Sqeggs Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 At any rate, it would be interesting to see the Florida Power version. A b/w xerox of the cover was among a mixed lot of otherwise unremarkable papers (from Gemstone's or Overstreet's archives?) that sold 5-8 years ago. I am pretty sure it was purchase by a board member and he may have posted a scan somewhere in this thread. There was nothing unusual about it aside from the different company name. I wonder how they handled the repairman episode in the interior, which is included in the SCE version but not in the PG&E version (or vice versa, I don't quite remember). Granted, this is an esoteric question to the nth degree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 At any rate, it would be interesting to see the Florida Power version. A b/w xerox of the cover was among a mixed lot of otherwise unremarkable papers (from Gemstone's or Overstreet's archives?) that sold 5-8 years ago. I am pretty sure it was purchase by a board member and he may have posted a scan somewhere in this thread. There was nothing unusual about it aside from the different company name. I wonder how they handled the repairman episode in the interior, which is included in the SCE version but not in the PG&E version (or vice versa, I don't quite remember). Granted, this is an esoteric question to the nth degree! Thanks for the info. I never knew there was a difference other than company name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kite_Fun_Books Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Love these things To answer all the Questions: Versions: The Florida Power and Light matches the fourth variant, the blank indicia box variant. You can see a picture of page 7 of that one here: To my registry set : Generic Variant The difference between the FP&L/Generic art and the SCE art is the the SCE variant has the SCE logo on the truck in panel 7.4, and panel 7.3 reads contact EDISON company instead of ELECTRIC company. Timing: All three/four variants created at the same time concurrently. This is supported by the date stamps on the generic copy and the PG&E file copy in my registry set. Also, prior year Pinocchio also has three similar variants, with difference on the back cover with customizing for SCE and PG&E, while the FP&L variant could be used for any utility by changing the indica box. Population. I believe the PG&E copy is about three times scarcer then the SCE copy. This is based on being familiar with the find of about 30 copies of SCE a couple years ago (I bought several of them at the time from the lady in Burbank,) as well as comparison of the CGC populations. CGC Populations: These are messed up. The SCE is listed under three titles: Publisher (SCE), Title Donald Duck Tells About Kites (5 copies) Publisher (SCE), Title Kite Fun Book (1954) (4 copies) Publisher (Western) Title Kite Fun Book (1954)(SCE variant) (5 copies) The generic copy was busted (by me) from a SCE labeled slab, to scan page 7 and resubmit. So subtracted one, Total 13 copies currently certified. PGE is listed in two places: Publisher (PG&E) Title Donald Duck Tells about Kites (2 copies) Publisher (Western) Title Kite Fun Book (PG&E Variant) (1 copy) Total 3 copies currently certified. There was also my PG&E file copy in the census previously listed as restored. I just got it back from CCS for restoration removal and see they have removed it from the registry. I will be sending in three copies this week to CGC. The PG&E, and two SCE (a fair-good and a fine-very fine.) Pricing: An old mistake from the 1970s has SCE being worth more. I believe this is because the first copies found were SCE when Carl Bark collecting was going on. Later, when the first PG&E copies were found, it was thought it was a redrawing (worth less) instead of a concurrent creation. That old pricing error seems to just keep getting propagated. For me, I would switch the pricing, valuing PG&E at 20% more then SCE instead of 20% less. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tb Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Nice to see that you're still around. We tend to throw superlatives around to an extent where they can't really be used meaningfully any longer, but your registry set is truly one of the top accomplishments by a board member that I have seen. I agree with you completely regarding the relative scarcity of PG&E vs. SCE. Even before your find, I used to see the latter for sale more frequently. Around 10 years ago, staff members working on the guide asked for input on the board and I believe that I made them aware of this issue. They did follow a couple of my other suggestions, but not this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Kid Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 It is always a pleasure to come across such a well-written post with such valuable data in it. It is somewhat surprising that your linformation isn't just common knowledge since it refers to the work of Carl Barks, but at least you have now made the situation clear and future collectors will have your post as a reference. Thanks for your contribution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Great information. Thanks very much for posting it. (thumbs u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BitterOldMan Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks for the links and wealth of information in your post. I noticed in the link that you provided. LInk from Kite_Fun_Books "Michael Barrier recently provided information from Disney royalty payments that show the total number of this comic is 830,000." I wonder if there are many undiscovered copies out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks for the links and wealth of information in your post. I noticed in the link that you provided. LInk from Kite_Fun_Books "Michael Barrier recently provided information from Disney royalty payments that show the total number of this comic is 830,000." I wonder if there are many undiscovered copies out there? No way of knowing I guess, but it wouldn't surprise me if a stash were to turn up in, say, a school district warehouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kite_Fun_Books Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thanks for the kind words. I don't think too highly of my registry set, because it is incomplete. Unlike other sets, it didn't start with a complete list of comics with spaces too fill in. It is built around the census, and what has had graded copies. I have 21 variants I have purchased, mostly on ebay, since 2010 that need to get sent in and graded, and then have slots added to registry set. There is another dozen I know of that I haven't found copies to purchase yet. "Finds" are interesting. At least a dozen different Kite Fun Books have been "found" in quantity, usually about 30 in the last 15 years on ebay. I have been fortunate to purchase most of these