Auctions: comic books 1952

Amazing Stories (1926-Present Experimenter) Pulp Vol. 26 #5 GD 2.0

Brittle cover.

Volume 26, Issue 5 - May, 1952. Cover by Lawrence Stevens. Science fiction stories by John Fletcher, F. Willard Grey, Rog Phillips, Gerald Vance. Illustrations by Leo Ramon Summers, Ed Valigursky, Lawrence, Virgil Finlay, Tom Beecham. 7-in. x 10-in.; black and white; 164 newsprint pages. Cover price $0.25.

Buster Crabbe (1951 Famous Funnies) 4 CGC 2.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #3742309017

Cover by Frank Frazetta. Art by Allen Ulmer, Mike Roy and Frank Frazetta. Adventure tales featuring Hollywood legend Buster Crabbe, star of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and Tarzan serials. Whiskers goes underground when he thinks he's killed his barber; A classic PSA featuring early art by fantasy and comics legend Frank Frazetta. Also featuring cover art by Frazetta. The Kansas Killer; Lead Poison; Top Secret; Whiskers Has A Close Shave; The Raiders; Red Cross New Method of Artificial Respiration. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Chamber of Chills (1952-1954 Harvey 2nd Series) 9 CGC 5.0

Paper: Light tan to off white

Label #4405340002

Cover by Al Avison. Stories and art by Bob Powell, Howard Nostrand, Tom Hickey, Rudy Palais, Al Avison, Manny Stallman, John Giunta and Vic Donahue. Harvey Comics joins the parade of pre-Code horror comics pioneered by EC in the 1950s. Antarctic explorers discover a long-frozen caveman. A man arranges a fiendish revenge on the thieves who murdered his wife, setting the eight-armed Ranu against them. Figures from nursery rhymes are brought to life as murderous minions. Bondage cover by Al Avison. The Eight Hands of Ranu; Strange Legends: Maushope - The Dying Smoker; The Captain's Return; The Annals of Horror: The Black Death; The Rotting Death; Birth of a Monster; The Ice Horror; Demons of the Night. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Famous Fantastic Mysteries (1939-1953 Frank A. Munsey/Popular/Altus) Pulp Vol. 13 #4 VG/FN 5.0

Tape on interior of cover.

"Gentlemen, Be Seated" a short story by Robert Heinline

Published by Popular Publications Cover price $0.25.

Four Color (1942-1962 Dell 2nd Series) 386 GD- 1.8

Cover detached at one staple, centerfold detached at both. Cover oxidation. Water damage. Residue on interior pages.

Cover art by Carl Barks. Only a Poor Old Man; When the Beagle Boys erect a building next to Scrooge's money bin, with plans to puncture the bin and drain out the money, Scrooge secretly transfers his money to an old reservoir, where he hides it underwater; Learning of this stratagem, the Beagle Boys try to destroy a dam so that Scrooge's money will flow onto their land. Coffee for Two; Scrooge takes a bum to a diner for a "free" cup of coffee. Soupline Eight back cover strip; Scrooge decides to "take a chance" on the Soupline Eight car. Scripts and art by Carl Barks. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Ghost Comics (1951 Fiction House) 6 CBCS 2.0

Paper: Off white

Cover completely split and reattached with moderate amount of tape.

Label #21-134518C-003

Cover art by Maurice Whitman. The Sleepers in the Crypt; Gangster returns to the scene of his crime to recover hidden loot; His henchmen are frightened by ghosts and ironically turn on their boss, accidentally killing him. Zandini Did It!, art by A. Albert; Zandini comes back from the dead to wreak revenge on Dan Kramer, the man who caused his death years ago. Payoff Blues, art by Jack Kamen; Triggerman and train robber Chopper Mack is driven insane by a tune he keeps hearing over and over again. He also sees ghosts everywhere. Two Must Die, pencils by Bill Benulis, inks by Jack Abel; Two mine owners inquire about ghostly apparitions in their mine in Mexico. Not believing in ghosts, they enter an accident-prone shaft and perish. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Justice Traps the Guilty (1947 Prize) 44 CGC 7.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4363506007

Cover art by Marvin Stein. The Taxi Tricksters, art by Marvin Stein; a cab driver runs a crooked loan company. Payoff, pencils by Mort Meskin; when Carl Ames died, Marty Proust stood to collect a small fortune, but he shouldnt have used homicide to speed up the payoff. Hard Luck Guy. Too Perfect. Caught. Jumbled Clues text story. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Love Journal (1951) 16 GD- 1.8

5" cumulative spine split. Cover detached. Cover oxidation.

