Tom Reilly Collection Master List

[BLBcomics-migration]

The Tom Reilly Pedigree Collection 1939-1945 compiled by Robert Beerbohm

beerbohm@teknetwork.com

 

Ace Comics 28-100

Action 15-87

Adventure Comics 40-98

Bill Barnes, Air Ace 1-20

Air Fighters 1-21

All American Comics 6-66

All Flash 1-19

All New 1-10

All Select 1-8

All Star Comics 1-25

All Winners 1-16

Amazing Adventures 1, 2

Amazing Comics 1,2

Amazing Man 5-26

Amazing Mystery Funnies

13-24

America's Best 1-14

America's Greatest 1-8

Animal Comics 1-18

Archie Comics 1-15

Army & Navy 1-5

Arrow 1-3

Bang-Up Comics 1-3

Banner Comics 1-6

Batman 1-28

BestComics 1-4

Big Al American

Big Shot Comics 1-55

Big 3 1-7

Blackhawk 9

Black Hood 9-15

Black Terror 1-10

Blazing Comics 1-6

Blue Beetle 1-38

Blue Bolt 1-55

Blue Ribbon 1-22

Bomber Comics 1-4

Bouncer 10-14

Boy Comics 1-11

Buck Rogers 1-6

Bulletman 1-12

Buzzy 1

Camera 1-5

Camp Comics 1-3

Captain Aero 1-23

Captain America 1-46

Captain Battle 1-5

Captain Battle Jr 1, 2

Captain Courageous 6

Captain Fearless 1

Captain Flight 1-5

Captain Marvel 1-46

Captain Marvel Jr 1-30

Captain Midnight 1-35

Catman 1-27

Champ Comics 11-25

Champion 1-10

Choice Comics 1-3

Classic Comics 1-22

Clue Comics 1-7

Colossus Comics 1

C-M-O Comics 1, 2

Comedy Comics 9-25

Comic Capers 1-3

Comic Cavalcade 1-11

Comics On Parade 18-45

Contact 1-6

Coo Coo Comics 1-15

Crackerjack Comics 14-43

Crack Comics 1-38

Crash Comics 1-5

Crime Does Not Pay 22-40

Crown Comics 1-5

Cyclone Comics 1-5

Daredevil Battles Hitler

Daredevil 2-35

Daring Mystery 1-8

Daring Comics 9, 10

Detective Comics

27, 29, 31-100

Detective Eye 1, 2

Doc Savage 1-20

Dollman 1-7

Don Winslow of the Navy

1-25

Dynamic Comics 1-14

Eagle 1-4 Fox

Eagle 1, 2 Rural Home

Exciting Comics 1-40

Face 1, 2

Fairy Tale Parade 1-9

Famous Funnies 60-130

Fantastic 1-23

Fantoman 2-4

Feature Book 25-45

Feature Comics 25-85

Fight Comics 1-38

Fighting Yank 1-11

Flame 1-8

Flash Comics 1-65

Four Color 1-25 First Series

Four Color

1-75 Second Series

Four Favorites 1-18

Four Most 1-15

Funnies 34-64

Funny Pages 30-42

Funny Stuff 1-5

Future Comics 1-4

Gay Comics 1, 18-20

Gene Autry 1-12 Fawcett

Georgie 1

Giggle Comics 1-18

Gift Comics 1, 2

Golden Arrow 1, 2

Goofy Comics 1-10

Great Comics 1-3

Green Hornet 1-27

Green Lama 1-5

Green Lantern 1-16

Green Mask 1-13

Ha Ha Comics 1-18

Hangman 2-8

Happy Comics 1-8

Headline Comics 1-13

Heroic Comics 1-31

Hi Spot Comics 2

Hit Comics 1-36

Holiday Comics 1

Hopalong Cassidy 1

Human Torch 2-19

Hyper Mystery 1, 2

Ibis the Invincible 1, 2

Jackpot Comics 1-9

Jolly Jingle 10-16

Jeep Comics 1

Jingle Jangle 1-20

Joe Palooka 1-4

Joker Comics 1-19

Jumbo Comics 9-85

Jungle Comics 1-66

Jungle Girl 1

Keen Detective Funnies 14-24

King Comics 42-111

Krazy Komics 1-15

Large Feature Comics

1-30 First Series

Large Feature Comics

