Auctions: comic books March 1953

Four Color (1942-1962 Dell 2nd Series) 456 GD/VG 3.0

Centerfold detached at one staple. Cover oxidation. Water damage.

Indicia title is "Walt Disney's UNCLE SCROOGE, BACK TO THE KLONDIKE, No. 456." Cover art by Carl Barks. Back to the Klondike, script and art by Carl Barks; Scrooge takes pills to restore his failing memory, and immediately recalls the location of bag of nuggets he cached in the Yukon fifty years before; When the ducks arrive in the Klondike, they find that Scrooge's claim has been taken over by Glittering Goldie, a former dance hall girl Scrooge knew in the gold rush days--and who still owes Scrooge a thousand dollars, plus interest. Somethin' Fishy Here, script and art by Carl Barks; Donald pastes up a fake newspaper that convinces Scrooge that fish have been made the official money of the land. Back cover strip by Barks. 36 pages, full color. Cover price $0.10.

Horrific (1952) 4 GD+ 2.5

1" Cumulative spine split. Cover detached at one staple. Oxidation.

House of Mystery (1951-1983 1st Series) 12 CGC 5.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4647279001

Cover pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein. "The Devil's Chessboard," art by Leonard Starr; Chess expert Alan Blake engages in a deadly game on the magical 'devil's chessboard' where every lost piece equals a loss in real life. 'Men Never Die in Cell 13," pencils by Curt Swan; Two newspaper reporters fake a murder to write a scoop from the death row. "Black Future," art by Ed Smalle; Every prophecy of a fortune teller comes true in the life of Jud Taylor; The fortune teller came from the future and knew about Taylor's life. "The Secret of the Matador's Sword!," pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein; Jose Pinto comes into possession of a magic sword, allowing him to win bullfights up to a certain number. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Love and Marriage (1952 Superior) 7 VG- 3.5

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Pre-Code romance comic from Canadian publisher Superior, featuring elements of crime, infidelity and good-girl art that later romance comics eschewed. A woman tries to choose between love and obligation, in a story featuring good-girl art. A May-December romance starts promisingly, until the woman meets a man closer to her own age. A waitress tries to win a wealthy man's heart, but it takes a fight and a near-drowning to get there. Agony in My Heart; Meant for Each Other; The Strangest Love; I'll Wait for You. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Mystic (1951 Atlas) 18 0.3

Comic is complete other than being coverless.

Mystic #18 features a memorable Bill Everett horror cover for "The Russian Devil!" The cover depicts skeletal communist party official literally dragging the corpse of an unfortunate citizen from his grave. "Get up, Ivan!" shouts the commie, "You can't escape us by dying! We're not through with you yet!" Fortunately, this story was written by a red-blooded American comic creator so the commie villain comes to a bad--and eternal--end. In Old Baghdad; A woman brought to the city as a slave schemes to become the wife of the Sultan but she is unaware of the the custom of that country to throw the Sultan's wife to the lions when he dies. The Drowning Man, art by Carrabotta; A thief cast overboard mistakes the back of a whale for a raft. The Perfect Mold text story. Tom-Tom!; Natives skin a cruel plantation owner and use him for their drums. Charley's Crime, art by Jack Abel; A thief comes back as a ghost to rob a bank but the ghost of the guard he killed stops him. The Russian Devil; The communist overseer of a labor camp is glad when he is told by his doctor that he has not long to live because he has spent his whole life killing and is weary; Death wants an assistant however and refuses to allow him to rest in peace. 36 pgs. $0.10. Cover price $0.10.

Star Spangled War Stories (1952 DC 2nd Series) 7 CGC 6.5

Paper: White

Label #4742157001

Cover pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Ray Burnley. The Rookie Ranger, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Ray Burnley. Killer Squad, pencils by Jerry Grandenetti, inks by Ray Burnley. The Dud, art by Jim McArdle. I Was a Leatherneck Sniper, art by Bob Brown. Private Pete filler page by Henry Boltinoff. Shorty filler page by Henry Boltinoff. Capt. Jeb Manton text article by Jack Miller. 36 Pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.