The GA "Short Bus" Thread Post your unpopular books! 2 2

[selegue]

What's that thing after the lambda? Part of a circuit diagram?

 

Jack

 

Yes, it is a circuit diagram. Isn't that a capital Gamma though?

 

Yes, it is. I shouldn't have typed without looking back at the page.

 

Jack

[selegue]

What's that thing after the lambda? Part of a circuit diagram?

 

 

Yes, it is a circuit diagram...

 

Speaking of circuit diagrams, here are three books I've been meaning to scan for GCD. I may have written a little about them here before.

 

The Short Bus is headed to science class today!

 

All three are promotional books from General Electric. They're either produced by Pictorial Media, Inc. or General Comics Inc. They're 16 pages long with newsprint covers. The ones with credits are written by Joseph Samachson (of Martian Manhunter fame -- he was a PhD biochemist!) and drawn by George Roussos (aka George Bell and George "Inky" Roussous -- I can almost guarantee that you've seen his inks on Fantastic Four and Avengers).

 

I believe that this one, Adventure Series GEC-174 dated 1946, is the first of the series. Oddly, there's a different cover at GCD, and it's cropped right up to the edge of the cover image. As far as I can tell, they all had an uncolored "picture frame" around the image. I'll check on replacing the GCD image. The cover was redrawn for several later editions. I love the anthropomorphic electrons inside!

 

 

This one, Adventure Series APG 17-2 dated 1947, may be the first of the plane flight series. Most of the later books on this theme are called Adventures in Jet Power. The plane changed from year to year. Can anyone identify this plane? It says Shooting Star near the nose.

 

 

This one, Adventures in Science Series APG 17-8A dated 1955, is unique in the series with its nearly monochromatic cover.

 

 

Is anyone else interested in these? Interested in comparing notes on how many different books were released? Interested in trading? I have lots of duplicates. For GCD purposes, I called them two different series, based on the title in the box (usually yellow) on the front cover: Adventure Series and Adventures in Science Series. The earliest I've seen is the 1946 book above. The latest I've seen is Adventures in Science Series APG-17-5C from 1964, Inside the Atom. Our Department Chairman, a nuclear chemist, has a copy (from me) framed in his office. Several of them were produced in both US and Canadian edition, but I think they differed only by a notation on the last page.

 

Jack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2008 by selegue

[ciorac]

What's that thing after the lambda? Part of a circuit diagram?

 

 

Yes, it is a circuit diagram...

 

Speaking of circuit diagrams, here are three books I've been meaning to scan for GCD. I may have written a little about them here before.

 

The Short Bus is headed to science class today!

 

All three are promotional books from General Electric. They're either produced by Pictorial Media, Inc. or General Comics Inc. They're 16 pages long with newsprint covers. The ones with credits are written by Joseph Samachson (of Martian Manhunter fame -- he was a PhD biochemist!) and drawn by George Roussos (aka George Bell and George "Inky" Roussous -- I can almost guarantee that you've seen his inks on Fantastic Four and Avengers).

 

I believe that this one, Adventure Series GEC-174 dated 1946, is the first of the series. Oddly, there's a different cover at GCD, and it's cropped right up to the edge of the cover image. As far as I can tell, they all had an uncolored "picture frame" around the image. I'll check on replacing the GCD image. The cover was redrawn for several later editions. I love the anthropomorphic electrons inside!

 

 

This one, Adventure Series APG 17-2 dated 1947, may be the first of the plane flight series. Most of the later books on this theme are called Adventures in Jet Power. The plane changed from year to year. Can anyone identify this plane? It says Shooting Star near the nose.

 

 

This one, Adventures in Science Series APG 17-8A dated 1955, is unique in the series with its nearly monochromatic cover.

 

 

Is anyone else interested in these? Interested in comparing notes on how many different books were released? Interested in trading? I have lots of duplicates. For GCD purposes, I called them two different series, based on the title in the box (usually yellow) on the front cover: Adventure Series and Adventures in Science Series. The earliest I've seen is the 1946 book above. The latest I've seen is Adventures in Science Series APG-17-5C from 1964, Inside the Atom. Our Department Chairman, a nuclear chemist, has a copy (from me) framed in his office. Several of them were produced in both US and Canadian edition, but I think they differed only by a notation on the last page.

 

Jack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd wager it is a P-80

 

 

 

I would be interested in trading for any doubles you have on those electricity books.

 

Bill

[selegue]

I just posted Unearthly Spectaculars 3, March 1967, Harvey, over on the Never-Ending Quiz thread at General. It deserves a seat on the Short Bus.

 

 

The cast of Miracles, Inc.

 

 

 

This story is Super-Chef's first appearance. Very cheesy superpower (so to speak). He attacks the bad guys with ze chef's A-La-Pepper Supreme (causes sneezing), Olive Oil Magnifique (slippery) and Instant-Drying Taffy Mix (think Paste-Pot Pete).

 

Here's new member Kaput's introductory splash page.

 

 

Kaput seems to be a cross between Scarlet Witch, who had already been around for almost four years, and even closer, "Joe Btfsplk, the world's worst jinx" from Li'l Abner (who is said to be the inspiration for Mr. Mxyztplk (original spelling) in Superman. I never really understood SW's power, but it seems about the same as these two guys' jinx power.

