Books you just cant find in the Wild 22 22

[Qalyar]

On 11/23/2022 at 1:57 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

 

Speaking of which I found a Teen Titans "keebler issue" that is about not doing drugs, I thought about conversations with y'all, but I left it in the bin because I couldn't find much on it and I was in a rush

Let me know something?  

That's almost certainly this book:

In 1983, as part of the President's Drug Awareness Campaign, DC put out three anti-drug PSA comics in partnership with various industry entities. The Keebler one has a story called "Plague!", the National Soft Drink Industry sponsored "Battle!" and IBM was associated with "Problem Child". If you're really into the weeds on these, the Keebler and NSDI books also exist with a $1 cover price (and a notice that the proceeds go to charity). Also, the IBM book exists in a Spanish-language edition, intended for distribution in parts of the US with significant Spanish-speaking populations.

None of the normal books are rare (the IBM one, in particular, is everywhere). The versions with a printed cover price are much less common, but they show up online often enough that I wouldn't consider them difficult books to find, if someone wanted to care. The Spanish IBM edition, on the other hand, only turns up anywhere occasionally. I wouldn't consider it a rare book, certainly not compared to the truly elusive Modern promotionals but it's definitely not common, especially compared to its English printing.

[Michael Browning]

On 11/23/2022 at 2:56 PM, paqart said:

I'd like to add another qualifier to the original post. In addition to comics that are hard to find (my interpretation of "impossible"), how about comics that we want to find? For instance, Motion Picture Funnies Weekly V1 #1. It is very rare and highly desirable. There are any number of independents from the 1990's that would be almost as difficult to find anywhere but are easily forgotten comics with no cultural importance or significant creative merit. 

Two years ago, I found a group of comics at a flea market that I wish I'd never seen and likely will never see again. I don't know who made them or why but they lacked every quality needed to elevate them from cat box liner status. As a few people on this site like to say, "rarity isn't everything", and they are typically referring to professionally made comics that aren't as desirable as other professionally-made comics. When we go into the independents, very few meet the standard needed to establish desirability. 

The trick is that some independents don't meet the standard at first but then as their creators develop their skills, later issues do meet the standard. This is when the early amateur publications become interesting, such as John Byrne's earliest work for Charlton and other publishers. Another related situation is when the comic's original creators never quite meet a professional standard but they spark the imagination of other creators who transform the original product into a higher level intellectual property. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fall into this category, as do several of Rob Liefeld's creations. In those cases, the concept or writing are more important than the way they are depicted.

Getting back to the "I wish I could forget I saw that" category of comics, these are comics where art, writing, and concept are both weak and psychologically disturbing. Comics like that are rare, for which I am grateful. They are not that exciting when found because the audience for them is so small. An observation on this point is that there are many examples of the "psychologically disturbing" comic that are very successful because of the creative team behind it. Practically anything Frank Miller wrote after he came out with the Dark Knight fits into this category. Kirby's Fourth World comics are like that also. On the other end of the spectrum, you have products that are not disturbing, like TMNT, that are ill-served at first by their art. In both examples, desirability follows elevation of the product to a commercial standard.

Regarding Frank Miller btw, a few years ago I pulled my leather bound first edition of the Dark Knight story collection off a shelf to read it. Miller's art is always excellent but the story itself was so grotesque that I wanted to get it out of my house as fast as possible. At the time, I lived in the Netherlands. In the US, that book regularly sells for about $500. In the Netherlands, it was worth maybe 100 euro, tops. I traded it at a comic con for about 80 euro worth of Franka comics that have almost zero value here. I did the same thing with all of my Sin City comics, losing money on purpose just to get rid of them. Miller's story-telling is always excellent but the story was about as grotesque as some of Robert Crumb's stranger offerings, several of which I wish I'd never seen. Like Miller though, Crumb is actually a good artist and storyteller.

So for my part, I'll continue to post what I consider to be rarities but not if their desirability factor is so low they are unlikely to interest anyone.

 

Motion Picture Funnies Weekly 1 isn’t a Modern Comic so it has no place here. That’s Golden Age. Way before Modern.

Early John Byrne = NOT Modern.

No one cares what comics you wish you’d never seen. Start a new thread and see how many comments you get. That’s always the way to go when in doubt. Again, you shouldn’t be posting that here.

The Frank Miller Batman leatherbound hasn’t sold for $500 in the US - at all - since I’ve owned a copy and I got mine right after it was published. And, again I say, start a new thread if that’s what you want to talk about, because it has no place here.

Most Robert Crumb comics — also not modern. Unless it’s a trade paperback collection.

If you don’t like the topic and aren’t going to follow the rules of this thread, start your own, but stop bogging this one down with nonsense.

[Michael Browning]

On 11/23/2022 at 2:56 PM, manetteska said:

IMO wild = outside of eBay and auction houses; typically (but not always) in a forgotten $1 box or such.

