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Post Your ONE-OF-A-KIND CGC SS books, or lone top census CGC SS books!
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4,421 posts in this topic

13 minutes ago, deadleg said:

Amazing book! Love this cover. 

That cover and the copy on it, "Ask no questions!" is great.  Mysteriously, it's not a "classic" cover in the way so many others are.  The cover makes me want to buy the book and read it in 2017, imagine what it must have been like for a kid in the 1950s!  

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1 hour ago, MedicAR said:

And the last is from the great Russ Heath from his recent Silicon Valley Con appearance.  Big thanks to spidermanbeyond for getting this and a couple of others that are still in Sarasota done! 

 

Uncanny Tales 23512.jpg

^^

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17 hours ago, Blorgon scum said:

:whee:

Buffy SS #1 2nd Gellar.JPG

well done

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Two more which really surprised me.  I thought these covers were a no brainer for a Steranko CGC SS, but then I understand my point of view is unique at times.  As a result I've got a pair of one-of-a-kinds! 

Theres a story with these, too.  

I met Mr. Steranko in Kansas City at Planet Comicon this past April. Before I get going, let preface the story with this: I apparently have some of the absolute worst luck in meeting creators. I first met Mr. Steranko at SDCC in 2006. I thought he was arrogant and stand-offish as he (supposedly) would only come forward and speak if you bought an item from the Vanguard Publishing table. I seem to be the only person ever to have been told this or to have had this experience. I had the same experience with Jim Lee at KC a few years later and was the only one to have a negative experience there as well. By all accounts, both are fun an friendly guys, meaning that I either exude some negative vibe or managed to catch both at the worst second of their day. I prefer the second option but whatever.  

So, in KC it was a three day show and I only made the second two. I got there early Saturday but didn't get in early and he already had a significant line. I just kept an eye on things and went about my business but his line never seemed to shorten. He even took lunch (or went to a panel, I don't recall any panels with him but who knows?) and the line actually grew while he was gone. Sunday, I made him my #1 priority and got in early and made a bee line to his table. I was about sixth in line and had to wait more than an hour to get my turn with him.  

My time came and I approached slowly and with great reverence. I had a couple of books for him to sign, both the recent SHIELD books with the Kirby/Steranko covers, one in color one in black and white. We spoke briefly, he asked about what color to sign in and I told him that he was the artist so I trusted his judgement. We had a little banter about it and he signed them then asked if I knew the story behind the covers. I told him that I did (I honestly thought that I did), that the cover had been one of a few pages from an unused story. He just beamed and said, "No, that's not it." He proceeded to tell me how he had approached Stan Lee at Marvel Comics in the 60s and he had sat in a waiting area with a few other artists, all of who had "fancy $400 leather portfolios." He said that he had arrived with his art wrapped in newspapers because he "didn't need to spend that kind of money to show that I knew what I was doing." He said that he got his turn with Stan and that Stan immediately loved it but expressed concern about accountability. He recalled that Stan spun in his chair and rifled through some original art pages, finally snagging what would become this cover and another page, both penciled by Jack Kirby. He told Mr. Steranko to ink them and bring them back next Thursday at 2:00. Mr. Steranko kind of scoffed at this point, grinning and saying, "I didn't need a week for that, I could have had them done that night but I wanted to show that I could follow orders." He said he returned with the pages the next Thursday at 2 and Stan was blown away, and offered him work on any book he wanted. He took Strange Tales and the rest his history.  

This all reads like it only took a minute or two but this was close to a 20 minute story with all kinds of flourishes and embellishments. Mr. Steranko was clearly holding court and it was truly a sight to behold. He somehow managed to work in that it was his first time in KC....ever! I had to ask the obligatory, "did you have any barbecue?" to which he rolled his eyes and said, "YES! I tried the barbecue, I'm going to go find some sauce to spill on my shirt so everyone will quit asking!" With this, I grinned and asked how he felt about Italian food. He smiled and leaned in close like it was all suddenly a big secret. He said, "is there good Italian here?" I told him it was some great Italian and suggested Cascones restaurant. He straightened back up and asked the guy behind me, "does he know what he's talking about? Is there good Italian food here?" I cut him off, asking, "Really? You think a fat guy doesn't know good Italian food?" We laughed and carried on a bit more. He said that he wanted to try it and I told him I would gladly take him the next time he came to town. He told me to talk to the promoter and I said I'd put in a word about coming again next year. He said we'd go then.  

