Auctions: comic books 1950-1952, graded by CBCS

Action Comics (1938 DC) 140 CBCS 3.5

Paper: Off white to white

From The Mt. Rainier Collection.

Label #18-0C71EAC-002

Cover art by Al Plastino. Superman Becomes a Hermit, script by Bill Woolfolk, art by Al Plastino. The Space Clown starring Tommy Tomorrow, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by John Fischetti. Texas Rangers fact pages Jack Sparling. The Man Who Played Dead starring Congo Bill, script by Otto Binder, art by Ed Smalle. The Seven Wonders of the West starring Vigilante, script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Dan Barry, inks by Sy Barry. 52 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Archie (1943 Archie Comics) 46 CBCS 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #22-1716DF1-005

Cover by Bob Montana. Stories by unknown. Art by Sam Schwartz, George Frese and unknown. Featuring Archie in: "Life's No Picnic"; "Tight Sneeze"; "Let's Face It"; "Off the Record"; and "Judgement Day"! Plus: Jughead in "Anything Goes"! Also: 2-page text story "Death On Wheels"! Full color. Cover price $0.10.

Captain Science (1950) 2 CBCS 5.0

Paper: Cream to off white

Label #23-11DB1D1-002

Cover by Walter Johnson. Stories and art by Walter Johnson and Gustav Schrotter. Sci-fi adventure from Youthful Magazines. When the alien supercomputer warns of danger from the dark side of the moon, Captain Science and Rip use the flying saucer to investigate, leaving beautiful alien Luana to coordinate the action with the Cortexon. But their return is delayed when the Cat Men of Phoebus abduct Luana, hoping to lure Captain Science and the supercomputer into their grasp. Interplanetary private eye Brant Craig investigates after the Venusberg Freight line is targeted by the Space Pirates of Lanthus IV. The Dark o the Moon; The Space Pirates of Lanthus IV; Nightmare!; The Cat Men of Phoebus; Robots of Ra. 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cinderella Love (1950) 2 CBCS 4.5

Paper: White

Label #0005262-AA-003

Painted cover by Norman Saunders. Stories and art by Reed Crandall, Ogden Whitney, and Paul Parker. Actually #2 in series, but numbered #11 on cover. Ziff-Davis published the first incarnation of this influential romance title. Square Carla hires Jeff to impersonate her made-up boyfriend for her co-workers, but she didn't expect to actually fall in love with him. Door-to-door saleswoman Anne is hired at random by handsome prince Richard to impersonate his fiancee for the benefit of his controlling family, in a story with art by Ogden Whitney. Struggling actress Elaine begins a romance with wealthy Carter, but when she thinks he's compromising her career for the sake of love, she has a tough choice to make. Plus a story by fantasy art legend Reed Crandall, and a look at the real-life Cinderella-style romance of pianist Marion Stein and the Earl of Harewood. The Pianist and the Earl; Shadow of a Dream; Make-Believe Sweetheart; Love Has Two Faces; Love's Impractical Joke; Bitter Love. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

For a Night of Love (1951) 0 CBCS 5.5

Paper: White

Label #0004191-AA-008

Art by Louis Ravelli, Rafael Astarita and Marion Sitton. Tales of romance based on stories by the 19th-century French writer Emile Zola. In the title story, Julien falls in love with the woman he can see from his window, but he does not expect her sudden appeal for help. In The Millers Daughter, the daughter of a windmill keeper must find a way to save her familys livelihood after the windmill is occupied by soldiers. Plus three more tales. For a Night of Love; The Miller's Daughter; The Loves For Felicie; The Desperate Woman of Paris; Angeline by Emile Zola. 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.

Marvel Tales (1949-1957 Marvel/Atlas) 96 CBCS 5.0

Paper: White

Label #16-B38B2A3-007

Cover art by Syd Shores. The Return of the Monster, pencils by Gene Colan; A contemporary continuation of the Frankenstein story. The Deadly Dwarf!, art by Vern Henkel. House ad for Suspense #3. The Mask of the Mind!; No one suspects that the handsome and kind Dr. Hill is secretly a grave robber who disguises himself with a hideous mask to do his evil work. Don't Shake Hands with the Devil, pencils by Mike Sekowsky; Satan sends an emissary to a horror story publisher so that he will read the scroll of suffering and be transported to Hell as a living man. The Case of the Cat text story. The Witch's Son! The Terror That Creeps, art byWerner Roth. 52 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Romantic Adventures (1949) 15 CBCS 5.5

Paper: White

Label #0005262-AA-002

Edited by Richard E. Hughes. Tales of romance from legendary early independent comics publisher ACG. A woman dedicates herself to helping humankind, but allows no time for love; A girl is led astray by communists, in a story clearly inspired by the Cold War red scares; Castaways on a desert island find love. Do-Good Girl. 48 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Sensation Comics (1942) 102 CBCS 5.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #0006921-AA-005

Cover pencils by Irwin Hasen, inks by Bernard Sachs. The Queen of the South Seas starring Wonder Woman, script by Robert Kanigher, art by Harry G. Peter; Trevor is taken captive by a descendant of Helen of Troy. The Circus Queen Mystery starring Dr. Pat, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Frank Giacoia. The Port of Missing Space Ships starring Astra, script by John Broome, pencils by Irwin Hasen, inks by Joe Giella. Love's Where the Heart Is--Romance, Inc., art by Carmine Infantino. 52 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.

Tim Holt (1948 Magazine Enterprises) 17 CBCS 3.0

Paper: Off white

Label #22-2C3F81C-010

Art by Frank Bolle, Frank Frazetta and Dick Ayers. Cover by Frank Frazetta. Western adventure starring movie cowboy Tim Holt. Tim winds up on a ship that mutinies against its tyrannical captain. Toughs Spike and Mike, who kick dogs and steal crutches, are hired by a sheriff's killer to take out the Ghost Rider. Tim and Chito investigate after a rancher is killed for the secret he knew. Featuring an early spot illo and cover by legendary artist Frank Frazetta. Tim Holt's Western Album; The Cowboy and the Clipper!; The Painted Killer; The Ghost Rider: Scourge of Guilt!; The Hooks of Horror!; Prairie Panic. 36 pages, Full Color. 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) 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.

Weird Science (1950 E.C.) 7 CBCS 6.0

Paper: Off white to white

Label #20-48E05B5-014

Cover by Al Feldstein. Stories by Harvey Kurtzman, Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein. Art by Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Kamen, Wally Wood, and Al Feldstein. EC's influential New Trend title featured some legendary sci-fi and comics artists. A man has an unhealthy reciprocal relationship with his Model T auto, in a story by Harvey Kurtzman. A communications glitch results in war between two planets, with tragic consequences for Earth, illustrated by Wally Wood. A scientist and his hillbilly brother capture a bloblike visitor from the fourth dimension. Classic Al Feldstein rocket/space cover. It Was the Monster From the Fourth Dimension; Something Missing!; Miracle!; …Gregory Had a Model-T!; The Aliens! 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.