Cover by John Buscema. Stories and art by John Buscema, Mort Leav, Syd Shores and Bill Woolfolk. Offbeat romance comic, from pioneering female publisher Rae Herman of Orbit-Wanted, often featured early work by future comics legends. Betty seeks advice from Love Journal when she fears her marriage-minded mother will scare off her new boyfriend, in an early story (and cute good-girl cover) by future Marvel and Conan legend John Buscema. Elaine is torn between Vince, her childhood pal and would-be fiance, and wealthy playboy Roy. Gloria is ready to start dating her handsome neighbor Doug, until she meets Doug's fiancee Rosa. Plus an advice column on the dangers of "petting," showcasing the values of the time. Shameful Love; Ten O'Clock Town; SOS for Love!; I Tempted Fate. 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Mad (1952 EC) Magazine 1 GD- 1.8

1" cumulative spine split. Cover and interior oxidation. Water damage. Lateral spine tear.

Debut issue of the iconic publication Mad, which would change to magazine format with issue 24. Cover by Harvey Kurtzman. "Hoohah!", script by Harvey Kurtzman, art by Jack Davis; Two youngsters run out of gas and enter a house they think is haunted. "Blobs!", script by Harvey Kurtzman, art by Wally Wood; Alfred outlines a terrible thought he has about the end of humanity. "Enter Cosmo McMoon!" text story by Harvey Kurtzman. "Crow Vadis?" text story by Harvey Kurtzman. "Ganefs!", script by Harvey Kurtzman, art by Bill Elder; A perfect crime is hatched but Bumble fumbles. "Varmint!", script by Harvey Kurtzman, art by John Severin; Textron is hunting the killer of Melvin and kills every suspect. 36 pgs., full color. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Men's Adventures (1951 Marvel/Atlas) 14 VG 4.0

Residue on interior cover.

"name, Rank, Serial Number" (art by Robert Q. Sale), "Retreat" (art by Gene Colan), "Insane" (art by Norman Steinberg), "The Coffin" (art by Bill Everett), and a two-page text story, "Military Man With a Spear." Everett cover. Cover price $0.10.

Mutt and Jeff (1939-65 All Am./National/Dell/Harvey) 57 PR 0.5

Interior is complete. Full length spine split. Brittle.

Cover by Sheldon Mayer (credited as Bud Fisher). Stories and art by Al Smith (credited as Bud Fisher) and others. DC reprints the comic strip that defined the comic strip, featuring the original tall-and-short comedy duo. Also featuring the "topper" strip Cicero's Cat. Jeff takes singing lessons. Jeff meets his dream girl. Plus a story about sports superstitions, and a PSA about fact-checking. Mutt & Jeff; Cicero's Cat; Buzzy Says: Be Sure of Your Facts!; Superstitions in Sports. 40 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Mutt and Jeff (1939-65 All Am./National/Dell/Harvey) 57 PR 0.5

INCOMPLETE. Piece clipped. Interrupts art or story.

Cover by Sheldon Mayer (credited as Bud Fisher). Stories and art by Al Smith (credited as Bud Fisher) and others. DC reprints the comic strip that defined the comic strip, featuring the original tall-and-short comedy duo. Also featuring the "topper" strip Cicero's Cat. Jeff takes singing lessons. Jeff meets his dream girl. Plus a story about sports superstitions, and a PSA about fact-checking. Mutt & Jeff; Cicero's Cat; Buzzy Says: Be Sure of Your Facts!; Superstitions in Sports. 40 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Mutt and Jeff (1939-65 All Am./National/Dell/Harvey) 59 PR 0.5

Interior is complete. Full length spine split through cover and all wraps. Brittle.

