This Month in My Magazine Collection, or "How I Got Most of the Warren Mags in a Month" 2 2

[Makmorn]

I think you will find some of the other Warren's with different widths. Pretty sure some Eerie issues (#7 for example) are wider than some of the other issues, not a lot, but a little bit wider.

Most of the time it depended on the printer, and Warren didn't use the same printer all the time. That's why some issues are more scarce than others, or slightly different in size.

It was nothing planned, it was either the printer couldn't get to it, or prices changed.

Both of these were scanned with the same scanner, but look how close to the edge the #7 is.

 

Edited January 31, 2023 by Makmorn

[Axe Elf]

On 1/31/2023 at 3:13 PM, Makmorn said:

Most of the time it depended on the printer, and Warren didn't use the same printer all the time. That's why some issues are more scarce than others, or slightly different in size.

It was nothing planned, it was either the printer couldn't get to it, or prices changed.

I guess I can accept lax standards as the explanation, given the time at which these books were printed.  It's just odd that After Hours #4 got left "out" as the lone skinny issue of that title.

As far as the EERIEs go, #2-4 all appear to be a little narrower than #5-10 on my own personal scans, so that speaks to a printer change between issues 4 and 5--but my #7 appears to be the same width as the other issues in that 6-issue run (#11 seemed to be a little narrower again).

Thanks for all the information and insight though; I do appreciate it.

[Makmorn]

Printer issues were a real thing, Creepy #9 is rare due to a bad blade at the printer that tore hundreds of copies that were later scrapped because they were unacceptable.

[Axe Elf]

I can't even get excited...

This is the same place that recently sold a Harris Vampi #1 for $810, so I don't even know what they're trying to sell here.

Funny that the EERIE #1 auction closes on February 5, though; exactly one year after I placed my first Warren order...

 

[OtherEric]

On 2/1/2023 at 6:13 PM, Axe Elf said:

I can't even get excited...

This is the same place that recently sold a Harris Vampi #1 for $810, so I don't even know what they're trying to sell here.

Funny that the EERIE #1 auction closes on February 5, though; exactly one year after I placed my first Warren order...

 

I’m almost willing to bet that not only you don’t even know, THEY don’t even know.

[ArkhamCastle]

Guys does this Eerie # 1 look legitimate to you?

[chevalmeow]

Definitely not.  There isn't any detailed information provided for such a rare book to be sold at auction.  No size dimensions, no staple type,  no interior photos, etc.  Also incorrectly listed as Golden Age.

[Randall Dowling]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:46 AM, ArkhamCastle said:

Guys does this Eerie # 1 look legitimate to you?

Caveat Emptor.  As I've posted before, I would be wary of purchasing any copy of that magazine without very strong provenance.  There are so many versions of that book from photocopies to copies printed at Warren to counterfeits that, without lots of experience with all versions in person, I won't pay for a copy.  Some of the most experienced dealers, that have been selling books for 40+ years, don't have confidence in identifying which is which. 

Also, I don't consider it a magazine. 

[Axe Elf]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:46 AM, ArkhamCastle said:

Guys does this Eerie # 1 look legitimate to you?

On 2/2/2023 at 10:36 AM, chevalmeow said:

Definitely not.  There isn't any detailed information provided for such a rare book to be sold at auction.  No size dimensions, no staple type,  no interior photos, etc.  Also incorrectly listed as Golden Age.

On 2/2/2023 at 1:34 PM, Randall Dowling said:

Caveat Emptor.  As I've posted before, I would be wary of purchasing any copy of that magazine without very strong provenance.  There are so many versions of that book from photocopies to copies printed at Warren to counterfeits that, without lots of experience with all versions in person, I won't pay for a copy.  Some of the most experienced dealers, that have been selling books for 40+ years, don't have confidence in identifying which is which. 

Also, I don't consider it a magazine. 

I wrote to them a few days ago when I first saw it and asked that since it's hard to authenticate this issue, how had they been able to certify this as a legitimate EERIE #1, but they have not replied, so I'm guessing they're probably not too interested in certifying it; just interested in getting the most money they can from it.

[ArkhamCastle]

Thanks Guys, I was pretty sure by the way it was listed with no real detailed info etc. that it was probably not legit.

[Axe Elf]

On 2/2/2023 at 3:48 PM, ArkhamCastle said:

Thanks Guys, I was pretty sure by the way it was listed with no real detailed info etc. that it was probably not legit.

I mean, it COULD be legit--but I don't think the seller is interested in verifying/guaranteeing it.

It does say returns are accepted, so I guess if you want to take the gamble you could always buy it and try to authenticate it upon receipt, and if it's bogus, then you should be able to return it as a counterfeit for a refund.

[Jayman]

This is not the kind of book you buy or bid on line. You have to see it in person, hold it and look at it closely. Have your information and questions at the ready to make the best choice.

[Axe Elf]

On 2/2/2023 at 1:44 PM, Axe Elf said:

I wrote to them a few days ago when I first saw it and asked that since it's hard to authenticate this issue, how had they been able to certify this as a legitimate EERIE #1, but they have not replied, so I'm guessing they're probably not too interested in certifying it; just interested in getting the most money they can from it.

I did get this reply today, though it seems copied and pasted from a guide somewhere...

"This is a FIRST PRINTING - You can tell by these signs: B & W, 5 1/4" wide x 7 1/4 high. On page 18, panel 5, in the upper-left hand corner, the large rear view of a bald headed man blends into solid black and is unrecognizable."

[oakman29]

On 1/26/2023 at 12:42 PM, Axe Elf said:

Mad respect dude. That's a helluva feather in your cap.😎👍

[oakman29]

On 2/2/2023 at 5:46 AM, ArkhamCastle said:

Guys does this Eerie # 1 look legitimate to you?

