• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Unpopular Golden Age Opinions Thread!
9 9

634 posts in this topic

Joe Maneely was a terrible artist. He had an amazing ability to bounce around in all genres, but he sucked equally in all of them.

 

A bit harsh I think, but to each their own. Check out some of his Black Knight covers, you might change your opinion...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am just going to say it. I think Startling 49 is a way over rated book. The robot looks pretty lame. I am not sure if it is suppose to be a scary cover, funny cover, or just lame cover.

Edited by batman_fan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Schomburg is kind of overrated. :eek:

 

10% or so of his covers are legit classics and are amazing, but the remainder all kind of run together for me. Overly detailed and jumbled with a similar color palette and theme.

I'm a fan of Schomburg's work based on his early pulp-like covers; he was hot and cold with his later Timely covers. Most of his non-Timely covers look like he didn't give a rat's behind about the quality of his work. (Maybe he didn't get paid much for those and didn't take as much pride in them or put as much time into them.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe this will fly, maybe not. Let's give it a whirl:

 

-- I love classic precode horror covers, but for whatever reason I don't share the extreme love for Fight Against Crime #20 as reflected in its selling prices. To me the cover is more zany or goofy than horrific.

 

-- I don't enjoy looking at Jack Kirby's GA artwork. I respect that he's a founding father of the industry, but I just don't dig it at all.

 

-- For that matter, aside from the great Schomburg covers, I'm not a fan of GA Captain America either. If I'm going after GA patriotic heroes I prefer the MLJ Peps and Zips.

 

-- I'd rather have a bright, vividly-colored 1.5 GA book with a detached cover wrap than an 8.0 book with dulled colors but amazing structural soundness. (Not talking about *faded* books, which is an easier call... just books with naturally weak colors, like a good many Fiction House, Fox etc.)

 

OK, that's what I've got so far. Who's next? :taptaptap:

 

Wow GREAT thread J...sorry worked last night so just catching up...my opinion is SOOOOO similar to yours its uncanny really!!

 

I really dig Schomburg but owning a few of his finest examples is good enough for me at this point in time. I won't be chasing down a Timely Cap run anytime soon although I can appreciate those that do. If I am buying GA patriotic look no further than those MLJs. Ive put together some neat ones so far but there are so many more to go. The Zip Run is stunning in both cover and interior artwork as well as the Peps. The splashes on some these are the best ever done and while Cap does have some great splashes I feel like the MLJs have more than the Timely's in general. That could be because the MLJs have fallen into public domain and I can view them regularly while there are many many Timely books I have never seen the interiors too but I guess I can't judge with my eye what I can't see.

 

DC has such a large lineup with so many great books many of which I like have flown the coop and are now out of reach. If I were to focus on DC it would strictly be those large logo covers. They just scream GA to me. As far as Kirby I do find books like Adventure 79 to be very cool so I can't say I don't dig all his work there are just others I like more. I do really like the Adventure Run in general while it kept its big bold title image at least. Once they switch it over they lose me. All-American has 61 and a few others but thats about it. I like the Early Action books and the pre Robin Tecs but thats about it. Never really found the Batman and Superman run all that intriguing cover wise albeit a few odds and ends cherry picked out of em'.

 

While I appreciate pre code horror its just not my focus. I mean we all have to limit our sites in some way don't we. If I do see horror and it has a hero on the cover thats another story all together. These few books would probably be my favorite of all GA books in general but they are very few and far between.

 

I dig Fine and his work. Very easy to appreciate him and very hard to argue his brilliance. Also a big fan of Jim Mooney, B. Fuji, and Romana Patenaude as some have probably heard :grin:

 

Off beat publishers like Ace and Fox have too many treasures to even fathom. While the breadth of their work isn't as large its definitely just as awesome. Something about those Fox books in their simplicity, rarity, color palette scheme, and overall Coolness factor just works. It just does, at least for me.

