Show me something I've never seen!

[buttock]

This is a thread to show off weird, cool, rare stuff that just doesn't fit into another category. Have you ever seen a book at a shop, show, or online that you'd never heard of, but immediately shot to the top of your want list? That's what I want to see. I'll kick things off with a few books, but I'd like to see others' stuff as well. This isn't a thread for the highest graded copy of a common book, but rather things that most people have never heard of.

 

1st up is Fangraphix 4. This was a hybrid fanzine/comic book put out by the guy who went on to run Now comics. This is the 1st appearance of Ralph Snart - who somehow found a soft spot in my heart. There were only a handful of copies printed, and I've only seen one other copy. I got this one at - of all places - an online adult book vendor. No, I wasn't frequenting, I googled the book and it showed up. Anyway, for those of you familiar with the character, he's nothing like he was in his series. This is more sci-fi and less humor.

 

[buttock]

Next up is a bunch of digests. I'll start with a Canadian giveaway - Radiation & Man. This was published in 1972 by the Canadian Nuclear Association, and basically extols the virtues of radiation/atomic energy & technology. Maybe some of our older Canadian members can comment as to whether or not there was a growing tension toward splitting atoms around this time that may have prompted this.

 

[october]

 

UNREAL! I have never seen that before and I was a big Ralph Snart fan a few years ago. I still need to put together the rest of his first series issues. All I have is a #1, anyone have any others? (I am sure it's too much to hope for that someone has a copy for sale of the Fangraphix 4.)

[namisgr]

Seldom seen comics by two of the masters of sixties psychedelia. First one has cover and interior by Victor Moscoso:

 

 

 

Incredibly detailed work by Rick Griffin, with a cover layout in homage to EC:

 

[buttock]

Some more tough giveaways. These were handed out to the troops in WWII. The Japanese one has several cartoons throughout - but I don't feel confident in ascribing them to anyone in particular. The Chinese one, on the other hand, is all Milt Caniff. It's also comically racist. Truly one of the greatest pieces of propaganda I've seen. The final 12 pages are entitled, "How to Spot a Jap", and are all comic strip in form - signed by Caniff. Some of the pearls (keep in mind these are all compared to Chinese, who were on our side at the time):

-Japanese are shorter and "look like their legs are joined straight to their chest" (I wonder if that made them constipated?)

-Chinese stride, and "Japs" shuffle

-This is verbatim: The Chinese has a smooth face...the Jap runs to hair...look at their profiles and teeth...C (for Chinese, obviously) has evenly set choppers - J has buck teeth...the Chinese smiles easily - the Jap usually expects to be shot.

-The Japanese evidently wear G-strings according to our government (I'm dead serious! You can't make this stuff up!)

-I didn't even get into the section on eyes and pronunciation of Ls & Rs (there's some [embarrassing lack of self control] in the background saying, "Try Lollapalooza on them, that's a panic!")

 

Anyway, another friend of mine has one of these so they must be out there. If you get a chance, it's a heckuva conversation piece.

 

[MCMiles]

This was a mail away from Thrasher Magazine (Skateboard magazine) back in '88. I missed #1 and have been wanting to find a copy ever since

 

 

Back cover:

[buttock]

 

UNREAL! I have never seen that before and I was a big Ralph Snart fan a few years ago. I still need to put together the rest of his first series issues. All I have is a #1, anyone have any others? (I am sure it's too much to hope for that someone has a copy for sale of the Fangraphix 4.)

 

Google is your friend. Have you ever read Gnatrat? It's even better than Ralph Snart.

[october]

Here is a modern independent rarity. This is a mini-comic that was only sold for a short time via mail order from Slave Labor (which is how I got mine, at the age of 16). I have only seen one other copy of it ever. I don't think most Milk and Cheese fans even know that it exists.

 

[buttock]

This was a mail away from Trasher Magazine (Skateboard magazine) back in '88. I missed #1 and have been wanting to find a copy ever since

 

 

Back cover:

 

 

I had #3! I would have killed for a #1. That was the comic that made me realize you could spell F--K so many ways phonetically If you ever get an extra #1, I'm all over it. It was the synthesis of my 2 childhood loves There's probably not a NM in existence.

[october]

Google is your friend. Have you ever read Gnatrat? It's even better than Ralph Snart.

 

Nope, but I have heard of it. I'll have to check it out...

[ShoNuff-migration]

Great idea for a thread. I like seeing the weird/uncommon stuff.

[THE_BEYONDER]

I've still got a copy of 'Road Rash'. It think it came shrink-wrapped to a deck I bought back in the day. I'm going to have to dig it out. Has a great step-by-step on the back cover.

[action1kid]

Have you ever seen my 6.0 Superman # 1

[nazmuth]

Okies here is one that I think is uncommon

 

[BrianR]

Her's something you probably have never seen and probably never wanted too. Just found this in my collection the other day, cracks me up.

[buttock]

Very cool Milk & Cheese. How early is that? The characters in the corners look a little "rudimentary".

 

Along those lines, here's a couple of books I know nothing about. They have 1-4 pages by each creator and include TMNT, early concrete/Paul Chadwick, very early Tick (pre NEC series?), Jason Waltrip, Bob Burden, Gilbert Shelton, Ted McKeever, Dale Keown, Scott Saavedra, Harvey Pekar (stick figure), Vince Locke, etc.

 

Each was limited to 4000 copies per the inside FC. I've never seen another set.

 

[nazmuth]

Google is your friend. Have you ever read Gnatrat? It's even better than Ralph Snart.

 

Gnatrat. Such a funny book

 

[october]

Here is another obscure modern independent. James Owen published Starchild fairly irregularly during the 90s until the series came to an abrupt halt midway through the "Mytholpolis" story arc. This short story book was his last work in comics as far as I know. The print run was 2,500, but I am sure there are lesser number in circulation. There is a #2 out there as well, but I don't own a copy unfortunately. If anyone has one, I would be interested.

 

[october]

Very cool Milk & Cheese. How early is that? The characters in the corners look a little "rudimentary".

 

It's from 97. There is a longer version of the Star Wars story inside. If you find one, buy it.

[october]

I had #3! I would have killed for a #1. That was the comic that made me realize you could spell F--K so many ways phonetically If you ever get an extra #1, I'm all over it. It was the synthesis of my 2 childhood loves There's probably not a NM in existence.

 

There are two copies of #3 and one copy of #2 on eBay right now.