Infinite Bronze War Thread 11 11

[HouseofComics.Com]

I love that story. The first time I read it was in the treasury format.

 

Me too! Wasn't that a great collection? An early Joker appearance by Bob Kane, a killer Jerry Robinson story, a mid-1960s Infantino, this Adams classic, and a Mike Friedrich/Irv Novick/ Giordano short to boot. Too bad most of the so-called Limited Collectors Editions weren't as tight-- they might have sold better if they'd taken better care in selecting the material.

 

It's the red cover, right? Absolutely the best of the Treasuries, although I loved them all. Even the one with the Tweedledum and Tweedledee story.

 

Marc

[bigfiver69]

Hey guys,

 

Not bronze, but just posted some rarely-seen GI Combat greytones over in the Silver board, under the 'show us you 10 centers' thread. Worth a look see, I can assure you.

 

Shep

[bigfiver69]

Very nice copies. Love the scuba fight cover. I am having a biatch of a time finding 300-302 in hg.

 

I remember vividly buying SR 314 off the shelf. Doug Wildey interior art, one of a handful that he did. I always loved his artwork.

 

It took me about 7 years to peice together the entire SR run in VF+ or better, with most being solid 9.0 to 9.2. 300 pops up a fair but, but 301 is a PAIN to find in HG (mine looks 9.2-9.4 WP, and in years of trying, I've never seen a nicer copy). 302 is one of those bandwagon books that everybody wants, so it's tough. Truthfully, the three-issue story in 302 to 304 (a rarity for Kanigher) doesn't really work for me. But you've got to have 302, as Rock gets his own title.

 

Everybody talks about there being hordes of bronze waiting to flood into the market. On these genre titles (horror, war, western) between late 1976 and 1978, I doubt there'll be a flood. It may well be one of the toughest areas to collect post-1960. Anyone who has a complete high grade Weird War run from 1977 to 1979 has a rare little stack indeed. Many of those books I have never been able to get above VF. Gotta keep hunting.

 

But as Bruce Springsteen says 'Mama, that's where the fun is'.

 

Shep

[Weird]

Very nice copies. Love the scuba fight cover. I am having a biatch of a time finding 300-302 in hg.

 

I remember vividly buying SR 314 off the shelf. Doug Wildey interior art, one of a handful that he did. I always loved his artwork.

 

It took me about 7 years to peice together the entire SR run in VF+ or better, with most being solid 9.0 to 9.2. 300 pops up a fair but, but 301 is a PAIN to find in HG (mine looks 9.2-9.4 WP, and in years of trying, I've never seen a nicer copy). 302 is one of those bandwagon books that everybody wants, so it's tough. Truthfully, the three-issue story in 302 to 304 (a rarity for Kanigher) doesn't really work for me. But you've got to have 302, as Rock gets his own title.

 

Everybody talks about there being hordes of bronze waiting to flood into the market. On these genre titles (horror, war, western) between late 1976 and 1978, I doubt there'll be a flood. It may well be one of the toughest areas to collect post-1960. Anyone who has a complete high grade Weird War run from 1977 to 1979 has a rare little stack indeed. Many of those books I have never been able to get above VF. Gotta keep hunting.

 

But as Bruce Springsteen says 'Mama, that's where the fun is'.

 

Shep

 

7 years. And I am still about 50 books shy of the Rock title. Although, I really haven't been focusing on it to be fair. SSWS/US and G.I. Combat get the bulk of my DC War attention.

 

I am 11 books shy of a complete Weird War run and then would need to upgrade about 10 issues to get them all at VF or above. Of #50-82 (1977-79), 5 of those 10 upgrades need to be done there. I was hoping to complete that one this year, but am not sure if I can get it done.

 

I appreciate your insight into the tough to find in grade issues as that way I can be on the look out for them specifically and jump on them when I do see them.

 

Oh, and those 10 and 12 cent issues in the SA forum are fantastic looking!

[bigfiver69]

I appreciate your insight into the tough to find in grade issues as that way I can be on the look out for them specifically and jump on them when I do see them.

 

Oh, and those 10 and 12 cent issues in the SA forum are fantastic looking!

 

I appreciate your insight into the tough to find in grade issues as that way I can be on the look out for them specifically and jump on them when I do see them.

 

Oh, and those 10 and 12 cent issues in the SA forum are fantastic looking!

 

Weird,

 

Kudos on the 10 and 12 centers. They are pure sugar when you can find them.

 

I'm happy to pass on any info about availabity of certain issues, etc.I've actually contacted DC to see if they would share sales and circulatio info on various issues, but got nothing. Even talked to Paul Levitz (nice man, by the way) but couldn't get anywhere. I was lucky enough to do some correspondence with Bob Kanigher before he passed away, and interviewed Joe Kubert too... but still couldn't get the low-down on where there may have been circulation dips.

 

The whole business about war fans reading their books down is true... not many books - even in the late 70s/80s - were salted away by 'collectors'. And high grade war rarely rotates out of collections.

 

I've been a fan of these books for nearly 25 years, but only started upgrading the collection big time about 7 years ago. Along the way (for what it's worth) here are the books that I've had the hardest time finding.

 

OAAW 218. First USS Stevens. Very rare in NM.

OAAW 234-246. All the 52 pagers are tough in grade, particularly 235, 244, 245 and 239.

OAAW 256-260. Continuing story, and some of Heath's finest work ever. 256 gets my vote for the scarcest bronze age war book to find in NM, bar none. (now that I've thrown down with that, 25 copies are bound to appear on ebay.javascript:

OAAW 242. 100 page giant. Supposed low distribution.

OAAW 290-301. All tough in NM. They come up, but hard to find sharpies.

 

Sgt. Rock 302-310. All of these are surprisingly tough in NM.

