Son of My 50 Year Junk Obsession 16 16

[Dreamtoreal1]

13 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Man, you must have needed a comic fix bad to go there. Even I don’t waste my time on that show. 

I hope me, Mikey and the other comic junkies left you something...

After I posted the video on IG. Lotta people asked me about the pulps? didn't know those were dat popular?

[Robot Man]

Pulps are very popular. But they have to the right pulps at the right prices. People buy them for the writers and the covers. I fall into the second category. Many of the covers far rival their comic book counterparts. Many have great interior illustrations as well. They are usually priced much lower than comic books despite the wild off the chart covers. They need to be priced accordingly. The ones you looked at were priced like comics. Thusly, I passed. 

Pulps are much harder to find as well. One reason is that they are so weakly documentaries. Once a book like the Gerber book comes out and CGC figures a way to grade them, they will probably soar to the levels they should. I still find it a bit odd that in our cover driven comic culture, they are still so cheap.

In the meantime, people like me are quietly buying up the good ones with current, proper pricing. 

[Robot Man]

Case in point. What would these be worth if they were comic books?

[Mmehdy]

Great pulp covers...I agree someday..they will arise...

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

Do they slab pulps? It seems like that would help the market to take off. On the other hand, I always found the use of the cheapest possible paper to be off-putting when compared to comics. They feel like they will fall apart in your hands. Additionally, the fact that the cover overhang pretty much guarantees a beat up and creased of torn up cover edge was never too appealing. Comic books had slightly better production quality. I've bought a few pulps in my time but they will never have the appeal that comics have to me. I have bought some of the reprints (Shadow series) and have enjoyed reading them in a nice quality format; I would be tempted at the right price to pick up some Shadow pulps though.

[Robot Man]

No they do not slab pulps yet. Mostly because of the overhang on many of them. I would thing that now that books are held in by pressure, they would be able to. Believe me, if they can figure it out they will be in on it. Too much money not being made. When they do, the pulp market will sky rocket. I kind of hope they don't because I like picking them up a giveaway prices.

The idea of pulp paper being inferior to comic book paper is a bit of a misnomer I believe. Sure you run across a fair share of flaky ones. More due to poor storage than the paper itself I think. Most of the ones I encounter as a rule are yellowed to cream and quite supple. Many do have that pesky edge overhang though. Thusly, pulps grade no higher than fine. Believe me, an accurately graded fine can be a sight to behold. So a 6 becomes a 9 in the pulp world. And they are out there.

The Shadow pulps are classics but they are only the tip of the iceberg if you like stuff like that. The Spider, Dime Mystery, Terror Tales, Horror Tales and Strange Detective Mysteries are even better reads in my opinion. Some are super creepy and real page turners!

Here is a real beater Strange Detective Mysteries. Best, I've been able to find. This one has a story about a guy that rounds up homeless people on the streets and disfigures them. He then sends them back to the streets to sell pencils and panhandle for him. Sick stuff!

Now, what would the comic book version of this one go for?

[Robot Man]

Picked this up from a local flea market seller I know last night. She said she was working on a house full of stuff and the lady she bought it from mentioned a box full of Kid's Books, Big Little Books and...Comic Books. Keep your fingers crossed! 

[Robot Man]

Was going to do my usual posting of cool 4th of July covers today. But due to the sad news I heard today, I will just post these. RIP Alfred E. Neuman...

Have a safe and insane 4th to all my boards buddies!

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

Wow; sorry to hear about Mad! It outlasted the National Lampoon, Humbug, Trump (the magazine), Help, Spy magazine and so many pale imitations. What an amazing run though! Hats off to the usual gang of idjuts and a Brooklyn Razz to the idjuts who are killing it!

Edited July 4, 2019 by 50YrsCollctngCmcs

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

The story is on the CNN headline page today.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/04/media/mad-magazine-cease-publication-trnd/index.html

[porcupine48]

A great loss.I know from your posts and our conversations MAD was a very influential piece of your collecting history friend.

I'll spin my it's a gas record and think of you today.

 

[Mmehdy]

67 years is a heck of a run...although the last few are but a pale comparison of what it used to be...They were light years ahead of the curve and Ganies was smart to dump the code....I wished HK would of stayed longer on the magazine but AF did a heck of job as well as Bill. The last original issue will be coming out in a direct market exclusive #10..might turnout to be a collectors item down the road, but it reprints after that..and very shortly it's calling it a day.....