I don't imagine that we will actually have dinner, even if he does return, but that's what happened and it makes a great story.  

2106171441391.jpg

2106171450111.jpg

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9 minutes ago, MedicAR said:

Two more which really surprised me.  I thought these covers were a no brainer for a Steranko CGC SS, but then I understand my point of view is unique at times.  As a result I've got a pair of one-of-a-kinds! 

Theres a story with these, too.  

I met Mr. Steranko in Kansas City at Planet Comicon this past April. Before I get going, let preface the story with this: I apparently have some of the absolute worst luck in meeting creators. I first met Mr. Steranko at SDCC in 2006. I thought he was arrogant and stand-offish as he (supposedly) would only come forward and speak if you bought an item from the Vanguard Publishing table. I seem to be the only person ever to have been told this or to have had this experience. I had the same experience with Jim Lee at KC a few years later and was the only one to have a negative experience there as well. By all accounts, both are fun an friendly guys, meaning that I either exude some negative vibe or managed to catch both at the worst second of their day. I prefer the second option but whatever.  

So, in KC it was a three day show and I only made the second two. I got there early Saturday but didn't get in early and he already had a significant line. I just kept an eye on things and went about my business but his line never seemed to shorten. He even took lunch (or went to a panel, I don't recall any panels with him but who knows?) and the line actually grew while he was gone. Sunday, I made him my #1 priority and got in early and made a bee line to his table. I was about sixth in line and had to wait more than an hour to get my turn with him.  

My time came and I approached slowly and with great reverence. I had a couple of books for him to sign, both the recent SHIELD books with the Kirby/Steranko covers, one in color one in black and white. We spoke briefly, he asked about what color to sign in and I told him that he was the artist so I trusted his judgement. We had a little banter about it and he signed them then asked if I knew the story behind the covers. I told him that I did (I honestly thought that I did), that the cover had been one of a few pages from an unused story. He just beamed and said, "No, that's not it." He proceeded to tell me how he had approached Stan Lee at Marvel Comics in the 60s and he had sat in a waiting area with a few other artists, all of who had "fancy $400 leather portfolios." He said that he had arrived with his art wrapped in newspapers because he "didn't need to spend that kind of money to show that I knew what I was doing." He said that he got his turn with Stan and that Stan immediately loved it but expressed concern about accountability. He recalled that Stan spun in his chair and rifled through some original art pages, finally snagging what would become this cover and another page, both penciled by Jack Kirby. He told Mr. Steranko to ink them and bring them back next Thursday at 2:00. Mr. Steranko kind of scoffed at this point, grinning and saying, "I didn't need a week for that, I could have had them done that night but I wanted to show that I could follow orders." He said he returned with the pages the next Thursday at 2 and Stan was blown away, and offered him work on any book he wanted. He took Strange Tales and the rest his history.  

This all reads like it only took a minute or two but this was close to a 20 minute story with all kinds of flourishes and embellishments. Mr. Steranko was clearly holding court and it was truly a sight to behold. He somehow managed to work in that it was his first time in KC....ever! I had to ask the obligatory, "did you have any barbecue?" to which he rolled his eyes and said, "YES! I tried the barbecue, I'm going to go find some sauce to spill on my shirt so everyone will quit asking!" With this, I grinned and asked how he felt about Italian food. He smiled and leaned in close like it was all suddenly a big secret. He said, "is there good Italian here?" I told him it was some great Italian and suggested Cascones restaurant. He straightened back up and asked the guy behind me, "does he know what he's talking about? Is there good Italian food here?" I cut him off, asking, "Really? You think a fat guy doesn't know good Italian food?" We laughed and carried on a bit more. He said that he wanted to try it and I told him I would gladly take him the next time he came to town. He told me to talk to the promoter and I said I'd put in a word about coming again next year. He said we'd go then.  

I don't imagine that we will actually have dinner, even if he does return, but that's what happened and it makes a great story.  

2106171441391.jpg

2106171450111.jpg

That's an AWESOME story! (thumbsu

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I had dinner with Steranko in Cincy and it was just like Doug's story - lots of stories and hooting and hollering - but with the added bonus of crushing pounds of grilled meat at a Brazilian steakhouse. 

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17 minutes ago, seanfingh said:

I had dinner with Steranko in Cincy and it was just like Doug's story - lots of stories and hooting and hollering - but with the added bonus of crushing pounds of grilled meat at a Brazilian steakhouse. 

So it is not out of the question?  hm

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