Comics, Pulps, and Paperbacks: Why such a discrepancy in values? 25 25

[jimjum12]

This one made me think of my hometown, a small coastal town with an island nearby that featured some epic parties back in the day. Beer and bonfires  GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[ThothAmon]

Found this interesting. Probably been reprinted but who knows?

 

[Surfing Alien]

Love the early history, largely because my father had full sets of Amazing and Astounding compiled in his teen years in the early 1930's.

Here's a pre-historic prize I don't think I've shown before, notable for the New York sci-fi cover on top of the seminal story installment inside:

 

[Surfing Alien]

And some Friday fun. A couple of pulps this time. The Jungles are still attainable, and, I think, like the Jungle and Jumbo comic books, will probably be the last really fun affordable gga of their type to collect after normal people can't afford any of their menace and mystery brothers.

Spring 1944 George Gross cover

Summer 1946, cover not signed like the other but pretty sure this is Gross as well.

[OtherEric]

On 12/8/2023 at 3:33 PM, Surfing Alien said:

And some Friday fun. A couple of pulps this time. The Jungles are still attainable, and, I think, like the Jungle and Jumbo comic books, will probably be the last really fun affordable gga of their type to collect after normal people can't afford any of their menace and mystery brothers.

 

Planet Stories are pretty affordable as well at the moment, with a few exceptions.  I got 7 for under $100 total on a Black Friday sale.  Some examples, not necessarily from the sale:

 

[Sarg]

On 12/4/2023 at 5:24 PM, Warlord said:

Spotted a few interesting paperbacks on a visit to an antique store.  Didn't bring them home, instead just took the pics to share them.  But the very nice condition on Untamed Darling almost sold me on that one!

 

Famous comic strip artist does what? 

[OtherEric]

On 12/8/2023 at 5:16 PM, Sarg said:

Famous comic strip artist does what? 

[Surfing Alien]

Maguire 💞

[Sarg]

On 12/8/2023 at 7:23 PM, OtherEric said:

So the woman was the famous comic strip artist? If three dames are the suspects, why is a man's hand holding a smoking gun? Early transgenderism?

[Surfing Alien]

On 12/9/2023 at 5:53 PM, Sarg said:

So the woman was the famous comic strip artist? If three dames are the suspects, why is a man's hand holding a smoking gun? Early transgenderism?

Nah, that's the twist in the story, it's actually a dude who killed her (I actually haven't read it but that's usually how the noir twist goes )

[Surfing Alien]

Some more key Harlequins...

[PopKulture]

On 12/6/2023 at 9:25 PM, Surfing Alien said:

Graphics don't get enough love here or anywhere for that matter. A cool run with quite a few nice covers.

One of the things that hurts Graphic in my opinion is the horrible practice of numbering  reissues or subsequent printings as a new number. I mean, how many numbers of Tough Cop alone are there?? That, and the lack of a number one to kick off the run… 

[OtherEric]

On 12/10/2023 at 9:03 PM, PopKulture said:

One of the things that hurts Graphic in my opinion is the horrible practice of numbering  reissues or subsequent printings as a new number. I mean, how many numbers of Tough Cop alone are there?? That, and the lack of a number one to kick off the run… 

Lots of publishers did that.  Ace is the first that comes to mind.  What annoys me more is when they sometimes do and sometimes don't... Avon, I'm looking at you here.

My few Graphics.  I think I may have one or two more but they're not scanned:

 

[Randall Dowling]

On 12/10/2023 at 11:21 PM, OtherEric said:

Lots of publishers did that.  Ace is the first that comes to mind.  What annoys me more is when they sometimes do and sometimes don't... Avon, I'm looking at you here.

My few Graphics.  I think I may have one or two more but they're not scanned:

 

I like your taste in authors, sir. 

[BitterOldMan]

While my car was receiving routine maintenance at the dealer, I was able to walk over to Kayo Books at their new location at 907 Post Street in San Francisco.

