Adventures in Comics: A Virtual Flea Market Excursion!

Redartz:  Hello all; glad you could make it. Today we're doing something a little bit different. Many times, in the course of our dialogues, I've noted a fondness for visiting flea markets. That hasn't changed with the pandemic; since some have opened up (with social distancing and masks required), my wife and I have toured several. Now probably most of you have experienced a flea market or two. But for the benefit of those who may not have been 'flea-ing', and for those who have but miss the fun do to pandemic restrictions, we present a 'virtual flea market'. More accurately, you get a play-by-play with scenes from today's market visit. Everyone masked up? Okay, let's see what we can find. 

As we enter the place, we take a brief look around to get the lay of the place. For indoor markets, we usually go down each aisle checking out both sides at once. This is a fairly good-sized building, and features a cafe in the back ( unfortunately we already ate). 

Incidentally,  as we go through we will skip over many booths; those offering 'new' items, discount tables, clothing and the like. Also it's advisable not to buy groceries at flea markets (at least, we never do). We are looking for collectibles, music, antiques, pop culture items; and , well, anything unusual. The first thing that grabs our notice is a booth with some superhero figures and other miscellaneous toys. The Iron Man is pretty cool, but I'm not really looking for figures today, so it's a pass. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We go on a little way and find a dealer with a bunch of books. Among them is a shelf of vintage Dr. Suess hardbacks; just like the ones I (and probably many of you ) learned to read with. In particular, that "Dr. Suess' ABC's" was one of my childhood favorites. A sentimental temptation, but not today. We move on...

 

 

 

A few booths later, we encounter a table with numerous Star Wars memorabilia. Figures older and newer, some books, posters, and miscellany. Probably would catch the eye of some among us!

 

 

 

 

A bit further, as we round the end of the aisle and start back in the other direction, we come to a booth with a wide variety of glassware. The Coke glasses get my notice, especially the nice holiday-themed ones on the right. On another shelf is a line of Mason jars; a very common antique in the US Midwest (countless families used them for home canning and preserves).

 

 

 

About halfway down the aisle is a big booth with loads of vinyl lp's! We always go through such stacks, as we have a couple family members who are big vinyl collectors. Also, I've been known to pick up the occasional album to convert on my computer, if the price is right. Most flea markets have LOADS of vinyl available, albeit much of it pretty worn. Today however, I find one to take home. Yes, the first purchase: a nice copy of John Barry's soundtrack to "From Russia With Love". And yes, the price is indeed right.

 

We find another interesting LP, this one of the inauguration of President Richard Nixon. Not sure why someone would want

a recording of an inauguration anyway, but it's a notable bit of history. A good example of  "you never know what you might find'..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We move on. On the next aisle one single booth has a couple things that draw us in. One is an attractive old bicycle; a bit beat up but still pretty nice. Sharp color, too. And right behind it is a basket full to overflowing with dolls. One of which, from it's appearance , is none to happy about being there...

 

 

 

Turning another corner and starting down the right side, we see one of those "never seen one of these before" things. Our family closely followed all the Apollo space missions, and had plenty of moon memorabilia. Yet we never had a Command Module Cookie Jar! Any of you ever see one of these?

 

 

 

After a few more unremarkable dealers and craft tables, we arrive at a booth selling cds, dvds and vcr tapes. As with vinyl, I'm always on the lookout for cd's of interest. Both of these were considered: Julee Cruise singing for Angelo Badalamente (from Twin Peaks), and Meco (of 'disco Star Wars' fame) doing an instrumental collage album. The Julie Cruise disc becomes the second item in our purchase cart.

 

 

A brief observation at this point: it's a bit disappointing that we've so far seen no comic books whatsoever. However, we do find some toilet tissue...

 

 

 

 

 

Well, we're nearing the end of the flea market. One more aisle to go, and here's a promising booth with lots of paper memorabila. First we notice this; anyone else remember S&H Green Stamps?

And did you folks in the UK ever have anything of the sort: trading stamps; given away at grocery stores 'back in the old days'. You'd save the stamps in a booklet until you accumulated enough to trade them in for a toaster or some such prize. My Mom had a drawer full of these things.

And as we turn around, we finally find a few stacks of comic books! My patient wife goes on ahead to look while I rifle through the boxes. Most of them very recent stock, and little of interest to this collector.

 

 

However, one book is worth a look (a look, not a purchase). "Zody the Mod Rob"? Man, you just had to love the 60's!

