Centaur Comics 19 19

[ciorac]

Here is a very cool splash from the Detective Eye #1

 

 

Personally I like the page on the right better than the splash page.

 

West

 

Me too! Especially those bottom two panels, they are just too cool.

 

I agree 100 %. Pure golden age!!

 

Ciorac, is it possible to take a snapshot of the EYE SEES splash from that issue? I would love to see that. Eventually, I want to own the EYES's complete appearances. Anyone know if the EYE's first appearance is in KEEN DETECTIVE FUNNIES vol.2/#2, as stated in Overstreet, or is it vol.2/#12 (which lists it as the EYE's origin, which it is not, disappointingly!)

 

Do you have #2 of DETECTIVE EYE? It sports a nice Frank Thomas diving cover, and seems to be much harder to find than issue #1.

 

Be happy to. Give me a few minutes.

 

Sadly, I don't have the #2, but I vow to have it one day!!!!

[ciorac]

Here you go Ryan..

 

 

 

And another couple pages of the Masked Marvel for good measure..

 

[TheEyeSees]

Here you go Ryan..

 

 

OK, I officially want that comic!! Very cool. I'm surprised that THE EYE wasn't by Frank Thomas, but regardless, what a great splash page!!! The Air Man story looks very cool as well. Thanks so much Ciorac, I appreciate the glimpse into your wonderful copy!! Looks like nice pages too!

 

Yes, that second issue seems very tough. Saw one for sale once, but lots of tape on the spine. Wonder why its so tough compared to issue #1?

[ciorac]

Here you go Ryan..

 

 

OK, I officially want that comic!! Very cool. I'm surprised that THE EYE wasn't by Frank Thomas, but regardless, what a great splash page!!! The Air Man story looks very cool as well. Thanks so much Ciorac, I appreciate the glimpse into your wonderful copy!! Looks like nice pages too!

 

Yes, that second issue seems very tough. Saw one for sale once, but lots of tape on the spine. Wonder why its so tough compared to issue #1?

 

You are most welcome. #2's usually are tougher than #1's in my experience. Even in the Silver Age. Compare FF 1 to FF 2 for instance.

[selegue]

 

And another couple pages of the Masked Marvel for good measure..

 

 

I love seeing some inside pages instead of the endless cover parade.

 

These pages convince me anew that Masked Marvel was Chris Ware's inspiration for the washed-up superhero in Jimmy Corrigan.

(Modern age or no, if you haven't read it, you should.)

 

Thanks!!!!

 

Jack

[sacentaur]

Great....ciorac is collecting Centaurs (now we're in big trouble!).

 

I'm surprised that THE EYE wasn't by Frank Thomas

 

Not that unusual really for the later Centaur stories to be under another artist's helm (I see the Air Man story is still by Sahle, but Air Man appeared late in the game as well). The Masked Marvel story is not by Ben Thompson, either.

 

IIRC, even the Arrow comics have a non-Gustavson lead story (the other Gustavson stories are reprints from Funny Pages).

 

As things started to unravel for Centaur in mid/late 1940, they utilized other artists to carry on till the end. As ciorac so ably demonstrated, they are still cool books however

 

STEVE

[Point Five]

Awesome story pages! Thanks Ciorac!

 

OK, I officially want that comic!!

 

...Me too.

[ciorac]

Awesome story pages! Thanks Ciorac!

 

OK, I officially want that comic!!

 

...Me too.

 

My pleasure!

[ciorac]

 

And another couple pages of the Masked Marvel for good measure..

 

 

I love seeing some inside pages instead of the endless cover parade.

 

These pages convince me anew that Masked Marvel was Chris Ware's inspiration for the washed-up superhero in Jimmy Corrigan.

(Modern age or no, if you haven't read it, you should.)

 

Thanks!!!!

 

Jack

 

Here are some interior shots from the Amazing Mystery Funnies I posted along with the Detective Eye the other day.

 

Perhaps the genesis for the name of the company?

 

 

It also was a surprise to find out it is the cosmic aeroplane copy!

 

 

For Jack Selegue

 

 

Fantom of the Fair!

 

[ciorac]

Great....ciorac is collecting Centaurs (now we're in big trouble!).

 

 

STEVE

 

Cue the theme from Jaws!

[adamstrange]

Mega thanks for posting pics of the interior pages!

 

Perhaps the genesis for the name of the company?

 

Super-heros weren't the thing when Centaur started, nor did they come up with Speed Centaur until after they'd been in business for a while. (Don't have the dates but I think they started in 37 while Speed Centaur was 39).

 

Centaurs in mythology were associated with intelligence, learning and refinement so perhaps that was the genesis? Love to hear more if anyone has the story.

[adamstrange]

Great....ciorac is collecting Centaurs (now we're in big trouble!).

 

 

STEVE

 

Cue the theme from Jaws!

 

 

 

Pic is courtesy Rhino from one of his diving trips.

[The Black Hand ®]

So how long have you been hanging out with that big shot comic book dealer?

[lou_fine]

It also was a surprise to find out it is the cosmic aeroplane copy!

 

 

Bill;

 

First time that I have seen an interior page of a Cosmic Aeroplane book.

 

Would ALL books from this pedigree exhibit these markings or would some of them not have them similar to how not all Church books have the MH coding?

[adamstrange]

It also was a surprise to find out it is the cosmic aeroplane copy!

 

 

Bill;

 

First time that I have seen an interior page of a Cosmic Aeroplane book.

 

Would ALL books from this pedigree exhibit these markings or would some of them not have them similar to how not all Church books have the MH coding?

 

Not all. I can't remember the book but I do remember the disappointment of not finding any interior panels checked on one CA copy.

[lou_fine]

It also was a surprise to find out it is the cosmic aeroplane copy!

 

 

Bill;

 

First time that I have seen an interior page of a Cosmic Aeroplane book.

 

Would ALL books from this pedigree exhibit these markings or would some of them not have them similar to how not all Church books have the MH coding?

 

Not all. I can't remember the book but I do remember the disappointment of not finding any interior panels checked on one CA copy.

 

Adam;

 

Is it possible then that this particular book may have been designated as a Cosmic Aeroplane in error and did not actually come from the collection?

 

Not meaning to diparage any book that you may have, but simply asking more from a pedigree verification point of view.

[ciorac]

It also was a surprise to find out it is the cosmic aeroplane copy!

 

 

Bill;

 

First time that I have seen an interior page of a Cosmic Aeroplane book.

 

Would ALL books from this pedigree exhibit these markings or would some of them not have them similar to how not all Church books have the MH coding?

 

Every one I have owned, or seen, had the notes in the margins.

[adamstrange]

It also was a surprise to find out it is the cosmic aeroplane copy!

 

 

Bill;

 

First time that I have seen an interior page of a Cosmic Aeroplane book.

 

Would ALL books from this pedigree exhibit these markings or would some of them not have them similar to how not all Church books have the MH coding?

 

Not all. I can't remember the book but I do remember the disappointment of not finding any interior panels checked on one CA copy.

 

Adam;

 

Is it possible then that this particular book may have been designated as a Cosmic Aeroplane in error and did not actually come from the collection?

 

Not meaning to diparage any book that you may have, but simply asking more from a pedigree verification point of view.

 

Don't know that it's a book I have or even owned, just the recollection of the surpise. I don't have very many CA copies now but I'm pretty sure all of mine have the interior check marks.

 

The CA collection was quite large and spanned 15+ years. Looking at that as an outsider, is it realistic to expect that the original owner put check marks into every single copy? Over time could we lose track of CA books that don't have check marks on the inside so that we no longer recognize them as CA -- probably.

[TheEyeSees]

Here's my CA copy of FUNNY PAGES vol.3/#9 with the markings. I think someone mentioned a few pages back that the collection came from an art instructor? Don't quote me on that (someone else can probably verify that).

 

The page is from a nice Tarpe Mills jungle story ... that woman could DRAW!!! She is one of my fav's (and quite attractive if I remember correctly from a publicity photo).

 

Edited January 6, 2007 by RyanH

[TheEyeSees]

Following Ciorac's lead, here are some other pages of interest from Centaur interiors.... I don't have a lot of Centaurs , and have posted practically all of them, so this will let me contribute something new.

 

This is an awesome house ad from the same issue as the previous post (funny pages 3/9), back inside cover. Great Everett art!

 

 

Hmmm... you know what I would like to see (Steve), a shot of the Everett splash page from AMF 2/5! Wow, that WOULD be something!

 

Edited January 6, 2007 by RyanH