Cover by Sheldon Mayer (credited as Bud Fisher). Stories and art by Al Smith (credited as Bud Fisher), Jack Schiff, and Win Mortimer. DC reprints the comic strip that defined the comic strip, featuring the original tall-and-short comedy duo. Also featuring the "topper" strip Cicero's Cat. Mutt takes Jeff golfing, but Jeff is a bit unclear on the rules. Mutt decides to write a screenplay. Jeff meets Count de Moola. Plus a PSA starring Superman about traffic safety. Mutt & Jeff; Cicero's Cat; Superman Says: It's Smart to Check-- And Doublecheck!; How to Build a Bridge. 40 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Perfect Love (1951) 8 PR 0.5

INCOMPLETE. Centerfold missing. Interrupts art and story.

Photo cover. "Love Was My Co-Pilot," art by Everett Raymond Kinstler; Bush pilot Della flies archaeologist Derek to the Arctic Circle, where he makes an exciting discovery; Della falls in love with Derek but learns hes engaged to Anne; Anne steals Dereks notes and leaves in her plane, but crashes. "The Steadfast Heart," pencils by Dick Beck; Actress Ellen convinces director Dan to hire John for his play; Johns not very talented but Ellen falls in love with him; John uses Ellen then discards her, harming her career as he does. "Lesson in Love," pencils by Jim Mooney, inks by Bernard Sachs; Roberta gets a teaching job in a small town but chafes under the strict rules of behavior required; She is attracted to principal Arnold, but hes afraid of losing his job so she dates Tom to make him jealous; When Roberta is spotted with a man, Arnold, to save her job, says she was with him. "This Time For Keeps" text story. "Heartbreak Waltz," pencils by Stan Drake; Holly and her fiancé Lon win an amateur dance contest; Derek urges Holly to turn pro, but Lon opposes the plan; Holly falls in love with Derek and dumps Lon, then learns Derek is already married. "Jungle Masquerade," pencils by Jim Mooney, inks by Bernard Sachs; College students Alice and Don travel to South America on an exchange plan; Alice falls in love with plantation owner Kit and agrees to marry him; Alice learns Kit is married "according to the native customs" to Ceena and they have a son, but he says "legally, Im not married!" "Make-Believe Romance," art by Dick Beck; Summer theatre actress Peg falls in love with her co-star Bill, but he only has eyes for Honey; She rejects the romantic advances of the other actors; When Honey accepts an acting job from producer Anson, she dumps Bill and Peg catches him on the rebound. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Planet Stories (1939-1955 Fiction House) Pulp Vol. 5 #6 GD 2.0

7" cumulative spine split. Cover and interior oxidation.

May 1952. Cover by Allen Anderson. "War-Maid of Mars" by Poul Anderson. Other stories by J. T. McIntosh, Bryce Walton, Robert Moore Williams, Peter Phillips, Lloyd Palmer, Bolling Branham, and John McGreevey. Illustrations by Herman Vestal, Kelly Freas. 7-in. x 9.75-in.; black and white; 112 pages. Cover price $0.25.

Sensation Mystery (1952) 110 CGC 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4348396009

Formerly Sensation Comics. Cover pencils by Gil Kane, inks by Murphy Anderson. Nightmare Island!, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Sy Barry; Test pilot Larry Mangrum pushes his plane through the speed barrier at 1500 miles-per-hour; He crash-lands in another dimension—An island populated by giant frog beings, where he meets two other missing pilots. Vengeance of the Invisible Men!, art by Murphy Anderson; Robert Marley comes into possession of magic glasses, which make him see the invisible "Trogs"; The trogs are causing deadly accidents all over the country and try to wipe out the human race. The Vampire Myth article by Jack Miller, art by Raymond Perry. Horror in the Lake!, script by Robert Kanigher, pencils by Frank Giacoia, inks by Sy Barry; Johnny Peril has to fight a horde of evil and weird caterpillar monsters. He can outrun and finally outfox them by using explosives he finds in a shack. Beware the Black Cat!, art by Morris Waldinger; Account of superstitions about black cats. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Strange Adventures (1950 1st Series) 16 CBCS 7.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #16-20F0EE8-041

Captain Comet in "The Ghost of Captain Comet!" (script by Edgar Ray Meritt); "The Secret of Easter Island!" (script by Edmond Hamilton), and "The Touch of Death" (script by Gardner F. Fox). Superboy stars in a one-page public service announcement, "Share With Others!" Gil Kane cover pencils. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Tales from the Crypt (1950 E.C. Comics) 31 GD/VG 3.0

Cover oxidation. Pieces of margin cut out of back page, does not affect panel egde.

