Comic Book Collecting

[Doh!]

I don't really collect autographs, and the few singed things I own were signed and personalized in person (I realize that's a no-no for the hardcore collector... but I don't care). My favorite of these is Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art. I was at San Diego Comic-Con in the early 90s and caught him in the hallway. Got to chat with him for a minute or so, and when I asked him to sign my book he asked, "Would you like me to personalize it?" I jumped at the chance! And he didn't charge me a penny.

I get that autographs are a big business now, what with the kids flipping merchandise for a profit. But I miss the old days of keeping things as mementos.

[Hepcat]

I love date stamps. For me they even add value to a book. Also, I appreciate arrival dates in ink, pencil, and grease pencil. But the stamp, when clearly present, is the best.

I have seven Adventures of the Fly issues with date stamps in my collection. Here are the scans:

6 Bethlehem copy



7 Bethlehem copy



8 Bethlehem copy



12 Bethlehem copy



14 Bethlehem copy



15



16 Bethlehem copy

[horrorhunter]

This is my original off-the-rack copy of the America's Best TV Comics 1-shot.



It was purchased OTR during the summer of 1967 by my 8 year old self. It survived the kid-wars of the '60s in rugged VG (4.0) condition. It's a Silver Age square-bound 25 cent cover price piece of my life that I wouldn't take anything for.

I regularly watched these cartoons, as well as reading Fantastic Four and Amazing Spider-Man quite frequently. For Christmas in '67 my parents bought the MPC King Kong Jungle Set for me, so that's yet another personal link to the comic.

This issue was published to promote the cartoons. It was packaged by Marvel in conjunction with ABC and distributed by Marvel's distributer. The cover art is either Kirby or Larry Lieber's work in Kirby's style. Inker may have been Sinnott or Giacoia. That small FF inset illo is legit Jack Kirby.

[Rex fury]

Great minds think alike! I just remembered and then purchased a new copy of ABTVC. It arrived in the mail today.  Oddly enough my copy has almost the same small corner cover bend as yours...

A fun book, although I'd like to know why Marvel used Spidey 42 in both this comic and as the small attachment to Esquire  magazine? 
RF

[horrorhunter]

Here are pics of some of my Turok, Son Of Stone issues:

#1 (Four Color #596, 1954)


#3 (Turok's first issue in his own title)


#38


#58


Giant Size 1-shot


French Version #4


I grew up a Monster Kid and a Dino Kid. I bought many Turoks back in the mid to late '60s as well as dino issues of Star Spangled War Stories and just about anything with a dinosaur on the cover. Those all got read to death but I never lost my love for dinosaur comics, especially Turok, so a few years ago I set about completing the run. I love those Dell/Gold Key painted covers. That #38 is my favorite issue along with the Giant Size 1. #58 is another favorite that I had an OTR copy of as a kid.

I have the complete run of 1-130, the Giant, and the Golden Digest issue. The first issue is only in G (2.0), but most of my early issues are in mid-grade with a few in low, and the later issues are in mid-high grade. I upgraded all of the real beaters as I went, so everything is at least in G now. That French #4 is the only foreign Turok I own.

[Mike Scott]

The one with the aliens is cool!    I like the way the scene on the cover of the Giant Size issue is lit by the fire!

[Hepcat]

I have six Tales of the Unexpected comics featuring Space Ranger and the delectable Myra with date stamps in my collection. Here are the scans:



Bethlehem copy





Bethlehem copy





Bethlehem copy

[Mike Scott]

"You're fired, Cryll!"

Nice covers! Look like fun comics.

[horrorhunter]

I have six Tales of the Unexpected comics featuring Space Ranger and the delectable Myra with date stamps in my collection.

Beautiful copies and glorious date stamps!

I have heard more and more collectors in the last few years state their appreciation for date stamps. Many years ago an arrival date on the cover was treated as more of a defect (and still probably is for slabbers and their grades in the high "9s"), but for many nowadays a date stamp adds to the desirability of the copy. With certain abnormalities like multiple covers and Mark Jeweler inserts adding substantially to the market value of comics in the current marketplace I wouldn't be surprised to see copies with neat date stamps actually trading at a higher value.

Even defects such as store stamps, previous owners names written on or in the comic, distributor paint overspray, and *shudder* subscription creases seem to be gaining collector interest these days. I have examples of all of these in my collection and I appreciate them for their importance to the history of that particular issue and comics in general. Yeah, I know Overstreet lists a subscription crease as a defect commonly associated with a G/VG (3.0) copy, but I still kind of dig 'em.

Current collectors are finding interest in variant comics such as foreign editions, and reprints such as Whitman variants of Gold Key and Modern Comics variants of Charltons. I have several of each of these and they add variety and interest to the collection.

Regardless of what price guides say, out in the real world of the comic book marketplace at cons, flea markets, and comic shops, something unusual often sells at a premium. If enough collectors start paying more for certain things like double covers and Mark Jeweler inserts, then that raises the perceived values for those variations for everyone...prices go up.

