Thank you so much for all of the overwhelmingly positive support for this video. I want to thank each and every one of you who have watched the video, left a thumbs up, and/or commented below. I will be replying to all comments on this video, IG, and the CGC Forum over the next couple of days. Thanks again.❤ ~Karen Also, thank you to @LeadPaint1 for bringing to my attention the free webinar for the Day of Remembrance on February 19th. For those of you who are interested, here is the link: www.nationalww2museum.org/events-programs/events/133976-free-student-webinar-commemorating-day-remembrance
Thank you for the kind words, @ComicTropes. I appreciate that you took the time to watch my longest video. Thank you for your comment. It means a lot. ☺
As a comic collector whose dad’s family was incarcerated in the internment camps, this video is beyond amazing. Thanks for your dedicated research and sharing this!
I’m glad you liked the video. Your comment means a lot to me. Telling the stories of the two Okajima families, who were incarcerated in these camps, and some of the details of their lives afterwards was much more important than solving the mystery behind the comics. That’s what I meant by my title when I said “I figured out the real story.” Thanks again for your comment.
I came here from Comic Tropes' video on pedigrees. This video was an amazing level of work. Thank you for making it! The hobby needs more people like you!
came here from the CGC boards as the starter of the Okajima thread, and I was captivated by the analysis. Amazing weaving of narrative and historical support for a convincing revision of the Okajima pedigree story (still just as amazing!)
It's really cool that you checked out my video. Thank you for starting the Okajima thread on the CGC forum. I think it's one of the most interesting and important discussions on that forum. It's really awesome that so many people have shared images of their Okajima comics over the years. Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you liked the video. 😊
You've cracked the case. Just don't crack the case on that Sensational #35! I have another theory that the collecting ended because Mitsuru decided to spend his money on a 1957 Chevy ;) But seriously, you've created a powerful, interesting, respectful and honorable video. Well done!
Thank you, Rick! I think you might be right about that '57 Chevy. Sedan, coupe, or convertible? Maybe I can add that theory to Part 2. 🤔Glad you liked the video. Thanks for taking the time to check it out. 👍
Tracking down that HS yearbook was, honestly, a genius idea (at least I believe so) that paid off wonderfully! The same could be said for all of the impressive amount of research done here. I was truly riveted by all of it. Well done!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the yearbook portion. I looked at multiple yearbooks and I definitely got a small sense for who the Okajima siblings were when they were younger. I'm glad you liked the video. 👍
Get this girl a Netflix Documentary deal! This video was truly amazing. Thank you for putting the astounding amount of effort in to this to give us viewers an amazing view into this historic pedigree.
This video. This is THE best comic book CZcams video I think I’ve ever seen. The comic collecting world owes your work a debt of gratitude so just want to say thanks for all of your hard work and dedication to this topic. Well done, Karen!
First time viewer of your channel. The Japanese internment period was a sad time in US history. I was so fascinated by your video details/research. In particular I loved how you brought up the Sensation # 35 signature connection to the marriage certificate ! Incredible great stuff !!
Thank you for checking out my channel. When I made this video, it was important for me to focus on more than just the comics even though this is a YT channel focused on comics and original art. I still can't believe that Sensation Comics #35 was ultimately the book that could identify Jayne as the collector. Glad you liked the video. 👍
Don't wanna be that guy, but Internment is not the correct word. It's Japanese Incarceration or Concentration Camp. Internment was propaganda words used by the government at the time to justify and imply that US citizens were infact enemies of the state. Same goes for "Evacuation."
Thank you so much! I appreciate you watching the video, commenting, and helping the video get that bump! It's super cool to get new viewers to my channel as well. 👍
Excellent research and a great story. Your findings do not diminish the Okajima Collection since the back story of the Japanese internment is still there. It sounds like a passion project which required a tremendous amount of commitment. Searching, finding and buying the high school yearbook demonstrates your passion. What is missing from your video is your story and what drove your passion. Love to hear that.
