Golden Age Collections 2 2

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 8:58 AM, Robot Man said:

I have owned every Marvel key except Amazing Fantasy #15. A couple friends had one. They were stored in my bedroom closet. Their parents didn’t want them to have comics so their collections were stored at my house. I read their copies several times but when I got bitten by the “10 cent plague” and went to the dark age of GA, my money went there. They always seemed so common. Sadly, when I moved out of the house at 17 my mom “cleaned out” that closet…

I came into Spiderman with #121 although the first copy I bought was #123 off the stands. I loved the whole Gwen death, clone, MJ love, jackal period. I think it was Giant-Size Superheroes #1 that had that gallery of first appearances of Spider-Man villains that got me obsessed to do a complete Spider-Man run. I don’t remember the exact date but I completed my set of Marvel keys pretty early on. There was a swap meet just a few miles away from me I’d hit on weekends and there were a few sellers who would bundle Comics in packs of 10 to maybe 30 comics with string tied around them. It was a great way to build runs.

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 7:17 AM, circumstances said:

Me! Compiled from 1975 to the late 1990s when I stopped.

100% raw, baby!

Me too. I only have posted stuff here when I signed up in 2011 because when I buy it now it’s already scanned. I am not going back and scan my stuff.

 

[Robot Man]

On 9/20/2022 at 9:50 AM, N e r V said:

I came into Spiderman with #121 although the first copy I bought was #123 off the stands. I loved the whole Gwen death, clone, MJ love, jackal period. I think it was Giant-Size Superheroes #1 that had that gallery of first appearances of Spider-Man villains that got me obsessed to do a complete Spider-Man run. I don’t remember the exact date but I completed my set of Marvel keys pretty early on. There was a swap meet just a few miles away from me I’d hit on weekends and there were a few sellers who would bundle Comics in packs of 10 to maybe 30 comics with string tied around them. It was a great way to build runs.

Yeah, swap meets and flea markets were loaded with cheap vintage comics in the LA area. I remember trolling the Rose Bowl with Jamie Newbold and Ski Mark Ford. We often split up collections amongst ourselves. I remember getting my Reform School Girl, an All Star #4 and lots of ECs and PCH there.

Edited September 20, 2022 by Robot Man

[circumstances]

On 9/20/2022 at 12:56 PM, N e r V said:

Me too. I only have posted stuff here when I signed up in 2011 because when I buy it now it’s already scanned. I am not going back and scan my stuff.

 

I took a bunch of crappy photos with a cellphone when I joined!

 

No scanner.

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 9:57 AM, Robot Man said:

Yeah, swap meets and flea markets were loaded with cheap vintage comics in the LA area. I remember trolling the Rose Bowl with Jamie Newbold and Ski. We often split up collections amongst ourselves. I remember getting my Reform School Girl, an All Star #4 and lots of ECs and PCH there.

Yeah it’s hard to explain how it was back then unless you lived in it. I’d go visit family in LA hit the comic shops but my family liked antique shops so I’d see GA books there at times too. Used book stores where I lived had GA and SA comics. Pulps too. San Diego had the yearly con but it was pretty good with comic shops too. Spent many hours at Richard Alfs and Pacific comics stores. House of comics, Estell,etc..

I was buying at a furious pace once I had the bug….

[Robot Man]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:06 AM, N e r V said:

Yeah it’s hard to explain how it was back then unless you lived in it. I’d go visit family in LA hit the comic shops but my family liked antique shops so I’d see GA books there at times too. Used book stores where I lived had GA and SA comics. Pulps too. San Diego had the yearly con but it was pretty good with comic shops too. Spent many hours at Richard Alfs and Pacific comics stores. House of comics, Estell,etc..

I was buying at a furious pace once I had the bug….

Indeed! Ever hit Cherokee, Collector’s Book Store or Bond Street in Hollywood? I used to bump into a lot of SD folks in those stores. I didn’t drive so it wasn’t until I went to the 3rd SDCC that I hit the SD stores. 

[circumstances]

On 9/20/2022 at 12:57 PM, Robot Man said:

Yeah, swap meets and flea markets were loaded with cheap vintage comics in the LA area. I remember trolling the Rose Bowl with Jamie Newbold and Ski. We often split up collections amongst ourselves. I remember getting my Reform School Girl, an All Star #4 and lots of ECs and PCH there.

I made lots of flea market finds in the 1970s.

Quarter books, 50 cent books, dollar books.

There was one guy who would set up every week.

 

He had a big three ring notebook with dozens of plastic sleeves that he'd always put out on one of his tables.

 

In each sleeve, back to back, was 1950s horror and Sci fi comics (except EC).

Dozens of them. Brain Bats of Venus and the like. All in nice shape.

I loved them, but the prices were exorbitant. $12, $15, $18. Brain Bats was $35!

I tried on numerous occasions to buy the whole binder, or to get more reasonable prices on individual books or groups of books. I don't think he ever budged on price.

I can't recall him ever selling anything at those prices in those days.

Wonder what ever happened to them/him.

