Page 48 - OCt-JOA-2020

More Collecting in the Time of COVID-19

continuing silver Throughout every era of comic books since their start, there have
lining of the COVID- been some creators who stood out among their peers. Stan Lee, the
A19 pandemic has been late Marvel impresario, is probably the best known, but there are
a genuine revitalization of the many others. There is some work that has accrued great financial
broad back issue market for value, while others have
comics. Business is booming produced wonderful
for many dealers. Not all of work that one can find
the transactions are block- in dollar bins.
busters or record-setters, “Jumping forward
although there have been to the 1980s, in The
many, neither are they all Overstreet Comic Book
bargain basement sales. As Price Guide #50, we
we’ve seen across multiple included a brief profile
hobbies, people have had time on Pacific Comics. Now
on their hands and at least most of their back issues
some of them have had money. are not top sellers price-
The combination of the wise in the Guide, but
pandemic and slightly delayed that doesn’t mean you
release of The Overstreet Comic won’t find a personal
Book Price Guide #50 has favorite among them,” he
provided multiple opportunities said.
to discuss the state of collecting For instance, there’s
with Guide author Robert M. the wonderful anthology
Overstreet, who noted the Vanguard Illustrated. The
The 1950s line of EC Comics, noted for
upswing in activity. first four issues alone
He said that he’s heard from a its horror and science fiction titles, had covers by Tom
featured the work of many influential
number of his Overstreet Advisors creators who fans would follow Yeates, Dave Stevens, Al
group that their customers have throughout their careers. Williamson, and Steve
found many different sparks that Rude, respectively, David
reinvigorated their approach to collecting comics. While certainly not a pricey collectible, Campiti’s first three comic
many indie titles such as Pacific Comics’
Vanguard Illustrated featured top artists book stories, art from
early in their careers. In this case, Steve Rude Yeates and Rick Bryant,
Collecting By Creator
illustrated the cover. Bob McLeod, Paul Neary,
“Collecting by creator has always been an interesting option,” and Rex Lindsay, the seri-
Overstreet said. alized first appearance of Peter Milligan and Brendan McCarthy’s
“If you’re a fan of the great 1950s EC horror titles that gave me my “Freakwave” and Mike Baron and Steve Rude’s original, pre-Nexus
start, you’ve been treated to the stories of Al Feldstein and Harvey collaboration, “Encyclopedias.”
Kurtzman and the art of artists such as Johnny Craig, Reed Crandall, Those issues are highly accessible for any budget, but if they grab
Jack Davis, Will Elder, George Evans, Frank Frazetta, Graham Ingels, and hold your attention, that’s what it’s about.
Jack Kamen, Bernie Krigstein, Joe Orlando, John Severin,
Al Williamson, Basil Wolverton, and Wally Wood,” he said.
Collecting Great Covers
Overstreet pointed out that one could find many of those same
artists in the Warren horror magazines Creepy and Eerie in the 1970s, Another niche that Overstreet pointed out was collecting great
or in superhero tales from Tower in the 1960s. covers. Of course “great” can be a very subjective description, but that
“Wally Wood, Len Brown, Larry Ivie, Gil Kane, George Tuska, goes back to our old mantra, “Collect what you love.”
Dan Adkins, Joe Orlando, Mike Sekowsky, Frank Giacoia, Reed Whether you’re talking Jim Steranko’s much-imitated art for
Crandall, Dick Ayers, Steve Ditko, and numerous others worked on Incredible Hulk Annual #1, the frequently revisited classic cover for
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents for Tower in the pages of Dynamo, NoMan, Detective Comics #31, or something wholly original, one popular niche
and the main T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents title from 1965 through 1969,” of collecting has always been great covers.
Overstreet said. “And of course, this isn’t confined exclusively to superhero comics.
There are lots of great covers from every generation, and for my money,

46 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles