Category: Cartooning

It’s a First Printing, Charlie Brown

Over at Nat Gertler’s AAUGH Blog he discusses the book adaptations of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” I bought a used copy many years ago and assumed that because the title page says “First Printing 1965” it is indeed an original printing.

But wait! Nat explains that all of World Publishing’s press runs say “first printing,” so for a few minutes while listening to the podcast I feared that mine is merely a reprint. But Nat goes on to explain that he has determined the features of an apparent true first edition. For starters, the book should be 8.5 inches tall, without a large black area to the right of the illustration. Check.

Second, the end papers should be a nice, deep red color. Check.

Finally, the first printing came with a dust jacket. Mine doesn’t have that, but the end flaps have text, and Gertler’s description matches two pieces of paper that came with my copy. Therefore, I conclude that my Charlie Brown Christmas book is a true first-run printing.

The most significant piece of information that Nat provides is the name of the artist who illustrated the book. Only the cover has a Schulz drawing. The interior was drawn by Sparky’s former assistant Dale Hale, who did the job in only two weeks.

Doing a Double Take

A Facebook group I enjoy is “At the Controls,” featuring vintage photos of control rooms and equipment. Radio station and recording studio photographs are particular favorites.

A picture posted in the group caught my attention immediately. You can see why by recalling my post about the original art for Bernie Krigstein’s “Master Race” being up for auction at Heritage.

“Master Race” page 1, panel 2. Eddie Michalski at Columbia Records Studios, 799 Seventh Ave, NYC, 1953.

Roy the Boy’s Goodbye to Stan the Man

Stan Lee and Roy Thomas, 11/10/2018

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/11/12/roy-thomas-stan-lee-ready-to-leave-this-earth/

I’m sadder than I can say that Stan has died… even though I know, from my recent phone conversations with him, that he was more than ready to leave this Earth. I’m so grateful that, by sheer circumstance, I got to spend a half hour or so with him this past Saturday, less than 48 hours before he passed away. At that time, it was obvious that he lacked much of the old Stan Lee energy that everybody had got to know at conventions and in movie cameos, but when I asked him about future cameos, he expressed a real interest in making them, if he could find a way to do it without their being too much trouble. He asked me about Dann and all the animals on our place (Dann had, at his request, sent him a DVD we made for him a couple of years ago), and got fairly animated when talking about his battles with publisher Martin Goodman over doing Spider-Man. I opined as how maybe the one important creative decision Goodman ever made was when he commissioned Stan to create a super-hero group back in 1961. Stan seemed to get a kick out of that. He posed for a couple of pictures with me, and then the last one with me and my friend and manager John Cimino, who had worked (in concert with Stan’s buddy and handler Jon Bolerjack) to arrange for Stan and me to get together one more time. But I wish I could look forward to seeing him and sparring around with him again. Still, I consider myself so very lucky to have known and worked with him for so many years… one of the most important mythmakers of the 20th century.

Best

Roy

Stanley Martin Lieber, 1922-2018

Stanley Martin Leiber, 1968

Marvel advertised this 8×10 glossy photo of Stan for a buck in 1968 (fans know the year from the comics on the wall). I bought one and 20 years later I handed it to Stan for an autograph. They were free back then, by the way. Stan looked at me incredulously and asked, “Where did you get this??” I explained, and Stan lived up to his admitted bad memory by having no recollection of the picture.