AJD's comic notebook

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And here's another book from the same collection. There are plenty of mid to highish grade books in this collection. This is not one of them, but it has a rather striking cover image. Silver Flash #40 is an Australian original by Virgil Reilly. The series ran for at least 54 issues starting in 1949. I've never seen this one before (and I think I've only seen one other issue in the flesh, though the GCD has more here).

 

 

The interior is a bit crude. here's the first page. The observant among you might notice the name of the missing miscreant: Dirk Henrik Tampon...

 

 

... which leads to an unforgettable panel where our hero the SF walks onstage and shouts... "Tampon"! You couldn't make this up folks. (Though Virgil Reilly did.)

 

Just got this one in from Comic Connect. I always have my with CC, because they don't always have the book in hand and I always worry that it has been overgrader by the seller. This one looked good in the auction, and for this issue it's important to get one with a good colour strike and few (or preferably no) colour breaking creases on that solid colour cover. This one ticks those boxes well enough for me (the corner creases are less obvious in hand). It's also really tricky to scan accurately - it's slightly 'oranger' than it looks here, but my scanner software can't reproduce it.

Down to two more Mads for the 1 - 24 run now. Still looking for nice midgrades for #s 15 and 17.

Nice reds on that one Andrew. Congrats on the score and good luck with closing your run.

Yep--nice! I wonder what the sales figures were like for that particular issue.

Hi everyone. I'm back with a small group of Australian Fiction House reprints I just picked up. Some interesting comics here.

Let's start with Fight #8, which has the cover from Fight #62, though the stories are from other issues of Fight.

All of these issues are the ' big Australian size' - they're about 3/4" taller than the US editions and about 1/4" wider. That doesn't sound like a lot, but they are noticeably bigger, which is kind of cool.

Note that the Aus Fight #8 has 28 pages, compared to the US editions of 52. That seems like a bad deal, except that the cover price was sixpence (6d), equivalent to a nickle, so it all works out. But that meant that the Australian publishers could use one American issue to produce two local ones (allowing for an ad page or two). The only problem was that they needed extra covers. I think Australian artists were used to draw them, and perhaps in some cases (I think) trace them from images from inside FH books. The Australian Fight #5 is one of those, and I think the cover is great. The female figure is drawn in a very 20s/30s style, which I like.

This Firehair #3 also has a cover that doesn't appear on the US editions. It's pretty well done as well:

Interestingly, while looking over the US Fights on the GCD, I noticed this one - which might be the inspiration for the cover above (?):

Also a big edition. My Firehair 14 (see earlier in this thread) is much smaller - about 1/4" smaller than American comics all around.

Finally, I also got this Sheena. Another local artist creation (I think) but not as successful. While nothing is particularly well drafted, the lion has gone seriously awry...

Loving these Australian books.

But they suck and you should not buy them. (Unless I already have them - those ones are OK).

Really nice Journal entry Andrew. Love the story and pics. The Fiction House Thread in gold is really happening lately. So far the only Australian comics I have are some Bugs Bunny issues, and they too are taller than U.S. editions. Does CGC grade Australian editions?

Keep up the good work!

I just got a "red cross parcel" in from Heritage. It's a bit of a mixed bunch!

Let's start off with the final issue of volume 1 of WDC&S:

So much fun reading in these issues. Next up are a couple of GGA books. I've always liked this Rangers cover, and there's some cool artwork inside this one:

And my first Fox book. I'm hoping this doesn't start something - I really don't want to find myself selling my car and dog to finish up my Weird Comics run.

Finally, I could see myself collecting the Four Color series if I lived in the States. But the thought of finding and then paying the postage for 1,300 comics makes that a non starter. So I'll satisfy myself with a few subsets: ducks, possums ... and the Twilight Zone for now. This is the first issue, with some nice work by George Evans and Reed Crandall. Looking for a #1288 now

Nice mix there Andrew! Never noticed the WDCS before, very nice cover! That Rulah has a cool cover too! Fiction House is all kinds of hot on the Boards right now too. Twilight Zone is a nice subset. I guess if you're not too fussy about grades you should be able to manage building a nice ciollection.

