Obadiah Oldbuck vs. Superman

[Earl Davis]

That would be a cartoon book.

 

I've pointed out in ealier posts that Marvel has at several times in the past packaged cartoon books in the same format as "modern" comic books (Snafu, Groovy, etc.). Not to mention books of text material with incidental illustrations (i.e. Handbook of the Marvel Universe series).

 

I do not consider any of them to be comic books.

 

Cool.

 

At least you apply a consistent set of criteria.

 

I suppose this thread has reinforced what I already suspected about what is or isn’t a comic.

 

Answer being…

 

It depends on who you ask and the criteria that person thinks is important.

 

If you are interested I personally count Prince Valiant as a Comic. But then I also think it’s an illustrated story. Cartoon Strip is not a term I have ever used but I suspect I might consider it one of those as well.

[ft88]

Gifflefunk = Showcase-4

 

and a tree fell in the woods silently.

[showcase4]

http://comicbookbin.com/bubble18.html

[batman_fan]

Another "untruth" that has been stated here is that there wouldn't have been a Superman without Oldbuck... this is an outright total fabrication by those desperate to justify some alleged importance of that book.

 

I don't think Wildenberg and Gaines had any knowledge of Oldbuck when they decided to take newspaper pages and fold them in halves and then quarters to create a format for reprinting newspaper comic strips. At no point in time does the existence of Oldbuck come into play for that particular event in comic book history.

 

Siegel and Schuster got into comics because of newspaper comic strips, not because of some random cartoon book from 1842. They created material in the hopes of getting a comic strip deal with a major newspaper syndicate. Again, I don't see any (ANY) linkage between Oldbuck and what Siegel and Schuster did.

 

If Topffer had never existed Superman would have still come out when it did. The two are mutually exclusive events and have no connection what-so-ever.

 

Unless you'd like to claim that Topffer/Oldbuck started the entire history of cartooning??

 

This is a great post .....my claim of "No Superman without Obadiah Oldbuck" has to do with an indirect link between the two....not a direct link. It is very similar to saying "there is no Corvette without a Model T". There had to be a car, before there could be a modern day sports car. You can't go from horse drawn buggy to Corvette without all the automotive evolution leading up to the Corvette, which all can be traced back to the 1st US production automobile...The Model T.

 

Very simply---- Obadiah Oldbuck / Model T (1st comic / 1st auto )

Action Comics #1 / Corvette (great comic / great auto )

 

Obadiah Oldbuck was the "big bang" of the US comic universe...the 1st "event" that got everything rolling here.

 

Hey KrazyKat, a model T was NOT the 1st automobile!!!

[showcase4]

 

Obadiah Oldbuck was the "big bang" of the US comic universe...the 1st "event" that got everything rolling here.

 

Hey KrazyKat, a model T was NOT the 1st automobile!!!

 

 

1st of all, in case you haven't heard about 100 repsonses ago...I am not Kray Kat. KK is a guy named Brad....and my name is Steve, not Brad.

 

As for the Model T not being the 1st auto ...you are correct! But it was the 1st mass produced, assembly line fabricated auto. Its comparison to Obadiah Oldbuck? Obadiah was the 1st mass produced, newsstand distributed US comic book by Wilson and Co. located in New York City, dated September 14th, 1842.

1st car for the masses....1st comic book for the masses.

So now you know......

[batman_fan]

 

Obadiah Oldbuck was the "big bang" of the US comic universe...the 1st "event" that got everything rolling here.

 

Hey KrazyKat, a model T was NOT the 1st automobile!!!

 

 

1st of all, in case you haven't heard about 100 repsonses ago...I am not Kray Kat. KK is a guy named Brad....and my name is Steve, not Brad.

 

As for the Model T not being the 1st auto ...you are correct! But it was the 1st mass produced, assembly line fabricated auto. Its comparison to Obadiah Oldbuck? Obadiah was the 1st mass produced, newsstand distributed US comic book by Wilson and Co. located in New York City, dated September 14th, 1842.

1st car for the masses....1st comic book for the masses.

So now you know......

 

Hey KK, once again, you are WRONG. Ford was not the first mass produced automobile. Ford is credited for perfecting the assembly line, but other autos were produced in quanity before Ford. Again, go back to pumping Original Art, your attempts to pump OO as something special that we should all be dying to buy just aren't working.

[showcase4]

 

Hey KK, once again, you are WRONG. Ford was not the first mass produced automobile. Ford is credited for perfecting the assembly line, but other autos were produced in quanity before Ford. Again, go back to pumping Original Art, your attempts to pump OO as something special that we should all be dying to buy just aren't working.

 

Well Batman....you may want to stick to fighting crime. You are a bad detective if after all the input from others in this post, you still think I'm KK. As for the history of the US automobile...you may be right..I may know more about comics than cars. Since this is a comic post, and not an auto post, I'm sure my fellow Boards members will be forgiving. As for Obadiah Oldbuck...I don't need to "pump" anything....I already know how special it is. This whole post is about getting some feedback as to why others think its not.

[showcase4]

 

I suppose this thread has reinforced what I already suspected about what is or isn’t a comic.

 

Answer being…

 

It depends on who you ask and the criteria that person thinks is important.

 

 

You are correct! When I look at Obadiah Oldbuck, I see a sequential comic book. Gifflefunk sees a cartoon book. We are both looking at the same thing, but our minds and experience come up with a completely different summary for what's in front of us.

 

These different belief systems makes everyone right with regards to their own opinion:

 

This is the 1st US comic book --- that's correct.....just ask me

This is the 1st US comic book --- that's correct.check The Overstreet Price Guide

This is the 1st US comic book --- that's correct...just ask Historian Bob Beerbohm

 

This is just a cartoon book --- that's correct.....just ask Gifflefunk

 

for this reason, it's obviously easier to compare an All American 16 to Adventure 40, as to all people, they are both "comic books", and we would be comparing apples to apples. The 1st American comic book is in a league of its own.

[gifflefunk]

These different belief systems makes everyone right with regards to their own opinion:

 

This is the 1st US comic book --- that's correct.....just ask me

This is the 1st US comic book --- that's correct.check The Overstreet Price Guide

This is the 1st US comic book --- that's correct...just ask Historian Bob Beerbohm

 

This is just a cartoon book --- that's correct.....just ask Gifflefunk

 

for this reason, it's obviously easier to compare an All American 16 to Adventure 40, as to all people, they are both "comic books", and we would be comparing apples to apples. The 1st American comic book is in a league of its own.

 

I was going to say something positive about your original version of this post, but now I see you've modified it to skew things in attempt to make it look like there is more support for your opinion... but isn't the OPG just the same as saying Beerbohm as he runs the Victorian section of the OPG... and isn't your belief based on Beerbohm's article?? It's not like you did any research or have offered any insight outside of what can be found in the OPG, or have I missed something?

 

Anyway, good luck with the whole cartoon books are the same as comic books cult following thing. And if I find a copy of the first American Comic Book (i.e. The Yellow Kid in McFadden's Flats) I'll be sure to let you know... if you'll spend $20k on a cartoon book I'm hoping you'll spend $50k on the first real American Comic Book.

[Aces]

Who the is Obadiah Oldbuck?

[showcase4]

It's not like you did any research or have offered any insight outside of what can be found in the OPG, or have I missed something?

 

Anyway, good luck with the whole cartoon books are the same as comic books cult following thing. And if I find a copy of the first American Comic Book (i.e. The Yellow Kid in McFadden's Flats) I'll be sure to let you know... if you'll spend $20k on a cartoon book I'm hoping you'll spend $50k on the first real American Comic Book.

