Bob Beerbohm, June 17, 1952 - Mar. 27, 2024 6 6

[The Black Hand ®]

I sold some comics to Bob in the 70's, one of which I regretted since it was one of the first GA books I had bought in the early 60's that I had done a small repair to. Years later in the late 80's I was at a comic book store in Eureka California and there it was, the exact same book hanging on the wall. I had to have it back and bought it right then and there. One of my few keepers. Funny how those things work out.

[jimbo_7071]

On 3/29/2024 at 12:38 PM, The Black Hand ® said:

I sold some comics to Bob in the 70's, one of which I regretted since it was one of the first GA books I had bought in the early 60's that I had done a small repair to. Years later in the late 80's I was at a comic book store in Eureka California and there it was, the exact same book hanging on the wall. I had to have it back and bought it right then and there. One of my few keepers. Funny how those things work out.

What's the book? I'm sure we'd all love to see it!

[The Black Hand ®]

On 3/29/2024 at 9:53 AM, jimbo_7071 said:

What's the book? I'm sure we'd all love to see it!

[plady69]

Bob was an all time character.  Bought quite a books from his listings in I believe RBCC.

[comicnoir]

I enjoyed Bob's posts and appreciated his depth of knowledge. Bought from him in person once. He was polite and surprised I was legit when I pulled out the considerable amount of cash. I guess he thought I was kicking tires. He suffered at the end and I wish his daughter the best. RIP Bob.

[1950's war comics]

On 3/29/2024 at 10:06 AM, The Black Hand ® said:

anytime BlackHand posts a comic it is a good one !!!

[BOOT]

Among other things, Robert Beerbohm was one of the comic medium's most important researchers.

He pioneered using the internet to network collectors. Through Yahoo Groups Bob set up a Platinum Age Comics group. It was a great email list / forum.

People from all over the world shared information about early comic books.

We are talking hundreds of comic books that nobody had ever documented before. Some comics almost 100 years older then previously thought.

It was amazing to see worlds of rare comic books shared in a way that was not possible before the internet.

Bob catalogued all that information from years of exchange between dozens of researchers.

He then convinced Bob Overstreet to include it in his Price Guide.

To Bob's credit, he put the Platinum Age catalog in its own separate section of the Guide. Peruse it and you will see a wealth of amazing, beautiful, and rare comic books.

Because of Beerbohm and Overstreet's hard work, we know more about comic books than ever before!

Hail Bob Beerbohm - I hope he is in Comic Book Heaven, finding new comics every day!

Here are just a few of the comics shared through Bob's Platinum Group. They are in the Price Guide now because of Bob's efforts.

 

[The Black Hand ®]

 

[Randall Dowling]

I purchased a couple dozen books from Bob through his catalogs in the late 80s/early 90s.  Talked to him on the phone a couple of times and he was very friendly and glad to talk comics.

One of the great early comic book dealers that stayed with it while many moved on to other pursuits in life.  Thanks for the memories, Bob.

[comicnoir]

On 3/30/2024 at 8:07 PM, The Black Hand ® said:

 

Bob was mythical.

[MyNameIsLegion]

This is the link to the GoFundMe that was set up for Bob's daughter Katy to pay for Bob's final expenses and to help her, as she uprooted herself across the country to take care of her dad in his final months, quitting her job, and only starting a new one the day he passed. Paul Levitz, Doc V, Neil Gaiman, Steve Englehart, and many others have stepped up to the plate to help out. They are very close to their stated goal, and it would be nice if the CGC boards could put them over the top.

https://gofund.me/fc2d47ce

 

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 3/29/2024 at 6:57 AM, KirbyJack said:

I have Bob to thank for turning me on to underground comics. Bob taught me how to pronounce Alex Toth's name (rhymes with "both"). Bob gave me my first lesson on EC history. Bob had us out to his place in Fremont, Nebraska just to see a complete GA Superman and Action collection. 

And one time, Bob was set up at a comic show, alone as usual. He was, at that time, apparently under the misimpression that I worked for Dean Phillips at Krypton Comics. He needed to smoke and pee, so he grabbed my arm, dragged me to his booth, and told me to watch it. If memory serves, I even sold a cheap book for him. When Bob got back, he immediately accused me of either allowing a comic to be stolen, or stealing it myself. When I was finally allowed to explain that I did not work for Dean, the entire matter was dropped. I assure you, nothing of any consequence was stolen on my watch. I related the story to Dean, and he was not surprised. Apparently, Bob liked to use that tactic to mitigate debt he had with Dean. 

There is good and bad to all of us, but there is no doubt that my life is a little better for having known Bob Beerbohm.  

This is crazy. But I guess it represents the dual nature of the human condition.

Bob was so driven to preserve comics history that he would tape his interviews of the greats, and he should be lauded for this. That the same man was also capable of this conduct to you, KirbyJack, is astonishing 

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 3/31/2024 at 6:18 AM, MyNameIsLegion said:

This is the link to the GoFundMe that was set up for Bob's daughter Katy to pay for Bob's final expenses and to help her, as she uprooted herself across the country to take care of her dad in his final months, quitting her job, and only starting a new one the day he passed. Paul Levitz, Doc V, Neil Gaiman, Steve Englehart, and many others have stepped up to the plate to help out. They are very close to their stated goal, and it would be nice if the CGC boards could put them over the top.

https://gofund.me/fc2d47ce

 

 the irony here is inescapable. I always thought Bob got into book trouble due to his desperate attempts to fund his daughter’s medical needs, and I admired him for his strong sense of responsibility to family. so it’s only fitting that it’s come to this. 
 

im happy to give, same as to jimjum

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 3/31/2024 at 6:18 AM, MyNameIsLegion said:

This is the link to the GoFundMe that was set up for Bob's daughter Katy to pay for Bob's final expenses and to help her, as she uprooted herself across the country to take care of her dad in his final months, quitting her job, and only starting a new one the day he passed. Paul Levitz, Doc V, Neil Gaiman, Steve Englehart, and many others have stepped up to the plate to help out. They are very close to their stated goal, and it would be nice if the CGC boards could put them over the top.

https://gofund.me/fc2d47ce

 

He just met it

[MyNameIsLegion]

Updates (1)

Update from Katy Beerbohm:

Todayby Katy Beerbohm-Young, Beneficiary

Hi everyone. Thanks so much for helping me right now, and those of you who have been giving me ongoing support the last several months. You are all wonderful friends, and I love you all. We're raised enough that my dad's cremation expenses are covered, and I have our bills covered for the month of April. I'll be returning to work on April 10th, and will get my first paycheck at the end of the month.

I've had a few people ask about if there will be a memorial service. My dad didn't want a local service, or anything resembling a funeral. He said that he would love it if we could arrange a gathering at one of the conventions this summer, and tell stories. If you’d like to help plan that, please reach out to me on Facebook.

Any additional money that I raise above the original request will be directed to the materials and persons needed to organize my dad's collection, catalog it, and figure out what is going to be at the University of Nebraska Library, and what I'll be keeping or selling. Also, I will need to hire someone to help compile his notes and writing and help me publish his book in some form.

Again, thank you so much for your generosity. It means a hell of a lot.

Katy Beerbohm

[Telegan]

Reading these type of threads is always bittersweet.  I never knew or interacted with the man, but immensely enjoyed reading posts on his Facebook account full of cool history about the industry.  R.I.P.

[comicnoir]

On 3/31/2024 at 7:18 AM, MyNameIsLegion said:

This is the link to the GoFundMe that was set up for Bob's daughter Katy to pay for Bob's final expenses and to help her, as she uprooted herself across the country to take care of her dad in his final months, quitting her job, and only starting a new one the day he passed. Paul Levitz, Doc V, Neil Gaiman, Steve Englehart, and many others have stepped up to the plate to help out. They are very close to their stated goal, and it would be nice if the CGC boards could put them over the top.

https://gofund.me/fc2d47ce

 

Done.

[Frisco Larson]

Crud. I'm just now seeing this for whatever reason and it's very sad news. I've never had any issues with Bob. Oh sure, sometimes he wasn't always a bouquet of roses, but he was fair with me and I was fair with him and that's going all the way back to the early 90s. I remember setting up at a show to sell some doubles and some other books I was shifting focus from, and Bob was astonished by and purchased a Star Ranger #3 and a Star Comics #6 from me. He was SO happy to see and be able to get them both (once again, I was very fair with him) and we had a long discussion about how rare and tough to find decent copies of those oversized books could be. He always remembered that deal when he had something I was interested in and treated me as best he could because of it. Regardless of what ones personal opinion was of him, most could agree that he loved funny books and had a lot of knowledge and passion for them. RIP Bob.

[Hepcat]

On 3/28/2024 at 2:46 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

Those who knew Bob or of Bob, knew him as a cantankerous sort and often stubborn, but a devoted comics fan and a historian ...albeit controversial... on the subject of comics for many years.... he's most known by legend especially to those who ran afoul of his passionate beliefs which he held onto like a junkyard dog.... His writings, while often contentious, were filled with information and well researched, even when he may have reached conclusions not agreed with by consensus.

Huh?! What was contentious or controversial about any of Bob's opinions/views regarding comics?

Edited July 24 by Hepcat

[Cat-Man_America]

On 7/23/2024 at 11:13 PM, Hepcat said:

Huh?! What was contentious or controversial about any of Bob's opinions/views regarding comics?

You've been on the CGC boards five years longer than your's truly, so it's assumed you'd be aware of the Obadiah Oldbuck and the San Francisco/Reilly pedigree debates. If not, please search archived posts for these topics because the discussions were indeed lively. Bob was quite passionate in his beliefs about comic history and that isn't meant as a negative reflection on him.  

Edited July 24 by Cat-Man_America
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