|
For many months now I have been searching for a very old comic book: Heroic Comics Issue
#39, dated November 1946. In 1944, when my Mom was 4 years old, she &
her older brother, 5 years old, were playing at a park in the Bronx. She
asked her brother what the sign by the lake said, as she couldn't read
yet. He told her the sign said "Free Ducks" (it actually said "Caution,
thin ice") but he didn't read either... ha ha. She went out to get a duck,
fell through the ice, and almost drowned. A Merchant Marine who had just
been discharged saw what happened and ran out to save her.
This was all later written up in the newspaper and eventually made it
into the Heroic comic book. My parents are both deceased now, and the
only copy I have is in really poor shape. I thought it would be great
to get a hold of this to show my own children, and have spent many
years looking for a copy.
I received the
above story from a young lady I used to know in high school, who found
me (and this website) through Classmates.com.
I don't want or intend for Cartoonacy! to be a comic book locator
service, but given the personal connection, I made an exception in this
case and found her a dealer in California who had a copy of the comic
in question. For the record, Heroic Comics (called Reg'lar Fellers
Heroic Comics from issue #1 to #15, and New Heroic Comics from
issue #41 to #97, the last issue) began in 1940, and was published by
Eastern Color Printing, the company that published the first comic book,
Famous Funnies #1 in 1933. The first several issues of Heroic
featured superheroes such as Hydro-Man, Music Master, and Rainbow
Boy. Eventually, the magazine switched to telling stories of real-life
heroism, usually military, in comics form. It was during this period that
the story mentioned above caught the eyes of the editors.
Is there a website devoted to where people can locate old comic books? Heroic Comics sometimes featured stories of Korean War veterans.
I have a website of my own entitled "The Korean War Educator." One of the men I interviewed was featured in #83 issue of Heroic Comics.
His family is searching for that issue.
Generally, I'd recommend E-Bay when
searching for old comics at the best prices. However, I've located Heroic
#83 for sale, though not in the greatest condition, at http://www.all-about-comics.com/10cent-ghi.htm
(asking $10) and http://www.nostalgiazone.com/doc/giant/Misc_Paul_Terry_&_Religious
(asking $8)
I am looking for a comic book that had featured my Dad during the KOREAN
WAR. He is dealing with terminal cancer right now and it is very important I
find this so he can pass a copy to us kids. His was all tattered and he
can't even find it.
It is NEW HEROIC COMICS, issue #89, January 1954
HEROIC HALL OF HONOR: LT. RICHARD H. LEWANDOWSKI
When you said any questions I hope this is what you meant. Whatever you can suggest will help.
Whew! That's a hard one to locate. But if you go to http://pages.infinit.net/omc/
and click on the link that says "Esoteric Titles," you'll find they have
two copies for sale: one in Fine condition (which generally means it's
worn, but readable) for $8, and another in Very Good to Fine for $5 (which
says "lt wd fc," which means "light water damage on the front cover.")
My best wishes to you and your dad.
THANK-YOU---THANK-YOU---THANK-YOU!!!!
I immediately got in touch with Jerry at 1,000,000 COMIX, we finally got
on the phone at the same time today and my order is ready to go..... In
fact, not in computer yet was a ''brand-new'', 'like never been touched'
issue he'd just got in. It's mine.
Once again triumph and the magic of the internet brings us all together. May
all your Holi-Days be a personal success, safe and be a very special time
spent with the ones you Love.
There is more to the story, as Paul Harvey always says: My Dad doesn't know that I found copies and I was going to frame each page for Christmas,
and a set for my brother and sister too, for
later. My Mom and Dad were married June 1951 and when they got back from their
honeymoon in the Smoky Mountains, my Dad's overseas orders were waiting for him.
He left for Tokyo in Jan '52 training as a runner/coach for the Army's
Olympic Team.
He found out I was born nine days later, when he ran into a buddy from Cleveland
who'd seen my birth announcement in the local paper. He volunteered to go to
Korea for hardship duty and points so he could get home to his brand new
family. I was 13 months old when my Dad came home and yet he'd been with me
every day thru pictures and stories my Mom told.
We weren't able to celebrate their 50th anniversary with a family reunion
in the Smokies, because my brother died unexpectedly of leukemia the
previous September. My Mother had a heart-attack on the airplane to get to see
him before he passed. Her health has been rocky since, but getting better.
And then last summer my Dad had been diagnosed with prostate cancer,
and we are all going to be together and love each other as much as
possible.
My Dad had been talking about finding his 'old tattered' copy of the comic
book with no success. That's how I started my web search.
I'll let you know when I get my copy, should be this week and then we'll
know ....the rest of the story.
...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I had to work so this is my first chance to let you know
that I got the comic I was waiting for from 1 MILLION COMIX, and it truly was in excellent condition.
I am very pleased. Thanks.
I'm in the military. Could you post infomation on a certain comic book on your web page. My father is in The November of 1951 issue of New Heroic Comics for his actions in Korea I believe the
issue was #77. But his name is listed inside the cover for one of his four bronze stars. He was later recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor, and received 2 silver stars during Korea. I would like to have a show with it on display for him. His name is George W. Parker.
Yes, Heroic Comics #77 was the November 1951 issue. I found a copy listed
for sale at http://www.collectorsink.com/list2.html
If it's not still available there, you might want to check out http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/famousfunnies
. It's a club for collectors of old comic book titles, and according to
their archives, one of their members owns a copy of Heroic #77 and might
be willing to photocopy the portions you're interested in.
I thank you for the infomation. I tried several different sites with no luck at all. Right now I'm trying to purchase the one in collectorsink, but if not I'm interested in the cover and the story that covers George W. Parker I hope I can at least get a scan of that information.
Ask
a Question
© 2003 Robert A. Buethe
|
Previous