started looking.around, even more surprised that he had done 25 books for Gilberton.

It was easy to research the Jumiors on MCS  I found that he did  11 issues there 558-568.   I don't think the reprints ever changed the art.

 

A bit harder to find which issues from the main title he was involved with

 

 

 

I'm discovering this now. I just picked up a handful of them, still need a few.  The numbering of these drives me nuts! Darn HRN #'s.... 

[pmpknface]

Ok... Cole book of the night time!!!   This one and a bunch other arrive tomorrow! Oh, quick note:  I haven't pressed any of these.  

I forget where it landed on the list of top Cole romance covers, but it was up there.  How this only gets 20 points on the census I have no idea.  This run didn't even have it's own set listed for me to add it to - nobody's asked to create one!  Only 16 total copies graded so far, and there are ones higher.  This entire series is tough though.   It's actually the 1st issue in the run that somehow continues the numbering from the Hyde cover of Startling Terror Tales #10, figure that one out!  Here's Confessions of Love #11!

 

[Professor K]

Those poor fools are missing the bluebirds. 

[adamstrange]

On 9/8/2024 at 11:20 PM, pmpknface said:

I forget where it landed on the list of top Cole romance covers, but it was up there.

#6

[pmpknface]

Just got a BIG box from CGC back - WOW did they upgrade the bubble wrap!  The box was HUGE!!!  In any case, I'll have to take an early break from my scheduled programming as another package also arrived this morning.  Also, posting early as I'm headed to Fenway tonight for 1 more game this year.  

This one closes out my run on Cole's Catman covers with the odd duck out.  Sometimes #26b, labeled by CGC as V3 #2, or by others just "nn." The Catman publishing was all over the place and for good reason (but that's another conversation).  Today we're here to punch random heads right in the face, including Satan himself!  Here's Catman V3 #2!!!  (thanks to @Noble Nostalgia aka Nikelspot!)  

[Professor K]

Nice clean one. Nice 6.0 

[FoggyNelson]

On 9/9/2024 at 2:34 PM, pmpknface said:

Just got a BIG box from CGC back - WOW did they upgrade the bubble wrap!  The box was HUGE!!!  In any case, I'll have to take an early break from my scheduled programming as another package also arrived this morning.  Also, posting early as I'm headed to Fenway tonight for 1 more game this year.  

This one closes out my run on Cole's Catman covers with the odd duck out.  Sometimes #26b, labeled by CGC as V3 #2, or by others just "nn." The Catman publishing was all over the place and for good reason (but that's another conversation).  Today we're here to punch random heads right in the face, including Satan himself!  Here's Catman V3 #2!!!  (thanks to @Noble Nostalgia aka Nikelspot!)  

This is a beauty an looks better than 6.0

[FoggyNelson]

Just notice this forum has a name changed, I never heard of atomic age , it’s all GA to me , guess I’m just old fashioned 

[Johnny545]

On 9/8/2024 at 8:42 PM, adamstrange said:

#6

Tough to argue with most of this ranking!

Great to see them all side by side. 

[pmpknface]

On 9/9/2024 at 7:04 PM, Johnny545 said:

Tough to argue with most of this ranking!

Great to see them all side by side. 

If you like that pic (and it is cool) stay tuned...  

[jmg3637]

Normally when they redid the covers to Classics  the versions were significantly different.  No so with issue 152  at first glance I could not tell a difference

The first issue is from the First printing.  The second is from the 4th printing with an HRN of 169 and is by Cole

[pmpknface]

On 9/10/2024 at 2:07 AM, jmg3637 said:

Normally when they redid the covers to Classics  the versions were significantly different.  No so with issue 152  at first glance I could not tell a difference

The first issue is from the First printing.  The second is from the 4th printing with an HRN of 169 and is by Cole

From what I've seen, and I'm no expert on the CI issues, but the later printings seem brighter.  I don't know if that's true of all issues but it seems more prominent with that red part of the cover.  

[pmpknface]

BONUS UPDATE!

Ok, so with my new box back from CGC I put through a number of requests to have books added to the registry.  So many in fact that @jstam asked if I wanted him to create an LB Cole cover set for the registry.  After a bit of back and forth we've worked though a list encompassing nearly every Cole cover.  For a few reasons there are likely a few missing and I expect this to evolve over time like the other sets on the registry do, but it's pretty exhaustive at the moment.  

The set is available and open to add all of your LB Cole covers to it, if you would like to create one here: 

https://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/SetTypeDetail.aspx?SetTypeID=6704

I'd like to thank @jstam and the rest of the registry team for setting this up and their willingness to go back and forth with me on a bunch of the comics.  I look forward to seeing other sets and collections of Cole's work now available to be all in one place!  

[Surfing Alien]

Congrats. That's an incredible collection and labor of love to get it codified. I know you collect the pbs and digests as well. Maybe someday 

[pmpknface]

On 9/8/2024 at 11:42 PM, adamstrange said:

#6

So about that pic....

Since I just shared #6 on the list I might as well share #5!  Seeing a copy in person, it may have been voted higher.  The flames are AWESOME!  And Cole did the characters in the shadows but in green as well as black.  The two images really meld well and seamlessly leave room for the story text. 

The #11 has 16 on the census, this only has 13.  Confessions of Love #14! 

 

[manetteska]

I don't suppose a random collector here has a low-grade Mask #2 they would want to trade for a Blue Bolt #105?