The Amazing Spider-Man #6 - The Lizard!

I figured since the Amazing Spider-Man movie is coming out on July 3, 2012, I would talk today about the Lizard, who will be the featured villain in the movie.  The movie trailer says that we will get the "untold" story of Spider-Mans's parents.  While this comic doesn't speak to Peter's parents, it does give the origin of the Lizard in a short story that begins and concludes in the issue.

As an aside, in the early days of Spider-Man, as with other super hero books in the early 1960's, Stan Lee and the gang at Marvel were just trying to figure out what worked!  The fist fourteen issues of the Amazing Spider-Man feature no less than eleven different villains.  Some are well known like Doctor Octopus, The Green Goblin,  and Doctor Doom (of Fantastic Four fame).  Others are not so well known...Big Man & the Enforcers (?!?), Kraven the Hunter, and The Vulture.  

Anyway...the Lizard appears for the first time in the panels shown above .  We learn later in the book that he is a scientist who makes small boo-boo in the lab, things go wrong, and he turns into a giant lizard!  Frankly, this is a story arc that has been told many a time in 1950's sci-fi (think The Fly), but it actually works pretty well!  

The issue is full of classic Stan Lee scripting...not the least of which is the line n the third story panel above..."FLEE PUNY HUMANS!"  Hilarious!  The Lizard does not show up again until issue numbers 44 and 45.  As part of my Spider-Man lead up, I will look into these issues and let you know what I find.  And while the movie will undoubtedly be very different from these books, I am sure all the basic elements will be there for the fans to enjoy.

Until next time...

Disneyland Jumbo Card J-3: Matterhorn, Monorail and Autopia

Last week I was poking around on eBay and discovered a seller who was getting rid of some pretty decent older cards (the seller was actually the daughter of Roger Le Roque...of "The Nickel Tour").  There were a number of jumbo cards being auctioned off, and some other interesting paper items.  I ended up bidding on this J-3 card from the late 1950's.  It features an early view of the Matterhorn, the Alweg monorail, and Autopia.  If you look very carefully, you can see that the Autopia cars are one of the early versions (I think these are Mark II's...but not sure) that ran with bumpers all around the car in an open lane.  Other early cards show this more clearly.

I have read that the Matterhorn (which was built in 1959) is actually the first roller coaster to employ continuos tubular steel track.  Walt was after a very smooth ride...and he got it!  It's remarkable to think that these days almost every roller coaster uses tubular steel track to transport the car and riders.

For a look at a bunch of vintage shots of the Matterhorn and other Disneyland rides, check out DavelandWeb.  You can even order high resolution images to hang on your wall!

Until next time...

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 - Huh?

I was re-reading Amazing Spider-Man #1 last night.  This is the first issue in the long running series...not the origin issue of Amazing Fantasy #15.  It had been a while since I had read this story.  And while I am usually pretty willing to suspend my dis-belief and explore more fantastical stories when reading a comic, one has to admit that Stan Lee was really reaching in this issue!

The story introduces us to J. Jonah Jameson, the editor of the Daily Bugle.  From the start, he has it out for Spider-Man.  He thinks he is a menace.  Well...in this story, JJJ's son, who is a military test pilot, finds his spacecraft totally out of control shortly after launch.  Who can save him? Well, you guessed it, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!

My favorite panel here is the one showing the "steel net" that was sent up to supposedly catch the space craft...which, by the way, is somehow magically flying in the atmosphere.  Huh?  Stan clearly wanted to have a spacecraft story here given it was 1962.  But, really?!?!

Anyway...we can rest in the knowledge that Spider-man went on to much more believable (in a fantasy sense, anyway) escapades in future issues, and became one of the great comic icons in America.

Oh...one more thing...you don't need to spend thousands to see these panels reprinted on four-color newsprint.  The scans above are from Marvel Tales #138, which reprints the entire issue of Amazing Spider-Man #1 in its entirety.  These books were printed in the 1970's and can be had for a few dollars today.

Until next time...

Silver Certificate United States Currency

One of the first thing I remember collecting as a kid was coins.  I mostly collected Lincoln cents and had nearly a complete collection when I stopped.  But aside from that, I did collect other coins and occasionally some paper money.  In the 1970's, it was not uncommon to still find silver certificates in change.  So, when I found one, I would stash it away in my coin collecting box.  A silver certificate is just what you think it would be; a paper note backed by the United States Treasury with silver.

If you look at the front of the bill, the text on the note actually said,

THIS CERTIFIES THAT THERE IS ON DEPOSIT IN THE TREASURY OF

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

ONE DOLLAR

IN SILVER PAYABLE TO THE BEARER ON DEMAND

Silver certificates were issued by the US Treasury for many years.  Some of the most attractive bills, the ones that make this hobby so interesting, were printed in the later part of the 19th century.  The 1896 $1, $2, and $5 notes are spectacular bills.  In 1899, a new series was created...also featuring beautiful designs.  Shown here is an 1899 $1 silver certificate.

This particular bill has been graded by one of the currency grading organizations, Currency Grading and Authentication, Inc.  There is another organization called Paper Money Guarantee which is, for one reason or another, regarded more highly for reasons that are not entirely clear to me.

If you are interested in getting into this hobby, the Official Red Book Guide Book of United States Paper Money is absolutely essential.  It describes all US paper currency and lists their designation numbers (Friedberg Numbers) from 1860 to present.  In the mean time...next time you have a moment...take a look at the paper money you use each day.  There is a lot going on on a paper note, and they really are pretty nice to look at, even today.

Until next time...

Star Wars Trading Cards - First Series Stickers

As I mentioned in my previous post about Topps Star Wars trading cards, I started collecting only when the red bordered second series came out.  As a result, I had to trade with my friends at recess for the entire blue bordered first series.  The holy grail of this set (as I remember it anyway) were the stickers.

According to StarWarsCards.net each pack contained one sticker, seven cards and a stick of bubblegum.  The packs were 5 cents each.  So, the stickers were a premium item.  To put an entire set together, you were looking at 75 cents to a dollar in packs alone! :)  Here is the complete first series of stickers.

Looking at my collection today, I have multiples of all the stickers but one...Luke Skywalker.  Kids, including myself, stuck these on our binders and folders.  I suspect Luke was a popular one to use for that purpose.

These cards aren't worth that much today, if you care to pick up a set.  The stickers go for about $1 to $2, and a card set can be had for $35 or so.  But for me personally...these cards are an instant transport back to that 5th grade playground!

Until next time...

Four Color Comics - Dell's Magnum Opus

In 1939, George Delacorte, the founder of Dell publishing, started a series of comics which came to be called Four Color comics.  For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, the series began with a 25 issue run that was then stopped and restarted at issue #1 in 1942.  The series did not focus on one character or story.  Rather, each issue had it's own theme.  In the first 25 issues, you would find Dick Tracy, Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff, Little Orphan Annie, Tillie the Toiler, and Smilin' Jack (shown here).  The first 25 issues are not common, but not super scarce either.

As the series progressed, it became a vast library of American pop culture in the 1940's and 1950's.  Ending in 1962, there are over 1200 issues of Four Color comics.  Everything from I Love Lucy, to Captain Kangaroo, to Roy Rogers and most things Disney were covered in the second series.  Artists were often good...sometimes outstanding, sometimes run of the mill.  But as a whole Four Color was astounding for its variety, volume and overall quality.

I am only introducing this series to my blog here.  I figure the scan above of Four Color Series 2 #1 is a good place to start.  This character, Little Joe, is not well known today.  The book features news paper comic strip reprints of the character.  Original comic material printed in comic book form didn't really start in earnest until the late 1930's....and even then reprint comics were being published well into the 1940's even 1950's.  I frankly do not know enough about this character to know if any of the material in this book was original or not.

I am envisioning many future blogs on the topic of four color comics.  It's a great series with all kinds of interesting highlights to talk to.

Until next time....

Tintin Magazine from France - 1948

As I have mentioned before in my blog, Tintin started in a newspaper supplement that was called "Le Petit Vingtième".  When World War II came along, the paper stopped being published and the story that was in the midst of being told, Tintin au Pays de l'Or Noir, (Tintin is the land of Black Gold) remained unfinished.  After the war , in 1946, a new publication was started up in Belgium.  It was simply called Tintin.  Two years later a French version of the magazine started to be published.  It was in this magazine that Tintin au Pays de l'Or Noir was serialized in a slightly modified version and renamed to L'Or Noir, or Black Gold.

