FANDOM 3 3

[ciorac]

Here is a shot of me meeting three of my favorite GA creators. The last of which, Shelly Moldoff, and I became good friends. Meeting Stan Lee and Will Eisner will always be a fond memory for me

 

[Cat-Man_America]

Most of my old convention memorabilia from the 70s has been lost. Some left behind after a move, this still haunts me, others were lost in Katrina several years ago. I'll dig around when I get back to the States and see what might still remain.

 

I do have this photograph which was snapped right after I returned home from an early Coast Con. Probably 1982 or '83

 

I was focusing on silver age at that show, as there was not a lot fo golden age to be had that year. The following year, there was a ton of GA.

 

My first convention was back in the early 70s, in Phoenix. That was quite an experience. Most of the Star Trek cast was there, and I got to meet Robert Heinlein, which was a huge thrill for me. Phoenix had quite a sci-fi and comic scene in those days.

 

Anyway, here is the picture

 

 

Awesome photo highlighted by a nice copy of FF#1! You rock, Bill!

 

 

 

[Cat-Man_America]

Here is a shot of me meeting three of my favorite GA creators. The last of which, Shelly Moldoff, and I became good friends. Meeting Stan Lee and Will Eisner will always be a fond memory for me

 

 

Wow! Yeah, I knew Eisner, but have never met Moldoff; both were such phenomenal artists, and Moldoff still is. Stan Lee, of course, is and always will be the MAN.

 

Here is my geekiest photograph, ...and one that I was holding off posting for that very reason, but there are other reasons that I'm proud of it.

 

Me in geek-suit and tie with my cooler friend, Al, from Houstoncon '74. He's holding one of my paintings and I'm holding a Secret Agent X-9 daily that he gave me. One of the nicest guys I've ever met and sorely missed...

 

 

Jerry Weist urged me to send this photo to Squa Tront which was still being compiled for publication a few years ago, but I wanted to contribute a better shot of my oil painting (a detailed work based on a Feldstein Weird Fantasy cover that I'd completed in a college art studio) which had been sold many moons ago. All other images and transparencies have apparently been lost, but the painting is probably safely tucked away in an EC collector's collection somewhere.

[ciorac]

Thanks Cat

[MrBedrock]

My last entry for the evening is a photo of a dealer; I'm not sure on this one (maybe Bruce Hamilton?). It's from a mid-70's Houstoncon if I'm not mistaken.

 

 

Nice Frazetta in the background. Would that have been the original or a poster?

 

The way its set up sure makes it look like an original. And check out that ash tray on the table in front of him. Smoking on the convention floor My how times have changed

That is the original. It was bought at some point by Burrell Rowe and hung in Camelot when he first opened the store.

[Cat-Man_America]

My last entry for the evening is a photo of a dealer; I'm not sure on this one (maybe Bruce Hamilton?). It's from a mid-70's Houstoncon if I'm not mistaken.

 

 

Nice Frazetta in the background. Would that have been the original or a poster?

 

The way its set up sure makes it look like an original. And check out that ash tray on the table in front of him. Smoking on the convention floor My how times have changed

That is the original. It was bought at some point by Burrell Rowe and hung in Camelot when he first opened the store.

 

Good call, Richard. (thumbs u That provides a bit of background history on that magnificent piece of art. I only wish I'd been able to get better color balance with these old photos and the emulsion scratches are pretty bad in the darker areas.

 

 

While I'm thinking about it, here is a photo from Multicon (Okla. City) ; I believe I took this one back in '72; I'll have to check my con program for verification. In this shot are Spanky McFarland, Ed Baldwin, Carl Barks and not sure about the last one (perhaps Lum of Lum and Abner as Multicon had an old time Radio guest that year as well).

 

[plady69]

 

[Cat-Man_America]

 

 

Excellent article; fascinating story!

 

Here are a couple of more dealers room shots from an early 70's convention (probably Multicon in OKC)...

 

 

 

I haven't been able to identify many folks in these (except perhaps a red bearded John Harper looking through books in the bottom photo); if anyone thinks that they recognize anyone, please jump in.

[plady69]

Anyone else involved with Stan's Weekly Express back in the 70's? It was an organization and early for sale newsletter than policed it's members. I was #77.

 

I also have some early correspondence from Jim Van Hise, Bob Overstreet, Ron Frantz and Alan Light. If anyone is interested, I will post some...

 

[PrechterFool-migration]

awesome thread

 

thx 4 sharing

[markseifert]

EPIC stuff. This thread got great fast.

[Cat-Man_America]

More photos from fandom's GA...