Stellar pick ups buddy!

I just got a "red cross parcel" in from Heritage. It's a bit of a mixed bunch!

 

 

 

 

 

And my first Fox book. I'm hoping this doesn't start something - I really don't want to find myself selling my car and dog to finish up my Weird Comics run.

 

 

 

 

What do you want for the dog?

Nice eclectic selection. I've thought long and hard about taking a run at Four Color. The wide variety of subject matter and covers really appeals. I'd do it if I thought I could get "lots" that would help with the shipping.

Twilight Zone is a nice subset. Great covers and interesting stories.

A few additions to the bookshelf this time around.

I went to the LCS to get some mylars yesterday, and looked over the new arrivals. I saw this and was interested (who doesn't love Bone?) but wasn't sure if I wanted to pay A$30 for it.

Then I turned it over:

For those of us of a certain age, that's a hard to resist image.

The new Bone story is a 36 page coda to the main story, and has the Bones heading back through the desert to Boneville. I won't spoil it, but it's fun and very much to the spirit of the original story. If it had appeared then, it would have been a lovely gentle ending. As is, it's nice, but 20 years on it seems a little superfluous. To be fair, I was warned - see the text in the yellow star on the back cover!

There's also an article by Jeff Smith that recounts his path to success. It's quite interesting, and I think he's one of the good guys who managed to make it in the business. There's also a 45 page Bone companion' appreciation of the story. It's OK, but sometimes it can't tell the difference between literary criticism and retelling the story. All in all, an OK book to have, but not essential.

When I left the LCS, I met my wife at the art store. I was browsing the books there and found this:

I haven't read it yet, other than to dip in here and there and some of the captions to the many illustrations, but it looks wonderful. American comics get plenty of space, but there are also lots of 'foreign' comics that show the difference in interpretations of the 'sequential art' form. The book is written in a studious (but not heavy) style, and it seems to bring the sensibility of an art historian to the form. Very much looking forward to reading this one.

Finally, also being of a 'certain age', back in the day (late 60s into the 70s) I used to love a couple of British weeklies; 'Look and Learn' and 'World of Wonder'. They were sort of general interest magazines for kids, but L&L had two pages of a serialised story called The Trigan Empire. It was like Star Wars (which wasn't invented then) meets the Roman Empire. There's a reprint volume from the 1980s which for years fetched silly prices. Then I found one second hand for $35. Here's part of the cover (the book is very large, and doesn't fit my scanner:

And here's a sample of Don Lawrence's artwork from inside. There's a little of the Hal Foster about the pacing and style of the story, but the art is painted, and mostly gorgeous.

TBH, the stories don't read especially well, in part because the original serialisation of them makes them a little stop start (and there's more than a few captured/escaped sequences). But they look fabulous, and actually work better if you only read a few pages at a time (funny that).

Thanks for looking! I think there'll be a new comic arriving for me to post this week.

This just in:

I've been looking out for a nice copy of this book for years, and I'm pleased with this one. It was one of those books that's always around but not the copy I want.

As an 'under the covers' feature, here's a great interior splash panel:

I really like the idea for this panel, even if no pair of binoculars ever looked like that!

P.S. Where did Griff go? I was enjoying watching his Don Winslow collection grow.

Cool cover, new to me. Looks great!

 

Finally, also being of a 'certain age', back in the day (late 60s into the 70s) I used to love a couple of British weeklies; 'Look and Learn' and 'World of Wonder'. They were sort of general interest magazines for kids, but L&L had two pages of a serialised story called The Trigan Empire. It was like Star Wars (which wasn't invented then) meets the Roman Empire. There's a reprint volume from the 1980s which for years fetched silly prices. Then I found one second hand for $35. Here's part of the cover (the book is very large, and doesn't fit my scanner:

 

 

The one I have (obtained new many years ago) has a very different cover.

I know, useless without pics, so I'll try to get some up. New PC isn't playing all that nicely with old scanner though.

This just in:

 

 

I've been looking out for a nice copy of this book for years, and I'm pleased with this one. It was one of those books that's always around but not the copy I want.

