Auctions: comic books published by United

Comics on Parade (1938) 1 Coverless

Comic is complete other than being coverless. First wrap and two center wraps detached.

Stories and art by Hal Foster, Al Capp, Ernie Bushmiller, Bill Conselman, Charlie Plumb, Bernard Dibble, Fred Methot, Rudolph Dirks, Harry Lee, Winfield Meggs, Becky Sharp, Laverne Harding, Harry O'Neill, H. E. Homan, Dudley T. Fisher Jr., Robert Dickey, R. M. Brinkerhoff, J. Carver Pusey, Paul Berdanier, Frank Owen and Raeburn Van Buren. Sometimes listed as Comics on Parade Vol. 1 #1. Early in the transformation of comic strips to comic books, United Features Syndicate published Comics on Parade as a showcase for its most popular strips, including Tarzan, Li'l Abner and Nancy. This issue features the debut comic-strip adventures of Tarzan (by future Prince Valiant artist Hal Foster), Al Capp's Li'l Abner, and Raeburn Van Buren's Abbie and Slats. In the latter, country spinster Abbie meets her orphaned cousin Aubrey for the first time. She knows he's a city boy, but she's not prepared for the rough-and-tumble teen who calls himself "Slats." Shipwrecked on the African coast, the infant son of Lord Greystoke is raised by great apes to become Tarzan. Plus an illustrated biography of screen legend James Cagney. Terrific cover features a parade-float's worth of classic 1930s comic-strip characters, the familiar mingling with the forgotten. Danny; Abbie an' Slats; The Captain and the Kids; Tarzan of the Apes; Wayne Webster of Waverly Prep; Roads of Romance; Jest di-Jest; Cynical Susie; Broncho Bill; Looy Dot Dope; Colonel Wowser; How to Make It; For Junior Readers; Joe Jinks; Fritzi Ritz; Billy Make Believe; Mr. and Mrs. Beans; Bucky and His Pals; Little Mary Mixup; Benny; Opportunity Knox; If You Want to Know; Ella Cinders; Danny Dingle; Dub Dabs; Li'l Abner; Jasper. 64 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Fritzi Ritz (1948) 58 CGC 8.5

Paper: Off white to white

Label #4742165004

Cover by Ernie Bushmiller. Stories and art by Jim Sasseville and others. The comic-strip adventures of aspiring model Fritzi Ritz, her boyfriend Phil Fumble, and her precocious niece Nancy. Phil tries to show up handsome tennis pro Westmore Love to impress Fritzi. Phil pretends to be dating actress Arlene as a publicity stunt for her movie, until Fritzi catches them together. Phil accidentally buys a boomerang at an auction, but every time he tries to throw it away, it keeps coming back. This story features a cameo by Nancy and Sluggo. Snoopy steals Linus's blanket, in a Peanuts story by Charles Schulz's friend/understudy Jim Sasseville. A Flair for Fashion; Tennis, Anyone?; Short Changed; First Job; Peanuts; Boomer-Wrangle; Fritzi Ritz. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Sparkler Comics (1941 2nd Series) 96 FR/GD 1.5

4.5" Cumulative spine split. Centerfold detached at one staple. Chew.

Cover by Ernie Bushmiller. Stories and art by Ernie Bushmiller, Rudolph Dirks, Charlie Plumb, Fred Fox and Ernest G. Osborne. United's anthology featured reprints of early comic strips, including Ella Cinders, Captain and the Kids and Nancy. Ella and Patches learn that Chiffon Velvette is covering up the murder of her fiance. But all is not as it seems on the dude ranch. When the Captain tries to slide down a drainpipe to go play cards, the Kids have him right where they want him. The Family Workshop; Nancy; Ferd'nand; Captain and the Kids; Ella Cinders. 32 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Spongebob Comics (2011 United Plankton Pictures) 34 CGC 9.8

Paper: White

Label #4743880019

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Written by Gregg Schigiel, Derek Drymon and Robert Leighton. Art by Jerry Ordway, Gregg Schigiel and Scott Roberts. Cover by Gregg Schigiel. In part 3 of the epic 'Showdown at the Shady Shoals,' SpongeBob says he knows how the first meeting between Mermaid Man and the sea-king Viro Reganto must have gone down. How does he know? Because he's their biggest fan! Thus unfolds a spazzy, sponge-woven tale of underwater super villains and the power of friendship-all deliriously delineated by Jerry Ordway. Plus: This issue also features a round up of Wild West yarns - you know, the kind that take place underwater! First a mechanical bucking seahorse becomes the biggest fad - and the biggest rip-off - at the Krusty Krab in 'Shucking Seahorse'! And in 'Mixed Signals' we find out what happens when bubble signals go wrong on the ocean prairie; and Tim Truman provides a seaweed and spaghetti western-style pin-up of 'The Good, the Pat, and the Squiddy!' 32 pages, full color. Cover price $2.99.