The French Tintin magazine was far more sophisticated in its presentation and content from Le Petit Vingtième.  It had several serialized comic strips in addition to the Tintin serial, and also had other content that would be of interest to its readers.  In this particular issue, there is one comic strip dedicated to the life of the French General Leclerc.  There is also an article on the B-29 bomber.

But the purpose of the magazine revolves around the comics.  Eight strips in all in this magazine, including Le Stratonef H.22 by Hergé (shown below), and Le Secret de L'Espadon by Jacobs.  The strategy of the magazine was to basically string the reader along until a future date when a complete album would be publish with a complete story.  If a reader couldn't wait for a complete album, they could purchase the weekly magazine to get their fix....one page at a time!  

There is a lot more to look at in these magazines, and I have several more issues I can show.  As I mentioned before...French and Belgian comics have a very rich heritage.  This Tintin magazine is a small example.

Until next time....

The Amazing Spider-Man #55

The Amazing Spider-Man was a great comic back in the 1960's.  With Stan Lee doing the writing, and Steve Ditko and later John Romita handling the art, it succeeded far more often than not.  In the first 100 issues, there are a lot of highlights, and today I thought I would feature one of them.

This is the cover from Amazing Spider-Man #55.  The story has it all; Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus in a multi-page battle, Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, Aunt May in the hospital (as usual), J. Jonah Jameson bad mouthing Spider-Man, and a secret military weapon called "The Nullifier" that is ultimately stolen by Doc Ock.  It even has references to Tony Stark, the Iron Man.  The end of the book has Spider-Man losing his memory and possibly his powers.  The cover is simply fantastic...Spider-man getting pummeled by Doc Ock, and our vantage point the same as Peter Parker's:  staring into the eyes of the menacing villain.

A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting John Romita up in San Francisco at Wonder-Con.  He had an exhibit at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.  He was offering sketches in the book he was selling if a donation was made to the museum.  Whenever in that situation, I always ask the artist to sketch what they want...the results in this case turned out pretty good with a nice sketch of MJ and Spidey on the inside cover of the book.

Until next time...

The Very First Harry Potter Book

Ever since Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone came out in June of 1997, there has been an enormous, loyal and dedicated following to the series.  Thing is...most of the loyal and dedicated following were kids when the books came out.  But collectors and dealers, as you would expect, took notice, and the early editions of the book are now very much sought after.

Philosopher's Stone (as it was titled in the UK) was published by Bloomsbury with a tiny print run.  While the numbers have sometimes been debated, the general consensus these days is that 500 copies were printed of the hardback first edition, 300 went to libraries, the remaining 200 to bookstores.  I have not seen any good numbers on the first edition paperback print-run...but last I saw it was thought to be around 5000 copies.  By comparison, Scholastic printed 30,000 copies of the US first edition in October of 1998 (still a small number given the millions of copies that have sold since).  

But...the very first Harry Potter book ever printed was a rather humble looking affair with a yellow and white paper cover.  It has no illustration on it, or inside it, and only has the title on the front cover in simple black letters.  The inside title page even lists the author as "J.A. Rowling"!  This is the Uncorrected Proof copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.  Only 200 were printed and given out to book reviewers and buyers.  It's not clear how many of these still exist.  Some of the people who were sent these books have said they threw them out after reading them...or they just gave them away or lost them.  The book carries a reasonably hefty price tag at auction...about as much as the paperback first edition of the book (but still lower than the hardback first which goes anywhere from $10K to $20K.)

I have dabbled in this hobby a little bit...but not too deeply.  As you can see...the water gets a little deep!  That said...I still think these books are a great investment.  All those young kids are going to grow up someday, and a few of them will want to have these books and they will have the resources to buy them.  

Until next time....

Delta Airlines DC-4 Postcard

I was at an antique mall a couple of weekends ago.  You know...one of those places with a bunch of stalls that are rented by different vendors, but all under one roof.  These places can be fun to peruse, but also a little pricey sometimes.  That aside, I did manage to find this postard...a Delta Airlines DC-4 from the 1940's or thereabouts.

This plane was used extensively in WWII, but it was designated the C-54 by the military.  The card says it cruised at 215 miles per hour and carried 44 passengers.  Pretty tiny by today's standards.  For comparison, a 737-800 carries around 162 passengers and cruises at .78 Mach...or around 550 mph depending on atmospheric conditions.  Production on the DC-4 was brief...only 1942 through 1947, so this card is likely from the 1940's since Delta was flying the faster DC-6 by the end of the decade.

