You are the champion of this obscure title, artist, issue, etc.

[adamstrange]

Here are a couple of mine:

 

1. Ajax/Farrell horror books: it seems like I'm the only one who thinks that the interior artwork on these books is exceptional. Yet these Iger studio artists remain unheralded, and in many cases, nameless. Am I the only one that thinks that the covers to Voodoo #8, and Haunted Thrills #5, #6 and #8 are amazing?

The cover art is great and the interior stories are very enjoyable. I don't know that I would call the art amazing, but it does suit the stories.

 

2. Women Outlaws: this Fox title has some really wild stories of non-fictional and fictional women in the old west. The first issue's women outlaws story (the other stories are not women-related) is particularly off-color.

 

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

 

3. L.B. Cole's cover to Horrors of Mystery #13. I have no idea why this cover isn't highly sought after by Cole collectors.

 

'Cuz I already got mine?

[Zonker]

I'm not sure this qualifies for 'nobody cares,' but I think the Jerry Robinson GA Batman & Robin stories are head & shoulders above the contemporary stories. For some reason the Robinson-illustrated stories are clustered together in a few issues (must have been easier to schedule that way?) In particular, #31 and #37 are all-Robinson issues and to my way of thinking ought to command a premium.

 

Hey Zonker, I find this quite interesting. Do you mean that there was no Bob Kane involvement with these 2 issues? Is the interior art anything like Robinson's beautiful run of Detective covers? I've always loved the cover to Batman #37....

 

Yes, by this time, Bob Kane's personal involvement was winding down. At this point, I believe DC had hired Sprang to work directly for them, outside the Kane studio. Most of the non-Sprang stuff signed Bob Kane during this period was either Robinson or Jack Burnley.

 

I think Robinson's interiors are great! Several of his stories were reprinted in the treasury sized Limited Collectors Editions and then the 100 Page Super-Spectaculars. Check 'em out!

 

Bat 31 index page

 

Bat 37 index page

[Moondog]

Herbie.

 

All the highest graded copies in the census are mine (there may be more now - I haven't checked in awhile). And I own the original of the cover to # 8.

 

I just felt an affinity for this awkward, fat, young boy who through the miracle of magic lipops could do anything.

 

And Bob, I've got a great story about that Chicago Con Supersnipe dealer. Don't have time to tell it now, but I will in the next few days...

 

--Gary

[bobpfef]

Herbie.

 

All the highest graded copies in the census are mine (there may be more now - I haven't checked in awhile). And I own the original of the cover to # 8.

 

I just felt an affinity for this awkward, fat, young boy who through the miracle of magic lipops could do anything.

 

 

Herbie is awesome. I don't have any high grade copies but I've enjoyed the heck out the the few readers I have.

 

And Bob, I've got a great story about that Chicago Con Supersnipe dealer. Don't have time to tell it now, but I will in the next few days...

 

I can't wait. I am glad someone else remembers him. I've lost his name in the sands of time.

[143ksk]

Francis the Talking Mule

[Point Five]

Thanks, Zonker!

[Point Five]

Great thread, Paul!

 

I am partial to the early Fantastic Comics put out by Fox, circa 1939-1940. I especially adore the Stardust and Space Smith backup stories, which were drawn & written by the same guy...he alternately calls himself Fletcher Hanks, Hank Fletcher or Hank Christy. A simple yet quite bizarre graphic style to his art, and wild "what-was-he-thinking" plots that read like the imagination of a demented ten-year-old, somewhat reminiscent of early Basil Wolverton. I would love to know something/anything about this writer-artist. I believe he also did Fantomah backup stories for the first year or two of Jungle Comics, too. I don't know of any output of his past 1941, so maybe he served in the army once WWII started? Does anyone have any information on this guy?

[Apotheosis]

Probably Wings Comics. Outside of the GGA covers nobody seems to be interested in these at all. Makes it kind of nice though. They end up selling below guide quite often.

[Comicdey]

Moondog,

 

Please relate your supersnipe dealer story when you have some time on the board .

 

Thanks

[Comicdey]

I should have mentioned that I only have one Herbie, and it's a great read. I'm assuming that you have a nice reader set to go along with your slabs.

 

Another underappreciated titles in my opinio is Airboy/Air Fighters.

 

I only have about 10 of them or so, and they are fun reading and pretty well drawn with classic war storylines and later sci fi with the heap.

 

They can sometimes be had for less than $10 in lower grade.

 

Even mid to high grade rarely top $50 on ebay.

[*paull*]

and I think that Comicdey and I the only ones who know that Bomber Comics exists and care.

[143ksk]

Another underappreciated titles in my opinio is Airboy/Air Fighters.

 

I only have about 10 of them or so, and they are fun reading and pretty well drawn with classic war storylines and later sci fi with the heap.

 

I agree . I have about 40-50 and have always enjoyed reading them. Very well written and often well drawn as well.

[Scrooge]

Another underappreciated titles in my opinion is Airboy/Air Fighters.

 

Actually you'll find that quite a few of us on the boards appreciate those Airboys. I know I do as do 143ksk and bobpfef. I have been picking them up as I go and have now 23 of the 111 issues and yes I paid only an average of $10.30 shipped for them, all from eBay. That series was fortunate to have had some good art through out even though the artist roster was a revolving door. Good stuff

[Scrooge]

Another underappreciated titles in my opinio is Airboy/Air Fighters.

