Rare Golden Age Comics and Scarcity

[@sfsketches2204]

First off, it’s great to see a channel covering golden age. Right now I’ve only collected golden age DC and Timely, but the era is so vast and I hope to amass more EC and LB Cole titles in the future. Scarcity is the very reason that golden age is so appealing to me. It’s hard for me to justify spending big money on a 9.8 slab when there are thousands out there, whereas I see a scarce golden age book up for grabs and it’s a no brainer. I really feel that it’s a great investment too; GA books may not carry the hype of silver bronze and modern, but many issues are so uncommon and now known (thanks to the internet) that any additional interest will drive up prices, even if it’s gradual. Great content as always :)

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks =). The length of the golden age and variety can be a bit intimidating at times. There are a lot of titles, publishers, genres, etc. But I agree, it feels a little easier to justify the expense for something more rare. If the book is just something you like, that’s great regardless, but from a value/investment standpoint it is important to consider the demand for those books. One of the things I didn’t touch on much (that I wish I had, and will try to remember to in a future video) is just the fact that rarity doesn’t necessarily mean value. There also needs to be others that want that book. There are a lot of rare books that really don’t have much value because no one is interested in them. That’s just something I think about whenever I’m buying books and someone puts a high price on a book because it’s “rare”. Yes, it may be, but that may not necessarily justify that price.

[@lylehopson9573]

Those books would sure come in handy. I've got 800+ golden age comics,some extremely rare.thank you for sharing

[@half_a_kman977]

Great info. I've had the Gerber books for over a year and look through them often, but I've never slowed down to read the text. So I'd never noticed the Scarcity Index! I need to read through them more instead of just treating them as pure picture books. (But the pictures are so great!)

[@AutomaticComics]

They are great picture books =)

[@the_pokemon_dad]

Great Video Ryan! Probably my favourite to date... Learnt so much! Cheers 😁

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks a lot! I’m glad you found the video useful =)

[@oliverortiz8507]

This was another great video. I have always liked GOLDEN AGE books but your videos have fanned the flames to get into them more. I love learning new things. I have seen some of those GERBER books over the years but never pulled the trigger to get them. Now I want them badly. SCHOMBERG and MATT BAKER are two of my favorite artist and deserve to be remembered along with all of the other great artist of that time period. Interesting remark you made about how higher numbers were more desirable for publishers to start off to sell new books. The exact opposite of the "restart a series so people will buy that number one issue " mentality that has dominated our culture for so many years now even though its proven to not create stable long time readers but short term speculators. When I first started buying comics with FANTASTIC FOUR vol. 1 issue #131 the idea that there were 130 previous issues made me want to learn more about these colorful interesting comic books. Please do more content like this one.

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks =). Glad I could rekindle that interest in those books. And I totally agree, Schomburg and Baker are two of the cover artists I really try to look for. I thought that numbering model was an interesting marketing trick too. Basically trying to trick people into thinking it’s an established title, so it must be good =). Thanks again for watching and I’m always trying to think of other aspects of the hobby I can talk about. I’ll probably post the Married Centerfolds one this coming week sometime.

[@vorazi08]

Love those Gerber books. I can spend hours just leafing through them. Surprised you didn't mention that those missing covers were later available as stick ons from the "Comic Book Marketplace" magazines (ex: Special addition #4). Great video, thanks!

[@dahur]

The postal costs must have been fairly substantial for a comic company to start up a new series with number 1, so they simply took over an existing run. It makes it a little confusing though. But when comics cost only ten cents, I suppose you had to scratch and claw for every penny you could get, (or save)..

[@prenticehammond2003]

My understanding is the publisher had to pay the post office for a new title if they wanted to use the magazine subscription rate (includes comic magazines). Must have been some loophole that allowed them to change the title without having to re-register. I'm not sure which comics were mailed and which were only available on the newsstand. If there were these two categories.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

Love, love the Suspense Comics run. 4 is a sweet cover. And, glad you brought up the Gerber Photo Journal! You set up the context well.

[@AutomaticComics]

It’s a great run for sure. Not only does it have one of (if not the) best pre-code covers, it’s full of great LB Cole covers that he leveraged in future books as well.

