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Baker Romance
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I recently found this UK version of a Baker romance comic, called Teen-Age Romance #8. It's one of those comics where the interior artwork is not in color, and it's only half as long as a regular comic. But I sitll think it's pretty cool. The cover artwork looks like a B&W Baker panel or splash that was not-so-delicately inked by somebody else. (?)

 

Anybody collect these UK versions of St. John comics? I'd like to see some other ones.

 

Looks like that's a reprint of the US TR 16. Despite being short a few pages, I think these editions manage to reproduce almost all the original stories from the US editions they reprint, minus only the ad and text pages.

 

I wouldn't say I collect them, but I have managed to grab the two or three issues I've been able to find. It's been my understanding, based on reading in this forum, that British editions are those with Pence ("P") prices, and those with the "D" prices were originally sold in Australia and New Zealand.

 

I also have the issue that reprints the US TR 18, just don't have a scan to post.

 

AussieTAR06_zps258634b5.jpg

 

AussieTAR29_zpsb6e27965.jpg

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I recently found this UK version of a Baker romance comic, called Teen-Age Romance #8. It's one of those comics where the interior artwork is not in color, and it's only half as long as a regular comic. But I sitll think it's pretty cool. The cover artwork looks like a B&W Baker panel or splash that was not-so-delicately inked by somebody else. (?)

 

Anybody collect these UK versions of St. John comics? I'd like to see some other ones.

 

Looks like that's a reprint of the US TR 16. Despite being short a few pages, I think these editions manage to reproduce almost all the original stories from the US editions they reprint, minus only the ad and text pages.

 

I wouldn't say I collect them, but I have managed to grab the two or three issues I've been able to find. It's been my understanding, based on reading in this forum, that British editions are those with Pence ("P") prices, and those with the "D" prices were originally sold in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Ah, that makes sense.

 

That reminds me, I went on a trip to New Zealand several years ago. While there I tried to occasionally find comics shops just in case they had unusual old comics for sale. There are very few comics shops in most New Zealand cities, at least not near the city centers.

 

I did find a comics shop in Christchurch, and had to walk a couple miles to get to it. It had very little of interest. But I did think it amusing (sort of) that the owner was the grumpiest, most bitter-seeming dude I encountered during my entire New Zealand trip. Turns out the U.S. isn't the only place to breed those.

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Following up on Brian's question about scarcity, I thought I would put together a little chart for each Baker St John romance book. I would like to insert an Excel file but don't know how to do it :cry: -- advice needed! So I'm starting out with the awkward format below.

 

In any event, this isn't definitive and I'll update it if people are interested enough to make corrections, comments, or suggestions. My scarcity index goes from 10 (fewer than five copies known) to 1 (copies usually available on eBay). Yes, I'm too lazy to look up the Gerber scarcity definitions! :D

 

I'll take the series in alphabetical order, so first up is Cindy Love.

 

14 -- 2 graded copies; 6.0 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Hard to tell how scarce it is because the non-Baker cover reduces collectibility, but I would say it's not scarce (3).

 

15 -- 5 graded copies; 9.0 highest graded; median grade 6.5; 9.0 is Circle 8 pedigree copy -- don't know if there are any other pedigreed copies. Supposedly not scarce but I haven't seen many (5).

 

25 -- 6 graded copies; 7.5 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there any pedigreed copies, but I think not. Available in lower grade but very tough in higher grade (5).

 

26 -- 5 graded copies; 6.5 highest graded; median grade 6.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

27 -- 3 graded copies; 8.5 highest graded; median grade 5.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

28 -- 3 graded copies; 4.0 is highest graded; median grade is 4.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Very tough book (7).

 

29 -- 3 graded copies; 9.0 :o is the highest graded; median grade is 5.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

A few random thoughts: I'm trying not to judge scarcity solely on the basis of graded copies because I realize that there are a lot of raw copies of Baker books out there, including some raw high-grade copies.

 

Cindy Love is kind of an oddball series in that it's late and Baker's contributions consist mostly of covers -- apparently taken from inventory after he had left St John or commissioned by St John after Baker had left -- with one original story Baker story in issue 14 and one reprinted Baker story in 28. Still, of course, issue 25 has what many people think of as the definitive Baker cover and maybe the definitive romance cover.

 

Let me know what you think.

 

Edited by Sqeggs
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I'll double check this later, and make any corrections needed... but, I believe CL 14 is the only one of those issues with new material. The others are reprints of Ziff-Davis stories, except 28, which is all previously published St. John material. Only 14 and 28 have Baker interiors.