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:13 AM, circumstances said:

I made lots of flea market finds in the 1970s.

Quarter books, 50 cent books, dollar books.

There was one guy who would set up every week.

 

He had a big three ring notebook with dozens of plastic sleeves that he'd always put out on one of his tables.

 

In each sleeve, back to back, was 1950s horror and Sci fi comics (except EC).

Dozens of them. Brain Bats of Venus and the like. All in nice shape.

I loved them, but the prices were exorbitant. $12, $15, $18. Brain Bats was $35!

I tried on numerous occasions to buy the whole binder, or to get more reasonable prices on individual books or groups of books. I don't think he ever budged on price.

I can't recall him ever selling anything at those prices in those days.

Wonder what ever happened to them/him.

I’m pulling this from memory but I want to say 15 and 20 cent books were priced at 25 cents each. Wasn’t a lot of difference buying a set of Marvel team-up #1-10 or Iron man #1-10. Some of the older SA went up a bit per copy. GA was more expensive but laughable now looking back. I really, really miss that swap meet. It become apartments or condos I believe.

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:11 AM, Robot Man said:

Indeed! Ever hit Cherokee, Collector’s Book Store or Bond Street in Hollywood? I used to bump into a lot of SD folks in those stores. I didn’t drive so it wasn’t until I went to the 3rd SDCC that I hit the SD stores. 

Oh yes, Cherokee. My family was going there long before I got introduced into comics. That’s a shrine and holy grail all in one. I had family living throughout LA so I’d ask for the yellow pages when I got there to see which comic shops were close to where they lived. I’d beg my parents before we left to make time to visit. Hit and miss with that. I’d love to see an old yellow pages from LA circa 1974 or 1975 to see which ones I remember. It was always cool if someone was big enough to have a little box ad vs just a line with phone and address.

A family member  visiting Washington state around 1974 or 1975 where I also had a lot of family living brought me back a newspaper clipping of Rod Dykes shop. There were all kinds of comics in the backdrop I obsessed over. That’s were I first saw peg board and began using it as a backdrop.

 

Just remember too I lived off the America Comic Book company’s rapid want list system. Got all kinds of cool stuff from them.

[Robot Man]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:13 AM, circumstances said:

I made lots of flea market finds in the 1970s.

Quarter books, 50 cent books, dollar books.

There was one guy who would set up every week.

 

He had a big three ring notebook with dozens of plastic sleeves that he'd always put out on one of his tables.

 

In each sleeve, back to back, was 1950s horror and Sci fi comics (except EC).

Dozens of them. Brain Bats of Venus and the like. All in nice shape.

I loved them, but the prices were exorbitant. $12, $15, $18. Brain Bats was $35!

I tried on numerous occasions to buy the whole binder, or to get more reasonable prices on individual books or groups of books. I don't think he ever budged on price.

I can't recall him ever selling anything at those prices in those days.

Wonder what ever happened to them/him.

Yeah, I wonder the same thing about a lot of people. My little brother’s friend had an older brother about 4-5 years older than me. One day we went into his basement and he showed me his brother’s trunk. It was packed! I didn’t get to look at them much but I do remember a Frazetta Famous Funnies, a Tales from the Crypt and some old Batman’s. I tried to buy them but even though his brother was well past comics he wouldn’t sell me any. I never got to really see them all but occasionsly, I have had dreams about them and wonder what happened to them…

[Robot Man]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:51 AM, N e r V said:

Oh yes, Cherokee. My family was going there long before I got introduced into comics. That’s a shrine and holy grail all in one. I had family living throughout LA so I’d ask for the yellow pages when I got there to see which comic shops were close to where they lived. I’d beg my parents before we left to make time to visit. Hit and miss with that. I’d love to see an old yellow pages from LA circa 1974 or 1975 to see which ones I remember. It was always cool if someone was big enough to have a little box ad vs just a line with phone and address.

A family member  visiting Washington state around 1974 or 1975 where I also had a lot of family living brought me back a newspaper clipping of Rod Dykes shop. There were all kinds of comics in the backdrop I obsessed over. That’s were I first saw peg board and began using it as a backdrop.

 

Just remember too I lived off the America Comic Book company’s rapid want list system. Got all kinds of cool stuff from them.

Hollywood was a Mecca for early comic book stores. I know @Tri-ColorBrianused to haunt those stores as well as well as the Carter’s from SD.

Yeah, I was good friends with David T Alexander, Terry Stroud and Carl Macek. I hit their shop all the time. Books were coming through the doors faster than they could process them. They were real pricey though.

I do remember they were real hipsters especially for comic guys. They threw some wild parties complete with attractive girls! I think I might have a couple photos somewhere. 

[Marty Mann]

Comic Books were everywhere!

The really tough part was deciding on which one to purchase.

Funds almost always consisted of 10 cent which limited my purchasing power.

On a very rare occasion I would have 15 cents which is why I have a limited number of

COMIC CAVALCADES (6) WORLD'S FINEST (8).

