Books from the 70’s are hard to find in a high grade because, back then, we actually read our comic books and didn’t stick just them in a bags & boards.
Night Nurse was another Rare book hard to find In high grade ‼️ I was fortunate to get a sweet copy for a few bucks back in the mid 1980’s. Years later I sent it to CGC and it received an 8.5 grade with white pages. This was a very nice video that I enjoyed watching 👍
It's become a chase book for many Marvel collectors and I regret passing up on lower grade copies for years thinking I'd eventually find a high grade copy. The funny thing is, I do see higher grade copies now, but they're so expensive I can't bring myself to buy one. Thanks for watching!
In the late 70's marvel published a pop culture magazine called Pizzazz, it had puzzles, interviews with the pop stars of the time and mixed in marvel characters.
Thanks for the kind words! I'm really surprised this video has received so many views as I wasn't sure these obscure comic books would be interesting for comic book collectors! I'm glad I'm not the only one out there!
Excellent video! I've often been attracted to collecting "oddball" or "esoteric" comics published by Marvel and DC in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. In the '50s you had such titles from DC as "Congo Bill," Phantom Stranger," "Frontier Fighters," "The Adventures of Charlie Chan," among others that I used to collect because hardly anybody else was looking for them. I've also owned some of the Marvel '70s books you mention, like "Pete the Pest," "Homer the Happy Ghost," and some of those romance books. I just find it fun to collect that kind of stuff because, as you say, it can be genuinely tough to find in nice shape and, for me, the hunt is often the best part of collecting comics. Once I have the books, they just sit in a box so, yeah, the hunt is where the fun is for me. Of course it can be tough to sell these types of books and get full value if you need to liquidate your comics, but there are collectors out there who appreciate them. Anyway, thanks for the entertaining video. 👍
I agree, the hunt is a big part of the fun! It seems some of the Romance titles are becoming a lot more collectable, but I fear the Western genre is at death's door. The 50s titles are genuinely scarce in any reasonable grade and I don't come across the books very often. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching!
@@chi-tn There appears to be a strong dedicated group of War comic book collectors, and they're a passionate bunch. Crime is under-rated, but there just doesn't seem be enough crime comic books after the 1950s. I hope there's more interest in these genres as they're great for story telling.
This was a great video. I am 58 and have been collecting since I was 8, and I would agree with you that many of the titles you names can be found but not in high grades. I LOVE those horror reprint titles, especially MONSTERS ON THE PROWL because you almost always found some old Jack Kirby & Steve Ditko art in them. Same for the Marvel Western reprint titles. The stories were often fun, and I looked forward to coming across art by Kirby or Dick Ayers. Rawhide Kid seemed to last forever. Man, I completely forgot about those Hanna Barbera titles! I remember seeing them, but never bought any. NOW I wish I had! I NEVER had an issue of FOOM, nor have I ever seen any out in the wild. In terms of rare Bronze Age Marvel items you don't see often, I would also mention the MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL magazine. The first issue featured the rock group KISS in battle against Doctor Doom. Other issues featured comicbook versions of popular films like JAWS-II and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. I believe one issue featured THE BEATLES with art by George Perez. Nice finds and a great video! I just subscribed to your channel!
Thanks for subbing! Generally all the Marvel magazine titles are hard to find in nice condition, but I felt like I had to single out the horror titles as they just seem tougher. I think you can make a strong argument that they're tougher than the Marvel horror reprint titles. Marvel Super Special is a great series with so many great issues! It was issue #4 that featured the Beatles, an amazing issue with photos and lots of features.
What a fun video. That Spidey thumbnail drew me in because I love that cover. The Monster magazines are so nice. I like collecting the western books too. This video is so informative and interesting.
Thank you! Amazing Spider-man #144 is also a favorite of mine. I'm glad there are Western collectors out there! It's too bad they don't make many Western films these days compared to years ago.
To: Ralph’s Retro-Comics, This is the type of comic book YT Channel that I really enjoy, that I look forward to, and was not haphazardly suggested to me, by the algorithm. I’m looking forward to viewing all your previously uploaded videos. I’m a collector of several niche comic books from multiple publishers over the last 80 years. Looking forward to your future videos, in this series. The rarest DC, the rarest Gold Key, the rarest Tower Comics, the rarest Atlas-Seaboard. The sky’s the limit. I’ve subscribed. - Thank you.
I grew up in the 1960s and started collecting in the 1970s when everything was off the spinner rack or self of the corner variety store, and some of these comics I've never even heard of (particularly the children's humor line)!
I think because many publishers were flooding the newsstands, there was only so much room, and a lot of these titles just got squeezed out. Apparently this also happened in the 1950s when there were close to 400(!!) titles being published every month. That combined with comic books being frowned up by the general public really pushed out a lot of titles and publishers.
When I was a kid back in the 70's I would mow lawns for spending money I would mow 2 or 3 lawns enough to get a dime bag of weed a big bottle of coke and as many comic books I could buy with what was left. Me and some guys I knew would smoke up and read comics the rest of day. Wish I had all those books now.
How awesome was that? I bet you guys had some pretty interesting conversations about the characters you read about. You should search some of them out, I'm sure they'll trigger some great memories.
This was super cool. Thanks for sharing. LOVE those Bronze Age Horror books. This has sparked my interest in the Marvel side of the genre. I'm typically a DC Horror guy. Interesting how "inflation" in the 70's brought about a five CENT increase in comics books. Where today prices jump by dollars. Giving us a $3.99 base for most books today but $4.99 and higher being the norm.
Yes! I do mention that briefly in the video, and they are hard to find in any condition as they were only available through mail order. Thanks for watching!
These are the comics/genres I’ve been focusing on the past few years, and you’re right, most are difficult to find in mid to high grade. I’ve had a few of those series on my want list for years with not much activity. Really fun video with some on point insight!
I've noticed some of these books are starting to come out of the woodwork a bit, but only at what I feel are very high prices. I'm pretty much going to just stick to some of the shorter runs for now. Good luck with the hunt!
Great video! I started collecting back in 1972 and recall seeing some of these obscure issues, particularly the horror items. It’s great to see and hear about some truly rare comics.
I can only imagine how overloaded the newsstands or spinner racks used to look in the 1970s with so many titles being published. Super-hero comics were still very popular, but it was nice to see some other genres like horror make a come back.
Thank you. I could never figure out the l pals and l kids with Calvin angle as to why marvel printed them. I would have never thought fat albert but when you mentioned it, it rang a bell. Even more strange is why my teenage brother bought and saved them in his collection. Anyway thank you again for your insights on rare marvel comics from the seventies which does not include men and arms.
After I published the video, I realized that Peter the Pest was also a blatant copy of Dennis the Menace, who was also very popular at that time. Publishers certainly tried to copy each others' successes. Thanks for watching!
The chase was a lot of fun - still is, but frustratingly expensive now. I definitely should not have been so picky about grade when coming across those Night Nurses.
I remember seeing them in the Mighty Marvel Checklists inside of 1970s Marvel comic books and I always wondered what they were. I only found a set of these by chance at a used book store so I got pretty lucky. Happy hunting!
