The DC Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the DC Universe

Author : Martin Pasko Edition : Spi Number of Pages : 192 Publisher : Running Press List Price : $49.95 Amazon Price : $28.02 Used Price : $28.02

Product Description

Customer reviews

Perfect! by .. E. Jacobson (Los Angeles, CA)
This book is great. History in its written form, and things that you can touch! Great for any DC fan -- a must for any comic book or comic book movie fan.

dc comic by .. Heather A. Cattanach ()
I bought this for my husband who is very much into comics. He loved it!

Vault of Excelence by .. Tim Lasiuta (Red Deer, Alberta)


The DC Vault

All I can say is WOW!

The team of Martin Pasko and DC Comics (Paul Levitz provides the foreword) has produced a truly remarkable book with few faults. From a historical viewpoint, Mr Pasko has managed to shed new light on the murky origins of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholsons' company. The 'new' information not only includes what little we know of the various publisher mergings, but what fascinated me was the licensing impetus/juggernaut that grew out of DC Comcs/National Publications. With Dr No, the licensing arm behind the scenes kicked into high gear and with the merger of Kinney into a Time-Warner Corporation, DC was not only a publishing company, but a licensing monster!

As comic fans and readers, all we saw was the amazing array of products that came out of the mythcal offices we saw four color images of the heroes who saved the fictional universe again and again. DC swallowed Fawcett in the 1950's, and along with that, the amazing Captain Marvel franchise. Charlton Comics, oncde a major competitor, was also absorbed in the 1980's. The forays of DC Comics into network TV with the Adventures of Superman, Batman (West et al) and Superman films is referenced, but the Flash and Wonder Woman have been glossed over. Major talent movements from Marvel to DC (late 1960's), and the DC Implosion (1977/78) that purged the publishers low selling ranks, are covered by Pasko in a thoughtful, matter of factual manner.

Probably the greatest feature of this book is the wealth of 'vault' material included. Art pulled from files that never published, and actual copies of rare promotional items turn this into a true page turner. Items like the Ashcan Double Action #2, the Batman mask from 1943, the JSA Decoder, Superman's Buddy comic, and the History of the DC Universe poster are stunning. Even my 15 year old daughter was thrilled with the jewels in this publishing crown.

If there is a weakness to the book, it's the last couple of chapters that covers DC Comics from 1980 to present in 20 plus pages. The history of DC is complex, and the last nearly 3 decades is full of developments could fill a book on its' own. Dealing with issues of creators rights, the major Crisis, and DC Universe re-organization, and recently, the creation of specialty imprints such as Wildstorm, and the rise of exclusive creator contracts is either not discussed, or glossed over.

I do love the extensive use of high quality graphics 1935 to 1996 in the book and archive pieces. This is a true hands on book that could easily have been 200 more pages. Alex Ross fans will love the cover, and the note from Alex to Neal Adams.

The big question is, how can you expect to cover the history of such a company in so few pages? And secondarily, why do we nitpick so much. This is a labor of passion, and as such, should be read that way. Enjoy the glimpses into the files that only Paul Levitz can provide. Just enjoy.

Www.runningpress.com

Tim Lasiuta

A must buy for all DC Comics fans! by .. Richard Guion (CASTRO VALLEY, CA USA)
I like this even more than the Marvel Vault, which came out last year. The DC Vault has better content as far as the history of DC is concerned, starting with More Fun comics and leading up to recent history. Martin Pasko, who many longtime DC fans will remember as a key writer during the 1970s, wrote the text that accompanies the multitude of pictures and collectibles. He includes numerous typed and handwritten memos from DC Comics writers and editors that give us a fascinating inside look at how certain decisions were made.

The collectibles that are reproduced here are really, really sweet.

