Monster Comics

[horrorhunter]

HH, How much PCH do you have in your collection?

Not many. I love that stuff and wish I'd jumped on it back when I first started collecting in 1975. You could get mid-grade Pre-Code Horror for cheap in those days, and even high grade (IF you could find it!) was not much more. Of course, every comic was dirt cheap back then compared to what they are now from Action #1 to the latest Richie Rich. I used to hit yard sales, flea markets, and used book stores in those days and find all kinds of comics for 10-15 cents, some for nickel, and there was quite a bit of Silver Age stuff still turning up at yard sales and flea markets too.

To answer your question I have 8 original ECs and that's about it, and 2 of them are SF. I have some other '50s comics like early Turoks and the Personal Love issue with the Frazetta safari story, and also a few Pre-Hero Marvel monster comics, but my collection of pre-code anything is scant. I've picked up just about all the EC reprints including the slipcased hardback sets for Tales From The Crypt, Vault Of Horror, and Haunt Of Fear. I didn't grow up reading Pre-Code Horror (it was before my time) so I didn't go after it until just a few years ago when I realized how much I love it. By the time I started trying to buy it it was already VERY expensive, so I probably won't be trying to put together any PCH runs... just grab something here and there when I can afford it.

[horrorhunter]

Horror Comics Of The 1950s (Nostalgia Press, 1971, Gaines, Feldstein, Stewart, Barlow)

This is a great oversized hardback which gloriously reprints several classic EC stories. I picked up a nice copy a few years ago after hunting for one for quite some time. They turn up on eBay but are usually pricey in nice condition. This was the first EC reprint volume. Highly recommended.

[horrorhunter]

Still working on the Turok run (Dell/Gold Key- 130 issues, 1 Giant, Digest). Four Color #656 (Turok #2, 1955) arrived today. I grabbed a pic off the net but mine is in G- (1.8 ).



I bought mine for only $10 from an eBay seller who didn't know comics and didn't list it properly. I was relieved when I confirmed the issue is complete with no cutouts. I also received #98 (FN) today, and #15 (FN range) is on the way. Just 3 more issues and the run will be complete except for the digest which I should be able to pick up for cheap.

Many of my 1950s issues are in the GOOD (2.0) range while most of the later ones are in the FN-VF range. It would be extremely difficult to complete a Turok run in high grade (VF or better) because it's nearly impossible to find the early ones in high grade and the prices would be staggering. I'm not wealthy and I don't want to wait forever so I realistically chose to accept low-mid grade copies of the early issues and mid-high grade copies of the later issues. Since I remember them from childhood as being well read it's appropriate to accept lesser condition copies where necessary. The most important thing for me is just to HAVE them, not reprint volumes but the actual books. As long as they are complete and acceptable in appearance I'm satisfied with them. Never thought I would have a whole run of Turok but it's a great thing for a Dinokid! 

[horrorhunter]

Incredible Hulk Annual #5 (1976) (pic below is not mine but I do have a high grade copy, probably 9.4).



I was going through my superhero comics deciding what to keep when I ran across my copy of Incredible Hulk Annual #5. I thought to post it on UMA since it features so many classic Marvel monsters. I just look for pics on the net for common stuff like this instead of going to the trouble to scan mine. Anywho, I came across this pic and thought "Why the hell would anyone have that book slabbed?!". Then I saw Groot and realized it was because of Guardians Of The Galaxy mania    . I have all of that GOTG stuff and I'm selling all of it except certain issues like the book above and the Marvel Preview issues. I have an extra copy of the Preview with Satana (1st Rocket Racoon) so that's going too. The GOTG movie was okay, but I never really cared for the characters and now's a good time to cash in. The Hulk, on the other hand, I care about, so I'm keeping those up to Incredible Hulk #200 as well as the Annuals up #5 (love those Marvel monsters  ).

[horrorhunter]

Dark Shadows #2 (Gold Key, 1969)





DARK SHADOWS
Vol. 1 No. 2
August 1969
Western Publishing Company (Gold Key Comics)
Editor: Wally Green
Scripter: Don Arneson
Pencils: Joe Certa
Inks: Joe Certa
Cover: Photographic





With more action than a week's worth of TV episodes, the second issue of Gold Key's DARK SHADOWS has Barnabas once again embroiled in a drama entitled, "The Fires of Darkness". Included in this issue is the "Gold Key Comics Club News", that announces news from two more of their supernatural titles, BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY, and RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! -- TRUE GHOST STORIES, plus a reader's art page featuring drawings of monsters with names like "The Comb Monster" and "The Dreaded Plutotion Monster" (!). EEEEEEEEE!!!!!


To see the entire issue go to Monster Magazine World: https://monstermagazineworld.blogspot.com/

Part 1 is up now, and part 2 will be posted soon.

[horrorhunter]

Marvel unleashes the monsters!

Link to info: https://news.marvel.com/comics/26736/marvel_unleashes_the_monsters/



Go Fin Fang Foom!! 

[Hepcat]

Still working on the Turok run (Dell/Gold Key- 130 issues, 1 Giant, Digest). Four Color #656 (Turok #2, 1955) arrived today.

I bought mine for only $10 from an eBay seller who didn't know comics and didn't list it properly. I was relieved when I confirmed the issue is complete with no cutouts. I also received #98 (FN) today, and #15 (FN range) is on the way. Just 3 more issues and the run will be complete except for the digest which I should be able to pick up for cheap.

Since I remember them from childhood as being well read it's appropriate to accept lesser condition copies where necessary. The most important thing for me is just to HAVE them, not reprint volumes but the actual books. As long as they are complete and acceptable in appearance I'm satisfied with them. Never thought I would have a whole run of Turok but it's a great thing for a Dinokid! 

Yay! Glad to hear that the end of your noble quest is finally within sight!

[horrorhunter]

Yay! Glad to hear that the end of your noble quest is finally within sight!

Thanks, Hep!

BTW, I won an eBay auction for the Golden Comics Digest #31 (Turok) today so barring mail catastrophe that should be taken care of. Oh, and contrary to my post above that Digest issue isn't cheap... none of this stuff is cheap. Must be quite a few Dinokids out there who value the original Turok run highly as do I. The newer versions of Turok from Valiant and other companies ARE cheap but I don't care about that stuff.. it's nothing like the Turok I grew up with. 

[horrorhunter]

Here's a fun blog for monster comics lovers: http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/



Several Skywald stories posted there, like--



Check 'em out. 

[creaturefan95]

[horrorhunter]

Love that Ploog!

I recommend this book to all Mike Ploog fans.



https://www.amazon.com/Art-Ploog-Mike/dp/099666890X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485044968&sr=8-1&keywords=the+art+of+ploog

[Hepcat]

DC's Challengers of the Unknown title was full of aliens, monsters and giants, particularly in the early years:

[Hepcat]

Several Skywald stories posted there, like--



Check 'em out. 

That looks like an interesting story!

[horrorhunter]

That looks like an interesting story!

Those Skywald monster mags are great! For years a lot of collectors treated them like they were trash and then a few years ago the prices started to rise and all of a sudden they got some respect among those same collectors.  I used to buy Psycho when I was a kid and loved it. I would have bought the others but I could never find them. Print runs were low and distribution was poor for the Skywalds. When I started seriously completing runs of monster mags about 15 years ago I made the Warrens a priority but right after them I made sure to get the Marvels and Skywalds. The ones I don't have most of are the Eerie Pubs and Stanleys. I do have over a hundred different Eerie Pubs but that's less than half the total output. The Stanleys are the scarcest of all and I have less than twenty of those. Anyway, I rate the Skywalds right up there with Warren. I think the reason Skywalds got no respect for the most part back in the '80s and '90s was because most collectors didn't read them and were ignorant of the quality Al Hewetson invested them with. And most of the Skywald covers are gorgeous to boot.

What's really weird to me is the high prices for Eerie Pubs in low and mid grades. In the '80s and '90s most comic collectors wouldn't wipe their caboose with a Eerie Pub rag, and in the last few years they've become highly sought after because of the garish gory covers. Go figure the fickle whims of the public.  It's like the way most younger fans collect these days, it's all about key issues. So many obsess on key issues but don't really try to finish runs. And all this slabbing hoopla. People spend a fortune to either get books slabbed or buy slabbed books. I'm not going to pay good money to "professional graders" that could be put toward more books or other collectibles. I've seen the variances in grade among the grading services and I'm not impressed. I also don't obsess over ultra high grade books. To me a VF (8.0) is more than acceptable if graded accurately, and I don't mind mid-grade books either. I don't follow the herd.

[Hepcat]

What's really weird to me is the high prices for Eerie Pubs in low and mid grades. In the '80s and '90s most comic collectors wouldn't wipe their caboose with a Eerie Pub rag, and in the last few years they've become highly sought after because of the garish gory covers.

I suspect that the reason behind the high prices now fetched by Eerie Publication mags is precisely because they were such crap that they were previously used for caboose wiping purposes. Therefore when monster mag collectors finished putting together their runs of the Warren and Skywald mags and looked to expand their collections with Eerie Publications mags, they couldn't find any nice ones.

It's like the way most younger fans collect these days, it's all about key issues. So many obsess on key issues but don't really try to finish runs.

That's a pet peeve of mine as well. To me any comic I need to complete a run is a "key", particularly if I remember having or even coveting it as a kid. But if I buy one issue of a series, I know I've in effect opened a can of worms because it means I've essentially decided to collect the whole run.

Worse yet movies have become the tail that wags the dog. Any comic with the first appearance of a character (no matter how obscure) showcased in some new movie becomes a key to the speculator crowd. This really annoys me since I'm a comic fan and have no interest in movies.

And all this slabbing hoopla. People spend a fortune to either get books slabbed or buy slabbed books. I'm not going to pay good money to "professional graders" that could be put toward more books or other collectibles.

Yes. Very annoying. Since I don't want my comics or magazines encased in plastic, this slabbing craze has acted to reduce the supply of comics available for me to purchase.

I also don't obsess over ultra high grade books. To me a VF (8.0) is more than acceptable if graded accurately, and I don't mind mid-grade books either.

1. I understand that the comic that's in the best condition will fetch the highest price. Quite simply, every collector interested in that issue prefers the very best copy. Therefore the collector willing to pay the silliest price will get that "best" copy. I'm not willing to be the one to pay that silliest price though.

   A) For one thing to a disinterested observer, a comic graded as 9.8 is not perceptibly better than one graded 9.4. They're both in "like new" condition. Yet the copy in 9.8 could very well fetch ten times the price of a 9.4 because of the ego factor. A certain sub-set of collectors is determined to own the "very best" copy of a comic prized by other collectors. I lack this ego element in my makeup.

   B) The "highest graded" copy is not a static determination. Better copies are still coming out of the woodwork, i.e. private collections. Worse still, "lesser" copies are pressed and massaged in various ways and then resubmitted for a higher grade. This means that the previous highest graded copy is no longer so, and then is valued by the ego motivated collectors at but a fraction of its previous price.

   C) Finally, if the top bidder for a comic has to sell due to disaster, e.g. illness or death, the second highest bidder then only has to outbid the third highest bidder, which could be but a fraction of what the highest bidder just paid for the comic.

2. My ultimate grading criteria is that a comic is "nice" enough to fit in my collection. You can see from my scans that my standards are pretty high, but my comics don't necessarily grade out to NM(9.4).