The Comics Census, 1983-1986: Results
by Lawrence Watt-Evans
This article is the culmination of more than three years of reader-participation research. Starting in March, 1983, I listed supposedly-rare comics in my column in Comics Buyer's Guide and asked readers to report any copies they've seen. The idea is to establish just which really are rare, and which aren't.
My original list was just eight issues, but from the very first contributors had their own candidates; I added more issues steadily until the list got hopelessly unwieldy. This was probably partly responsible for a decline in reader interest. By the time I decided to wrap the whole thing up, the list included over 1,100 issues.
Does this huge number of issues mean that I listed every genuinely rare comic book?
No. Not even close.
There are, beyond doubt, hundreds, perhaps thousands, that should have been listed, but which I never found room for, or never knew about. I filed away dozens of suggestions, excluding them only because I had reached the limit of what my computer software of the time could readily handle, and I'm quite sure there were plenty that were never even suggested.
Out of the 1,100+ I did list, a few were eliminated along the way because it was demonstrated to my satisfaction that they either were rare (press proofs, printing mistakes, etc.), or that they weren't rare (more than twenty copies reported). Some were also found to be nonexistent, the result of confusion about titles or numbering. Since I've listed these results in previous articles, they won't all be included again here.
Looking at these results, a few important overall observations deserve to be made.
First, I'm absolutely certain that I didn't find most of the existing copies of these 1,100 issues. Most people, even if they read CBG, couldn't be bothered to go through all those lists, let alone to write to me about it if they found something. The fact that about three hundred people did contribute information is pretty amazing. The data I have are only a tiny portion of what's out there; as a rule of thumb, I'd say that if I found more than three or four copies, then there are probably dozens of that issue around; if I found ten or fifteen, there are probably hundreds. If I found twenty or more, there could be thousands. I don't consider much of anything really rare if I have more than two copies reported.
There are a few exceptions to this, where a particular issue is unusually well-researched -- such as Lucky Fights It Through, where I may well have found every existing copy -- or where the reports I received came from unusual sources, such as the Disney Archives, the Library of Congress, the DC Comics archives, publishers' heirs, the New York Public Library, etc. If the only copies reported are in various libraries and archives, or the publisher's files, as is the case with some of the Spirit sections, for example, then those issues may be scarcer than other issues with the same number of reports.
And some issues were listed very late in the process, so that they only appeared in print once, or not at all. I've noted these as "inadequate sample" issues; they probably aren't anywhere near as rare as they appear.
Second, scarcity and price aren't as closely related as most collectors think. The scarcest issues tend to be ones that were published a long time ago, by small companies, and which sold poorly. The most expensive comics tend to be the early superhero comics from major companies, most of which sold quite well -- the same qualities that made them successful when they were new make them sought-after forty or fifty years later.
There are a few exceptions, but those always involve freakish circumstances of some sort -- the fact that Motion Picture Funnies Weekly wasn't distributed, or that Harvey Kurtzman's first work for EC was something as weird as a giveaway on veneral disease, or whatever. The regular newsstand comics that are now worth thousands or even millions of dollars are not rare. Not Action Comics #1, nor Marvel Comics #1, nor any of the others. They aren't common, but they aren't genuinely rare, either.
The really rare comics are ideas that didn't work, or badly-distributed last issues from companies going out of business, or concepts with extremely limited appeal, or almost anything that's simply really old.
If you look over the lists of issues where I received reports of none, or one, or two copies, you'll find that a very high percentage were published before World War II, and mostly before 1938. In those early days comic books didn't sell particularly well, were largely strip reprints, and generally weren't considered worth saving, particularly when the wartime paper drives made a stack of old comics in the attic seem downright unpatriotic.
You'll also find comics you never heard of, titles nobody remembers and only really dedicated collectors care about.
Anything from after World War II, or anything with much intrinsic interest, isn't likely to be there. The Census covered a huge number of DC comics, including dozens, maybe hundreds, from the 1950s, but none of those turned out to be really rare. Overstreet lists such titles as Congo Bill or Phantom Stranger as "scarce," but the evidence I've gathered indicates that they aren't really in short supply, but merely in high demand. There are a lot of DC collectors out there. This means that when a DC issue is less common than, say, a typical issue of World's Finest, that people notice, because there are a lot of people looking for it. It will seem scarce, because hundreds of copies are stashed away in established collections, so that it doesn't turn up in the marketplace very often.
But how many people are looking for The Illustrated Stories of the Operas -- Rigoletto? Or My Personal Problem #4? So these genuine rarities go almost unnoticed.
After the mid-fifties it appears that there are no rare comics except for giveaways and flukes. Supergear, Vicki #4, and the limited editions of Captain Canuck #4 are the only ones I know of, though I admit not having gone through the entire list carefully. I attribute this to the sharp drop in competition that resulted from so many publishers going out of business in 1954 or 1955, and the rise of collecting as a hobby.
A curious feature of the census list is the issues that simply don't exist, that were listed in Overstreet or elsewhere by mistake, or because of misunderstandings, or perhaps as copyright protection gimmicks. I'll start with those, and then proceed to the others in ascending order of copies reported, winding up with issues which are definitely not rare.
Apparently don't exist:
- Adventure into Fear #1
- Alley Oop #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9
- All-New Comics #15
- Atomic Attack #1, #2, #3, #4
- Baffling Mysteries #29, #30
- Barney Google and Snuffy Smith #1, #2, #3 (1950)
- Battle Action #31
- Beware Terror Tales #9, #10, #11
- Bill Battle, the One Man Army #5, #6
- Black Phantom #2
- Bold Stories (July)
- Broncho Bill #1, #2, #3, #4
- Captain Jet #6
- Captain Steve Savage (first series) #9, #10, #11, #12, #13
- Captain Steve Savage (second series) #1, #2, #3, #4
- Challenge of the Unknown #7
- Clubhouse Presents #1
- The Comics Man (1937)
- Crime Must Pay the Penalty #34 (1948)
- Daisy and Her Pups #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25 (Please note that I mean the later ones with these numbers, not the early issues.)
- Doll-Man #1 (I.W. reprint)
- Doll-Man #18 (Super reprint)
- Donald Duck Tells About Kites--Florida Power edition
- Dotty Dripple and Taffy #7, #8, #9, #10, #11 (1958)
- Fighting Undersea Commandos #1
- Four-Color #967 (Johnny Mack Brown) (inadequate sample) (Another Four-Color #967 featuring Chilly Willy does exist. It seems unlikely that there would be two #967s; the Johnny Mack Brown version is probably a misreading of #963.)
- Funny Animals #1
- Funnyman #7
- Gene Autry 3-D
- G.I. Jane #12, #13
- Green Mask #1 (1955)
- Here's Howie #19, #20
- Illustrated Stories of the Operas--Rigoletto (announced but not published?)
- I Love Lucy 3-D: No Dell comic book exists; a 3-D magazine does.
- Jesse James #10, #11, #12, #13, #14
- Jolly Jingles #17-25
- Jungle Jim #20
- Miss Melody Lane of Broadway #4
- Movie Classics: Taras Bulba
- Pat the Brat no number (6/53)
- Pilot #1
- Realistic Romances #9, #10, #11, #12, #13, #14
- Romantic Love #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19
- Sensational Police Cases #1
- Silver Streak Comics #24
- Strange Worlds #10
- Terrors of the Universe #8, #9
- Time for Love Vol. 2 #52
- Undercover Crime #6
- Underground Crime #5
- Undersea Fighting Commandos #2, #3, #4, #5
- Western Desperado Comics #8
- Weird Mysteries #13, #14
None reported but probably real:
- Adventures of Pinky Lee #4
- Amazing-Man Comics #26, #27
- Archie Comics Official Boy Scout Outfitter (1946)
- Black & White #10 (Gang Busters)
- Bringing Up Father, The Trouble of... (1921)
- Captain Canuck #4 (2nd printing of 15 numbered copies) (Exist?)
- Captain Easy no number (1939)
- Catholic Comics #1
- Catholic Pictorial #1
- Century of Comics no number (1933 giveaway)
- Charlie Chaplin's Comic Capers #315 Series 1 (1917)
- Chesty and Coptie
- Classics Illustrated #12 HRN 89, Coward Shoe Store giveaway
- Classics Illustrated #14 (Westward Ho!) with HRN (highest reorder number) of 53
- Comic Cuts Vol. 1 No. 1 through Vol. 1 No. 9 (published biweekly in 1934)
- Comic Monthly #2 (Mike & Ike) (Feb. 1922)
- Comic Monthly #3 (S'Matter, Pop?) (Mar. 1922)
- Comic Monthly #4 (Barney Google) (Apr. 1922)
- Comic Monthly #5 (Tillie the Toiler) (May 1922)
- Comic Monthly #6 (Indoor Sports) (June 1922)
- Comic Monthly #7 (Little Jimmy) (July 1922)
- Comic Monthly #8 (Toots & Casper) (Aug. 1922)
- Comic Pages Vol. 3 No. 4 (July, 1939)
- Comic Pages Vol. 3 No. 6 (Dec. 1939)
- Comic Painting and Crayoning Book (1917)
- The Comics #11
- Comics Magazine #2, #3, #4, #5
- Comics on Parade bound volume
- Cowboy Comics #13
- Detective Picture Stories #2, #3, #6, #7
- Dick Tracy Buster Brown Shoes giveaway (36 pgs, color, 1938 reprints) Exist?
- Dime Comics #5 (1951)
- Dreams of the Rarebit Fiend (1904)
- Dumbo giveaway (1941)
- Famous Comics #1, #2, #3 (1934)
- Famous Comics (no number, no date, 24 pages)
- Famous Comics Cartoon Books #1200 (The Captain & the Kids)
- Famous Comics Cartoon Books #1202 (Capt. Easy and Wash Tubbs)
- Famous Funnies Series 1 (no date, 1934)
- Famous Funnies #5, #9, #66
- Fawcett Miniatures: Delecta of the Planets: Third issue
- Feature Comics #21, #28
- Feature Comics no number (half of #26) (two versions)
- Feature Funnies #20: None reported.
- Felix the Cat Summer Annual #2 (1952): None reported; exist?
- Fight for Love no number
- Fightin' Army #24
- Fightin' Marines #25
- Fightin' Navy #82
- Flash Gordon #5
- Frankie #12 (inadequate sample)
- Frankie #14 (Exist?) (inadequate sample)
- Frankie #15 (Exist?) (inadequate sample)
- The Funnies #1 (1929)
- The Funnies #36 (no number, no date; 10/18/30)
- Funny Pages Vol. 1 No. 6
- Giant Comics Edition #6 (Western Picture Stories)
- Giant Comics Edition #7 Exist?
- Giant Comics Edition #9 (Baker cover)
- Giant Comics Edition #10 (Terry-Toons)
- Giant Comics Edition #13 (Romances)
- Giant Comics Edition #15 (Romances)
- Giant Comics Edition #16 (Little Audrey, etc.)
- Giant Comics Editions #1, #2 (United Features)
- The Gumps Book No. 2 (1918)
- Gunsmoke Film Story Giant (Nov. 1962, #30008-211) (Inadequate sample.)
- Hans und Fritz #193 (1929)
- Here's Howie #8
- If the Devil Would Talk black & white: None reported
- Jack Armstrong #12 special premium version
- John Hix Scrap Book #2 (Strange As It Seems)
- Katzenjammer Kids (1903)
- Keen Detective Funnies Vol. 2 No. 12
- Keen Komics Vol. 2 No. 1, Vol. 2 No. 3
- Keeping Up With the Joneses #1 (1920)
- Keeping Up With the Joneses #2 (1921)
- Little Annie Rooney Book 1 (1935)
- Little Giant Comics #2, #3
- Little Giant Detective Funnies #2, #4, #3
- Little Giant Movie Funnies #2
- Little Nemo (1906 book)
- Little Nemo (1909 book)
- Little Sammy Sneeze (1905)
- More Fun Comics #8
- Mutt and Jeff (1921 book)
- New Adventure Comics #12
- Paramount Animated Comics #1, #2, #13, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22
- Peter Penny and His Magic Dollar (1947 giveaway)
- Peter Rabbit B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4
- Popeye #1 (1935) (black & white, 52 pages for 25 cents)
- Popeye #2 (1935)
- Popeye & His Jungle Pet (72 pages) (1937)
- Popeye Borrows A Baby Nurse (72 pages) (1937)
- Popeye Calls on Olive Oyl (28 pages) (1937)
- Popeye Goes Duck Hunting (28 pages) (1937)
- Popeye Plays Nursemaid to Sweet Pea (28 pages) (1937)
- Red Iceberg (1st version)
- Red Iceberg (2nd version) (I still have no idea what the difference between the two versions actually is.)
- Season's Greetings (1935)
- Silver Streak Comics #22
- Smash Comics #6
- Speed Comics #3
- Star Ranger Funnies Vol. 1 No. 15, Vol. 2 No. 1
- Steve Donovan, Western Marshal #1 (Exist?) (inadequate sample)
- Strange Story #1
- Supergear Comics (1976 giveaway)
- Superman #72 giveaway edition
- Superman Scrapbook (1940, 10" x 17")
- Taylor's Christmas Tabloid (mid-1930s giveaway)
- That's My Pop! Goes Nuts for Fair no number (1939)
- Three Comics Magazine #1, #2, #3: #2 may not exist.
- Tim McCoy, Police Car 17 #674 (1934)
- Tip Top Comics bound volumes (three different): Vol. 2
- Tip Top Comics bound volumes (three different): Vol. 3
- Tip Top Comics #46
- Top-Notch Comics #2
- Treasure Comics no number, 324 pages, publisher uncertain but probably Prize
- Up-to-Date Comics (no number)
- Vicks Comics no number (68 pages)
- Vicks Comics no number (16 pages)
- Weekly Comic Magazine, two versions
- Western Picture Stories #1, #2, #3, #4 (1937)
- Willie Westinghouse Edison Smith the Boy Inventor (1906)
- Wimpy Tricks Popeye & Rough-House (28 pages)
- Winnie Winkle #1 (1930)
- Winnie Winkle #2, #3, #4
- The Wise Little Hen (1935, 40 pgs.)
- The Wise Little Hen #888 (1937)
- Wonderworld #3
- Wow Comics (David Mackay) #2, #3, #4
One of each reported:
- Ace Comics #34
- Action Comics Wheaties giveaway (1946, featuring the Vigilante)
- Adventure Comics #46
- Adventures of Alan Ladd #6, #7, #8, #9 (inadequate sample on all)
- All-Picture Adventure Magazine #2
- All-Star Western #58 (inadequate sample)
- All True Detective Cases #1
- Bambi giveaway (1942)
- Best Comics #2, #4
- Blood Is The Harvest (black & white)
- Blue Ribbon Comics #2, #3
- Brenda Starr #12 (Vol. 2 No. 12)
- Candid Tales (June)
- Champion Comics #2
- Charlie Chaplin Up in the Air #317 Series 1 (1917)
- Circus #3
- Classics Comics #4 (original)
- Classics Illustrated #39 (Jane Eyre) with HRN 166 (1968)
- Comic Monthly #1 (Polly & Her Pals) (Jan. 1922)
- Comic Pages Vol. 3 No. 5
- The Comics #2, #3
- Comics Calendar
- Comics on Parade #12
- Della Vision #2
- Detective Picture Stories #4, #5
- Dime Comics #1 (1951)
- Doc Savage #2 (Street & Smith)
- Double Action #2
- Dumbo Weekly #1-#16 (Complete set in the binder)
- Eerie #1 (original) (Inadequate sample.)
- Famous Comics Cartoon Books #1203 (Ella Cinders)
- Famous Funnies, A Carnival of Comics (1933 giveaway)
- Famous Funnies #1 (July, 1934)
- Famous Funnies #7
- Fantastic Comics #2 (Fox)
- Fawcett Miniatures: Delecta of the Planets: Second issue
- Feature Funnies #1
- Felix the Cat Big 100 Page Summer Fun (Summer Annual #3?) (only reported copy is coverless)
- Ferdinand the Bull no number (1938): More a storybook than a comic.
