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Recent Pre-Code Purchases
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22,187 posts in this topic

Oh, and yep, I've got the TTTT set, although at the time I didn't know you could get it for $25 in one shot and instead put the set together myself at about $50. Ah well, one could blow money in worse ways! Great set to own. I saw an ad once for another reprint title called Extinct...anybody know about that one? I've yet to track it down.

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I don't actively look for Ajax/Farrell books (except for Fantastic Fears #6 - which I never see), but it has seemed that they are more likely than some other pre-code publishers to be low grade based on my casual obsevance.

 

As for my own collecting preferences, I used to pick up higher grade pre-code books now and then, if they were the first copy I found, back when they were still pretty cheap, but these days when I buy them they're usually in the 2.0 to 5.0 range. If I own a GA or Atom Age book in 4.0 or better, I don't feel any urge to upgrade, and I can't resist lower grade when the price is right.

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I typically look for GA in the 6.0-8.0 range, although I'll go in for a VG if it's a classic cover or key. Higher than an 8.0 is getting too damn expensive, but there are such wonderful deals to be had in the mid-grade zone. I've picked up a few mid grade CGC copies at under guide prices (pre code horror under guide!?!) on ebay, thanks to the 9.4 craze. Once people start to snap out of their stupor and realize that you can't find certain books anywhere in anything higher than a F/VF, I expect prices to shoot up again.

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You may want to post them, though, in the Have A Cigar - Golden Age Only thread here. It is locked at the top and your sweet books will be seen for as long as you keep the links up! thumbsup2.gif

 

*Sigh* Good 'ol POV...the consummate hall monitor!

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Oh, and yep, I've got the TTTT set, although at the time I didn't know you could get it for $25 in one shot and instead put the set together myself at about $50. Ah well, one could blow money in worse ways! Great set to own. I saw an ad once for another reprint title called Extinct...anybody know about that one? I've yet to track it down.

 

Extinct is put out by the Tles Too Terrible To Tell folk: New England Comics.

 

Go to the link below. To the right you'll see a list of topics. Select NEC DARK (Right below Tales To Terible to Tell). Extinct will be there. Also, check Tales Too Terrible To Tell because they have a couple of issues of My Terrible Romance listed. pre-code Romance similar to TTTTT. Also, in the NEC DARK, check out the Anti-Hitler and Buried Terror listings.

 

NEC Cool Stuff

 

I'm gonna be ordering Extinct, Anti-Hitler and Buried Terror. Have the My Terrible Romance and it is great.

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I've picked up a few mid grade CGC copies at under guide prices (pre code horror under guide!?!) on ebay, thanks to the 9.4 craze.

 

Yeah, in the latest issue of my fanzine I note in the market report how there are many great pre-code horror deals right now. In part due, in my opinion, to the recent frenzy in the BA horror area, especially HG DC material. Also, I hope it is somewhat of a "market correction", coming down from the balloon-inflation pre-code craze of the mid-late 1990's. Let's pray this continues to last!!! 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

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I've picked up a few mid grade CGC copies at under guide prices (pre code horror under guide!?!) on ebay, thanks to the 9.4 craze.

 

Yeah, in the latest issue of my fanzine I note in the market report how there are many great pre-code horror deals right now. In part due, in my opinion, to the recent frenzy in the BA horror area, especially HG DC material. Also, I hope it is somewhat of a "market correction", coming down from the balloon-inflation pre-code craze of the mid-late 1990's. Let's pray this continues to last!!! 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

 

Amewn to that! At the last Wondercon the prices were too high - even for lower grade Atlas! The dealers at shows better start getting in line with the real world!

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I've picked up a few mid grade CGC copies at under guide prices (pre code horror under guide!?!) on ebay, thanks to the 9.4 craze.

 

Yeah, in the latest issue of my fanzine I note in the market report how there are many great pre-code horror deals right now. In part due, in my opinion, to the recent frenzy in the BA horror area, especially HG DC material. Also, I hope it is somewhat of a "market correction", coming down from the balloon-inflation pre-code craze of the mid-late 1990's. Let's pray this continues to last!!! 893crossfingers-thumb.gif

 

Are the actual prices of pre-code books coming down, or is it just that the guide has finally caught up with the market, and you no longer have to pay "multiples"? confused-smiley-013.gif

 

The only pre-code horror I collect (for now!) are LB Cole covers, and they have come down a bit in cost over the last 5 years, so I'm just wondering if the same is true for EC's, etc.,.

