Obadiah Oldbuck vs. Superman

[Comicdey]

I think this thread has exhausted its substantive capability.

 

Can everyone go back to their respective corners of the sandbox now?

 

Were you not the individual that missed out on a different copy?

[BLBcomics-migration]

http://imagehost.vendio.com/bin/viewimag...-ca7ea&sp=1

 

This close up shows it is a scarce 2nd printing of Obadiah from 1849.

 

Here is the data from the Overstreet listing i compiled:

 

OBADIAH OLDBUCK, THE ADVENTURES OF MR. (E,G)

Wilson & Co, New York: nd (1849) (5-11/16x8-3/8", 92 pgs, B&W, hard-c)

nn - by Rodolphe Töpffer; title page by Robert Cruikshank (Very Rare)

300.00 700.00 3500.00

NOTE: 2nd Wilson & Co printing, reformatted into a small oblong format, with nine panels edited out, and text modified to smooth out this removal. Results in four less printed tiers/strips. Pages are numbered via Arabic numerals. Every panel on Pages 11, 14, 19, 21, 24, 34, 35 has one line of text. Reformatted to conform with British first edition.

 

 

Appears to be missing it's front cover, as the green back cover is there

Also appears to be missing 12 pages as the seller says it has 80 pages

 

The current high bidder is a friend of mine in New Mexico - this version appears to be scarcer than the first printing from 1842, as i have seen fewer copies for sale out there so far. If i didn't already have a complete copy of this, i would be bidding on it

[BLBcomics-migration]

 

To argue whether Superman drove the industry to where it is today is impossible to conclusively say whether he did or did not. Any analysis is based on assumptions and anyone can generate a position to support their view. At the end of the day, the comic book "world" is where it is because of a lot of reasons which cannot be decoupled so easily. As for OO as the 1st American Comic? I would say depends on who you ask. These board certainly show there is no clear cut answer and given how rare the book is, it is quite possible something earlier exists or someone elses definition of a "comic book" dictates something else being the earliest comic. Myself, I don't care if it is the 1st comic or not. Looking at it, for myself, nope, not a comic, but just my opinion. If I had a copy I would love to sell it to Showcase. He would be in heaven and I would be as well.

 

My interest in delving into the earliest origins of the comicbook industry in America stems from simply wanting to know. One can easily surmise Superman created a Big Bang effect with regards to the super hero explosion of the early 1940s, easily witnessed by all the clone effects.

 

Whether or not the multitude of other genres would or would not have evolved is wide open for conjecture. Comicbook heroes were already evolving.

 

The largest selling genre group by far was in licensed funny animal characters, witness the Disney and Warner Bros popularity inside and outside of comicbook-land.

 

I first made mention of Obadiah Oldbuck as "first" American comicbook in the 1998 Overstreet, some time ago. At that point, i personally became intrigued to learn more. For 5 years I had already been working on a history book on the business of comics in America. If the rest of you could have seen what i have seen so far to date, you would be more in agreement with me.

 

One day soon i hope to get a reprint book out, perhaps a "best of..." book, reprinting enough material to convince the nay-sayers who will most likely never have the opportunity to read thru what i have taken upon myself to unearth.

[infinite_comics-migration]

The current high bidder is a friend of mine in New Mexico

 

Does your friend know Showcase-4 shill bid him up past $500, and that your friend should currently be the high bidder at $ 130?

[BLBcomics-migration]

I told myself i would not lower myself again to the gutter level some posters insist on living here., Why do you insist on being a boor on this thread?

 

If it was only $130, i would be bidding it up, whether or not any one else was.

 

At $510 this 2nd printing is still a bargain, even with pages missing

 

The bidding will not end there, as the lower level bidders will come back at it, i know most of the rest of the pack in that horse race as well - they contribute data to make the price index better each year.

[BLBcomics-migration]

And notice the current high bidder only made one bid, not a fishing expedition going up a few dollars at a time - he knows what he is going after -

 

and i might just jump into the bidding on this yet

[Comicdey]

I'm sure we've all bid on items that we didn't intend on winning.

