E.C. Fan Addict THREAD 26 26

[OtherEric]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:50 PM, Point Five said:

One of my favorite sci-fi ECs... Williamson/Frazetta cover, a GREAT Ray Bradbury story and killer art throughout. They were just on fire here!

I really do think there's a marked uptick in the quality of the SF EC's around issues 14; when you start getting work from Orlando, Williamson, Frazetta, and Bradbury.

[Point Five]

On 7/9/2023 at 9:49 PM, OtherEric said:

I really do think there's a marked uptick in the quality of the SF EC's around issues 14; when you start getting work from Orlando, Williamson, Frazetta, and Bradbury.

Totally! I think of #15-on as the sweet spot of both runs. Just masterpiece after masterpiece, some of the best comics ever made…

But that said, if they raise the price to 15 cents, I’m dropping them like a hot potato. Maaaybe I’d go as high as 11. 
 

[Ghastly542454]

On 6/27/2023 at 5:23 PM, Robot Man said:

Here is a similar EC story.

Probably around 35 years ago, I used to frequent a local book store. It was owned by a guy around 15-20 years older than me. He only sold new comics, mags, sc-fi books ect. I got all my current books there. Some times when it was slow we would talk and he told me about the "old days" of buying/reading comics. Although I knew about and had some GA books, he educated me about some of the lessor known superheroes and other books.

He found out I was an EC lover and collector. He and his brother bought them off the racks. I of course asked if he had any of those old books but he told me they went up in a house fire in Oakland, CA a long time ago.

One day around Christmas he handed me an envelope and said Merry Christmas. Somehow this survived. It had belonged to his brother. My eyes bugged out of their sockets. He said, If I promised never to sell it, it was mine. I have kept my word. Who in their right mind would ever sell something as cool as this for mere money? 

As amazing 🤩 as that story is and it is quite amazing, what is incredible is the original owner Larry Kyle never wrote his name on the membership card or certificate! Highly unusual!

[Robot Man]

On 7/9/2023 at 8:51 PM, Ghastly542454 said:

As amazing 🤩 as that story is and it is quite amazing, what is incredible is the original owner Larry Kyle never wrote his name on the membership card or certificate! Highly unusual!

Yeah, I’m sure I would have.

Being a local LA early collector, you might know the guy I got it from. Richard Kyle owner of Wonderworld Comics. He was Larry’s brother. Larry was the EC guy. Richard was more of a superhero guy. He was also heavily into sci fi. Cool guy and a good friend. 

[Ghastly542454]

On 7/10/2023 at 7:30 AM, Robot Man said:

Yeah, I’m sure I would have.

Being a local LA early collector, you might know the guy I got it from. Richard Kyle owner of Wonderworld Comics. He was Larry’s brother. Larry was the EC guy. Richard was more of a superhero guy. He was also heavily into sci fi. Cool guy and a good friend. 

I don’t think I ever met Richard personally but did his store mostly sell comic related hard back books?

[adamstrange]

On 7/9/2023 at 9:49 PM, OtherEric said:

I really do think there's a marked uptick in the quality of the SF EC's around issues 14; when you start getting work from Orlando, Williamson, Frazetta, and Bradbury.

You also get less Feldstein art.

[Sarg]

I prefer the earlier issues of WS and WF with the Feldstein and Kurtzman stories. There's just a general aura of zaniness and fun in both art and story with those two at the helm. The later issues are also great but too serious IMO. 

[KirbyJack]

On 7/10/2023 at 4:58 PM, adamstrange said:

You also get less Feldstein art.

I get this statement on one level, but I’m also reminded that TFTC 24 is my favorite EC horror cover, and one of my favorite EC horror covers sci-fi covers is this…

I also believe Feldstein to be the illustrator of Phantom Lady 17’s cover. He could be hit-or-miss, but I think he was an amazing artist.