 

I thought the covers were then-newly drawn by Baker. He'd "officially" left St. John at that point in time, but continued to do covers for them on a freelance basis.

 

The CGC 9.0 copy of 15 is from the Circle 8 collection. That's the only pedigreed book I know of, among those issues.

 

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I'll take the series in alphabetical order, so first up is Cindy Love.

 

14 -- 2 graded copies; 6.0 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Hard to tell how scarce it is because the non-Baker cover reduces collectibility, but I would say it's not scarce (3).

 

15 -- 5 graded copies; 9.0 highest graded; median grade 6.5; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Supposedly not scarce but I haven't seen many (5).

 

25 -- 6 graded copies; 7.5 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there any pedigreed copies, but I think not. Available in lower grade but very tough in higher grade (5).

 

26 -- 5 graded copies; 6.5 highest graded; median grade 6.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

27 -- 3 graded copies; 8.5 highest graded; median grade 5.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

28 -- 3 graded copies; 4.0 is highest graded; median grade is 4.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Very tough book (7).

 

29 -- 3 graded copies; 9.0 :o is the highest graded; median grade is 5.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

That's great! It works better for me, though, if I have pictures to reference. With that in mind.... (P.S. Thanks Grand Comic Book Database....I need to donate to you!)

151271.jpg.7ee99bc1a70029259746e627fd9adf7e.jpg

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I'll double check this later, and make any corrections needed... but, I believe CL 14 is the only one of those issues with new material. The others are reprints of Ziff-Davis stories, except 28, which is all previously published St. John material. Only 14 and 28 have Baker interiors.

 

I thought the covers were then-newly drawn by Baker. He'd "officially" left St. John at that point in time, but continued to do covers for them on a freelance basis.

 

The CGC 9.0 copy of 15 is from the Circle 8 collection. That's the only pedigreed book I know of, among those issues.

 

Great. Thanks. Incorporated your corrections in the post.

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I'll take the series in alphabetical order, so first up is Cindy Love.

 

14 -- 2 graded copies; 6.0 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Hard to tell how scarce it is because the non-Baker cover reduces collectibility, but I would say it's not scarce (3).

 

15 -- 5 graded copies; 9.0 highest graded; median grade 6.5; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Supposedly not scarce but I haven't seen many (5).

 

25 -- 6 graded copies; 7.5 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there any pedigreed copies, but I think not. Available in lower grade but very tough in higher grade (5).

 

26 -- 5 graded copies; 6.5 highest graded; median grade 6.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

27 -- 3 graded copies; 8.5 highest graded; median grade 5.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

28 -- 3 graded copies; 4.0 is highest graded; median grade is 4.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Very tough book (7).

 

29 -- 3 graded copies; 9.0 :o is the highest graded; median grade is 5.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

That's great! It works better for me, though, if I have pictures to reference. With that in mind.... (P.S. Thanks Grand Comic Book Database....I need to donate to you!)

 

That is helpful. Thanks.

 

No Baker content in CL 12 or 13.

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Following up on Brian's question about scarcity, I thought I would put together a little chart for each Baker St John romance book. I would like to insert an Excel file but don't know how to do it :cry: -- advice needed! So I'm starting out with the awkward format below.

 

In any event, this isn't definitive and I'll update it if people are interested enough to make corrections, comments, or suggestions. My scarcity index goes from 10 (fewer than five copies known) to 1 (copies usually available on eBay). Yes, I'm too lazy to look up the Gerber scarcity definitions! :D

 

I'll take the series in alphabetical order, so first up is Cindy Love.

 

14 -- 2 graded copies; 6.0 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Hard to tell how scarce it is because the non-Baker cover reduces collectibility, but I would say it's not scarce (3).

 

15 -- 5 graded copies; 9.0 highest graded; median grade 6.5; 9.0 is Circle 8 pedigree copy -- don't know if there are any other pedigreed copies. Supposedly not scarce but I haven't seen many (5).

 

25 -- 6 graded copies; 7.5 highest graded; median grade 5.5; don't know if there any pedigreed copies, but I think not. Available in lower grade but very tough in higher grade (5).

 

26 -- 5 graded copies; 6.5 highest graded; median grade 6.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

27 -- 3 graded copies; 8.5 highest graded; median grade 5.0; don't know if there any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

28 -- 3 graded copies; 4.0 is highest graded; median grade is 4.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Very tough book (7).

 

29 -- 3 graded copies; 9.0 :o is the highest graded; median grade is 5.0; don't know if there are any pedigreed copies. Pretty tough book (6).

