TREASURE CHEST

[Harvey Dude]

Going back to the "Who cares?" comment, I think that TCs suffer from a severe

lack of coverage. This thread is showing us the gems hidden in this 500 long run:

anti-communist (I esp. love that striking red cover), industry "in-joke" cover, ... + it is hard

for us to know who worked on what issues. TCs need a book like W.B. Jones' on Classics

Illustrated that include a blow by blow account of who worked (or re-worked) on which story.

Then, I can see a renewed interest in them. Thoughts anyone?

 

As the American Catholic Research article points out, Treasure Chest comics "was

not a prominent comic book nor distinguished by special quality but it was perhaps the

longest running American comic book to make extensive use of non-fiction." I actually find

it refreshing that there are still some golden-age/silver-age books out there that are still

low cost in high grade. Due to lack of demand, I doubt if people are paying anywhere

near guide price but that may change. I am speaking from a collector's perspective.

Regarding my previous post, I would like to add that high grade books do not show up

on eBay too often but I also have not seen the summer issues, some of the early

issues or some of the last year issues

[Scrooge]

I agree that for those of us looking for this kind of books, they can be found for cheap (except from dealers who I think must make a conscious effort to ignore the lack of demand on some books and insist on pricing them high and letting them sit. I know that I, for one, will not buy books over-priced in that fashion. I'll pay a premium for some books that are really in demand and scarce but not for these others).

 

The comment about the lack of reference on these came to mind since I seem to recall in the Sinnott interview in a recent AE, that Joe has had a long relationship with Pflaum, doing work for them. I imagine we can find little seen work from such industry stalwarts at cheap prices and on non-superheroes stories (which I prefer).

 

You know, I had been carrying your Dagwood list with me, meaning to head over to a store I know a few months ago had sharp copies of early Dagwoods (I know he had a copy of 16 that I already have). However well intended I was, I never made it there. Hoping they are still there, I'll go on over next week and see what's still there for you.

[Scrooge]

OT: Apparently, I am getting confused between my Dagwoods and Blondies. Your sig shows a Blondie list. Do you have a Dagwood list? Anyway, I looked at my copies and it was actually a copy of Blondie 40 (I checked my copy here) he had so the run in his bins are Blondies. I'll let you know either way.

 

We can continue our regularly scheduled parade of TCs.

[Harvey Dude]

OT: Apparently, I am getting confused between my Dagwoods and Blondies.

Your sig shows a Blondie list. Do you have a Dagwood list? Anyway, I looked at my copies

and it was actually a copy of Blondie 40 (I checked my copy here) he had so the run in his

bins are Blondies. I'll let you know either way.

 

We can continue our regularly scheduled parade of TCs.

 

Actually, I am trying to compete high grade runs of Dagwood, Sad Sack, Blondie,

Tracy, Hot Stuff Sizzlers, Tuff Ghosts and several Richie Rich titles. Since none of the

books are scarce, I just pick up the 9.0 or above copies when I see a good value.

If you wait long enough, slabbed copies show up for guide or less, provided that the copies

are not 9.2 or above. Regarding my sig line, those are the only copies I need to complete

that particular run, which is Blondie. My goal is to have all of the aforementioned

runs completed by 2012. I will pm my Dagwood list of comics I already own. Sorry, I went

 

Thanks for remembering my desire for some missing high grade copies.

 

I will have to make amends by finding one more Treasure Chest to post.

[Harvey Dude]

I am digging to the bottom of the barrel here. This copy is mid grade. The cover is a painting

titled "Adoration of the Magi" by Juan Bautista Maino. This painting hangs at the Prado, in Madrid.

The issue includes a "Godless Communism" story with a red octopus encircling the world.

 

[Forbush-Man]

I bought these just before this thread started. They were in the "Dollar Room" at my LCS ($1.00 each or 12 for $10.00). I'm in the habit of "If you normally don't see it, Buy IT!",.....so here goes.

 

[Harvey Dude]

FUELMAN

 

Your last two books are pretty nice for the price you paid.

[Mister_Comics]

Going back to the difficulty in finding copies, last year at the Wizard Chicago Con, there was a booth where on one side there was nothing but Treasure Chests, boxes and boxes in chronoligical order (Can't remember whose booth but I was quite surprised to see it there to be honest!). I stopped as I am still looking for a copy of v.7 #14 (Early March 1952) for my collection. It did seem that most of the 60's and above years were in the boxes and far less earlier, certainly no to few early copies from the early fifties. I mention this because it contradicts what you knowledgeable (sp?) guys are saying. I love that kind of tidbit information. Thanks for the enlightment on this run's scarcity.

 

I was there last year on the 1st day, Friday, and found a couple TC I needed. Most of what was there was 60's books. Not that great of shape either. I couldn't find any from the last couple volumes. There was another booth that had a lot of the early volumes including Vol. 1 #1. There was another #1 at another booth, GRAHAM CRACKERS. So there was at least 2 at the show that I'm aware of.