Nice video, it shows you put a lot of work into it. I would almost put the later part of the western titles from marvel before they were cancelled like Kid Colt Outlaw, Rawhide Kid and so on from the later part of the 70’s, all had reprint stories and not high print runs. So some of those books in high grade can be difficult to find. Lived in San Antonio for years and have well over a 100, 30 cent variants in all various grades, they can be fun to hunt down. But most of all enjoy the comics for what they were intended, take a chance to read them, we will never be 7 to 10 years old again but they can sure take you back to a simple time…
I'm jealous! It must have been fun tracking down those variants in your area. I have a fondness for 1970s comics as I had a few of them growing up and they were read to death. Thanks for watching!
Excellent video. Despite lasting only a few issues, titles like The Cat, the original Shanna The She-Devil and everyone's favourite, Night Nurse, are very hard to find in high grade (Marvel reprinted all four issues of NN about 10 years ago which is how I finally managed to read them). It's taken me decades to get nearly all the b/w monster mags, only about a dozen left to find; unfortunately one of those is Savage Tales #1, which will cost me a lot when I finally get around to buying a copy. FOOM issues have become increasingly hard to find and increasingly popular, and as you point out, they were never printed in big numbers to begin with. Among the non-Marvel and DC titles of the Bronze Age, very hard to find (in any grade) are the small number of b/w magazines from the short-lived Atlas-Seabord in 1975-76, such as Devilina and Gothic Romances (which I have never seen a copy of anywhere).
I've seen a lot of Savage Tales #1, but I think one of reasons why I've seen it a lot is that it's a popular book and has always been relatively expensive (and now it's just too expensive in my opinion). That's amazing that you're close to finishing the monster mag run. I mentioned that I regret selling the ones that I had, as I really liked them, and I know now it will be extremely difficult to go back and get them at anywhere near a reasonable cost. I had to look up those two Atlas Seaboard titles, I didn't even know they published them! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I also love 70's comics (the time when I started buying them). I still enjoy the copy of Where Monsters Dwell that introduced me to one of my favorites; "Fin Fang Foom"! Happy to support your channel, so glad I found it! *New Subscriber **#838**!* Hope this helps your journey to 1K! OMGosh, I laughed at the HB comic; I remember watching Dynomutt and also the Blue Falcon on Saturday mornings! 😁 The favorite Fireside book I bought was the Silver Surfer issue! I also used to own a "Champions price variant" I believe... I was so mad when the change my mother gave me to buy 3 comics was not enough. I kept thinking the cashier was in error LOL. Have a great rest of your week Raph! Skol ~ Bjorn
Thanks Skol! Saturday morning was a treat watching HB cartoons. While the HB comic books have a lot of nostalgia, it's not quite the same as the cartoons. Fin Fang Foom has a really strong following, a classic Marvel monster from a great time period.
@@raph-retro-comics Kids nowadays don't know the excitement of Cartoons only on Saturday!😅 Btw, "Skol" is like saying "Cheers" in Scandinavian. Looking forward to your next video, Bjorn. 😁
@Bjornscomiccollection1964 Apologies Bjorn! Yes, kids probably wouldn't understand the ritual of a bowl of sugary cereal with Saturday morning cartoons!
Back in the early 90s, I passed on a VF-NM set of Night Nurse 1-5 for under $10. I knew it was a rarity, especially a complete set, but It was over guide at the price, and I would've had to break out the plastic at the time, or skip a few of my regular titles to get it. When they intorduced Clair (Rosario Dawson) into the Netflix Marvel universe, and these issues were the inspiration, I wanted a time machine!
Too many times I've passed up on comic books I should have picked up! I was the same, I didn't like paying over guide for books, even if they were dirt cheap in the guide. Thanks for watching!
Great topic. I remember sitting at the local bookstore reading and re-reading Son of Origins and Bring on the Baddies way too many times when i was a kid. Thanks for the examples as I found a Western Team-Up #1 in really high grade (I believe). I have to do some thinking on if I grade it to preserve this one.
I collected all the 1970s-1980s Treasury Editions. The hardest to find are the non hero ones. I had an extremely hard time finding DCs Welcome Back Kotter treasury.
DC treasuries are very tough. I didn't even know there was a Welcome Back Kotter treasury! I had a few of the Rudolph ones years ago which are pretty hard to find. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the vid! Never knew about the Scoff title..never ran into an issue before in my comic hunting/collecting days.books The b/w horror Marvel titles...wish I had gotten a run of them back in the day. Since the art wasn't in color, they weren't of much personal interest so I never focused on them. Cheers!
Marvel published so many one-off titles that lasted 5 issus or less in the 1970s. I think there's an issue or two in that run that I've never come across outside of the Internet as well. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching and subbing! Really enjoyed making this one and thinking about doing DC next, but I'm kind of thin on 70s DC books compared to Marvel.
Like you, I sold off so many uncommon comics in high grade. I, too, was a condition snob. That's why I never managed to get any issues of Night Nurse. Other Marvel magazines that were tough to find in high grade - Planet of the Apes magazine, Howard the Duck magazine, Rampaging Hulk, and Deadly Hands of Kung Fu.
It annoys me that I put back VG/FN copies of Night Nurse #1 back in the box that were literally under a dollar years ago thinking I'd be able to find nicer copies. Sigh.
Yes, moreso than Marvels in my opinion. Such great covers as well! The mid 1970s DC horror are a little easier, but I find it really title dependent. Some titles just seem impossible!
Great video. I've been collecting Marvel horror for 3 years now and trying to complete the Marvel horror genre. Completed Tomb of Darkness, Beware, Uncanny Tales from the Grave, Chamber of Chills, Fear, and Dead of Night, all high grade. For me, it's high grade or go home. Now gotta complete Monsters on the Prowl and Where Creatures Dwell. EC Horror is next on my list. Keep up the great videos. Love the content. Stay a kid at heart and never part with what you love.
@littlekoalas6174 Very impressive! Later issues of Monsters on the Prowl and Where Monsters Dwell have been tough for me locate in nice shape, I'm not close to finishing those. ECs are an entirely different story and I feel they are now out if my reach. I'll be content to pick up the reprints for now. Happy hunting and thanks for watching!
Such a great series! Like I mentioned, I regret parting with my other monster Marvel mags from that time period, and they're so much more tougher/expensive now in grade. Live and learn!
The non-superhero Bronze Age Marvels were not particularly popular, but I think the repeated title changes were to protect the trademarks in case one of the characters suddenly did take off (sort of like Howard the Duck) or one of the underground comics-or even the independents, which were just getting going-did decide to appropriate an old comic title and turn it into something R or X-rated. Marvel knew how to produce quality books, but didn’t really invest the time or effort necessary to jump-start a hit. One exception was the B&W line which did have quality material, but the distribution system was awful: if you collected these, you really had to hunt for them, and because they were usually on the bottom shelf with the car mags and the fitness mags, they got bent down by folks wanting to see the mag behind. It was almost as bad as those circular display racks for comics in drugstores-and there were only a few copies. Ugh.