And with that booth, we come to the conclusion of our flea market. Up to the counter we go, coughing up the funds for the pair of musical items we chose. Then it's back out to the car, and finally off with the mask. Hope you found this 'visit' a bit amusing. Even on those occasions when we don't actually buy anything, we find these flea markets fun to walk through. Sort of like a mini-museum. Any thoughts on anything we've seen today? Any comments on markets you've been to, and oddities you've found? Share on...

Sound and the Fury: New Music, Then and Now...

Redartz:  Well, here is another post inspired by a flea market excursion. You might guess by now, correctly, that I haunt these things with some frequency. What can I say? It keeps me out of the pool halls (a good thing, as I'm a lousy pool player).

In this instance, the 'big find' wasn't a comic or collectible. It was a box full of compact discs; about 200 of them. Completely unsorted; this box was stuffed full, sitting on the floor of one particular booth, and marked for the whopping sum of 12 dollars. Most folks would pass over such a box; cds suffering in popularity from the availability of streaming services and the resurgence of vinyl. But not me; I took a brief look over the top of the stacks (one could realistically only access a couple dozen without emptying the box all over the floor). Yes, there was junk, but several discs of interest- enough interest to justify the purchase. 

So an hour later I was hunched over a card table in the living room, sorting and stacking piles of jewel cases. There weren't any 'big guns'; i.e. no Beatles, Stones, Duran Duran, Hendrix. But there were many I chose to keep: a Simpsons disc, Basia, Enya, Modest Mouse, Harry Connick Jr., and more. There were quite a number of classical discs, many not already among my collection. But providing the fun (and today's subject) were the many discs totally unfamiliar to me. Soundtracks to films I'd not heard of, cds by acts from all over. World music, Jazz, Big Bands, and so on. And how can you beat the fun of auditioning all this new (new to me, anyway) music? Right off the bat there was a great discovery; a disc by an act called Groove Armada. Now you UK residents may know of them, but I did not. Popped it in for a listen and was quite pleased, googled them and found out they have had some success 'over your way'. Now I will have to search out more of their work. 

The 'moral' of this tale is that it is still a pleasure today to discover good music. Maybe it's easier in today's world to explore different musical outlets. Back in the 70's and 80's, learning about new music meant having either a friend with a great lp collection or access to a record store with knowledgeable staff (and preferably a good imports section). In college we had a terrific used record store, called Second Time Around. They had a big selection of old and new lps, but the big attraction was that they kept receiving many of the hot new sounds from all around the world during those heady days of the Punk/New Wave era. Nobody else in our area could have introduced me to, for instance, Gruppo Sportivo. Every week, our little gang visited that store to see what was in (after a stop at the nearby comic shop, of course). And we rarely left empty handed.

So for our discussion: expanding your musical horizons. How did you do it 'back then'? How do you do it now? How important is it for you to 'stay current', and do you enjoy finding great music from the past that speaks to you now? What acts were you stoked upon first hearing? Go ahead, we're all listening...

Adventures in Comics: The Things I Didn't Buy...

Redartz:  One thing every collector (of comics, ballcards, antiques, or whatever) loves to do is talk about the finds they have made, the purchases they have indulged in while on the hunt. We here have certainly done so, on several occasions. Well today, we'll talk about things we saw but chose to pass on. 

Anyone familiar with us here at BitBA knows I love  a good flea market excursion. Like an Indiana Jones treasure expedition, but without the snakes and gunfire. You truly never know what you'll see at these events. Many things you'd love to take home, others you wouldn't be caught dead with. Here are a few things that caught my attention recently:

 Love this Archies LP; but condition of the vinyl was a factor in passing it up. Nonetheless, I was tempted to buy it just for the cover. Had to photograph it, at the very least...

 Not really sure what this is, or why Santa is standing still for it. But after being somewhat creeped out by it, I had to get a shot of it. Although I wouldn't put this pink...whatever...in my living room, the Blackhawk poster behind it might be a different matter.

 Speaking of movie posters, this one is great. Very odd; perhaps if I'd had some of that Fabulous Treasure I would have been able to take this one home....

 


 Werewolf delivery man? I don't know, but this 6 foot tall nightmare totally dominated this corner of the room he dwelt in. I'll be seeing him in my nightmares from now until doomsday.

 












 Another stop by a vinyl lp booth, rifling through the covers revealed this toothsome group. Hootenany, anyone?






  Fear not; the flea market trip wasn't a washout at all. I took home several nice CD's, and a small stack of comics, including a cool 1961 Strange Tales (rough shape, but a fun pre-Marvel monster cover). But sometimes there's fun in what you skip. Have you any tales of oddities found 'on the hunt'?
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Adventures in Comics: Favorite Finds!

