In the Shadow of the Atomic Age 6 6

[JohnBull]

Some great colours there - I wish I had books with colours that vibrant.

 

Todays contributions are going green and I've always felt that DC must have bought a huge vat of green dye in the 50's as they seemed to like the colour so much (yeah, I know that it's 4 colour and there is no green ink, but run with me here!). This wasn't just on the covers, but internally in the shading, along with plenty of yellow too. When you read books from this period, they do tend to look very unique and I think you can identify them as much from the colouring style as from the art and layout style.

 

The Phantom Stranger is one that Adam didn't post earlier, although I'd love to see a copy in similar condition to the others he has...

 

 

[adamstrange]

Adam,

 

thanks for sharing these again. And you're right the proof looks better than my copy would let on. I still need that 86. What do you think of the coloring choices on the warrior's leggings though? Oh and I do like the cover to the 117 but remember that I was following the Everett Mystic.

 

I just pulled the proof out again and, while I think the leggings are over the top, they are not as noticeable when looking at the proof as when looking at the scan. The blue is unbelievably rich and impressive and your eyes are focused more on American Eagle's headress against the background than anything else on the cover.

[adamstrange]

Some great colours there - I wish I had books with colours that vibrant.

 

I DO TOO!

 

It had been a while since I looked at the color proof. I must have stared at it for 10 minutes before I scanned it. I know I'm not suppopsed to think much of it since it's not a comic book, but, darn it, I like it!

 

 

Todays contributions are going green and I've always felt that DC must have bought a huge vat of green dye in the 50's as they seemed to like the colour so much (yeah, I know that it's 4 colour and there is no green ink, but run with me here!).

 

I call it "DC Green" -- and no other company could reproduce anything as rich and vibrant. The inks they used must have a strong metallic component as they will oxidize and fade fairly quickly when exposed to light.

 

 

The Phantom Stranger is one that Adam didn't post earlier, although I'd love to see a copy in similar condition to the others he has...

 

I have.

 

But it's not mine.

 

Thanks for posting both copies. I particularly link the fuscia that they use in the Phantom Stranger logo -- it's a very bright color to contrast agains the green.

[adamstrange]

These are very delicate flowers. Church copy.

 

Edited April 14, 2005 by adamstrange

[tth2]

These are very delicate flowers. Church copy.

[adamstrange]

Here's an example of the nice DC Green from the 1950s. Unfortunately it looks nicer in person than in the scan.

 

Edited April 14, 2005 by adamstrange

[tth2]

I meant to mention that the Star Spangled must have been near the tail end of the Church run, no?

[adamstrange]

I meant to mention that the Star Spangled must have been near the tail end of the Church run, no?

 

The prime runs go into 1953 according Ron Pussell who handled much of the 1950s books. After that it's mostly sporadic misc Western titles that go into the 60s according to Gary Carter. I've post at least one of my 1955 Churches back in the SA 10 cent thread.

[Scrooge]

Since people don't mind the PWCs, here's the first American Eagle. There are "better" covers in this series but I don't have all of them. Could anyone please post a copy of 102?

 

[JohnBull]

Another great Star Spangled cover thanks. Any more???

 

I liked the Rex cover as well, not something you see too much of.

 

Here's one of the remaining Phantom Strangers, which I think only leaves one missing. This seems to be quite a common issue, whereas the missing number (can't remember what it is) is one that I don't see too often.

 

 

Secondly, a reminder that comics are for kids. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind. This is one of the more obscure DC series, although I'm sure that everyone on this thread is familiar with it. If anyone can post decent scans for issues 3 or 4, or higher grade scans for any issues, I for one would be interested.

 

[adamstrange]

Another great Star Spangled cover thanks. Any more???

 

 

I liked the Rex cover as well, not something you see too much of.

 

But the Detective Chimp story inside, pencilled and inked by Infantino, is

 

And I have more.

 

Here's one of the remaining Phantom Strangers, which I think only leaves one missing. This seems to be quite a common issue, whereas the missing number (can't remember what it is) is one that I don't see too often.

 

Thanks! We've now posted all 6 issues! Fuelman provided the first 3, me the 4th, and gpcove posted number 5.

 

Secondly, a reminder that comics are for kids. Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind. This is one of the more obscure DC series, although I'm sure that everyone on this thread is familiar with it. If anyone can post decent scans for issues 3 or 4, or higher grade scans for any issues, I for one would be interested.

 

Very, very tough books. I do know someone with a nice set and I recall seeing very high grade copy of number 1 back in the day. (If it had been priced a wee bit more reasonably I would have picked it up.)

 

Edited April 16, 2005 by adamstrange

[adamstrange]

Since people don't mind the PWCs, here's the first American Eagle. There are "better" covers in this series but I don't have all of them. Could anyone please post a copy of 102?

 

 

Yeeeeaaaah!

 

Beautiful colors on that book. Which reminds me, I still haven't my Prize Western comics.

[adamstrange]

Edited April 17, 2005 by adamstrange

[JohnBull]

OK, let's post a couple more and see if there's any life left in this thread.

 

Early Mystery In Space's seem to be quite plentiful in higher grades when compared to other 50's DC's. This is slightly less well represented on the census, although it is a fairly common issue.

 

 

Secondly, some more Superman silliness, where yet again the Man of Steel has a very confused expression on his face.

 

 

 

Apropos an earlier mention of It's Gametime's scarcity, I collect a number of the DC's from this period which have scarce or rare dsignations in Overstreet and I'd be interested to hear anyone views on these. My experiences are based in England, which may well be very diferent (and I haven't been looking for high grade issues), but I've found:

 

 

New Adventures of Charlie Chan 1-6 - These seem to all be quite easy to locate, but that may be due to very low demand. A well-below guide title.