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Are the actual prices of pre-code books coming down, or is it just that the guide has finally caught up with the market, and you no longer have to pay "multiples"? confused-smiley-013.gif

 

The only pre-code horror I collect (for now!) are LB Cole covers, and they have come down a bit in cost over the last 5 years, so I'm just wondering if the same is true for EC's, etc.,.

 

I think it's a little of both, honestly. The Guide is probably "catching up" on some of the more high demand books. I think though the guide has "overpriced" many of the "common" pre-code issues. However, I know of several instances in which books are going for less than guide. In fact, I have made a couple purchases lately that were the same prices I was paying in say 1994 just before things "blew up." I can't tell you how happy I am about that!

takeit.gif

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Well this is just me adding my 2 cents from the peanut gallery. I remember about 2 1/2 years ago there was this seller on eBay from the Tacoma/Seattle Area of Washington that had on original collection of many of the Pre-Code EC books as well as titles like "This Magazine is Haunted" all in awesome strict Fine 6.0 to NM 9.2 grades. They had awesome vibrant covers. Well unfortunately I am a poor college boy and all of my bids got eclipsed. But they were going for fractions of guide. I could'nt believe it. I would have taken a loan out for them if I had the time to do so. *tear* sorry.gif

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I think L.B. Cole covers typically sell for about guide now, when they were multiples of guide during the pre-code mania a few years ago. Things were out of control during that time for books such as Cole covers and Atlas 50's hero books. The prices were many multiples of guide and people were scrambling for the books. I think the market has cooled a bit for Cole books, or at least back to normal with guide prices reflecting reality, but other pre-code horror books are still undervalued in the guide.

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As far as the icon pre-code books are concerned you're still going to pay well over guide (close to double) for copies in solid VG and above - but not multiples. What has happened is that collectors have noticed that most of these books are not super-scarce, with one or two exceptions (Mister Mystery 12 springs to mind). As for the common pre-code issues / titles, prices are indeed softer than they were.

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There are some scarce pre-code horror books, but I think it's also easy to confuse "scarcity" with "they are being held in collections". For instance, why can I find almost every issue of Mister Mystery for sale except for #12? Was it under-printed, or are they simply in collections? If that is the case, why isn't someone looking to sell when they know that they can get double guide for it? Are they waiting for guide to catch up?

 

That book is absolutely difficult to find. My copy (the icon I use in my identity on the boards) is only Good, pretty worn complete with no pieces missing, but it's still going to be hard to upgrade.

Edited by paull
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There are some scarce pre-code horror books, but I think it's also easy to confuse "scarcity" with "they are being held in collections". For instance, why can I find almost every issue of Mister Mystery for sale except for #12? Was it under-printed, or are they simply in collections? If that is the case, why isn't someone looking to sell when they know that they can get double guide for it? Are they waiting for guide to catch up?

 

I had a hellish time finding my favorite MM cover - #13. Took me a couple of years of steady searching and ended up buying a CGC 5.5 Fine- (I have since unslabbed it). I always liked MM13 better than all the others, even though 11 and 12 are definitetly more horrific. Just something about the look in the eyes.

 

mm13.jpg

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Those are some nice ACG books with vibrant colors... definitely pre-code... you don't see that evil white stamp anywhere, do you? headbang.gif

 

What evil white stamp are you referring to my friend? Pardon my Naiveness!

 

Hey for any of you who hav'nt yet visited the Skywald, Eerie Publications and Stanley Magazine thread in the magazines forum, please visit, that thread contains many over the top covers that mimic many early precode books as well as reprint their stories:

 

Skywald, Eerie Publications, Stanley Magazines Oh MY! Magazine Thread

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What evil white stamp are you referring to my friend? Pardon my Naiveness!

 

The white stamp at thwe top right on the cover coming out in mid 1955 announcing the comic was approved by the Comics Code Authority (CCA). See pre-code (top) and post-code (bottom) images of Journey Into Mystery.

 

prepost.jpg

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