Click here for the Main Introduction Page to see the Leader's Report on the Savannah Comic Con and Pulpfest

Click on any image below to see it much larger with more detail.

Sunday 19 August 2023

Gene Carpenter About 30 minutes before the Early Bird buyers are let into the show, the Leader's favorite comic book dealer Gene Carpenter has hust begun his time honored ritual of lining his display walls with his fabulous collection of Silver and Golden age comics.	Gene Carpenter About 30 minutes later Gene is still putting up his comics while a few Early Bird buyers are looking through comic boxes that belong to Gene's partner at this show, Jimmy Montgomery. All the comic boxes on the tables belong to Jimmy and all the display wall comics belong to Gene.	Shelton Drum Meanwhile the Godfather of Southern Comic Book Dealers, Shelton Drum, is putting the finishing touches on his booth. That's his assistant Kevin Merrill watching him. Let's take a look at those oversize Marvel comics hardcover books seen at far left.

Shelton Drum I bought when they were first released starting several months ago the Spider-Man, Avengers and Fantastic Four volumes. I may pick up the X-Men later. Shelton is showing off the type of heavy cardboard decorative box these books come in. The Taschen publishing company headquartered in Germany photographed the comics in Shelton's personal collection to produce these books. The comic page reproduction and other graphic touches are quite sumptuous. I'm hoping Taschen will eventually release these same books but in a smaller size you can more comfortably read.	Kevin Merrill Shelton Drum's assistant Kevin Merrill with two of Shelton's Atomic Age horror comics: Black Magic #14, 1952 and #9, 1952 both with Jack Kirby covers but no interior art. Jack Kirby and his partner Joe Simon invented this comic book. Kirby drew the covers and some stories for many of the early issues.	David Vollbach David Vollbach of Fredericksburg (VA) Greatest Comics always has some interesting Silver and Golden Age comics. Let's take a closer look at some of them in the next photo below.

David Vollbach David is holding up The Incredible Hulk #6, 1963 is the last issue of the Hulk own comic. Steve Ditko drew the cover and story. Jack Kirby drew the first five issues. The Hulk made a few guest appearances in other Marvel comics until getting a permanent spot as the second story playing second fiddle to the Giant-Man lead story in Tales To Astonish #60, 1964. The Charlton comic True Life Secrets #23, 1954 might be a little more suggestive than the usual romance comic since we all know what she is going to have to do to get that bracelet. The EC comic Shock Suspense Stories #6, 1952 is always popular with its damsel in distress / Ku Klux Klan cover and story by EC's top artist Wally Wood.	Robert Griffin Robert Griffin is the only dealer at this show who can go toe to toe with Shelton Drum and Gene Carpenter for having the best inventory of vintage comics. These issues of Nightmare are both from the St. John publishing company that frequently had some of the best artists drawing for its horror comics. The #12, 1954 has a Joe Kubert cover and is signed by Kubert. The #9, 1954 has a painted cover but I don't know by who. The Grand Comic Book Database doesn't list these comics and the hardcover reprint book I have from PS Artbooks doesn't say either since PS Artbooks is to lazy to include a table of contents in their books.	Robert Griffin Robert with two more vintage horror comics: The Fawcett comic Another World #3, 1952 with a nice cover painted by the great pulp magazine artist Norman Saunders The Ziff-Davis comic Amazing Adventures #1, 1950 would make somebody an excellent collectible. It has a painted cover, one story written by Superman's creator Jerry Siegel and one story each drawn by top artists Murphy Anderson, Wally Wood and Alex Schomburg. I first saw this comic in the early 1980s when I made a visit to Ron Pusell's Redbeard's Book Den in Newport Beach, California. I couldn't afford it then and I can't afford it now.

Miki Annamananthadoo On a tip from Guy Rose I was able to buy a large collection of hardcover and paperback books from Miki Annamananthadoo of Richmond, Virginia a few years ago. Miki collects mostly original comic and science fiction art. He brought this portfolio by the show to show his friend Julio Crespo. I can't afford to buy Miki's original art but he his nice enough when he can attend this show to bring me his catalogs of original art.

Jim Frost, David Shankle On my trips around the comic shows in the South for the last few years I frequently heard the name of noteworthy collector David Shankle. I caught a few glimpses of him at the Captain's Comic Expo in Charleston, South Carolina a few years ago but until this show I never had the chance to meet him and take his picture. Here's David with his son David setup next to Guy Rose. At left is Guy Rose with his associate Julio Crespo. Across from David is Jim Frost looking over one of David's comics.

David Shankle David with two examples from his impressive collection of vintage comics. The Ajax/Farrell comic Fantastic Fears #5, 1954 contains the story "Stretching Things" which like David's circular sticker says was the first professional comic book story drawn by Steve Ditko. But there was a delay in publishing the story after he drew it. So, the second professional story Ditko drew, "Paper Romance," published by Gillmore Magazines in Daring Love #1, 1953 is actually the first Ditko story to see print in a comic book. The Atlas comic Adventures Into Terror #2, 1952 has a cover by Sol Brodsky who was no famous artist but he was with the company a long time. He was still working at Marvel through the 1960s but mostly as a "production manager."	Linda Redmond Setup next to Guy Rose and Julio Crespo was veteran collector Linda Redmond. The little boy at right seems intrigued by one of Linda's comic books. Meanwhile, Julio Crespo (Pink Floyd shirt) is standing by serenely pondering some topic of cosmic importance no doubt.	Linda Redmond, Tony Albert Linda with her friend toy dealer Tony Albert who sometimes drops in at this show. I'll see Tony again soon at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con in Hunt Vally, Maryland in early September.

Guy Rose Veteran collector Guy Rose has been a substantial fixture in Richmond area comic book collecting circles for many years. He founded the early progenitor of the Virginia Comic Con and remained a partner with its current owner Brett Carreras for many years. Here's Guy with a study in contrast between the garish Atlas comics and Atlas's more sedate DC counterparts: Adventures Into Terror #1, 1950 with a cover and one story by top artist Russ Heath who worked mostly at DC Comics. I can't afford Guy's $695 asking price and that's why I'm eagerly looking forward to November when the Fantagraphics publishing company releases the first few issues of Adventures Into Terror to kick off its new Atlas Comics Library line of books. Marvel cancelled its own Atlas Era line of hardcover reprints several years ago and I've been waiting ever since for another company to pick up the ball and run with it. Thanks Fantagraphics! The DC comic House Of Mystery #2, 1952 has a cover and one story by DC's most famous Superman artist, Curt Swan. The early 1950s was the heyday of horror and science fiction comics, so DC had to have their own line of similar comics such as House Of Mystery, House Of Secrets, Strange Adventures, Tales Of The Unexpected. But DC's "horror" offerings were far more restrained than Atlas, EC and the other horror publishers. Sadly, DC has always neglected this part of their history and very little of these comics have ever been reprinted. Maybe Fantagraphics or another independent publisher can rescue these old comics from oblivion someday?	Julio Crespo, Guy Rose Here's two old friends Julio and Guy. Sadly, their long time comic show companion Donald Jones is in poor health and probably won't make it to anymore comic shows.	Julio Crespo Julio with two of his Silver Age comics. The Marvel comic Fantastic Four #50, 1966 with the third installment of the Galactus Triology, the first appearance of Wyatt Wingfoot, the first time the Silver Surfer appeared on a comic book cover and the cover signed by Stan Lee. I'm sure all those attributes are reflected in the price. And, the DC comic Batman #156, 1963.

Shelton Drum, Jim Frost Jim Frost searching though Shelton's comic boxes. Searching, always searching.	Jim Frost, Kevin Merrill, Shelton Drum, Brett Carreras While Jim was still searching through Shelton's boxes the show's owner Brett Carreras stopped by to check to see how Shelton was doing. The Leader is always grateful to Brett for giving him and Jim Frost a pass to each VA Comic Con.	Gene Carpenter Here's Gene doing what he's really good at, schmoozing with the customers. Yes, that's the ubiquitous Jim Frost in the background looking through Gene's comic boxes.

Gene Carpenter Gene's inventory is so vast you can pick almost any topic and find comic book examples of it. As shown, this topic is sexy women on comic book covers. The Avon comic An Earthman On Venus 1950 with all Wally Wood interior art. That's Venusian Princess Lilla being threatened by the giant ant with Earthman Miles Cabot coming to the rescue. Thrilling Comics #62, 1947 with painted cover by Alex Schomburg. That's Princess Pantha riding the tiger. Torchy #5, 1950 with cover and all stories by Bill Ward. The Pre-Atlas(Marvel) comic All True Crime #31, 1949 with one story by Gene Colan. The Pre-Atlas(Marvel) comic Venus #9, 1950 with three stories by Werner Roth who worked at Marvel in the 1960s.

Gene Carpenter Gene with two EC science fiction comics: Weird Science-Fantasy #25, 1954 with Al Williamson cover and story adapting Ray Bradbury's short story "A Sound Of Thunder." This is the first EC comic I bought. I bought it out of comic book mail order pioneer Howard Rogofsky's catalog cira 1971. I paid $12 which was probably the highest price on the planet at that time. The spine split after I read it once or twice which saved me the heartache of buying any more comics from Mr. Rogofsky.Incredible Science Fiction #32 with cover art by Jack Davis.

Joe Martinez Joe Martinez is an associate of Gene Carpenter who sets up at some of the same shows as Gene. I'll next see Joe at the Fayetteville (NC) Comic Con this coming October with Gene not far away. Here's Joe with the Marvel comics The Silver Surfer #1 and #4 both with covers and art by John Buscema. The #4 with the Silver Surfer battling Thor is considered by many fans to be Buscema's best drawn story for Marvel.

Jim Frost The show is nearly over now and Jim Frost has pillaged through the comic boxes of David Shankle, Guy Rose, Shelton Drum and Gene Carpenter to find comics to sell on the CGC chatboards. Let's see part of what Jim obtained this time. The Atlas comic Adventures Into Weird Worlds #23, 1953 with a cover only a dentist could love. The Avon comic Rocket To The Moon 1951 with cover and art by EC artist Joe Orlando and script by Walter Gibson who invented the pulp magazine character the Shadow. The Double Life Of Private Strong #2, 1959 with cover and one story drawn by Jack Kirby and one story drawn by Al Williamson. The DC comic Adventure Comics #333, 1965 with cover by Curt Swan and story by science fiction pulp writer Edmond Hamilton. This is the only time I've seen this comic since I bought it as part of a collection of DC comics I bought from my childhood friend Billy Barrett in Savannah, Georgia back in the primordial days of the mid 1960s. The Atlas comic Wyatt Earp #1, 1955 with cover by Atlas's top artist Joe Maneely. Thunda #1, 1952 with cover and story by Frank Frazetta and written by DC Comics' top writer Gardner Fox. All I can do is admire this book from afar. I'll never be able to afford it. This wraps up the Leader's Report for the August 2023 edition of the Virginia Comic Con. I'll be back with Jim Frost for the November show. But now, it's time for Jim and I to observe our usual tradition and head straight for Sal's Italian restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia on the way home.

Click here for the Main Introduction Page to see the Leader's Report on the Savannah Comic Con and Pulpfest