Thank you so much! When I made this video, I wanted the focus to be on the families. Maybe in a future video I can talk a little more about my interest in the story. I'm glad you liked the video. 😊
In a CZcams comic book community filled with video after video of "hot" books and top ten this and that, now and then there is a video that stands out above all the rest. This is such a video. Karen, here we are not even half way through February, and you have probably posted the video of the year for 2024!
Thank you so much, spinnerrackstudios! Wow, what a compliment! I'm really happy that you liked the video. I always appreciate your comments. Thanks again. 😊
What a fantastic video! Well researched and informative. Loved it. Surprising to me that they lived into the 2000s and no one thought to find and interview them as that could have answered many questions.
Thank you so much! There have been interviews with some of Bette's family members, such as her nephew. In these interviews, I found it interesting that the relatives commented that selling their belongings publicly was something they would not have done (e.g., the estate sale) and they were not aware of any comics. It was always an indicator that there might be more to the story rather than a secret hobby. Glad you loved the video! 👍
When I look at some of my books, I often wonder who might have bought them from the newsstand and what was so special about the book to tear them apart from their dime. There is a human factor in our hobby. Some of us do not have the sensitivity to appreciate this. Thank you both for creating this wonderful documentary.
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of your comment. I agree with you that the human factor should never be neglected. If I focused only on the comics in this video, it would have turned out completely different. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 😊
Thanks, Ken! This was a special video to make. The montage was one of my favorite parts of the video -- I actually made the montage first before filming the rest of the video. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I hope you are doing well. 😊
@KarensPages Great video Karen. Maybe you should do the historical aspect of books prior to CGC establishing a collection a pedigree. I think the store clerk(s) writing their last name on the books is probably the best answer for the signature issues. I am sure the camps had ledgers of what was sold and who made the purchase. This new information you have provided does not take away from their story and I think this new information is great. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much! I agree with your comment. In the end, I think these new additions will enhance the story of this pedigree. Both families deserve mentions to understand the full story. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
So , last year it was difficult mathematics - now graduate level history ! Man - I just wanted to check out some comics and comic art. An absolutely brilliant job worthy of an A+. I'm just floored. I will not waste any more of your time as I think thats Ken Burns on the other line ... congratulations.
I wouldn't exactly call it difficult math, Gabe. 😉😂 Speaking of checking out art, I'm looking right now at a Manix Silver Surfer that looks pretty sweet. Actually, your Batman and Robin helicopter piece is one of my favorites by Manix. I hope you are doing well. It's always good to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
KAREN....A truly remarkable job on research and story development, through conflicting theories. Also with an intense understanding of the Human element involved in a time in History, that were not always bathed in a shining light. It's a true testament to the spirt and perseverance of a period where people had "gumption", as my late GREAT Dad would say. These things have always hit me deeply, as it's appeared through my "Vanishing America" Art and my numerous Collecting ventures, as the story of the item is as important as the item itself! Bravo.
Fascinating! Have you had any communication with CGC regarding this? Not sure, but maybe even check with Ryan (Automatic Comics) as he has talked about this pedigree and it's historical signifigance, maybe he would find this interesting and have a perspective. Great stuff, really enjoyed this one. One of the best videos regarding comic history I have seen here on CZcams.
Amazing research, Karen. The comic community needs more videos like this. I’m sure it took a tremendous amount of time and effort to put this together and we are all better off because of it.
What an absolutely incredible story. You've done a massive service to the entire comic book community, we're all in your debt. There's so much I want to say about this, but I'm really struggling for words. Most simply put, thank you. All of your work and research is greatly appreciated. I knew nothing about this story before watching your video, and now I'm just blown away by it. It's such an incredibe example of how comic books really do unit us. An hour and a half ago I didn't know anything about the Okajima families, and now I feel connected to them in a special way. Beyond the comic books, you did an amazing job of humanizing the Japanese Americans who endured what we put them through (the horrible irony of us doing this to a kid named Happy is to our collective shame). Although I'm sure it wasn't your motive, I really hope this story and your video go viral. Everyone in our community should know this story, and I'd love to see it explored further in a documentary. Be proud of what you've done here :)
I can't thank you enough for your comment, CretanBull. Yours was one of the first comments that I read and it was very reassuring because I was a little nervous about how this video would be received. Also, your comment about Happy really hit me strongly. Thanks again. 😊
@@KarensPages I'm glad that my comment helped calm any nerves you might have been having. It truly is a great video and a wonderful story. And speaking of something that hit strongly...you realizing that both you and Jayne were drawn to the same issue of Sensation Comics, the idea that a little kid all of those years ago was filled with the same sense of wonder that you had when you saw that book, the connection she felt with it that made her pick that one off the rack is the same connection you felt that compelled you to bid on it at an auction 80 years later....as you put it, "it's one of the reasons why comics are so awesome" :) And if I can just add to what I originally said...I've been a little burnt out on some comic book youtube channels because of the relentless negativity that some of them spiralled down into it. I've done my best to cut them out of my viewing and done everything I can to find and support creators who celebrate our hobby in a positive way. Your video did a lot of restore my faith, it showed us what we're all capable of. As a community, our entire hobby is based on stories, and you gave us a great story. I said it earlier, and I'll repeat it here - we're in your debt.
Wow. This was totally captivating. It played like what it is -- a historical mystery thriller. If Pulitzers were given for comic book reporting, you'd deserve one. Also, THANK YOU for making a CZcams video based on actual primary sources and original research rather than on other CZcams videos that are themselves based on other CZcams videos ad infinitum (and all saying roughly the same thing). Your diligent research is what led to what appears to be something new, aka News, and rather significant news (at least for our little hobby). The yearbook and all of the other interesting points towards the end -- after the "mystery" is solved--are great, too. Excellent. Thanks.
Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it. I try to stick to primary sources whenever possible. I only showed a small fraction of all the information that I collected -- had I shown more, the video would have been 5-6 hours long 😅. I also try to look at existing evidence with a different perspective. I think this approach helped solve this mystery. I'm so glad you liked the video. 😊
Very nice! This goes back to the idea of a promoter. The owner needs a hook (like the Carnival barker). Ladies and Gentlemen, I have here an amazing piece of history.... Then everyone pays a penny to come and see. The truth is buried in there somewhere and CBCS/CGC should review and remark this pedigree as multiple sources contributing and not a lone collector. This will change the definition of a pedigree. One note...They were Americans, many with children born in the US! They were of Japanese ancestry and not necessary citizens of Japan or captured soldiers brought here like the German prisoner of war camps in Texas during the same period. instead of saying "these Japanese", it should be Americans or hyphenated. The Supreme court ruled that the US Military had no authority to strip these citizens of their citizenship by birth or naturalization. Decades later President Reagan apologized for the nation and signed a bill to compensate those survivors for the cruelty the US heaped on them.
Thank you for your comment. I'm not sure where I said "these Japanese" in the video and what the context was. If I did, I may have misspoke. Most of the internees (two-thirds) were American citizens. The rest were Japanese immigrants who, unfortunately, could not obtain citizenship due to US laws at the time. The latter group were put into a highly difficult situation, especially with their "loyalty questionnaires." They were asked if they would fight for the United States, but if they said "yes" they were worried that they could lose their Japanese citizenship and be left without a country.
Amazing story. Astounding work detective. History made. Good connection and a great escape through comics. Thank you for your content. Next mission if you are willing to accept is the star stamp?
Powerful, informative, passionate.. just a few words to describe your undoubtedly hard work making this video. When you spoke of Sensation Comics 35 I could see the raw emotion filtering through and that I believe is the driving force behind collecting. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and wisdom and Jayne was honored very well in this video ❤
Thank you for the kind words. There was a lot of emotion that came out in this video. When I watch certain parts of the video (such as the montage at the end) I still get emotional. Thanks again for your comment. 😊
I really appreciate the time you took to investigate this pedigree, thank you for all the detailed explanations. I love the passion you have for this hobby. Thank you for making the video.
Excellent video and documentary and I can tell you did a LOT of homework and background in order to tell her story from which I never knew. I love history (any history) and this one is very interesting, especially what she and her family had to endure. I can't help but think what she and her brother would feel today knowing something as simple as collecting a comic would garnish so much interest, and money, from this community and practically made her a rock star. I always viewed comic books as a time capsule from a collector's life, especially when you look thru the book and find a signature. The ads also tell you so much about the time period in regards to toys, movies, tv and other pop culture that was going on at the time. Thanks again Karen!
Thank you, dadofducks. I really enjoyed reading your comments. Especially the part about comic books as time capsules from a collector's life. To that extent, I've been rethinking my position about slabbing books. On one hand, I like the idea of preserving comics and displaying them. On the other hand, you can't flip through the book anymore and see what was so great about it, including the ads that tell a story about the time period. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
Well done! And thank you so much for packaging all of your research into this thorough video, preserving and sharing it with the whole comic community.
I have 1 Okajima book in my collection. I treasure it :) I always say some books you collect for the story on the pages, and some you collect for the story OF the pages. thank you for adding more info to one of my favorite Pedigrees
Kudos Karen! Great attention to detail and priceless information. I agree with you that Jayne's Okajima's signature seems like a match on that Sensation comic. Absolutely fantastic detective work! And buying the yearbook off ebay is going beyond the call of duty! IS it possible the discrepancy in signatures could be that not only Jayne and Matsuro signed some books, but possibly some were picked up by the other family members for them and had to be signed for at the store when purchased? Regardless, O feel this in no way diminished but strengthens the provenance of this pedigree even if the books are not Bette Okajima's. Again congrats on your video! Also a collection was brought to market this year called THE BOBBY BLUE COLLECTION because the owner was called Bobby Blue and his mother wrote his name on the comics for when he lent them to other kids to then get them back. Bobby Blue said he stopped collecting in 1955, when the comic code appeared as he felt the comics were no longer interesting and were now too "kiddy" orientated so Matsuro Okagima might have stopped collecting in 1957 for similar reasons as well as the end of the publishers and titles he liked.
Hi Maurice! Thank you for your comments. Regarding the variation in signatures, I thought different store clerks could be plausible. As far as other family members, the only other person who could have signed and picked up books in this time period was Yoshie (Jayne and Mitsuru's mom). But, this is all speculation until there is more evidence, such as more handwriting samples. I liked your point about the Bobby Blue collection and the reason the collecting stopped in 1955. The same reason might have applied to Mitsuru. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
Most excellent, and powerful, presentation of facts and speculations Karen! Loved the video and I found it extremely interesting, even though I knew a fair amount about WW2 internment camps. You should think about drafting an article for one of the Two Morrows publications such as Alter Ego. While they typically deal with the comics themselves and their creators, they may be interested in such a compelling story. Kudos!!!
Thank you so much, LeadPaint! I am familiar with Two Morrows because of the Jack Kirby Collector, but I've never really looked into the other publications that they put out. I will look into Alter Ego some more. Thank you for the suggestion. 👍
Holy sh!tbalz Batman! This is the most incredible amazing fantastic comic video I've ever watched! I might even watch it a 2nd time. You should be a detective! Wow! ❤❤❤
This is so amazing. It would be really great to hear more from their family. Perhaps someone alive today could recount some of the family's experiences.