 

I guess I could go on and on about what I like and prefer but on to the actual structure of the book itself. I like mine low to mid grade and prefer unrestored ultimately...yes even if lower grade. That being said I have opened up and purchased a few slightly restored books lately and am becoming more familiarized with the process. I just want to be able to know what happened to the book. A tear seal on a label used to bother me...well the boldly colored purpleness of the label bothered me more than the actual resto I think just to be honest it was always like a sore thumb to me. Then a cracked a few and saw what was happening and it no longer bothers me as much. Some think like RJ that it is crazy to search out low grade unmolested books and that is why we are all entitled to our own opinions and preferences. I too would rather have a nicely presenting 1.5 with a detached cover or even a piece missing out of the back than an 8.0 book with dulled colors but amazing structural soundness or even a 9.6 for that matter where it has so much resto I can't tell where the real book ends and the remade part begins. These new books that are hitting the market with overly extensive resto bother me to my core and would never even consider owning one. BUT thats just me and once again why we are all entitled to our own opinion and preference. Here are a few examples of books and how I prefer them...lower grade, unrestored, and nicely presenting...

 

26202086893_7656f04f15_c.jpg

16347495642_cdc20e6505_c.jpg

26122227211_254d1a0568_c.jpg

 

I also own quite a few 1.0/1.5/1.8/and 2.0s and given the chance to upgrade them to a 3.0 like the ones above I would but I like these as well. Brittle pages do bug me but the slightly brittle designation not as much. I know a bunch of people shy away from these books and that makes me happy to be honest...more for me :D These don't present quite as nicely but they look LOVED and I love that.... :cloud9:

 

25583779374_fc31901158_c.jpg

25585875763_0e5b37a0bf_c.jpg

21112796492_15598a9069_c.jpg

18745080772_47584779f0_c.jpg

9398498829_6ccbe21d7a_c.jpg

 

And lastly here an example of a book that I AM JUST HAPPY TO HAVE A COPY OF that a lot of people wouldn't touch with a 10 ft pole and I understand that. It has brittle pages. Honestly with this book I was chasing the cover image...thats pretty much it and thats me being honest. I would LOVE to upgrade it someday but it just NEVER comes up for auction. Some would rather not own a copy than own this copy and like I said, good, that just means less competition!!

 

21146949028_3466d36eea_c.jpg

 

Ok I think thats probably enough for now...Im open to field any questions haha!! Great thread P5 its always interesting to see what people prefer and don't prefer. All in all if you love it, are proud to own it, share it, and it puts a smile on your face in the end thats what really matters right? These are collectables after all. They are not life or death. They are simply here to enjoy and entertain our feeble minds :D

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am just going to say it. I think Startling 49 is a way over rated book. The robot looks pretty lame. I am not sure if it is suppose to be a scary cover, funny cover, or just lame cover.

 

(thumbs u I NEVER understood the hype and price of this one-not when it first started heating up, nor any more so to this day

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I absolutely love L.B Cole but I have never understood the appeal of Blue Bolt 115. Why is a skull wearing a blonde wig?

 

And while I am on skull covers I think Punch 12 is overrated. It is good but nearly 30k in VF seems absurd to me.

 

Also Suspense 3, the anatomy on the central hooded figure is horribly drawn. Terrific 5 is miles better IMO.

 

And finally, Rayboy covers don't do anything for me. I have never liked any of them and probably never will.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

short of early bat 'tecs, spectre and sandman covers, and a very few random multi-title covers, d.c. gold does not a thing for me.

 

i think the famous red-bucket joker 'tec cover is stoopid.

 

Me too. Once DC gets beyond 1944 I stop being interested.

 

I'm also not a fan of the non-sci-fi and non-superhero Centaurs. I get that they are scarce and may have some good interiors, but I can't get past the awful "humor" covers. Kids tripping over stuff and spilling paint is not really my thing.

 

+1 on the Centaurs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe this will fly, maybe not. Let's give it a whirl:

 

-- I love classic precode horror covers, but for whatever reason I don't share the extreme love for Fight Against Crime #20 as reflected in its selling prices. To me the cover is more zany or goofy than horrific.