I'm starting to think I the horror magazines were too low on my list. For some reason, there were a few times over the years where I was able to buy a bunch of them at once in nice shape, so I just assumed they were a little easier to find. I do see them occasionally now, but the prices have really caught up and I can't bring myself to re-buy them at these prices. Thanks for watching!
Great video! I love these sorts of obscure treks through comics history so will check out your other videos. A fine antedote to all those omnibus/cgc obsessed channels.
Probably because very low print run..I was in Louisiana rural area and traded for them from a fellow who bought from a transfered serviceman from California...unfortunately traded away them and sold #3 on early Ebay period. Along with a numbevariants. 35 cent cover variants. No idea of value these books gained...think Star Wars true 35 cent cover books were only 1500 printed per news back in 1980s.
I tell people about all the non-superhero titles that were in newsstands in the early 1970s and they can’t begin to visualize it. They can’t even visualize an actual newsstand!
I had a funny moment a few weeks ago. My dad asked me to pick up a Sunday paper for him. It took me a while to figure out where to get one. It's been years since I've read one and it was maybe 25% of the thickness it used to be. On top of that, it was $5!!!!
All of those Bronze Age Horror reprints, I purchased several issues of those different titles back in the late 90's and they are all in high grade. I am 4 issues away from having complete runs of all of those titles. This was a great video!
4 issues! I'm probably only halfway there, but I took a long break from buying comic books and I've only started again in the past couple years. They've only gotten tougher to find! Best of luck on those last 4 issues!
Nice and refreshing take on comics! I dig most of the genres you mentioned but how do you feel about the Marvel Fun & Games issues that started in 1979? Really hard to find clean and flat copies.
Very good addition to the list! I've seen those around but I've never owned my own copy. I'd probably lump it in with the other oddball items as it seems to fit with that group well. Thanks for watching!
#10 Treasuries: Agreed. Signed by Stan Lee only at a cost of $5 and only thru Marvel. I passed and ordered the non-signed one. Still kicking myself ! Amazing Spider-Man Treasury #1 signed by Lee and Romita.
Lee AND Romita! I've so many books I've regretted not purchasing...but I keep telling myself there will always be plenty of opportunities out there in the future. Thanks for watching!
I have to tell you, re-reading some of these more recently made me realize just how different humor was back then! Some of it was funny, some of it was just weird!
@@raph-retro-comics heck, it was so long ago, there’s actually a possibility that I never even read one when I think about it! I’m talking like 1975 or so! 🤣
9:20 Changing the title mid-issue number had to do with the US Post Office. Something about registering an issue for magazine mailing. It cost money to register ... initially. But it did not cost anything (or little?) If you just changed the title. That's my understanding anyway. If I have this wrong, I'm sure others out there will correct me. @magnumrex just adding a little more info. Stream of thought above before I read posted comments.
29:58 This was a great concept, with lots of fun comics, but I can't believe you didn't mention Mark Jewelers or comics with intact Marvel Value Stamps!
LOL So, they're hard to find in high grade. Of course they are! They're from the '70's!! OMG, there are no Marvel and DC books that are truly "rare." As hard as it is to believe, people bought comics and READ them in the '70's. They didn't stick them in a case so they couldn't be read. I don't want super mint copies when I buy books from the 1970's or earlier. As long as they are complete with a semi-smooth cover then I am good. Keep on going with the videos, bro!!
I am a self-admitted high grade junkie! It's pretty stupid I know, but it's hard to shake these bad habits! I'm hoping to slowly re-hab myself. Thanks for watching!
In the early 70s, the CCA (Comics Code Authority) started to become more lenient with the rating codes, which allowed Marvel to reprint those horror/monster genre books from the 1950s. You have an impressive set on Bronze age books. I agree, those titles are a little difficult to locate out in the wild. Those price variants were test marketed in cities with military bases. I live here in Albuquerque (Kirtland AFB) and heard that Albuquerque was part of that price test market. Not 100% sure on that though.
I wondered why those cities would have been selected as it seemed pretty random - that makes far more sense. I actually bought that Conan 35 cent variant here in Toronto, and wondered how it got up here. Thanks for the compliments and watching!
Thanks for subbing and watching! It's been a bit of a challenge coming up with topics and I'm glad this one has been of interest for comic book enthusiasts.
I suspect Marvel got into copyright trouble when they originally published those issues. It would be funny if they brought the character back in some form.
Wow, these are truly scarce! I've never come across any of these in my collecting. These would probably take #2 on the list with only the 35 cent variants being tougher.
Congrats! I like that it's a giant-size issue. I have a handful of Gold Keys, and I'm glad to hear there are collectors out there, but I imagine it can be an adventure as they're a lot harder to find than Marvel/DC books from that era in my experience.
As for “The Outlaw Kid”, the first nine issues were reprints, but issues 10-16 featured new stories, then back to all reprints for the rest of the series.
Interesting how they managed to add new stories midway through the series! I had just assumed they were all reprints of the original Atlas series. Thanks for watching!
Good call on the B&W Spider-man magazine! Strange how that didn't last more than 2 issues. I find the Rampaging Hulk magazines not too difficult, I think part of it because of the TV series at that time. Some of the later issues can definitely be hard though.
The really hard to find Fireside books are the hardcovers. Most of them are found without the dust jacket and most of the ones that do have the dust jacket are former library books. Some of the rarest ones will only turn up once every few years in decent shape.
Yes! I've always noticed those entries in the Overstreet Price Guide but have never seen any in person. Similarly, I've never come across the hardcover versions of the DC Famous First Edition treasury books - although those I suspect are a little easier to find.
Definitely, and these are a lot harder to come by up here in Canada, and I personally don't own any myself. It's only in the past few years did I become aware of them and the premium they hold.
Yes, in the '80s I lived in a town next to an air force base and the local convenience stores carried the retail comics with those inserts. It bugged me, because there was a comic book shop also, but sometimes sold out of the latest direct Marvel comics I would buy. So I had to get the retail comics. At that time, being younger, i thought it was stupid putting those ads right in the middle of the comic, so I pulled them out. Probably not a good idea now.
The only rare Marvel bronze age comics I know of are the .30 cent variants. They were only 1% of the print runs. Rare is bases on low production but scarce is based on extremely hard to find based on many factors. Grades are not relevant when it comes to readers only to those looking to make money in most instances. I enjoyed the premise of this videos although I have every comic you highlighted because they are not really scarce. Ironically a few years back I purchased a lot off eBay which had all the #1s of westerns you showcased including Gunslinger #1.
I'll tell myself, 'Well, if I weren't so picky, I'd have thousands of more comic books'. Being a condition snob is okay in my books! Thanks for watching!
Amazing Spider-Man 184 All Detergent Variant with sticker still attached. Rarer than most 30 and 35 cent variants. Not S booby Doo #1 35 cent variant rare though.
@@raph-retro-comics Yes, it's not too hard to find with the sticker removed, but still attached is tricky. I do like the way you laid out the books by genre here. Great job.