- Fightin' Marines #26
- Fire Chief and the Safe Ol' Firefly (giveaway)
- Flying Models Vol. 6 No. 3
- Forbidden Love #3
- Frankie #13 (inadequate sample)
- The Funnies #1 (Oct. 1936)
- The Funnies #40
- Funnies on Parade no number (1933)
- Funny Pages Vol. 2 No. 10 (#21)
- Funny Picture Stories Vol. 1 No. 1, Vol. 2 No. 1, Vol. 3 No. 3
- Giant Comics Edition #2 (Abbie & Slats)
- Giant Comics Edition #3 (Terry-Toons Album)
- Giant Comics Edition #4 (crime)
- Giant Comics Edition #8 (The Adventures of Mighty Mouse)
- Giant Comics Edition #9 (photo cover)
- Giant Comics Edition #11 (Western Picture Stories)
- Giant Comics Edition #14 (Mighty Mouse Album)
- Giant Comics Edition no number (#17) (Mighty Mouse Album)
- The Gumps Book No. 4 (1918)
- Hawkshaw the Detective (1917) color edition. (Inadequate sample)
- Hercules #13
- Holyoke One-Shot #6 (Captain Fearless)
- Hoods Up #2, #3, #4, #5, #6
- If the Devil Would Talk no number (1950)
- If the Devil Would Talk (1958 color edition)
- Illustrated Stories of the Operas--Carmen
- Joe Palooka #1 (1933)
- Jumbo Comics #12
- King Comics #1, #46 Labor Is A Partner (color)
- Little Archie #1 (inadequate sample)
- Margaret O'Brien (1947 premium)
- Mickey Mouse Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3
- Mr. & Mrs. (1922, 28 pages, yellow cover)
- Modern Love #8 (Canadian edition)
- Moon Girl (Fights Crime) (Canadian edition) #7
- Moon Girl (Fights Crime) (Canadian edition) #8
- More Fun Comics #9, #51
- Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1
- Movie Comics #2, #3, #5, #6
- Mutt and Jeff no number (#1) "Lost Wheels"
- Mutt and Jeff Book No. 1 (1910)
- Mutt and Jeff Book No. 4 (1913)
- Mutt and Jeff Book No. 5 (1916, not 1914, according to owner)
- My Personal Problem #4
- Mystery Men Comics #6
- Negro Heroes #2
- New Adventure Comics #31
- New Adventures of Charlie Chan #3 (inadequate sample)
- New Adventures of Charlie Chan #5 (inadequate sample)
- New Comics #11
- New Fun Comics #1
- The Nightingale
- 100 Pages of Comics #101 (1937)
- Outlaws #9
- Paramount Animated Comics #3, #4, #8, #10, #12, #14
- Picture Parade preview edition. Not listed in Overstreet.
- Pinocchio Learns About Kites (1954, 8-page premium) (inadequate sample)
- Police Comics #5, #8
- Popeye in "Choose Yer Weppins" (1936) (not a comic book)
- Single Series #1 (Fritzi Ritz) 1939 reprint, 2nd edition
- Single Series #15 (How It Began)
- Smash Comics #1
- Speed Comics #2
- Star Ranger Funnies Vol. 2 No. 2
- Sub-Mariner #33
- Superman Py-Co-Pay miniature. Overstreet has date wrong.
- Superman's Christmas Play Book. Not listed in Overstreet.
- Tarzan of the Apes to Color #272
- Terrific #17, #18: These do exist, technically, even though Overstreet no longer lists them. The issues that say Wonder Boy #17 and #18 on the cover say Terrific #17 and #18 in the indicia, which means that legally, that's the actual title, and it's Wonder Boy #17 and #18 that don't exist.
- This Is Suspense #26 (August 1955)
- Three Comics Magazine #4
- Thrilling Crime Cases #49
- Tip Top Comics #1
- Tip Top Comics bound volumes (three different): Vol. 1
- Tops Comics #2003: May also be known as Tops In Humor #2003.
- A Treasury of Comics (500 pgs., 1948)
- Weird SuspenStories #1, #2
- Western Action Thrillers #1 (1937) (100 pages)
- Western Love Trails #7
- The Wise Little Hen (1934, 48 pgs.)
- Wonder Comics #2
- Wonderworld #9
Two each reported:
- Ace Comics #1
- Adventure Comics #32
- Adventures of Pinky Lee #3
- All-American Comics #10
- All-Picture Adventure Magazine #1
- All-Top Comics #16
- Amazing Adventures no number (trial issue)
- Amazing-Man Comics #7, #9
- Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 3 No. 1 (#17)
- Archie Mini-Comics (1970 Fairmont Potato Chips giveaway): Eight different issues; one complete set of eight in California, and in Iowa two each of two issues and one each of four more.
- Best Comics #1, #3
- Big Book of Fun Comics #1
- Br'er Rabbit in "Ice Cream for the Party"
- Blue Beetle #1 (Fox)
- Blue Ribbon Comics #1
- Bold Stories (May)
- Boy Explorers #2
- Bringing Up Father (1917)
- Bulletman Well Known Comics (1942)
- Candid Tales (April)
- Captain Marvel and His Lieutenants of Safety in "Danger Takes to Climbing"
- Catman Comics #1
- Circus #2
- Classics Comics #13 (original)
- The Comics #1 (March 1937)
- Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936)
- Cowboy Comics #14 (Aug. 1938)
- Crackajack Funnies #20
- Crash Comics #1 (1940)
- Crime SuspenStories #15/1 (see Overstreet for description)
- Detective Picture Stories #1
- Dime Comics #1 (1945)
- Donald Duck no number (1938 black & white)
- Donald Duck Tells About Kites--Pacific Gas and Electric edition
- Donald Duck Tells About Kites--SCE edition
- Edgar Bergen Presents Charlie McCarthy #764 (1938)
- Everything's Archie #17
- Extra #1 (ME; rebound comics)
- Famous Comics Cartoon Books #1204 (Freckles & His Friends)
- Famous Gang Book of Comics
- Fantastic Comics #1 (Fox)
- Feature Book no number (Popeye and the Jeep)
- The Flame #1 (Fox)
- The Flame #5 (#1)
- Forbidden Love #4
- Four-Color no number (#3) first series (Myra North) (both copies in Ontario)
- Four-Color #4 first series (Donald Duck)
- Flash Gordon Macy's giveaway (1943) (both in New Jersey)
- Funny Pages Vol. 4 No. 1 (#34)
- Giant Comics Edition #1 (Mighty Mouse Album)
- Giant Comics Edition #5 (Police Case Book)
- Giant Comics Edition #5A (Terry-Toons Album)
- Giant Comics Edition #12 (Diary Secrets)
- Happy Comics #33
- Hawkshaw the Detective (1917, black & white)
- Honeymoon Romance #2
- Hoods Up #1
- Hoppy the Marvel Bunny Well Known Comics (red version)
- Hoppy the Marvel Bunny Well Known Comics (blue version)
- Illustrated Stories of the Operas--Aida
- Illustrated Stories of the Operas--Faust
- It Rhymes With Lust
- John Hix Scrap Book #1 (Strange As It Seems)
- Keen Detective Funnies #8
- Keen Detective Funnies Vol. 3 No. 1
- Keen Komics Vol. 2 No. 2
- The K.O. Punch (VD giveaway prepared for Columbia University)
- Krazy Kat (hardcover, 1946) (with dustjacket)
- The Little Fir Tree (W.T. Grant giveaway)
- Little Giant Comics #1
- Little Giant Detective Funnies #1
- Little Giant Movie Funnies #1
- Magic Comics #6
- Marvel Mystery Comics 132-pg. edition
- Merry Christmas from Mickey Mouse (1939 giveaway)
- Mickey Mouse Magazine Vol. 1 No. 6, Vol. 1 No. 7, Vol. 1 No. 8, Vol. 1 No. 9
- More Fun Comics #7
- Mutt and Jeff Book No. 2 (1911)
- Mystery Men Comics #1
- New Adventures of Charlie Chan #4 (inadequate sample)
- New Adventures of Charlie Chan #6 (inadequate sample)
- New Book of Comics #1
- New Fun Comics #2
- Newlyweds (1917, Baby Snookums)
- O.K. Comics #2
- Paramount Animated Comics #5, #6
- Pep Comics #25, #26, #36
- Peter Rabbit Jumbo Book
- Police Comics #10
- Popular Comics #12, #48
- Popular Comics #48
- Red Dragon #6 (first series)
- Report of the New York State Joint Legislative Committee to Study the Publication of Comic Books (not counting photocopies)
- Samson #12
- Single Series #1 (Captain & the Kids)
- Single Series #1 (Captain & the Kids) 1939 reprint
- Skippy's Own Book of Comics (1934)
- Speed Comics #4
- Spirit section 10/5/52
- Spiritman #1
- Star Ranger #1, #12
- Story of the Commandos (1943)
- Strange Confessions #2
- Sun Fun Komiks #1 (Vol. 4 No. 9)
- Super Comics #2
- Target Comics #7
- Tarzan Book #1 (1929) second printing
- Tom Corbett, Space Cadet #1, #3 (Prize)
- Top-Notch Comics #1
- Tops Comics no number (1944, 132 pages)
- Tops #1 (1949)
- Tops #2 (1949)
- Weird SuspenStories #3
- Western Love Trails #8
Three reported:
- Action Comics #20
- Adventures (in Romance) #1
- Adventures of Bob Hope #3
- Adventures of Pinky Lee #1, #2, #5
- All-American Comics #1
- All-Top Comics #15, #17, #18
- Amazing-Man Comics #5 (first issue), #6
- Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 1 No. 1, Vol. 2 No. 7
- Archie Comics #5
- Archie's Joke Book #41 (!)
- Barnaby Quarterly Feb. 1946 Black & White #1 (Dick Tracy)
- Black & White #20 (Donald Duck Comic Paint Book)
- Bold Stories (March)
- Brenda Starr #11 (Vol. 2 No. 11)
- Buck Rogers (1933 giveaway)
- Camp Comics #3
- Captain America 128-pg. issue (1942)
- Captain Canuck #4 (1st printing of 300 numbered copies)
- Classics Comics #26 (original)
- Cocomalt Big Book of Comics #1
- Comic Cavalcade #63
- Comics on Parade #1
- Complete Book of Comics and Funnies (1944)
- Crime Does Not Pay #23
- Della Vision #3
- Detective Comics #33
- Fast Fiction #3 (She, by H. Rider Haggard)
- Fawcett Miniatures: Captain Marvel and the Raiders from Space
- Feature Book #12 (Blondie)
- Feature Book #21 (The Lone Ranger)
- Fighting Man Annual
- Forbidden Love #2
- Four-Color no number (#1) first series (Dick Tracy)
- Four-Color #8 first series (Dick Tracy)
- Four-Color #21 first series (Dick Tracy)
- Gene Autry #1
- Gene Autry Tim
- G.I. in Battle Annual
- Hans und Fritz #193 (1917, 16 pages, yellow cover)
- Hollywood Confessions #2
- Jackpot Comics #6, #8
- Jumbo Comics #2, #4
- Jungle Jim #11
- Knock Knock (1936, black & white) -- except that one is a hardcover not matching Overstreet's description, so either Overstreet is wrong or there are at least two versions. May be easier to find in antique shops than in comics shops.