 

I don't really see a problem with this as long as the bid would be honored if you did win.

 

As long as there are two people who want it, the market will decide.

 

I've won items that I didn't intend on winning, and have been happy at the price I've paid.

 

Good luck......sometime the "calamerica" shows up in all of us.

[BLBcomics-migration]

Date of bid

 

sundriednm( 889) US $510.00 Aug-23-06 20:25:03 PDT

showcase-4( 109) US $500.00 Aug-23-06 14:44:55 PDT

aardvark88( 285) US $125.99 Aug-23-06 19:30:17 PDT

chijae( 2853) US $104.00 Aug-23-06 16:19:30 PDT

pyrodaddy( 851) US $99.99 Aug-23-06 15:02:57 PDT

jkjerome( 1245) US $70.00 Aug-23-06 14:34:16 PDT

 

If you and another bidder placed the same bid amount, the earlier bid takes priority.

 

And notice the high bidder placed his bid some six hours after Steve placed his bid. Now how is that a shill concept in play here - that is a very pejorative term to bandy about here

 

This 2nd printing 1849 Obadiah has only been up there for less than a day now

[skybolt]

I'm sure we've all bid on items that we didn't intend on winning.

 

I don't really see a problem with this as long as the bid would be honored if you did win.

 

As long as there are two people who want it, the market will decide.

 

I've won items that I didn't intend on winning, and have been happy at the price I've paid.

 

Good luck......sometime the "calamerica" shows up in all of us.

 

I completely agree with your post.

[infinite_comics-migration]

And notice the high bidder placed his bid some six hours after Steve placed his bid.

 

At the time the current high bidder bid, the book was at $100. He had no idea what Showcase-4's high bid was. RIGHT NOW he should be the high bidder at $130, not $510.

 

Now how is that a shill concept in play here - that is a very pejorative term to bandy about here

 

Showcase-4 bid on the book and has stated he has no intention of winning this book (which is different than saying he wouldn't pay for it if he won). That's shill bidding to me. Is it okay if I bid on every auction Showcase-4 bids on, not wanting to win the book, and bid up to just under his max, and cause him to pay, for ex., $100 more than he would have if I hadn't bid? No, you guys would throw a fit. But that's what he's done here - that's what it is at this moment...

 

I'm not saying Showcase-4 is doing anything technically illegal that would get hin thrown off Ebay - I'm just saying he's being a [embarrassing lack of self control] about this and trying to manipulate the auction - his ends justify his means, I guess.

[Comicdey]

Bottom line is he "could" have won it for $500....I'm fairly confident that there will be another bidder.

 

I wouldn't call it shill bidding....but I agree that the only way that Showcase-4's point could be proven on value is to have left it alone completely.

 

I have multiple copies of certain books (3-5 max) and I'll bid on them again on Ebay if they show up in the future as I don't mind paying what I bid.

[BLBcomics-migration]

yes, you have an agenda to throw out boorish commentary all the time. At $510 this 2nd printing Obadiah is still a bargain, it should go much higher, even coverless, so, i fail to see where you have a leg of decency to stand on calling showcase a shill for placing a bid.

[showcase4]

 

Showcase-4 bid on the book and has stated he has no intention of winning this book (which is different than saying he wouldn't pay for it if he won). That's shill bidding to me.

 

HEY GENIUS, READ MY PREVIOUS POST...I SAID WHEN THE AUCTION IS OVER, I WOULD NOT BE THE HIGH BIDDER. HOW DO I KNOW THAT NOW? BECAUSE I KNOW OTHERS WILL PAY MORE THAN ME FOR THIS BOOK. I STILL BID $500 IN CASE I COULD GET A GREAT DEAL...IS THAT OK WITH YOU?

 

I'm not saying Showcase-4 is doing anything technically illegal that would get hin thrown off Ebay -

 

WOW, THIS IS A HUGE RELIEF. I WAS CONVINCED THAT YOUR FALSE AND SLANDEROUS ALLEGATIONS WOULD GET ME KICKED OFF OF EBAY, BUT APPARENTLY YOU HAVE SPARED ME.....NO JAIL TIME FOR BIDDING ON A COMIC BOOK....WOW, THAT WAS A CLOSE CALL !