 

 I salute Mad, it taught me a sense of humor....the paperbacks of the comic book reprints were equally as much as an influence as the Mag itself....we used to value those paperbacks Big time as kids...as well as comic books, cards, and Mad Mag and Famous Monsters.....

 Time goes on...change occurs...goodby old friend..

Edited July 4, 2019 by Mmehdy

[KirbyJack]

Cross posting 

[Robot Man]

Never get tired of seeing my first “grail”. Never forget the day I got my first one in the mail from Howard Rogofosky. I had to borrow some money from my mom. Worked if off for a few weeks. Man, I was the king of the neighborhood!

[KirbyJack]

My Mad #1 was the result of my first eBay “win”. I watched the seconds tick off and celebrated pretty big!

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

Went to the Pasadena City College Flea this morning; I wasn't going to go but ended up heading over a bit late so I had no expectations I would find anything. Comics were sparse and over priced; no pulps were in sight except a nice pile of Railroad stories which were interesting. That was OK; I don't expect much at these things and was happy to pick up an unused in the box gauge cluster for my old Camaro for $15.

What I did do though was look around to see what was selling and what wasn't and who was buying. There was a surprisingly large contingent of younger buyers looking at things; couldn't entirely tell what they were buying but they were out there shopping.

Record sellers (and this flea specializes in them) seemed to be doing a brisk and healthy business. I have my old turntable and keep meaning to hook it up to the old speakers one day and it is nice to know that classic vinyl is alive and well. Not so much for some other older collectibles.

Magazines are dead and old car magazines, news magazines, Life etc. can be had for almost nothing. It's kind of a shame really but they don't seem to have many fans.

Science Fiction Digests are also plentiful and can be had for less than $1. each. I was tempted as I saw some nice issues from the fifties; had the covers been better I would have bought a couple.

Plastic models seem kind of dead too; no one builds them anymore so you can find nice ones but they are still overpriced. That will change eventually.

This market seems to have some vendors who specialize in Asian prints and posters. They seem to have a following and I find myself stopping to admire this work. I need to learn more about this type of work; they are beautiful and would look fantastic on any wall in the home. Other older prints are also present and often are intriguing.

One surprise was when I looked at a piece of sheet music and thought, that's by R.Crumb! Of course it wasn't due to the age but I started looking at them and can see where R. Crumb drew some inspiration for his unique style. This is an interesting area and one I had never paid attention to before. There are some great illustrations on these covers; some worthy of framing.

Books are dead too; to bad as I love a good book but you should never pay more than a buck or two unless it is something special and usually a quarter or fifty cents and you can buy books all day long.

Vintage Paperbacks seemed absent from this show; one dealer had a box of old westerns but other than that nothing. Seems like the old mysteries and sci-fi and adventure books have a following.

Old photos seem to be a real hit with the younger set. Random boxes of photos seem to be doing a good business; interesting.

The biggest surprise though was at the end of the day I ran into the classic dealer Terry Stroud (American Comic Book Company) who was unpacking box after box of ephemera that looked like it came right out of a house cleaning onto the ground with his typical lack of organization. Crazy to see him in Pasadena and it makes me wonder how many boxes of junk are strewn around his home!

Anyway, it's always fun at the flea market even when you don't buy comics; so much to see and think about in the crazy collecting world.

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by 50YrsCollctngCmcs

[Robot Man]

I was there too. Day started out weird when the parking lot was closed. I had to get creative to park. 

Yeah, real dim vintage comic book wise. Saw a small pile of Dell 10 cent beater funny animals for $3. each. Passed but they were gone on my second trip through. A guy had a very large vintage Basil Wolverton reprint collection comic. Figured it would be $10-$20 so I asked. He told me “$75. They go for $150. Online”. Back it went and stayed unsold. I haven’t found or heard of any finds of vintage comics there in a LONG time. Lot of people looking but nothing but cheap 80s/90s swill. I have had far better luck at the Rose Bowl. 

I really go to find “other stuff”. Even that is getting hard to get. One of my dealer friends shops before he sets up. He summed it up pretty well. “Mostly bad garage sale junk”. 

I agree with most of your observations. Vinyl records are HOT. As are photos. There are lots of deals to be had if you go through the boxes. They are one of a kind and real varied. You don’t buy them for the people but for the situation. Motorcycles, Cars, places that no longer exist, kids with toys and even comics, newsstands, old advertising signs on old stores ect. I sell the heck out of old photos. Advertising, old sports stuff especially baseball, trophy’s, political and toys are still sought after. 

A lot of younger hipster kids are out there. Good sign. They are mostly after records and “mid century modern” (1950’s) stuff for their houses. 

I bought a western pb from the guy you mentioned. Randy Jones.  He’s a long time buddy. He and his friend Jim Malley were set up with a nice spread of decent comics, toys and advertising and such. 

I saw Terry Stroud too. What a mess of a booth. Nice guy but VERY weird. Always has been. Shows what happens to you after a life time dealing in comics and junk. 

Yeah, PCC has seen far better days. You got to go early, move fast, stay focused and make friends with dealers that come across with stuff you want. Fun to go but pickings are slim. I did OK but nothing like they way I used to. It’s gotton to the point that if I don’t go, I don’t feel bad.

[Robot Man]

Here’s what I got. Best thing was this prohibition Pabst sign. Cool 1950’s Beefeater ad figure. One comic, one pulp and one pb with a cover I liked.

All stuff I can make some money on so I guess it was worth the effort.

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

14 hours ago, Robot Man said:

I was there too. Day started out weird when the parking lot was closed. I had to get creative to park. 

Yeah, real dim vintage comic book wise. Saw a small pile of Dell 10 cent beater funny animals for $3. each. Passed but they were gone on my second trip through. A guy had a very large vintage Basil Wolverton reprint collection comic. Figured it would be $10-$20 so I asked. He told me “$75. They go for $150. Online”. Back it went and stayed unsold. I haven’t found or heard of any finds of vintage comics there in a LONG time. Lot of people looking but nothing but cheap 80s/90s swill. I have had far better luck at the Rose Bowl. 

I really go to find “other stuff”. Even that is getting hard to get. One of my dealer friends shops before he sets up. He summed it up pretty well. “Mostly bad garage sale junk”. 

I agree with most of your observations. Vinyl records are HOT. As are photos. There are lots of deals to be had if you go through the boxes. They are one of a kind and real varied. You don’t buy them for the people but for the situation. Motorcycles, Cars, places that no longer exist, kids with toys and even comics, newsstands, old advertising signs on old stores ect. I sell the heck out of old photos. Advertising, old sports stuff especially baseball, trophy’s, political and toys are still sought after. 

A lot of younger hipster kids are out there. Good sign. They are mostly after records and “mid century modern” (1950’s) stuff for their houses. 

I bought a western pb from the guy you mentioned. Randy Jones.  He’s a long time buddy. He and his friend Jim Malley were set up with a nice spread of decent comics, toys and advertising and such. 

I saw Terry Stroud too. What a mess of a booth. Nice guy but VERY weird. Always has been. Shows what happens to you after a life time dealing in comics and junk. 

Yeah, PCC has seen far better days. You got to go early, move fast, stay focused and make friends with dealers that come across with stuff you want. Fun to go but pickings are slim. I did OK but nothing like they way I used to. It’s gotton to the point that if I don’t go, I don’t feel bad.

I'll need to brave the Rose Bowl again sometime. It's big and I don't know the layout so it is a little bit overwhelming. Now that the kids are in college I have more time on my hands and can get back into this type of fun. Never been down to Long Beach either; maybe that's worth a look sometime too.

[Robot Man]

At the Rose Bowl stay out of the sellers inside the perimeter of the stadium. All new stuff. Also don’t cross the bridges unless you want vintage clothes. Do the big lot on the side. That is where the stuff you want is. It’s also worth it to pay more and go in as early as possible. You want to move fast and hit stuff coming out of boxes and trucks. Do it several times until every one is set up. Go late and you get what guys like me leave...

Long Beach is a giant show like Rose Bowl. Many of the same dealers as PCC and Rose Bowl. Also pretty junky as well. Very little vintage comics although I have gotton lucky a few times over the years. I sell there with my friend. We bring some comics as does the guy you saw yesterday selling with the pb guy. Other than that that, pretty hit and miss (mostly miss). Can be good for other stuff though. In the past year, I have noticed a lot more people looking for comics. Seems like if you see any there is someone looking at them. REAL hard to find GA/SA/BA. Mostly picked over 80’s/90’s stuff. I do find a lot of photos and cool paper ephemera when I do the digging. Anything large and visual sells quick if priced right.

The Torrance street fair on the 4th Sunday can be good too. Also free. They close down a few streets and people sell at the curb. Santa Monica Airport is the same day. Don’t bother. Mostly furniture, jewelry and shabby chic. 

We are lucky that we have pretty large flea markets every weekend here all year long. Stuff turns up but stuff like comics, vintage advertising and killer toys have really dried up. You really have to be open minded and dig to find the deals.