 

-- I don't enjoy looking at Jack Kirby's GA artwork. I respect that he's a founding father of the industry, but I just don't dig it at all.

 

-- For that matter, aside from the great Schomburg covers, I'm not a fan of GA Captain America either. If I'm going after GA patriotic heroes I prefer the MLJ Peps and Zips.

 

-- I'd rather have a bright, vividly-colored 1.5 GA book with a detached cover wrap than an 8.0 book with dulled colors but amazing structural soundness. (Not talking about *faded* books, which is an easier call... just books with naturally weak colors, like a good many Fiction House, Fox etc.)

 

OK, that's what I've got so far. Who's next? :taptaptap:

 

Wow GREAT thread J...sorry worked last night so just catching up...my opinion is SOOOOO similar to yours its uncanny really!!

 

I really dig Schomburg but owning a few of his finest examples is good enough for me at this point in time. I won't be chasing down a Timely Cap run anytime soon although I can appreciate those that do. If I am buying GA patriotic look no further than those MLJs. Ive put together some neat ones so far but there are so many more to go. The Zip Run is stunning in both cover and interior artwork as well as the Peps. The splashes on some these are the best ever done and while Cap does have some great splashes I feel like the MLJs have more than the Timely's in general. That could be because the MLJs have fallen into public domain and I can view them regularly while there are many many Timely books I have never seen the interiors too but I guess I can't judge with my eye what I can't see.

 

DC has such a large lineup with so many great books many of which I like have flown the coop and are now out of reach. If I were to focus on DC it would strictly be those large logo covers. They just scream GA to me. As far as Kirby I do find books like Adventure 79 to be very cool so I can't say I don't dig all his work there are just others I like more. I do really like the Adventure Run in general while it kept its big bold title image at least. Once they switch it over they lose me. All-American has 61 and a few others but thats about it. I like the Early Action books and the pre Robin Tecs but thats about it. Never really found the Batman and Superman run all that intriguing cover wise albeit a few odds and ends cherry picked out of em'.

 

While I appreciate pre code horror its just not my focus. I mean we all have to limit our sites in some way don't we. If I do see horror and it has a hero on the cover thats another story all together. These few books would probably be my favorite of all GA books in general but they are very few and far between.

 

I dig Fine and his work. Very easy to appreciate him and very hard to argue his brilliance. Also a big fan of Jim Mooney, B. Fuji, and Romana Patenaude as some have probably heard :grin:

 

Off beat publishers like Ace and Fox have too many treasures to even fathom. While the breadth of their work isn't as large its definitely just as awesome. Something about those Fox books in their simplicity, rarity, color palette scheme, and overall Coolness factor just works. It just does, at least for me.

 

I guess I could go on and on about what I like and prefer but on to the actual structure of the book itself. I like mine low to mid grade and prefer unrestored ultimately...yes even if lower grade. That being said I have opened up and purchased a few slightly restored books lately and am becoming more familiarized with the process. I just want to be able to know what happened to the book. A tear seal on a label used to bother me...well the boldly colored purpleness of the label bothered me more than the actual resto I think just to be honest it was always like a sore thumb to me. Then a cracked a few and saw what was happening and it no longer bothers me as much. Some think like RJ that it is crazy to search out low grade unmolested books and that is why we are all entitled to our own opinions and preferences. I too would rather have a nicely presenting 1.5 with a detached cover or even a piece missing out of the back than an 8.0 book with dulled colors but amazing structural soundness or even a 9.6 for that matter where it has so much resto I can't tell where the real book ends and the remade part begins. These new books that are hitting the market with overly extensive resto bother me to my core and would never even consider owning one. BUT thats just me and once again why we are all entitled to our own opinion and preference. Here are a few examples of books and how I prefer them...lower grade, unrestored, and nicely presenting...

