Digital Comic Museum

General Category => Comic Related Discussion => Topic started by: OtherEric on April 15, 2010, 08:50:48 PM

Title: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on April 15, 2010, 08:50:48 PM
I've asked before just about anywhere I could find, so I'll mention it here as well:  If you ever see any Peter Wheat material we don't have here, let me know.  I can check eBay and Heritage regularly, but I can't chase down all the stores- and not all of them are online.  The books are insanely rare and have classic Walt Kelly material.  (Or, in later issues, charming Al Hubbard material.)  So let me know if you see anything anywhere, please!  And if you happen to have anything of your own, PLEASE scan it and share it!

Almost all of the material currently online is from my collection; it's been popping up in interesting places.  Several issues have been converted to PDF and shared on a home schooling aid giveaway site, which I am incredibly gratified by.  It's wonderful to see the material being shared in areas we never would have expected!
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: Ger Apeldoorn on May 02, 2010, 12:51:37 AM
I am certainly looking ot for them, but I wouldn't want to drive the price up if we are both bissing. So let's return here if we see one on ebay.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: Yoc on May 02, 2010, 01:19:17 AM
Welcome to the site Ger.
You should know a few names here.
:)
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: GasolineAlley on May 02, 2010, 02:07:40 PM
OtherEric,

I'm the one that has been posting the Peter Wheats to HomeschoolFreebieOfTheDay.com... I'm glad to know who is responsible for these scans -- Thanks so much for making them available! I have enjoyed those ever since Don & Maggie Thompson did an article on them in TBG back in the early 80s, and then Maggie sent me a couple extra photocopied stories shortly thereafter. They are wonderful and just a perfect introduction to comics today for our readers. Can't tell you how many positive comments we've had on those.

As long as I'm at it, any suggestions for other wholesome but entertaining titles that would be enjoyed by kids today? I'm looking at the Fairy Tale Parades at the moment...

Jim E
aka GasolineAlley
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: GasolineAlley on May 02, 2010, 02:14:10 PM
OtherEric,

I just found the b&w photocopies of the Peter Wheats that Maggie Thompson sent me way back when... they are issues #1 and #2.  Do you need those?

GasolineAlley
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on May 02, 2010, 06:11:33 PM
I have b&w copies of 1 and 2, but thank you for the kind offer.  (I hope to have some news on one of those issues soon; but don't want to commit myself quite yet.)  I really should try and contact Maggie Thompson; she seems to be the leading Peter Wheat fan out there!

Fairy Tale Parade has a lot of good stories but I think you would want to check them carefully, on a story by story basis, before posting those.  Some of them have not aged well, to put it mildly.  You might try running some of the non-Pogo Kelly material from Animal Comics, as well.  We've checked that the early Pogo stories were not renwed pretty carefully, but you may not want to invite trouble by posting those.  There are also several other Kelly books including the various Mother Goose titles out there that are usable.  I'm not trying to focus on Kelly alone; it's just that his material is what comes to mind the easiest as stuff that's still suitable for kids, has aged well, and is public domain.

Hello, Ger!  Good to see you here.  If issues pop up on eBay I'll make sure to mention them here; I do check that particular listing several times a day.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on May 03, 2010, 12:18:49 PM
Thom just posted an incomplete copy of Adventures of Peter Wheat #10 over at

http://whirledofkelly.blogspot.com/

which I'll post here when I get home from work tonight.  I just wanted to thank Yoc and Thom for their wonderful clean-up work on what was a horribly beat-up copy, and encourage people to give the Whirled of Kelly blog a look if they're fans of Kelly.  A great place.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: Yoc on May 03, 2010, 05:50:48 PM
Thanks Eric, happy to save another obscure but not so forgotten these days work by a personal favourite of mine - Walt Kelly.

Thanks for sharing them.
:D
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on May 09, 2010, 08:10:59 AM
A quick question for the GCD experts out there:  While in most cases the bakery name is same on my copy as the GCD copy (not least because well over half the scans are mine), there are a few issues where I have a different one.  Would it be appropriate to upload the alternate covers; or would that be too fine a difference to justify a separate posting?  In most cases the bakery name is printed on; although I've seen both blank issues and stamped bakery names on a few examples.