Short post today...enjoy your Wednesday!

Until next time...

Hornby Dinky Toys and Meccano Magazine

In 1999 my wife and I moved to Paris, France for a year.  Since I was removed from my standard collecting categories, I took the opportunity to look at some new areas that were readily available in town.  (Yes...one can find American comics in Paris, but there are only a few shops, and the pickings are slim and expensive).

While attending an auction at the Hotel des Ventes on rue Druout, I ended up buying some toys.  Thus began my education on French toys...and especially French Dinky toys.  

Dinky toys were made by the English toy company Hornby, the company that created Meccano erector sets and Hornby trains.  The toys were made in Britain and France, but each factory made cars that appealed to the kids of the country they were in...so they are really two distinct lines of cars.  A brief search on the internet will give you more than you probably want to know on the history of Hornby and Dinky Toys...there is a fanatical and dedicated collector community for these cars in Europe (mostly older men who played with them as children).  But these cars stand on more than nostalgia.  They are very well made and well crafted toys.  

That aside...this magazine I am featuring today is one of the publications put out by the French factory at Bobigny.  It was mostly made up of real life engineering stories, science future (this issue has an article on going to the Moon or Mars), and other articles that would appeal to the technically minded kid of the time.  On the cover is a picture of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter...one of my favorite aircraft.  The feature article inside is on the state of military aviation at the time.  On the back, a couple of classic Dinky cars...a racing Ferrari and the Chrysler "New Yorker".  Both of these toys are very collectible today.

I bought quite a few of these toys in my adventures at the Druout auction house.  At the time, I sold most of them on eBay to American collectors..since eBay was fairly new and did not have a French site.  American collectors did not have ready access to these toys at the time, so I was able to fill a need and learn a bunch about the hobby at the same time.

Looking back into my archives in appears I sold one of those Ferraris, a French Dinky 23J, in February of 2000 (with the box, no less).  It wasn't in perfect shape...but still really cool!  Writing this post has brought back some great memories...it was a bunch of fun hunting these things down and learning their history.  I will post some pictures in the future of the cars I kept.

Until next time...

Disneyland Vacationland Magazine

When Disneyland was being created in 1954-1955, Walt marketed the park to the hilt.  He primarily utilized his television show Disneyland  to promote the park, but he utilized other means as well.  In my post from April 30, 2012 you can see one of the earliest promotional pamphlets for the park.  This one and presumably others like it were given out to automobile clubs and the like to promote interest in the park (pre-opening day brochures are rather rare though).  

After the park opened, the Vacationland magazine was published by Disneyland to continue the groundswell that began in July 1955 with the park opening.  These magazines are really fantastic.  Within them you can find a bunch of great early pictures of the park, as well as articles packed with info about what was going on in the park and around the Anaheim area.  This particular issue (Volue 3 # 1 from Spring 1959) has a great article on the movie, Sleeping Beauty.  It had been released around the time the magazine came out.  

These magazines were published from 1957 into the 1980's, I think.  I haven't been able to find out when they stopped.  If you happen to come across one, don't toss it!.  They a fun to look at and read.  

Until next time...

Kirby: The King of Comics by Mark Evanier

I was out at the book store today and came across a great find.  Kirby: The King of Comics, by Mark Evanier, is a really nice coffee table book on the career of the great Jack Kirby (or Jacob Kurtzberg as he was born).  As Evanier says in the preface, "Jack Kirby didn't invent the comic book.  It just seems that way."  And it's true.  Jack hand a hand in the creation of Captain America, The X-Men, the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, the Mighty Thor...etc.

This book is a great tribute, with a lot of Jack's original art scanned in high quality.  There are a number of pictures of him working at his desk as well.  Visually, the book is worth the price of admission (in my case I picked it up for $12.98 at Barnes and Noble!)  But Evanier knows his stuff (and used to work with Kirby), so, while I have not read the book, I have no doubt it's well written.

I will continue coming back to Kirby in the future (see my post from May 24, 2012 for a piece of original Thor art done by Jack).  He provided the comic industry with a rich heritage indeed.

Until next time....

