Matt Baker’s Rare Giant Comics Editions #15, up for Auction

Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Matt Baker, St. John Publications

Matt Baker covers all the time have a narrative to inform, however the cowl of Giant Comics Editions #15 comprises a whole romance story arc.

Much as a rule, Matt Baker‘s covers for St. John Publications have been reflective of one of many inside tales of the difficulty in query, and even once they weren’t, the mismatch can usually be traced to an editorial mix-up.  But on St. John’s large editions, such coordination was generally inconceivable since these points have been usually rebound remaindered materials that might differ even beneath the identical difficulty quantity.  It’s laborious to not marvel what Baker’s cowl assignments from his editor regarded like in these circumstances.  Could he merely do something he needed?  Is that the circumstance that created, for instance, Giant Comics Editions #12, which is extensively thought-about essentially the most iconic romance comedian guide cowl ever created?

Every Matt Baker romance cowl has a narrative to inform, however the cowl of Giant Comics Editions #15 is slightly bit totally different than most.  Perhaps not wanting to depart the reader hanging with a canopy that may have little or no to do with the inside tales, Baker or his editor (Marion McDermott?) selected to inform a whole romance story arc with the rigorously positioned background panels on this cowl.  The unnamed lovely blonde featured right here wins a magnificence contest, leaves her hometown sweetheart to hunt fame and fortune, falls in love with one other man, will get betrayed by that man, and returns dwelling to her real love — all within the area of six panels.

The Overstreet Price Guide presently has Giant Comics Editions #15 at #4 on their Top Ten Romance Comics checklist, and even so, this one is one way or the other underrated.  It’s been 17 years since Heritage Auctions has offered a better graded copy than this Giant Comics Edition #15 Romances (St. John, 1950) CBCS VG- 3.5 Off-white pages which is obtainable within the 2023 August 17 The Matt Baker Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40233.

Giant Comics Editions was the formal title for a sequence of 18 rebound remaindered St. John comedian books that was revealed 1948-1950.  Issues on this sequence typically included 100 to 132 pages and have been priced at 25 cents.  They included a wide range of materials that had been revealed by St. John, from romance to newspaper strip reprints to Terry-Toons.  Nine of the 18 covers of the sequence have been based mostly on newspaper strip materials or Mighty Mouse.  Two of them have been photograph covers.

Six of the remaining seven covers featured Matt Baker paintings.  Five featured new, authentic paintings, whereas the sixth was a montage of previously-run inside panel artwork largely by Baker. Giant Comics Editions #6 and #13 that includes Baker covers are additionally accessible on this public sale.  This title was not the one large squarebound editions that St. John revealed.  The writer used this format on round 50 releases general, with a number of others together with All-Picture All-True Love Story #1 and Pictorial Romances #20 that includes Baker covers.  When a St. John large version was a part of one other common ongoing sequence, it generally contained new materials.

Squarbound giants are all the time robust in excessive grade, and Giant Comics Edition #15 isn’t any exception.  CGC 6.5 is the best entry on the CGC census, and copies higher than this Giant Comics Edition #15 Romances (St. John, 1950) CBCS VG- 3.5 Off-white pages not often turn out to be accessible.  This and a number of other different Baker St. John giants can be found within the 2023 August 17 The Matt Baker Comics & Comic Art Showcase Auction #40233. If you have by no means bid at Heritage Auctions earlier than, you may get additional info, you’ll be able to try their FAQ on the bidding course of and associated issues.

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