Cover by Jack Davis. "Survival...or Death!", script by Al Feldstein, art by Jack Davis; Two men aboard a cargo ship are bored until they get the idea to build a rat trap and ask the Captain to have a barrel built with a platform in the middle of it and a run off down the center. "The Thing In the 'Glades!", script by Al Feldstein, art by Al Williamson; A man's wife dies in childbirth giving him a deformed retarded son with stunted legs, and he becomes a hermit in his cabin in the Glades. "Soft!" text story. "Kamen's Kalamity!", script by Al Feldstein, art by Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels (draws himself), Johnny Craig (draws himself), and Jack Davis (draws himself); Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein tell this auto-biographical tale of hiring Jack Kamen to draw horror stories, first telling Kamen that his work is too sweet. "Buried Treasure!", script by Al Feldstein, art by Graham Ingels (as Ghastly); In 1667 Germany a fat Duke lords it over his starving peasants, but when he imposes a tax on the peasants for "dirtying his carriage' with the blood of a young child he rode down in the street, Johann conceives the plot of stealing some of the Duke's jewels in order to pay the tax. 36 pgs., full color. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Tales of Horror (1952 Toby/Minoan) 2 GD/VG 3.0

Oxidation. Water spotting. Tape on interior cover.

Cover by Myron Fass. Stories and art by Myron Fass, Lawrence Dresser, and A.C. Hollingsworth. Pre-Code horror comics from Toby Press. A jealous architect schemes to feed his secretary and her new fiancee to his personal pet monster. A mad scientist can implant the personalities of dead people into the living, but maybe he shouldn't have started with Jack the Ripper. A henpecked horticulturist schemes to create his own little shop of horrors. The Thing in the Pool; The Hand of Jao Tze; The Rippers Return; Love from a Plant. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Thing (1952 Charlton) 2 CGC 3.5 Restored

Restored: C1

Paper: Cream to off white

Restoration Includes: Tear Seals To Cover, Cover Re-attached With Glue.

Label #4405338003

Cover by Bob Forgione. "The Red Death," art by Bob Forgione; A terrible and deadly plague ravages a medieval king's land; While his peasants die, the king holds a masquerade ball. 'El Toro Diablo,' pencils by Albert Tyler, inks by Bob Forgione; A boy with the looks and the horns of a bull becomes famed matador Tomas Hernandez. "The Witch's House" text story. "The Creature," pencils by Albert Tyler, inks by Bob Forgione; The earth is befallen by mysterious cancerous growths. "The White Rat"; A doctor is bullied by his strong assistant; He invents a muscle growth serum and goes for payback. 36 pgs., full color. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Vault of Horror (1950 E.C. Comics) 23 CBCS 7.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #17-0FAF737-009

Cover by Johnny Craig. Biography of artist "Ghastly" Graham Ingels, with photo. "A Stitch in Time!", script and art by Johnny Craig; The scene opens in an old-fashioned sweatshop, run by a Mr. Lasch, who makes the women work 14 hours a day, 6 days a week, for a salary of $6; The machinery is outdated and dangerous, and Lasch treats the women like slaves. "99 44/100% Pure Horror!", script by Al Feldstein, art by Jack Davis; Life had been good to Ernie ever since he had become manager of the Hudson Soap Company, and his predecessor, Benny Anderson, had disappeared; He suddenly remembered a date he had with a showgirl. "Superstition!" text story by William M. Gaines. Dead Wait!, script by Al Feldstein, art by Jack Davis; In an isolated plantation home on a tropic isle, a shot rings out and 'Red' Buckley's former plantation boss lies dead at his feet. "Staired... in Horror!", art by Graham Ingels; Irma stared down at the grave of her late husband and smiled.... just as a gentleman came near to pay respects to his late wife; As the two conversed, Irma gleaned that this old boy must have money, so she struck up an on-going affair with this Mr. Hornsby, and plotted to have him murdered for his insurance. 36 pgs., full color. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Weird Fantasy (1951 E.C. Comics 2nd Series) 11 GD+ 2.5

Water damage. Cover oxidation.

