Remember the days when people paid huge money for old comic books? 2 2

[Robot Man]

On 9/3/2023 at 7:07 PM, Professor K said:

Love this stuff. I saw a picture once of Billy (Bill) Mumy, the actor, with some pretty good stuff. Found it. Well no Action or Sup 1's but maybe he had them as well. Probably got these cheap back in his Lost in Space days. Pic is from 1979 I believe.

Might not mean much to most of you but his vintage guitar collection was jaw dropping. I met him a few times through my musician friends. And yeah, his comic collection was equally mind blowing. And a very cool guy as well! 

[Robot Man]

On 9/4/2023 at 5:54 AM, Bird said:

I would suggest that may be Mumy's home, the WW looks like the same issue from the previous picture

Can you imagine having those guys come to your house?

[MrBedrock]

On 9/4/2023 at 8:58 AM, Robot Man said:

Can you imagine having those guys come to your house?

I am sure they left an incredible mess.

[Robot Man]

Back in 1967 the “hardest to find EC comics” were worth an astounding $25. each! 

[alexgross.com]

@Robot Man curious if you think that in another 20 or 30 years, we will similarly be amused to see that an action 1 in mid grade was "only" 3 mil in 2023, or if you think this price curve is going to get flatter (for the key GA stuff).

[DanCooper]

The prices for the comics in these articles may be out of date, but some of the quotes in them seem to be timeless:

"The 1951, 1952, and 1953 Tales of Terror Annuals are without a doubt the hardest EC items to come by"  - 1967 The EC Annual Portfolio

"It's just a hobby. I trade so I can buy what I want"  - 1974 Burrel Rowe

"Customers for the old comics include "kooks" "  - 1964 Louis Cohen

Edited September 4, 2023 by DanCooper

[BitterOldMan]

On 9/4/2023 at 7:09 AM, Robot Man said:

Back in 1967 the “hardest to find EC comics” were worth an astounding $25. each! 

Back in 1967, I didn’t have $25.  Hourly wage was $1.40 per hour.☹️

[Robot Man]

On 9/4/2023 at 8:42 AM, alexgross.com said:

@Robot Man curious if you think that in another 20 or 30 years, we will similarly be amused to see that an action 1 in mid grade was "only" 3 mil in 2023, or if you think this price curve is going to get flatter (for the key GA stuff).

It all depends on the movies and how the comic book market progresses. I would go out on a limb and say flatter. But I have been wrong as long as I have collected. And I probably won’t be around in 20-30 years to find out...

Edited September 4, 2023 by Robot Man

[Robot Man]

On 9/4/2023 at 9:02 AM, BitterOldMan said:

Back in 1967, I didn’t have $25.  Hourly wage was $1.40 per hour.☹️

Me neither. Allowance, pushing a lawnmower, delivering papers and scrounging pop bottles didn't yield that kind of money easily. By the time I graduated HS and moved out I think I got $2.50 an hour as a box boy. Most of that went for rent in a hippie crash pad, gas, girls and weed. Not a lot left over for comics. But I was a bit of a scrounger even back then.

[lou_fine]

On 9/4/2023 at 6:46 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I follow his Facebook ‘Bill’s Book of the Day’ posts - his collection is unreal.

Nice to hear that he's probably still kept his collection of comic books intact after all these decades.  

[pemart1966]

Not too sure whether some reading this might think that thread title was meant as a joke but those were indeed HUGE prices at the time.  Think about it.  You wouldn't get get your picture holding an old comic published unless it was!

Nowadays, if you bought a copy of Action #1 for $1800, you'd still get your picture published in every media outlet but it wouldn't be as a result of paying a record HIGH price.  

PS I hope some one told Rotor and the reporter that Rotor is NOT holding a copy of Action #1.  

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

Does someone have the CBG article to post circa 1987 or 1988 about someone (I think in Grand Rapids, Michigan) trading a Detective 27 for a house? Valued at about $40,000 IIRC.

Edited September 4, 2023 by HouseofComics.Com

[Professor K]

On 9/4/2023 at 8:54 AM, Bird said:

I would suggest that may be Mumy's home, the WW looks like the same issue from the previous picture

Hey Bird, Long time. Didn't you used to have a pic of Zappa in you avatar?  I was thinking the same. Probably Mumy's house or at least his books.

By the way FZ and Jack were close friends. Jack would visit Franks home often when he lived in California.

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Professor K

[Professor K]

On 9/4/2023 at 9:46 AM, Dr. Balls said:

I follow his Facebook ‘Bill’s Book of the Day’ posts - his collection is unreal.

I'm gonna check that out. So he still has those books it seems? I hope yes. The temptation to sell must be just nuts.

[Robot Man]

On 9/4/2023 at 11:37 AM, Professor K said:

Hey Bird, Long time. Didn't you used to have a pic of Zappa in you avatar?  I was thinking the same. Probably Mumy's house or at least his books.

By the way FZ and Jack were close friends. Jack would visit Franks home often when he lived in California.

 

Really? Now that’s a pair I would like to have a beer and a cigar with!

[Professor K]

On 9/4/2023 at 2:45 PM, Robot Man said:

Really? Now that’s a pair I would like to have a beer and a cigar with!

Yeah according to Franks son Ahmet Jack was always over the house. Look up Zappa Jack Kirby. Lots of google hits.

[MattTheDuck]

The "old" articles always have either an overt tone of "what a maroon" or that's the subtext.  Today, we might shake our heads in amazement at a $3 million Action #1 but I doubt there are many people laughing behind the buyer's back.  

[Dr. Balls]

On 9/4/2023 at 12:45 PM, Professor K said:

I'm gonna check that out. So he still has those books it seems? I hope yes. The temptation to sell must be just nuts.

I’d guess yes. He posted a Captain America 1 for the 1st of September, and I think today he’s got Wonder Woman 1 posted. It’s a great follow.

[lou_fine]

On 9/3/2023 at 7:07 PM, Professor K said:

Love this stuff. I saw a picture once of Billy (Bill) Mumy, the actor, with some pretty good stuff. Found it. Well no Action or Sup 1's but maybe he had them as well. Probably got these cheap back in his Lost in Space days. Pic is from 1979 I believe.

Never watched any of the Lost in Space shows, but remember him from his Leenier character in the Babylon 5 TV series from the 90's which was an absolutely amazing space opera TV show and was of the goundbreaking series to shift TV shows away from the long standing traditional single episode stories they had back then.    

Also nice to see that he is still married to the same girl after all these decades which is definitely not the trend when it comes to the Hollywood scene.  

[SpineTic]

$ 200 for a Batman #1 in 1970!