Wow! That was amazing. What great investigative journalism. I am so impressed with your meticulous research. Your channel is always so interesting but with this post you have knocked the ball out of the park. Kudos Karen.🎉❤😊
Thank you for delving into the history and validity of this… I know that right now it only has a few thousand views, but you created one of the most in-depth comic documentaries on such a topic you had to research fully yourself. You are a wonder, thank you. Please consider just delving deep into people, or anything about comics that interest you because obviously you are willing to do research that no one else will Edit: wow… that took a turn I didn’t expect, as your statement in the beginning should be understood by everyone I’d think (that comics aren’t sexist, and little girls or grown women are just as interested in art and heroes as any guy can be) Personally it’s all dependent on the person themselves, and a lot to do with how they’re raised: if literacy is something that’s important growing up, chances are more than not that youth will be interested in comics . Not to mention: they had next to no entertainment in the camps, therefore superhero comics in the 1940s??? Uh yeah sign me up too, even if unfortunately I have to accept the fact occasionally I see propaganda that hurts me because again like you said internment camps were like prison except the “inmates” only crimes were being from one of our enemies, comics are mental escape from normal reality much less a place like that. I tested up a little bit hearing that you’re the one who discovered the truth behind this once you announced midway through that one of the breakthrough parts was the signature on Sensation Comics #33 the book you chose for your first Golden Age comic. If it wasn’t for my great aunt, a high school English teacher, taking me when she was 60 I never would’ve had the life I did much less be able to collect comics growing up because my mom was busy spending money on drugs rather than bringing me to Watertown to pick out manga in the mid 2000s not just for myself but some to bring to my older brother who still lived with my mom and wasn’t my aunts blood so unfortunately she wasn’t able to take him in and he chose to move back in with her rather than the uncle on his dads he chose to stay with. Again, comics and literacy have nothing to do with gender: it has to do with principles, interests, and access to comics. This was destiny, idk if you have gone to the forums to share your evidence but CGC NEEDS to correct this especially after the bad PR press that came recently over reslabbing. You have real evidence: the opinion of a single “handwriting analysis pro” however long ago is not even close to evidence. Sorry for the rant. Thank you for the documentary again, this was a wild and strange trip that I assumed was going to be fraud but it’s obviously just a mistake which you’ve proven
First of all, I'm so grateful for your very detailed, personal, and thoughtful comment. Also, thank you for the encouragement to make more videos like this one involving personal stories and history. It made me sad to hear about your mom, but I'm glad that your great aunt saved you and helped transform your life. I liked what you said about comics and literacy being aligned with principles, interests, and access rather than being aligned with gender. This rings true for me -- I started buying comics in my thirties and that's because that was when I was introduced to comics. As far as CGC, my video has been posted on the forum and people are aware, but I have no idea if CGC will update the Okajima pedigree description. Thanks again for your comment. You did not rant. I appreciated every word. ☺
Incredible video. I was glued to my laptop screen from beginning to end. The montage at the end was incredibly moving as well. It was really cool to follow the evidence you discovered, which could reveal the true owners of these comic books and help rewrite comic history.
Glad I got directed over here. This was very impressive. Great story. Great research. More expert analysis than the "experts" put forth went into this video. The work of true documentarian in the guise of a hobby. Very well done.
Thank you so much, Paul. I really appreciate your comment, especially what you said at the end about the work of a true documentarian in the guise of a hobby. What a compliment. I feel like you truly understood the intent of my video. Thanks again. ☺
I just have to say what a brilliant job you did researching everything with this okajima collection. So insightful and intriguing thank you so much for sharing
Thank you so much for your comment, Justin! This video was the most rewarding video to make. It was well worth the time required to research everything. There's still a few questions that I would like to address, so I will probably do more research in the future. I'm glad you liked the video. 👍
A great vlog Karen! I purchased several books from the Okajima Collection from Alan in the 1990s. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where he has his store. As a Japanese American, I was interested in the story of this collection. A former significant other had a boyfriend from Fresno with the last name of Okajima. I don’t why I didn’t follow-up with the story by speaking to him (I didn’t even discover if he was related). However, you did fine research work for this vlog. By the way, most Americans now use the term “concentration camps” instead of “internment camps” as no one was free to leave and guard towers with guns facing in not out of these camps. The term is used from the view of the detainees like my parents and grandparents. As I wrote in another vlog, keep up the fantastic work in the comic genre as well as its history.👍🏼
Arigato gozaimasu, Kurenai. I appreciate your comment, especially sharing your personal stories. It's super cool that you were able to purchase books from the Okajima collection directly from Alan in the 1990s. Do you still have them in your collection?
