Feature Book 0

[OtherEric]

I've only got a couple issues of the title that are old enough to qualify as "Platinum", but I figure it's a starting point, at least:

[MusterMark]

Feature Book #4 - Dick Tracy

1937

[Robot Man]

How 'bout Large Feature #1?

[Robot Man]

A few Popeyes

[pooroldman]

Great to see that someone has started a Feature Book thread.  I got the bug to start collecting these about 25 years ago. It's is a fun series to collect, as many issues in the series can be readily found in low grade, while higher grade copies can be frustratingly difficult to find, adding to the challenge. 

For those that aren't too familiar with Feature Books, the series was started in 1936 by David McKay Publishing.  It consists primarily of strip reprints.  The series started with two no number issues, a Dick Tracy and a Popeye that are extremely rare.  The no-numbers and  numbers 1-25 are oversized and the contents are black and white. The covers are a thick paper/ thin cardboard and the interior pages are what we used to call "Manila Paper" when I was in grade school.. For the first ten numbered issues the front and back covers are identical.  Issues 11-16 have the same "Johnson Smith & Co." ad on the back cover.  Issues 17-25 have plain back covers.  

There are pedigree copies of some of the Feature Books.  The Edgar Church, Billy Wright, and Lost Valley collections all contain Feature Books.  David McKay Publishing was acquired by Random House in 1986, and there are also "Random House" file copies.

Finally, issues 1-8 were called "Feature Books"; starting with issue 9 they were titled "Feature Book" without the "s".  I have absolutely no idea why.

[pooroldman]

 

The first book in the series that I have is #1.  It's the Lost Valley copy, and  I purchased it from Al Stoltz/ Jeff Weaver in 2003. The thrill of collecting these for me is to find nice copies like this with vibrant colors.

[pooroldman]

Feature Books #2.  Not quite as nice as the #1 but still a nice copy.  Because of the heavy covers and thick paper many of the Feature Books have detached covers or centerfolds.  It's also not uncommon to see books in otherwise good condition with spine splits.  I picked this one up from eBay in 2001.

[pooroldman]

Feature Book #3.  The interior is the same as the no number Popeye Feature Book with a new cover.  Another eBay purchase.

[pooroldman]

Feature Book #4.  This is the Billy Wright copy, purchased from Heritage in 2013.  For some reason #4 was the hardest issue for me to obtain and it completed my run of issues 1-25.