Want to Help Perform A Bit of Holiday Magic? Batman/Bronze Age Collectors Especially Needed (Donations NOT Required, Just A Bit of "Detective" Work) 0

[aszumilo]

10 minutes ago, Park said:

No go on Bats  318, 324, 332, 336, 337. I looked at a couple after that just in case and nada for 341, 344, 345, 346, 347 and 351.

Funny thing is there was a Jeff from Scranton PA that had a letter published in 3 of the issues above.

I noticed that too.

[Lazyboy]

9 minutes ago, Raze said:

12 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

A vaguely, but properly, described story is likely to be solved in only minutes. This is something that nobody is likely to know/remember and has to be checked by opening books.

 

Anyway, it's not in Batman 307, 308, 310-316, 318, 319, 321-330, 332, 333, 335-338, 340 (Spidey 62, aszumilo, Lazyboy)

EDITED: Leaving 305, 306, 309, 317, 320, 331, 334, 339 to be checked in the 305-340 range.

 

checklist going already....and updated

I can't speak for anybody else, but I like my checklists, you know... readable. There are now only 8 issues left to be checked from the assumed range.

15 minutes ago, HouseofComics.Com said:

I have to say, if this comic was special to him at one time, he'd probably be able to pick it out of a cover gallery. I'd suggest that she show him issues from that time period and see what jumps out.

That's a good idea, unless she's trying to surprise him with a copy.

[wombat]

I remember something similar happening where people were searching for a book.It turned out the person had the years all wrong. Hopefully that isn't the case here. 

[fmaz]

30 minutes ago, Lazyboy said:

I can't speak for anybody else, but I like my checklists, you know... readable. There are now only 8 issues left to be checked from the assumed range.

That's a good idea, unless she's trying to surprise him with a copy.

That is an excellent idea...and one which I will suggest.  My guess? She wants to surprise him with the actual book... which that would obviously eliminate.  But that would solve the bigger issue of reuniting him with his book, which my guess is the most important thing. 

Fingers crossed something turns up if people are able to check the remaining issues.. but if not, that will be my response to her.

[Bat34]

1 minute ago, fmaz said:

That is an excellent idea...and one which I will suggest.  My guess? She wants to surprise him with the actual book... which that would obviously eliminate.  But that would solve the bigger issue of reuniting him with his book, which my guess is the most important thing. 

Fingers crossed something turns up if people are able to check the remaining issues.. but if not, that will be my response to her.

EDITED: Leaving 305, 306, 309, 317, 320, 331, 334, 339 to be checked in the 305-340 range.

I just checked these issues above.  It is not in those.  I did see the notice in 309 of J. Schwartz last issue as editor after 15 years.

[Bat34]

Maybe it is in a B & B from that time frame?

[RockMyAmadeus]

On 12/20/2018 at 6:44 PM, fmaz said:

 

"He wrote to DC in late 1978 regarding his love for Batman comics. They wrote back, sent him money for a few comics,

 

This sounds very odd. I don't recall DC being in the habit of sending anyone money. Usually, if they sent anything, they'd send out free comics, often in the form of subscriptions. 

Don't forget to check World's Finest.

[mrc]

.....most of the letters pages seem to be available at

 https://readcomiconline.to/

[Lazyboy]

8 hours ago, Bat34 said:

EDITED: Leaving 305, 306, 309, 317, 320, 331, 334, 339 to be checked in the 305-340 range.

I just checked these issues above.  It is not in those.  I did see the notice in 309 of J. Schwartz last issue as editor after 15 years.

 Well, it must have been a different title, assuming the time frame is correct. I don't have much from the other titles that featured Batman at that time (the 'Tecs I have were already checked by Spidey 62), so I'm out.

1 hour ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

This sounds very odd. I don't recall DC being in the habit of sending anyone money. Usually, if they sent anything, they'd send out free comics, often in the form of subscriptions.

Yeah, that seemed strange to me, too.

[kav]

On 12/20/2018 at 6:44 PM, fmaz said:

He wrote to DC in late 1978 regarding his love for Batman comics. They wrote back, sent him money for a few comics, and then said they would be publishing his letter in the letters section of the Batman Comic. He did get a copy of the comic. He was very young. Since the death of a parent and moving around that comic was lost. The only info he recalls is it was published in a Batman Comic between Jan 1979 and Jan 1982. I believe this was between issues 305-340? I've tried to look at any comic I come across from this time period but they are rare to find at my local shops. My only hope is the internet. It would be a letter from Jeff in San Jose. I don't need this by the holidays or anything but will pay of course extra for the comic. I didn't start collecting Batman until early 90s so it's definitely not in my collection Thank you!"

