Has anyone taken note of the Harlan Ellison Collection? 0

[Cat-Man_America]

This is coming up in a couple of weeks and features a fair number of mid-grade GA comics. Harlan was a collector of sorts, but more known as an enigmatic sharp-witted writer, cunning linguist and incomparable public speaker.  He wasn't into high-end collectibles, but had great taste in those things he did collect.

The HA catalog pretty much runs the gamut, but is a good insight into the things that caught his interest (here's a look)...

 https://comics.ha.com/c/search-results.zx?N=52+793+794+791+1893+792+2088+4294939667&ic=hero-Harlan-previewClickHeroImage-7335-082922

[Sauce Dog]

One of my favourite writers ever (you cannot go wrong with basically any of his short story collections), but I think the only comic of his I have graded is a CGC 7.0 Weird Science-Fantasy #24 (his 1st professional story), so I'm eager to add something of this lot to my collection.

[jimbo_7071]

On 10/7/2022 at 3:57 PM, Sauce Dog said:

One of my favourite writers ever (you cannot go wrong with basically any of his short story collections), but I think the only comic of his I have graded is a CGC 7.0 Weird Science-Fantasy #24 (his 1st professional story), so I'm eager to add something of this lot to my collection.

I don't know much of his work, but I know that he wrote the --script for the Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever," and I've seen the movie A Boy and His Dog, which was based on Ellison's novella of the same name. (I won't offer up any spoilers, but some aspects of that movie were disturbing to say the least.)

Original art collectors will probably be interested in the auction, but the comic book offerings are disappointing.

Edited October 9, 2022 by jimbo_7071

[Cat-Man_America]

On 10/8/2022 at 9:48 PM, jimbo_7071 said:

I don't know much of his work, but I know that he wrote the ---script for the Star Trek episode "The City on the Edge of Forever," and I've seen the movie A Boy and His Dog, which was based on Ellison's novella of the same name. (I won't offer up any spoilers, but some aspects of that movie were disturbing to say the least.)

Original art collectors will probably be interested in the auction, but the comic book offerings are disappointing.

One of the very best Outer Limits episodes from the second season (episode 5) was Harlan's Demon With the Glass Hand.  It's a chillingly poignant, claustrophobic story (outstanding performances by Robert Culp and Arlene Martel).

Harlan's writing was superb, novels, short stories and TV/movie scripts.  His acidic wit is in full force in The Glass Teat: Essays and Opinions on Television is worth seeking out.  Yeah, the original art is bound to garner most of the interest in this auction. You're right about the comic offerings; Harlan wasn't concerned about condition and his collecting wasn't focused much on GA.  That said, early Hits rarely come up for auction so some folks may be drawn to the mid-grades. 

[MatterEaterLad]

I bought a ton of Harlan's silver age comics about 10 years ago. At the time he wasn't ready to sell his GA stuff, for sentimental reasons. (He was really into Fawcett Comics as a kid).

I've been to his house several times and there is MUCH more collectible goodness. Tons of original art on his walls, toys, sculpture, movie posters, etc. 

J. Michael Straczynski is the executor of Harlan's estate and the plan is to turn his house into a museum, of sorts. If you've never seen Ellison Wonderland, it's a thing to behold:

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by MatterEaterLad

[Robot Man]

On 10/14/2022 at 9:16 AM, MatterEaterLad said:

I bought a ton of Harlan's silver age comics about 10 years ago. At the time he wasn't ready to sell his GA stuff, for sentimental reasons. (He was really into Fawcett Comics as a kid).

I've been to his house several times and there is MUCH more collectible goodness. Tons of original art on his walls, toys, sculpture, movie posters, etc. 

J. Michael Straczynski is the executor of Harlan's estate and the plan is to turn his house into a museum, of sorts. If you've never seen Ellison Wonderland, it's a thing to behold:

 

Amazing and very cool! Great you could visit. As a young guy I remember going to Forrey Ackerman's house with a couple friends. Blew me away. Forrey was such a cool guy. No way, would I let total strangers in my house if I were him...

[Transplant]

Harlan Ellison gave the keynote one night at the Diamond Con in '93.  It was beautiful, centering on his love of the comic medium.  What a con that was.  

[pmpknface]

Glad I got a chance to meet him.  A legend.  Can't wait to see what JMS does with his estate.  Looks unreal!  I'd love to visit!

[Bronty]

JMS?

[pmpknface]

On 10/14/2022 at 6:24 PM, Bronty said:

JMS?

J. Michael Straczynski.  I didn't feel like typing it.  ;) 

[Cat-Man_America]

On 10/14/2022 at 5:24 PM, Bronty said:

JMS?

J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, et al.) ...Harlan was an acquaintance; we weren't good buddies or anything, but we knew each other and shared a stage as auctioneers entertaining SF fans at Aggiecon (College Station, TX) a couple of decades back.

[Cat-Man_America]

On 10/14/2022 at 6:27 PM, pmpknface said:

J. Michael Straczynski.  I didn't feel like typing it.  ;) 

You beat me to it ...by this much... as Maxwell Smart would say.