1-13 2nd Series

Laugh Comix 46-48

Leading Comics 1-15

Liberty Scouts 2, 3

Lightning 4-13

Looney Tunes 1-46

Magic Comics 1-70

Major Victory 1-3

Man of War 1, 2

Marvel Mystery 4-64

Master Comics 1-63

Military Comics 1-40

Minuteman 1-3

Miracle Comics 1-4

Miss Fury 1-4

More Fun Comics 47-103

Movie Comics 6

Mutt & Jeff 2-18

Mystery Comics 1-4

Mystery Men 2-31

Mystic Comics 1-10

National Comics 1-48

New Funnies 65-100

New York World's Fair 1940

Nickel Comics 1-8 Fawcett

OK Comics 1, 2

Our Flag 1-5

Our Gang 1-17

Pep Comics 1-53

Picture Stories

From the Bible 1-4

Planet Comics 1-37

Plastic man 1, 2

Pocket Comics 1-4

Police Comics 1-44

Popular Comics 45-112

Powerhouse Pepper 1

Power Comics 1-4

Prize Comics 1-45

Punch Comics 1-15

Rangers Comics 8-24

Rangers of Freedom 1-7

Real Heroes 1-8

Real Life Comics 1-24

Real Screen 1, 2

Red Raven 1

Red Ryder 1, 3-25

Rocket Comics 1-3

Samson 1-6

Science Comics 1-8

Scoop Comics 1-3

Sensation Comics 1-48

Shadow Comics 1-52

Sheena 1-3

Shield Wizard 1-13

Silver Streak 1-21

Single Series 9-28

Sky Blazers 1, 2

Skyman 1, 2

Slam Bang Comics 1-7

Smash Comics 1-60

Sparkler Comics 1-45

Sparky Watts 1-3

Special Comics 1

Speed Comics 1-38

Spirit 1

Spy Smasher 1-11

Star Ranger Funnies 20

Stars & Stripes 1-6

Star Spangled 1-46

Startling Comics 1-34

Submariner 1-17

Super Comics 18-85

Super Magic 1

Super Magician 2-39

Superman 3-35

Super Mystery 1-25

Supersnipe 6-21

Super Spy 1, 2

Super World 1-3

Sure Fire 1-3

Target Comics 1-61

Thrilling Comics 1-48

Tip Top Comics 28-98

Tom Mix Comics 1-12

Top Notch Comics 1-45

True Aviation Picture Stories

1-7

True Comics 1-43

Sport Comics 1-4

True Sport Picture Stories

5-25

Uncle Sam 1-8

USA Comics 1-16

USA Is Ready

US Jones 1, 2

Victory Comics 1-4

Walt Disney Comics

& Stories 1-56

Wambi 1-3

War Comics 1-4

War Stories 5-8

War Heroes 1-11

War Victory Comics 1-3

Weird Comics 1-20

Wham Comics 1, 2

Whirlwind Comics 1-3

Whiz Comics 1-66

Wilbur 1-5

Wings Comics 1-60

Wonder Comics 1, 2 Fox

Wonder Comics 1-5 Nedor

Wonder Woman 1-13

Wonderworld Comics 3-33

World Famous Heroes 1-4

World's Best 1

World's Finest 2-18

Wow Comics 1-37

Xmas Comics 1, 2

Yankee Comics 1-4

Yellowjacket Comics 1-7

Young Allies 1-16

Zip Comics 1-47

 

Collection Notes

This list totals almost 5,000 books and is 99% complete of what comprised the Tom Reilly collection before it was broken up in 1973. Almost all the books were unread mint. A few of the 1939 books were as low as Fine+ condition. A couple were actually VG+. At some early point in time, a distinctive rubber stamp was used on the lower left back cover.

The original owner of this collection was killed in a kamikaze attack during the last summer of World War Two. Upon his death notification from the Navy his parents sealed his room which remained untouched until they died in Dec 1972.