For starters, the cover of the DC Vault is a reproduction of Dick Sprang's "Secrets of the Batcave" lithograph that he produced in 1994. Some of the 1940s items are the Junior Justice Society Decoder Wheel, a Wonder Woman Sensation Comics button, and a Batman 1943 mask that announces the newspaper comic strip. There are some never-before seen items, like Neal Adams concept drawings for a "Superman-land" amusement park, where we could have explored the World of Krypton. A sticker reproduces the "Shazam Is Coming" button that announced Captain Marvel's 1970 comeback into the DC Universe. My favorite reproduction is the History of the DC Universe Jam Poster (shown above), where a few dozen DC artists collaborated to draw their famous characters: Carmine Infantino on the Flash, Neal Adams on Deadman, Joe Kubert on Hawkman, Walt Simonson on Manhunter, Curt Swan on Superman, etc. I had this poster when it originally came out and somehow lost it, glad to have it back now. It even has Dave Gibbons doing Rorschach, which must make Alan Moore's head spin around.

If this wasn't enough, the DC Vault contains tons of preliminary cover and character sketches. There's a really cool Hawkman concept cover sketch by Kubert, as well as a Ragman character description. Brian Bolland's pencils to one of his famous Wonder Woman covers is included. There are a number of covers which had to be altered from their original state, and Pasko speculates on the editors reasons for doing so. There's so much in here that I can't possibly describe...if you're any kind of DC fan, you need to buy this book, now. Nuff said.

Antiques Roadshow Primer - The Introductory Guide To Antiques And Collectibles From The Most-watched Series On Pbs

Author : Carol Prisant Publisher : Workman Publishing Amazon Price : $4.50 Used Price : $3.50

Customer reviews

Before you price you need to know what you are looking at. by .. B. Chandler (Arlington, Texas)
You have seen the program. Now read the book. Reading this book gives you a better insight as to what an antique is and what to look for. The program is ok but you can not take it with you or unless you own the video you can not go back on a point.
There is a small color section. But for the most part the pictures for the descriptions are black and white. There is a section on "Art Glass" however not enough detail to tell the difference between amberina and cobalt.
The title includes collectibles also. And the different furniture styles. I could not find anything on "Lebus" furniture.

All in all this is the place to start. Before looking for price guides you need to know what you are looking at. However you will need to branch out from here. There is an extensive index and lots of photos. There is a list of Auction houses, appraisal organizations, and Antiques Road Show appraisers.

Antiques Roadshow Primer : The Introductory Guide to Antiques and Collectibles from the Most-Watched Series on PBS

Author : Carol Prisant Number of Pages : 320 Publisher : Workman Publishing Company List Price : $19.95 Amazon Price : $2.19 Used Price : $0.01

Product Description

Antiques Roadshow has taught us to look for fortunes in our attics--perhaps to find, as other lucky souls have, an Anna Poole Peale portrait miniature worth $5,000 to $7,000 or a Confederate sword worth $35,000. Focusing on 11 major areas--including Furniture, Painting, Silver, Jewelry, Porcelain, and Toys--the primer addresses the essential things buyers and collectors need to know, covering vital details for each category, such as shapes, styles, and patterns, provenance, periods, and motifs. A 32-page full-color section amplifies each chapter by illustrating numerous examples of styles and techniques, and individual items are fully identified, often with their appraised value. Above all, it helps even first-timers to answer the two key question every collector must face: Is it old? Is it valuable?

Customer reviews

Before you price you need to know what you are looking at. by .. B. Chandler (Arlington, Texas)
You have seen the program. Now read the book. Reading this book gives you a better insight as to what an antique is and what to look for. The program is ok but you can not take it with you or unless you own the video you can not go back on a point.
There is a small color section. But for the most part the pictures for the descriptions are black and white. There is a section on "Art Glass" however not enough detail to tell the difference between amberina and cobalt.
The title includes collectibles also. And the different furniture styles. I could not find anything on "Lebus" furniture.

All in all this is the place to start. Before looking for price guides you need to know what you are looking at. However you will need to branch out from here. There is an extensive index and lots of photos. There is a list of Auction houses, appraisal organizations, and Antiques Road Show appraisers.

If you love Antiques Road show your gonna love this book. by .. Janice M. Harrell (Madera, CA)
If you love the Antiques Road show you will love this book! It's packed with Beautiful full color pictures of the antiques that made the show such a hit, and the stories that go with them.

There's even profiles of all the antique dealers that have been in the show since the beginning.

ROAD MAP by .. Shannon Deason (Houston)
Really a fun read, on a very unique show. Frankly, what I love most about the show is when somebody thinks they have something so valuable and it's fake, they are so smug, then shocked, it's priceless to watch them recoil. They should get this book and they might learn how to spot a fake. Honestly, those two weird twins on the show freak me out, they are so bizarre looking, but those two ecentric fops really know american antique furniture and their expertise is honed in this book. But seriously, if you enjoy the roadshow or just want to know more about antiques then I do recommend this book

Or, if it's under 20 Grand don't bother... by .. Buck Bannister (Newberry, SC United States)
Antiques Roadshow is an enigma. It is at the same time one of the most informative shows on television and one of the most misleading. This book is quite similar. The information presented to help identify styles is very good overall, although there are some serious shortcomings in certain sections. However, this book also includes the ubiquitous "Find" featured on the show which gives the reader an unrealistic expectation of the value of what they may own.

Also featured in the book are sections on items which are "out." In many of those sections I found items which sell quite well in our local market as well as online. It seemed that the decision to call something "out" was made solely on price issues. Invariably in this work the items which bring sums over $1000 were mentioned while hot collectibles & antiques that can be had between $50-$500 were either left out or barely touched upon in the text.

I use this book as a reference for styles, periods, and such, but I do not trust their market research any more in print than I do on TV. ....and I'm a professional appraiser.

Great reference book for a great show. by .. Jesse Petersen (Illinois)
I received this book for Christmas, and though I'm not an antiquer, I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It has provided lots of great background for me as a writer, as well as being entertaining. Antiques Roadshow is the most popular PBS series for a reason. If you love it, you will love this book!

Hake's Guide to Presidential Campaign Collectibles: An Illustrated Price Guide to Artifacts from 1789-1988 (Hakes Guide)

Author : Theodore L. Hake Number of Pages : 192 Publisher : Wallace-Homestead Book Company List Price : $17.95 Used Price : $4.25

Customer reviews

Excellent guide! A++ by .. C. Kellerman (Arlington, TX)
Over the past year I have been very interested in campaign collectibles. This is the perfect guide. There are fifty categories ranging from buttons and pins to fans, clocks, banks, pennants, and postcards. Over 1700 items are catolouged in this guide. Each category has an introduction describing the items in general with a brief history. Each individual item in the book is presented with a photograph, the size of the item, year produced, and worth in dollars of the item. The book tells you how to pick out reproductions from real vintage items, and contains campaign materials from George Washington to George Bush. There's also a checklist, glossary, and list of campaign slogans in the back. I highly recommend this book.

Treasures in Your Attic: An entertaining, informative, down-to-earth guide to a wide range of collectibles and antiques from the hosts of the popular PBS show

Author : Joe L. Rosson Number of Pages : 368 Release Date : 2001-04-24 Publisher : Collins List Price : $18.00 Amazon Price : $7.45 Used Price : $0.11

Product Description

Joe and Helaine give you an inside look at how the antiques market really works, how value is determined, how to "talk the talk," and where to go to research your "treasures." Then they take you on a room-by-room treasure hunt of an ordinary home -- and they talk prices as they examine the discarded toys in the children's room, the costume jewelry in the bedroom, the old gadgets and appliances in the kitchen, the furniture tucked into the attic, and even the concrete garden ornaments in the backyard. Finally, they'll help you figure out the best way to sell -- or buy -- antiques and collectibles at auction or on the Internet.