 

 

Not sure about these folks, but the dealer with the outback hat may have gone by the name Binky.

 

 

Bart Bush, in front of the banner of his first comic book store, Down Memory Lane.

[BB-Gun]

My last entry for the evening is a photo of a dealer; I'm not sure on this one (maybe Bruce Hamilton?). It's from a mid-70's Houstoncon if I'm not mistaken.

 

 

Nice Frazetta in the background. Would that have been the original or a poster?

 

The way its set up sure makes it look like an original. And check out that ash tray on the table in front of him. Smoking on the convention floor My how times have changed

That is the original. It was bought at some point by Burrell Rowe and hung in Camelot when he first opened the store.

 

Good call, Richard. (thumbs u That provides a bit of background history on that magnificent piece of art. I only wish I'd been able to get better color balance with these old photos and the emulsion scratches are pretty bad in the darker areas.

 

 

While I'm thinking about it, here is a photo from Multicon (Okla. City) ; I believe I took this one back in '72; I'll have to check my con program for verification. In this shot are Spanky McFarland, Ed Baldwin, Carl Barks and not sure about the last one (perhaps Lum of Lum and Abner as Multicon had an old time Radio guest that year as well).

 

 

I don't think that was Barks in the photo. He was tall compared to others. Perhaps Hogarth was at the Con??

bb

Edited June 8, 2011 by BB-Gun

[telerites]

More photos from fandom's GA...

 

 

Bart Bush, in front of the banner of his first comic book store, Down Memory Lane.

 

Oh the memories. I bought my first GA book from Bart at that store - All Select #10. I also bought the Mile High Cat-Man #13 from Bart back in the early 80s. I still have both books.

 

I saw Bart a few years ago. He has a store in Norman called Atomik Pop.

 

 

[Theagenes]

All these early fandom threads are just blowing me away. Amazing stuff!

[Transplant]

All these early fandom threads are just blowing me away. Amazing stuff!

Yep. Nary a hint of self-grandeur in this one. Good stuff.

[Cat-Man_America]

My last entry for the evening is a photo of a dealer; I'm not sure on this one (maybe Bruce Hamilton?). It's from a mid-70's Houstoncon if I'm not mistaken.

 

 

Nice Frazetta in the background. Would that have been the original or a poster?

 

The way its set up sure makes it look like an original. And check out that ash tray on the table in front of him. Smoking on the convention floor My how times have changed

That is the original. It was bought at some point by Burrell Rowe and hung in Camelot when he first opened the store.

 

Good call, Richard. (thumbs u That provides a bit of background history on that magnificent piece of art. I only wish I'd been able to get better color balance with these old photos and the emulsion scratches are pretty bad in the darker areas.

 

 

While I'm thinking about it, here is a photo from Multicon (Okla. City) ; I believe I took this one back in '72; I'll have to check my con program for verification. In this shot are Spanky McFarland, Ed Baldwin, Carl Barks and not sure about the last one (perhaps Lum of Lum and Abner as Multicon had an old time Radio guest that year as well).

 

 

I don't think that was Barks in the photo. He was tall compared to others. Perhaps Hogarth was at the Con??

bb

 

I wouldn't swear to it, but I'm pretty sure it's Carl Barks. Besides, the photo of Barks and Hogarth together is much later (the '82 SDCC, isn't it?) and Barks was white haired even back in the early 70's. In the photo I took, Spanky was probably standing on a worshiping fan something (he was very short, but quite clever about finding ways to hoist himself up to eye level) and slender Ed Baldwin was also a tall guy.

 

I wonder, how tall was Burne Hogarth?

[Transplant]

I vote against Barks as the nose looks different and your picture has the person with even less hair than the Barks/Hogarth pic above.

 

Thanks for the history David.

[Cat-Man_America]

I'm pretty sure that this is a photo is of Paul Schleicher, a comic fan and talented artist from the Dallas area (convention unknown, mid/late-70's); Paul was a somewhat reclusive acquaintance of Bob Wayne, Ray Files, Howard Waldrop and myself who moved to Europe in the late 70's and then back to the states, but to my knowledge hasn't reconnected with fandom.

 

 

Two nice shots of Roddy McDowell from a Houstoncon in the mid-70's (notice the fans lined up for autographs and his con security liaison in the first one)...

 

 

[Cat-Man_America]

I vote against Barks as the nose looks different and your picture has the person with even less hair than the Barks/Hogarth pic above.

 

Thanks for the history David.

 

You're probably right, but was Bosley around back then?

Edited June 9, 2011 by DavidMerryweather