And in good news for my fellow Kelly fans, I've got three issues waiting for a chance to debut on the Whirled of Kelly blog before posting here.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: narfstar on May 09, 2010, 10:20:26 AM
Eric that is one of those debated issues like Buster Brown Comics with different shoe companies. I am not sure there was any agreement last time I will check and let you know. Already got an answer and yes they are considered variants and should be uploaded
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on May 09, 2010, 02:23:34 PM
Thanks, Narf.  I'll do that later today, then.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on May 23, 2010, 04:34:58 AM
Since I told Ger I would mention it here...

A copy of Peter Wheat #50 just popped up on eBay; I've got a bid of roughly 2x guide already posted.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: Yoc on May 23, 2010, 10:23:50 AM
GL on #50 Eric!
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: narfstar on May 23, 2010, 11:12:40 AM
We are pulling for you. Of course we know if you win we all win  :D
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: Poztron on May 23, 2010, 10:19:31 PM
As long as I'm at it, any suggestions for other wholesome but entertaining titles that would be enjoyed by kids today? I'm looking at the Fairy Tale Parades at the moment...
Jim E
aka GasolineAlley

I don't know if they would grab kids today, but I think Quality Comics' The Barker comics (with art by Nordling) are appropriate for both kids and adults. The carnival crew includes a circus fat lady and a midget, but they are handled with respect and zero mockery, and that is really something considering they were from over 60 years ago.  Plus the stories always have a Mystery edge, which may make them closer to the Harry Potter universe than pure fairy tales are (and thus provide a bridge from the present to the past).
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: darkmark (RIP) on May 24, 2010, 06:31:27 AM
THE BARKER is indeed a fine comic.  Whether handled by Jack Cole or Klaus Nordling, the stories are fast, funny, and worth anyone's time.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: JonTheScanner on May 25, 2010, 09:38:37 AM
And speaking of The Barker, I'd love to see #13 (the only missing issue) scanned.  Anyone have any leads.

Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on June 22, 2010, 12:35:53 AM
About 15 issues of Adventures of Peter Wheat just hit eBay.  And my ability to bid on anything for a few weeks is close to zero.  So this is a great chance to jump in somebody else (Such as Ger) wants to try for some...

Check the listings closely, though.  Several are misidentified to exact number.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: JonTheScanner on June 22, 2010, 10:19:52 AM
I'm willing to jump in and help get these.  But let's coordinate so we don't bid against each other.  Eric are all your issues posted so if we don't see it here that means we need it?

In that case we need:

#8 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-8-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013244?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b5bc

#9 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-9-High-Grade-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/220626129322?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335e5791aa

#10 (ours is inc) http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-10-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013265?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b5d1

#13 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-13-High-Grade-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013275?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b5db

#14  http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-14-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013289?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b5e9

#16 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-16-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013299?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b5f3

#20 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-20-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/200486373991?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eadeb4a67

#30  http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-30-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/220626129400?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335e5791f8

#34 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-34-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/200486374015?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eadeb4a7f

#48  http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-48-High-Grade-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013384?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b648

#49  http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-49-Nice-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/190408013403?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5533b65b

#51 http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-51-High-Grade-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/220626129479?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335e579247

can you confirm?

Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on June 22, 2010, 11:04:11 AM
I have issues #8 and 14 scanned but not yet posted, the 14 is complete but badly worn.

