ecgt

Thanks for tagging me @Jesse-Lee. I did write this article. Sorry that it has taken me a month and a half to respond to you: I have been on hiatus due to a series of family emergencies. I am planning to return to my "Forgotten Silver" column at Comic Book Daily soon. Gamut is a special series that continues to fly under the radar (like so many comics from the Canadian Silver Age). I own the first two issues and plan to purchase the others at some point down the road, but as I mention in my article (and as @Qalyarmentions here) the last two issues are hard to find. Your error copy of # 1 looks like it is great shape. I have seen other examples of the error cover, but they don't come to market often. I'm glad you are enjoying some vintage Canadiana and thanks for reading my article! Cheers, brian

I, for one, thank Dan for carefully curling (not folding) his Cerebus # 1 cover for the benefit of the collector's community.

Meeting him in person left no doubt in my mind.

Hi everyone, I have been writing a monthly column on Comic Book Daily called "Forgotten Silver" for a few months now. The focus is based on research that I have been conducting with a couple of other boardies regarding the Canadian Silver Age (which is not the same as that found in the USA). Longtime followers of the work of Ivan Kocmarek know that the ebbs and flows of Canadian comic production during the Golden Age also does not jive with the dates of American releases because of a widely different context. We have taken the definition that John Bell uses to describe the Canadian Silver Age from approximately 1974/75 to 1988 and have expanded it to include the era from 1960-1989/90. For more information about how we delineate this era of Canadian comics, please see my inaugural post about the topic: https://www.comicbookdaily.com/columns/forgotten-silver/introduction-to-the-canadian-silver-age/ This thread is for all things Canadian Silver Age related. I would love to learn whether or not there are people on the boards who are interested in collection these books (some of which are incredibly rare) and if anyone has any of this stuff in their collections it would be great to see it. That said, the one thing that really does not fit in here are Canadian Price variants of non-Canadian comics. The singular research focus has been about comics made by Canadian creators and published in Canada. Here are a few beauties that I have in my collection, including Captain Newfoundland # 1 (which is the focus of my most recent column: https://www.comicbookdaily.com/columns/forgotten-silver/a-tale-of-two-captain-newfoundlands/). Cheers, brian

There was no need: before he started signing a single item, he stood up and sang his own rendition of Frank Sinatra's "My Way." That was all we needed to know. In reality, he was quite humourous and his jabs and jests were not meant to be mean spirited.

Essentially, the idea was that only a poser would bring a Spawn comic to a Cerebus signing.

Looking at the gorgeous Cerebus # 1 that FattyDaddyComics purchased on eBay, I am inclined to think that it is real without seeing the inside front cover tell because of the signature. Raw specimens in this condition are like unicorns because of Sim holding back the best copies that he eventually sent to CGC. Sim's go-to inscription has always been "Best Wishes" and the signature on the comic in question looks correct for the era. When I met him at The Last Signing, I brought a Spawn # 10 with me to see how he would react. He made a big stink about it and called me out in front of the other people waiting in line. It was quite funny and I got the reaction I wanted. He personalized it for me, included a sketch and inscribed "Best Wishes" with the signature. He had been signing for four to five hours by this point and the signature is not as crisp as it would be if he wasn't so tired. However, the "Best Wishes" is consistent with other specimens I have seen, including the Cerebus # 1 that FattyDaddyComics recently purchased. Here is a picture of the Spawn # 10 in question with the postcard that Strange Adventures handed out at the event, which I kept in my files for the sake of provenance.