[mica]

Showcase, you're probably accurate in your statement of where the bidding will be at the end of auction.

However, it would have been more "scientific" shall we say had you not thrown a bid into the mix.

 

Your position on this hypothesis would have been strengthened in the long run.

As it is, you've placed a bid and there has been a slight ripple effect....or shall we say "perceived" effect. That's all.

 

In cases like this it's the perception that's more important than the result.

 

I'm hoping you can retract that bid. And if things do indeed go as you predict then you'll be even happier. And maybe you can depress that ol' CAPS LOCK button

[showcase4]

Showcase, you're probably accurate in your statement of where the bidding will be at the end of auction.

However, it would have been more "scientific" shall we say had you not thrown a bid into the mix.

 

Your position on this hypothesis would have been strengthened in the long run.

As it is, you've placed a bid and there has been a slight ripple effect....or shall we say "perceived" effect. That's all.

 

In cases like this it's the perception that's more important than the result.

 

I'm hoping you can retract that bid. And if things do indeed go as you predict then you'll be even happier. And maybe you can depress that ol' CAPS LOCK button

 

I'm not worried about a strengthened hypothesis. I would never not bid on an Obadiah Oldbuck to prove a point as scientifically as possible to strangers on the Boards. I don't and won't retract bids because of this thread. I have my hat in the ring for 500 bucks on this book whether you guys approve or not....respectfully

[FFB]

Hey Bob,

 

What do you think is a good estimate of the FMV of this copy? (Irrespective of where it ends up in this auction.)

 

Scott

[BLBcomics-migration]

I think we should begin talking about Topffer's second comic book in America, The Adventures of Bachelor Butterfly, published by Wilson & Company in 1845, one year before Topffer's untimely death.

 

Now, it is America's 3rd comic book, with THE BACHELOR'S OWN BOOK by George Cruikshank 1845 being America's 2nd comicbook.

[BLBcomics-migration]

Hey Bob,

 

What do you think is a good estimate of the FMV of this copy? (Irrespective of where it ends up in this auction.)

 

Scott

 

Hi Scott

 

I have emailed the seller to ascertain more info on this Obadiah 2nd print. He has already posted some of my commentary at the bottom of this auction page regarding what i think he has, pointing out it is a 2nd printing as well as other aspects of what this is

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/1ST-USA-COMIC-THE-AD...1QQcmdZViewItem

 

And i beg off for now being uneducated as to what FMV means, clue me in please

[mica]

Hey Bob,

 

What do you think is a good estimate of the FMV of this copy? (Irrespective of where it ends up in this auction.)

 

Scott

 

Hi Scott

 

I have emailed the seller to ascertain more info on this Obadiah 2nd print.

 

And i beg off for now being uneducated as to what FMV means, clue me in please

Fair Market Value

[BLBcomics-migration]

Fair Market Value

 

many thanks

 

- i am awaiting word back form the seller as to its exact page count, because the research i conducted told me it should have 92 pages in toto including all covers, blank pages, etc and his has 80 by his count he originally posted

 

In this shape, i would think $700-$1000 is the range as it think it is missing a few pages - but will nail that down when i hear back from him.

 

If it was complete, it would be an easy $2-$3K book and in high grade easy $5K

 

What makes the first print Obadiah unique to me is it hit the format concept of wnat we regard as a modern comicbook/magazine

 

this 2nd print, along with the other comicbooks issued by Brother Jonathan as well as Garrett and other 1800s comicbook publishers like & Fitzgerald, reverted Obadiah back to its original British format, which is what you see in the scans of this auction

 

There are LOTS of other British comicbooks from the 1840s/50s which never got reprinted in America, hence, are not listed in Overstreet. We went mainly with USA connection Brit copies. There was a lot of debate some years ago about letting other countries' output in