To correct the issue identifications as best as I've been able to:

NN http://cgi.ebay.com/Peter-Wheat-nn-2-Giveaway-Walt-Kelly-Art-/200486373920?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eadeb4a20

This is actually #5

The book they posted as #8 is actually #6

#9 is correct

#10 is actually #16, if you look at their #16 listing you can see they match (but are from different bakeries)

#13 and #14 are correct, like I said I've got a low-grade copy of #14 that's in editing by Yoc and Thom at the moment

#20 is one of the first issues I scanned and posted

#30 I haven't ID'd but from the scan it sure looks like Hubbard, not Kelly, to me

#34 I'm less sure than the #30 but once again, it looks more like Hubbard than Kelly

#48 is really 42, which is already scanned

I should know Saturday how much I can afford to bid; at this point I'm probably only going to be able to make a serious run on one or two of the issues.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on June 24, 2010, 12:09:25 AM
And Thom has just posted issue #14 over at

http://whirledofkelly.blogspot.com/

so you can see what it looks like.  I'll be posting it here in a few days, but after seeing the wonderful work Yoc and Thom have done on edits I don't think we need to try for the copy on eBay right now.  If there weren't at least 4 other Kelly issues for sale I might say otherwise, but even so I think the version we have looks pretty good.  Enjoy!
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on June 26, 2010, 04:35:53 AM
And, to my deep regret, I am not going to be able to bid on any of the Peter Wheat issues this time around.  So go for it if you're willing to try.

If anybody DOES win any of the issues we need and then decides they want to part with them, let me know.  I should have money in a couple weeks and would be willing to pay a premium of say, 20% over what you paid up as long as you don't bid much more than 1.5 guide.  Let me know if you need me to quote a specific amount.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on June 27, 2010, 02:21:51 AM
Jon is going to bid on several of the books and then I'll pay him back, as discussed above.  We're looking at the NN (5), which they list as nn(2), the 6 which they list as 8, the 9, the 13, and one of the 16's.  I don't want to just blab what we're bidding in case we have a lurker who will use that against us, but if you were looking at any of those books send a PM and I'll fill you in so we don't step on one anothers toes.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: Yoc on June 27, 2010, 08:36:00 AM
Good luck on these guys!!
:)
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on June 28, 2010, 09:16:13 PM
And it appears we've got nothing from this lot; the Kelly issues we needed all went in the three figure range.

I'll keep trying, but I think a downside of my making issues available is that demand has increased, as well- more people know what to look for!
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: JVJ (RIP) on September 14, 2010, 04:43:02 PM
Eric,
it's not Peter Wheat but it IS Walt Kelly. Do you have a copy of "The Mechanics of English"? It was published as EM 101 by the United States Armed Forces Institute in 1944. It's exactly what it says it is, a 237 page digest -sized book on how to speak and use the English language. Mainly text, but scattered throughout it is "Illustrated by Walter C. Kelley, Jr." - which isn't spelled correctly, but IS our Walt Kelly.

Peace, Jim (|:{>
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: narfstar on September 14, 2010, 05:03:32 PM
Gee Jim don't you think Eric is going wild trying to find all the PW without you giving him one more thing to hunt down  ???
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on September 14, 2010, 09:44:35 PM
No, I don't, Jim.  It sounds interesting, though.

And more stuff to hunt down isn't bad, Narf.  The issue is even finding Peter Wheat at all; other Kelly material is still out there to get. 
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: JVJ (RIP) on September 14, 2010, 11:22:23 PM
You really think I would have tortured him with this if I didn't have a copy for him, narf?
You must really think I am a mean guy.

$20 plus shipping (whatever you want - probably could go First Class for less than $4, Media for less than $2), Eric,
but you can probably find it somewhere else cheaper.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: narfstar on September 15, 2010, 04:45:53 AM
I actually expected as much Jim but the little beasty in me enjoyed the short period of time thinking of Eric salavating over the thoughts of hunting out another Kelly. You have of course often left me painfully returning comics that have cried out to be in my collection of something from each GA publisher even after my not so subtle hints  8) Visions of MadHatter now flash through my mind.
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on September 15, 2010, 09:52:21 PM
I'll get you the money Monday at the latest, Jim.  And thank you; it sounds like a really neat item!
Title: Re: Wanted: Peter Wheat
Post by: OtherEric on September 21, 2010, 03:08:24 PM
Book arrived, some really fun Kelly illos in there.  And it's fascinating as a wartime artifact in its own right!