[@kestonsoldschoolcomicbooks6842]

@@AutomaticComics Agree. It's one of the top series for covers, book for book. Some will argue the Captain America Comics run and the Marvel Mystery runs (which are of course longer) are better book for book...probably b/c of Schomburgs contributions too. Keep posting man. You are doing great!

[@AutomaticComics]

Definitely different subject matter areas. Horror vs WW2. So tough to do a direct comparison. But both have incredible runs of covers. Thanks for the comments =)

[@giladwolpe214]

I love your haul videos which are often times informative as well but this type of content really helps out newer collectors like myself. I’m a long long way from going after any golden age but I did just find out about Berni Wrightson and some of his beautiful Swamp Thing covers kinda give me that golden age vibe. As always great content and looking forward to the next one!!

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks! I think that’s one of the draws of Wrightson, his covers have a feel of old pre-code horror books. House of Secrets 92 is one of the favorite books I have. Just an incredible Wrightson cover and first appearance.

[@giladwolpe214]

@@AutomaticComics Also a long way from going after House of secrets 92 lol but it is an amazing cover. But since I can’t afford the first go for the second which I think is also a badass cover. Side note- I’ve never thought myself a fan of the color purple but damn if it doesn’t pop in these older books lol

[@AutomaticComics]

@@giladwolpe214 Purple covers on comics just have a special look to them. Like Batman 169 (2nd silver age penguin) is a great cover and 2nd appearance. Also reasonably affordable in some nice mid/upper-mid grades.

[@giladwolpe214]

@@AutomaticComics Had never seen that cover but you’re right it is sweet I’m sure even better in person!

[@nighttigercomics7323]

What a sexy book. I love the Gerber Guides. I try not looking through them too much because they've become shopping catalogs for me. I did do a vid showcasing them. My frustration with quite a few sellers is that they do not know the difference between rare and scarcity. A great vid. I enjoy always learning more about the comic book golden age era.

[@ComiKonComics]

Tons of great info on golden age books that I had no idea about. Love videos like this!

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks! Golden age covered such a long time period there always seems to be new stuff to find/learn about.

[@12centcomicsandcards]

I need to find some of those photojournals for Batman and other runs! Love it

[@AutomaticComics]

They really are great for looking through the series you’re interested in and finding the covers/books that you want to find. Also just finding series you never knew existed.

[@nephew77627]

great content very informative.

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks!

[@chadmagee4107]

Thank you for the explanation on the scarcity index. I have one comic listed in the Overstreet guide as scarce. It is Prize Comics #7, first appearances of Dr. Frost, Green Lama and Frankenstein. I wish it was a nicer copy, but at least I have a partial one that has the complete Frankenstein story.

[@craigturk4355]

Great video! I enjoy your golden age content! That Suspense is a beauty! I don't think I've seen that one come up for sale before .. but I have only been collecting golden age comics for 2 months ahaha and legit only have 2 books! But I'm picky in what I'm buying

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks! It’s a rare book for sure. They pop up occasionally. Usually 1-2 times per year or less. Some years I don’t see records of any sales. The tricky part is that even if one does come up for sale if you don’t happen to be watching that specific auction house or have an eBay alert, or they use a bad title in ebay, you’ll never know until it’s already gone and you see the record of the sale. That’s awesome you’re getting into golden age books =).

[@craigturk4355]

@@AutomaticComics yeah that's very true! The book your looking for can be on any auction sight at any given time! I do prefer golden age over silver or bronze! when I display my books it's like looking at an 80+ year old comic thru a art deco window and appreciating the artwork and the history sorrounding the book

[@AutomaticComics]

Definitely. That’s why I try to monitor as many as I can. But you can only do so much.

[@popfuntoplay]

I love the photo journal books, I spend many hours looking through them and still do.

[@AutomaticComics]

They’re a great reference. I still look through them as well

[@SlimsCollectionFood_More]

Those are some cool books Automatic. I think I might go hunting for some of those later on. Thanks for showing it. 👍✌

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks! They really are great references to have around. Also just fun to flip through.

[@jorgedacunha2676]

Great video. According to the Fantagraphics LB Cole book, Black Light the first LB Cole cover is Four Favourites No. 13. Feb '44

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks! Yeah, back when I made this video Spec Collector (another KZbinr) reached out and it seems this is likely his 3rd cover.