 

 

Jack

 

[Scrooge]

Resurecting (sp?) this from Page 5

 

Here's a book I got in from Bill today (thanks Bill) -

 

I love getting this kind of books because the interiors always pack a surprise or two. First, I like features with strong lead female characters like Kit West who can take care of themselves -

 

Second, there is a one-page feature by Chu F. Hing Hing's name is an inside joke for some of us Timely / Atlas collectors b/c very often Doc V. will come out of the blue and claim a page inked by Hing ... whose work no one's ever seen and so we can't challenge the good Doc's attribution. Here is some pure Hing work and signed! I had never seen any before -

 

We continue with this feature -

 

I actually didn't re-scan this page b/c that same story was recycled into this book - Kit Carson # 3 (whose cover btw was re-used itself later and the lady in distress's dress was covering her more in that post-code re-use). So, no only was Fiction House recycling (e.g., Firehair # 11 had a reprint from Rangers # 21 and see also most of the later Planets) but so was Avon! -

 

But, wait! There's more. I've never seen this bizarre occurence before. In the last story's splash, there is a clear credit for the letterer in a GA book ... and of course no mention of the artist. Could it be that the artist had a neigbouring kid help him on that job and let the kid signed his work so as to see it in print in the comics? I'm a sentimental kind of guy and would love for this explanation to be true -

 

and finally, the book ends with a nice ad for Slave Girl # 2 -

[ciorac]

Glad you are enjoying it Michael. Fun book indeed.

[adamstrange]

Neither of those look like short bus books to me!

[selegue]

Neither of those look like short bus books to me!

 

Me neither -- but that Cow Puncher would have been MY short bus book if Scrooge hadn't been quicker on the draw. Believe me, no one will argue that some of the books I'm getting from Bill have ever seen the inside of the Long Bus!

 

Jack

[skypinkblu]

NOT short bus at ALL, nice books !: cloud9:

[selegue]

NOT short bus at ALL, nice books !: cloud9:

 

I Double-Dare you to talk me out of reserving seats on the Short Bus for these two gems, received today.

 

 

 

Jack

Do you suppose that he hangs out with B-Girls?

[skypinkblu]

NOT short bus at ALL, nice books !: cloud9:

 

I Double-Dare you to talk me out of reserving seats on the Short Bus for these two gems, received today.

 

Jack

Do you suppose that he hangs out with B-Girls?

 

I recently read a Hit Comics, and there was a character called the Red Bee...I'm sure Scrooge knows him...I had never read the book before (and now Billy Parker has it;) anyway....In that book, the superhero (who should be underneath the short bus) has a pet bee named Mike...and that is basically his superpower... At least from what I gathered..

 

Oh, he reminds me of your guy;)

[selegue]

NOT short bus at ALL, nice books !: cloud9:

 

I Double-Dare you to talk me out of reserving seats on the Short Bus for these two gems, received today.

 

Jack

Do you suppose that he hangs out with B-Girls?

 

I recently read a Hit Comics, and there was a character called the Red Bee...I'm sure Scrooge knows him...I had never read the book before (and now Billy Parker has it;) anyway....In that book, the superhero (who should be underneath the short bus) has a pet bee named Mike...and that is basically his superpower... At least from what I gathered..

 

Oh, he reminds me of your guy;)

 

Pouffy sleeves, red-and-yellow striped long johns, and if I remember right, Michael lived in his belt buckle.

 

 

You can get away with stuff like that only if you're drawn by Lou Fine.

 

Jack

 

[Paratrooper]

Drunk ebaying again, bought this for $30. My rational is, hey a VF/NM book from the early 1940's for only $30? Hell ya! Plus the detective looks like Goofy.

Edited February 26, 2008 by Paratrooper

[selegue]

Drunk ebaying again, bought this for $30. My rational is, hey a VF/NM book from the early 1940's for only $30? Hell ya! Plus the detective looks like Goofy.

 

Who would be nutty enough to buy a book called Ribtickler?

 

 

Jack

just for the fun of it!

[Paratrooper]

HA!

 

HA!

 

HA!

[adamstrange]

Definitely short bus books! (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2008 by adamstrange

[selegue]

HA!

 

HA!

 

HA!

 

This series is driving the indexers at GCD buggy. At the moment it's listed as four different series from four different publishers, two in 1945 and two as reprints in the 1950s. Possibly the contents were remainders. Covers of both yours and mine (in the mail) were reused in the 50s. I hope yours is a first print.

 

Jack

[selegue]

Definitely short bus books! (thumbs u

.....

 

 

No joke -- these are the books that the Short Bus thread was made for!

But we love 'em for it.

 

Jack

[Paratrooper]

HA!

 

HA!

 

HA!

 

This series is driving the indexers at GCD buggy. At the moment it's listed as four different series from four different publishers, two in 1945 and two as reprints in the 1950s. Possibly the contents were remainders. Covers of both yours and mine (in the mail) were reused in the 50s. I hope yours is a first print.

 

Jack

 

I'll let ya know when I get it in, might be a keeper. I kinda like that cover.

[shiverbones]

I LOVE Ribtickler!!!