Mail Order Memories11927
 Beaten by boat oars
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Studley_Dudley private msg quote post Address this user | |
While reading through some comics from the 1980s-1990s, I was curious about some of the mail order businesses that used to be around. We'd see ads for them in the comics. We always hear horror stories about people ordering comics and it comes with a huge tear down the front cover, but I think I had some different experiences. As a kid who started earning grass-cutting money in the 1990s, my friends and I would look through these ads and find someone with a computer or word processor and type up an order with alternates listed. Or we would figure who had the girliest writing and use them to handwrite the order, walk up to the grocery store to get a money order, slap a stamp on the envelope and wait the 4 weeks to receive our comics. The innocence of being a child and enjoying the hobby was great.  East Coast Comics was always good to me. Books were 98% of the time in NM condition. I found out last night that Clyde Durkee passed away at the end of 2007, I guess it makes sense that I wouldn't have known. My last order with East Coast Comics was in 2018 after my deployment. I was just filling some runs, and I guess was dealing with Clyde's son. The website still looks like it did in the early 2000s. And there aren't a lot of new things that ever get posted to the site (if at all). I also remember American Entertainment in Gainesville, VA with their colorful two page ads. We would buy from them to fill our back issues in when we missed issues at the grocery store or couldn't get to the comic shop. I assume the comic crash in the 90s wrecked some of these companies as I can't find much on some when I search for them.    Even looking at some of Mile High's prices in the 1980s and early 1990s, I was surprised to see it wasn't anywhere near as outlandish as it has turned out to be since the early 2000s. I don't have a picture offhand but I know what I saw. |
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 Collector
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Madman private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I loved them all. That is how I started my collection since there was only one comic shop on the island and it was about 2 hours away. Also miss the Wizard price guide and Toy fare. | ||
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 CBCS broke up with me over Facebook.
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CFP_Comics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Never used mail order, growing up in NY there was always a show, someone at the flea market and plenty of old books stores that carried comics. I feel like I missed out. |
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 I'm waiting.... (tapping fingers).Splotches is gettin old! |
Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Great post! | ||
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 past performance is no guarantee of future actions.
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| We had one corner store with a wall rack...so like 20 titles max?? My first mail order comic was Hawk and Dove. Unknown to me the first issue came signed by the Kessels a husband and wife writer artist team. Of course from Wizard there were the mail order editions they had 1/2 and ACE editions. Great memories!! | ||
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 I had no way of knowing that 9.8 graded copies signed by Adam Hughes weren't what you were looking for.
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drchaos private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I remember placing an order that included 10 Wolverine Limited Series # 1s for $1 each and not getting any of them because the company was out of stock. | ||
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 Collector
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Doc_Cop private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I was in the same boat as CFP. Grew up on Long Island and picked up my books (25 cents) off a spinning rack at Ha Chas candy shop in Deer Park (walking distance). As a young adult I had my LCS a mile away and there was always a weekend show somewhere on the Island. Life was good! Great Thread Studley. | ||
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 Collector
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Jabberwookie private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Neat thread! I always perused those ads, but wasn’t allowed to order any comics. My parents tolerated my comic habit, but didn’t exactly embrace it. This might a little off-topic of what you were asking, but I’d do those mail order things where you collected the proof of purchase and mailed it in. Six to Eight weeks to get your Cobra Commander was an eternity when you were ten! Still, it was worth it. And nice to get something in the mail that wasn’t a birthday card with $5 in it from your grandmother. |
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| Post 8 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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GanaSoth private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I used to have to go to a gas station and buy my comics off a spinner rack when I was a kid. That's the only place I could get them being in the country. | ||
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CBCS broke up with me over Facebook.
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CFP_Comics private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Doc_Copi grew up 5 minutes from Aqueduct Racetrack. |
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Beaten by boat oars
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Studley_Dudley private msg quote post Address this user | |
| We had comic shops, but getting someone's parents to drive us the 20-30 minutes it could take to get to one wasn't always a successful venture, so mail order was the way to go. After I turned 16 and could drive, that changed the game and my mail order days became fairly infrequent. That said, I filled several holes in titles I was reading at the time. Punisher, X-Factor, UXM, etc. Nowadays, I realize what a wealth of stores I have in my region. @Jabberwookie, not off topic at all. I begged my mom to buy Apple Jacks when I was a kid so I could collect the proof of purchase on however many boxes to send away for a Star Wars X-Wing comic. I don't think I've eaten Apple Jacks since then. |
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past performance is no guarantee of future actions.
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KatKomics private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Not quite mail order but when i was 9 and 10 my parents sent me to summer camp for a few weeks at a time. My mom would mail me comics rolled into a tube. Thats how i got my Secret Wars 8!! Still have it...kind of rough shape..maybe a 7? but i read it multiple times and most of the kids in my cabin did too!! | ||
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I had no way of knowing that 9.8 graded copies signed by Adam Hughes weren't what you were looking for.