[@jorgedacunha2676]

@@AutomaticComics Oh, ok. Only came across your channell recently. Still catching up on all your content. Slowly becoming my favourite. Good job.

[@AutomaticComics]

Appreciate it, thanks for watching. I always appreciate information like that from people watching the channel. Golden age has so many different genres, artists, etc that you’re always learning new things about it.

[@michaeltan4204]

This has to be inception of your inclination for pre code Golden Age. Looking back imagine how this compares to your collection now. Amazing.

[@marcloev2072]

Hey Ryan I happened to find this old video of yours. I think you should re-publish it. It’s excellent. Question on the photographs in the book - are they photographs taken from comic shops by the authors and in various conditions or are they images of “when published“ condition?

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks for the suggestion. Maybe I’ll remake it with my current hair cut 😂. My understanding is that they are pictures of actual books that they traveled around the country to take pictures of from different dealers/collectors/etc. They used the best ones I’m sure, so the pictures tend to be of pretty high grade copies.

[@marcloev2072]

@@AutomaticComics I wasn’t going to mention your haircut lol. It’s all relative, look at Mickey! 😊 You speak of the Gerber book a lot and I’m glad I found this video. Has me looking for a set. Thanks!

[@AutomaticComics]

@@marcloev2072 I recommend buying them on eBay used (that’s what I did). You can save yourself a little money that way since they aren’t cheap.

[@thinkle6244]

sorry if I missed it, how often is the scarcity index updated?

[@AutomaticComics]

It doesn’t get updated, it’s a reference book that was created at that time. Regardless, it gives you a very good idea of general scarcity vs other books. But it’s also why using things like the CGC census in combination with the scarcity index is useful.

[@tjwatson2112]

Congrats 🎉🎈🎊🍾 on that rare beauty 🙏

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks! It’s very low grade. Split spine/detached cover. But it looks really nice in Mylar =). Cover not missing any big pieces helps.

[@tjwatson2112]

When a book is that scarce it just amazing to have a complete copy that presents well 🙏

[@speccollector9740]

What a great purchase!!! You're putting out some major Grade A content 👌 That is his 2nd Cover work in comics. Terrific Comics #3 is his 1st. I love the history behind these greats. The reason the Golden Age lost its spark was Technology. Television 📺 put these publishers out of business.....and regulations. Are you diversifying assets into comics? You're making a lot of purchases.....and they are all SOLID investments btw. I know people (1 in particular) that has done this.

[@AutomaticComics]

Thanks for that info (now I’m going to have to search for that one =) ). I was having a tough time pinpointing when he did his first cover since he didn’t start in comics. But yeah, regulations out of fear of comics ruining the minds of kids was a killer for books back then. And yes that’s part of it. I’ve gotten into buying and selling comics for a few reasons. I really enjoy the history/cover art with comics, I grew up collecting comics/cards/stamps/etc and it’s fun being able to do it more seriously as an adult, but I also believe in them (and some other collectibles) as good investments and a fun business. That’s why I also buy things I like, so worst case, I still have some cool books/collectibles =). I still believe in/have traditional investments, but they aren’t as much fun as this.

[@speccollector9740]

@@AutomaticComics You motivated me to buy Terrific 3.....I always thought that was his 1st ever cover work in Comics.....but I'll research it further. Before he worked with Continental, he worked at Ace Publications but I don't believe he made cover work for them. His Phoenix Press work was not considered "comic book" material since it was more scandalous for its time. I will be going after more Cole and Schomburg works....and Terrific was on my list for years but I finally pulled the trigger today..... thanks to you sir.

[@AutomaticComics]

@@speccollector9740 Nice! Congratulations. Yeah, his history in artwork/covers is tough because he didn’t even start as an artist, so it wasn’t until his mid-20s that he got into it. And then even when he did he wasn’t in comics at first.

[@FernandoGon814]

Brian I need to see the baseball caps.

[@ronaldbourgeois1255]

Very. Interesting. Can. You. Something. On. The. Spirit. From. Golden. Age.

[@AutomaticComics]

Unfortunately I don’t have any books from that run at the moment (not that I haven’t tried to get some). But the most popular covers are the femme fatale ones (20 through 22) and they get really expensive. I’ll definitely keep this in mind though if I happen to pick up any of those books.