[Hepcat]

Here are scans of a couple of my Mystery in Space comics with date stamps:



Bethlehem copy

[Sir Masksalot]

I'm enjoying all the action and thrills in these colorful covers you've posted in reply.

I was never able to maintain such a collection as a boy. Mother would periodically destroy them
whenever I misbehaved. Precious few survived those sweeps >



I also managed to find a good hiding place for this >



The front and back covers would crumble without the reinforcement of tape although the inside
pages are all perfectly intact.



Who needs the inside though? The real drama is in that amazing cover spread!

[horrorhunter]

Some of my early Fantastic Four issues:

30-32


33-35


36-38


I read the FF on and off as a kid, and it was one of my favorite Superhero titles. When I started buying back issues in 1975 I worked on Fantastic Four for a few years and completed the run from #30 up. I have a couple of earlier issues as well. I would still like to get the whole run but since it was announced that the FF are coming to the MCU the prices have risen substantially on early issues and keys, so I'll probably be content with what I have and only get the older issues if a good deal presents itself.

Issue 30 is the first Diablo, and 35 is the first Dragon Man. And, I believe #33 is the first Attuma who may make an appearance in the MCU as an antagonist for Namor, the Sub-Mariner (Subby is MCU bound as well). The first FF I ever bought as a 6 year old was a copy of #35. I read that thing until it was so beat it couldn't be called anything better than FR (1.0)  . I wish I still had that old beater. Anyway, I bought the copy in the pic in the late '70s and it was great to look at it again, like seeing an old friend.

More Lee/Kirby goodness to come. 

[Hepcat]

I have heard more and more collectors in the last few years state their appreciation for date stamps. Many years ago an arrival date on the cover was treated as more of a defect (and still probably is for slabbers and their grades in the high "9s"), but for many nowadays a date stamp adds to the desirability of the copy.

In general I'm neutral to date stamps. I actually like the red ones indicative of Bethlehem copies though!

I love date stamps. For me they even add value to a book. Also, I appreciate arrival dates in ink, pencil, and grease pencil.

I have a mildly negative predisposition to ink or grease pencil date stamps. One of the very few comics in the cabinet where I keep my really good comics that has a grease pencil date is this one:



It's in beautiful condition otherwise though! Moreover it's a very high nostalgia comic for me since I still very clearly remember the day in September 1963 when I spotted that issue on the magazine rack at Les' Variety on Wortley Road.

The one thing that puts me off about the cover these days is that as an adult I noticed that Mike Sekowsky habitually drew Wonder Woman with an enormous butt.

Even defects such as store stamps, previous owners names written on or in the comic, distributor paint overspray, and *shudder* subscription creases seem to be gaining collector interest these days. I have examples of all of these in my collection and I appreciate them for their importance to the history of that particular issue and comics in general. Yeah, I know Overstreet lists a subscription crease as a defect commonly associated with a G/VG (3.0) copy, but I still kind of dig 'em.

Anyone who was as a kid subjected to the disappointment of receiving a comic in the mail that was folded in half still probably views subscription creases as a negative. That includes me. I was so knocked out by Aquaman 11 featuring the luscious Queen Mera after buying it at Ken's Variety:



That I "took advantage" of DC's subscription offer only to be somewhat miffed when issue #12 arrived in the mail a couple of weeks later folded in half. My present day copy has no such defect:



I had three or four copies of Detective Comics from late 1963 /early 1964 with subscription creases a couple of decades ago but I've replaced them. The only comic I still own with a subscription crease is Brave and the Bold 40 with a magnificent Joe Kubert cover:



i would dearly love to upgrade it but trying to find a Cave Carson Brave and the Bold issue from late 1961 in really nice condition is nigh impossible. The few collectors who own a high grade copy have no interest in putting it up for sale.

[Hepcat]

I was never able to maintain such a collection as a boy. Mother would periodically destroy them whenever I misbehaved.

That happened to many of us. My initial effort to actually collect superhero comics in mid-1962 foundered after two or three weeks after my older sister convinced my mother to throw out my "stack" of six or seven Superman, Batman, Justice League of America and Adventures of the Jaguar comics because they were sure to corrupt me.

Then in the fall of 1963 my sister (perhaps with the assistance of my mother) hid my hoard of thirty or so DC superhero comics inside the couch which put an end to my collecting until I discovered them three or so months later. As a result I didn't score copies of issues such as Flash 141-143, Justice League 24-26, Green Lantern 26-27 and Atom 10-11 off newsstands when they arrived.

[horrorhunter]

My parents weren't strict concerning comics and toys. They were very supportive of my interests and didn't throw any of my stuff away. We didn't have much money when I was a kid in the '60s but they were very generous with me and tried to buy things I wanted. They were good common sense folks and didn't spit "fire and brimstone" the way some people in my area (the Bible Belt) did. They taught me to take care of my stuff instead of savagely throwing it away. I'm very grateful for the civility and compassion they displayed toward me.