finds to send in the best to be graded. Some years have no finds. I think the number 30 comes from a batch for one class. Usually, I would speculate, a teacher didn't give them out to their students and they are later found among the teachers papers. In 2008 (or so), the 1955 Brer Rabbit started showing up on ebay for $50 BIN. I contacted the seller and ended up buying 22 of them. I didn't think Donald Duck would ever be found like that, but it was the following year. Just last year, I bought my first copy of 1996 Puzzle Place (SCE) Kite Safety Book for $20 on ebay. Within a few weeks, started seeing banded batches of 30 copies on ebay for 9.99. From unknown to common in less then a month. Doesn't surprise me that the Donald Duck variations aren't better known. More pieces to the puzzle weren't available until recently. Kim managing to borrow and compare side by side the FP&L to PG&E and SCE was a giant step forward. The dates on the blank and PG&E file copies weren't available ten years ago either. And, until I managed to get copies of all three utilities variants for 1953 Pinocchio and compare them side by side it wouldn't have been known that the Donald Duck variants were just a repeat of customizing done the prior year. Other fun facts: One day I noticed a 1966 Secret Squirril looked different then the others. After closer comparison, four pages of the book were different, with Reddy Kilowatt out and Moroccan Mole replacing him. And it wasn't until I was typing up the descriptions for the Registry set and noting what was on each page, did I discover that from 1961-1972 the SCE variants had six Kite Flying rules, while most of the other variants had eight. I still haven't gone back to see which rules are missing from SCE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kite_Fun_Books Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Only year I know off that a "case" was probably found, instead of just a classroom lot, are 1966 Secret Squiril, 1984 Smokey Bear, and 1996 Puzzle Place. (All SCE) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenmark Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Thank you for posting all your invaluable and wonderful information on the Donald Duck variants. It is a fascinating history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Thank you for posting all your invaluable and wonderful information on the Donald Duck variants. It is a fascinating history. +1 Really cool info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 In recently. The tortoise marches on slowly. I'm pleased If I could find a #31 that nice at a reasonable price I'd be a happy camper. 1950's war comics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Kid Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 That is a very nice copy of Barks' second WDCS story! Congrats! The WW II paper drives "ate" so many comics from that period that nice copies are really hard to find...but beautiful to look at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Point Five Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 One of my favorite covers from that early run. I love those pissed-off chickens! Very nice copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 One of my favorite covers from that early run. I love those pissed-off chickens! Very nice copy. I agree. I'm not a big fan of the early WDC&S covers, but this one I like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yellow Kid Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I realize that this duck looks a lot like a dragon, but it is a page from an early Disney comic book, The Reluctant Dragon (Four Color Series I, #13, p.5), that I thought was so interesting that I wanted to share it. I hadn't read the book in years, and when I turned the second page and saw a full page panel, I was amazed. Reading the story, I found several more, although the others did have some text at the bottom. I hoped because all duck collectors ultimately liked almost all early Disney comics, that you would find it interesting as well. All of the panels throughout the book are large, and there is no doubt that you are reading an early book that emphasized the art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I realize that this duck looks a lot like a dragon, but it is a page from an early Disney comic book, The Reluctant Dragon (Four Color Series I, #13, p.5), that I thought was so interesting that I wanted to share it. I hadn't read the book in years, and when I turned the second page and saw a full page panel, I was amazed. Reading the story, I found several more, although the others did have some text at the bottom. I hoped because all duck collectors ultimately liked almost all early Disney comics, that you would find it interesting as well. All of the panels throughout the book are large, and there is no doubt that you are reading an early book that emphasized the art. Interesting. I have a copy of that book but, alas, it's slabbed. I'll have to track down a reader copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50YrsCollctngCmcs Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 I realize that this duck looks a lot like a dragon, but it is a page from an early Disney comic book, The Reluctant Dragon (Four Color Series I, #13, p.5), that I thought was so interesting that I wanted to share it. I hadn't read the book in years, and when I turned the second page and saw a full page panel, I was amazed. Reading the story, I found several more, although the others did have some text at the bottom. I hoped because all duck collectors ultimately liked almost all early Disney comics, that you would find it interesting as well. All of the panels throughout the book are large, and there is no doubt that you are reading an early book that emphasized the art. I haven't looked at my copy in years; time to take a gander. I still remember being disappointed by the feature on the Disney studios as the BW photos were so grainy. I'm not sure if that is in your copy Rich as it may have been on the inside back cover. I'm writing this on the train ride home from SDCC. Ducks were in their usual limited supply though there were a few nice Four Colors and the sporadic WDCS. Of course all actual comics are in short supply in San Diego anymore; still the show is fun. I took a gander at the current crop of Disney comics from IDW (I think) and was really disappointed in the quality. Metropolis continues to show the File Copy of Frozen Gold; beautiful but after trying to hawk it for over ten years at $10K; isn't it time to lower the price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
50YrsCollctngCmcs Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 WOW! Who says ducks are dead. Anyone following the Pedigree Comics auction of high grade Barks Four Colors? Check out the square egg story. Amazing. Auction Results Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