Redartz:  Collecting comics (or most anything, really) can be a laborious process for some. You have titles you favor, characters or artists you pursue. You probably have used a 'want list', you may have had a 'pull list' at a comic shop. Perhaps you hunted for years, searching for a particular issue before finally acquiring it with a well-deserved air of triumph! You gotta love filling those holes in your collection, and adding a long-sought treasure to your pile. 

However, there is also a wonderful element of surprise inherent in collecting. Have you ever hit a convention, flea market, or shop, and found something unexpected? Some item you just stumbled upon, but knew you'd have to have it. Maybe it was something that reminded you of childhood. Maybe it was a colossal key issue at a bargain-basement price. Perhaps it was something you didn't even know existed until you came across it on that momentous day. These are the stories we will be sharing today: your favorite lucky finds.

To prime the pump, here's  four favorite finds of mine :



Some of you may recall my fondness for Sheldon Mayer's classic kid series "Sugar and Spike". The book disappeared from the stands in 1971, and individual copies are fairly scarce, in any condition. One one fine Sunday morning several years ago, I was indulging in another favorite hobby: flea marketing. I hadn't found much this particular morning, and was heading down the back of the lot (this being an outdoor flea market). Browsing over one booth along the back row, among a myriad of miscellany, I spotted a dusty plastic bag with the telltale edges of some comic books sticking out. Inside were about a dozen old books, mostly in lower grade: an old Wonder Woman, a Patsy Walker, even a vintage Batman . But what really floored me was a pretty nice copy of Sugar and Spike 20 (all of the books dated from about 1958). Asking the proprietor of the booth for a price (no tag was visible), I was told the bag could be mine for a whopping 8 dollars! Less than a dollar each! Needless to say, that dingy bag and its contents found a home that day, and the Sugar and Spike remains a prized possession.






 
At another flea market, more recently, another treat awaited discovery. This particular market was quite large, and many booths offered comics (and often priced for collectors). I generally look for mixed  dollar boxes and lots, rather than buying from a dealer charging Guide prices. Fortunately there were many such booths as well. One of them had an interesting box of Silver and Bronze age books for 1 or 2 dollars each. Many were in pretty rough shape, but I selected several. The favorite find in this case was a Gold Key Giant comic of Uncle Scrooge, reprinting the Barks classic "Back to the Klondike". Definitely a reader copy- there was significant spine roll and a couple bits missing from the cover, but I'd wanted to read that story for a long time. Now I had the chance.










 

Find number three wasn't actually a comic, but was comic-related (and forgive me if I've related this tale before). Yes, at another flea market, I found a complete (albeit unassembled) 1974 Aurora Spider-Man model kit. It even contained the Romita comic book inside accompanying the

instructions. It was a kick to put it together, and it holds an honored place on the shelf (next to my wife's Elvis figure).








 


My final find was found at, you guessed it, a flea market (are you starting to see why I love to go to these sales?). I do, incidentally, look for other things besides comics. Among them cd's and DVD's. At this market, one  booth had a table full of DVDs, too many to really look through completely. But I pored through a few dozen, and to my amazement, found a movie I'd wanted for decades: "Murder By Death". I'd seen the film at the theater back in the 70''s and remembered it fondly. But it is somewhat obscure, and I never expected to find a copy on disc. Nevertheless, there it was, and only a dollar! And that evening, my patient wife was kind enough to sit through it with me- actually, she rather enjoyed it too: great cast and a great comedy.





Well, there you have my favorite finds- not necessarily Big Ticket Items, but treasures to me. What surprises have you encountered in your collecting pursuits? Don't keep us in suspense, give us all the details. Everyone likes a story with a happy ending...

Adventures in Comics: "What Was I Thinking When I Bought This?"

Redartz:  Good day, everyone! Here at BitBA we have often talked about our favorite finds and cherished purchases. But what about those that didn't pan out? Have you ever taken a chance on a comic, or a lot of comics, taking that 'leap of faith'; only to find yourself wishing for that money back? Perhaps you tried an issue of a new title to 'give it a chance', and regretted it eternally. Maybe you have picked up a box lot off ebay, hoping for some gems, and getting only junk. 

Well, this Bronze Ager has done so. Not on ebay, but I've tried a 'grab bag' of comics from time to time at flea markets. No luck at all; there's obviously a reason those books get sold in a plain wrapper. 

And speaking of plain wrappers, one of my worst purchases should have come in one. Back in college, I was inclined to give almost anything a try (comic-wise, that is). At one local convention, a dealer had a display of a new comic entitled Cherry Pop Tart. From the cover, it looked like a parody of Archie comics, right down to analogues of Betty and Veronica. I gave it a shot, without looking into it. I should have been warned by the "Adults Only" label, but by that time I'd picked up some undergrounds by the likes of Robert Crumb and Howard Cruse. Figured I was sophisticated enough. Turned out to be some pretty cheesy porn; rather embarrassing to look at or even possess. And it wasn't even particularly clever or satirical porn, just tacky. I got rid of it quickly. Oddly, that book seems to have developed some kind of cult following in the intervening years. At any rate, ever since that fiasco I try to look through any 'new experience in reading' I'm contemplating. Which, actually, is a good practice anyway: like the time I bought a copy of Silver Surfer #1 at a rather inflated price, very early in my collecting career. Opened it later to find four pages missing and a detached cover. It just goes to show you, caveat emptor!

What about you fine folks? Have you ever wasted your fifty cents (or fifty dollars) on some four color failure? Open up and we'll share our miseries together...

Adventures in Comics: Flea Marketing Fun

Redartz:  Welcome to the second installment of "Adventures in Comics", where we pull up a seat and tell a few stories (hopefully interesting ones; if not, you get a nap- win/win situation!). Today, we will share some experiences dealing with those wacky arenas of 'anything goes, and probably does'- Flea Markets! 

Young Redartz selling some books at a flea market, c. 1981

I have a distinct fondness for these sales. You truly never know what you may find at one. Often you'll see an abundance of kitschy merchandise, knock-off clothing, expiring food, and just plain junk. Just as often, you'll see homemade art and craft, baked goods, antiques and collectibles, and all manner of things that make you exclaim " Hey, I  had one of those! Havent seen one in  years". Over the years I've done both sides of the table: selling and buying (much more of the latter). In particular, I've found them to be rich sources for comics. 

It literally becomes a treasure hunt, as you scrounge through boxes of old papers on the chance you may find buried four color gold. You rifle through the longboxes full of dollar books, notice the occasional loose comic on a table of unrelated 'stuff'. And sometimes there are actual comics dealers, with loads of back issues . Seldom do I visit a flea market and find absolutely nothing of interest. And now, a few examples:

1. Several years ago, I hit an outdoor flea market one morning (I try to get there as early as possible, but it's getting harder to get out of bed that early unless I have to).  Outdoor markets are the best; exercise, fresh air and comic hunting all in one trip! 
Wandering down the rows of booths, you could see the usual array of merchandise and miscellany. A few comics here and there, but nothing of note. Then I stopped at one booth which had several boxes on a table. Most had newspapers and old magazines, but one box had a dusty-looking pile of comic books. I took a casual look over several of the top books; not the best of condition but I noticed several Silver age books. Asked the dealer what he'd take for the box, liked his price of 60 dollars,  walked back to the car with an armful of comic box. The accompanying photo shows what that box contained. I was quite pleased; although the conditions ranged widely (including many with loose covers, tears, even coverless). I added a pile of fun books to my collection that morning! That was my first experience buying a box lot, and it got me hooked .

 


2. Early last year, my wife and I checked out the big Louisville flea market at the fairgrounds. Not many comics were there on that occasion, but one dealer had this gem on his table. I'd had one years before, bought at the local dime store as a youngster. My model, though , had disappeared over the years. Here was one still boxed, unassembled, with the comic instructions intact! The dealer, a kind gentleman, had a very reasonable price (he did raise it a few bucks upon learning the comic was still inside, but I was glad to pay the extra). The finished model now occupies an honored place on the shelf. It just goes to show; even if you're not finding what you're specifically hunting, you may well score an unanticipated goodie.








3. Just recently, while scouring a local New Year's Day flea market, I scored another box lot. This was a bit riskier; most of the comics were coverless. But the dealer wanted to get rid of the stack for ten dollars, so I figured "why not, it's only 10 bucks". Besides, one little trick I've started has been to scan some of those rough books, load them on my tablet, and I can still download a cover image to go with it. Then I've got more comics to read (digitally, at any rate). 
Anyway, upon going through the stack back home, I found a few with covers, including an old Justice League issue and several Archies. More interesting, there was a coverless copy of "Ghost Comics" 11 from 1954, with Eisner-esque art by Jerry Grandenetti. Interesting, I say, because I'm currently reading "Will Eisner-A Spirited Life", and that story was actually referenced in the book! 
Additionally, there were a couple of old promotional comics, which are another fondness of mine. So it turned out to be ten dollars well spent.

Of course, many are the flea markets I've visited where there has been little of interest. But that's part of the fun, you just never know. Someone out there right now is cleaning out their attic and will be putting the remains up for sale at the flea market soon. What will we find next time? I look forward to finding out. Now how about you; do you have any tales to tell from booth browsing? If not, give one a try. You might just be glad you did...