By far the best measure of whether or not a Cerebus # 1 is authentic is the inside of the cover. If it's glossy it's fake. If not, it is almost certainly real (though the front cover should be glossy). Cerebus being grey screen throughout the book is the next measure of authenticity. If the character is washed out or black throughout the pages it is almost certainly fake. The quality of the color on the cover (is it red or orange?) is not a good measure because of the possibility of colour fading over time if stored incorrectly. As Dan says, the close-up of the soldier on the front cover is an old tell, as is the $1. However, neither are good measures of authenticity in and of themselves. Some people have also mused about the quality of the staples as being a tell, but I do not see this as a good measure at all. If the accumulation of tells all suggest that it is real, then it is almost certainly so. The copy Dan received is authentic and the seller messed up. Dan is a honest guy. I know other people who would have quietly kept the item and would not have notified the seller of their mistake. The difficulty with all of this is that it is really easy to tell the difference if you are holding one in your hand. It is much more difficult to tell the difference if you are looking at pictures on eBay. The burden of correct information belongs to both the buyer and seller. I have handled many Dave Sim autographs over the years and attended his last official signing in Halifax, NS in 2010 at Strange Adventures. My wife and I have several Sim autographs in our collections from different eras. His signature is not easy to fake and it stays relatively consistent over time. At the event in Halifax, Sim signed some fake and authentic copies of Cerebus # 1. He was easily able to spot the difference and educate owners. He has been inscribing originals and fakes since the fakes came to market with his determination of authenticity. My wife's authentic Cerebus # 1 has such an inscription.

Hey, I think I know a few of these types. They can't be trusted as comic collectors. They tend to be too interested in "culture" and "context" and stuff like that.

I remember when we finally had a chance to look at this one at the LAC and were a bit confused by the "blank" cover. The generic name and cover indeed make this one hard to search for and the small print run makes this essentially impossible to find. Given Geary's significance in the Canadian UG movement, I consider this to be one of his most desirable comics due to its rarity. Other than the one at the LAC (which is # 41/50), the one you have and the two that Kennedy owned, I have not come across another one. Even the Saskatchewan public library system does not have one in its pamphlet collection (and Geary is well represented). I wonder how many of these have actually survived. Geary and his students certainly are not hoarding extra copies.

Andromeda Vol. 1, # 1 Published by: Media Five Publications Limited, London, Ontario, Canada; Contributors: Dean Motter and Bill Paul (editor); Date: 1974; Price: 50 cents CAD; Page Count: 28 pages Size: Tabloid Newspaper Kennedy #: n/a; Print information: 12,000 Media Five started as a large, newspaper fanzine on London, Ontario, Canada. There were at least six issues of the fanzine published (with issue 6/7 being released together as a double-sized publication). Of the major Canadian fanzines from the early 1970s, which included "Melting Pot" and "Le Beaver," only Media Five eventually released its own comic book. Andromeda Vol. 1, # 1 features a full length comic by Dean Motter, who would later create one of the seminal new-wave characters of the 1980s, Mister X. This early work falls somewhere in between the Underground movement of the early 1970s and the science fiction heavy stylings of comics that were coming out of Ontario at the time. Motter would continue to use the name Andromeda for the more well-known Canadian science fiction anthology comic that was published by Silver Snail in the late-1970s. Despite having a stated print run of 12,000 copies, Andromeda Vol. 1, # 1 is quite scarce. It is noted in John Bell's (1986) Canuck Comics, but we long thought it was a typo or misinformation. After quite a bit of searching, I was able to procure one last year. Another batch subsequently appeared earlier this year and there are still some available on eBay: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/R-0204-Andromeda-Dean-Motters-Epic-Poem-Media-5-Pub-1974-Collectors-No-1/382478351340?hash=item590d7c7bec:g:Ca0AAOSwStdbEGXE I think the reason why this comic is so scarce has to do with the way it was printed. All of Media Five's publications were printed in this tabloid newspaper format and the few examples of Media Five items that I have encountered tend to be tattered and/or brittle. It is likely that, despite the large print run, few copies are still extant.

Here is another obscure giveaway that I have been trying to learn more about for some time. Bobby Cooper was published in French and English versions in 1966 for Cooper-Weeks, the well-known hockey equipment company that is now just called Cooper. I have no idea who the creative team behind this comic is, but it does not appear to be Ganes or Comic Book World. I'd love to own one of these.

Here is a comic that surfaced on eBay recently that I did not already have on my list: L'il Astro Westley and His Grocery Cart. It is from 1966 and was published for Westfair Foods in Winnipeg. What I find interesting about the cover is just how similar it is to L'il Easy Saver # 1. I do not think that this is a McCarron/Edmiston book, but the similarities have piqued my curiosity. The comic had already sold before I learned about it, so if one of our fellow boardies purchased it, it would be wonderful to know more about it.