- Little Archie in Animaland #18, #19
- Little Audrey Yearbook (1950)
- Mickey Mouse Magazine Vol. 1 No. 1 (1933)
- Mickey Mouse Magazine Vol. 1 No. 2, Vol. 1 No. 4, Vol. 1 No. 5
- Mighty Midget #11 (Captain Marvel Jr.)
- Modern Love #7
- Mod Love #1
- More Fun Comics #12, #67
- Movie Comics #4
- New Fun Comics #6
- Nickel Comics #1 (1938)
- Paramount Animated Comics #7, #9, #11
- Pep Comics #22, #27
- Popeye Cartoon Book #2095 (1934)
- Popular Comics #1
- Red Dragon #5 (first series)
- Reform School Girl!
- Samson #13, #14
- Sensation Comics #91
- Single Series #20 (Tarzan)
- Special Delivery (Pogo giveaway). Twenty pages, not the 32 Overstreet says, according to one owner, and was reprinted in the Okefenokee Star #4; black and white, 8.5" by 10", cover on the same stock as the interior.
- Spiritman #2
- Spitfire #2
- Spy Smasher Well Known Comics
- Strange Confessions #3
- Superman Special Edition #5 (Navy giveaway)
- Superman Workbook (1945)
- Thrill Comics #1 (Whiz Comics #1 ashcan edition)
- Tops Comics #2001. (I am utterly confused as to the connection between this and Tops in Humor #2001, which I had listed once, then decided was the same thing, and now don't know about.)
- Wilbur #5
- Win A Prize Comics #1
- Wow Comics #1 (David Mackay)
Four each:
- Action Comics #10
- (Spectacular) Adventures #2
- All-Negro Comics #1
- All-Top Comics #8, #9, #10, #13, #14
- Amazing-Man Comics #25
- Amazing Mystery Funnies Vol. 2 No. 12
- Archie Comics #2
- Archie's Girls Betty & Veronica Annual #5
- Black & White #7 (The Lone Ranger)
- Black & White #16 (Donald Duck)
- Boots and Her Buddies #9
- Captain Marvel and His Lieutenants of Safety in "Danger Smashes the Lights"
- Centurion of Ancient Rome
- Classics Comics #8 (original)
- Comedy Comics #10
- Comic Cavalcade #62
- Crackajack Funnies #2
- Crime Does Not Pay #24
- Daring Mystery Comics #2
- Dennis the Menace #3
- Detective Comics #3
- Donald & Mickey Merry Christmas (1948) "Toyland"
- Donald Duck's Surprise Party (1948)
- Famous Feature Stories #1 (1938)
- Feature Book #1 (King of the Royal Mounted)
- Feature Book #14 (Popeye)
- Feature Book #22 (The Phantom)
- Feature Book #57 (The Phantom)
- Felix the Cat #260 (1927)
- Forty Big Pages of Mickey Mouse #945
- Four-Color no number (#2) first series (Don Winslow)
- Future Comics #1
- Is This Tomorrow? (10 cents cover price)
- Jackpot Comics #7
- Kasco Comics #1
- Life with Archie #12
- Little Archie in Animaland #17
- Lucky Fights It Through (VD giveaway prepared for Columbia University)
- Land of the Lost #9
- Lone Ranger Comics (1938, 52 pages)
- Magic Comics #1
- Mask Comics #2
- Modern Love #8 (U.S. edition)
- A Moon, A Girl...Romance #12
- Moon Girl (Fights Crime) (U.S. edition) #7
- More Fun Comics #127
- Movie Comics #1
- Movie Love #10
- New Book of Comics #2
- On the Air (1947 giveaway)
- Pep Comics #24, #30, #34
- Planet Comics #6
- Red Dragon #7 (first series)
- Saddle Romances #9, #11
- Scribbly #6
- Silver Streak Comics #2
- Silver Streak no number (February)
- Speed Comics #1
- Spirit section 8/31/52, 9/14/52, 9/28/52
- Sub-Mariner #32 (first series)
- Super Comics #1, #21
- Superman #2
- Superman's Buddy
- Tom Corbett, Space Cadet #2 (Prize)
- Uncle Joe's Funnies #1 (1938)
- Walt Disney's Comics & Stories #4 Special promotional issue
- Women in Love
Five each:
- All-Top Comics #11, #12
- Archie's Girls Betty & Veronica #5
- Archie's Mechanics #3
- Archie's Rival Reggie #1
- Atom Age Combat #4
- Bachelor's Diary #1
- Barnaby Quarterly Nov. 1945
- Big Town #2
- Blaze the Wonder Collie #3
- Blue Ribbon Comics #9
- Captain Marvel and His Lieutenants of Safety in "Danger Flies A Kite"
- Circus #1
- Classics Comics #2 (original)
- Classics Comics #14 (original)
- Classics Comics #21 (original)
- Classics Illustrated Educational Series: Shelter Through the Ages
- Classics Illustrated Educational Series: The Westinghouse Story
- Colossus Comics #1
- Comic Cavalcade #54, #56, #59, #60
- Complete Romance #1
- Crackajack Funnies #1
- Daring Mystery Comics #3
- Feature Book no number (Dick Tracy)
- Feature Book #7 (Little Orphan Annie)
- Feature Book #20 (The Phantom)
- Feature Book #53 (The Phantom)
- Feature Book #56 (The Phantom)
- Four-Color #6 first series (Dick Tracy) (1940)
- Honeymoon Romance #1 (digest size, 25¢)
- Jackpot Comics #9
- Journey into Mystery #1
- Leading Comics #33
- Mammoth Comics #1 (1937)
- Marvel Mystery Comics #3
- Modern Love #5
- My Greatest Adventure #2
- Pep Comics #23
- Picture Crimes #1 (1937). Not a comic book.