 

Though still a work in progress, the owners Ron Blum and Maria Mendoza invited me to browse.  Even though I  miss the mismatched book shelves of the old store, the light and spaciousness of the new store will be greatly appreciated by book enthusiasts.  The official opening will take place next year.

My small haul.

Easily, Kayo Books is the best used book store in the San Francisco Bay Area, and probably the universe.😂
 

I was the first customer at their new location.  If you tell them the BitterOldMan Ray  sent you, you might get a discount or kicked out and permanently banned.

Edited December 11, 2023 by BitterOldMan

[OtherEric]

On 12/11/2023 at 11:26 AM, BitterOldMan said:

While my car was receiving routine maintenance at the dealer, I was able to walk over to Kayo Books at their new location at 907 Post Street in San Francisco.

 

Though still a work in progress, the owners Ron Blum and Maria Mendoza invited me to browse.  Even though I  miss the mismatched book shelves of the old store, the light and spaciousness of the new store will be greatly appreciated by book enthusiasts.  The official opening will take place next year.

My small haul.

Easily, Kayo Books is the best used book store in the San Francisco Bay Area, and probably the universe.😂
 

I was the first customer at their new location.  If you tell them the BitterOldMan Ray  sent you, you might get a discount or kicked out and permanently banned.

KAYO is my favorite book store.  I was bummed they weren’t really ready for browsing when I was there a couple months ago, but looking forward to seeing the new location when I get down there in May.

[PopKulture]

On 12/11/2023 at 1:26 PM, BitterOldMan said:

Wow, how awesome is that Pocket Books rack??  

[Surfing Alien]

On 12/11/2023 at 12:03 AM, PopKulture said:

On 12/6/2023 at 10:25 PM, Surfing Alien said:

Graphics don't get enough love here or anywhere for that matter. A cool run with quite a few nice covers.

Expand  

One of the things that hurts Graphic in my opinion is the horrible practice of numbering  reissues or subsequent printings as a new number. I mean, how many numbers of Tough Cop alone are there?? That, and the lack of a number one to kick off the run… 

Still, there's so many cool covers and they have a simplicity of design that really lets the art stand out. The re-numberings are mostly a pain if you're religious about having the first print, which is understandable, I'd always rather have the first but they're still cheap enough to get them all

[Pat Calhoun]

here's a couple of Graphics that really 'Popp'

[Surfing Alien]

Every once in a while you take a gamble on something no one knows what it is and it pays off. Just got in this exquisite piece of Gothic PB original art.

It's the cover art to "Shadow Of Polperro" by Frances Cowen, Ace Books No. 760181 published in 1973.

 

I've figured out that the artist is Norman Adams, who I had never heard of because he is in a later period of pb artists than I usually collected, however his Trompe L'oeil techniques are incredible.  He was a commercial Illustrator in New York starting around 1959 through the mid-70's when he left commercial art (and New York) to become a highly respected wild life painter. Here's a link to a bio about him:

http://www.normanadams.org/

He had covers on many major magazines, including the moon landing cover for Reader's Digest in July 1969, which I thought was incredibly cool.

Here's a nice Flickr page with a whole bunch of his stuff:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/illustrator_normanadams/

 

The picture can't do justice to his work, the details are so fine, it's mind boggling. There is almost no depth to the brush strokes so this is either watercolor or gouache applied in many super thin layers and likely the reason it wasn't thought to be a painting, the surface appears to look like a print. It is a painting on illustration board with all the usual commercial illustration tags and scribbles on the back of the board.

I was struck by the image itself anyway because I love good gothic covers and this one has all the elements, including an excellent portrait, far larger and more detailed than you usually see, as well as a great castle-like manse and gates (noticeably cut down in publication)   It probably wouldn't fetch big money but I love it and the whole journey of discovery

Here's a pic of the PB, not something I'd usually pick up but now I gotta get one.