Your list of 5 cities is wrong for Star Wars #1. I distinctly remember having the choice to purchase either the 30 cent or 35 cent (both were available at the same time in the same drug store) in Hopkins, Minnesota. At the time I was only buying #1 comics believing that the first issue would always be the one that would become the most valuable. I hadn’t heard of Star Wars at the time, it was released prior to the movie’s release in the theaters. Bring s young poor kid, I reasoned “why would I pay 5 cents more for the same comic” and bought the 30 cent. Years later I found out it was Gopher News out of Minneapolis, Minnesota which distributed all comics in the region. So your list is definitely wrong, or at the minimum there were more than only 5 cities. The drug store I bought this comic at would have ripped off the front cover and returned it to Gopher News along with all other unsold comics, magazines, etc. for credit, which is what was common at the time, it being cheaper than shipping the entire thing back. It was also years later I found out I should have shelled out the extra 5 cents!
Wow! There isn't a lot of information out there on the distribution of these variants, so it's great to hear it first hand from someone who experienced it. It's bizarre though, why would they put out both versions at the same place at the same time? Maybe it was a mix up? I can't imagine the idea of counting returns as well, someone had to do it right? Thanks for sharing!
So for new titles taking old numbering had something to do with fees that had to be paid. A new title cost more than just continuing an old one. Also Monster Madness magazine has to be on your list.
@@robertmonroejr1315 I don't have 10 or 11, and I would really like a nice copy of 10, Calvin's 1st app. I'm glad there are other collectors out there looking for this stuff!
If you look at Our Love Story #32 cover long enough the characters look Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy to me. Like more mature maybe in their mid twenty's. 🤔🤫☺️
I don't recall that time period being called the Bronze Age, but that era is commonly called the Copper age by a lot of collectors. Not the best name in my opinion!
I have a couple, and these are also quite scarce. One is actually an old Atlas war title from the 1950s. I don't intentionally look out for them, it's more just luck when I come across them. Thanks for watching!
I remem ber in the '70s, collectors felt double covered comics were worthless because they were printing errors. When comic co.lecting became like coin collecting, suddenly printing errors and variants like Mark Jewelers and pricing experiments became sought after. ( l still don't see rhe attraction for the Mark Jewelers issues.]
@@danpetitpas The Mark Jewelers thing is a bit weird for me, but I get that there are collectors who want copies of every single version of a comic book out there. But yeah, these versions can get expensive!
It's kind of hard to pin down when it ended, and there are various opinions out there. Some will say it ended in 1983 with Secret Wars or with Spider-man's new costume. I think it's just easier to classify by decade, and the Bronze Age is predominantly the 1970s. There's even a lot of debate as to when it officially started. Thanks for watching!
@@raph-retro-comics thanks! I’ve heard the same as well. I’ve heard some say 1985 because of Crisis on Infinite Earths but I think it was more of a transition period from say 1982 to 1985. But you’re right, it was predominantly the 1970s.
I think you can make a strong argument for some of the 35 cent variants like the Scooby Doo #1. There is only recorded sale in GPA in the past twenty years for a 2.5, and it sold for a ridiculous $2,500. Those are the only books I would say are truly rare, and it's really hard to determine how many are out there.
Books from the 70’s are hard to find in a high grade because, back then, we actually read our comic books and didn’t stick just them in a bags & boards.
Night Nurse was another Rare book hard to find In high grade ‼️
I was fortunate to get a sweet copy for a few bucks back in the mid 1980’s. Years later I sent it to CGC and it received an 8.5 grade with white pages.
This was a very nice video that I enjoyed watching 👍
It's become a chase book for many Marvel collectors and I regret passing up on lower grade copies for years thinking I'd eventually find a high grade copy. The funny thing is, I do see higher grade copies now, but they're so expensive I can't bring myself to buy one. Thanks for watching!
In the late 70's marvel published a pop culture magazine called Pizzazz, it had puzzles, interviews with the pop stars of the time and mixed in marvel characters.
Yes! I've never owned any of these but I do remember coming across these now and then. I imagine the later issues are very tough to locate!
Yep, I remember PIZZAZZ. Didn't really hold my interest though since it wasn't an actual comic book.
It was to compete with Scholastic pop culture magazines like Dynamite and Bananas
ROOM 222???
LOL, Kid!
I can’t believe you don’t know the MOD SQUAD when you see them!
😂😂😂
>10 K views in 4 days and barely over 600 subscribers? Come on people! Another great video. Thanks!
Thanks for the kind words! I'm really surprised this video has received so many views as I wasn't sure these obscure comic books would be interesting for comic book collectors! I'm glad I'm not the only one out there!
Excellent video! I've often been attracted to collecting "oddball" or "esoteric" comics published by Marvel and DC in the '50s, '60s, and '70s. In the '50s you had such titles from DC as "Congo Bill," Phantom Stranger," "Frontier Fighters," "The Adventures of Charlie Chan," among others that I used to collect because hardly anybody else was looking for them. I've also owned some of the Marvel '70s books you mention, like "Pete the Pest," "Homer the Happy Ghost," and some of those romance books. I just find it fun to collect that kind of stuff because, as you say, it can be genuinely tough to find in nice shape and, for me, the hunt is often the best part of collecting comics. Once I have the books, they just sit in a box so, yeah, the hunt is where the fun is for me. Of course it can be tough to sell these types of books and get full value if you need to liquidate your comics, but there are collectors out there who appreciate them. Anyway, thanks for the entertaining video. 👍
I agree, the hunt is a big part of the fun! It seems some of the Romance titles are becoming a lot more collectable, but I fear the Western genre is at death's door. The 50s titles are genuinely scarce in any reasonable grade and I don't come across the books very often. I'm glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for watching!
@raph-retro-comics I don't see a bright future for Western and Funny Animal, but Crime and War might make a comeback
@@chi-tn There appears to be a strong dedicated group of War comic book collectors, and they're a passionate bunch. Crime is under-rated, but there just doesn't seem be enough crime comic books after the 1950s. I hope there's more interest in these genres as they're great for story telling.
😮Yes, Ralph. That is The Mod Squad on the cover of the Spoof comic!😊
@@jessemccann1390 Barely caught myself! Thanks for watching!
This was a great video. I am 58 and have been collecting since I was 8, and I would agree with you that many of the titles you names can be found but not in high grades. I LOVE those horror reprint titles, especially MONSTERS ON THE PROWL because you almost always found some old Jack Kirby & Steve Ditko art in them. Same for the Marvel Western reprint titles. The stories were often fun, and I looked forward to coming across art by Kirby or Dick Ayers. Rawhide Kid seemed to last forever. Man, I completely forgot about those Hanna Barbera titles! I remember seeing them, but never bought any. NOW I wish I had! I NEVER had an issue of FOOM, nor have I ever seen any out in the wild. In terms of rare Bronze Age Marvel items you don't see often, I would also mention the MARVEL SUPER SPECIAL magazine. The first issue featured the rock group KISS in battle against Doctor Doom. Other issues featured comicbook versions of popular films like JAWS-II and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. I believe one issue featured THE BEATLES with art by George Perez. Nice finds and a great video! I just subscribed to your channel!
Thanks for subbing! Generally all the Marvel magazine titles are hard to find in nice condition, but I felt like I had to single out the horror titles as they just seem tougher. I think you can make a strong argument that they're tougher than the Marvel horror reprint titles. Marvel Super Special is a great series with so many great issues! It was issue #4 that featured the Beatles, an amazing issue with photos and lots of features.