Of course it was always easy to select a first issue or a new to me title but choosing from

the regulars was a lot harder. I would guess that the cover is how I made most of my

selections. ..but sometimes it was just impulse.

FOUR COLORS and CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED took a little time to decide on...but CAPTAIN

MARVEL ADVENTURES, DETECTIVE COMICS and BATMAN were always an easy choice.

 

 

[Robot Man]

On 9/20/2022 at 11:24 AM, Marty Mann said:

Comic Books were everywhere!

The really tough part was deciding on which one to purchase.

Funds almost always consisted of 10 cent which limited my purchasing power.

On a very rare occasion I would have 15 cents which is why I have a limited number of

COMIC CAVALCADES (6) WORLD'S FINEST (8).

Of course it was always easy to select a first issue or a new to me title but choosing from

the regulars was a lot harder. I would guess that the cover is how I made most of my

selections. ..but sometimes it was just impulse.

FOUR COLORS and CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED took a little time to decide on...but CAPTAIN

MARVEL ADVENTURES, DETECTIVE COMICS and BATMAN were always an easy choice.

 

 

You are from NY Marty. Wern’t there any used book stores where you could buy back issues for a nickle or less? 

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 11:48 AM, Robot Man said:

You are from NY Marty. Wern’t there any used book stores where you could buy back issues for a nickle or less? 

Yeah. NY must  have had even more than the coast here. I know me and others long before me could also find old comics at Goodwill or Salvation Army too. My family (and me to a lesser extent in the 1970’s) got all kinds of GA books there from time to time depending on what came in that day.

Edited September 20, 2022 by N e r V
Spelling

[tth2]

On 9/21/2022 at 12:34 AM, N e r V said:

Fantastic four #1 in 1973 probably cost me around $30.00-35.00 in high grade. Richard Alf had a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15 for $25.00 in 1974 in VF+ at his store but I’m pretty sure my mom scored my first copy for around that on a trip to Arizona when I gave her a “hit list” of comics to look for.

Yep, that's the price range I remember.  Sounds like you're just a bit older than me. 

When I was 10 or 11, $25-35 for a comic might as well have been $2500-3500.  Both were equally unobtainable for me.

 

 

[N e r V]

On 9/20/2022 at 8:00 PM, tth2 said:

Yep, that's the price range I remember.  Sounds like you're just a bit older than me. 

When I was 10 or 11, $25-35 for a comic might as well have been $2500-3500.  Both were equally unobtainable for me.

 

 

I was doing odd jobs by 9 or 10. Pulling weeds, selling greeting cards door to door, delivering papers or whatever for extra money. Anytime I got extra money it went to candy, slurpees, and back issue comic books. Allowance usually covered most new comics except when those damn treasury editions hit at a $1.00 or $1.50 or whatever they were. Bought a ton of paperback books too and books on comics especially when Stan Lee started the origin series of books. The older I got the more extra money I could make so I was able to hit golden age stuff too pretty quickly. My first Marvel Mystery was issue #46 which was in no way shape or form a key book back then. Pretty cheap for a nice copy. I was well into my 20’s though before I got my first Marvel comics #1. I fell in love with that book the moment I saw it in Sterankos’ HOC. The best comic book pulp on the planet..  

[tth2]

On 9/21/2022 at 12:28 PM, N e r V said:

I was doing odd jobs by 9 or 10. Pulling weeds, selling greeting cards door to door, delivering papers or whatever for extra money. Anytime I got extra money it went to candy, slurpees, and back issue comic books.

Even if I'd had the money, there's no way my parents would've let me spend $20 on a single comic (or a bunch of comics for that matter).

[Robot Man]

On 9/21/2022 at 7:38 AM, tth2 said:

Even if I'd had the money, there's no way my parents would've let me spend $20 on a single comic (or a bunch of comics for that matter).

When I bought my MAD #9 for $3. My dad went through the roof. He was furious that an adult would take such advantage of a child. He wanted me to take it back and get my money back.

He didn’t understand how important it was to me.

In a few years when I started selling off my dupes, I went from being a fool to a “smart businessman”…

[Aman619]

On 9/21/2022 at 11:33 AM, Robot Man said:

When I bought my MAD #9 for $3. My dad went through the roof. He was furious that an adult would take such advantage of a child. He wanted me to take it back and get my money back.

He didn’t understand how important it was to me.

In a few years when I started selling off my dupes, I went from being a fool to a “smart businessman”…

Yup.  All of us buying ‘funny books’ decades ago now get that newfound respect.  One day a kid in school told me had lots of comics and I could maybe buy them if I wanted.  I went over, and made a big pile and he said that’ll be $5.  I said okay and he went upstairs to get me a bag and I heard him tell his parents how much he was getting and they were laughing they were so proud.  I felt like a doofus…. Then.

[Tri-Color Brian]

How did a thread about unrecognized collections turn into a journey to past comic buying?  I've been gone for 2 weeks, so pay no attention to me...but there's an unrecognized collection put together by this guy ...Sheriff Brian

(But not OO golden age)...I'm NOT that old...