 

As an 'under the covers' feature, here's a great interior splash panel:

 

 

I really like the idea for this panel, even if no pair of binoculars ever looked like that!

 

P.S. Where did Griff go? I was enjoying watching his Don Winslow collection grow.

Got a nice box of books in today. I only have time to scan and upload one tonight, but it's a good one. Another "mini run" of Four Colors I'm after is the five Gyro Gearloose issues. I really like the character and there are a few great stories (and some ho hum ones) scattered through these. This is the third for me. All Barks in this issue:

And here's the 'under the covers' entry for this one. Gyro invents an unmissable baseball bat for the local team before finding out that he was born on the other side of the tracks. "His" hometown demands an invention, so he designs an unhittable ball. Here's what happens next:

Here are my other two Gyros.

Dell comics are good comics.

OK, another book from the latest delivery. I didn't like it when it arrived, because it was in a plastic shell and i couldn't read it. After a loud cracking sound was heard it was much better.

I really like the Tenniel picture on the cover on this one. I note that the GCD credits Tenniel, but clearly someone has very neatly added the Mad comics into the image.

And for the 'under the covers' feature, here's an interior page that purports to be current affairs. Any there any Chinese-reading readers of this journal? Heck, are there any readers of this journal, period?

If you're wondering what potrzebie means, here's the Cliff Notes version:

Mad editor Harvey Kurtzman spotted the word printed in the Polish language section of a multi-languaged "Instructions for Use" sheet accompanying a bottle of aspirin, and Kurtzman, who was fascinated with unusual words, decided it would make an appropriate but meaningless background gag. After cutting the word out of the instruction sheet, he made copies and used rubber cement to paste "Potrzebie" randomly into the middle of Mad satires.

There there, blossom - I read your Journal.

I think the Chinese -script is actually sideways. It needs to be rotated 90 degrees either left or right (I have no idea which way) but the ideographs do not "look right" as presented, IMO.

I am a huge fan of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson. Have you ever read " The Annotated Alice" by Martin Gardner?

A must have for any Lewis Carrol aficionado.

Edit: On examination, I think the Chinese -script needs to be rotated 90 degrees to the left.

OK, another book from the latest delivery. I didn't like it when it arrived, because it was in a plastic shell and i couldn't read it. After a loud cracking sound was heard it was much better.

 

 

I really like the Tenniel picture on the cover on this one. I note that the GCD credits Tenniel, but clearly someone has very neatly added the Mad comics into the image.

 

And for the 'under the covers' feature, here's an interior page that purports to be current affairs. Any there any Chinese-reading readers of this journal? Heck, are there any readers of this journal, period?

 

 

If you're wondering what potrzebie means, here's the Cliff Notes version:

 

Mad editor Harvey Kurtzman spotted the word printed in the Polish language section of a multi-languaged "Instructions for Use" sheet accompanying a bottle of aspirin, and Kurtzman, who was fascinated with unusual words, decided it would make an appropriate but meaningless background gag. After cutting the word out of the instruction sheet, he made copies and used rubber cement to paste "Potrzebie" randomly into the middle of Mad satires.

 

 

 

Another of the new acquisitions.

I can't help but think that the joke here would have been better without the explanation in the yellow box on the cover. Surely "this issue is going to change your whole viewpoint of Mad" and then leave it to the reader to discover why would have been funnier? Maybe they wanted to avoid returns?

But, as advertised, here's what greets you when you open the cover:

I'm willing to bet that this caused some cursing in the printer's plant.

And, without (overt) comment, here's an example of the sidesplitting comedic stylings of Wolverton, Basil.

Quite a bit happening professionally of late, but I'll have a bit more time in the not too distant future to write some more here.

 

But I want to mention a little venture that Duffman_Comics and I have just taken on. We got offered a 104 book collection of pre 1966 Australian comics by US-based board Zzutak ( Jay), which just arrived today. I think we struck a pretty fair deal, and all three parties are happy. Lots more pics to follow, but here's one that is joining my collection. By the late John Dixon, and from 1952 (despite looking like it belongs a decade earlier):

 

[/quotecant get enough of this.]