The first third of this collection surfaced in April at the Berkeleycon 1973 held on the UC Berkeley campus. The other two thirds came exclusively to the Berkeley Comics & Comix store. It was two "Reilly" copies which first broke the $2000 sales barrier for a comic book back in 1973. Many knowledgable collectors say that book for book, individual conditions are superior to the fabled Edgar Church collection.

Robert Beerbohm

(402) 727 4071

beerbohm@teknetwork.com

[sborock]

AWESOME!

 

Bob-

Thanks! This will help us at CGC quite a bit

[FFB]

Nice list Bob, but you forgot to add Sensation #54 and Spirit #3.

 

Just kidding.

[nearmint]

My gosh, who has all the Nedors? I've never owned an SF book. I'd love to pick up a nice Schomburg Nedor war cover from this collection.

 

Thanks very much for publishing the list.

[BLBcomics-migration]

Thanks Steve,

I had made this list up in the late 1970s soon after Chuck found the Edgar Church stuff and had made that catalog and placed that in the Buyers Guide when Alan Light still ran it, then lost it in boxes of paperwork, and it re-surfaced a couple years afterwards as i sorted out from my California to Nebraska back in 1994

 

I transcribed it in late 1990s onto my computer, placed it into a ZIP disc with tons of other comics research, and went thru my zip discs here today until i found it. There may be a bit is discrepancy (sp?) in the summer of 1945 as to ending numbers, but i know this to be 99% pure.

 

I had originally sent this transcribed list into Gary Carter in the late 1990s for use in CBM but he never printed it, why, i do not know, but now i no longer care why.

 

I had made up this listing in the late 1970s when the concept of "pedigree" was first beginning to be bandied about inside comics fandom - and i thought to myself, "Hey! Maybe Tom's books qualify"

 

The information inside Gerber's book re this collection is 100% wrong except he got the name correct. Gerber never talked with any of the principals involved who actually scored it. Pissed me off when his book appeared, but whatyagonnado.

 

so, i sincerely this helps those of you out there who have asked me to do this

 

enjoy

 

 

bob beerbohm,

wishing he had the entire collection back under one roof

[sfilosa]

See what help us board members are.

 

If I hadn't mentioned that the Sensation couldn't be a Reilly copy, and then PedigreeMan ran with (yes, he did all the work), this list wouldn't be on this board.

 

[BLBcomics-migration]

uh, that was Spirit # 6, boss -

 

And will you sell me back that Amazing Spiderman Annual 2 for what i sold it to you for? -

 

see you (and others) at Wondercon in a couple weeks, then the Wizard show in Los Angeles area the next month in mid March. I have been setting up at shows since June 1967 - whew!

 

bob beerbohm

[rob_react]

It was two "Reilly" copies which first broke the $2000 sales barrier for a comic book back in 1973.

 

Which two books?

[sborock]

uh, that was Spirit # 6, boss -

 

And will you sell me back that Amazing Spiderman Annual 2 for what i sold it to you for? -

 

see you (and others) at Wondercon in a couple weeks, then the Wizard show in Los Angeles area the next month in mid March. I have been setting up at shows since June 1967 - whew!

 

bob beerbohm

 

Hey Bob, Join us at one of those cons for the Forum dinner!

[BLBcomics-migration]

It was at the Berkeley Con 1973 show where the Reilly collection first surfaced that Bruce Hamilton brought the Action #1 he had just bought from Gene Henderson (board member San Diego Comicon) for a grand. Theo Holstein offered $1500 for it, Bruce turned him down. The SF Examiner wrote up this exchange as well as interviewed me about the show in the Monday newspaper - and Bruce was offered a 2nd Action 31, which is the copy he sold Theo for $1801.26 ($1.26 to mail it).

 

Mitch Mehdy bought from Theo for what he paid for it. That whole story went AP/UPI all over the country. This was early May 1973 by this point.

 

Around that same time, the second Reilly relative came into our Berkeley Telegraph Ave comic book store with more comic books. Contained in this batch were Whiz #2 (#1) and the Detective #27.