Basically, "here is a scarce book I found while rummaging at a store / show / garage sale / estate sale / flea market" (and should havesome value; showing a bunch of scarce $1 books bought for $1 is blech but that's my interpretation).

No one said the books have to have “some” value. Not sure why that’s even an issue you’d bring up. Have you read through this thread? You might want to. Many rare comics that are found in dollar boxes actually sell very high if no one can find them and need a copy for their collection.

Edited November 23, 2022 by Michael Browning

[manetteska]

On 11/23/2022 at 3:40 PM, Michael Browning said:

On 11/23/2022 at 1:56 PM, manetteska said:

IMO wild = outside of eBay and auction houses; typically (but not always) in a forgotten $1 box or such.

Basically, "here is a scarce book I found while rummaging at a store / show / garage sale / estate sale / flea market" (and should havesome value; showing a bunch of scarce $1 books bought for $1 is blech but that's my interpretation).

No one said the books have to have “some” value. Not sure why that’s even an issue you’d bring up. Have you read through this thread? You might want to. Many rare comics that are found in dollar boxes actually sell very high if no one can find them and need a copy for their collection.

 

On 11/23/2022 at 3:40 PM, Michael Browning said:

No one said the books have to have “some” value

I said that was my interpretation. So I guess I said it, but maybe no one else did, but that's, like, my interpretation, dude, as I stated earlier.

 

On 11/23/2022 at 3:40 PM, Michael Browning said:

Many rare comics that are found in dollar boxes actually sell very high

No kidding; have you read through this thread? Go back and look at my posts in here and what I found.

 

I said, it was my opinion a book should have a decent value, but that is my opinion only (and there are really no rules, anyway; post what you want).

[paqart]

Making Michael Browning happy

Edited November 24, 2022 by paqart

[paqart]

On 11/23/2022 at 5:30 PM, manetteska said:

 

I said that was my interpretation. So I guess I said it, but maybe no one else did, but that's, like, my interpretation, dude, as I stated earlier.

 

No kidding; have you read through this thread? Go back and look at my posts in here and what I found.

 

I said, it was my opinion a book should have a decent value, but that is my opinion only (and there are really no rules, anyway; post what you want).

I happen to agree with you. 

[Michael Browning]

On 11/23/2022 at 6:57 PM, paqart said:

So I make my first post on this subject, one of dozens on other subjects, and you react as if I am a serial offender and that the offense is serious. I look at the title of the thread, "Books you can't find in the Wild" and don't see any of the qualifiers you mention. If I want to be picky, I could say they aren't "books" because they are "comic books" and that every single comic book found in every post in this thread was found in the wild, so no one is following the rules, including you. Get a life.
PS: BS on the FM book selling for $500. I found at least 3 sales when I looked it up at the time. Congrats on your limited sample giving you the wrong answer.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about. At all.

My business is selling rare graphic novels and has been for many, many years. Those Frank Miller Batman leatherbound books sell between $20-$75 on average. $75 on the very best day. That has never changed in all the years I've been selling graphic novels. I have a stack of them that I haven't been able to sell at break-even and I keep waiting on them to go up. Waiting and waiting. The last few sales on eBay show $35-$51 over the last few weeks. I have also been asked to be a part of the new Overstreet website group of advisors and an advisor to the Guide -- AGAIN -- because of my expertise in graphic novel sales.

But, you know what, the Frank Miller Batman hardcover is a copper age book and isn't Modern and it isn't a book you can't find in the wild. Since it was produced as a mass-market book store publication, it's not rare at all. They're literally everywhere.

Please stop trying to suck the fun out of this thread.

[Michael Browning]

On 11/23/2022 at 7:00 PM, paqart said:

I happen to agree with you. 

Of course you do.

[paqart]

My last words to Michael Browning, deleted for his sake but not totally because posts cannot be deleted on this forum.

Edited November 24, 2022 by paqart

[Michael Browning]

On 11/23/2022 at 9:34 PM, paqart said:

My last words to Michael Browning, deleted for his sake but not totally because posts cannot be deleted on this forum.

They sure weren’t your “last words” to me because you sent me a lengthy email message going on and on.

[Jesse-Lee]

On 11/23/2022 at 2:47 PM, Qalyar said:

That's almost certainly this book:

In 1983, as part of the President's Drug Awareness Campaign, DC put out three anti-drug PSA comics in partnership with various industry entities. The Keebler one has a story called "Plague!", the National Soft Drink Industry sponsored "Battle!" and IBM was associated with "Problem Child". If you're really into the weeds on these, the Keebler and NSDI books also exist with a $1 cover price (and a notice that the proceeds go to charity). Also, the IBM book exists in a Spanish-language edition, intended for distribution in parts of the US with significant Spanish-speaking populations.

None of the normal books are rare (the IBM one, in particular, is everywhere). The versions with a printed cover price are much less common, but they show up online often enough that I wouldn't consider them difficult books to find, if someone wanted to care. The Spanish IBM edition, on the other hand, only turns up anywhere occasionally. I wouldn't consider it a rare book, certainly not compared to the truly elusive Modern promotionals but it's definitely not common, especially compared to its English printing.

