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It has been a decades-long goal of mine to complete the run of New Adventure Comics, which most seasoned collectors agree is the most challenging series of DC books. This 20-book run includes numerous classic covers by my favorite Golden Age artist, Creig Flessel, as well as interior work by the likes of Siegel and Shuster, Leo O’Mealia, Fred Guardineer and Bob Kane (before Batman). My quest started in the 1990’s, when I ran monthly want ads in the Comic Book Marketplace magazine offering to purchase any of these books. How many responses did I get? Not even one! So I had to do it the hard way – picking up, at most, a copy or two a year from dealers, fellow collectors or auctions. Although I was able to complete most of the run after a couple of decades of effort, one issue continued to elude me. Until now. Having finally completed the set, I plan to post the books in sequential order in this thread.

I used to play in a touring band, and opened up for the likes of Missing Persons, Pat Benatar, and Motley Crue to name a few. I still play guitar and have played for 50 of my 60 years on this planet. My band even was good enough for a record company to put out our first CD. However sales weren't Beyonce big ,so they dropped. If you don't sell a billion copies they just throw you out like yesterday's trash. But here are some pics.

This pristine Church copy of issue #26 is the jewel of my collection. One of the things that makes it unique is the name written in the upper left-hand corner of the cover. Of the 18,000 books in Edgar Church’s collection, only around 10 have the name “Church” written on the cover. One of the other books sharing this rare distinction: Edgar’s copy of Action Comics #1. Along with its terrific cover, the issue also includes an ad for Action Comics #1. #26 is renowned for its rarity. As anyone who frequented the CGC Boards in the mid-2000’s will remember, it was Ian Levine’s White Whale, eluding him for years until it became the very last issue he needed to complete his collection of all DC books ever published.

My personal White Whale was issue #27. I searched for decades for a nice copy, with no luck. I eventually resigned myself to the fact that I would never be able to finish the run. But then the Ian Levine collection of pre-hero DCs came up for auction. Ian’s pre-hero run, although complete, consisted almost entirely of low grade and restored books. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that, tucked away among them, was this breath-taking unrestored beauty. The hole in my collection was finally filled. This issue has the earliest shark cover in comics, as well as an interior ad for Action Comics #1.

I see your tremendously cute granddaughter, and raise you two more...

Excellence is rare in this world, but here we have a stunning combination of The World’s Cutest Granddaughter and my daughter’s next level photography skills.

Do not conduct business with this scammer. Both buying and selling. He just tried pulling a PayPal chargeback scam (on an ASM1) from a trusted seller on Instagram, _marveledcomics_ . Akshay made multiple fake accounts to execute his scam. You can read all about it on the IG profile _marveledcomics_ , who is providing daily updates. Akshay has a checkered history with scamming the comic community and despite being given many opportunities to change, he never does. It’s time to shun him once and for all. If you see any of his fake accounts (probably has multiple on here too) spread the word. You’re only asking for trouble if you deal with him, especially on big keys.

Issue #15 ushered in the first of the Flessel covers, and it’s a classic. In Norman Rockwell style, the artwork evokes the carefree nature of boyhood, which is a continuing theme of Flessel’s covers until issue #23, when the subject matter became more mature and darker. This issue is extremely difficult to find. In fact, according to the CGC census, it is the rarest New Adventure issue, with only 3 Universal copies, none of which is high grade. This rarity is reflected in the recent sale of Ian Levine’s former copy, a CGC 4.5 that sold for $12,500 last month. My raw copy comes from the Church collection.

YOU GUYS, I knew I was holding something extremely special in my hands when this book arrived, but I wasn't expecting this! I don't even know what to say because I'm freaking out, so I won't say anymore until I've fully digested this. I had some idea when two days ago CGC was like "Oh we just charged you an extra $xxxx in high value fees", but really am beside myself. I feel like this is a once-in-a-lifetime privilege, to have held a silver age 9.8 like this in my hands raw, as well as to be its owner. I'm just so grateful. Thanks, everyone! full

My friend Bob Wayne just notified me of Bob Beerbohm's passing yesterday which seemed a bit odd only because he'd just responded to a FB posting very recently, either yesterday or the day before. Those who knew Bob or of Bob, knew him as a cantankerous sort and often stubborn, but a devoted comics fan and a historian ...albeit controversial... on the subject of comics for many years. This probably belongs in the notices section, but most from the GA side rarely venture over to General and this is where he's most known by legend especially to those who ran afoul of his passionate beliefs which he held onto like a junkyard dog. Bob was a devoted family man, collector and comic dealer, active from the late 60's on in the Bay area for many years. His writings, while often contentious, were filled with information and well researched, even when he may have reached conclusions not agreed with by consensus. His dedication to the hobby and advocacy will be missed. Obadiah Oldbuck will have a new chapter with Bob's arrival. Rest In Peace, dude!

Issue #24 is considered by many to be a Flessel masterpiece. I agree. My copy is a CGC 8.5.

After a career in shipbuilding (new construction and repair military vessels), I published my first novel last year.

As you will see, the covers started out whimsical and humorous, but then steadily progressed to more serious themes. The covers on the first three issues in the run were done by Whit Ellsworth, who was the artist on most of the covers of New Comics, the series that preceded New Adventure. Here is the first New Adventure issue, no. 12. It’s a pretty tough book, with only 8 Universal copies on the CGC census. This Lost Valley copy is one of the rare examples of a 1930’s book that is in higher grade than the Church copy, which comes in second in the census at 5.0.

Even his original accuser walked back some of her statements after the initial report and said that people were embellishing what she said with added, salacious details that she says she never said. The woman who accused him of what you quoted above deleted her tweet prior to today and turned out to be a spurned former lover who Piskor says piled on to the original story to hurt him. I think the reality is that we don't know the real truth here - people just accepted the accusation at face value without examining or questioning any of it and now it appears that it may not even be true (read Piskor's suicide note for more details on this). The court of public opinion convicted him of being a groomer and sexual predator which caused almost everyone to cut business and personal ties with him, driving him to suicide. Even if we took the accusations at face value, he didn't deserve to die or lose his ability to make a living over that. And now we've learned both today and over the last week that maybe the accusations were taken out of context and embellished and that some of it may not have even been true at all.

Per CGC Mike, Akshay has now been banned from the boards

Per PM - Batman 1

Issue #23 started 1938 with a bang. Its cover depicts a frontiersman stranded on a snow-covered mountain and fighting for his life against a pack of hungry wolves. The artwork reflects Flessel’s transition to covers with more mature and suspenseful themes. The remaining issues in the run represent some of his best Golden Age work. Apparently, this issue does not exist in high grade. The Lost Valley copy is the highest graded by CGC. No one has seen a Church copy.

#17 is another very tough issue that is rarely seen, with only 3 Universal copies on the census, none of which is high grade. No one has seen the Church copy. My copy is a raw non-pedigree, although, once again, it might be from the “penciled S” collection even though it doesn’t have the trademark “S.” After this issue, most of the remaining books in my run are CGC graded.

Issue #13 was long considered rare; in fact, it’s listed as a 10 (less than 5 copies in existence) in the Gerber book. However, its reputation for rarity, as well as its related value, caused a handful of issues to surface in the marketplace. There are now 8 Universal copies in the CGC census. This is my raw copy, which comes from the “penciled S” pedigree, a collection that includes many pre-hero DCs in decent grade.

An unbelievably beautiful Near Mint+ 9.6 Batman #38, the highest-graded that CGC has ever certified for this coveted issue. Only 2 have ever been assigned this top grade! It is also the one with the best page quality WHITE, as the other has off-white to white pages. Penguin cover and story, 2nd Penguin Cover in the Batman series. Price is $25.5k

7.5 Batman 11 - $35K Only 7 other copies at 7.5 and 18 copies in higher grade. Sharp colors on this copy.

I appreciate all of the kind comments made by everyone throughout the course of this thread; they have made my completion of the run even more satisfying. I'll finish by noting that, starting with issue #32, the title dropped “New” and became simply “Adventure Comics,” which is the title that remained until the series ended in 1983 with issue #503. Creig Flessel's classic shark/raft battle cover was an awesome way to introduce the new title.

Issue #25 is a beast that is rarely seen and almost never comes up for sale. This Lost Valley 5.0 represents the highest graded copy on the census. No one has seen a Church copy.

Here is issue #19:

We’re now in the home stretch of the run. The penultimate issue, #30, has a beautiful whaling cover. Speaking of vivid colors, this Church copy has them in spades, as well as highly reflective and seemingly still-wet gloss that looks like it was applied yesterday.

Issue #29. 8 Universal copies in the census. Another action-packed cover: A French Legionnaire is getting ready to body-slam one of his adversaries.

Issue #28 is another very tough book, with only 8 Universal copies in the census. It has a great cover depicting armed pirates taking over a vessel. The captain’s distressed look is understandable, given that his undersized billy club is likely to prove ineffective against his assailants’ swords and guns. If you look closely, you can see Flessel’s signature subtly hidden along the ropes. This non-pedigree CGC 9.0 copy tops the census. No one has seen a Church copy.

Issue #22 is the only Christmas cover in the run.

#18 represents the first surfing cover on a comic book. This is the Church copy, which was (under)graded by CGC as a 9.0 over 20 years ago.

This is the raw Church copy of #14, which has an ad for Detective #1 on the back cover. Interestingly, there are two Church copies of this book; the other copy is a CGC graded 7.0.

Very saddened to hear of Bob Beerbohm's passing. We were connected on FB some years back through a few posts which the late Charlie Lippincott had shared. But I first met Bob at the SDCC many years ago. For many reasons, I feel we have lost an irreplaceable person in this hobby. His passion as a comic book historian is something I will miss most beyond his contributions to our hobby. Even before we met, his articles were some of the first I read as a young boy in the Overstreet Price Guide, and were a source for inspiration to me in too many areas of research and interest to name. As an example, a few years ago I discovered some Victorian-era strips, and when I tried to share them here, they got a less than warm reception from a self-proclaimed "art dealer." I spent a considerable amount of time afterwards to discover the strips had a tremendous history. I wrote a 4-part article on it, and the first person who wanted me to share the strip and artists history was Bob. I did so in his Platinum Era Comic Books & Periodicals FB group, and the interactions from members and transfer of information/history was one of the best experiences I've had on Facebook to date on the subject of comic art. In our every day dealings, it is often the case we see many new and old collectors finding themselves too caught up in the enterprising and monetizing dynamics of this hobby, that far too often the historical component is overlooked or ignored. I will greatly miss Bob's posts, and my condolences to his family, his daugther Katy, who he clearly spoke in high regard and adoration about in the ways a proud Father would of their child, and may he rest in peace.

Payment: Check, money order, wire transfer, Zelle, or cash are accepted. Shipping: FedEx Standard Overnight included to all US locations. International to be determined. Returns: No returns on CGC graded books. References: I was a full-time dealer for many years as Showcase Collectibles, was on the first grading committee at Sotheby's premier comic auction, Overstreet Advisor and all the other stuff, have dealt with most all of the old-time dealers and many boardies. Incredible Hulk #181 CGC Universal 9.8 (White Pages) #4114852003 $75,000 Batman #1 CGC Apparent 7.0 (Off-White to White) #4338955001 SOLD - Pending

Yeah, you could say today was a damn good day. I'll sleep well tonight.

Issue #16 has an interesting backstory. The cover is based on Federal Men, one of Siegel and Shuster’s earliest works in the medium, with a monthly storyline that stood out for its unusual blend of crime and science fiction. The cover of this issue is not signed, but looks exactly like Shuster’s artwork, so it was long believed that it represented the Siegel and Shuster team’s first cover (almost a year before Action #1). But then Jon Berk interviewed Flessel, who disclosed that, in fact, he was the artist and that he had intentionally mimicked Shuster’s style so that the art would be an accurate representation of the strip. As a side note, this cover also represents the first (and only?) one devoted to soliciting readers to join a comic book fan club. No one has seen the Church copy of #16. Mine is a raw non-pedigree, although it might be from the “penciled S” collection, despite missing the trademark “S.”

The screen caps I saw showed behavior that was over the line and wrong. The internet mob and court of public opinion that tried, judged and tore his life apart were also over the line and wrong. So depressing and sickening, on every level.

Among other things, Robert Beerbohm was one of the comic medium's most important researchers. He pioneered using the internet to network collectors. Through Yahoo Groups Bob set up a Platinum Age Comics group. It was a great email list / forum. People from all over the world shared information about early comic books. We are talking hundreds of comic books that nobody had ever documented before. Some comics almost 100 years older then previously thought. It was amazing to see worlds of rare comic books shared in a way that was not possible before the internet. Bob catalogued all that information from years of exchange between dozens of researchers. He then convinced Bob Overstreet to include it in his Price Guide. To Bob's credit, he put the Platinum Age catalog in its own separate section of the Guide. Peruse it and you will see a wealth of amazing, beautiful, and rare comic books. Because of Beerbohm and Overstreet's hard work, we know more about comic books than ever before! Hail Bob Beerbohm - I hope he is in Comic Book Heaven, finding new comics every day! Here are just a few of the comics shared through Bob's Platinum Group. They are in the Price Guide now because of Bob's efforts.

My son’s current comic room after his latest WETA statue. Loves his legos also.

You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like.

Things like this make me wonder if CGC is in this to make money.

A tiny fraction of what's coming

Maybe I can find the moderate midline in this for everyone. The hardest thing for anyone to do, in any facet of life, is to accept someone else's opinion above or in place of their own. That can be true even in situations where the gap in information, knowledge and experience is wide or where the parties stand as equals or near equals. In a hobby such as this, especially when on is just getting started, you don't know who to trust, who to listen to, who to be wary of, and really you just don't know what you don't know. That's why I've always said the most valuable thing I've taken from this hobby are the relationships I've made. That's true even among people in identical collecting demo's, chasing the same pieces, but all enjoying the same art, same memories, same nexus of nostalgia. Only in this hobby have I been able to be shown someone's new addition and my response be "EFF YOU DUDE!" and have it be universally understood as, perhaps, the highest possible compliment. Over time, you learn who to listen to, what to look for, who the good and bad actors are, and a wealth of other facts and details about pieces, people, and niches in the hobby that can only be absorbed in due course. In this case, I see neither bullying, nor -kissing, nor piling on, nor anything other than a disagreement that's likely been exacerbated by word choice. I saw the Facebook post and thread before it was deleted. The poster was excited for his piece, yes. But he chose to diminish another collector's piece (without actual personal knowledge of that piece) in describing his own. As a self-described "Noobie", perhaps he didn't think that through. But, when comments were made on this thread to that effect (not in a mean, bullying, or angry way) on his Facebook post....he immediately called anyone and everyone making note of the fact that he was likely in error in his description, he chose to take it as and describe it as "TROLLING", repeatedly. When the description claiming a diminishment in Malvin's piece was the first "stone" can he really be offended, or surprised, when it was volleyed back and countered. To take cover under "Stop Trolling Me" seems to lack awareness of what he'd done to initiate that back and forth discussion. Again, perhaps the newness of it all was to blame. There was a difficult choice there to make for a new collector. Who were these people posting? Why should I trust their facts over mine? I am sure Malvin, myself and many others have had the same or similar reactions to people when we were fresh out of the oven as baby art collectors. Many of us come to this hobby as successes in the real world in our own spaces. How could we ever take a stranger's word as fact over our own? That takes time and experience and, most importantly, a VERY slow roll in these instances. I wish, when I started collecting, people had told me sooner to just sit back, watch, learn, and take it all in for at least six months, before buying anything, believing anyone, or forming opinions about what I knew or didn't know. I could have saved myself from a ton of mistakes. But in the end. Everyone here is an adult. I've had my small share of internet dust-ups in the past, this one doesn't really register on the scale and has been relatively respectful aside from the unwarranted labeling. I think there's a space where the integrity and attribution of each piece and each owner's property is respected for what they really are without needing to diminish the other and without clouding the factual provenance of both.

Picked up another collection yesterday - 6 liquor cartons full of books (maybe like 500 books?), they were asking $200 (coincidentally the same as what I paid for another recent collection). I'm super glad I saw the listing and jumped at that price - the last collection had some good finds, but this one was far, far better! Not high grade, but still well worth it:

Although not a recent purchase, I had this reencapsulated with gold pedigree label and grade bump.

#20. My copy is mid-grade. The Church copy of this issue is a 9.6 that was stolen from Harley Yee’s booth several years ago and has never again resurfaced.