- Pixies #1
- Planet Comics #1
- Red Ryder Comics #3
- Saddle Romances #10
- Sideshow #1
- Silver Streak Comics #1, #6
- Spirit section 9/7/52, 9/21/52
- Star Spangled Comics #127
- Straight Arrow #53
- Strange Confessions #1, #4
- Tarzan of the Apes to Color #988
- Terry-Toons #38
- Three Stooges #2
- True Comics #82
- Vicki #4
- Western Love Trails #9
- Wilbur #35
- Women to Love
- Wow Comics #1 (Fawcett)
Six each:
- All-American Comics #61
- Archie Comics #3, #4
- Archie's Mechanics #2
- Atomic War #1
- Baseball Heroes no number
- Br'er Rabbit in "A Kite Tail"
- Classics Comics #1 (original)
- Comic Cavalcade #55, #57, #61
- Dagar, Desert Hawk #14
- Della Vision #1
- Dennis the Menace #2
- Detective Comics #26, #35
- Donald & Mickey Merry Christmas (1947) "Three Good Little Ducks"
- Feature Book #39 (The Phantom)
- Flash Comics #98
- Forbidden Love #1
- Forbidden Worlds #5, #73
- Funnies Annual #1: Not a comic book
- Funny Stuff Wheaties giveaway (1946)
- Girls' Love Stories #2 (heavy concentration in California)
- Green Giant #1
- Harvey Comics Library #1 (Teen-Age Dope Slaves)
- How to Draw for the Comics
- It's Game Time #3
- Jet #2
- Joker Comics #1
- Modern Love #4, #6
- My Greatest Adventure #3, #6, #7, #8
- New Comics #2
- New York World's Fair Comics 1939
- Phantom Stranger #5 (1953)
- Real Screen Funnies #1
- Romance Trail #1
- Silver Streak Comics #23
- Spirit section 8/10/52, 8/17/52, 8/24/52
- Star Spangled Comics #124, #128, #129, #130
- Superman #3
- Tales of Terror Annual #1 (1951)
- Weird Thrillers #1
- Wonder Comics #1
- Wonder Woman #105
Seven each:
- Adventure Comics #210
- All Winners Comics #19
- Archie's Joke Book #1 (no number)
- Archie's Pal Jughead #1
- Baffling Mysteries #26
- Barnaby Quarterly, July 1945
- Captain Marvel Adventures #1
- Captain Zilog #1 (computer giveaway)
- Comic Cavalcade #51, #52, #53, #58
- Congo Bill #6
- Crime Does Not Pay #22 (found mostly in Texas)
- Detective Comics #2
- Fawcett Miniatures: Delecta of the Planets: First issue
- Gang Busters #2
- Is This Tomorrow? (blank price circle)
- It's Game Time #1, #2
- Jackpot Comics #4
- Jughead's Fantasy #2
- Laugh Comics #20
- Legends of Daniel Boone #6, #8
- Master Comics #21
- Mickey Mouse Magazine Vol. 5 No. 12
- Miss Melody Lane of Broadway #3
- New Comics #1
- Oxydol-Dreft #2 (Daisy Mae)
- Oxydol-Dreft #6 (Mighty Mouse)
- Pep Comics #29
- Planet Comics #5
- Real Screen Comics #100
- Sensation Mystery #110, #114
- Spirit section 7/27/52, 8/3/52
- Star Spangled Comics #113, #122, #123, #125
- Suspense #1 (Marvel)
- Walt Disney's Comics & Stories #2
Eight each:
- All Winners Comics #21
- Archie's Mechanics #1
- Captain America Comics #74
- Classics Illustrated Special Issue: The United Nations
- Comedy Comics #9
- Comic Cavalcade #50
- Congo Bill #3
- Detective Comics #28
- Dodo and the Frog #92
- Falling in Love #143
- Flash Comics #1 (Whiz Comics #1)
- Four-Color #9 second series (Donald Duck Finds Pirate Gold)
- Frontier Fighters #1
- Frontier Romances #2
- House of Mystery #2
- Jackpot Comics #5
- Jet #1, #3
- Kasco Comics #2
- Katy Keene #12
- The Killers #2
- Legends of Daniel Boone #3
- Little Archie Mystery #2
- Marvel Mystery Comics #2
- Modern Comics #102
- Moon Girl #6
- Moon Girl (Fights Crime) (U.S. edition) #8
- More Fun Comics #53
- My Greatest Adventure #4
- Oxydol-Dreft #3 (Shmoo)
- Phantom Stranger #2 (1952)
- Sensation Comics #109
- Sensation Mystery #111, #116
- Star Spangled Comics #87
- Star Spangled Comics #126
- Strange Tales #1
- Tarzan Book #1 (1929) first printing
- Terry-Toons Comics #1
- TV Screen Cartoons #135
Nine each:
- Adventures in 3-D #1
- Archie's Girls Betty & Veronica #1
- Blackhawk #103
- Blaze the Wonder Collie #2
- Canteen Kate #3
- Captain America Comics #2
- Congo Bill #5
- Crime Must Stop Vol. 1 No. 1
- Dale Evans #2
- Dennis the Menace #1
- Forbidden Worlds #1
- Frontier Fighters #2
- It's Game Time #4
- Jet #4
- Jughead's Fantasy #3
- Krazy Kat (hardcover, 1946) (without dustjacket)