 

Phantom Stranger 1-6 - A much higher demand item and whilst numbers aren't huge, they do seem fairly easy to put together. Unslabbed issues seem to be slightly below guide (in a similar percentage to most mainstream SA titles). As with most of these titles, slabbed copies sometimes seem to find it hard to hit their reserves, when they are around or above guide.

 

Congo Bill 1-7 - Definitely scarcer. Very difficult to find above low-mid grade and copies tend to go much closer to guide.

 

It's Gametime 1-4 - 1 and 2 seem more common, but 3 and 4 are almost impossible. Anything above POS is comparatively high grade. Demand is almost non-existent though, so prices (for the first two) are never very high.

 

Danger Trail 3 - I'd say that the whole series is about as scarce as the Phantom Stranger run, although 3 is a little more difficult to find. I'm not sure this deserves it's Rare tag though and prices for this issue are often very high (but unreached). The rest sell below guide.

 

Sensation 107-109 - These seem scarcer than a lot of the other issues mentioned. Not as hard as the Gametime's, but much more difficult than the Phantom Stranger's.

 

Rex Wonder Dog 1-3 - Not a series I've particularly tracked, but none of the issues seem to grow on trees. I would imagine demand is quite low. Are 1-3 that much scarcer than the rest?

[adamstrange]

OK, let's post a couple more and see if there's any life left in this thread.

 

Early Mystery In Space's seem to be quite plentiful in higher grades when compared to other 50's DC's. This is slightly less well represented on the census, although it is a fairly common issue.[\quote]

 

That is an outstanding Murphy Anderson cover on the MIS 9. I'm reading and enjoying his autobiograhphy (written with the help of RC Harvey) and very much enjoying it.

 

 

Apropos an earlier mention of It's Gametime's scarcity, I collect a number of the DC's from this period which have scarce or rare dsignations in Overstreet and I'd be interested to hear anyone views on these. My experiences are based in England, which may well be very diferent (and I haven't been looking for high grade issues), but I've found:

 

 

New Adventures of Charlie Chan 1-6 - These seem to all be quite easy to locate, but that may be due to very low demand. A well-below guide title.

 

Phantom Stranger 1-6 - A much higher demand item and whilst numbers aren't huge, they do seem fairly easy to put together. Unslabbed issues seem to be slightly below guide (in a similar percentage to most mainstream SA titles). As with most of these titles, slabbed copies sometimes seem to find it hard to hit their reserves, when they are around or above guide.

 

Congo Bill 1-7 - Definitely scarcer. Very difficult to find above low-mid grade and copies tend to go much closer to guide.

 

It's Gametime 1-4 - 1 and 2 seem more common, but 3 and 4 are almost impossible. Anything above POS is comparatively high grade. Demand is almost non-existent though, so prices (for the first two) are never very high.

 

Danger Trail 3 - I'd say that the whole series is about as scarce as the Phantom Stranger run, although 3 is a little more difficult to find. I'm not sure this deserves it's Rare tag though and prices for this issue are often very high (but unreached). The rest sell below guide.

 

Sensation 107-109 - These seem scarcer than a lot of the other issues mentioned. Not as hard as the Gametime's, but much more difficult than the Phantom Stranger's.

 

Rex Wonder Dog 1-3 - Not a series I've particularly tracked, but none of the issues seem to grow on trees. I would imagine demand is quite low. Are 1-3 that much scarcer than the rest?

 

I focus on HG copies so I appreciate hearing your thoughts on the lower grades on these titles.

 

The Chans are a bit later than the other books you mention and I'm not surprised you've found more of them. They are still quite tough in NM- and above, as, really, are all of the issues you cite.

 

Last I remember the Congo Bills didn't even have a guide price above vf and i think that's appropriate.

 

Danger Trail 3 is overrated in scarcity. The person that initially popularized it just happened to have the MH copy. The scarcest DC will turn out to be some romance or funny animal book.

 

I don't know that Rex 1-3 would turn out to be the toughest in grade. I have seen HG copies of all 3 whereas there are a number of other Rex's that I haven't seen any.

 

Sensation 107-108 are very tough. Suprisingly, this is not the case with 109 -- it is a high demand item such that they sell pretty quickly. (I love that particular issue -- both the cover and the interior art.)

 

P.S. Thanks for posting! I don't think we're dead quite yet. I have quite a few books lined up and I hope others will continue to contribute.

Edited April 18, 2005 by adamstrange

[adamstrange]

I finally found my Prize Westerns!

 

So, as promised Scrooge, here's 88.

 

Edited April 18, 2005 by adamstrange

[adamstrange]

Edited April 19, 2005 by adamstrange

[tth2]

So how does your collection look to you after your visit to Casa Berk?

[adamstrange]

So how does your collection look to you after your visit to Casa Berk?

 

I'd trade my collection for his.

 

But I'd still miss my 50s stuff.

 

If he just gave me his, then I'd have everything.

[Scrooge]

So how does your collection look to you after your visit to Casa Berk?

 

I'd trade my collection for his.

 

But I'd still miss my 50s stuff.

 

If he just gave me his, then I'd have everything.

 

Not true. You'd still be short of a PWC 102 and to me that would be a sad hole in your collection. Soooo let me offer you this trade to fill that eye-sore. I'll take off your hand that trashy FC 386 and send you a nice copy of PWC 102 in exchange. I have been answering too many emails tonight.

 

tth2