Have a Cigar! Golden Age only....! 46 46

[ghoulaid]

When I started my goal was to get one of every superhero comic ever made. Then it branched out to one of every comic ever made. Then I got interested in all forms of comic art: Sunday strips, Big Little Books, comic ADS, Fanzines, etc. It got crazy.

 

It wasn't possible to complete my "goal" so I branched off into something I could more easily complete: non-sports cards. After 10 years of collecting/dealing in those, I had nearly all I wanted and lost interest there.

 

My newest challenge is to get all the comics that came with bubblegum: Bazooka Joe, Fleer Funnies, etc. and I'm having a blast!

 

I guess the point is: Your interests may shift and become redefined but once a collector, always a collector?

[143ksk]

For me, I think there will always be more to collect. When I finally finish my Archie comic book collection (estimating 2-3 years from now), I'm sure I will start on another area. Also, since I collect original Archie art and other comic strip art, I will never truly be finished. And of course, there's all the Archie upgrades I need...

 

Jon's collection just staggers the mind. I suspect he's one of the very few generalist collectors that could be close to "satisfied" with the breadth and quality of his collection. I mean, I've owned Larsons and I've owned Churchs, but I've never owned both pedigrees of a single book

[Scrooge]

Thanks Ghoulaid,

 

I didn't realize that you had such ecclectic tastes. One issue of every comics made. It's not like the idea hasn't come across my mind. I am already on my way. I know I would restrict myself to specific dates: one issue from every comic series that debuted from 19xx to 1962 (or thereabouts). How close did you come before you called it quits?

 

I have never seen a comic with a bubble-gum - Where they attached to the comic or wrapped in a bag? We could probably shift that to another thread but I'm interested.

[Scrooge]

143,

 

yes, that's what I was looking for. Thanks for discussing. Oh and I understand that there's always more hence why the question was first directed at Jon because, as you point out, his collection has such breadth in the areas we know are of particular interest to him.

 

I like the attention to details we all have about estimated times to completion. I know when I started my March '52 goal I told my wife I would give myself 10 years to complete so I would know to be patient. So far, 3 years 10 months into it, I have exactly 250 of the 420 books I estimate I need (soon 251 with a Bozo on the way) or about 60% of them (even though value-wise I put that at slightly below 50%). If you do complete the collection in 2 to 3 years, how long would it have actually taken you to complete the set?

[ghoulaid]

Thanks Ghoulaid,

 

I didn't realize that you had such ecclectic tastes. One issue of every comics made. How close did you come before you called it quits?

 

I have never seen a comic with a bubble-gum - Where they attached to the comic or wrapped in a bag? We could probably shift that to another thread but I'm interested.

 

I had (have) 22,000 books pre 1985 when I called it quits. The bubblegum comics are just those little wax paper inserts in bubblegum ... like Bazooka Joe. Have you not seen those? I should start a separate thread on those if there is any interest.

 

Edited April 9, 2005 by ghoulaid

[Larryw7]

My collecting needs right now are very simple(but expensive): all issues of Batman from 1-100, and all GA Detective's. I just need to win the lotto.

[143ksk]

If you do complete the collection in 2 to 3 years, how long would it have actually taken you to complete the set?

 

Just a bit over 20 years. It started as collecting MLJs (around 1985), but soon morphed into Archie titles as well. More recently, I decided to really narrow my focus to just Archie (1941-1971) and sold a number of other titles to finance the big Archie books I still needed (eg Pep 22, Jackpot 4). Of course, I still do occasionally buy books I don't "need." It's just soooo hard to resist sometimes...

 

Scrooge, you seem to be doing well on your set. Let me know if there are any Archie books you still need.

[143ksk]

I should start a separate thread on those if there is any interest.

 

 

Please do

[Larryw7]

I should start a separate thread on those if there is any interest.

 

 

Please do

 

Talk about nostalgia! Yeah, a thread on those would be nice.

[esquirecomics]

I should start a separate thread on those if there is any interest.

 

 

Please do

 

Talk about nostalgia! Yeah, a thread on those would be nice.

 

When did these first appear, and do they even still exist? I have fond memories of those cartoons and the gum from the 1970s.

[Scrooge]

If my mind wasn't so focused on the word comics and the usual format, I would have known what you are talking about. Yes, I vaguely seem to remember seeing some similar back home with Malabar (probably a translation of a US character to reflect local foreign market). How many of these are estimated to exist or is there enough research on them you know exactly how large the set is? We want to know because that's the kind of mostly useless facts we all relish here.

 

Oh and now I understand your avatar after seeing it for well over a year!

 

22,000 - Now how do you propose I break the news to my wife? Well, really I would probably go for matching the count of 2,240 from the Gerbers which is not unrealistic + I would be just short of 20% of the way once I am done with March '52 books (which btw should freak every one out to consider that of all series in the Gerber a full fifth where on the stand AT THE SAME TIME in 1952; goes to show you the "bubble" of publishing that took place then, we are at the heights of the multiplicity of genres coming to market in order to cling on to sales as they are starting to slow (shades of the months with the most IPOs during the stock market bubble were towards the end of the run-up in valuation)) I could actually pick and choose the covers I'd like to buy.

 

So Ghoul, another question for you: how did you determine which issue of each series to purchase?

[ghoulaid]

I think I would be happy paring my collection down to just the 2,240 books in the Gerbers.

 

That's an amazing number of books to come out in March '52! Even at 10 cents each that's about $45.00 to buy one month's worth ... yow!

 

"So Ghoul, another question for you: how did you determine which issue of each series to purchase?"

 

As a completist, I wanted all the main titles (Superman, Batman etc). For the oddball companies, I wanted samples of their books but it was a crapshoot knowing what you were going to get in pre-internet days. I bought a sample copy of Silver Streak (sight unseen) to check it out and got the worst cover in the bunch (#22 I think). Gag. Mostly I depended on the swell cover repros in Overstreet to base my buying decisions on.

 

For those still reading ... Bazooka Joe comics still come with the gum. They started in 1954 and there are somewhere around 1,500 different comics. If you count variations ... they seem endless at the moment. I'm close to having it all figured out. If I get a chance to start a thread I will (I should scan some first). Sounds like fun. I'll answer any questions in the meantime if you PM me.

[adamstrange]

Scrooge: when you said you might collect the 2240 issues in Gerber, what was the 2240 number referring to?

[adamstrange]

Ghoulaid: Have you read all 22,000? That's just a staggering number to me. I have trouble organizing my small collection without thinking about a number that large!

 

Overstreet was trying to get every GA comics -- I think he had 25,000 when sold out to Geppi.

[adamstrange]

Jon,

 

if you don't mind my asking, knowing how extensive your collection is, are there books you are still looking for and acquiring or are you satisfied with your collection as is? Are there some collecting goals you had starting out or decided upon in the meantime that you have still to accomplish (after all those years)?

 

I am asking you because I know once I am done with my March '52 project, there are quite a few other goals that are solidifying in my mind that I hope I can then embark on and I'd like the insights of a "veteran". And I am also asking these questions to others here such as Adam, Fuelman, RHG, 123ksk, tth2, HarveyDude, ... or anyone else. Should we put a limit? such as: only answer this question if you have been collecting for over X years: let's say 20 years. We can relax that if only few of us have been at it this long.

 

Thanks for any answer you can provide.

 

I'll hit 20 years of collecting comics next year so I figure I'm close enough to answer the question. I have occasionally gotten tired of collecting but it's quite a few years since that happened. With ebay, auctions, and CGC there are plenty of cool books floating around that grab my attention. Prices are higher now so I take more time deciding what to buy as I'm buying fewer books. I use to love getting big stack of 50s books. Doesn't happen anymore.

 

As far as collecting goals, I gave up (with few exceptions) doing the "run" thing years ago when I decided to stop going after SA and focus on 10 centers. I do know quite few people who collects runs (in grade) of 10 cent books but it's so hard for them. I have enormous sympathy for someone like RHG who seems to be putting together an exceptional run of early 'Tecs. These collectors always have to keep asking every dealer and collector they meet if they know about the books they are looking for. The worst trouble is when 2 collectors end up blocking each other, getting most of the best copies of the books in question, but still finding they need what the other guy has. This is the case with me and a friend of mine (darn him!).

 

In any event, my goal is collect the cool and interesting and scarce and unusual and exceptional 10 cent comics. I get as many as I'm able to run across and can afford. This means that I'm always hunting for something new that might be of interest that I didn't know about before. And given the number of comics out there and what they cost, I'm not expecting to ever "complete" the collection. Also I do feel I'm guaranteed to have fun in the hobby because it's not just about the acquisition.