 

26202086893_7656f04f15_c.jpg

16347495642_cdc20e6505_c.jpg

26122227211_254d1a0568_c.jpg

 

I also own quite a few 1.0/1.5/1.8/and 2.0s and given the chance to upgrade them to a 3.0 like the ones above I would but I like these as well. Brittle pages do bug me but the slightly brittle designation not as much. I know a bunch of people shy away from these books and that makes me happy to be honest...more for me :D These don't present quite as nicely but they look LOVED and I love that.... :cloud9:

 

25583779374_fc31901158_c.jpg

25585875763_0e5b37a0bf_c.jpg

21112796492_15598a9069_c.jpg

18745080772_47584779f0_c.jpg

9398498829_6ccbe21d7a_c.jpg

 

And lastly here an example of a book that I AM JUST HAPPY TO HAVE A COPY OF that a lot of people wouldn't touch with a 10 ft pole and I understand that. It has brittle pages. Honestly with this book I was chasing the cover image...thats pretty much it and thats me being honest. I would LOVE to upgrade it someday but it just NEVER comes up for auction. Some would rather not own a copy than own this copy and like I said, good, that just means less competition!!

 

21146949028_3466d36eea_c.jpg

 

Ok I think thats probably enough for now...Im open to field any questions haha!! Great thread P5 its always interesting to see what people prefer and don't prefer. All in all if you love it, are proud to own it, share it, and it puts a smile on your face in the end thats what really matters right? These are collectables after all. They are not life or death. They are simply here to enjoy and entertain our feeble minds :D

 

 

Well said! And a group of very cool books!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great idea for a thread!

 

Ok, here goes.

 

1) Fletcher Hanks. His facial drawings remind me of the Larson cartoon about the many moods of your Irish Setter. Except that Larson can draw.

 

the-many-moods-of-the-irish-setter.jpg

 

2) Basil Wolverton. His work looks like underground comics from 30 years later - and not in a good way. (Hey, Jon, wanna start a thread about unpopular opinions about underground comix?) Especially Mad #11 - only the completist in me allowed me to buy such an unattractive comic.

 

3) I'm with .5 on the 1940s Kirby. In fact, I love Kirby's work from 1961 to 1970, but can't warm to much before or after that. (Notable exception is the cover of Foxhole #1 from 1954)

 

4) EC horror comics (for the most part). I love ECs and have about 150 of them now, but only have a couple of the horror comics because they tend to go for the gross out factor at the expense of decent story telling.

 

Thanks for the opportunity to vent. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the colors Schomburg used, and he was very versatile, his Xela covers are totally different than the busy war covers.

 

Do some of the Marvel Mysteries look alike...yes...but I look for color for the most part, my favorites are the Wonder Comics..

 

The Lady Luck covers have always bothered me, the characters are very elongated. ..and Doiby Dickles, lol. I love Green Lantern, but Doiby, not so much. (Sorry, Larry;)

 

:sorry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1) Fletcher Hanks. His facial drawings remind me of the Larson cartoon about the many moods of your Irish Setter. Except that Larson can draw.

 

the-many-moods-of-the-irish-setter.jpg

This was intended to be a non-judgemental thread. But that was before I knew how wrong you were going to be. :facepalm:

 

2) Basil Wolverton. His work looks like underground comics from 30 years later - and not in a good way. (Hey, Jon, wanna start a thread about unpopular opinions about underground comix?) Especially Mad #11 - only the completist in me allowed me to buy such an unattractive comic.

Mad #11 is ugly, to be fair. But Wolverton really shines on sci-fi and horror stories.

 

4) EC horror comics (for the most part). I love ECs and have about 150 of them now, but only have a couple of the horror comics because they tend to go for the gross out factor at the expense of decent story telling.

Some are shlocky, but IMO they are extremely well-crafted for what they are, and shot through with a dark humor that keeps them engaging.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thing about golden age and I know everyone has different tastes, and someone mentioned they don't care about #1's but my holy grails ARE the #1's !

I would rather have a Journey into Mystery #1 than an #83, same with Strange Tales , unfortunately they almost NEVER are available , I also would love a Showcase #1 ... but I have only seen just one for sale in five years,...

Another thread highlights the Detective #1 for sale soon, and wow ! that would be my all time holy grail !! not #27

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
9 9