 

Gifflefunk is right again! Although not about my lack of offering any insight outside of OPG info on Obadiah Oldbuck, and not about The Yellow Kid being the 1st comic book.. Every offering was met with a brick wall of resistance..."it doesn't have word balloons", "it's more like a precursor" and on and on and on. I have showed interior images, posted articles by comic experts, and still...."that thing's not a comic book". And yes, I changed my post to add Beerbohm and the OPG as supporters of Obadiah's claim as #1...they are voices larger than mine, and add credibility beyond this post by me.

 

Gifflefunk was also right because I would spend $50,000 on a copy of The Yellow Kid in McFadden's Flats.....produce an unrestored VF/NM, and you will have your $50,000. Although it is not the 1st American comic book, it is the 1st and ONLY comic book featuring The Yellow Kid, the 1st Platinum Age comic book, the 1st comic book featuring a key character that stood the test of time, and the 1st comic book to use the words "comic books" --- on the rear cover. McFadden's Flats is #2 on my wantlist, just a hair behind Obadiah....the real 1st

[lou_fine]

I also struggled to find a single 'comic book' in the Pioneer Section' of the guide and Bob B has already spoken negatively on the boards about the current Pioneer Age part of the guide.

 

It's kind of funny since I find it so ironic that Bob B looks down at the Pioneer Age with such disdain and yet seems to have no problems at all hyping and glorifying the Victorian Age. At least, he should now have some appreciation of how collectors feel towards his Victorian Age books.

 

Based upon my glancing through the two sections, I don't really see that much of a difference between the two ages until you hit the section on the Yellow Kid. In fact, both sections even comment on the same Shooting of the Italian Concini strip from 1617.

 

Bob is probably more upset with the Pioneer Age due to the fact that somebody else was able to go further back in history before he managed to get there. As I have mentioned beforein previous postings, at this rate we'll probably have a piece on the Neanderthal Age analyzing sequential cave drawings in the OS before long.

[Aman619]

then we can define the poinbt of demarcation betrween first sequential story told with pictures... and first comic book! A timeline of sequential stories will go way way back and far from America's shores....and the firts comic book will be back in the 20th century where it belongs.

[comicnut]

Extra, extra come get your Neanderthal comics.

 

What I have here are genuine pieces of rock from a cave with drawings on them.

 

Please post your bids, you guys won't be disappointed. Heck for an extra $10 I'll even check for pressing!!!

[showcase4]

found this little gem on the internet.....thought you guys would enjoy it:

 

 

 

"The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck! What the hell is this? What a strange little thing this is. It looks like a magazine or crude newspaper but it has illustrations on every page with little text bits written under them. It’s as if somebody stuck a bunch of political cartoons together with captions and strung them together to tell a story. Sort of like a children’s pamphlet only intended for adults. Do they really think this thing will fly. Looks like this stuff has been quite the popular over in the old country (still say we just leave what’s over the pond OVER the pond). They can keep their silly little children’s pamphlets. We’ve got bigger fish to fry over here. What with the Mexicans invading Texas and all that hoopla down there, do we really want a stupid diversion like this.

 

You know, though, this is some pretty nice line work. Maybe I’ll just read it one time."

[mica]

Who the is Obadiah Oldbuck?

It's a cartoonish drawing of a guy that at least 5 people in the world (including red china) really like.

 

By the end of this decade at least 8 people may care about it and that number is bound to double by the turn of the next century.

 

You yourself have seen to it that this thread will not die, and for that a certain someone applauds you. Though please understand that large forms of praise and compliments are reserved for gifflefunk, whom it is hoped can be swayed.

 

But alas, giffle will remain clouded in darkness and refuses to step into the light of Obadiah, in spite of the numerous attempts to flatter him.

 

But let us not forget the real reason we are all here to pay homage.

 

More importantly is the fact that there is a guy (who shall remain nameless) who has gone out of his way to show us all (the unwashed) that he is loaded with money, moolah, clams, $$$$ and that he doesn't really have a creative way to invest it so he buys up stuff that nobody wants outside of a vast and reportedly ever increasing number of people that are dying to catch a glimpse of Obadiah.