 

A few random thoughts: I'm trying not to judge scarcity solely on the basis of graded copies because I realize that there are a lot of raw copies of Baker books out there, including some raw high-grade copies.

 

Cindy Love is kind of an oddball series in that it's late and Baker's contributions consist mostly of covers -- apparently taken from inventory after he had left St John or commissioned by St John after Baker had left -- with one original story Baker story in issue 14 and one reprinted Baker story in 28. Still, of course, issue 25 has what many people think of as the definitive Baker cover and maybe the definitive romance cover.

 

Let me know what you think.

Great info, especially for a newbie romance collector like me. Looking forward to more.

 

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I wouldn't say I collect them, but I have managed to grab the two or three issues I've been able to find. It's been my understanding, based on reading in this forum, that British editions are those with Pence ("P") prices, and those with the "D" prices were originally sold in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Actually, that's not the case. Anything published before 1971 in the UK would have been priced in our old currency, which would have been "d" or "1 /-" prices.

We changed our currency to Pence "P" prices in 1971.

 

Just to confuse matters.

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I wouldn't say I collect them, but I have managed to grab the two or three issues I've been able to find. It's been my understanding, based on reading in this forum, that British editions are those with Pence ("P") prices, and those with the "D" prices were originally sold in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Actually, that's not the case. Anything published before 1971 in the UK would have been priced in our old currency, which would have been "d" or "1 /-" prices.

We changed our currency to Pence "P" prices in 1971.

 

Just to confuse matters.

 

Thanks for undoing my misinformation. So, what did "D" stand for?

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I wouldn't say I collect them, but I have managed to grab the two or three issues I've been able to find. It's been my understanding, based on reading in this forum, that British editions are those with Pence ("P") prices, and those with the "D" prices were originally sold in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Actually, that's not the case. Anything published before 1971 in the UK would have been priced in our old currency, which would have been "d" or "1 /-" prices.

We changed our currency to Pence "P" prices in 1971.

 

Just to confuse matters.

 

Thanks for undoing my misinformation. So, what did "D" stand for?

 

"Denarius".

 

First minted about 211 BC. Italian common noun for money: denaro. In France,the denier. Arabia & Serbia, the dinar. Macedonia, denar. Spanish dinero. Hence "d" as the abbreviation for the British penny prior to 1971.

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Anyone pick up one of these? I have one arriving today, I'm curious to know if there's any interior Baker. That cover is by him, of course, but the cover story in that issue of Teen-Age Temptations (#4) is by Ric Estrada.

 

WeirdLove4_zps1dd9d7b1.jpg

 

 

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Anyone pick up one of these? I have one arriving today, I'm curious to know if there's any interior Baker. That cover is by him, of course, but the cover story in that issue of Teen-Age Temptations (#4) is by Ric Estrada.

 

WeirdLove4_zps1dd9d7b1.jpg

 

 

No Baker interior art. :sorry:

 

Stories are:

"Too Fat to Frug" Artist Unknown, Love Diary #47, January 1967

"Men You Shouldn't Marry" Artist Unknown, Romantic Adventures #11, Nov-Dec 1950

"I was a Border Racket Girl" Artist Bob Powell, Sweethearts #107, January 1952

"Two-Faced Woman" Artist Possibly Pete Costanza, My Romantic Adventures #123, April-May 1962

"Flirtation on Wheels" Artist Rick Estrada, Teen-Age Temptations #4, October 1953

"A Monster's Kisses" Penciller unknown, Inker Vince Colletta, Just Married #61, November 1968

 

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Anyone pick up one of these? I have one arriving today, I'm curious to know if there's any interior Baker. That cover is by him, of course, but the cover story in that issue of Teen-Age Temptations (#4) is by Ric Estrada.

 

WeirdLove4_zps1dd9d7b1.jpg

 

 

No Baker interior art. :sorry:

 

Stories are:

"Too Fat to Frug" Artist Unknown, Love Diary #47, January 1967

"Men You Shouldn't Marry" Artist Unknown, Romantic Adventures #11, Nov-Dec 1950

"I was a Border Racket Girl" Artist Bob Powell, Sweethearts #107, January 1952

"Two-Faced Woman" Artist Possibly Pete Costanza, My Romantic Adventures #123, April-May 1962

"Flirtation on Wheels" Artist Rick Estrada, Teen-Age Temptations #4, October 1953

"A Monster's Kisses" Penciller unknown, Inker Vince Colletta, Just Married #61, November 1968

 

Thanks, Ray. Very useful info.

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