 

I called up Burl Rowe, a Houston lawyer for the Hunt Oil company, and offered him the Whiz #2 (#1) for $2000 and the following week, once he had seen the Whiz, i offered him the Tec 27 for $2200

 

we had been seeing all the publicity Bruce, Theo and Mitch had been getting on the Action #1 for $1801.26, so we contacted the AP/UPI ourselves with the "new" concept of a comi cbook being worth OVER two grand. They ran with it, we got coverage all over the place

 

within a month or so we had three more Detective 27 copies

 

those were fun days - and there is way more to this story as well

 

best

 

robert beerbohm

[tb]

> Four Color 1-25 First Series

> Large Feature Comics 1-30 First Series

> Walt Disney Comics & Stories 1-56

 

As a high grade Disney collector, I am really happy to hear that these books survived. I'd hoped there'd be a set like this around somewhere but never knew of one until now. Thanks a lot, Bob!

 

Btw., I used to live on Arch Street, right on the other side of the Berkeley campus. If only I'd been around 15 years earlier...

[BLBcomics-migration]

See what help us board members are.

 

If I hadn't mentioned that the Sensation couldn't be a Reilly copy, and then PedigreeMan ran with (yes, he did all the work), this list wouldn't be on this board.

 

 

every so often this past decade i would be asked about Reilly's collection

 

- i am glad no one has asked me if i still had any copies left out of it.

 

This was over 30 years ago and we had rent to pay. And we parlayed that collection's value into opening three more stores expanding from our Berkeley Comic Art Shop on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley into a chain operation also in San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento by October of that same year 1973 spread out over 100 miles.

 

No one knew how truly unique this collection was at the time - it was merely one hell of a nice pile of very nice shape books.

 

The largest batch of old comic books i know of which got sold was 600,000 comic books in 1966. There were over a dozen Superman #1 issues in there. This one i will make into an article for paper print purposes. I know all the players who tried to buy it and the ones that succeeded. And have letters documentation while the deal was going down

 

Mile High was NOT the best collection to ever surface.

 

best

 

robert beerbohm

[BLBcomics-migration]

Hey Bob, Join us at one of those cons for the Forum dinner!

 

sure, Steve, we'll see. I have family (kids) obligations in the mix as well who will be helping me out at the shows. I will ask to see what works for them. But who wants to hear old war stories anyway?

 

bob beerbohm

[Aman619]

we do... we do!!!

 

12 Superman#1s... any in high grade? since its considered scarce in HG...

[markseifert]

It was at the Berkeley Con 1973 show where the Reilly collection first surfaced that Bruce Hamilton brought the Action #1 he had just bought from Gene Henderson (board member San Diego Comicon) for a grand. Theo Holstein offered $1500 for it, Bruce turned him down. The SF Examiner wrote up this exchange as well as interviewed me about the show in the Monday newspaper - and Bruce was offered a 2nd Action 31, which is the copy he sold Theo for $1801.26 ($1.26 to mail it).

 

Was one of these copies the first book to break the $1000 sale barrier? I had the opportunity to look through a near complete run of the Rocket's Blast zine several years ago, and this sale (I think it was this one, I seem to recall Hamilton's name being mentioned) seemed to generate a huge buzz.

 

In fact, reading though those issues the impression I got is that awhile there in the late 60's that copies of Action #1 were virtually unheard of on the market, and that this sale and the resultant publicity is what started bringing copies out of the woodwork. Is that a reasonable assessment?

 

Thanks for posting stuff like this. Great stuff! I love reading about what the fan and marketplace scene was like back then.

[TomG]

Bob,

Thanks for this list. Very interesting.

[Rip]

I love this forum

[Larryw7]

Thanks for posting stuff like this. Great stuff! I love reading about what the fan and marketplace scene was like back then.

 

I agree! Thanks for posting this, Bob, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to hear more!

[rob_react]

I love this forum

 

[FFB]

uh, that was Spirit # 6, boss -

 

And will you sell me back that Amazing Spiderman Annual 2 for what i sold it to you for? -

 

see you (and others) at Wondercon in a couple weeks, then the Wizard show in Los Angeles area the next month in mid March. I have been setting up at shows since June 1967 - whew!

 

bob beerbohm

 

Sure, you will recall that I paid you $20,000 for it. Just make the check out to me and when it clears, I'll send you the book.

 

Looking forward to seeing you at WonderCon, Bob.