As far as Eerie#1's are concerned consult one of us older veteran Warren guys before you purchase a copy.  There are alot of fakes.

[OtherEric]

On 2/3/2023 at 5:34 PM, oakman29 said:

As far as Eerie#1's are concerned consult one of us older veteran Warren guys before you purchase a copy.  There are alot of fakes.

At this point I would probably be willing to pay $20-30 for a decent fake, but the only ones I’ve seen aren’t even good fakes.

[Axe Elf]

On 2/3/2023 at 7:42 PM, OtherEric said:

At this point I would probably be willing to pay $20-30 for a decent fake, but the only ones I’ve seen aren’t even good fakes.

What size do you want the paper to be?

[Axe Elf]

On 2/3/2023 at 1:50 PM, Axe Elf said:

I did get this reply today, though it seems copied and pasted from a guide somewhere...

"This is a FIRST PRINTING - You can tell by these signs: B & W, 5 1/4" wide x 7 1/4 high. On page 18, panel 5, in the upper-left hand corner, the large rear view of a bald headed man blends into solid black and is unrecognizable."

It's just so freaking tempting, ending on February 5 and all.

So I ventured back...

"Well yeah, but one would think that the later forgeries looked like first printings too.

Your listing says that you accept returns at your shipping expense.  So if I buy this and have it appraised, you will happily pay for return shipping and provide a full refund if it turns out to be anything other than an authentic first printing of EERIE #1?"

[Axe Elf]

So about an hour ago, I rather wistfully watched someone else purchase that "EERIE #1" for $1,434 on daBay, and with that, it felt like my Year of Collecting Warren, which began with my first order for a lot of 6 EERIEs on that very platform on February 5 of last year, was finally over.  I fell a little short of my goal to finish the collection in a year, but only a VERY little--basically one $25 book I just never found (I started looking pretty late in the year), and an EERIE #1, which I will probably never have anyway.

It has really been an awesome year, and I am SO GLAD that I found this Forum to share it with!  There is literally no one else in my life who gives two figs about these books; they're happy I'm happy with them, but they mean nothing to them.  So pretty much everything I know about these books I have learned from all of you sharing your wisdom and experience with me.

I am grateful for that camaraderie with everyone here, if nothing else, and I'm more deeply indebted than that to many of you, for your education, for your participation in my reading club, for your tips on finding books I'd been looking for, and for your deals on books you've offered to sell to me.  If I hadn't found this Forum shortly after my journey began, I might have ended up collecting all the CREEPYs and EERIEs, but I doubt that I would have been tempted to venture into even the VAMPIRELLA title--let alone ALL the other titles that I pretty much had no idea were in existence until joining this community.  But you talked me into them. 

And even outside of this forum, I've learned so much more about comics in general than I ever knew before--grading, a rudimentary idea of what the big dollar comics are, the CGC risk/reward process, etc.--from the other forums here.  It has all been an invaluable experience for me.

And hopefully for you, to ride along with me.

In fact, I think I should nominate myself for Forum Member of the Year!

In my first year as a CGC Forums member, I...

• collected every U.S. version of every magazine Warren ever printed, excluding the Famous Monsters of Filmland title, EERIE #1, and the #12b variant of HELP!
• made purchases and utilized tips from members of this board to complete my collection
• shared my progress and acquisitions and welcomed discussion on them in this thread, and in my five Galleries devoted to displaying the above:

1. The Po'Boy EERIE Collection (Still need to update this gallery with my latest dozen upgrades, though.)
2. A CREEPY Collection for the Rest of Us (Not as good as the VAMPIRELLAs; not as bad as the EERIEs.)
3. The Lottery Ticket Vampirella Collection (If these were all graded, I'd probably have one of the top 10 Vampirella collections in the registry.)
4. Down the Warren Rabbit Hole (Every other Warren magazine ever published, sans those listed above.)
5. Other Warranted Warrenesque Warrenness (Magazines and comics inspired by Warren from other publishers.)

• instituted and maintained the Warren Magazine Reading Club
• learned enough about comic grading to finish in the top half of my second-ever grading contest
• contributed my share of funny cat pictures to the Water Cooler
• was able to start a Religion Hut and discuss my personal beliefs without damning anyone to hell
• was one of the very few people able to correctly solve the Two-Dice Puzzle
• and I have never received any moderation points or negative feedback about any of my transactions or activities (to my knowledge)

VOTE AXE ELF FORUM MEMBER OF THE YEAR!

Edited April 6, 2023 by Axe Elf

[Axe Elf]

One of my first projects for Year Two (other than keeping my eye out for HELP! #12b and affordable upgrades as they become available) is to give all of the books which came with a viable bag/board in the first place new bags and boards.  Obviously, books which did NOT come with a viable bag/board in the first place were given new bags and boards upon arrival, so I'm not replacing the ones that were new last year--but all the others--and that includes pretty much all of the CREEPY and VAMPIRELLA runs, as they came already packed in individual bags and boards.

The CREEPY run, however, seems to have been largely bagged long ago, and a lot of them are so murky now you couldn't read through two of them together, plus having price/grade/blurb stickers on them from what I would assume is the LCS of the guy whose son inherited them to sell them to me, as the stickers and writing are all fairly consistent--but I want to see the covers, not stickers.  So the upgrade is a visible improvement--and some of these beauties are looking awfully good in their new clothing!

CREEPY #90 is particularly striking in hand--although the scans seem to magnify every little white spot--but believe me, in hand and in its new bag, this is about as glassy of a black obsidian cover as you will ever see.  I tried scanning it in the bag to see if I could capture the shine of it, but I think the bag just added a couple more little white spots for the scanner to expose.  So I think the raw image is a little better than the bagged image, but you'll have to take my word for how gorgeous the newly-bagged book is in hand.