 

Here's a thought: when you are done with March 52, go do March 53, 54 or 55. Those will all be interesting.

 

 

 

There is a little more method to my madness than this (no list however) but I prefer not to provide any more details.

[Scrooge]

Adam,

 

I simply went to the back of Volume 2 and the last series (Zoot) is listed with the reference # 2240-Issue Number meaning that there was 2240 different titles illustrated in the Gerbers, starting at 1-issue Number for the A-1 series. I took this to say that Gerber illustrated / catalogued 2,240 individual series.

[Scrooge]

Adam,

 

thanks for the thoughts about your approach to collecting. I had originally thought of jumping by decades, i.e. July '42, March '52, March '62, June'72 but it really won't work for me. July '42 books hold either no attractions to me or they are simply too expensive for my budget. I have no connection with the title published in March '62 as I never was much of a DC person (sorry but in France growing up only Marvel were reprinted so I grew up a Marvel zombie) and most of the June '72 books are "dreck" in my opinion (I have over 60 of them currently so I did sample enough to form an opinion) so you might have it right for me to jump by a single calendar year would be an option I should consider. I had never thought of that before.

[bobpfef]

I've been collecting various stuff for probably 25 years now (gasp) and I find that I go in cycles. I enjoy many different things and don't just collect comics. I tend to just buy stuff that I think is "cool" without any real defined goal in mind. I usually focus on one medium at a time, but also buy other stuff I am interested in. Right now it is pretty much old comics, particularly "kid" comics from the 40's and 50's, but in the past I've focused on cartoon character glasses, or Pixieware, or punk records, or old wooden frame puzzles or viewmaster reels, or whatever. I am kinda like the Jack character from the James Robinson run of Starman, a collector of cool stuff that many people would just think of as junk.

 

I wasn't buying any old comics about 5 years, when I was more interested in glasses and music. Now I am heavily into the comics, and haven't bought a record in several years. But I have been buying the occasional glass again -- everything comes around again.

 

My comic goal is to get all the John Stanley stuff I can find. Once I finish that, I'll probably move on to Walt Kelly. Then maybe Lev Gleason comics, or Tomahawk appearances. I've never been on to be too organized about my collecting. The first time I every made a want list is in the past year, because I found I was buying doubles of too many issues of Little Lulu because I didn't remember the cover and that was getting too expensive I guess I don't think I have to worry about running out of stuff I want to get. If I lose interest in comics I'll find something else for a few years, and I'll come back probably a few years after that.

[jbcomicbox]

Jon,

 

"if you don't mind my asking, knowing how extensive your collection is, are there books you are still looking for and acquiring or are you satisfied with your collection as is? Are there some collecting goals you had starting out or decided upon in the meantime that you have still to accomplish (after all those years)?"

 

REPLY:

 

I have been at this for about 30 years....started off as a Marvel guy and got the whole run (see Gerber Photo Journal)

 

thought i take a crack at obtaining the whole Atlas and Timely books....got sidetracked when I found out that early Timely artists did Centaur (altho i have Marvel Mystery 1-92).....fifteen years and i got all the centaurs....but got into the pre superman books, early DC....always a Larson nut....Lou Fine got me into Church copies of his books.....Fantastic, Mystery Men, Wonderworld, Hit Comics...

 

pre-supermen books such as Famous Funnies 1-36, early Tip Tops, Kings

 

#1 GA books and "this and that"...I would try and do 1-10 on many titles...

 

made it a goal to get oversized books such as Jumbo, Master, New Fun....

 

last year finished my pre-war (1939-1942) Fox books set.....got into TOGS so i have quite a few Chelsers (great Sultan and Ricca covers) and Ace Magazines (check out the many great Mooney covers).... .

 

So as to GA (1936-42), i have about 1500+

 

there is still alot of material that won't cost an arm and a leg....

 

 

...but then about 1998 got bitten by the art bug and have SOLD books to feed that habit.....

 

....but i still love the smell of newsprint in the morning...and the "pretty colors" of comicbooks....

 

I still have alot of books, but there really are "no mountains to climb", no books that i "gotta have"...but will still pick up that neat cover or "lower priced" Larson......and please find me a Pep 30......

 

Jon

[tb]

Unrestored file copy; latest addition to my WDC&S set.

 

 

Also, just had a CGC submission make it to the gallery for the first time: "Kite Fun Book" (CGC 9.6 - yay!).