@@raph-retro-comics - YES, I would definitely agree that the b/w horror mags are tougher to get than the horror reprints.
What a great topic and video! I loved how you explained each category with a few examples.
Thanks for watching! It was a fun video to make!
I still have my full collection of the Marvel Fireside books. Received The Origin of Marvel Comics in 1974 when I was 13.
These are great. I have a Captain America Sentinel of Liberty as well. Would love to get a hard cover version of one of them at some point.
@@raph-retro-comicsOrigins of Marvel Comics is about to be reprinted
What a fun video. That Spidey thumbnail drew me in because I love that cover. The Monster magazines are so nice. I like collecting the western books too. This video is so informative and interesting.
Thank you! Amazing Spider-man #144 is also a favorite of mine. I'm glad there are Western collectors out there! It's too bad they don't make many Western films these days compared to years ago.
To: Ralph’s Retro-Comics,
This is the type of comic book YT Channel that I really enjoy, that I look forward to, and was not haphazardly suggested to me, by the algorithm.
I’m looking forward to viewing all your previously uploaded videos.
I’m a collector of several niche comic books from multiple publishers over the last 80 years.
Looking forward to your future videos, in this series. The rarest DC, the rarest Gold Key, the rarest Tower Comics, the rarest Atlas-Seaboard. The sky’s the limit.
I’ve subscribed.
- Thank you.
Thank you for the compliments! I'm grateful people are enjoying my videos!
I grew up in the 1960s and started collecting in the 1970s when everything was off the spinner rack or self of the corner variety store, and some of these comics I've never even heard of (particularly the children's humor line)!
I think because many publishers were flooding the newsstands, there was only so much room, and a lot of these titles just got squeezed out. Apparently this also happened in the 1950s when there were close to 400(!!) titles being published every month. That combined with comic books being frowned up by the general public really pushed out a lot of titles and publishers.
When I was a kid back in the 70's I would mow lawns for spending money I would mow 2 or 3 lawns enough to get a dime bag of weed a big bottle of coke and as many comic books I could buy with what was left. Me and some guys I knew would smoke up and read comics the rest of day. Wish I had all those books now.
How awesome was that? I bet you guys had some pretty interesting conversations about the characters you read about. You should search some of them out, I'm sure they'll trigger some great memories.
This was super cool. Thanks for sharing. LOVE those Bronze Age Horror books. This has sparked my interest in the Marvel side of the genre. I'm typically a DC Horror guy. Interesting how "inflation" in the 70's brought about a five CENT increase in comics books. Where today prices jump by dollars. Giving us a $3.99 base for most books today but $4.99 and higher being the norm.
DC horror is great - better than Marvel in the 70s. I do have a soft spot for the monster/creature Marvel reprint titles though. Thanks for watching!
If memory serves me correctly [ LOL 😆 😂 🤣], I'm almost 70 years old now ! They also used to publish "Friends of Old Marvel " or FOOM !
Yes! I do mention that briefly in the video, and they are hard to find in any condition as they were only available through mail order. Thanks for watching!
Hey! I Owned a lot of these issues. They usually ended up as rolled up fly swatters in the summertime! 😃 who knew?
Hah! Yeah, comic books were read, used and abused for the longest time. Hope this video brought back some fond memories!
These are the comics/genres I’ve been focusing on the past few years, and you’re right, most are difficult to find in mid to high grade. I’ve had a few of those series on my want list for years with not much activity. Really fun video with some on point insight!
I've noticed some of these books are starting to come out of the woodwork a bit, but only at what I feel are very high prices. I'm pretty much going to just stick to some of the shorter runs for now. Good luck with the hunt!
Great video! I started collecting back in 1972 and recall seeing some of these obscure issues, particularly the horror items. It’s great to see and hear about some truly rare comics.
I can only imagine how overloaded the newsstands or spinner racks used to look in the 1970s with so many titles being published. Super-hero comics were still very popular, but it was nice to see some other genres like horror make a come back.
Thank you. I could never figure out the l pals and l kids with Calvin angle as to why marvel printed them. I would have never thought fat albert but when you mentioned it, it rang a bell. Even more strange is why my teenage brother bought and saved them in his collection. Anyway thank you again for your insights on rare marvel comics from the seventies which does not include men and arms.
After I published the video, I realized that Peter the Pest was also a blatant copy of Dennis the Menace, who was also very popular at that time. Publishers certainly tried to copy each others' successes. Thanks for watching!
This was great. I'm a fan of Bronze Age books but I hadn't heard of some of these!
They can be hard to track down, but are fun to look for. Thanks for watching!
Good episode. I remember when we were constantly chasing all of these titles. Fun times
P.S. It's the Mod Squad on the cover of Spoof
The chase was a lot of fun - still is, but frustratingly expensive now. I definitely should not have been so picky about grade when coming across those Night Nurses.
I’ve never heard of the Haunt of Horror paperbacks. I’ll keep an eye out for them. Thanks!
I remember seeing them in the Mighty Marvel Checklists inside of 1970s Marvel comic books and I always wondered what they were. I only found a set of these by chance at a used book store so I got pretty lucky. Happy hunting!
Nice video, it shows you put a lot of work into it. I would almost put the later part of the western titles from marvel before they were cancelled like Kid Colt Outlaw, Rawhide Kid and so on from the later part of the 70’s, all had reprint stories and not high print runs. So some of those books in high grade can be difficult to find. Lived in San Antonio for years and have well over a 100, 30 cent variants in all various grades, they can be fun to hunt down. But most of all enjoy the comics for what they were intended, take a chance to read them, we will never be 7 to 10 years old again but they can sure take you back to a simple time…
I'm jealous! It must have been fun tracking down those variants in your area. I have a fondness for 1970s comics as I had a few of them growing up and they were read to death. Thanks for watching!
Great content, and it's good to see someone notice these things!
I think there's a few of us like minded collectors who like to track down these obscure titles. Thanks for commenting and watching!
Great content I have so many of these books because I find the odd ball books fun to collect!
Indeed! Some of the titles like Prez and Shade are actually interesting reads as well, and they are a lot of fun to hunt down and collect!
That second Superman and Spider-Man I had as a regular reading book!
Very cool! I did not know they released that story in that format!
Excellent video.
Despite lasting only a few issues, titles like The Cat, the original Shanna The She-Devil and everyone's favourite, Night Nurse, are very hard to find in high grade (Marvel reprinted all four issues of NN about 10 years ago which is how I finally managed to read them).
It's taken me decades to get nearly all the b/w monster mags, only about a dozen left to find; unfortunately one of those is Savage Tales #1, which will cost me a lot when I finally get around to buying a copy.
FOOM issues have become increasingly hard to find and increasingly popular, and as you point out, they were never printed in big numbers to begin with.
Among the non-Marvel and DC titles of the Bronze Age, very hard to find (in any grade) are the small number of b/w magazines from the short-lived Atlas-Seabord in 1975-76, such as Devilina and Gothic Romances (which I have never seen a copy of anywhere).
