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Auctionbytes-Update, Number 31 - February 03, 2001 - ISSN 1528-6703
Collector's Corner
1) I'm All For Cons!
By Wilson (Win) H. Bent, Jr.
Have you been to a comic-book convention (a "Con") lately? For that matter, have you ever been to a Con? It's an experience that should not be missed by any buyer, seller, or anyone with a more-than-casual interest!
Cons come in all sizes, from the acres of dealers at the Comic-Con International in San Diego and WizardWorld in Chicago, to the medium-sized shows such as the Mid-Ohio Con or the Chicago ComicFest, on down to the regional shows with a dozen or so dealers. No matter what the size, a Con is a great way to see what's new, what's "hot," and what's fading into the obscurity of the 50-cents-each boxes of comics. (Sadly, it's getting harder and harder to find the ever-popular 25-cent boxes!)
"But wait," you're saying, "What does this have to do with online auctions? I buy and sell through eBay, why should I go to a Con?" I know the feeling: sometimes, the hassle of dealing with parking and crowds and haggling with dealers or buyers can make it seem like an exercise in frustration. But let's look at the good part.
Like it or not, comic fans often fit the stereotype of "geeks" - young men who like nothing better than comparing the various Green Lantern incarnations. But that's the fun of a Con: the chance to find people who enjoy these funny-books and who can talk with some intelligence about them and their creators. Listen in on a few conversations - you'll be surprised how much you learn!
As for buying and selling online vs. attending a Con, I can sum things up in one word: Shipping. No postal fees, no waiting for checks or money orders, no standing in line at the post office. Personally, I go to Cons as a buyer, and the amount of money I save on postage more than makes up for the admission fee.
Even the medium-sized Cons often have "extras" - Established professionals signing autographs, up-and-coming creators showing their work, a room set aside for Magic, The Gathering tournaments or for watching anime videos. The big Cons usually have a series of panel discussions and the like, which cover a wide range of topics. Hey, if nothing else, going to a panel discussion will give you a chance to rest your feet!
Even with all these reasons to attend (and I've barely mentioned the great bargains - buy a box of comics, sell them on eBay, make a profit!), there's still one great reason: Cons are a great place to get together with your online friends. I've "met" many friends on eBay's Comics Chat board, and when things work out, we like to meet at a Con and trade stories, show off our latest purchases, tell each other which dealers we like and which ones we avoid, share a meal together... And get to know each other better! It's always fascinating and enlightening to actually see and hear the people you only know as an ID and feedback number.
So, hunt down a local Con - you might be surprised! Or, start saving your money, and take a summer vacation in San Diego or Chicago, and come home a winner!
Lists of Comic Conventions
http://www.laughseeds.com/comibook/comicon.html
http://www.hoboes.com/html/Comics/Conventions.html
http://www.indymagazine.com/resources/conventions.shtml
Comic-Con International, San Diego
http://www.comic-con.org
WizardWorld, Chicago
http://www.wizardworld.com/wizent/conv_2001.cfm
Chicago ComicFest
http://www.motorcityconventions.com/chicago_comic_fest
Mid-Ohio Con, Columbus
http://www.wfcomics.com/midohiocon
eBay Comics Chat Board
http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBoard&name=Comics
2) A Thrilling, Fantastic, Amazing Story: The Unknown Worlds of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Pulps And Why YOU Should Collect 'Em!! - Part 2
By John Kirsner
(See http://www.auctionbytes.com/Email_Newsletter/29/30/30.html#pulps for Part 1, a background on pulps.)
In last issue, I broadly described reasons for considering collecting the pulps. In this issue, I will "guide" you through one of my recent purchases on eBay: a copy of the August 1939 issue of Unknown. The price of this pulp was $50, which is beginning to be a somewhat hefty price in the pulp market! But what a fabulous issue this is! It is 62 years old-as old as Detective #27, the first appearance of Batman! This is the 6th issue of Unknown, thus a very nice, early issue. While Unknown did not have the long run of Weird Tales or Amazing Stories, it is clearly one of the "key" runs of pulps, because of great early painted covers and generally outstanding fantasy and "swords and sorcery" stories. The condition is a solid VG+/5.5/OWL 7 by Overstreet grading standards. This is actually pretty nice condition for a pulp. As it turns out, just like golden age comics, a choosy grader can find fine and even an occasional very fine condition pulp, although the paper quality is usually tanning to some degree and is at best an off-white to light tan.
Next up, the cover of this issue, and what a great cover it is! A beautiful painted cover of a hotel bellhop opening a door, with a dangerous looking chap in a turban brandishing a knife behind the door. A close look reveals the ghostly form of a woman, as well! The cover announces the lead story: "The Ghoul," by L. Ron Hubbard (Hubbard of course is a classic, well-known author, as well as being known for other pursuits!). Two other prominent authors of the golden age of sci-fi are also featured in this issue: Lester del Ray and Harvey Kuttner. However, the best is yet to come.
This is a blockbuster issue, because it contains the first published appearance of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, the best known creations of one of the pillars of the classic and modern era of sci-fi and fantasy, Fritz Leiber. Leiber's two characters first appeared in a story called "Two Sought Adventure," and there it is, beginning on page 99! As most sci-fi/fantasy readers, comic collectors and role-playing gamers know, Leiber's creations eventually appeared in 50+ stories, all of which were collected in seven books (the "Swords" series) that have been reprinted many times. DC Comics published some classic Bronze Age Fafhrd/Grey Mouser stories in the early '70s that are avidly collected today. TSR purchased the gaming rights to Leiber's creations in order to place Lankhmar and Nehwon (Leiber's fantasy city and world where his characters do most of their adventuring) into a D&D setting. And it all started here, in the sixth issue of Unknown, in August 1939.
What is even more incredible is that several interior illustrations provide the first-ever glimpse of the big barbarian, Fafhrd, and that scoundrel, the Mouser! I actually wasn't even aware of the existence of these illustrations until I opened up the magazine!
Now, I don't know what to tell you regarding the "true worth" of this pulp. As I say, I paid $50, so I guess that is what this copy is "worth" right now. A G+/2.7/OWL 6 copy just sold on eBay for $16. But these prices seem downright cheap to me, especially when you compare how far your hard earned dollar goes in the comic world. Heck, from a golden-age comic book perspective, $50 buys me, in VG+ condition...(all according to the 2000 Overstreet guide)...A DC superhero comic like Detective, Action or Wonder Woman from the mid-fifties; a Fawcett Captain Marvel-family comic from the late 40s; or a Barks Donald Duck issue from 1950. Heck, based on the guide, a similar condition issue of Justice League of America #10 or Amazing Spider-Man #26 (4th appearance of the Green Goblin, for heaven's sake) would cost about the same, in similar condition.
My thesis on the pulps is simple. Pulps in "collectible grade" (lets say VG+ to VF-) do exist...are amazingly affordable...are scarce by every indication...have historical significance...and, in the end, are fun to collect and look at! (But read the reprinted stories, not the pulps themselves, in order to preserve their condition!) In future columns, I will focus on some of my other recent purchases in the world of pulps; discuss grading of pulps further; check out some Internet sources for pulps; and of course, talk about the pulp marketplace on eBay.
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