 

I only have about 10 of them or so, and they are fun reading and pretty well drawn with classic war storylines and later sci fi with the heap.

 

I agree . I have about 40-50 and have always enjoyed reading them. Very well written and often well drawn as well.

 

You beat me to it

[Comicdey]

You weren't supposed to tell anyone.

[*paull*]

It's OK, they still don't have any idea what we're talking about.

[Moondog]

The person Bob is referring to is Larry Mason. Larry and his wife, Beverly, ran a collector's store in Rockford, Illinois called Toad Hall. They were a staple at all the Chicago-area shows in the 70's and 80's.

 

Larry was a huge record collector. He loved music much more than comics. In fact he and Beverly looked with disdain at comic collectors who were concerned more with condition than the book itself. They both liked comics, but more as a medium to tell stories than as investments.

 

The very first comic book show I ever set up at was in Dolton, IL (a south suburb of Chicago). Leroy Szidik ran a monthly show at the Holiday Inn. This was a month or two before the 1976 Chicago Con founded by Larry Charet and Joe Sarno. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had piles of comics on a single table. No bags. No prices. I was an insufficiently_thoughtful_person.

 

Next to me was this whirling dervish of a woman. She was doing brisk business and everyone was saying hi to her and she seemed to me to be in complete control. She was maybe 5 feet tall and probably tipped the scales at close to 250 lbs. But she was a goddess. All her books were wrapped in plastic. They had little stickers on them. And most of all when people asked her questions - she had the answers. I was in awe.

 

Anyway after a few hours she walks over and starts up a conversation. "Hi, I'm Mad Ruthie!" she said. "My real names Beverly, but if you want to get ahead in this business, come up with a cool nickname and people will remember you better." She then proceeds to give me advice on how to sell comics at shows. We really hit if off. She took me under her wing. We became fast friends.

 

Later during pack up she saunters over and shows me a copy of, "the coolest comic book you'll ever read, " she says. "Supersnipe, the Boy with the Most Comic Books in America - He eats 'em, breathes, 'em and sleeps 'em..." Being born in 1951 and a baby boomer who grew up on SA Marvels, I had never seen a Supersnipe. "Larry, my husband, and I always buy every Supersnipe we can find," she said. "Someday I'm gonna have every copy!" When I asked why, she said simply, "Because they're dirt cheap and really good. I can read them in the bath tub. I can read them eating a Whopper with everything. I can read them on a hot, humid summer day without worrying about damaging them. I never pay more than a buck either," she boasted.

 

So over the years I always kept an eye out for Supersnipes. One day I found 2 copies in a small collection that came into my store. I called her and asked if she still was interested. "Hell, yeah! But remember, I only pay a buck!"

 

Fast forward to the late 80's or early 90's...I get a phone call from a collector in the Chattanooga area who has a very extensive GA collection. Jon Warren and Steve Fishler also are contacted and he arranges for all of us to view them together. Action 1 up. Superman 1 up. Almost every DC and a lot of Timely's too. The kicker...absolutely the worst condition collection I've ever seen. I'm not kidding. The paper was so brittle that it was difficult to count the pages. I was filthy after just a few minutes of going through them. Steve, in his droll, very dry sense of humor, dubbed the lot "The Mile Low Collection." I still chuckle at that thought.

 

Then I saw them. Supersnipes. Not one copy. Not a couple. But over 90% of the run. In fact it was only missing 2 copies. And they were beautiful. I couldn't believe it. Of all the books in this collection of thousands. The best condition copies were the Supersnipes. Then a stroke of genius hit me. I suggested to Steve and Jon that they buy me out of the deal. "Give me 5 grand and the Supersnipes and I walk. You guys can split the collection."

 

Needless to say they agreed immediately - obviously thinking me completely loony. After taking 20 minutes to wash my hands, I called a cab and headed to the airport with my Supersnipes. As soon as I got home I called Bev and told her about my find. She said, "Moondog, you've finally hit the big one! Way to go!" Windy City Collection - tish tosh...those books were nothing to Beverly, butSupersnipes were true gold to her.

 

I kept those issues for a long time. Only selling them a few years ago. And, of course, they went to another goofy Supersnipe guy who couldn't believe he found them all in one place.

 

As a postscript to this very long story, after that first show where I met Mad Ruthie from Toad Hall, I took her advice and called my fledgling comic book business "a goofy name that people would remember", Moondog's. It was a nickname I had picked up in college. Ultimately it became one of my most valuable assets.

 

Larry and Beverly have both passed on. They were truly original characters. And I miss them dearly.

 

Sorry to bore you, but I warned you it was coming.

 

--Gary

[shrunkenhead]

 

Larry was a huge record collector. He loved music much more than comics. In fact he and Beverly looked with disdain at comic collectors who were concerned more with condition than the book itself. They both liked comics, but more as a medium to tell stories than as investments.

 

 

This fellow wouldn't be the same owner of a "Larry's Records" in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida...would he?

[Moondog]

Nope. He lived his entire adult life in Rockford.

[shrunkenhead]

Ah well...thought there might be a correlation there. Truly excellent story, thank you for taking the time to post!