Get Marwood & I Posted September 12, 2019 Share Posted September 12, 2019 3 hours ago, AJD said: Not too many of the stories are memorable. There's some lovely imagery in the opening paragraph AJD 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 Another Extra! With a nice (and recently topical ) splash by Reed Crandall (I'm pretty sure). "The sensitive Crown colony on the edge of the bamboo curtain..." porcupine48 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 Finally, here's Extra! #1. Quite a nice cover layout, I think. And here's the blurb on the inside page. It might just be hindsight bias, but does it sound a bit like even the publishers aren't sure about this one? Here's the title's first splash. Is it just me, or is Craig visually invoking the final scene of Casablanca here? porcupine48 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Lime Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Yeah, they don't super confident about the publication do they. How many issues did it last? That is very Casablanca-esque. Did they fit in a hill of beans anywhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 14 minutes ago, Harry Lime said: Yeah, they don't super confident about the publication do they. How many issues did it last? That is very Casablanca-esque. Did they fit in a hill of beans anywhere? It ran for five issues. And in all of the comic stories in all of the issues, no hill of beans. Harry Lime 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 18, 2019 Author Share Posted September 18, 2019 More Hal Foster goodness in my mailbox today I always enjoy reading these, but #17 was especially good, as Val and his entourage traverse the Alps from France to Italy on a quest to recruit missionaries to take Christianity to the benighted Norsemen. Along the way we get some interesting history and geography, and get to meet the original Dalmations (not enumerated here) and a wonderful full page splash of the laying of a keystone in an arch to found the Principality of San Marino. It reminds me of the things I learned from reading Uncle Scrooge 50 years ago, or Don Rosa more recently. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about San Marino. Note that the stonemason Marinus has become Marius in Foster's story. The country, whose independence has ancient origins, claims to be the world's oldest surviving republic. According to legend, San Marino was founded in 301 AD when a Christian stonemason Marinus (lit. from the sea), later venerated as Saint Marinus, emigrated in 297 AD from Dalmatian island of Rab, when Emperor Diocletian issued a decree calling for the reconstruction of the city walls of Rimini, destroyed by Liburnian pirates. Marinus later became a Deacon and was ordained by Gaudentius, the Bishop of Rimini; shortly after, he was recognised and accused by an insane woman of being her estranged husband, whereupon he quickly fled to Monte Titano to build a chapel and monastery and live as a hermit. Later, the State of San Marino would bud from the centre created by this monastery. Living in geographical isolation from the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians at the time, the mountain people were able to live peaceful lives. When the settlement of fearful mountain people was eventually discovered, the owner of the land, Felicissima, a sympathetic lady of Rimini, bequeathed it to the small Christian community of mountain dwellers, recommending to them to remain always united. Evidence of the existence of a community on Mount Titano dates back to the Middle Ages. That evidence comes from a monk named Eugippio, who reports in several documents going back to 511 that another monk lived here. In memory of the stonecutter, the land was renamed "Land of San Marino", and was changed to its present-day name, "Republic of San Marino".Later papers from the 9th century report a well organized, open and proud community: the writings report that the bishop ruled this territory. In Lombard age, San Marino was a fief of Dukes of Spoleto (linked to Papal States), but the free comune dates to the tenth century. The original government structure was composed of a self-governed assembly known as the Arengo, which consisted of the heads of each family (as in the original Roman Senate, the Patres). In 1243, the positions of Captains Regent (Capitani Reggenti) were established to be the joint heads of state. The state's earliest statutes date back to 1263. The Holy See confirmed the independence of San Marino in 1631. Harry Lime, porcupine48 and Point Five 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 AJD's "swing and a miss" collection - part 1 As much as I like sharing the books I'm happy to add to my collection, we all know that collecting isn't always a happy story. For the next few entries I thought I'd post some bad news stories - collecting mishaps or books that I bought and wished I hadn't. Some of them I sent back (only when it wasn't my my fault) and others I wish now I'd sent back, but talked myself into keeping for various reasons, only to find that didn't get "accustomed to their face" after all. Here's a recent one. It was advertised for A$250 (US$170) as a VG and as having "a couple of small spots of colour touch on the spine". That price was high for that grade with resto, so I offered up A$200, which was accepted. (Probably still high, but it looked nice and the postage was local not the US$25+ I'd get from the States.) I've included a nice big scan, but I'm not sure it shows just how much CT there is on the cover. It's right down the spine (every tic and a couple of scrapes, extensively along the bottom and top edges and on the creases on the opening edge. The only bleed through was a couple of spots on the spine and i think the rest was done with good quality acrylic that didn't soak through. You can even see a few brush marks along the bottom edge towards the spine! To make matters worse I think the book was trimmed on the RHS (and possibly the top). At the top RHC the pages make the proper > shape to be expected when the book is folded during production but at the bottom they end like this | I contacted the seller with a polite note explaining why and got this in return: " The description of the comic is the same description from the seller I purchased from originally. The comic has not been trimmed. I am willing to offer a partial refund. Let me know if you are interested." I sent it back and politely suggested that he take it up with the seller he bought it from. A shame - I'd like to have one of those, and my wife loved it. But at least it only cost me a little time. porcupine48 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Lime Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 That colour touch is blatantly obvious even with a scan. I dread to think what it looked like in hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 8 minutes ago, Harry Lime said: That colour touch is blatantly obvious even with a scan. I dread to think what it looked like in hand. Worse than you'd think because the retouched colour was really flat and stood out from the still slightly glossy cover stock. The seller clearly didn't know what he was doing (I don't think he was being deliberately dishonest, though I can't be sure). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duffman_Comics Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 (edited) Kosta? Edited September 22, 2019 by Duffman_Comics Spelling counts . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Lime Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 (edited) 35 minutes ago, AJD said: Worse than you'd think because the retouched colour was really flat and stood out from the still slightly glossy cover stock. The seller clearly didn't know what he was doing (I don't think he was being deliberately dishonest, though I can't be sure). He seems quite adamant that the comic wasn't trimmed which makes me think he was the original owner (probably not unless he's Methuselah) or at least had it for some time. If someone is prepared to be that deceitful regarding the 'work' done on a book then trimming would be an easy decision to make as well. Edited September 22, 2019 by Harry Lime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 11 minutes ago, Duffman_Comics said: Kosta? I-a already a-tolda you. AUD$200 No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 26, 2019 Author Share Posted September 26, 2019 The "swing and a miss" collection - part 2 These two books came from a seller I've had happy results from before, despite being an ebay seller with very terse descriptions and small not very helpful photos. In this case the photos concealed obvious water damage on both. It's obvious that the staples on #48 are rusted but the ones on #51 are hidden from the front and were badly corroded with extensive migration onto the interior paper - to the point where the two centre wraps were detached due to missing paper. The cover had no gloss at all and was stiff to the touch. The lower right corner of #48 had active mould growing in it. I might never own these books any other way at current price trends, but I didn't want them in my collection (especially the one with mould). Back they went. It's a shame, as the seller is an interesting guy who used to go fishing with Al Feldstein! We corresponded for a while, but he seemed to lose interest after this exchange. At least he was good about the refund - though he resold them with the same inadequate description, which at least made me feel less bad about sending them back to him! Get Marwood & I and Point Five 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 That suks glad it worked out for you. It has happened quite a bit to me in the past year or so on eBay. I am VERY gun shy bidding with sellers that provide one or two usually not real helpful photos, no description and the “not a professional grader” line. I mean how many of us are “professional graders”? Minimal information and “no returns” just turn me off. I recently got a bad interior mold book as well. Back it went. I’m not a picky high grade guy in general but damn sellers are getting lazy and refuse to stand by their merchandise. Sadly, this has now even migrated to more well known national dealers. Sure you get your money back but you have to wrap it up and take it to the post office. I buy and sell very little there anymore.., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Get Marwood & I Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 1 hour ago, AJD said: The "swing and a miss" collection - part 2 These two books came from a seller I've had happy results from before, despite being an ebay seller with very terse descriptions and small not very helpful photos. In this case the photos concealed obvious water damage on both. It's obvious that the staples on #48 are rusted but the ones on #51 are hidden from the front and were badly corroded with extensive migration onto the interior paper - to the point where the two centre wraps were detached due to missing paper. The cover had no gloss at all and was stiff to the touch. The lower right corner of #48 had active mould growing in it. I might never own these books any other way at current price trends, but I didn't want them in my collection (especially the one with mould). Back they went. It's a shame, as the seller is an interesting guy who used to go fishing with Al Feldstein! We corresponded for a while, but he seemed to lose interest after this exchange. At least he was good about the refund - though he resold them with the same inadequate description, which at least made me feel less bad about sending them back to him! It's a shame, as they're really nice covers. She's a treat for the eyes isn't she. The green leggy fellows, not so much. eBay can be so hit and miss. Collecting old Charlton copies is a lottery and I've lost count of the number of books I've received along these lines. It's not too bad when you're collecting with a research purpose, i.e. to confirm they exist, but quite another when they are collection keepers. Hopefully some better copies will surface one day Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 They both look like fairly acceptable copies to me for the right price. But, the bottom right corner of the 48 sends up a red flag to me. Here is the splash page of my latest return. Totally not mentioned or photographed. I didn’t even want to touch it... Scrooge, AJD, porcupine48 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJD Posted September 27, 2019 Author Share Posted September 27, 2019 9 hours ago, Robot Man said: They both look like fairly acceptable copies to me for the right price. But, the bottom right corner of the 48 sends up a red flag to me. Here is the splash page of my latest return. Totally not mentioned or photographed. I didn’t even want to touch it... I'd want tongs and a hazmat suit to handle that one Bob! In terms of 'fairly acceptable copies to me for the right price', that's the problem I have sometimes. I convince myself that I've actually done OK, but end up keeping stuff that brings me no joy, which seems kind of pointless. The two Startlings are probably in that category. The cost was acceptable at the low grade, but when I started thinking about selling off the one with mould I decided that I didn't even want to pass it on to someone else. One I realised that it became more obvious what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hepcat Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 Love this thread! May it live long and prosper! porcupine48 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robot Man Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 On 9/26/2019 at 5:54 PM, AJD said: I'd want tongs and a hazmat suit to handle that one Bob! In terms of 'fairly acceptable copies to me for the right price', that's the problem I have sometimes. I convince myself that I've actually done OK, but end up keeping stuff that brings me no joy, which seems kind of pointless. The two Startlings are probably in that category. The cost was acceptable at the low grade, but when I started thinking about selling off the one with mould I decided that I didn't even want to pass it on to someone else. One I realised that it became more obvious what to do. I'd be scared to mix a book like that Crypt into my collection. I can deal with most all defects for the right price but there are some that just won't cut it. Mold, brittle or for the most part rat chews. Some times tape. Instant returns for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fett Posted September 28, 2019 Share Posted September 28, 2019 On 9/12/2019 at 11:51 AM, Get Marwood & I said: There's some lovely imagery in the opening paragraph what a great ad to attract visitors! email their minister of tourism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
