Tales of Terror Annual 1 1 1

[*matterus023*]

Hi

So I have recently discovered PCH comics and I am in love. Bought way too many the last month and sadly already having to let a few go but hope to keep most. 

Anyway.....I was recently told just how tough this comic is to acquire. While I wait and spend the next x amount of months obsessing over it I thought it would be good to see some actual copies out there you guys own to give me a shred of hope

Thanks (p.s I can't promise that I won;t ask you if they are for sale)

[Robot Man]

Very tough indeed. Gary Arlington, one of the biggest EC collectors back in the early days hunted forever and never found one. Several other noted collectors have searched in vain for one. 

I have one. Sorry no picture available right now. You can see it on the first page of “Son of my 50 Year Junk Obsecession” thread on the first page in the GA section. I bought it from Gary Colomboto in the early days of eBay. At the time I thought I paid through the nose but just laugh now. 

When I read the description I knew I just had to have it. It is comprised of random horror issues that didn’t sell on the newsstand. Mine has the first issues of TFTC, HOF and VOH + the second WF. 

The highlight of my EC & PCH collection. Of all the thousands of books I have, it is in the top 3. I will never sell it.

[*matterus023*]

7 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

Very tough indeed. Gary Arlington, one of the biggest EC collectors back in the early days hunted forever and never found one. Several other noted collectors have searched in vain for one. 

I have one. Sorry no picture available right now. You can see it on the first page of “Son of my 50 Year Junk Obsecession” thread on the first page in the GA section. I bought it from Gary Colomboto in the early days of eBay. At the time I thought I paid through the nose but just laugh now. 

When I read the description I knew I just had to have it. It is comprised of random horror issues that didn’t sell on the newsstand. Mine has the first issues of TFTC, HOF and VOH + the second WF. 

The highlight of my EC & PCH collection. Of all the thousands of books I have, it is in the top 3. I will never sell it.

Your first line has depressed me....your last 5 words also did

Well it seems like this may take a while to get then....if I ever get a copy. The hunt is the most fun part I find though. Being in the UK my chances of finding one in the wild are 1 in a billion so fingers crossed the internet comes good for me

Congrats on getting your copy though. I wouldn;t sell it either. Thanks for the response 

[Robot Man]

Back in the earliest of my collecting days, I was able to buy ALL the EC annuals in one swoop. Again, I laugh at the price but it was a LOT of money for a teenager at the time. As I remember, the guy even thre in the whole run of Piracy because I liked them so much. 

I have seen a few come up for sale at the big auction houses over the years but never in the wild. I have seen WAY more Action #1’s than this one. People who have them tend to want to keep them. Maybe a lofty goal but it gives you something to shoot for. Good luck in your quest.

As a side note, a good friend of mine and a noted EC historian, had Feldstein recreated the cover painting for him. It is just awe inspiring! And yes, he also has a copy. One of the last few he needed to complete his EC collection. 

[KirbyJack]

Your copy is mind bending, 'Bot. All those keys rolled into one? CanNOT be many like it out there!

[Robot Man]

Not that I need any extra help in my decision, but that just sealed the deal. Considering it is made up of unsold copies, the odds are over whelming. Gary is still sorry he sold it for mere dead presidents but knows it has a good home! I am honored to be it’s keeper till the next Ghoulantic gets it!

[Robot Man]

I don’t think my friend would mind me posting this.

[BitterOldMan]

Even Bill Gaines did not have any Gaines File Copies.

I saw the late Gary Arlington looking for a copy at one of the last Wondercons in San Francisco.

Good luck in your search.

Edited March 20, 2019 by BitterOldMan

[BitterOldMan]

Only two copies in the Heritage archives.

March 8, 2009 CGC 3.0 $896.25

May 10-11, 2012 CGC 4.5 $2868.00

I was the underbidder on the May copy.

They sold a coverless copy in 2002, but the sale does not show up in the auction archives.

Edited March 20, 2019 by BitterOldMan

[IngelsFan]

Comicconnect sold a CGC 5.0 Cr/OW for $5100 in 2014.

[EC ed]

Aside from @Robot Man and me, I know (only) 4 other people who own a copy, and I know them by first and last name. This is one of those kinds of books. 

Here's my copy (you guessed it...NOT FOR SALE  ):

[Robot Man]

Nice Ed, I thought you had one too. I found the photo. Here is mine in all it's unslabbed glory...

Sadly, I rarely ever see it because I don't go to the bank that much.

[originalisbest]

1 hour ago, Robot Man said:

Very tough indeed. Gary Arlington, one of the biggest EC collectors back in the early days hunted forever and never found one. Several other noted collectors have searched in vain for one. 

I have one. Sorry no picture available right now. You can see it on the first page of “Son of my 50 Year Junk Obsecession” thread on the first page in the GA section. I bought it from Gary Colomboto in the early days of eBay. At the time I thought I paid through the nose but just laugh now. 

When I read the description I knew I just had to have it. It is comprised of random horror issues that didn’t sell on the newsstand. Mine has the first issues of TFTC, HOF and VOH + the second WF. 

The highlight of my EC & PCH collection. Of all the thousands of books I have, it is in the top 3. I will never sell it.

I don't blame you -- I think it's probably the toughest EC to land. To have been a kid with a quarter in the right place at the right time! Other than those sent for through the letter columns, I think the only typical place to land one would've been around NYC.

[originalisbest]

43 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

Not that I need any extra help in my decision, but that just sealed the deal. Considering it is made up of unsold copies, the odds are over whelming. Gary is still sorry he sold it for mere dead presidents but knows it has a good home! I am honored to be it’s keeper till the next Ghoulantic gets it!

While the contents of the annuals vary, I think for #1 annual to contain those books wasn't too unusual. That mix or close to it was pretty typical.

[originalisbest]

23 minutes ago, EC ed said:

Aside from @Robot Man and me, I know (only) 4 other people who own a copy, and I know them by first and last name. This is one of those kinds of books. 

Here's my copy (you guessed it...NOT FOR SALE  ):

Prettiest copy I've seen!

[Robot Man]

8 minutes ago, originalisbest said:

I don't blame you -- I think it's probably the toughest EC to land. To have been a kid with a quarter in the right place at the right time! Other than those sent for through the letter columns, I think the only typical place to land one would've been around NYC.

I don't doubt that.I think most of the reason it's so scarce is first of all, they didn't print as many and two the distribution. Gary told me he bought the other two off the stands and never saw #1 at all. He was on the West Coast.

[Robot Man]

30 minutes ago, EC ed said:

Aside from @Robot Man and me, I know (only) 4 other people who own a copy, and I know them by first and last name. This is one of those kinds of books. 

Here's my copy (you guessed it...NOT FOR SALE  ):

Do you know the contents of yours Ed?

[originalisbest]

1 minute ago, Robot Man said:

I don't doubt that.I think most of the reason it's so scarce is first of all, they didn't print as many and two the distribution. Gary told me he bought the other two off the stands and never saw #1 at all. He was on the West Coast.

Yep, afraid he would've been out of luck! They essentially were a way to try and move some unsold inventory -- only print X annual covers and send 'em out to the NYC neighborhoods. Must've worked fairly OK since they followed up with annuals 2 & 3 over the horror genres, besides sci-fi and war as well! Even in the letter columns, they discouraged regular EC fans from buying them, as it wouldn't be new material to their eyes!

[originalisbest]

3 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

Do you know the contents of yours Ed?

Anything in the grader's notes that identify the issues? (Would think there ought to be, anyway!)

[originalisbest]

To the OP -- I think it's going to be a very hard quest to turn one up where the owner agrees to sell it -- those holding one know it's going to be very tough to replace if they do sell. But keep the faith, you never know, even in the UK. I like to think I'd just about fall over if I were to turn one up in an antique store or something -- but I'd be sure to buy it first!