Customer reviews

Skip to page 121 by .. History Writer (Seattle, WA)
Good walk through of what you might find in your parents home that is valuable. I won't just repeat what others have said about this book. I would have put the dictionary style entries in the first section of the book as an appendix. Just jump ahead to section two and the book is more interesting. I didn't appreciate the third section on buying and selling. The authors told war stories about antique dealers and auctioneers that, while entertaining, would scare off any novice collector. Sure, buyer beware, but how about conceding that the vast majority of antique store owners and auction companies are honest and fair?

It Used to be Junk to Me, But....... by .. Eileen Smith (Albuquerque, NM USA)
If you are at all interested in "collectibles" or antiques, "Treasures In Your Attic" by Joe L. Rosson and Helaine Fendelman will be a treasure in your bookcase. After you have been bitten by the bug and scoured your house and/or that of your parents for treasures, "Treasures" will be remembered or frequently referred to on the way to or from Antique Stores, Garage and Estate Sales and Flea Markets. Unlike Mr. Jussell who wrote the book's Foreword, I can't comment on its usefulness to "seasoned antique collectors" because I am a novice who became fascinated by collectibles from watching antique discussion and appraisal shows on television. I can, however, recommend this book to both the beginner and to the individual whose interest and curiosity eclipses his knowledge. This very entertaining, informative, and easily read book is organized in three parts: "The Basics" (things you should know about your hobby), "The Treasure Hunt" (a discussion of collectibles that you may find in each room of your house or on display at "sales" and how to recognize them) and "Professional Advice." The Basics Section is just that - what you must know to communicate and understand communications about your addiction. Professional Advice is a distillation of knowledge learned by the authors in the school of hard knocks and includes an indispensable discussion of how to buy and how to sell treasures over the Internet. If Rosson and Fendelman had included a chapter on references useful for research and authentication, the book would be awarded "5stars"; and the authors a General Electric D-20 toaster. As is the book deserves the 5 stars and perhaps the toaster will be awarded for the next book.

Buy this book! by .. (New York, NY United States)
"Treasures in Your Attic" is a great read for the novice collector and expert alike. It's worth every penny just for the well-written, easily understandable section of important terms. As the authors point out, knowledge is power and knowing the lingo can save you money. Inspired by the book, I was looking around in my mother's basement just the other day and found an old piece of T. Anthony luggage. Unfortunately it was rather beaten up, and as Rosson and Fendelman informed me on page 282, such pieces are only good if "they have not been sideswiped by a bus and have not spent the last forty years rotting in a damp basement." Too bad for me. Humor pervades the vast amount of practical knowledge in this book, making it really fun to read. It's a reference that belongs on the shelf of anyone who hopes to make a deal or a profit on an unexpected find--or who simply wants to keep the treasures to himself. P.S. I tossed the suitcase.

Very useful by .. Jayme S McMurry (Charleston S.C.)
I love the way this book is arranged. It takes you through your house in a logical fashion. Finally a book for the average person . It is for those of us with things tucked away for years and and years and no idea if they could be valuable. This book should save a lot of people like me from making an expensive mistake.I was so surprized at the things that are valuable. I didn't have a rare piece of art but I do have many everyday items that belonged to my grandparents . they proved to have a lot more than sentimental value. I consider this book a good investment. JSM

Treasures in Your Attic by .. Donna Castle (Cookeville, Tennessee)
If you never know what to bid on at all of these great estate auctions, then this is the book for you. Having just started going to auctions this summer, I have been amazed at some of the prices items are bringing. That's because I didn't know what they were. Joe and Helaine's book will let you know what to look for at these auctions and they will also give you tips on knowing what is selling right now. I read the book with great fascination knowing that I had old post cards my grandmother collected...marbles that appear to be homemade...some glass bought in Murano, Italy some 35 years ago and more. I think we all like to think we have something of value just waiting to be found. This book will help you know what you have and then how to market it. I highly recommend this book for the novice collector or for the new auction attendee. It will get you started on the right foot and hopefully you too will have "Treasures in Your Attic" even though Helaine and Joe say..it's the worst place to store valuable items." See you've learned something too. As a Program Manager for a PBS station, I am anxious to air and view their new series...coming to a TV set near you at the end of June.