Marvel Price Variants: Fantastic Four #172

Before the mega-movie blockbusters and purchase by Disney, Marvel was a rather humble company, frequently teetering on the brink insolvency.  As I mentioned in an earlier post...the number of comics being published in the early Golden Age was absolutely staggering...somewhere around 70-90 million a month depending on the source.  By the mid 1970's, there were fewer than 5 million comics being printed a month.  By this time, comic books had gotten smaller, had fewer pages and were more expensive then they had been in the early days.  Most of the Golden Age saw 10¢ a book.  By the early 1960's that went to 12¢ a book.  In the late 60's and early 70's, a rapid progression to 15¢, then 20¢ and then 25¢ per book.

By the time Fantastic Four #172 was published, comics cost 25¢ (like the book on the left), but the book on the right was a tester in certain markets to see the response to a 30¢ book.  "Price variants" are the same book, but just with a different price...and a lot scarcer than their "regular" priced counterparts. heir scarcity makes them rather collectible.

In case you were wondering, this is a Jack Kirby cover (actually it screams Kirby...after a while, it is hard not to recognize his style).  And it features "The Destroyer",  a great Marvel villain who was also featured in the 2011 movie, Thor.

Until next time...

Sotheby's, Christie's and the Like

When most people hear the name of a high end auction house like Sotheby's or Christies they immediately think of a stuffy intimidating environment where only the uber-rich participate in day sales of Impressionist art.  Well, yes, this sort of thing does happen, as evidenced by the recent sale of Edvard Munch's "Scream" for $119M.

But when these highly publicized auctions are not happening, Sotheby's and Christies (and the like...) are still open for business and are offering a wide range of collectibles at every possible price point.  Taking a look at the Christie's website for June 2012, there are 38 sales occurring.  These sales range from impressionist art (there it is again), to Japanese, Russian and Chinese art, wine, watches, Rock and Roll memorabilia, Italian photography...and the list goes on.

Now, I know what you are thinking...all that stuff I just listed still sounds like it is going to come with a hefty price tag.  Well...maybe.  But there are two reasons why I like to frequent these sites.  First of all, each sale is like a temporary online museum exhibit.  So, even if you don't have the cash, you have an opportunity to look at some really cool stuff that will, in the very near future, be holed up in someone's private collection for who knows how long.

Secondly...you never know when something reasonable might come along that you would like to have and you actually could afford.  While Edvard's painting is selling for over-the-moon dollars, beautiful 18th and 19th century English furniture (for example) can be had for prices equivalent to (or less) than what you would pay at Ethan Allen for something new.  Check out this beautiful English 19th century inlaid mahogany sideboard that sold for $875 at Christie's recently.  That price included commission...which for Christies is 25% for something like this.  Yes...you would have to have it shipped...but that is still an awesome deal (if you happen to need a sideboard).

Until next time....

The Country Bear Jamboree

I did not visit Disneyland that often as a kid since I live in Northern California.  But when I did visit, I remember seeing these guys at the Country Bear Jamboree.  I remember it being a pretty fun show as a kid.  The attraction, which opened on October 1st, 1971, lasted for nearly 30 years, closing in 2001. 

 

The post card shown here is a Marc Davis concept sketch for the attraction.  It is one of sixteen postcards showing the multiple characters that made up the show.  These days, when you go with your young kids (or even if you aren't with young kids :) ) and ride on "The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh" ride, you can still find Melvin, Max, and Gruff Buff hanging around if you look carefully.  Seems their creators did quite have the heart to take them down when the show closed in 2001.

Until next time...

Frank Frazetta: Mystery in Space #1

I have been thinking for sometime now about posting on one of the masters of the comic book genre, Frank Frazetta.  I won't go into a lot of detail or history, there is plenty of that to be found elsewhere on the web.  But, since his artwork makes up my blogging avatar, I figured it was about time I commented on his work!

Shown here is the cover of Mystery in Space #1 with art by Frazetta.  While he became famous for his depictions of dark fantasy figures (Death Dealer, Conan, et.al) his comic book and comic strip work is simply phenomenal.  You don't need to be a trained critic to understand this either.  Just looking at the way he draws figures on a page is enough to communicate that he took his subject very seriously.  His work reminds me of Alex Raymond or Hal Foster...just beautifully crafted and not "cheap".

I will try to feature more Frazetta, Hal Foster, and Alex Raymond in the near future.  Their work is simply fantastic.

Until next time...