 

But it comes back to demand. I think the reason you don't see many at shows is bacause not many people are collecting TC. And the prices are usually low because of this. When there's no interest in a title, people selling them are gonna sell at a low price. I think the OS price guide reflects the prices just fine. Its just that they do not say anything about the scarcity of the issues that are really scarce. Vol. 24 #4 is a good example of this. A puzzle cover issue that is imposible to find in a high grade. OS probably should note this so people would be aware. It would be nice to see in OS something mentioned of a BABE RUTH issue or a JFK assassination issue. But they don't. Probably bacause they don't know about this stuff. Like someone mentioned. A short synopsis at the beginning of TREASURE CHEST. Like they have at the beginning of CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED. That would be helpful. But I don't think OS is in any hurry to change soon just to help the collectors. And I'm not just talking about us comic book collectors. Baseball collectors would love to know about a RUTH comic. But if the info isn't there. They will never know.

 

I see it as a TREASURE CHEST just waiting to be found.

 

Right now the interest and the demand isn't there. But it could.

[ComicBookGuy]

I see it as a TREASURE CHEST just waiting to be found.

 

Right now the interest and the demand isn't there. But it could.

 

Well said!

I think this awesome thread will help create demand. I for one am very impressed by some of these covers and am waxing nostalgic for some of the ones I read as a kid and would love to buy some of the issues posted here already.

Joe

[Mister_Comics]

In TREASURE CHEST there was an on-going series CHUCK WHITE.

 

In the early volumes he was a kid in school growing up.

In the mid-volumes he was a teenager getting involve in different jobs and things.

By the last couple of volumes he was getting married and his nephew CHARLIE WHITE was taking over as the main star of the series. CHUCK would only be seen as a background character in the later issues.

 

Was CHUCK WHITE the only comic book character to grow and get older as the issues progressed?

I can't think of any others in TC or any other comics. PETER PARKER in ASM kind of does. But it seems he's stuck at a certain age.

Are there any that got older as the series went on?

[Scrooge]

Very interesting question! I'd be curious if anyone can think of any examples.

 

This behavior is definitely more present in strips as we saw Terry Lee of Terry & and the Pirates grow over the strip's run and we saw Prince Valiant build his family, family which we saw grow in turn.

 

In a sense, DC has seen some of its original character age such as Starman and the original Sandman but we did not see their lives evolve in the sense you mention for Chuck.

[Sal]

In TREASURE CHEST there was an on-going series CHUCK WHITE.

 

In the early volumes he was a kid in school growing up.

In the mid-volumes he was a teenager getting involve in different jobs and things.

By the last couple of volumes he was getting married and his nephew CHARLIE WHITE was taking over as the main star of the series. CHUCK would only be seen as a background character in the later issues.

 

Was CHUCK WHITE the only comic book character to grow and get older as the issues progressed?

I can't think of any others in TC or any other comics. PETER PARKER in ASM kind of does. But it seems he's stuck at a certain age.

Are there any that got older as the series went on?

 

well, noting full well you said "comic book character" the guys from Gasoline Alley got older, as do the people in "For Better or Worse."

 

.02

[Jeffreykli]

 

A few more Treasure Chests from Mister_Comics:

 

 

 

 

Did they run out of covers and just recolored one from 5 years ago?

[Mister_Comics]

Did they run out of covers and just recolored one from 5 years ago?

 

Pretty close.

Since the story was originally in the SUMMER TC in '66 they ran it again in the regular series in '71. Not too many SUMMER issues were printed and sold in '66 & '67. They must of figured since of that, why not run a couple of these SUMMER stories over again. Including the covers. Since hardly anybody read any of these SUMMER TC's. You can find reprints of the SUMMER issues in volumes 26 & 27 of TREASURE CHEST. Those were the last two volumes. Which coincidently had a low print run. That was because sales were down at the end of TC's long run. Also to save cost they ran the reprint stories in those volumes. They were trying anything they could to save cost. I guess it wasn't enough because TREASURE CHEST ended with volume 27. Issue #8 was the last TC. That issue featured thier oldest and longest lasting character, CHUCK WHITE.

 

I'll see what issues I have that have CHUCK WHITE on the cover to show.

[Norrin_Radd]

Here you go...

 

 

 

 

 

Oh wait. That's Treasured Chests. My bad.

[towards2112]

Here you go...

 

 

 

 

 

Oh wait. That's Treasured Chests. My bad.

 

[Jeffreykli]

Here are more from Mister_Comics:

 

 

 

[Jeffreykli]

A couple more...

 

 

[Bonds25]

Great thread guys - thanks for all the posts and covers!

[Jeffreykli]

 

A couple more Treasure Chests from Mister_Comics: