u/magazineman

Almost my oldest comic: The original crossover experience. Crisis on Earth Platinum?

Who here has a treasured trove of Charlton comics? When I was a kid, they were super cheap so I bought many books at countless flea markets and quarter bins at comic shops. Was especially fond of the Ditko titles (Captain Atom, Blue Beetle, and the Question) but my faves were Space:1999, the Six Million Dollar Man, and any Phantom stories drawn by Aparo or Don Newton. What were your faves?

Yeah, here's my dad. Working class dude whose three major addictions were: Drinking, growing his big-ass red beard, and finding bargains. Went to countless auctions with him when we lived in the midwest and he always stepped up for me whenever there was a lot of old comics I really wanted. One time, at a pet store (of all places), the owner was selling off his childhood collection, all filed in long boxes under the aquariums. For 9 bucks each, I got X-Men 3 and 4, as well as Avengers 4 and a ripped-up Daredevil 1. My dad paid for all of them, and never made me feel bad about the 36 dollars he spent. Happy Father's Day to him and to all current and future dads. Don't be afraid to support your kids' (non-toxic) hobbies. They will remember it for the rest of their lives! PS: What comics did your dads help you acquire, friends??

So, this is the book that haunts me. Bought it for $325 in the late 90s. It had HUGE amounts of corrosive Scotch tape in the upper left corner and all down the spine. A friend convinced me to send it off for restoration. About 600 bucks later, I got it back as you see, with an estimated grade at an Apparent 8.0 if not better. I love it, but need to know what others think of its current apparent grade and value! I have $925 invested in this bad boy. Worth it? Open to all comments! Thank you!

A few days ago, I posted one of the crappiest-condition grails I own and enjoyed the responses. But I was reminded that this book is absolutely the worst of my grails, and also the oldest DC book I own. Pages so brittle I don’t dare read it, so it sits in a safe. Coverless but complete. Paid 500 bucks for it about 15 years ago. Honestly have no idea if I overpaid, but I love it anyway. Who knows the issue?

Got it for 50 cents at a church rummage sale in the 80s. Every page is loose but the book is complete. What is your worst-condition grail?

In the spirit of things: That time the LSH got caught in a Hav-A-Hart trap. Always amused me that the heroes they chose to depict on this cover each had at least 5 ways to escape.