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

[Darwination]

In a not unusual occurrence, I came across some interesting tidbits after digging a little deeper into a paperback upon working with the cover image (painting by Harry Barton)

The confluence across pop culture mediums is once again strong with the author, as I hadn't heard of him as a prolific comic scribe who worked for D.C., Timely-Atlas, Quality, Fawcett, Archie, and other publishers during the golden age.  His wiki links his NYT obit where Lou Fine calls him "The Shakespeare of Comics." 

Alter Ego 158 has a nice lead article on him followed by a checklist article of his comics work.  I'll clip the intro here just to show the breadth of his comics contributions.  Also of interest to myself is the fact he was the publisher (or maybe more properly the editor from what I'm seeing in indicias) of Inside Story, purportedly the #2 competitor to Robert Harrison's all time classic gossip rag Confidential (and later he edited Space World for pal Otto Binder).  The number of existing copies of Inside Story seems to back the claim up, but I'd have to see some hard numbers to believe it (there were A LOT of Confidential clones).  Later there was TV as well, as he was lead writer on The Defenders (a highly respected law show I'm not familiar with) as well as Arrest and Trial an hour and a half show that was a protype of Law & Order where you see cops in the first half and D.A.s in the second.

I couldn't find any pulp entries (which doesn't mean he didn't try his hand under an alias), but working in comics, magazines, paperbacks, and TV shows a lot of flexibility/adaptability to changing markets and tastes (and how contacts in one area can lead to work in another).  Looking forward to reading Way of the Wicked, especially now wondering if he's got any particular insights or experiences he used from his time at Inside Story in the novel.  Opinion of the Court is apparently the book he was proudest of.  I think I'll start with this juicier one, though

 

Edited June 11 by Darwination

[Surfing Alien]

Run While You Can by William Woolfolk    Popular Library  790  1956   Raymond Johnson cover art. 

 

[Darwination]

That one looks good.  Somehow the teal cover still manages to come off as menacing (a neat design), and a good cop pushed over the edge never gets old

Woolfolk sure covered a lot of area.  I saw a horror pb c.1980, romances, political thrillers, courtroom procedurals... His late interviews make it sound like he slightly resented being best known for his comics over his novels, but he must have been pretty respected to pull down 300 a week in the GA for comics scripts. 

[jimjum12]

On 6/11/2024 at 9:09 PM, Darwination said:

he must have been pretty respected to pull down 300 a week in the GA for comics scripts. 

That would be a month's pay back then for a working stiff. I bet he was a hermit who worked a LOT. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Surfing Alien]

It's funny how the stars align sometime in collecting rare things. Books you never see in years appear in a matter of weeks and then go down the rabbit hole not to be seen for years again. Well I didn't let the opportunity slip away this time and grabbed this copy of Navy Romances No.3 as soon as I saw it. It's the only copy I've ever seen for sale. I'm going on vacation for the next week so figured I'd post this now before we fly away.

Another snazzy Warren King cover and it looks like he did all the interior illos for this one as well. They're a bit better than some of the other issues.

 

 

 

Here's the full set. I know a lot of serious collectors looking for these and it's the only full set I'm aware of.  I've seen several copies of Army 2 & 3 over the years but Army 1 and the Navys are well hidden if they're out there.

[johnenock]

Nicest copy I could find. Oh, and gotta love the title. What?

 

[frozentundraguy]

Two more books in recently.

John Campbell's "Islands of Space" which is his sequel to "The Black Star Passes".

Another Fantasy Press book, "The Legion of Space", which if that sounds familiar is another novel by Williamson in addition to "The Legion of Time".

[jimjum12]

Here's another Powers that is powerful... GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

[Sarg]

On 6/12/2024 at 2:23 PM, Surfing Alien said:

 

Here's the full set. I know a lot of serious collectors looking for these and it's the only full set I'm aware of.  I've seen several copies of Army 2 & 3 over the years but Army 1 and the Navys are well hidden if they're out there.

Congrats on completing this series. Probably the only complete set of this ultra-obscure series in the world!

[Robot Man]

On 6/12/2024 at 12:23 PM, Surfing Alien said:

It's funny how the stars align sometime in collecting rare things. Books you never see in years appear in a matter of weeks and then go down the rabbit hole not to be seen for years again. Well I didn't let the opportunity slip away this time and grabbed this copy of Navy Romances No.3 as soon as I saw it. It's the only copy I've ever seen for sale. I'm going on vacation for the next week so figured I'd post this now before we fly away.

