EYE ON EBAY: BARNABAS MAGIC SLATE

Color me insensitive, but even in the middle of the latest DARK SHADOWS craze, I can't see a thousand bucks for a Barnabas Collins Magic Slate (Whitman, 1969), can you? Granted there may only be a handful left in existence, but even the most hardcore fans I'm sure wouldn't miss these if they disappeared off the face of the earth . . . would they?

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CINEMA 57: THE FIRST MONSTER MAGAZINE?

Legend has it that this little French film magazine was the inspiration behind Warren's FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. Furthermore, some go so far as to assert that CINEMA 57 is to be considered the very first monster film magazine. Others argue that since CINEMA 57 was an annual publication, it was merely a magazine -- and at over 150 pages some even qualilfy it as a book -- that spotlights monster movies in one of its issues. And, while Warren and Ackerman may have copied the idea of featuring film monsters in a magazine, this Monsterologist tends to agree with the latter statement, that FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND was the first monster magazine -- and certainly more accurately, the first periodical featuring monster films as its exclusive content.

The resulting controversy, as well as the effect of passing years, has made CINEMA 57 a desirable catch for horror film historians and monster magazine fans alike. A recent listing on eBay shows an advertised "very good" copy with the Buy It Now price of $489.

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LET'S "GREEN" UP EBAY A LITTLE, SHALL WE?

Over the last few weeks I've spent my Birthday money on a trove of monster treasures from that Giant of Colossus otherwise known as eBay. Along with Amazon, these two mega-sized merchants have got a Bombay Strangler-hold on the electronic shopping market. Consequently, merchants gravitate to the marketplaces that draw the most customers -- especially those who spend a lot of money. Call it by any other name, but I call it the beauty of Capitalism at work.

While there are other online auctioneers, eBay seems to me to be the most user friendly . . . or the most seductive, depending on your point of view. With the "Buy It Now" and "Make An Offer" options, eBay is hard to beat when you're shopping for monster merchandise both old and new.

Now, I'm not a "greenie", "tree-hugger", or militant environmentalist by any strectch of the imagination. What I am is a responsible person who calls "Foul Waste!" when I see it, and do my best to conserve energy and to recycle. You may be wondering, what's this all got to do with eBay? Well, it's not exactly eBay I'm talking about . . . it's the sellers.

Here's my beef: After receiving a multitude of packages in the mail from these recent orders I have made a couple of observations. One, although they would probably say that they're just being careful, I've come to the conclusion that eBay merchants are paranoid about package tampering. I say this because, being a mail-order merchant myself (full-time once, part-time now) I know that one can simply overdo the packaging, period. I've got nothing against securing packages from the ravages of the careless postal carrier and the roving eyes of the potential thief (sometimes even the postal carriers themselves), but when I've got to break out a pair of scissors, a knife, and a box cutter, and an arcane magical incantation, that's when I have to say, "Enough!". I've come pretty darn close a couple of times to hacking up my mag trying to delicately cut around the merchandise before I can even see what's inside. But you know, that's really not what peeves me as much as the second thing I've observed.

The second thing I've observed is the wasteful use of certain wrapping materials. Let it be known I am a strict advocate of recycling packing, right down to plain 'ol newspaper if that's your fancy. But what I have noticed is the dubious practice by many 'a merchant of the outright plundering of the U.S. Postal Service's free shipping envelopes and other gratis items. Mostly I see a Priority Mail envelope used as half-assed "backer board" for books and magazines. I've even seen the Small Flat Rate Box used for this, also. And don't give me that line about already paying for it with your tax dollars (considering that you have the moral scruples to pay them in the first place, that is).

Why is this a bad thing, you say? Well, how about it's damn wasteful for starters. And, if you're not going to use the USPS envelope or box to actually mail your items in, don't use it for packing filler just 'cause it's free, please. That's pretty cheesy and downright lazy in my book. The economy's not that bad where a mail order merchant has to grap an armload of "free" stuff at the Post Office to make up for the few cents it costs for stuffing the gaps in a mailer or box.

So, if you care to listen to it, the best advice I can give is this: Try lightening up on the shipping tape on the outside of the package so that you can afford some of the inexpensive materials for the inside.

You won't ever catch me advocating the use of windmills as a replacement power source, but I do see through green lenses once in a while -- especially when it's something as clear as this. 

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EYE ON EBAY

Another SPOOK THEATRE wax wrapper has shown up for sale on eBay. This was the 1961 trading card series better known as SPOOK STORIES, or, as we Monster Kids called them, just plain "monster cards". The price for this is $39.99, about $20 less than the last one of these I showed you a few months ago. The seller claims it to be in "excellent to mint condition", but I think you'd agree that the pencil writing on the bottom and the hole near the top left would make that statement arguable from a collector's standpoint.

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EYE ON EBAY - WARREN'S HOUSE OF HORROR

Last week in this spot you read DOUG'S HALL OF FLAME story about a copy of Warren's one-shot, quasi-ash can title, HOUSE OF HORROR, landing on the block at Heritage Auctions.

Coincidentally, there is another copy available on eBay. This near mint copy is a straight, no-bids sale at a price of $400 US. Following is the seller's description, reprinted verbatim. I include it because it discusses a unique provenance.


Seller Michael and Forry Ackerman, taken presumably
at the time when the copy of HOUSE OF HORROR was signed by FJA.
Photograph is from the seller's eBay profile page.


"This is the second copy I am selling. If your A Famous Monster fan/collector, you are familiar with this book, and the history of it. There were only 400 copies printed. If you have read the latest monster price guide (years old), you know one lucky fan bought ten copies. Over the years I believe there is someone else who also bought ten copies. I am, one of them. Mine were ordered from Captain Company, shipped mint. They were opened and immediately bagged and boarded by us. Only one was taken out by us. Taken to a Con in the early 80's and signed by "Forry", himself. I believe this to be one of the second finest copies you'll find, for a very reasonable asking price. If your a serious FM Collector, you know how valuable this is to complete a warren collection.

You are bidding on a 32 year old copy of House Of Horror #1, NM, by Warren. a one shot. This copy has some scuffing back cover along spine. Very tiny chip bottom of spine, can be seen on scan of back cover. Way it acame from Captain Company many, many, years ago. No disappointments here. Otherwise, a clean, solid, collectible book."

The accompanying photos are from the eBay seller's page and are unretouched. Interested parties should use the search term "House of Horror" at the eBay main page.
 

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