I've seen a lot of Savage Tales #1, but I think one of reasons why I've seen it a lot is that it's a popular book and has always been relatively expensive (and now it's just too expensive in my opinion). That's amazing that you're close to finishing the monster mag run. I mentioned that I regret selling the ones that I had, as I really liked them, and I know now it will be extremely difficult to go back and get them at anywhere near a reasonable cost. I had to look up those two Atlas Seaboard titles, I didn't even know they published them! Thanks for watching and commenting!
I also love 70's comics (the time when I started buying them). I still enjoy the copy of Where Monsters Dwell that introduced me to one of my favorites; "Fin Fang Foom"! Happy to support your channel, so glad I found it! *New Subscriber **#838**!* Hope this helps your journey to 1K! OMGosh, I laughed at the HB comic; I remember watching Dynomutt and also the Blue Falcon on Saturday mornings! 😁 The favorite Fireside book I bought was the Silver Surfer issue! I also used to own a "Champions price variant" I believe... I was so mad when the change my mother gave me to buy 3 comics was not enough. I kept thinking the cashier was in error LOL. Have a great rest of your week Raph! Skol ~ Bjorn
Thanks Skol! Saturday morning was a treat watching HB cartoons. While the HB comic books have a lot of nostalgia, it's not quite the same as the cartoons. Fin Fang Foom has a really strong following, a classic Marvel monster from a great time period.
@@raph-retro-comics Kids nowadays don't know the excitement of Cartoons only on Saturday!😅 Btw, "Skol" is like saying "Cheers" in Scandinavian. Looking forward to your next video, Bjorn. 😁
@Bjornscomiccollection1964 Apologies Bjorn! Yes, kids probably wouldn't understand the ritual of a bowl of sugary cereal with Saturday morning cartoons!
Back in the early 90s, I passed on a VF-NM set of Night Nurse 1-5 for under $10. I knew it was a rarity, especially a complete set, but It was over guide at the price, and I would've had to break out the plastic at the time, or skip a few of my regular titles to get it.
When they intorduced Clair (Rosario Dawson) into the Netflix Marvel universe, and these issues were the inspiration, I wanted a time machine!
Too many times I've passed up on comic books I should have picked up! I was the same, I didn't like paying over guide for books, even if they were dirt cheap in the guide. Thanks for watching!
Very cool list! I have some of these books, but not in high grade. 👍🏼💙
Thank you! It was a fun list to put together, and even more fun looking for these over they years.
Great topic. I remember sitting at the local bookstore reading and re-reading Son of Origins and Bring on the Baddies way too many times when i was a kid. Thanks for the examples as I found a Western Team-Up #1 in really high grade (I believe). I have to do some thinking on if I grade it to preserve this one.
@@4stringerbass540 Those two fireside books are the best of the bunch! I'm glad there are other collectors looking for books like Western Team-up!
I collected all the 1970s-1980s Treasury Editions. The hardest to find are the non hero ones. I had an extremely hard time finding DCs Welcome Back Kotter treasury.
DC treasuries are very tough. I didn't even know there was a Welcome Back Kotter treasury! I had a few of the Rudolph ones years ago which are pretty hard to find. Thanks for watching!
Great video! Thanks for sharing the information.
Thanks for the vid! Never knew about the Scoff title..never ran into an issue before in my comic hunting/collecting days.books
The b/w horror Marvel titles...wish I had gotten a run of them back in the day. Since the art wasn't in color, they weren't of much personal interest so I never focused on them.
Cheers!
Marvel published so many one-off titles that lasted 5 issus or less in the 1970s. I think there's an issue or two in that run that I've never come across outside of the Internet as well. Thanks for watching!
This video was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed the deep dive. Just discovered your channel, but I'm really digging it! Thanks!
Thanks for watching and subbing! Really enjoyed making this one and thinking about doing DC next, but I'm kind of thin on 70s DC books compared to Marvel.
Like you, I sold off so many uncommon comics in high grade. I, too, was a condition snob. That's why I never managed to get any issues of Night Nurse. Other Marvel magazines that were tough to find in high grade - Planet of the Apes magazine, Howard the Duck magazine, Rampaging Hulk, and Deadly Hands of Kung Fu.
It annoys me that I put back VG/FN copies of Night Nurse #1 back in the box that were literally under a dollar years ago thinking I'd be able to find nicer copies. Sigh.
Enjoyed video…The Dc horror from the early 70s is also very hard to find in high grade..
Yes, moreso than Marvels in my opinion. Such great covers as well! The mid 1970s DC horror are a little easier, but I find it really title dependent. Some titles just seem impossible!
You got a very not usual collection. Love it
Thanks! I'm glad there's a good amount of interest in this stuff!
Great video. I've been collecting Marvel horror for 3 years now and trying to complete the Marvel horror genre. Completed Tomb of Darkness, Beware, Uncanny Tales from the Grave, Chamber of Chills, Fear, and Dead of Night, all high grade. For me, it's high grade or go home. Now gotta complete Monsters on the Prowl and Where Creatures Dwell. EC Horror is next on my list. Keep up the great videos. Love the content. Stay a kid at heart and never part with what you love.
@littlekoalas6174 Very impressive! Later issues of Monsters on the Prowl and Where Monsters Dwell have been tough for me locate in nice shape, I'm not close to finishing those. ECs are an entirely different story and I feel they are now out if my reach. I'll be content to pick up the reprints for now. Happy hunting and thanks for watching!
Monsters Unleased #1 cover is stunning. Looking for a copy now, haha.
Such a great series! Like I mentioned, I regret parting with my other monster Marvel mags from that time period, and they're so much more tougher/expensive now in grade. Live and learn!
The non-superhero Bronze Age Marvels were not particularly popular, but I think the repeated title changes were to protect the trademarks in case one of the characters suddenly did take off (sort of like Howard the Duck) or one of the underground comics-or even the independents, which were just getting going-did decide to appropriate an old comic title and turn it into something R or X-rated. Marvel knew how to produce quality books, but didn’t really invest the time or effort necessary to jump-start a hit. One exception was the B&W line which did have quality material, but the distribution system was awful: if you collected these, you really had to hunt for them, and because they were usually on the bottom shelf with the car mags and the fitness mags, they got bent down by folks wanting to see the mag behind. It was almost as bad as those circular display racks for comics in drugstores-and there were only a few copies. Ugh.
I'm starting to think I the horror magazines were too low on my list. For some reason, there were a few times over the years where I was able to buy a bunch of them at once in nice shape, so I just assumed they were a little easier to find. I do see them occasionally now, but the prices have really caught up and I can't bring myself to re-buy them at these prices. Thanks for watching!
Great video! I love these sorts of obscure treks through comics history so will check out your other videos. A fine antedote to all those omnibus/cgc obsessed channels.
The omnibus stuff is great, but you can't replace the feel/smell of the old newsprint in comic books. Thanks for watching!
Some things I agree with you...most..but also sometimes I was like ..oh look at his shirt...calling himself out. 😂
Hah! Thanks for watching 😁
@@raph-retro-comics Welp that was for another video.. which cut over to yours while typing... But since I've found you... I may as well have a look!
The Star Wars # 1 was test marketed in California...had two copies and a No. 3 back in early 1980s but sold or traded away. Thanks for info.
