War Comics 17 17

[thirdgreenham]

Hi Shep!  great book!!

[Bigfiver691]

Hey Andy!

 

Sorry I haven't been by the shop to see you... haven't been in London as much this year, even though my son has been going to Western!

Before the end of the summer for sure, though... I'll give you a heads up.

 

Shep

 

[IngelsFan]

On June 9, 2017 at 1:26 PM, Bigfiver691 said:

Hey gents,

Passed my old LCS today, and saw this on the wall. Couldn't resist. First one in a looooong time, but can you blame me?

Not high grade by any stretch, but it's solid and the price was right. One of my top 10 for sure...

Hope all are well,

Shep

 

 

 

 

Shep!!! Long time no see, man. Good to see you back in the game.

[1950's war comics]

Tough issue to find  in my experience .......

 

 

Edited June 11, 2017 by 1950's war comics

[1950's war comics]

Interior Battle Action #12

Edited June 11, 2017 by 1950's war comics

[creaturefan95]

[Bigfiver691]

I think the War comics gods are starting to toy with me...

Had a meeting downtown, and a local comic shop recently moved locations nearby. I strolled in, and in the first silver age box I picked through, I found these two beauties... both important keys. Both less than the price of dinner and a movie.

No doubt this is a bit of luck, but finding books like these for the equivalent of about $25 USD seems unusual. Has the market softened up recently, or are these anomalies?

Lemme know what you think.... Shep

OAAW 196... one of the most important DC books of this era in any genre. VF, maybe a little better...

 

And while bronze age, also posting because it's just such a great book. OAAW 218. First USS Stevens by Sam Glanzman. NM, and one of the most nicely centred copies of this I have seen...

 

[1950's war comics]

I admit i concentrate on 1950's war comic's so i am not fully informed,.. but i have never heard of these two issues being pointed out as keys before

[Bigfiver691]

OAAW #218 is technically bronze age, but the backup story is the first appearance of the USS Stevens series, which became a storied, long running back up feature in DC's war books. Generally considered a key.

 

OAAW #196 is a very important book, in that it marks the beginning of Joe Kubert's editorial run on the title (and the other DC war books). But what's critical is the shift in tone that this book represents... Kubert made a distinct editorial decision to use the war books as an antiwwar statement in response to Viet Nam, starting with OAAW 196. He wanted to portray the characters less as superheroes and more as just humans with strengths and weaknesses, flaws and virtues. In this issue, Sgt. Rock basically has a breakdown in response to the unending combat. He's portrayed as vulnerable and painfully human, and he questions everything. I had a chance to speak to Joe about this many years ago, and I asked him point blank if it was overtly his intention to make an antiwar statement through his editorship, and indeed he said it was. In many ways, an strong argument can be made that this actually the first book of the bronze age, depending on how you define that era. If we see the BA as a period where the stories are more mature, more reflective of the culture, where the focus on characters turns more towards their humanity rather than just their superpowers, this is the book that started that... all by Kubert's design.

Argument can also be made that OAAW #160 marks the beginning of this approach. But #196 seems to mark the real shift in gears that propels this title in the storytelling style of the bronze age.

Shep

 

 

Edited June 18, 2017 by Bigfiver691
addition to note

[1950's war comics]

 

11 hours ago, Bigfiver691 said:

OAAW #218 is technically bronze age, but the backup story is the first appearance of the USS Stevens series, which became a storied, long running back up feature in DC's war books. Generally considered a key.

 

OAAW #196 is a very important book, in that it marks the beginning of Joe Kubert's editorial run on the title (and the other DC war books). But what's critical is the shift in tone that this book represents... Kubert made a distinct editorial decision to use the war books as an antiwwar statement in response to Viet Nam, starting with OAAW 196. He wanted to portray the characters less as superheroes and more as just humans with strengths and weaknesses, flaws and virtues. In this issue, Sgt. Rock basically has a breakdown in response to the unending combat. He's portrayed as vulnerable and painfully human, and he questions everything. I had a chance to speak to Joe about this many years ago, and I asked him point blank if it was overtly his intention to make an antiwar statement through his editorship, and indeed he said it was. In many ways, an strong argument can be made that this actually the first book of the bronze age, depending on how you define that era. If we see the BA as a period where the stories are more mature, more reflective of the culture, where the focus on characters turns more towards their humanity rather than just their superpowers, this is the book that started that... all by Kubert's design.

Argument can also be made that OAAW #160 marks the beginning of this approach. But #196 seems to mark the real shift in gears that propels this title in the storytelling style of the bronze age.

Shep

 

 

Thank you Bigfiver for an excellent answer and now that i think about it, OAAW #196 cover does seem a lot like GL #76 

[comick1]

On 6/17/2017 at 5:29 PM, Bigfiver691 said:

OAAW #218 is technically bronze age, but the backup story is the first appearance of the USS Stevens series, which became a storied, long running back up feature in DC's war books. Generally considered a key.