I love this book - I actually remember getting this book in school and I was really into Teen Titans at the time, and it was such a thrill to get a free comic book from school. I still have it.

[fastballspecial]

On 11/23/2022 at 1:30 PM, Qalyar said:

That Orkin Exterminator book is a really rare find. I don't think very many were produced to begin with. Most of them were handed out by Orkin as promotional pieces; my third-hand understanding is that the intent was for them to be given to families with "comic book age" kids who had to be out of the house for terminate fumigation and similar services.

I am going to slightly disagree and say this. That Orkin book is hard to find in higher grade. I have found probably 8 or 9 copies over the years. So it is findable occasionally just not every day. I will also say it may be a regional thing that other boardies like to hit me over the head with from time to time.

However I never find the book in above a VG grade they were all well used. Id ask a Mint for a NM copy just because I have never seen one.

Edited November 24, 2022 by fastballspecial

[fastballspecial]

On 11/23/2022 at 2:47 PM, Qalyar said:

That's almost certainly this book:

In 1983, as part of the President's Drug Awareness Campaign, DC put out three anti-drug PSA comics in partnership with various industry entities. The Keebler one has a story called "Plague!", the National Soft Drink Industry sponsored "Battle!" and IBM was associated with "Problem Child". If you're really into the weeds on these, the Keebler and NSDI books also exist with a $1 cover price (and a notice that the proceeds go to charity). Also, the IBM book exists in a Spanish-language edition, intended for distribution in parts of the US with significant Spanish-speaking populations.

None of the normal books are rare (the IBM one, in particular, is everywhere). The versions with a printed cover price are much less common, but they show up online often enough that I wouldn't consider them difficult books to find, if someone wanted to care. The Spanish IBM edition, on the other hand, only turns up anywhere occasionally. I wouldn't consider it a rare book, certainly not compared to the truly elusive Modern promotionals but it's definitely not common, especially compared to its English printing.

Ive seen 20 copies at once a couple of times. It was well printed. 

[littledoom]

On 11/24/2022 at 7:51 AM, fastballspecial said:

Ive seen 20 copies at once a couple of times. It was well printed. 

I’ve had it in my dollar boxes and couldn’t give it away

[Kevin.J]

On 11/24/2022 at 3:47 PM, fastballspecial said:

I am going to slightly disagree and say this. That Orkin book is hard to find in higher grade. I have found probably 8 or 9 copies over the years. So it is findable occasionally just not every day. I will also say it may be a regional thing that other boardies like to hit me over the head with from time to time.

However I never find the book in above a VG grade they were all well used. Id ask a Mint for a NM copy just because I have never seen one.

Yeah a lot of these givaways are the same because they didnt really go to comic collectors, so the ones that turn up havent been looked after so are lower grades

I sent one of my Jawbreakers in for grading a few years ago, not pressed thought it was maybe an 8, came back 7.5  someone slabbed a 9.0 at some point, they turn up but haven't seen many HG over the years

 

[Michael Browning]

On 11/24/2022 at 10:47 AM, fastballspecial said:

I am going to slightly disagree and say this. That Orkin book is hard to find in higher grade. I have found probably 8 or 9 copies over the years. So it is findable occasionally just not every day. I will also say it may be a regional thing that other boardies like to hit me over the head with from time to time.

However I never find the book in above a VG grade they were all well used. Id ask a Mint for a NM copy just because I have never seen one.

The copy I found had been rained on so it’s NOT high grade at all.

[Otter1775]

Good afternoon. My unicorn is ASM 546, Book Market Variant. I’ve never seen this book ever in person or on the bay for sale:

 

[andyborehol]

On 12/2/2022 at 4:46 PM, Otter1775 said:

Good afternoon. My unicorn is ASM 546, Book Market Variant. I’ve never seen this book ever in person or on the bay for sale:

 

Interesting. Are you 100% sure that it actually exists? I spent years searching high and low for a 2nd print sketch variant of “Wolverine and Jubilee” #1 after seeing the cover in a few different collecting apps/databases and eventually found out that it was just a fan-made mock-up.

[andyborehol]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:02 PM, andyborehol said:

Interesting. Are you 100% sure that it actually exists? I spent years searching high and low for a 2nd print sketch variant of “Wolverine and Jubilee” #1 after seeing the cover in a few different collecting apps/databases and eventually found out that it was just a fan-made mock-up.

Well, to answer my own question I see that this is indeed in the CGC census, although there’s 26 graded copies…super-scarce by Spidey standards. Best of luck finding one!

[PeterPark]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:02 PM, andyborehol said:

Interesting. Are you 100% sure that it actually exists? I spent years searching high and low for a 2nd print sketch variant of “Wolverine and Jubilee” #1 after seeing the cover in a few different collecting apps/databases and eventually found out that it was just a fan-made mock-up.

It exists but is very rare, I'm looking for one myself