 

The message is there friends. You may have to delve deeply into the many words of praise but certain promises are also made to spend BIG BUCKS on real comics if any of those should arise as sort of a safety net in case the whole Obadiah bandwagon gets stuck going down Yancy street. It's only money.

 

That was so well written that you may want to read it again.

[ShoNuff-migration]

"A comic book is a series of words and pictures that is presented in a sequential manner to form a narrative."

 

But you know, by using that definition you've described the Old lady/dog/peddler book. Or is that definition only useful when it supports Oldbuck?

Boy are you guys going to jump all over this.....I will add to the above definition that it must also be recognized by the industry's leading and most universally acceptable reference guide as a sequential comic book...and that reference guide is The Overstreet Price Guide.

 

P.S. time will tell if I'm a sap or savvy investor

Actually, I think time will decide that "Sucker" or "Sheep" is a more appropriate label.

[comicdonna]

Who the is Obadiah Oldbuck?

It's a cartoonish drawing of a guy that at least 5 people in the world (including red china) really like.

 

By the end of this decade at least 8 people may care about it and that number is bound to double by the turn of the next century.

 

You yourself have seen to it that this thread will not die, and for that a certain someone applauds you. Though please understand that large forms of praise and compliments are reserved for gifflefunk, whom it is hoped can be swayed.

 

But alas, giffle will remain clouded in darkness and refuses to step into the light of Obadiah, in spite of the numerous attempts to flatter him.

 

But let us not forget the real reason we are all here to pay homage.

 

More importantly is the fact that there is a guy (who shall remain nameless) who has gone out of his way to show us all (the unwashed) that he is loaded with money, moolah, clams, $$$$ and that he doesn't really have a creative way to invest it so he buys up stuff that nobody wants outside of a vast and reportedly ever increasing number of people that are dying to catch a glimpse of Obadiah.

 

The message is there friends. You may have to delve deeply into the many words of praise but certain promises are also made to spend BIG BUCKS on real comics if any of those should arise as sort of a safety net in case the whole Obadiah bandwagon gets stuck going down Yancy street. It's only money.

 

That was so well written that you may want to read it again.

[showcase4]

Who the is Obadiah Oldbuck?

It's a cartoonish drawing of a guy that at least 5 people in the world (including red china) really like.

 

By the end of this decade at least 8 people may care about it and that number is bound to double by the turn of the next century.

 

You yourself have seen to it that this thread will not die, and for that a certain someone applauds you. Though please understand that large forms of praise and compliments are reserved for gifflefunk, whom it is hoped can be swayed.

 

But alas, giffle will remain clouded in darkness and refuses to step into the light of Obadiah, in spite of the numerous attempts to flatter him.

 

But let us not forget the real reason we are all here to pay homage.

 

More importantly is the fact that there is a guy (who shall remain nameless) who has gone out of his way to show us all (the unwashed) that he is loaded with money, moolah, clams, $$$$ and that he doesn't really have a creative way to invest it so he buys up stuff that nobody wants outside of a vast and reportedly ever increasing number of people that are dying to catch a glimpse of Obadiah.

 

The message is there friends. You may have to delve deeply into the many words of praise but certain promises are also made to spend BIG BUCKS on real comics if any of those should arise as sort of a safety net in case the whole Obadiah bandwagon gets stuck going down Yancy street. It's only money.

 

That was so well written that you may want to read it again.

 

this was pretty good...had to read it 3 times to really "get it"

I will give you an A+ for originality, but a D- on accuracy.....the Obadiah following is MUCH larger than the few people you reference, and I am not "loaded". I just know a good $20,000 investment when I see one

[CentaurMan]

I really hate to say it out loud, but this showcase guy is growing on me. He can take a lickin' and keep on tickin'.

 

The fact that he's been contributing on other threads while leaving OO out of them is a big plus. As is his newfound self-deprecating sense of humor.

 

None of this makes his OO "investment" worth a hill of beans, of course.