 

OAAW #196 is a very important book, in that it marks the beginning of Joe Kubert's editorial run on the title (and the other DC war books). But what's critical is the shift in tone that this book represents... Kubert made a distinct editorial decision to use the war books as an antiwwar statement in response to Viet Nam, starting with OAAW 196. He wanted to portray the characters less as superheroes and more as just humans with strengths and weaknesses, flaws and virtues. In this issue, Sgt. Rock basically has a breakdown in response to the unending combat. He's portrayed as vulnerable and painfully human, and he questions everything. I had a chance to speak to Joe about this many years ago, and I asked him point blank if it was overtly his intention to make an antiwar statement through his editorship, and indeed he said it was. In many ways, an strong argument can be made that this actually the first book of the bronze age, depending on how you define that era. If we see the BA as a period where the stories are more mature, more reflective of the culture, where the focus on characters turns more towards their humanity rather than just their superpowers, this is the book that started that... all by Kubert's design.

Argument can also be made that OAAW #160 marks the beginning of this approach. But #196 seems to mark the real shift in gears that propels this title in the storytelling style of the bronze age.

Shep

 

 

Shep, thanks for the reminder of how cool these little gems are. Both of those are cheap dates compared to other keys from that same era and are tougher to find, comparatively, against other contemporaneous keys as well.  That was a killer price you scooped those for. I'll buy those two books all day long (as if) for that kind of price!

Mick

 

[FutureFlash]

On 6/17/2017 at 6:10 PM, Bigfiver691 said:

I think the War comics gods are starting to toy with me...

Had a meeting downtown, and a local comic shop recently moved locations nearby. I strolled in, and in the first silver age box I picked through, I found these two beauties... both important keys. Both less than the price of dinner and a movie.

No doubt this is a bit of luck, but finding books like these for the equivalent of about $25 USD seems unusual. Has the market softened up recently, or are these anomalies?

Lemme know what you think.... Shep

OAAW 196... one of the most important DC books of this era in any genre. VF, maybe a little better...

 

And while bronze age, also posting because it's just such a great book. OAAW 218. First USS Stevens by Sam Glanzman. NM, and one of the most nicely centred copies of this I have seen...

 

Nice info, I did not know these issues were considered keys. I haven't picked up much of the BA war comics yet, still focused on getting the Silver and cheaper Copper Age books at the moment. Still they are nice looking books...for $25 bucks I would have scooped them up too!

Edited June 21, 2017 by FutureFlash

[John Baeza]

Hey guys,

I just wanted to thank all of you for enlightening this newcomer to the exciting world of collecting War Comics!

A very special thank you to thirdgreenham for his recent assistance!

Keep it up guys!

John

 

[thirdgreenham]

11 hours ago, John Baeza said:

Hey guys,

I just wanted to thank all of you for enlightening this newcomer to the exciting world of collecting War Comics!

A very special thank you to thirdgreenham for his recent assistance!

Keep it up guys!

John

 

 so glad to have you here! Enjoy and ask lots of questions. 

[adamstrange]

Welcome to the Club

[comick1]

On 6/20/2017 at 4:09 PM, John Baeza said:

Hey guys,

I just wanted to thank all of you for enlightening this newcomer to the exciting world of collecting War Comics!

A very special thank you to thirdgreenham for his recent assistance!

Keep it up guys!

John

 

Welcome, John, to the coolest little group (with more posts in SA than any other, I might add) on the boards!

[KirbyJack]

On ‎6‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 11:58 AM, comick1 said:

Welcome, John, to the coolest little group (with more posts in SA than any other, I might add) on the boards!

For a while there, our Pre Hero Marvel thread gave you boys a run for your money!

[comick1]

1 hour ago, KirbyJack said:

For a while there, our Pre Hero Marvel thread gave you boys a run for your money!

Well, if we're gonna be topped by ANY thread, it's an honor to be neck & neck with the Pre-hero Marvel folks! There's nobility there!

[Disfan]

I'm an old collector getting back into collecting after a 25+ year hiatus (although I don't think it really counts as a hiatus for that long ) and I have a question.  I'm planning to get a SGT Fury #1 and would prefer to get one with a higher grade (7.5, 8.0, or 8.5), but I see that they've been going for quite a bit lately.  Obviously, market value is whatever the market is willing to pay, but my question is: what do you think is the true value range right now of a SGT Fury #1 in the three grades I listed (unsigned, certified by CGC or CBCS)?  I imagine there will be a number of differing opinions on this, but I'm just trying to get a sense of whether or not the market is overpriced on the book right now.  I've only been researching it for the last couple of weeks so I don't have the pricing history for much other than the listed sales on EBay and Heritage Auction.  I told my wife last week that the bug took about ten years too long to bite me.   Thanks in advance for any and all thoughts and opinions.  I was going to post this on the SGT Fury #1 thread, but thought I'd get more response posting it here.  Should I also post the question there?

I forgot to mention that I'm asking the above question without looking at the 2016 price guide, which I just received today.  I just took quick glance at the prices listed in the guide and it appears the auction prices are pretty close to those listed in the guide; however, the guide is just that - a guide, so I don't know if some of you will have different opinions about the true value.

Todd   

Edited July 5, 2017 by Disfan
left out details

[Straw-Man]

Edited July 10, 2017 by Straw-Man