UPDATED: My Nominee for the "First Great Comic Collector" 12 12

[sfcityduck]

6 minutes ago, woowoo said:

That is a copy of Action 1 bottom left @jimjum12 

   And a D27.

[woowoo]

6 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

   And a D27.

 Whiz 1- Cap 1- Sup 1- Bat 1

Edited October 1, 2019 by woowoo

[woowoo]

@MrBedrockwould be up there also. I think this is his first comic shop  Great reading @sfcityduck Thanks

Edited October 1, 2019 by woowoo

[sfcityduck]

Shameless plug and link for Greg Sadowski's new book that includes the info on the Wigransky-Wolverton correspondence:

http://www.fantagraphics.com/basil-wolverton-vol.-2/

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by sfcityduck

[Bronty]

On 3/10/2019 at 2:37 PM, comicwiz said:

There's a streak of counter culture in his persona (and a subtle hint of it in the artwork you shared, revealing a Crumb-esque look/feel).  

IMO that raising hell cover is way more S Clay Wilson than crumb

[Bronty]

Awesome thread Mr Cityduck!

[sfcityduck]

Sadowski's "Brain Bats of Venus" book includes the forward which Wolverton wrote for Dave's book defending comics from the forces of censorship.  Ultimately, however, Dave's book never was printed.  What Wolverton has to say about the movement to censor comics is a must-read for comic fans interested in the history of the medium.  Most of it does not pertain to Dave, instead mainly setting forth Wolverton's views.  Wolverton does say this about Dave:

Quote

...you'll find a refreshingly factual analysis of the situation in this book by David Pace Wigransky, the amazingly talented young authority on comic books.  While his personal preferences in comics can't possibly be identical to all youngsters, he represents millions of comic readers in what he expresses with his singular eloquence and reasoning. 

 High praise for Dave from one of the most unique talents in comics.  Wolverton goes on to detail the subjects Dave addresses in his book, and concludes that "with the help of spirited defenders like David Pace Wigransky," comic creators will keep on doing their best to keep entertaining comic readers.  Interestingly, Wolverton notes that in the book "young Wigransky makes concise and intelligent suggestions for improving comic books as a means of entertainment."  Really makes you wonder what Dave had to say.

But, even without knowing that, Wolverton's statements cannot help but further elevate Dave as a comic collector in my eyes.

Edited October 2, 2019 by sfcityduck

[sfcityduck]

9 hours ago, Bronty said:

IMO that raising hell cover is way more S Clay Wilson than crumb

Completely agree.  It was Dave's anti-Wertham comic that I view as a mixture of Crumb and Wolverton (and I was saying that before I even knew what a fan Dave was of Wolverton):

[sfcityduck]

More new info.  First, this:

[sfcityduck]

Second, I now have discovered that original art inscribed to David Wigransky was put on display in a museum exhibit of comic strip art in 1971.  That's the earliest date I can pin down so far when such art hit the market.  Remember, Wigransky's mother moved out of D.C. in 1970.  

Edited October 22, 2019 by sfcityduck

[Randall Dowling]

What an awesome character sheet!  I love those things!! 

[sfcityduck]

 

8 minutes ago, Randall Dowling said:

What an awesome character sheet!  I love those things!! 

Here's what blows me away about this art:  The date.  

As far as I can tell, Dan Barry first worked on Captain Midnite's October 1947 cover dated issue.  Which means that he probably drew the character sheet around May-July 1947.  Which is around a year before Wigransky penned his refutation of Wertham that was published in May 1948.  

Which means, contrary to what I assumed, that Dave Wigransky was seeking original comic book art well BEFORE he became famous. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by sfcityduck

[Randall Dowling]

6 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

 

Here's what blows me away about this art:  The date.  

As far as I can tell, Dan Barry first worked on Captain Midnite's October 1947 cover dated issue.  Which means that he probably drew the character sheet around May-July 1947.  Which is around a year before Wigransky penned his refutation of Wertham that was published in May 1948.  

Which means, contrary to what I assumed, that Dave Wigransky was seeking original comic book art well before he became famous.  

I was thinking the same thing.  What a resourceful little guy!  Having the awareness that all of these comics were written and drawn by actual, real people is one thing, reaching out to these creators and establishing a relationship is truly remarkable for 1947. 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Randall Dowling
Grammar

[sfcityduck]

3 minutes ago, Randall Dowling said:

I was thinking the same thing.  What resourceful little guy!  Having the awareness that all of these comics were written and drawn by actual, real people is one thing, reaching out to these creators and establishing a relationship is truly remarkable for 1947. 

Yep.  I'm re-thinking whether Simon & Kirby gave him the May 1947 cover posted at the beginning of this thread as thanks for his defense of comics (my assumption), or whether he just wrote them and asked for it.  I think it was the later because of the note by S&K is "Best Wishes and Good Luck" not thanks.

[Pickie]

37 minutes ago, sfcityduck said:

Second, I now have discovered that original art inscribed to David Wigransky was put on display in a museum exhibit of comic strip art in 1971.

Great stuff. Which exhibition was it? 

[sfcityduck]

8 minutes ago, Pickie said:

Great stuff. Which exhibition was it? 

The Art of the Comic Strip at the University of Maryland.  It was a Kerry Drake strip inscribed to Dave that is now in the LOC.

Edited October 22, 2019 by sfcityduck

[sfcityduck]

I've been meaning for a while to flesh out why I know with 100% certainty that the super impressive portion of Bangzoom's collection that came from D.C. is not from Wigransky.  

Bangzoom had this to say on his Golden Age Collection thread about the 1,000 marque books that were pulled from a garbage can in D.C.:

Quote

 

I remember the original owner has his initials, WTG, on some covers. I don't recall him actually having his name written on them. I'd have to double-check that.

However, he did fill out a couple of coupon forms (never clipped) with his complete name and address.

 

"WTG" is certainly not the initials of any name used by Wigransky.  So setting aside the problems with the addresses, the names also can't be the same.  

 And Bangzoom also said this:

Quote

In theory, I like the idea of comic pedigrees, unfortunately in practice it becomes a little less fun for me. Probably 95% of my collection was purchased from original owners. The 'pedigrees' in my collection are not known by fandom, they're only known by me. When I look at most of my comics, I can spot the Kolmorgan, Foote, Starr, Clarke, and Gilchrist issues immediately. It makes the collecting a little more special.

My guess is that Bangzoom's books likely came from a W.T. Gilchrist ("WTG").  

[Pickie]

2 hours ago, sfcityduck said:

My guess is that Bangzoom's books likely came from a W.T. Gilchrist ("WTG").  

I'd be happy to know Bangzoom's real name in the first place  so I'd be able to find his posts on facebook. I haven't been able to follow his statements ever since he stopped posting here on the boards. I've been meaning for a while to flesh out this dilemma privately to someone in the know (which I haven't done). Well, now it happend here.

[HouseofComics.Com]

On 10/2/2019 at 3:16 PM, sfcityduck said:

But, even without knowing that, Wolverton's statements cannot help but further elevate Dave as a comic collector in my eyes.

Agree!

[GermanFan]

I love to read pioneer stories about the wild west of comic collecting. Discovering collections. Buying for a song. Maybe some oldtimer likes to start a thread "down on memory lane..." I started in 1980. Too late.