Opportunities Lost on eBay - Disneyland Panorama Postcards

When dealing in a niche hobby where there aren't that many people collecting on a subject, determining the value of something can be really tricky.  I learned this lesson (again) the other day when this auction:

ended on eBay.  This auction was selling three jumbo cards from the late 1950's...one of which is a rather uncommon J-19 panorama postcard.  I have all the cards in this auction, so I did not bid.  But being the friendly eBayer that I try to be, and since the seller was fairly new to eBay, I emailed and told them that they should expect to get a pretty good result, over $100, on this auction due mostly to the J-19 card.  Well, the auction fell a bit flat and the seller only got about $27 or so.  Why was I so confident?

Not three months ago, I bought the card shown here for $30 on eBay...a total steal, I thought.  And it was.  This is the same card that was sold in the auction I was just talking about.  The day after the end of the auction, the seller emailed me to say that another buyer would pay me up to $120 for the card...would I consider it?  I said no, I wanted to keep the card (these aren't easy to find)

Anyway...at the end of the day, I should have probably thrown in a $50 bid on the lot above.  That card could be sold for significantly more than it just sold for.  It just proves to show, that there are values still to be had on eBay if you are paying attention...and that when only a few people are in a hobby, prices can vary widely.

Until next time....

Disney Comics During World War II

During World War II comics were being published at an astonishing rate.  After all, the Golden Age of the comics began just before the the war...so people were looking for some fantasy to draw them away from the stark realities of what was happening around them.  As the war progressed, the comics fought along with our men in uniform.  Covers would show Superman beating up on a Japanese aircraft, or Captain America going after Hitler.

Disney did not shy away from doing their part.  In this cover from 1944, Donald Duck (dressed up like Uncle Sam) is promoting the purchase of war bonds.  This is not the only cover of it's kind as several wartime WDC&S covers depict the Disney characters supporting the war effort.  (But you will not find a cover of Goofy grinding away at Hitler's ankle!!)

One final note on this book...the inside back cover actually shows Disney themed insignia's used by various combat groups on their machinery.  I always wondered what Disney thought of these caricatures.  The fact that they are printed here says he approved!

Until next time...

International Federation of Postcard Dealers

I am on the road today so don't have access to a scanner to upload images of my own stuff.  So, I decided to poke around the web to do some research.

Admittedly, I am on the very fringe of postcard collecting...that is, I only collect one (OK...maybe two) subjects, buy primarily on eBay (that is I do not generally attend postcard and paper shows), and my entire collection consists of three shoe boxes full of cards.  As you might imagine though, there are those who are significantly more invested in this hobby...

In my search today, I found this organization; The International Federation of Postcard Dealers.  This is a group of dealers (primarily) and collectors that exists to "...encourage professionalism, increase confidence, strengthen ethics and promote the postcard hobby worldwide." Sounds good to me!  The site has a bunch of links to dealers that sell cards on any imaginable topic.  One member-dealer states, "We actively buy, sell and trade old postcards of Bermuda."  Perhaps you are wondering how "active" one can you be in this niche?  Active enough to have his own website (Jay O'Conner Postcards)...and 8000 postcards relating to Bermuda in his inventory!!  I suspect a conversation with Jay would be a lot of fun...and pretty informative as well!

Until next time...

The Phantom Stranger

One of my favorite character types in comics is the lone vigilante out to do justice (or just kick butt...whatever is most called for).  Lots of characters fit this description I suppose...Batman being one of the most iconic.  But the formula works in so many different ways.  Conan, Spider-Man, The Punisher...to name a few.  They don't always work alone or completely "off the grid".  But in some cases they do.  In his earliest appearances, the Phantom Stranger was one such character.

The issue I show here is Phantom Stranger #1 from 1969.  I had to re-read the issue to be reminded that the first Silver Age appearance of the Phantom Stranger was actually in issue #80 of  Showcase (January, 1969).  Showcase was published by DC and featured short run stories with new characters in the DC Universe.  In this issue though, the Phantom Stranger just shows up out of nowhere to befuddle and foil criminals.  Not unlike Batman, but with a para-normal twist.  After all, he isn't really alive...not in a physical sense anyway.  His story gets a lot more complicated in future issues, involving more regular assisting characters and an arch nemesis.  Perhaps I will feature some of these magazines in a future post.

Unlike most comic heroes, no origin has ever been recorded for this character.  Theories abound of course.  But I prefer the secrecy...it enhances his persona as...The Phantom Stranger!