Sgt,. Rock 320, 321, 322. Wow. The 1978 50 cent issues. These are tough in HG. Was there a big circulation deep due to the DC implosion? Could be.

Sgt. Rock 370-376. For some reason, these were very, very tough books to find. On about 5 different occasions, I found the run 20 issues in either direction of these 7 books.

 

GI Combat 141, 142. You've all heard me moan about this. I have four copies of 141 in my collection ranging from FN to VF-, and that is the best I have been able to do. Tough books.

GI Combat 144-153. 25 cent 48 and 52 pagers. They're all tough, but 144, 145, 146, 150 and 151 are downright scarce.

GI Combat 201-210. The first dollar books. Man. These are hellish, with a myriad of printing problems to keep them out of grade.

GI Combat 287-288. The last two issues. Very hard in NM.

 

Star Spangled War 154. The 2nd toughest Bronze Age war book to find in NM. I passed on a stunner for $150 in San Diego two years back (unslabbed, but it was insane!) and I have always regretted it.

 

Our Fighting Forces 123-130. These can be very, very hard to find in grade. They do pop up on occasion. #123 is a super issue.

 

Weird War #5. Waaaaay harder than #1-4.

Weird War #10. Toth. A pain to find in NM. There are LOOOAAADS of VF copies out there.

Weird War #12. Kaluta cover, so all the horror guys are on this one. Another tough get in NM.

Weird War #36. 100 pager. Not a lot of these floating around better than VF.

Weird War #50-75. This is a tough stretch to fill. The books in the early 50s and early 70s are particularly scarce.

 

Digests. No question that the Haunted Tank Digest is the hardest one to get in High Grade.

 

Men of War 7. For some reason, had a harder time getting this one.

 

Anyway, just one man's opinion. I know that letting EVERYONE know what I've found difficult is sort of counter-productive to actually finding those issues but my thinking is that demand stimulates supply. There aren't many upgrades left for me, but the ones I do need are pure, unadulterated pain!

 

But hey, call me a masochist.

 

Shep

[Weird]

I'm not aware of a checklist, although there is a book called The Big Five by Chris Pedrin that details virtually all of DC's war output from the early 50s onwards. Motor City Comics had a stack of them (they bought out the remaindered copies), so give them a call.

 

Didn't he used to have a website? I know I referenced a Big 5 price guide I found on the 'net about 2 years or so ago and that name rings a bell. I think it was from him. It was just prices though and some notations. I used some of the info in compiling that "keys" list at the beginning of the thread.

[Weird]

Great stuff to know for my collecting. I see the digests pop up on ebay, but just haven't gone after them or won them when I have.

 

Speaking of the 10 and 12 cent issues, I kind of like the content and quality of the war books over the duration of the runs compared to other genres. I know I have absolutely zero interest in collecting say, House of Mystery pre-174, but love the stuff after. Same goes with a lot of Silver Age superhero stuff.

 

For the War books, it seems the content has the same appeal to me whether it is early 60s or mid 70s or early 80s. I just don't want to widen my focus too much or there will never be an end to it!

[Weird]

Unknown Soldier 218:

 

 

I am surprised no one has told me to band-aid on this cut.

 

It is a structurally sound book with some popping colors, but man is that cut fugly. As I was scanning it, I was like "WTF?!?!?" I couldn't get it lined up right. Then I figured it out.

 

I'd like to see the "footprints" or whatever for this one....

[buttock]

This cover had to offend someone.

 

[buttock]

Not a DC, but one of my favorite Hitler books.

 

[bigfiver69]

This cover had to offend someone.

 

 

Buttock,

 

That's one of my favorite issues of all time. I got it in 1977 (3 years after it was published) in a trade with a kid named Jamie Fugard (too much info, I know). I was eight. I opened it up and saw my first Russ Heath artwork. And I pretty much crapped my pants. That's when my (metaphorical) love affair with Russ started.

 

I was very lucky to have been able to find and purchase the artwork to the backup in that issue, a 'Bob Kanigher's Gallery of War' tale called 'Once a Hero'. Ric Estrada art. Solid.

 

The opening story in that issue, 'The Arena' has some incredibly violent panels, including men being crucified and burned at the stake. I always wondered how it got past the Code.

 

When I I die and go the heaven, this is the book I want put in the casket with me. In addition to a smokin' dead-on mint copy, I still have my crappy, coverless one from back in the day.

 

mmmmmm. Heath.

 

Shep

[Weird]

Love the psycho look on Rock's face on this one. Along with the guy's head being completely lost in the snow.

 

Our Army At War 291:

 

Edited August 27, 2005 by Weird

[buttock]

That's a GREAT cover. Mustn't...let...thread........ die.

 

[buttock]

227

 

[buttock]

I always loved this one. Been a real pain to find a high grade copy though.

 

[buttock]

This has one of my favorite Heath stories. Just unbelievable use of shadows.

 

[buttock]

256

 

[buttock]

It's because they're really nazis.

 

[bigfiver69]

Buttock, Weird, and everyone else.

 

This is a fantastic thread, and I agree that we can't let it die. I'm away on business this week, but when I get back I'll try and breath a bit more life back into it with some sweet bronze age war covers.

 

Any requests? Lemme know!

 

And to everyone else on the list who's been posting, awesome covers all around!

 

Shep

[Weird]

Buttock, Weird, and everyone else.

 

This is a fantastic thread, and I agree that we can't let it die. I'm away on business this week, but when I get back I'll try and breath a bit more life back into it with some sweet bronze age war covers.

 

Any requests? Lemme know!

 

And to everyone else on the list who's been posting, awesome covers all around!

 

Shep

 

How about some Our Fighting Forces stuff? I barely have any of that title. The Losers are pretty sweet.