Thank you so much for posting these images. There are a few covers that I had not seen prior to you bringing this stuff to my attention a few days ago. There are still many gaps in our knowledge of giveaways from this era, but every time someone posts their comics our collective knowledge grows.

Great thread, Dan! Keep them coming. Here's my first contribution. Heroes and Rubber Cop # 4, 2nd Printing Published by: Sensational Comics Group Contributors: Craig Bernhardt and Dave Darrigo Date: April, 1969 Price: $0.25 CAD Page Count: 38 Size: 8.5 x 11 Kennedy #: not listed Print information: two printings, 300 copies total Based out of Islington, Ontario, Canada, Sensational Comics Group was a fan publisher active in 1969 that published five issues of "Heroes and Rubber Cop" (also called H.A.R.C.) and one issue of a comic called "Sensational Display." The first four issues of the comic were mimeographed at the business owned by Dave Darrigo's father, with the final issue of Heroes and Rubber Cop and the only issue of Sensational Display being printed in Marshalltown, Iowa. Bernhardt and Darrigo provided their own separate comics ("The Heroes" and "The Rubber Cop" respectively) from which the series derives its name. Bernhardt acted as the president and editor of Sensational Comics Group. He also created another comic called "The Leopard," which appears in some issues of H.A.R.C. Early issues of H.A.R.C. had print runs of between 20 and 40 copies only. This seems to change with issue # 4 with the second printing. Despite being extremely amateurish, this series is an early example of the burgeoning homegrown UG and fanzine culture that emerged in Canada circa 1968 and features some of the first original Canadian hero comics published since the end of the WECA period. Few examples seem to have survived and most of the images online come from the one I own. In fact, the John Bell collection at Library and Archives Canada doesn't have a single issue in its collection. Darrigo would go on to become extremely important in the Canadian comic scene. By the late-1970s, he was the first manager of Dragon Lady Nostalgia in Toronto and was the editor of the monthly newsletter "Dragon Lady Dispatch" which would feature work by young artists such as Ty Templeton and Chester Brown (who would become stars of Canadian comics in their own right). During the 1980s he published "Wordsmith" with Rick Taylor through Deni Loubert's Renegade Press. By the 1990s he had returned to publishing with his own short-lived label, Special Studio. Darrigo was one of the founders of the Joe Shuster Awards and was inducted into the Canadian Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2010. As a legend in the Canadian comics industry, this amateur publication is where he got his start.

Did anyone scoop this up last night? It looks interesting and is definitely the first time I've seen one. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/RARE-1942-EAT-RIGHT-TO-WORK-AND-WIN-KING-FEATURES-CANADA-COMIC-GOLDEN-AGE/183134816414?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

A Colonel Ernie Comics # 1 surfaced recently and sold on eBay last night for an extremely high price. Somebody overpaid for this big time. IMO it's worth ten times less than the final price. Never underestimate an eBay bidding war. I am treating this as an outlier for now. The good news is that for people interested in seeing the interior of this comic, the seller provided several pictures. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/183134812818?_trksid=p2471758.m4704

My interest is piqued, Bo. What is the interior like?

Here's another Ganes Productions book that appeared online recently: "Ride a Safe Bus" from 1968. This one was a giveaway from Skinner School Bus Lines Charterways, but I don't know much about it.

I'm really quite smitten with my next Canadian giveaway. In 1974-75 the Commissioner of Official Languages provided elementary schools across the country with a kit of material that included a board game, comic book, activity book and a record called "Oh Canada." All of the items in the kit came in a large folder. The idea was to use these items to teach children French and English. These sets come up from time to time, but it is hard to find complete ones. In addition to missing pieces, common problems include the record being scratched or the activity book being filled in. The game itself appears to be inspired by an older Canadian game called "Coast to Coast," which was first published in 1922. It also shares quite a few similarities with another game called "The Great Game of Canada" which was first published in 1973 by Irwin Toys. Here are some pictures of the kit: All of the items were designed by Madeline Knonby and Geo Boka (the former being the writer and the latter being the illustrator). What I find particularly fascinating about the design of the comic itself is just how confusing it is. The text jumps between English and French in ways that only seem to happen in real life in the province of New Brunswick (I'm looking at you, Moncton!). Only in Canada, eh? Here's an example from the interior of the comic:

Like so many of the Ganes Productions minis, the "B/A Football Guide by Bud Grant" was also released in French as "B/A Le Guide de Football B-A par Bud Grant." Here are some images that surfaced late last year.