Little Nemo in Slumberland

On October 15, 1905, Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland appeared in the New York Herald and New York American newspapers.  Back in the day...comics were used as a way to sell papers, and they did them in an epic style.  These papers were larger than todays newspapers, and each of these stories took an entire page.

In each episode, Little Nemo would be in a dream that involved some wild adventure in Slumberland, only to wake up with comments like, "Oh, I don't want to go to sleep again. No! No!  Oh!"....or from his mother, "There's that boy again, I wish you wouldn't let him eat turkey dressing at bedtime!"

Shown here is an episode from April 8, 1906 from the New York Herald.  It has Little Nemo with the Princess of Slumberland awaiting a marching band.  The character playing the tuba can't seem to stop playing and his instrument starts to grow and flay wildly out of control!  Nemo wakes up to the first comment I mention above.

A few years ago, a Bay Area guy by the name of Peter Maresca edited a book called Little Nemo in Slumberland So Many Splendid Sundays!  It reprinted, in full size, a selection of these stories.  It's a huge book given the format of the original comics (and a tad pricey, too) , but great to read while lying on the living room floor with the kids!

Until next time...

Western Airlines Convair CV-240

Some collections are all about accumulating a group of items...plain and simple.  As I have written about before, when I was collecting Star Wars cards as a kid, my goal was to get the complete set...period.  And to some extent this is what drives a lot of my collecting, even today.  But some collections offer more than that.  They offer a look back in time.

Don Ballard's Disneyland Hotel book (which I promote in the side-bar) is a great example of how a hobby can turn into a quest for the history of a place or thing.  Another example is the Nickel Tour, known as the bible for Disneyland postcard collectors.  It is a history of the park, but uses the postcards to tell the story.  It is this book that got me hooked on the that particular collection.  

So, with that thought in mind I am posting this "post-war" Western Airlines postcard of a Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation (also known as Convair) CV-240 in Western Airlines livery.  A pretty interesting card...depicting a by-gone era in aviation.  And I don't care if I have a complete set!

Until next time...

Peanuts Reprint Books: Good Ol' Charlie Brown

I have been a Peanuts fan since I was a kid.  Aside from reading the strip in the papers almost everyday, I remember getting a book called A Peanuts Treasury, and practically wearing the covers off the thing.  (I still have that book somewhere).  Another memory is purchasing the paperback reprints at elementary school book fairs.  I started buying these in the 1970's, but there were reprint Peanuts books being printed well before that.

Today I am showing one such book.  It's in a larger format than the ones from the 70's, approximately 5 by 8 inches with each strip presented in a 2x2 block, two per page.  It's a little hard to say when this might have been published...but based on the Library of Congress number, I am guessing 1957 or so, not long after the start of the strip itself.  

I found this book and five or six others from the same era at a garage sale a year or two ago.  They aren't worth much in the collectible market...but I think they are really cool!

Until next time...

The Modern Library

A number of years ago I started a collection of Modern Library books.  It is a small collection, but looks great on the shelf.  These books, published by Random House starting in 1917, are reprints of well known literature in a common size and format.  In days gone by they had wonderful cover art that today makes the books all the more special.

This is a copy of the African Queen by C.S. Forester (yes...that C.S. Forester...the guy who did all of the Horatio Hornblower books).  It is copyright 1940, but I suspect it was published sometime later...around 1947 or so.

There is actually a collectors guide for these books available, authored by a guy named Henry Toledano.  It's a comprehensive guide for rarity and value of the different books.  Needless to say...if you had every Modern Library title published...you would have a great library indeed!

Until next time...

Tales to Astonish

I am running a little short on time tonight, so I thought I would just pick a random cover from my collection and pass it along.  This is an early Tales to Astonish cover, #10 to be exact.  This title started in January of 1959...so just a couple of years before the big Marvel breakout with Fantastic Four and the Amazing Spider-Man.  In fact...several issues of Tales to Astonish and a sister magazine called Tales of Suspense had prototype characters that would later evolve into better known members of the Marvel stable of super heroes or super villains.  

The Grand Comic Book Database lists the cover artist here as Jack Kirby with inks by Steve Ditko and stories by Stan Lee...so, the all-star team working here.  I will touch more on Ditko later...not only was he the original artist on Spider-Man, but he also started Doctor Strange...one of my favorite characters.  

Until next time...