Cover art by Al Feldstein. "The Two-Century Journey!", script by Al Feldstein (script and plot) and William Gaines (plot), art by Wally Wood; A generation ship leaves earth to travel to another planet; On the way they discover that people age very slowly in space, which creates a population problem on the ship. "Shrinking From Abuse!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Al Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Jack Kamen; Hugo Masterson has created a formula to shrink tissue in order to possibly cure cancer, but he accidentally injects himself and is then injested by his wife. Shock SuspenStories ad. "Desire!" text story. "The 10th At Noon," script by Al Feldstein (script and plot) and William Gaines (plot), art by Wally Wood; Two scientists invent a time machine that can send a camera into the future and snap a picture, and, by doing so, they discover the end of the world is coming. "The Thing In the Jar," script by Al Feldstein, art by Joe Orlando; Scientists discover what has been killing everything in Mr. Dorsey's pond. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Weird Fantasy (1951 E.C. Comics 2nd Series) 13 CBCS 5.5 1952 Variant

Paper: White

Label #20-48E05B5-013

"The End" (art by Wally Wood), "The Trip" (art by Jack Kamen), "Home to Stay" (art by Wood; unauthorized swipe of two Ray Bradbury stories, "Kaleidoscope" and "Rocket Man"), and "Don't Count Your Chickens" (art by Joe Orlando). The letters page features a well-reasoned response from the editors to a letter from a parent critical of SF and horror comics such as those published by EC. Al Feldstein classic outer space cover. NOTE: See 1st Series for 1950 #13.

NOTE: Also, this issue was reprinted by East Coast Comics with a $1 cover and 1970's copyright date (see E.C. Classic Reprints # 5). These and other changes make the reprint easy to distinguish from the original, which has a 10-cent cover price and a 1950's publication date. Cover price $0.10.

Witches Tales (1951 Harvey) 10 CGC 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4386574003

Cover by Lee Elias. Stories and art by Bob Powell, Vic Donahue, Warren Kremer, Joe Certa, and Manny Stallman. A showcase for Harvey's distinctive brand of pre-Code horror. A scientist's electrical experiments create an evil energy being. Another scientist creates a one-celled organism that grows out of control. The ghost of a murdered tailor animates empty clothing to seek revenge on his killer. It!; The Flash of Doom; Witches Tricks; The Room; The Mask of Murder; Keepers of Horror; The Flaming Horror; Cloth of Terror; The Howl of Death! 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Wonder Woman (1942 1st Series DC) 53 FR 1.0

Interior tearing with minor impact to art and story. Cover detached. Tape on interior cover and pages.

Cover pencils by Irwin Hasen, inks by Bernard Sachs. "The Crime Master of Time," script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; Tibro comes from the future to steal a hydrogen bomb and sends Steve and Wonder Woman to the past so they can't stop him. "The Wonder Woman Nobody Knows," script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; A magazine reporter follows Wonder Woman around all day for a story that might save her job. Wonder Women of History: two-page Martha G. Kimball bio by Julius Schwartz, art by John Giunta. "Fashions of the Far East" text article. "The Secret Treasure At Rainbow's End," script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; Wonder Woman helps revive a ghost town. Superboy stars in a one-page public service announcement, "Happy Hobby Time!" 44 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Wonder Woman (1942 1st Series DC) 54 GD/VG 3.0

1" cumulative spine split. Cover oxidation.

Cover pencils by Irwin Hasen, inks by Bernard Sachs. "The Wizard of Castle Sinister," script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; When Merlin traps King Arthur and Lancelot and sends them into the future, Wonder Woman has to return them to their own time and defeat the evil sorcerer to boot. "The Invisible Invasion," script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; Wonder Woman battles aliens who can only be seen in ultraviolet light. "Swing Your Partner!" text article. "Wonder Woman's Triple Threat," script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; Beth Duncan is worried she's going to be kicked out of the Wonder Woman Fan Club because she's accidentally discovered Wonder Woman's secret identity. 44 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.