Comic Book Collecting

[Mike Scott]

Wow! It doesn't seem like that long ago that ACTION #1 was a half million dollar comic!

[John Pertwee]

Wow! It doesn't seem like that long ago that ACTION #1 was a half million dollar comic!

I remember seeing ads in magazines and comic books selling it for a grand.

[Mike Scott]

I remember seeing ads in magazines and comic books selling it for a grand.

That would have been a good while ago, though. 

[Doh!]

When I was a lad, I had one of those oversized reprints of either Superman No. 1 or Action and left it on the couch. When my dad got home from work that night, he saw it and said, "Hey! I read this as a kid!"

I got very excited and asked him if he still had it. His response? "I dunno, I was a kid. I probably tossed it or gave it away after I read it." He was 10 in 1938.

[BigShadow]

Just grabbed these today:

[Doh!]

Those are awesome covers!

[Rex fury]

Dell did some fun comics. I collected their Ghost title because it was affordable and fun. I love the ending to the Creature story and how it leaves so many possibilities open. Too bad they didn't continue or that Dave Cockrum never got his Creature comic idea produced.
RF

[Rex fury]

Just returned from a visit to Boise, Idaho where I checked out a couple of stores there. I wanted to visit Kings Comics Castle, because it's listed as the city's oldest comic store. Unfortunately it's an appointment only business and the owner and I couldn't agree on a time that would work for both of us. Has anyone else been there? I'm curious what I missed out on.

We did visit Captain Comics where I found a decent buy on a Challengers of the Unknown 13. The store had a mixed supply of older comics, but you have to search through printed lists and request a clerk to bring out each issue that might be of interest. I found this process  a little laborious and that limited what I viewed and ultimately what I purchased.

Anyone else visited the city's shops or conventions?

RF

[Rex fury]

Since there's been nothing new posted to this thread in a while I thought I'd post some random thoughts about my recent collecting adventures.

HOS 92 still eludes me! I watch the  various eBay auctions come and go, but I'm reluctant to drop a grand or so for this comic. I don't buy slabbed books and the "raw" books are usually pretty beat up and still commanding 7- 9 hundred bucks ....

Lately, I've had great luck filling in DC runs of Witching Hour,  House of Mystery and other ( non- key) Books. I'm picking them up on average at 2.00 a copy. I use to think that was pricey for these books, but I forget how old they're becoming- me too for that matter.- Charlton books have been available and priced about the same.

I've found renewed interest in the Master of Kung Fu comics. Not because of the movie, but because of Moench' s writing and the Glulacy artwork. Zeck and even Jim Craig did some great work on these old books and it's fun to see them aping Jim Steranko.

Last, but certainly no least, I recently came across two old Robert Bell comic bags. They've yellowed with age and are not suitable for use, but I found myself sticking the bags into a modern comic sleeve! If you told 13 year old me I'd be "collecting" old comic bags in my 60's I'd have laughed you out of the room.  Maybe soon, some one will be sticking me into a preservative container. Until that time I'll continue to be fascinated with all things comic!
I remain,
Rex Fury

[BigShadow]

HOS 92 still eludes me! I watch the  various eBay auctions come and go, but I'm reluctant to drop a grand or so for this comic. I don't buy slabbed books and the "raw" books are usually pretty beat up and still commanding 7- 9 hundred bucks ....

Lately, I've had great luck filling in DC runs of Witching Hour,  House of Mystery and other ( non- key) Books. I'm picking them up on average at 2.00 a copy. I use to think that was pricey for these books, but I forget how old they're becoming- me too for that matter.- Charlton books have been available and priced about the same.

Thankfully I picked up a NM H.O.S. 92 about 8 years ago before the book blew up.  I think I paid $40 for it. 
I've also been filling in most of my DC horror runs at anywhere from $2-25 a book, depending on the individual title worth and condition.  Most of my Charlton horror stuff has been $2-4 a book.  Most of the Gold Key horror and sci-fi I've been finding is really cool, but prices are all over the place.

[Hepcat]

Thankfully I picked up a NM H.O.S. 92 about 8 years ago.... I think I paid $40 for it.

Tough to believe that any kind of dealer or semi informed person would have sold a House of Secrets 92 for $40 in 2013. I remember seeing it at comic cons for $400+ back in 2000 or so.

[Hepcat]

This is pretty unbelievable...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/silver-surfer-3-8-5/203273382532?hash=item2f5409aa84:g:mqEAAOSwFsxgIdtv



Currently up to $214.50 with 48 Bids (8 hours + to go) and 67 Watchers, but clearly pictured is the Fantasy Masterpieces REPRINT of Silver Surfer #3. The Seller is either a dumb crook or clueless, and the Bidders are bidding big bucks on a $10 reprint. The winner is the loser in this mess. Get educated before you drop serious money. 

You know I feel no sympathy whatsoever for whoever bought/buys any such a reprint at a silly price. Quite simply a Silver Surfer fan or hardcore comic collector would see and know the difference at a glance. The bidders for this reprint are the dilettantes, the fast buck artists interested only in slabbing and flipping the comic for a big profit. As they say, the easiest people to scam are other scam artists. I actually really like seeing these fast buck artists get burned.

[Hepcat]

I believe it was Don and Maggie Thompson who wrote the article "Too Many Turks", so at least some people were sounding the alarm back then.

I can't find that article online. Do you remember where and when it was published?

[Rex fury]

Hey Hep, I'm very glad to see someone posting on this thread again! I love to talk all things comics with fellow collectors. The article I referenced was from The Comic Buyers Guide, around the time Valiant released Turok 1. When I moved I cleaned out my collection of the CBG so I can't pinpoint the exact week for you ( the guide was still a newspaper at the time).

I'll occasionally read Shadowman when new projects show up on line. Other than that I don't follow the newer material from Valiant.

I'm currently enjoying the TV comics Dell released in the 60's ( I read Flipper just last night), and some of the old Christmas stories from various publishers. Anything in particular that your reading?

RF

[Hepcat]

The article I referenced was from The Comic Buyers Guide, around the time Valiant released Turok 1. When I moved I cleaned out my collection of the CBG so I can't pinpoint the exact week for you ( the guide was still a newspaper at the time).

Oh no! Comics Buyer's Guide was such a treasure trove of nostalgia/historical information! I wish I'd subscribed when I first became aware of Comics Buyer's Guide in the days when it was still a newspaper:



Here's an excellent history of the Comics Buyer's Guide:

Comics Buyer's Guide: A Look Back - Comichron

I also now wish that when I started to dabble in comic mags again back in 1972 during my university years I'd got back in full tilt. I got discouraged when I attended a con that was set up at the University of Western Ontario in late 1972/early 1973(?) but didn't quickly see any of the comics I'd treasured from ten or so years earlier. Even then Bronze Age Marvel offerings were predominant at dealers' tables.

Interesting how I'm now getting nostalgic not just about items from my formative years but about my early collecting years as an adult beginning in 1978-79 as well.