Another snazzy Warren King cover and it looks like he did all the interior illos for this one as well. They're a bit better than some of the other issues.

 

 

 

Here's the full set. I know a lot of serious collectors looking for these and it's the only full set I'm aware of.  I've seen several copies of Army 2 & 3 over the years but Army 1 and the Navys are well hidden if they're out there.

The time to buy rare items like these are when you see them. Sometimes no matter the condition or price. Congrats on your set!

[Randall Dowling]

On 6/4/2024 at 3:10 PM, johnenock said:

And my work in progress. All the Shayne mysteries. Getting there:

Meant to reply to this earlier.  This is a very worthwhile goal.  While I like the earlier covers, the later 60s printings are a deep, rich well of McGinnis covers.  I've purchased a number of them over the years when I found them in nice shape but it's a bit of a learning curve to sort out the different printings and which one had the first use of a given image.  Still, very worthwhile in my book and a lot of fun along the way! 

[johnenock]

On 6/13/2024 at 9:16 PM, Randall Dowling said:

Meant to reply to this earlier.  This is a very worthwhile goal.  While I like the earlier covers, the later 60s printings are a deep, rich well of McGinnis covers.  I've purchased a number of them over the years when I found them in nice shape but it's a bit of a learning curve to sort out the different printings and which one had the first use of a given image.  Still, very worthwhile in my book and a lot of fun along the way! 

Thanks. I've had to slow down on my purchases lately. Mainly because at the rate I was going, I would own every paperback ever published in a couple weeks . I kid. But, I still have a pretty steady stream heading my way. Now if I could just focus on one interest at a time

[jimjum12]

I had resigned myself to going the reminder of my life without another sweet copy of this mind scalding classic, after having sold mine to a pal.. Thanks @Hap Hazard and this one might even be a tiny bit better than my other one. As Bob would say, "how much if it were a comic? GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[OtherEric]

In today.  Not that big a book on its own terms... but it's the last Ace D-Series SF book I needed.  76 Doubles, 56 Singles, 4 S-Series, and 4 Special Editions.  And for all that I've extended the project to include all the D/S/G books, the SF remains the heart of the collection and something I started getting decades before the others.

Really pretty copy, too!

[jimjum12]

On 6/14/2024 at 2:13 PM, OtherEric said:

In today.  Not that big a book on its own terms... but it's the last Ace D-Series SF book I needed.  76 Doubles, 56 Singles, 4 S-Series, and 4 Special Editions.  And for all that I've extended the project to include all the D/S/G books, the SF remains the heart of the collection and something I started getting decades before the others.

Really pretty copy, too!

[Darwination]

On 6/14/2024 at 12:40 PM, jimjum12 said:

I had resigned myself to going the reminder of my life without another sweet copy of this mind scalding classic, after having sold mine to a pal.. Thanks @Hap Hazard and this one might even be a tiny bit better than my other one. As Bob would say, "how much if it were a comic? GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

"mind scalding classic"

[jimjum12]

On 6/14/2024 at 2:49 PM, Darwination said:

"mind scalding classic"

More like a "bottom scalding" classic if Ma caught me with it  GOD BLESS ... 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Hap Hazard]

On 6/12/2024 at 12:23 PM, Surfing Alien said:

It's funny how the stars align sometime in collecting rare things. Books you never see in years appear in a matter of weeks and then go down the rabbit hole not to be seen for years again. Well I didn't let the opportunity slip away this time and grabbed this copy of Navy Romances No.3 as soon as I saw it. It's the only copy I've ever seen for sale. I'm going on vacation for the next week so figured I'd post this now before we fly away.

Another snazzy Warren King cover and it looks like he did all the interior illos for this one as well. They're a bit better than some of the other issues.

 

 

 

Here's the full set. I know a lot of serious collectors looking for these and it's the only full set I'm aware of.  I've seen several copies of Army 2 & 3 over the years but Army 1 and the Navys are well hidden if they're out there.

Congrats, I've never seen that issue of Navy Romance.

[pmpknface]

Ok, Google can take me to weird things. Does anyone own one of these?

[BitterOldMan]

On 6/14/2024 at 7:43 PM, pmpknface said:

Ok, Google can take me to weird things. Does anyone own one of these?

Have both.  Posted last year.  Have to buy when available, otherwise you snooze you lose.☹️ Found the book on the left at my favorite bookstore in the known universe, Kayo Books.