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Supersnipe Comic Art Gallery
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28 posts in this topic

Hello.

 

I'm also a collector; have been all of my life, at least as long as I can remember. But I've always loved the historical adventure that comes along with collecting things from days gone by, and its for this reason I'm posting this.

 

I'm hoping that some folks here may have some information about the Supersnipe Comic Art Gallery that was operated by Ed Summers and George Lucas in the mid-late 70's, in downtown New York city.

 

My motives are completely to learn as much as I can, and compile some interesting information for the benefit of anyone interested in learning more about the shop. To that end I've begun a forum thread on the Rebelscum Forums located HERE.

 

I'm looking for any sort of information, including personal stories, more detailed info about the time period the shop operated, more info about Ed Summers, and more info about the products offered, including the Star Wars related items sold there (but not just Star Wars related items), pictures of items sold there, or related to the store itself. I'd love to hear from someone who used to shop there for instance. Or someone who has any pictures of the place, or just a personal recollection of being there.

 

If you don't have a forum account to post on Rebelscum, no worries... please just post here, and let me know if I am allowed to quote you in my other thread as well.

 

Thank you!

 

Leif

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Thanks for starting this thread. I first learned about Supersnipe from an old ad in a '70s fanzine. Been curious about them since, but there's very little information available on the web.

 

As an aside, the original painting to the Howard Chaykin STAR WARS poster from San Diego Comic-Con 1976 you mention in the Rebelscum thread, was listed in a late-'70s OA catalog (one of the Jim Steranko/Joe Parente catalogs, iirc) for $750.

 

Best of luck with your research.

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I lived across the street from Supersnipe from early 1976 through Dec. 1979.

 

First there was the comic book store, which had no room for comic art. The gallery opened around the corner, on 84th street somewhere around 1977 or 78. There was mostly comic art, but nothing Star Wars related, except for a show of McQuarrie and Johnson. There might have been some illustration art, but the focus was on comic art.

 

There was no art from the comic book as I was Chaykin's art dealer and I sold the pages. The Star Wars poster art was sold through Steranko/Parente catalog in 1977.

 

Lucas was a VERY silent partner. Ed was never at the gallery. He mostly ran the comic book store. Simon Deitch ran the gallery (brother of Kim Deitch, underground artist). I was there almost every day of the week.

 

I saw Ed last about 2 years ago at the San Diego Con.

 

Mitch I.

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Okay just saw this thread, brought back memories :cloud9:

 

My very first comic shop! My grandmother used to take me to this store(I saw someone from the store on Wonderama). I think I was 9 years old at the time. Very small storebut I would look in awe at all the comics on the wall. My father started taking me there on a regular basis. Thanks for the memories! :headbang:

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Thanks for starting this thread. I first learned about Supersnipe from an old ad in a '70s fanzine. Been curious about them since, but there's very little information available on the web.

 

As an aside, the original painting to the Howard Chaykin STAR WARS poster from San Diego Comic-Con 1976 you mention in the Rebelscum thread, was listed in a late-'70s OA catalog (one of the Jim Steranko/Joe Parente catalogs, iirc) for $750.

 

Best of luck with your research.

 

Felix maybe you can provide more specific details?

 

From a follow up post on Rebelscum:

 

Re: Supersnipe Comic Art Gallery (and related SW [censored]

 

originally posted by swposterguy

 

I've actually now got the first three volumes of the Steranko/Parente catalogs (1977, 78, 79) and none contain the Chaykin poster artwork mentioned in Nexus' post. One does contain Chaykin pages from SW, though. Bummed -- I dropped a few bucks to get the '77 volume

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Thanks for starting this thread. I first learned about Supersnipe from an old ad in a '70s fanzine. Been curious about them since, but there's very little information available on the web.

 

As an aside, the original painting to the Howard Chaykin STAR WARS poster from San Diego Comic-Con 1976 you mention in the Rebelscum thread, was listed in a late-'70s OA catalog (one of the Jim Steranko/Joe Parente catalogs, iirc) for $750.

 

Best of luck with your research.

 

Felix maybe you can provide more specific details?

 

From a follow up post on Rebelscum:

 

Re: Supersnipe Comic Art Gallery (and related SW [censored]

 

originally posted by swposterguy

 

I've actually now got the first three volumes of the Steranko/Parente catalogs (1977, 78, 79) and none contain the Chaykin poster artwork mentioned in Nexus' post. One does contain Chaykin pages from SW, though. Bummed -- I dropped a few bucks to get the '77 volume

 

If you scroll up a few posts, Mitch also mentions that Chaykin's SW poster was sold through Parente's catalog.

 

But I just looked it up to be sure. It was Parente's Collector Choice Summer 1979 catalog. The poster art is listed for $750, as I remembered. It's a great piece that now resides in a black hole collection.

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When I was a kid living in New York I got the Supersnipe art catalog #3. It was one of those things that made me excited about collecting. I always wondered what #2 and #1 looked like. I've had that saved as a search on eBay for years and years and I've only found the #3 catalog, repeatedly. Are there Supersnipe #1 and #2 catalogs?

 

G

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I would hop on the express bus from the Bronx and visit the Supersnipe Comic Store in Yorkville in the 70s at least once a month. Very small shop, but it was one of only a few comic shops in the area that had decent back issues. I remember buying a near complete set of Peanuts first edition books there.

 

The other shop I visited (when my parents would take me) would be the ComicCove in Yonkers - I got most of my SA books there. My dad could not believe it when I paid $20 for a HULK #6!

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Does anyone remember a large size comic book store on the west side of Manhattan in the 40's or 50's, maybe 8th or 9th avenue in the 1970's? East side of the street. It had lots of back issues and a chunky and grumpy older owner? Thanks.

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Does anyone remember a large size comic book store on the west side of Manhattan in the 40's or 50's, maybe 8th or 9th avenue in the 1970's? East side of the street. It had lots of back issues and a chunky and grumpy older owner? Thanks.

 

I think that you are talking about Johnny Roberts, it was a great store. Got my Stuntman #3 there.

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I remember that store, it was in the upper 40s on 8th Ave. You're right, grumpy owner, grungy shop. Had a lot of movie materials too, right?

 

And, to go back the original topic, Supersnipe was my local comic shop from 4th to 6th grades, in 1972, 1973. Gave me my first taste of old comics and art.

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Funny Story..... A close friend of mine tellsme the story where he goes into Supersnipe Comicbook store in early 1980... he sees some comic art...tells Ed Summer he loves SPIDERMAN ART!! Ed tells my friend to come back in exactly 1 week........ My friend goes there 1 week later....... the guy has "6" LARGE ART John Romita Spider-man COVERS! 5 of the covers are 250 each....the Aazing Sider-man #50 cover is 300 dollars......... S he buys the ASM 50 cover for 300 dollars! Oh to have money back in 1980... lol

Mike

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Funny Story..... A close friend of mine tellsme the story where he goes into Supersnipe Comicbook store in early 1980... he sees some comic art...tells Ed Summer he loves SPIDERMAN ART!! Ed tells my friend to come back in exactly 1 week........ My friend goes there 1 week later....... the guy has "6" LARGE ART John Romita Spider-man COVERS! 5 of the covers are 250 each....the Aazing Sider-man #50 cover is 300 dollars......... S he buys the ASM 50 cover for 300 dollars! Oh to have money back in 1980... lol

Mike

 

if only i had a time machine. :whee:

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