- Legends of Daniel Boone #4
- Marvel Mystery Comics #5
- More Fun Comics #71, #73
- My Greatest Adventure #5
- New York World's Fair Comics 1940
- Our Fighting Forces #1
- Oxydol-Dreft #1 (Li'l Abner)
- Oxydol-Dreft #4 (John Wayne)
- Oxydol-Dreft #5 (Archie)
- Phantom Stranger #6 (1953)
- Powerhouse Pepper #5
- Real Screen Comics #2
- TV Screen Cartoons #134, #137, #138
- The Unknown Man (mostly in midwest)
- World War III #1
Ten each:
- Action Comics #3
- Adventures of Alan Ladd #1
- Adventures of Homer Cobb #1
- All- American Comics #17
- All-Star Comics #49
- Archie Comics #24
- Blood Is The Harvest (regular edition)
- Jughead's Fantasy #1
- Jumbo Comics #1
- Legends of Daniel Boone #2, #5, #7
- Marvel Tales #97
- Monster Crime Comics #1
- More Fun Comics #52 (heavy concentration in Michigan, high turnover)
- More Fun Comics #55
- My Greatest Adventure #9, #10
- Real Fact #6 (half in California)
- Scribbly #15
- Sensation Mystery #113
- Space Thrillers no number
- Sub-Mariner #1 (first series)
- TV Screen Cartoons #129, #130
- Whiz Comics #154
Eleven each:
- Action Comics #5
- Archie Comics #1
- Archie's Girls Betty & Veronica #3
- Archie's Madhouse #1
- Congo Bill #2
- Danger Trail #5
- Detective Comics #1
- Fawcett Movie Comics #15 (The Man from Planet X)
- Flash Comics #102, #103
- Phantom Stranger #4 (1953)
- Secret Diary of Eerie Adventures
- Seduction of the Innocent with bibliography (hardcover book--associational)
- Sensation Comics #108
- Sensation Mystery #112
- Star Spangled Comics #84
- Sugar and Spike #1
- Tough Kid Squad Comics #1
- TV Screen Cartoons #131, #136
- Underworld Story no number
- World's Greatest Songs #1 (mostly in California)
Twelve each:
- Archie Comics Annual #1
- Captain Marvel Thrill Book
- Dead End Crime Stories no number
- Flash Comics #92
- Four-Color #474 (Mary Jane & Sniffles)
- Marvel Mystery Comics #9
- Planet Comics #2
- Superman #82
- Tales of the Unexpected #1
- Tomahawk #2
- TV Screen Cartoons #133
- Whiz Comics #153, #155
Thirteen each:
- All-Star Comics #7
- Classics Illustrated Giant: An Illustrated Library of Great Indian Stories
- Congo Bill #4
- Danger Trail #2
- Detective Comics #64
- Fighting American #1 (Prize)
- Phantom Stranger #3 (1953)
- Sensation Comics #107
- Showcase #3
- Thun'da #1 (A-1 Comics #47)
- TV Screen Cartoons #132
- Walt Disney's Comics & Stories #1
- World's Finest #70
Fourteen each:
- All-American Comics #16
- Animated Comics #1 (no number, no date, no publisher listed)
- Archie Shoe Store giveaway (heavy concentration in New York.
- Captain Marvel Well Known Comics (mostly from a cache in Wisconsin)
- Congo Bill #7
- Danger Trail #3
- Flash Comics #101
- Little Archie Mystery #1
- Sands of the South Pacific #1
- Walt Disney's Comics & Stories #66
Fifteen each:
- Black & White #5 (Tarzan)
- Flash Comics #100
- Fox and Crow #2
- House of Secrets #1
- Katy Keene Pin-Up Parade #15
- Superboy #27
- Three Stooges #1
- World's Best #1
- World's Finest #69
Sixteen each:
- All-Star Comics #1, #3
- Captain Marvel Adventures #150
- Classics Illustrated Giant: An Illustrated Library of Exciting Mystery Stories
- Classics Illustrated Giant: An Illustrated Library of Great Adventure Stories
- Detective Comics #27
- New Adventures of Charlie Chan #1
- The Witness #1
- World's Finest #68
Seventeen each:
- Buster Crabbe #5
- Congo Bill #1
- Danger Trail #1, #4
- Jughead's Folly #1
- Legends of Daniel Boone #1
- World's Finest #67
Eighteen each:
- All-Star Comics #57
- Beatles Life Story
- Marco Polo
- Strange Adventures #2
- Superman #61
- Tarzan #110
Nineteen each:
- Classics Illustrated #43 (original)
- Sensation Mystery #115
- Showcase #1
- Strange Adventures #1
Twenty or more:
- Action Comics #1: 21 copies
- New Adventures of Charlie Chan #2: 20 copies
- Superboy #1: 21 copies
- Superman #1: 24 copies
- World's Finest #73: 22 copies
That's it; here's your list of handy exits:
The Misenchanted Page
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