[Robot Man]

On 7/9/2023 at 5:50 PM, Point Five said:

One of my favorite sci-fi ECs... Williamson/Frazetta cover, a GREAT Ray Bradbury story and killer art throughout. They were just on fire here!

I agree. I might be a little biased. It was my first EC sci fi book.

Around 1969, I traded a set of Beatles bobble head figures to Terry Stroud at the Hollywood Women’s club for a very nice copy of this. A trade that was a bit in his favor at the time. He had 3 copies and I insisted on the nicest of the 3.

As luck would have it. I came out WAY ahead in the long run…

[Robot Man]

On 7/10/2023 at 12:55 PM, Ghastly542454 said:

I don’t think I ever met Richard personally but did his store mostly sell comic related hard back books?

His store was known primarily as a SF book store. He carried a vast array of both PB and HB editions. He also had a very long wall of current up to a couple previous months of current comics and magazines. He carried no back issues as he just didn’t want to deal with them. It was my Wednesday night, after work ritual for many years.

Richard was very good friends with Jack Kirby and Mike Royer. Along the entire comic magazine wall rack were framed Kirby original covers and splashes priced at $100-150 each. Tons of them. I never could afford any and they sold rather slowly. I remember lots of FF4 work…

 

 

[vaultkeeper]

Here's two other great Weird Fantasy covers by Feldstein. The #10 is the River City copy.

[OtherEric]

On 7/10/2023 at 2:58 PM, adamstrange said:

You also get less Feldstein art.

Weird Fantasy #17 was one of the only three EC's I kept when I sold the rest of my collection to pay the rent about 20 years ago.  I might personally prefer Wood, or Frazetta, or Williamson art to Feldstein... But don't think for one second I don't love Feldstein's work as well.  He was a true master of the art form; it's just that he mostly did Astounding Science Fiction style covers while Wood was doing Planet Stories style covers.

 

[Sarg]

On 7/10/2023 at 7:00 PM, Robot Man said:

I agree. I might be a little biased. It was my first EC sci fi book.

Around 1969, I traded a set of Beatles bobble head figures to Terry Stroud at the Hollywood Women’s club for a very nice copy of this. A trade that was a bit in his favor at the time. He had 3 copies and I insisted on the nicest of the 3.

As luck would have it. I came out WAY ahead in the long run…

The Hollywood Women's Club? 

[Mmehdy]

On sat  July 22 at 8pm will be one the greatest EC comic book panels ever assembled at the SDCC..it is entitled  "EC Fan Addict Club 10th anniversary"... it is worth the price of admission.....The current generation of great authors and publishers keeping the flame alive...do not miss this. If someone can cut and paste the guest list...I know there will be some super surprises!!!!!

[Robot Man]

On 7/12/2023 at 4:14 PM, Mmehdy said:

On sat  July 22 at 8pm will be one the greatest EC comic book panels ever assembled at the SDCC..it is entitled  "EC Fan Addict Club 10th anniversary"... it is worth the price of admission.....The current generation of great authors and publishers keeping the flame alive...do not miss this. If someone can cut and paste the guest list...I know there will be some super surprises!!!!!

I believe Angelo Torres is the only surviving EC staffer. The 2000 SDCC was EPIC! 

[Mmehdy]

On 7/12/2023 at 5:31 PM, Robot Man said:

I believe Angelo Torres is the only surviving EC staffer. The 2000 SDCC was EPIC! 

I was there it was fantastic, but all the current heavy hitters in the EC world, the movers are gonna be at SDCC for the panel coming up

[Robot Man]

On 7/12/2023 at 5:44 PM, Mmehdy said:

I was there it was fantastic, but all the current heavy hitters in the EC world, the movers are gonna be at SDCC for the panel coming up

And who might those EC “heavy hitters” be? The artists and writers are all gone. As well as most of the huge early old guard collectors. The letters EC will always get my attention but those who were actually there won’t be there. 

[OtherEric]

Today's mail call:

[Marty Mann]

[KirbyJack]

A definitive horror cover.