My first new White since last May. Hat tip to Strange Adventures for hooking me up. Came from a small collection of mostly SA books and this was the only White that was part of the batch. Complete and in pretty decent shape.

Non sequitur time. I'm still looking for the Captain Cola comic that I mentioned earlier in this thread. In the meantime, I've stumbled across images of a jigsaw puzzle that The Pop Shoppe released. I find it peculiar that I have managed to find images of merchandise, but not the comic itself. Go figure.

It's been a while since I've posted anything here, but there are still many Canadian giveaways out there let to be uncovered. Today I stumbled upon a Ganes Productions mini comic that I had not yet documented and after some research learned that the comic I found was part of a set of eight. Just when I think I've catalogued all of the Ganes books, more come out of the woodwork. In 1966, Ganes was commissioned by Coca-Cola to produce four hockey mini comics that were mail-away only exclusives. Each of the comics was released in French or English. Hence, the complete set includes eight minis. Ganes had done a few hockey minis earlier in the 1960s with Chex, as well as (at least) one CFL football comic with B.A. Classic Auctions sold the complete set a few years ago for $300 USD. Here is a picture of all of the comics together from that auction. Note that rather than being numbered, the series is lettered on the bottom right of the front cover (A, B, C and D for English; W, X, Y and Z for French): Hockey fans will immediately recognise the four players depicted in these comics: Dave Keon, Johnny Bower, Henri Richard and Jacques Laperriere. Interesting choices for an era that was dominated by Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull merchandise (with Bobby Orr waiting in the wings). All four players depicted in these comics were superstars and would later be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Perhaps the reason why I had not stumbled upon these in the past was the fact that they were mail-away only minis. I've also had some difficulty tracking down sports comics minis due to them mostly being in the collections of sports collectors (rather than comic collectors). There is one example with the original envelope floating around on eBay right now: The other thing that makes cataloguing Ganes books difficult is that dealers tend to have no knowledge of who Ganes was and instead highlight whatever company had commissioned the work. The Coca-Cola logo is hard to miss on the back cover: Looking inside, these minis all have the house style of Ganes Productions. Luckily, the inside of the back cover on the one I have (the English Henri Richard mini) has the Ganes name. Not all Ganes comics have Ganes Productions printed in them, which makes the house style important for identification. Here's an interior from the French Jacques Laperriere mini: All in all, these are pretty nice minis. The Henri Richard one that I have is around thirty pages. Based on my short amount of research, these do seem to be available most of the time, but putting together the French set is more difficult than the English one.

Good old Superior! The last FECA comic creator before the industry collapse. They held on until 1954. For nearly 15 years afterwards, the only comics published in English Canada were giveaways from Ganes and McCarron. The company was one of the most important pulp creators during WECA, but what few collectors realize is that Superior also dabbled in digest sized comic/joke books. Titles included: "Halt," "Army Gags," "Whiz Bang," "Brevities," "Fun Parade," "La Paree" and "Zippy Stories." There may have been others. These comic digests are all WECA, being first published c. 1941. There's not much info about them and even the great Ivan Kocmarek hasn't profiled them on Comic Book Daily (with only one short reference that I could find in this article from 2013): http://www.comicbookdaily.com/collecting-community/whites-tsunami-weca-splashes/post-weca-century-publications/ I have managed to purchase two of these rare digests since I started collecting a few years ago. Just to be clear, I'm not interested in selling. Army Gags Vol. 2, # 6 (September, 1943) Sorry for the blurriness on the left. The cover is quite rippled. Whiz Bang Vol. 3, # 2 (February, 1943): Whiz Bang Back Cover: