Suprising Books that rose to the status of classics

[mrbrklyn]

I was looking yesterday at Prestne Comics and I noticed that they are selling a lot of All-Star Comics for over $300 dollars.

http://pristinecomics.com/all-star-c...-1st-huntress/

Now, I have a huge collection, perhaps larger than most stores, and I was quite astonished to see that this entire series has a fairly decent price listing in the Overstreet Guild.

The books, I didn't think, were all that good, even flat, IMO. Detective Books of the same period, even noted storylines, simple aren't commanding these kind of prices.

[Lee Stone]

I'm not too surprised. Although, they do seem to be inflating the cost a little bit.
That's 16 issues at about $20 each, with most of the value being Power Girl's 1st appearance and one of Huntress' first appearances (tied with the Secret Origins issue that came out the same month), as well as some Wally Wood art.
Also take into consideration that they were during the newsstand/spinner rack era and most likely less ordered than the more popular titles at the time (especially with it being canceled and the JSA moving to Adventure), so there's quite possibly less copies in circulation than, say, JLA or Avengers of the time. And then, coming from the era before everyone bagged comics, fewer still in mint condition. I'd wager that if anyone was buying it at the time, it was to be read, and re-read, and not expected to be much of a collectors' item.
If they're NM they may actually be worth that much. But the 'see image for grade' would make me skeptical.

But, all in all, a comic is really worth no more than what you'd pay for it. And then, it drops in personal value if you don't enjoy it and goes up if you do.

I'd buy them digitally and read them first, if you're considering getting them for yourself and see if they'd be worth that much to you.
And as far as collecting them goes, I'd only recommend #58 and #70 for the first appearances.
They're also available in two trade paperbacks (that also include the Adventure Comics stories) which are quite a bit more affordable.
And even if you were considering buying them purely for investing, you have to keep in mind that they'd be in less demand than most other comics and many readers would quickly choose the tpbs or digital over paying that much money. While those two two key issues may still get some interest, you'd be stuck with 14 issues with no strong demand.

[mrbrklyn]

I'm not too surprised. Although, they do seem to be inflating the cost a little bit.
That's 16 issues at about $20 each, with most of the value being Power Girl's 1st appearance and one of Huntress' first appearances (tied with the Secret Origins issue that came out the same month), as well as some Wally Wood art.
Also take into consideration that they were during the newsstand/spinner rack era and most likely less ordered than the more popular titles at the time (especially with it being canceled and the JSA moving to Adventure), so there's quite possibly less copies in circulation than, say, JLA or Avengers of the time. And then, coming from the era before everyone bagged comics, fewer still in mint condition. I'd wager that if anyone was buying it at the time, it was to be read, and re-read, and not expected to be much of a collectors' item.
If they're NM they may actually be worth that much. But the 'see image for grade' would make me skeptical.

But, all in all, a comic is really worth no more than what you'd pay for it. And then, it drops in personal value if you don't enjoy it and goes up if you do.

I'd buy them digitally and read them first, if you're considering getting them for yourself and see if they'd be worth that much to you.
And as far as collecting them goes, I'd only recommend #58 and #70 for the first appearances.
They're also available in two trade paperbacks (that also include the Adventure Comics stories) which are quite a bit more affordable.
And even if you were considering buying them purely for investing, you have to keep in mind that they'd be in less demand than most other comics and many readers would quickly choose the tpbs or digital over paying that much money. While those two two key issues may still get some interest, you'd be stuck with 14 issues with no strong demand.

Hmm

I own them and read them off the rack and did bag them in milar


The TPBs has taken the wind out of the sales for filler books in collection, and maybe that makes me sad. All-Star was always popular with the editors at DC and a certain segment of collectors/readers. It is hard to put a finger on why they never took off, but maybe the poor writing is the first reason.

[Lee Stone]

Hmm

I own them and read them off the rack and did bag them in milar


The TPBs has taken the wind out of the sales for filler books in collection, and maybe that makes me sad. All-Star was always popular with the editors at DC and a certain segment of collectors/readers. It is hard to put a finger on why they never took off, but maybe the poor writing is the first reason.

