Done
Berkeley, CA, United States
Auction Details
Comic Books: Pre-Code Horror & Other Comics
PBA Galleries
Greetings, gang, and welcome to PBA?s fifth comic book sale. Fright fans will be pleased to see that once again our focus is on the seedy underbelly of the comics world: the ?terrifying, shocking, sensational, appalling, forbidden? but simply wonderful? pre-Code horror comic books of the 1950s. As usual, we?ve tried to delve beneath the surface of this fascinating category with our signature blend of research and commentary. Despite the surge in interest in pre-Code horror, we feel that these books have yet to receive their proper due ? they?ve become very attractive as investment collectibles, to be sure, but we think they?re even more valuable for the insights that they yield to careful observers. In his influential anti-comics opus Seduction of the Innocent, Dr. Fredric Wertham claimed to detect hidden content embedded in these lurid pamphlets: ?In ordinary comic books, there are pictures within pictures for children who know how to look.? Granted that Wertham was a bit of a plonker, but we?re not unsympathetic to this particular claim of his ? indeed, we believe that a hidden psychosexual portrait of midcentury America is buried in the pulpy pages of old horror comics, and we?ve made it our business to try and bring this shadowy portrait to light, one pre-Code mag at a time. We hope that you?ll find our efforts diverting.
Sale highlights include a complete run of Stanley Morse?s WEIRD MYSTERIES, including another copy of #5, a gruesome classic that?s become PBA?s pre-Code calling card (we?ve offered copies in three of our four previous outings); a near-complete run of MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES and its sister title FIGHT AGAINST CRIME, including a 6.5 copy of FAC #20 (infamous severed head cover); Avon?s EERIE #1, the first true horror comic; a rare and possibly unique misprint copy of DARK MYSTERIES #19, with the inside covers not only printed upside-down, but with another company?s name in the indicia; a Yankee version of CHAMBER OF CHILLS #23, featuring one of th
Sold
0054: DARK MYSTERIES #6 * 5.5 * Necktie Party of PERIL * Sad Sack Succumbs to SuccubusEst. $200-$300
Sold
0069: DARK MYSTERIES #19 * CGC 4.0 * Rare PRINTING ERROR Variant * Printer Pulls a BonerEst. $1,500-$2,500
Sold
0074: JOHNNY DYNAMITE: Lot of 7 Mags * Don HECK * 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 * Morphine StoryEst. $200-$300
Sold
0109: HEADLINE COMICS #37 * 4.0 * Jack KIRBY Photo Cover * Deliver Us from DELIVERANCEEst. $200-$300
Sold
0164: The PERFECT CRIME #23 * CGC 6.0 * Wallpapered Room of DOOM * Eyck Swipe?Est. $3,000-$5,000
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![X-MEN #5 * CGC 6.5 * 3rd App: MAGNETO * 2nd App: SCARLET WITCH: Heading: Author: Title: X-MEN No. 5 Place Published: Publisher:Marvel [Indicia: Canam Publishers Sales Corp.] Date Published: May, 1964 Description: CGC certified: Fine+ (6.5). Off-white to white](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621717_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![DARK MYSTERIES #6 * 5.5 * Necktie Party of PERIL * Sad Sack Succumbs to Succubus: Heading: Author: Title: DARK MYSTERIES No. 6 Place Published: Publisher:Story, aka Master/Merit [Indicia: Master Comics, Inc.] Date Published: April, 1952 Description: Fine- (5.5). Light spine](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621433_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![DARK MYSTERIES #19 * CGC 4.0 * Rare PRINTING ERROR Variant * Printer Pulls a Boner: Heading: Pre-Code Mystery Mag of the YearAuthor: Title: DARK MYSTERIES No. 19 * Printing Error Variant Place Published: Publisher:Story, aka Master/Merit [Indicia: Master Comics, Inc.] Date](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621448_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![JOHNNY DYNAMITE: Lot of 7 Mags * Don HECK * 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 * Morphine Story: Heading: Author: Title: DYNAMITE: Lot of Seven Issues Place Published: Publisher:Comic Media [Indicia: Allen Hardy Associates, Inc.] Date Published: 1953-1954 Description: #1: Fine (6.0). Light](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621453_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![HEADLINE COMICS #37 * 4.0 * Jack KIRBY Photo Cover * Deliver Us from DELIVERANCE: Heading: Author: Title: HEADLINE COMICS No. 37 Place Published: Publisher:Prize [Indicia: Headline Publications, Inc.] Date Published: September-October, 1949 Description: VG (4.0). Slight spine](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621488_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![JUMBO COMICS #162 * 5.0 * Maurice WHITMAN * Bob WEBB: Heading: Author: Title: JUMBO COMICS No. 162 Place Published: Publisher:Fiction House [Indicia: Real Adventures Publishing Co., Inc.] Date Published: August, 1952 Description: VG/Fine (5.0). Mild](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621493_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES #1 * 2.5 * Crude Terror Tales: Heading: Author: Title: MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES No. 1 Place Published: Publisher:Story [Indicia: Story Comics, Inc.] Date Published: March, 1951 Description: Good+ (2.5). Rather acute spine roll,](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621508_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES #20 * 1.8 * Ghoulish Goulash: Heading: Author: Title: MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURES No. 20 Place Published: Publisher:Story [Indicia: Story Comics, Inc.] Date Published: June, 1954 Description: Good- (1.8). Spine split halfway (from](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621528_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![The PERFECT CRIME #23 * CGC 6.0 * Wallpapered Room of DOOM * Eyck Swipe?: Heading: Author: Title: PERFECT CRIME No. 23 * Third Highest-Graded Copy Place Published: Publisher:Cross [Indicia: Cross Publications, Inc.] Date Published: April, 1952 Description: CGC certified:](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621543_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![POLICE TRAP #1 * 4.0 * Kirby, Cops & Code Collide: Heading: Author: Title: POLICE TRAP No. 1 Place Published: Publisher:Mainline [Indicia: Mainline Publications, Inc.] Date Published: August-September, 1954 Description: VG (4.0). A few creases and](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621548_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![The THING! #1 * 3.0 * Severed Heads n' Stuff * Dire Fire Meets Prose Woes: Heading: Author: Title: The THING! No. 1 Place Published: Publisher:Charlton [Indicia: Song Hits, Inc.] Date Published: February, 1952 Description: G/VG (3.0). Spine stress, spine a bit rolled,](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621569_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![The THING! #11 * 4.0 * Necronomic-Comic-Con * Death Puffs a Pipe: Heading: Author: Title: The THING! No. 11 Place Published: Publisher:Charlton [Indicia: Capitol Stories, Inc.] Date Published: November-December, 1953 Description: VG (4.0). Spine stress, 1/4" split](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621579_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)
![WEIRD TERROR #9 * 3.5 * Flea Bite of FEAR: Heading: Author: Title: WEIRD TERROR No. 9 Place Published: Publisher:Comic Media [Indicia: Allen Hardy Associates, Inc.] Date Published: January, 1954 Description: VG- (3.5). Spine stressed at](https://p1.liveauctioneers.com/642/247983/128621655_1_x.jpg?height=310&quality=70&version=1652296444)