Possibly could be a wild goose chase based on faulty memory.  Couple things that dont make sense are DC sending money and DC saying we are going to publish your letter.  As far as I have ever heard DC never did that.  Plenty of people sent letters saying they love so and so why would DC suddenly send money?  I have diaries going back decades and its amazing the things the mind concocts vs what actually happened.  

[fmaz]

1 minute ago, kav said:

Possibly could be a wild goose chase based on faulty memory.  Couple things that dont make sense are DC sending money and DC saying we are going to publish your letter.  As far as I have ever heard DC never did that.  Plenty of people sent letters saying they love so and so why would DC suddenly send money?  I have diaries going back decades and its amazing the things the mind concocts vs what actually happened.  

I agree something has to be missing, just based on the fact that we've struck out.  She's seems 100% certain on the letter being published (she's actually a comic collector herself)  but yes, the money thing seems very odd.  However, the EXCELLENT suggestion of the readcomicsonline.to/ site will be a huge help!

I checked the remaining issues of Detective Comics - 481-485, 488, 492, 496, 498, 501-510... as well as the last few Batman issues 320, 321 and 329 to no avail.

I'm going to report that to her, and give her the website.  I think that's a lot of helpful info...and hopefully she can get somewhere with it.   But there HAS to be some bit of missing or incorrect info somewhere along the way.   I do promise that if/when she gets back to me with an answer to this puzzle, I will share it.  I hope after all this, there is a satisfying resolution.

Thanks to all for your efforts!  We can say we tried!

[kav]

36 minutes ago, fmaz said:

I agree something has to be missing, just based on the fact that we've struck out.  She's seems 100% certain on the letter being published (she's actually a comic collector herself)  but yes, the money thing seems very odd.  However, the EXCELLENT suggestion of the readcomicsonline.to/ site will be a huge help!

I checked the remaining issues of Detective Comics - 481-485, 488, 492, 496, 498, 501-510... as well as the last few Batman issues 320, 321 and 329 to no avail.

I'm going to report that to her, and give her the website.  I think that's a lot of helpful info...and hopefully she can get somewhere with it.   But there HAS to be some bit of missing or incorrect info somewhere along the way.   I do promise that if/when she gets back to me with an answer to this puzzle, I will share it.  I hope after all this, there is a satisfying resolution.

Thanks to all for your efforts!  We can say we tried!

Indeed.  Almost 100% certain no such letter was ever printed.

[fmaz]

48 minutes ago, kav said:

Indeed.  Almost 100% certain no such letter was ever printed.

I have to tell you, I've got many MANY years of experience with this kind of story.. having been that person who always listened to former alumni athletes and their family members looking for articles, memorabilia, etc... about certain games/events from times long ago... and I've gone on many a wild goose chase like this one.  What I've learned over the years is that even the WILDEST of chases always begin with at the very least a kernel of truth.  I'm sure this story went off the rails somewhere... but my Spidey sense says there's some THERE THERE... but for the life of me I can't figure out what that could be.  But I do agree with you that the chances of that actual letter existing are somewhere between slim and none.  And slim took the last bus out of town.

 

 

[kav]

2 minutes ago, fmaz said:

I have to tell you, I've got many MANY years of experience with this kind of story.. having been that person who always listened to former alumni athletes and their family members looking for articles, memorabilia, etc... about certain games/events from times long ago... and I've gone on many a wild goose chase like this one.  What I've learned over the years is that even the WILDEST of chases always begin with at the very least a kernel of truth.  I'm sure this story went off the rails somewhere... but my Spidey sense says there's some THERE THERE... but for the life of me I can't figure out what that could be.  But I do agree with you that the chances of that actual letter existing are somewhere between slim and none.  And slim took the last bus out of town.

 

 

I think he received something from DC and letter saying they would print his letter.  It wasnt money, and the letter never got printed.  Then the elaborations began.

[fmaz]

4 minutes ago, kav said:

I think he received something from DC and letter saying they would print his letter.  It wasnt money, and the letter never got printed.  Then the elaborations began.

Yeah, there's no question in my mind he received SOMETHING... because obviously something was LOST which precipitated this whole thing on the part of his loved one trying to replace it for him.  You know what's funny (and unrelated), based on that phenomenal read comics online website, I went through probably 75 issues just looking for this letter today... back in the day? The same few people got letters published in DC books A LOT!  At least in Batman books.  And annoyingly because of this search, two of them were named Jeff! LOL  This one Jeff from Scranton seemed like he was writing and getting published about every other issue for a stretch.

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by fmaz

[kav]

ps does anyone remember the unfortunate comic art thread because I have a doozy to add.

[kav]

1 minute ago, fmaz said:

  The same few people got letters published in DC books A LOT! 

 

Irene Vartonoff

[telerites]

What about other Bats titles like Brave and Bold and World's Finest?  

Edited December 22, 2018 by telerites

[kav]

This will turn out he wrote to Marvel in 1965 about how much he loved Spiderman.  And his name is John.