I didn't discover All-Star until the digest reprint a few years later.
My guess is that the title wasn't 'familiar' enough to the people in charge of ordering for the spinner racks.
And being bi-monthly, it was probably forgotten about by readers who thought they missed an issue or the ordering people possibly thinking it was cancelled.

[mrbrklyn]

[Jim Kelly]

If I recall correctly, when ALL-STAR COMICS first relaunched it was part of Conway's Corner. There were a number of titles in Conway's Corner, but most of them failed. ALL-STAR was maybe the only one that had legs, although even it was done in by the DC Implosion, yet managed to survive in ADVENTURE COMICS for a bit longer.

Gerry Conway had two turns at DC. And I think Conway's Corner was his first attempt. But then he went back to Marvel for a year or so and, when he returned to DC, his second turn yielded very long runs on the DC titles, but it wasn't Conway's Corner by then and he maybe didn't have the same autonomy as that first turn when he had his own section of the DCU all to himself.

You would be hard pressed to choose which of the Conway's Corner books would have been a success. It was totally a crap shoot and really ALL-STAR survived by having a depth of talent--so it could weather the departures of Gerry Conway, Ric Estrada and Wally Wood, by having Keith Giffen, Paul Levitz, Joe Staton and Bob Layton as relief players.

[mrbrklyn]

If I recall correctly, when ALL-STAR COMICS first relaunched it was part of Conway's Corner. There were a number of titles in Conway's Corner, but most of them failed. ALL-STAR was maybe the only one that had legs, although even it was done in by the DC Implosion, yet managed to survive in ADVENTURE COMICS for a bit longer.

Gerry Conway had two turns at DC. And I think Conway's Corner was his first attempt. But then he went back to Marvel for a year or so and, when he returned to DC, his second turn yielded very long runs on the DC titles, but it wasn't Conway's Corner by then and he maybe didn't have the same autonomy as that first turn when he had his own section of the DCU all to himself.

You would be hard pressed to choose which of the Conway's Corner books would have been a success. It was totally a crap shoot and really ALL-STAR survived by having a depth of talent--so it could weather the departures of Gerry Conway, Ric Estrada and Wally Wood, by having Keith Giffen, Paul Levitz, Joe Staton and Bob Layton as relief players.

Wonderful! Thanks for the hsitory lesson. How did you come about with this backround information?

[mrbrklyn]

https://davescomicheroes.blogspot.co...league-of.html

[Jim Kelly]

Wonderful! Thanks for the hsitory lesson. How did you come about with this backround information?

I was around back then and paid attention.

[mrbrklyn]

I was around back then and paid attention.

You worked for National?

[Lee Stone]

You worked for National?

I think what he means is... that he just paid attention. Pretty much what we do nowadays.



Some more stuff.

[Jim Kelly]

Yeah, what Lee said. I was still in high school at the time, living in Canada. Working for National would have been my dream job, but I had no idea how to get in the door.

I did subscribe to their in-house fanzine (aka prozine), THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS, which included features that promoted all the latest projects--so that gave me a better knowledge of the inside workings of the company, more than the average consumer.

[mrbrklyn]

I think what he means is... that he just paid attention. Pretty much what we do nowadays.



Some more stuff.

That is VERY cool. I never saw that, or at least paid attention to it.

[mrbrklyn]

Yeah, what Lee said. I was still in high school at the time, living in Canada. Working for National would have been my dream job, but I had no idea how to get in the door.

I did subscribe to their in-house fanzine (aka prozine), THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS, which included features that promoted all the latest projects--so that gave me a better knowledge of the inside workings of the company, more than the average consumer.

Years ago, prior to launching Vertigo, there was an interview with Kahn about DC's efforts to respond to the success of American Flagg!! and Ms Tree. It might have been even in the DC Ms Tree? I tried to find it to use on wikipedea to support my dispute with them over the American Flagg!! entry, and I couldn't find it anywhere (not that facts matter to Wikipedea, but that is another story).

[The Darknight Detective]

I think what he means is... that he just paid attention. Pretty much what we do nowadays.



Some more stuff.

I remember that ad!