I remember a lot of people thought this book was a myth! I have never seen one in person myself. Thanks for watching.
Probably because very low print run..I was in Louisiana rural area and traded for them from a fellow who bought from a transfered serviceman from California...unfortunately traded away them and sold #3 on early Ebay period. Along with a numbevariants. 35 cent cover variants. No idea of value these books gained...think Star Wars true 35 cent cover books were only 1500 printed per news back in 1980s.
I tell people about all the non-superhero titles that were in newsstands in the early 1970s and they can’t begin to visualize it. They can’t even visualize an actual newsstand!
I had a funny moment a few weeks ago. My dad asked me to pick up a Sunday paper for him. It took me a while to figure out where to get one. It's been years since I've read one and it was maybe 25% of the thickness it used to be. On top of that, it was $5!!!!
All of those Bronze Age Horror reprints, I purchased several issues of those different titles back in the late 90's and they are all in high grade. I am 4 issues away from having complete runs of all of those titles. This was a great video!
4 issues! I'm probably only halfway there, but I took a long break from buying comic books and I've only started again in the past couple years. They've only gotten tougher to find! Best of luck on those last 4 issues!
@@raph-retro-comics , thanks!
Nice and refreshing take on comics! I dig most of the genres you mentioned but how do you feel about the Marvel Fun & Games issues that started in 1979? Really hard to find clean and flat copies.
Very good addition to the list! I've seen those around but I've never owned my own copy. I'd probably lump it in with the other oddball items as it seems to fit with that group well. Thanks for watching!
#10 Treasuries: Agreed. Signed by Stan Lee only at a cost of $5 and only thru Marvel. I passed and ordered the non-signed one. Still kicking myself ! Amazing Spider-Man Treasury #1 signed by Lee and Romita.
Lee AND Romita! I've so many books I've regretted not purchasing...but I keep telling myself there will always be plenty of opportunities out there in the future. Thanks for watching!
@@raph-retro-comics Your channel is great!
I had one of those arrrgs when I was a kid. I remember loving it!
I have to tell you, re-reading some of these more recently made me realize just how different humor was back then! Some of it was funny, some of it was just weird!
@@raph-retro-comics heck, it was so long ago, there’s actually a possibility that I never even read one when I think about it! I’m talking like 1975 or so! 🤣
Great topic and selection of great comics!
Thanks! I've been looking for a lot of these over the years and I'm glad people are interested in these!
I’m a fan of Gunhawks and have issues 3-7. Still looking for 1 and 2.
@@robertmonroejr1315 It's a tough run to complete, but I think you have the tougher issues out of the way! Thanks for watching!
9:20 Changing the title mid-issue number had to do with the US Post Office. Something about registering an issue for magazine mailing. It cost money to register ... initially. But it did not cost anything (or little?) If you just changed the title. That's my understanding anyway.
If I have this wrong, I'm sure others out there will correct me.
@magnumrex just adding a little more info. Stream of thought above before I read posted comments.
Great content! Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed the episode!
29:58 This was a great concept, with lots of fun comics, but I can't believe you didn't mention Mark Jewelers or comics with intact Marvel Value Stamps!
Really informative video. The Hanna-Barebera Titles are a blast from the past.
Thanks Brian! They're the cartoons I grew up with most, so the nostalgia factor is really big there.
I just picked up a My Love Story 1 in NM-. Opportunistic purchase. I wasn't looking for it, but I wasn't going to take a pass on it
Good score! Might be a long while before you see another one in that grade. Hope you got a good deal on it!
@@raph-retro-comics Thanks. Not cheap, but cheap compared to the over-priced stuff on eBay. Please keep up the good content!
My new favorite channel , great work!
Much appreciated! Happy that there are a lot of interested viewers out there for this content!
LOL So, they're hard to find in high grade. Of course they are! They're from the '70's!! OMG, there are no Marvel and DC books that are truly "rare." As hard as it is to believe, people bought comics and READ them in the '70's. They didn't stick them in a case so they couldn't be read. I don't want super mint copies when I buy books from the 1970's or earlier. As long as they are complete with a semi-smooth cover then I am good. Keep on going with the videos, bro!!
I am a self-admitted high grade junkie! It's pretty stupid I know, but it's hard to shake these bad habits! I'm hoping to slowly re-hab myself. Thanks for watching!
That mentality kept me from buy tons of Silver age key comics in the 70’s .
Live and learn😆
In the early 70s, the CCA (Comics Code Authority) started to become more lenient with the rating codes, which allowed Marvel to reprint those horror/monster genre books from the 1950s. You have an impressive set on Bronze age books. I agree, those titles are a little difficult to locate out in the wild. Those price variants were test marketed in cities with military bases. I live here in Albuquerque (Kirtland AFB) and heard that Albuquerque was part of that price test market. Not 100% sure on that though.
I wondered why those cities would have been selected as it seemed pretty random - that makes far more sense. I actually bought that Conan 35 cent variant here in Toronto, and wondered how it got up here. Thanks for the compliments and watching!
I like videos about this subject. Subbed you up and looking forward to scanning through your other videos.
Thanks for subbing and watching! It's been a bit of a challenge coming up with topics and I'm glad this one has been of interest for comic book enthusiasts.
I've never heard of Happy ghost
I suspect Marvel got into copyright trouble when they originally published those issues. It would be funny if they brought the character back in some form.
Really good content! Also remembered the Gothic Tales of Love Digest.
Wow, these are truly scarce! I've never come across any of these in my collecting. These would probably take #2 on the list with only the 35 cent variants being tougher.
i have a great copy of that Ringo Kid! You need Killdozer!
Gah! I love the cover but I never ran into a copy that I was happy with at the right price.
Another fun instalment. Learned a lot here.
Thanks Sean, this was a fun one to make!
New subscriber; excellent video. Look forward to new content - very good insight. Thank you
Thanks for subbing and watching! I try to have a new video once a week on Sundays.
Great video! Enjoyed it! Subscribed!
Thanks for watching and subbing!
Fun list! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching, much appreciated!
Room 222? Karen Valentine ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ was cute in that show.
I almost lost respect for your knowledge. Definitely Mod Squad. Glad you corrected yourself.
I'm glad I caught myself 😂 I vaguely remember watching re-runs of both shows, and I'm not sure why I got them confused. Thanks for watching!
Haha I just got that beware 1 in the mail from eBay. Super condition I was planning to grade it.
Congrats, what a great book! I hope you'll continue the search for other issues!
@@raph-retro-comics I've been collecting oddball 60s 70s horror and UFO comics for a couples years. Love the art of the period.
I just got Mad about Millie #1. I thought it was neat. Im also a big Gold Key comic collector
Congrats! I like that it's a giant-size issue. I have a handful of Gold Keys, and I'm glad to hear there are collectors out there, but I imagine it can be an adventure as they're a lot harder to find than Marvel/DC books from that era in my experience.
As for “The Outlaw Kid”, the first nine issues were reprints, but issues 10-16 featured new stories, then back to all reprints for the rest of the series.
Interesting how they managed to add new stories midway through the series! I had just assumed they were all reprints of the original Atlas series. Thanks for watching!