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drchaos private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I will have to dig up some of my invoices from American Comics. I remember filling in some early issues on my West Coast Avengers run as well as getting Punisher # 1 and / or Punisher Limited Series # 1. That is all I remember off the top of my head but I had at least three orders from them. |
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| Post 13 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I remember Mile high placed a big double paged ad in Marvel comics around mid-1985. I bought a whole slew of comics from that ad and subsequently joined their new comics subscription service. I also ordered from a few other such ads. Passaic Book Center comes to mind. I never had any problems with these orders and there are many good memories there. Great topic! | ||
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Collector
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Doc_Cop private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Drchaos - If you need any West Coast Avengers to fill any holes send me a DM... | ||
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 PEDIGREED... Again!
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martymann private msg quote post Address this user | |
| We bought a lot of comics from PASSAIC BOOK CENTER like the AVENGERS #24 listed at $2.10...never had a problem with them.   CC mm |
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 Why just the women? I like bears.
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Gaard private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Hal Verb. Never disappointed. |
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I had no way of knowing that 9.8 graded copies signed by Adam Hughes weren't what you were looking for.
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drchaos private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Doc_Cop No, I was young and foolish then. Thanks anyway. |
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 It's like the Roach Motel for comic collectors.
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chester15 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I bought 100 each Thor 337, 338, and 339 from American Comics. Still got a comic short box left. I get a few graded at a time. | ||
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Collector
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Jabberwookie private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Luckily for me, I eventually got a comic shop relatively near me when I was a kid. I’ve been cleaning out my office and ran across one their ads/ catalogues. Enjoy, and,no, I’m not a hoarder...     |
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 Collector
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circumstances private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I started collecting in 1975, so even with a local comic book shop, mail order was the primary way to collect. In the 1980s, I was buying regularly from many people who placed ads in the Comic Buyers Guide (formerly The Buyers Guide), especially J&S Comics. Great selection, fair prices, tight grading, always. Prior to that I was a frequent mail purchaser of: Robert Bell Hugh O'Kennon Ed Kalb Samuel Frazer James Payette And occasional mail order purchaser of: D. Belmont R. Crestohl C. Slobodian Doug Sulipa Richard Alf Theo Holstein Bill Thailing And so many more. |
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Collector
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michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @circumstances Man, do I miss the Comics Buyers Guide! In the days before the internet was a thing the weekly CBG was my best friend! I used to buy from J&S quite a bit back then as well. I wish CBG had never made the decision to change format to copy Wizard magazine! I guess their demise was inevitable though at the onset of the internet age. A lot of great memories though. | ||
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Collector
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circumstances private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by michaelekrupp When J&S acquired the collection of the estate of Claire S. Moe (golden age artist, mainly Centaur), I ordered practically every comic in the whole ad. I don't know how many they had in total, but I was lucky enough to get 15 or 20 of them. They are the bulk of my Centaur collection. That was around 1983 or 1984 (guessing). I think they were $20, $25, $30, $35 each, primarily unread condition. |
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 Pictures? We don't need no stinking pictures.
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brysb private msg quote post Address this user | |
In the 1980's/early 90's I ordered from Mile High Comics the most, NEVER had a single issue with comics arriving damaged, they always packed extremely well. I looooved those great 50 cent sale ads!! I only ordered from East Coast Comics twice, both orders back to back and I remember the first order had not arrived yet after I placed the second order...poor packing on BOTH, dented up corners & I returned both packages!! ECC refunded my money, but instead of apologizing they sent me 2 letters, 1 saying "You are crazy" & the 2nd saying "You are out there, way out there!" I was young back then and pretty naive and innocent, so those 2 letters really hurt my feelings. Joseph Koch was also a really good guy to deal with back in the old days. I remember calling him up on the phone and telling him what I was interested in and he would pull 10-15 comics and sell in lots at a nice discount. |
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Pictures? We don't need no stinking pictures.
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brysb private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by michaelekrupp Same here, always had a pleasant experience with J&S Comics. |
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 We should have the forum rate our packages.
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HeinzDad private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I never really ordered comics when I was young, or albums and what not. One thing I do remember ordering from was some weird ass catalog called Things You Never Knew Existed. It was gag things mostly but as a 12 year old it was a pretty awesome magazine and I may have purchased a whoopy cushion or two. | ||
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Collector
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michaelekrupp private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by brysb They are still on EBay. I purchased a Phantom Lady hardcover slipcase book from them several months back. |
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 Masculinity takes a holiday.
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EbayMafia private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by michaelekrupp I had a subscription to CBG probably when I was 17 and 18 (1987-1988). It's still my favorite subscription that I had. It really helped me indulge my fantasy that I could turn my collecting into a profitable venture. I thought that with this kind of inside information I would be able to buy up multiples of things that were going to be hot and resell them within months at a profit. Never thought about the logistics of how or where I would actually resell those books, I guess I just figured that the local LCS would be happy to give me back more money than I had given them. It was probably a good 25 years before I resold a book that I bought from that era. But I could pour over that CBG for a couple of nights alone in my bedroom, learning about the market and who was selling what for how much. |
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It's like the Roach Motel for comic collectors.
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chester15 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I used to sell in CBG as Quality Comics. That would be late 80's to mid 90's. Then the web kind of killed off that venue. So you pack up your tent and move to where the buyers are. Not as involved as much these days, and that's ok, too! | ||
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