PGM Famous Monsters of Filmland 34 3 3

[Famous Monsters Forryever]

First PGM here.  Trying to learn how to grade.  This is Famous Monsters of Filmland #34 from August 1965.  It has little value but it is a good PGM candidate as there are a lot of subtle issues.  Overall it looks pretty good but here are some issues I see.  I look forward to your grade.  If you could provide your rationale it would be a great learning tool.  

Here's what I see...apologies in advance for incorrect nomenclature.  Feel free to correct me.  

1.   Dent in lower left corner

2. Staples bumps have broken color on front cover (what is this called?)

3. Stain? on upper right back cover

4. Color breaking and stain/scuff on spine

5. Some kind of crinkling, front cover upper left edge

6. Little dents/dings, front cover upper right edge

7. Staple bumps back cover

What else?
Thanks for the help!
Alec

[vheflin]

First one of those I've seen in here.  I still remember buying them at a newsstand in the 70s.

There was a joke shop nearby (across the street from the Playboy club) that had all the masks lined up on the wall.  Never got one they were so  expensive!

Square-bound issues like staple bumps shouldn't detract from the grade because it's part of production.

The stain looks more like dirt which can be cleaned.

7.0 oww

[Famous Monsters Forryever]

6 minutes ago, vheflin said:

First one of those I've seen in here.  I still remember buying them at a newsstand in the 70s.

There was a joke shop nearby (across the street from the Playboy club) that had all the masks lined up on the wall.  Never got one they were so  expensive!

Square-bound issues like staple bumps shouldn't detract from the grade because it's part of production.

The stain looks more like dirt which can be cleaned.

7.0 oww

Thanks vheflin!  I enjoyed these too as a kid in the early 70s.  You're right, the masks were so cool but soooo expensive.  I always wanted to buy back issues they offered but I didn't have any $.  Since January I've decided to try to assemble an above average collection of issues 1-35 and need to sharpen my grading skills!  If you know any collectors please send them my way.  My Competitive Set is available at https://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/PeopleSetDetail.aspx?PeopleSetID=145485

Thanks again...I'm going to post some more soon.

Alec

[Qalyar]

55 minutes ago, Elroy Jetson said:

Thanks vheflin!  I enjoyed these too as a kid in the early 70s.  You're right, the masks were so cool but soooo expensive.  I always wanted to buy back issues they offered but I didn't have any $.  Since January I've decided to try to assemble an above average collection of issues 1-35 and need to sharpen my grading skills!  If you know any collectors please send them my way.  My Competitive Set is available at https://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/PeopleSetDetail.aspx?PeopleSetID=145485

Thanks again...I'm going to post some more soon.

Alec

That 7.0 Ghoul Eye in your set is a really sweet copy of an really tough book.

[Famous Monsters Forryever]

Thanks Qalyar!  I lucked into that one few months ago on EBay.  It's the highest graded for now!  Super proud of that snag.  I have a 6.0 too.

Alec

[Deadpoolica]

7.0

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, Elroy Jetson said:

Thanks Qalyar!  I lucked into that one few months ago on EBay.  It's the highest graded for now!  Super proud of that snag.  I have a 6.0 too.

Alec

The distinctive wear/storage patterns, as well as the near perfect wall of the spine indicates that this was from the Warren Warehouse and likely was never on a rack; never distributed. Early in the FMOF run, maybe about issue 50 or so, you could still order back issues directly from the publisher, #s26 and 34 among the last ones inventoried for availability. My feeling is that they either printed more of certain issues than others, or these particular issues may not havebeen fully distributed as intended, thus warehoused. 

If I'm not mistaken, the Koch's, Pete and Joe, may have actually had cases of some FMOF issues in the 26-51 range, and a few different annuals, as late as the early 90s. 

It would be included in their "instant store stock specials", much like Million Comics did. 

And last but not least, wit my uncanny sense of timing, I saved the best for last: 

 

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by James J Johnson

[Famous Monsters Forryever]

 

52 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

The distinctive wear/storage patterns, as well as the near perfect wall of the spine indicates that this was from the Warren Warehouse and likely was never on a rack; never distributed. Early in the FMOF run, maybe about issue 50 or so, you could still order back issues directly from the publisher, #s26 and 34 among the last ones inventoried for availability. My feeling is that they either printed more of certain issues than others, or these particular issues may not havebeen fully distributed as intended, thus warehoused. 

If I'm not mistaken, the Koch's, Pete and Joe, may have actually had cases of some FMOF issues in the 26-51 range, and a few different annuals, as late as the early 90s. 

It would be included in their "instant store stock specials", much like Million Comics did. 

And last but not least, wit my uncanny sense of timing, I saved the best for last: 

 

 

 

Thanks for the welcome!!  And I completely agree this was a back issue that was sold later.  Alas, these don't tend to bring a lot of value.  Currently, I am only focusing on 1-35.  

Alec

[James J Johnson]

50 minutes ago, Elroy Jetson said:

 

Thanks for the welcome!!  And I completely agree this was a back issue that was sold later.  Alas, these don't tend to bring a lot of value.  Currently, I am only focusing on 1-35.  

Alec

That's a fantastic run. Good luck assembling that. That's the whole history of horror/fantasy films from 1902 in through the 1960s. Very little in the way of special effects; more in the way of ingenuity and imagination. 

[Famous Monsters Forryever]

I love this magazine.  It's what Spielberg and Lucas grew up on!  Check out my progress since January!  https://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/PeopleSetDetail.aspx?PeopleSetID=145485

 

[Galen130]

6.5/7.0.  The 'crinkling' near the top spine corner is most likely a result of drop damage, causing stress creases/wrinkles.  At least, that's what I see from the pics.  My honest, amateur opinion. 

[Funnybooks]

7.0