maxstuf

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All the runs are in Bill Cole Arklights with a board in each one. Each one bagged and boarded separately. Superman 1 to 650 all in order. Nothing is split up. But I would never put more than one comic in an Arklight, as I seal each one. While on the subject of Bill Cole, I have bought forty thousand off him, through my friend's comic shop. Each set of 100 has either 98 or 99 inside. I have never never ONCE counted a full 100, not ever. It is scandalous. We complained but were ignored. I thought I was the only one.... Has anyone ever gotten 100 in a 100 count bag?

When it comes to my comics, I'm a neatness freak, and every single one is in meticulous order, all the runs are in Bill Cole Arklights, and all positioned perfectly symmetrical. The thought of risking moving them and having to check off every single item and putting them back into order when they look so pristine and beautiful the way they are right now, just brings me out in hives at the mere thought. So.... NO !!!!!!! We're all a little OCD. I can understand completely. It, ...it ,,,, it's like you read my mind....

Ian, how important would you say that the presence of American Military bases in England and Europe were to the importation of Early American comics? If at all?

Have you got a copy of Chris Pedrin's "Big Five" ?? Star Spangled War Stories 5, as I have already said, was virtually impossible. Got it, plus I know a guy who had a box full lof them. The "Big Five" book, not the Star Spangled War Stories 5.

No. I may have a lot of restored books but I upgraded most everything that I was dissatisfied with. Some of these comics are too rare. It would cost more than that, especially factoring in shipping and packaging. You scoff about new books, but you try and find a complete set of all 30 issues of Beautiful Stories For Ugly Children, plus the two previews, the incredibly rare Trade Paperback and the even rarer Cotton Candy Autopsy one-shot. Go on - I challenge you. Even some moderns are rarer than some Golden Age. You could spend ten hours a day on e-Bay for three years and not come close for that price. Plus some comics are not available for any price.. Bingo Ian, While the actual price might not be in range a few have mentioned. The total amount of expense in an endeavour like this is the travel, time, incidental costs, shipping, etc that went into putting it together. Besides no one who would simply write you one check and cart it off, might never understand the effort it took to gather this collection. That is one of the intangibles that every collector who has sought and missed many more than they caught knows all too well. But makes that eventual find all the more sweet.

In order to get to that, there first would have to be agreement on the actual date/book which ushered in each successive period. And I suspect there is probably already a thread or two arguing the finer point of why this book or that book was the actual beginnning of each respective age. I realize that the defining line between ages is of considerable debate. Maybe it would be easier to do it this way... How many 10 cent books are there? How many published 12 cent books. 15 cent books. 20 cent books, etc. I am not sure how complete it actually is. I have not fact checked it, but wikipedia actually has pretty good lists to follow. Also I think there is a website that you can pick or type in the year and month and it shows the books out that month. Hopefully someone who has that link will post it.

In order to get to that, there first would have to be agreement on the actual date/book which ushered in each successive period. And I suspect there is probably already a thread or two arguing the finer point of why this book or that book was the actual beginnning of each respective age.

Yes It is easy to get wrapped around the axle on the slabbing issue and think that other collectors would certainly want copies of whatever issue slabbed. Simply because "we", or "most", "many", "some" of us would. The truth is that their are collectors out there, who have zero desire to let anyone handle their books. And the thought of wrapping, shipping and letting strangers handle and critique their books is not on their radar screen. Some of these folks are known, others may have finished their buying in the 70's, 80's, etc.. and moved on to other collectibles. But those books are there. Stored safely away. Is their a glut of 27's hidden away. I doubt it, but 38's, in my opinion, were not considered that scarce 30 years ago.

If you're collecting Silver Age, they're all easily available unless you're only interested in the grade. I merely collect the comics. No Silver Age comic is tough if you have the money to purchase it. NONE. Whereas no matter how much money you have, there are loads of Golden Age that will take years to find, or maybe never. I'd hate to have to find another New Adventures 26 and 27, and The Big Book Of Fun Comics, and Double Action 2, not to mention Buzzy 70 and Girls Love 5. (thumbs u

There are no really really hard Silver Age books. Probably the hardest are Teen Beat and Teen Beam That bit of info is one of the hardest it seems for collectors early in their gathering stages to grasp and retain. Thanks often to dealers who over hype scarcity of silver age books. Especially the ones they happen to currently have, oddly enough. There is a small dealer who I used to deal with, no more, that was one of the worst in that regard.

Although I have several thousand foreign DCs from all over the world, I just pick them up when I can. I don't think anyone would expect me to collect them all. If collecting only the US copies wasn't enough, I'd expect collecting every foreign reprint a nightmare if not impossible... Jim For some insight to the difficulty of collecting foreign editions. Find a Classics Illustrated Collector who has sought foreign editions. A friend of mine was one such animal, and the data base and contact list he had made in this pursuit was overwhelming. And all of that was pre-internet. My hat was off to him.

Ian Have you compiled a checklist of everything DC? I am sure some on here could use such a list. The Premium, Giveaway list itself would be invaluable to aspiring collectors. By the way, congrats on the task you set for yourself. And on the accomplishment. It is wonderful

He probably has that one stashed in the bathroom for reading material. Gotta have something to read in there..

I would like to see a scan of this book that was sent back. Is there one?