What about the black-and-white Spiderman magazine. Got a copy. Then there's the Rampaging Hulk magazine.
Good call on the B&W Spider-man magazine! Strange how that didn't last more than 2 issues. I find the Rampaging Hulk magazines not too difficult, I think part of it because of the TV series at that time. Some of the later issues can definitely be hard though.
The really hard to find Fireside books are the hardcovers. Most of them are found without the dust jacket and most of the ones that do have the dust jacket are former library books. Some of the rarest ones will only turn up once every few years in decent shape.
Yes! I've always noticed those entries in the Overstreet Price Guide but have never seen any in person. Similarly, I've never come across the hardcover versions of the DC Famous First Edition treasury books - although those I suspect are a little easier to find.
@@raph-retro-comics I have all of them, some in better condition than others, but they're complete with the dust jackets.
Another rarity worth mentioning are the Mark Jeweler inserts. Manufactured for military readers. Buy some rings for the girl back home.
Definitely, and these are a lot harder to come by up here in Canada, and I personally don't own any myself. It's only in the past few years did I become aware of them and the premium they hold.
Yes, in the '80s I lived in a town next to an air force base and the local convenience stores carried the retail comics with those inserts.
It bugged me, because there was a comic book shop also, but sometimes sold out of the latest direct Marvel comics I would buy.
So I had to get the retail comics.
At that time, being younger, i thought it was stupid putting those ads right in the middle of the comic, so I pulled them out.
Probably not a good idea now.
@@RandomPau I'm fascinated at how collectable comic books with those inserts have become! Who would have thought?
@@RandomPau I never saw them as a kid. I only came across them a few years ago and have sought out my favorite issues that have them inside.
Great video. Thanks for the info.
Thank you! Appreciate you commenting and watching!
Very good video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Great content! Awesome comics.
@@marcovendetti3373 Thanks for watching!
The only rare Marvel bronze age comics I know of are the .30 cent variants. They were only 1% of the print runs. Rare is bases on low production but scarce is based on extremely hard to find based on many factors. Grades are not relevant when it comes to readers only to those looking to make money in most instances. I enjoyed the premise of this videos although I have every comic you highlighted because they are not really scarce. Ironically a few years back I purchased a lot off eBay which had all the #1s of westerns you showcased including Gunslinger #1.
I thought the price varaint covers were the rarities with just a small percentage of each issue having the higher cover price.
I know what you mean by being picky about condition of books you look out for. I have holes just because of this…I guess I’m a bit of a snob.
I'll tell myself, 'Well, if I weren't so picky, I'd have thousands of more comic books'. Being a condition snob is okay in my books! Thanks for watching!
Amazing Spider-Man 184 All Detergent Variant with sticker still attached. Rarer than most 30 and 35 cent variants. Not S booby Doo #1 35 cent variant rare though.
I had to look that one up! A very unique comic book and one that I imagine would drive Spider-man completists crazy!
@@raph-retro-comics Yes, it's not too hard to find with the sticker removed, but still attached is tricky. I do like the way you laid out the books by genre here. Great job.
Your list of 5 cities is wrong for Star Wars #1. I distinctly remember having the choice to purchase either the 30 cent or 35 cent (both were available at the same time in the same drug store) in Hopkins, Minnesota. At the time I was only buying #1 comics believing that the first issue would always be the one that would become the most valuable.
I hadn’t heard of Star Wars at the time, it was released prior to the movie’s release in the theaters. Bring s young poor kid, I reasoned “why would I pay 5 cents more for the same comic” and bought the 30 cent.
Years later I found out it was Gopher News out of Minneapolis, Minnesota which distributed all comics in the region. So your list is definitely wrong, or at the minimum there were more than only 5 cities. The drug store I bought this comic at would have ripped off the front cover and returned it to Gopher News along with all other unsold comics, magazines, etc. for credit, which is what was common at the time, it being cheaper than shipping the entire thing back.
It was also years later I found out I should have shelled out the extra 5 cents!
Wow! There isn't a lot of information out there on the distribution of these variants, so it's great to hear it first hand from someone who experienced it. It's bizarre though, why would they put out both versions at the same place at the same time? Maybe it was a mix up? I can't imagine the idea of counting returns as well, someone had to do it right? Thanks for sharing!
excellent
So for new titles taking old numbering had something to do with fees that had to be paid. A new title cost more than just continuing an old one. Also Monster Madness magazine has to be on your list.
Monster Madness! I had owned a few of these before, how could I forget? Thanks for the info about continuing issues, I had always wondered about that.
Good video thank you
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
I have a copy of Lil Kids featuring Calvin 11. Looking for decent copies of 10 and 12.
@@robertmonroejr1315 I don't have 10 or 11, and I would really like a nice copy of 10, Calvin's 1st app. I'm glad there are other collectors out there looking for this stuff!
If you look at Our Love Story #32 cover long enough the characters look Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy to me. Like more mature maybe in their mid twenty's. 🤔🤫☺️
Might be Gwen Stacy's clone from that weird clone saga in the 70s. Hmm...come to think of it, the timing is pretty close! 😁
awesome content...
Does anybody remember when the bronze age was mid 80's/90s?
I don't recall that time period being called the Bronze Age, but that era is commonly called the Copper age by a lot of collectors. Not the best name in my opinion!
Rare comics doesnt mean hard to find in high grade.maybe thats hard to find but not a rare issue.
Agreed! 'Rare' is an overused term in many hobbies, and needs to put in context to be meaningful.
mod sqaud
Do you collect double covers?
I have a couple, and these are also quite scarce. One is actually an old Atlas war title from the 1950s. I don't intentionally look out for them, it's more just luck when I come across them. Thanks for watching!
I remem ber in the '70s, collectors felt double covered comics were worthless because they were printing errors. When comic co.lecting became like coin collecting, suddenly printing errors and variants like Mark Jewelers and pricing experiments became sought after. ( l still don't see rhe attraction for the Mark Jewelers issues.]
@@danpetitpas The Mark Jewelers thing is a bit weird for me, but I get that there are collectors who want copies of every single version of a comic book out there. But yeah, these versions can get expensive!
Didn’t the Bronze Age last until about 1985?
It's kind of hard to pin down when it ended, and there are various opinions out there. Some will say it ended in 1983 with Secret Wars or with Spider-man's new costume. I think it's just easier to classify by decade, and the Bronze Age is predominantly the 1970s. There's even a lot of debate as to when it officially started. Thanks for watching!
@@raph-retro-comics thanks! I’ve heard the same as well. I’ve heard some say 1985 because of Crisis on Infinite Earths but I think it was more of a transition period from say 1982 to 1985. But you’re right, it was predominantly the 1970s.
There are no rare books from the bronze age, rare condition yes, but not books.
I think you can make a strong argument for some of the 35 cent variants like the Scooby Doo #1. There is only recorded sale in GPA in the past twenty years for a 2.5, and it sold for a ridiculous $2,500. Those are the only books I would say are truly rare, and it's really hard to determine how many are out there.
Great show, too long, but that’s ok!
I think I had a bit too much fun making the vid ;-)
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