Greetings from South Africa. Thank you so much for this beautiful story. It's a war story, a family drama, a detective story, a history channel documentary all rolled into one. Just loved it. You should write a book about this. I would definitely buy it.
Thank you for the kind words, Jorge! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I think you might be the first person from South Africa to comment on one of my videos -- super cool! Book? Not a bad idea...🤔👍
Really insightful and interesting. It’s so cool that the yearbook you got has Jayne’s signature in it. I find the history of this pedigree soooo interesting.
Thank you for the kind words. ☺ I'm glad you liked the video. I completely agree about the yearbook, it's very special. I get the impression that these students were a close-knit group.
I would assume its the comics collected while they were in the camp that command the big money as opposed to the later comics. So it was Jayne & Matsuru from a different family than Bette but with the same last name.
Yes, you are correct. The highest priced comics from the Okajima pedigree are the camp-era books with the Okajima signature, date, and code. Some of these Golden Age books are also in very high grade. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video (and perhaps even watch it a second time). P.S. I love your YT handle and image. 👍
Karen, I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Very well done, very well researched. It's crazy to me that you talk about how you have the same taste in comics that a young woman from the 40's would have-- and then both you and Jayne get drawn to LITERALLY the same comic book. And as someone who always gets feelings about seeing people's handwriting on old books-- getting to her actual signature is so amazing, what a connection to have. Shoutout to @ComicTropes for taking me here!
Also, subbed! I just drew an issue for Archie comics reviving one of their Golden Age characters, so while researching for it, I've been in my feelings about those old 40's creators and their legacies. So it's really cool to think about those original geeks who were buying the comics-- and this is an example of one of THEIR legacies.
Thank you, StormcastleComics! This is one of my favorite videos that I've made and it definitely took the longest time to research, film, and edit. I appreciate your comment. ☺
great work! i think some of the okajima ped books that dont say okajima on them could quite possibly have been purchased by someone else - im sure more than one person in the internment camps bought comics and some of those comics undoubtedly entered the wild over the years and may have been incorrectly attributed to the okajima ped.
Thank you for the great compliment! ☺ I'm glad I could share the Okajima story with you. I learned a lot as well when I was doing the research for this video.
Thank you so much, @SchoonsComics! I checked out your YT profile. I'm a huge Jack Kirby fan, too! Do you have any favorite titles that Kirby worked on?
Amazing! The amount of research you did is commendable, and the passion you have for this history is heart warming. I can’t remember watching any other CZcams video and truly thinking “I want all good things for that person” afterward, but I strongly felt that here. Wishing you all the best in your channel and collecting!
Yes, it's absolutely possible that the store clerk could have written her name on some of the books and set them aside for her (this might help explain the variability in the signatures). I also wonder if Jayne might have worked at the store at some point. Since I believe the code is from the store, the dates and the codes were likely written by the store clerk (the handwriting for these look more consistent). Thanks for watching and thank you for your question. 👍
Fantastic video!!! Very thorough and well researched. Nicely paced and expertly edited. Likely the most important comic book pedigree and you did it justice. Great work! cheers!
@@Doctor-Shoebill Wow! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy my other videos - I show some pretty cool comics and original comic art and sometimes discuss the stories behind it, the artists, what I like, and more! Let me know what you think. 👍
Truly wonderful video. Your handle of investigative storytelling was powerfully used. Many moments of catharsis pulling strong emotions out of me. The world is a better place from you putting this work in and sharing it with others
Thank you for the wonderful compliment. It really means a lot. When I get comments like yours, it reminds me that all the time that I spent making the video was worth it. ☺
Excellent video, and work on this. What I find interesting is, how and why was it assumed that the collection was Bette's to begin with. I personally love pedigree designated books. Having 2 in my collection. And one of which is from the "promise" collection. They really are great stories tied to amazing collections
Thank you, upagradepressing! The Promise collection is absolutely amazing and it has a heartfelt story to go along with it. What is the other pedigree book that you have? I hope to one day own books from both the Okajima and Promise collections. Glad you liked the video. 😊
@KarensPages the other pedigree I own is the "Northland" pedigree. I would like to get a Okajima and Mile High (Edgar Church) pedigree. Those are ones im always on the lookout for
So... CGC scandal number 3 in recent weeks. Excellent work here, Karen. I guess you are going to now tell me that the Mile High II pedigree is not a pedigree. 😉
😅I wouldn't call this a scandal per se. If you look at the CGC description of the Okajima pedigree, it was always relatively vague regarding the collector (I wonder if this was intentional). Thank you for your comment. 👍
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It's incredibly difficult for me to know where to even begin to give you my feelings on what you've done here. I'm essentially speechless and don't know what to say because my mind is so fucking blown. First of all, I guess what I primarily want to put out there is that what you've done here is, in MY mind at least, create a documentary style focus on the horrors perpetrated upon Japanese Americans by the American government during WWII, with a focus on a couple of different Japanese American families, more specifically about the children thereof, with the same family name for which I'm sure both of those family's members were no doubt confused throughout their lives. Of course, they probably WERE related. While most viewers' interest will likely stem from the story's relation to comic books, I think the REAL interest derives from the knowledge that you, a comic book collector with a love and passion for your hobby unlike many I've ever seen, decided that you were NOT just going to accept the status quo regarding a great story (albeit one with many glaring inconsistencies), and instead chose to dedicate an untold amount of time and effort digging through and researching copious amounts of readily available information in order to get to the bottom of all the questionable holes the pedigree story has always been filled with and in doing so, not only succeeded in disproving the original story and essentially rewriting it, but also shone a light on a very dark period in American history which has never gotten nearly the attention it deserves, by spotlighting the two Okajima families and their ties to something as relatively benign and unimportant as a comic book collection and bringing out the humanity from something that was so cruel and inhumane. The ending montage you included, along with the perfectly chosen music, is especially and hauntingly beautiful. Kudos to your husband for being such a great supporter of everything you do. While it is our shared love of our four color heroes that brings us all together and unites us within the hobby, it is the hard work and dedication to your craft of meticulously researched content creation which today shows us that REAL heroes are constantly around us and come in many different skin colors and a wide variety of names. This video is a story about the human condition, wrapped in a comic book cover and slabbed with a 10 Gem Mint grade. ♥
This is the nicest comment I have ever received, Rubén, and one that I will never forget. It brought tears to my eyes. I struggle to come up with the words that could show my appreciation of what you wrote. The ironic thing is that this was never a planned video...I thought I was going to do another unboxing video. I'm glad I put that unboxing video on hold. Comments like yours (and that absolutely perfect last line) make it worth the effort. 😊❤
Před 7 měsíci+5
@@KarensPages As always, Karen, you're far too kind. It may not have been deemed "important", but I would've loved another unboxing just as much. Okay, maybe not quite as much, as this is a masterpiece and may even become your magnum opus, but I'm also glad you chose to put the unboxing aside. You are truly amazing at everything you do, as you've seen by ALL the fabulous comments everyone has been leaving for you. As always, I look forward to much more amazement from you in future videos.
"I am NOT a handwriting expert whatsoever! I am just a regular person looking at what this article is presenting." There is nothing wrong with being regular! It just means you have a healthy dose of fiber in your diet...
I believe the two Okajima families were able to hang on to their farms. Unfortunately, many families lost everything. If you read about George Takei’s story, after he and his family left the Tule internment camp, they were left destitute and living on Skid Row and had to rebuild their lives.
Thank you so much for all of the overwhelmingly positive support for this video. I want to thank each and every one of you who have watched the video, left a thumbs up, and/or commented below. I will be replying to all comments on this video, IG, and the CGC Forum over the next couple of days. Thanks again.❤ ~Karen
Also, thank you to @LeadPaint1 for bringing to my attention the free webinar for the Day of Remembrance on February 19th. For those of you who are interested, here is the link:
www.nationalww2museum.org/events-programs/events/133976-free-student-webinar-commemorating-day-remembrance
Very impressive research. Really well done.
Thank you for the kind words, @ComicTropes. I appreciate that you took the time to watch my longest video. Thank you for your comment. It means a lot. ☺
Thank you Chris for bringing me here!
@@NemesisMvC Since someone else has said it already, I'll just add my additional appreciation!
As a comic collector whose dad’s family was incarcerated in the internment camps, this video is beyond amazing. Thanks for your dedicated research and sharing this!
I’m glad you liked the video. Your comment means a lot to me. Telling the stories of the two Okajima families, who were incarcerated in these camps, and some of the details of their lives afterwards was much more important than solving the mystery behind the comics. That’s what I meant by my title when I said “I figured out the real story.” Thanks again for your comment.
I came here from Comic Tropes' video on pedigrees. This video was an amazing level of work. Thank you for making it! The hobby needs more people like you!
Thank you for the kind words, Imran. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
came here from the CGC boards as the starter of the Okajima thread, and I was captivated by the analysis. Amazing weaving of narrative and historical support for a convincing revision of the Okajima pedigree story (still just as amazing!)
It's really cool that you checked out my video. Thank you for starting the Okajima thread on the CGC forum. I think it's one of the most interesting and important discussions on that forum. It's really awesome that so many people have shared images of their Okajima comics over the years. Thank you for the kind words. I'm glad you liked the video. 😊
You've cracked the case. Just don't crack the case on that Sensational #35! I have another theory that the collecting ended because Mitsuru decided to spend his money on a 1957 Chevy ;) But seriously, you've created a powerful, interesting, respectful and honorable video. Well done!
Thank you, Rick! I think you might be right about that '57 Chevy. Sedan, coupe, or convertible? Maybe I can add that theory to Part 2. 🤔Glad you liked the video. Thanks for taking the time to check it out. 👍
In California? Convertible baby! @@KarensPages
@@rickwelch6612 😎
Tracking down that HS yearbook was, honestly, a genius idea (at least I believe so) that paid off wonderfully! The same could be said for all of the impressive amount of research done here. I was truly riveted by all of it. Well done!
Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed the yearbook portion. I looked at multiple yearbooks and I definitely got a small sense for who the Okajima siblings were when they were younger. I'm glad you liked the video. 👍
Get this girl a Netflix Documentary deal!
This video was truly amazing. Thank you for putting the astounding amount of effort in to this to give us viewers an amazing view into this historic pedigree.
😅LOL. Thank you so much, NextGenCollector! It was a ton of work, but completely worth it. I'm so glad you liked the video! 👍
This video. This is THE best comic book CZcams video I think I’ve ever seen. The comic collecting world owes your work a debt of gratitude so just want to say thanks for all of your hard work and dedication to this topic. Well done, Karen!
Thank you so much, Brandon! This was the most special video I've ever made. I'm glad you really enjoyed it. 😊
This is a master's thesis-quality work. I'm incredibly impressed with your archival research.
Thank you, Edward! Glad you liked the video. It was definitely a deep dive and one that I enjoyed very much. 👍
Astounding!
Thank you, Kevin! Glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
First time viewer of your channel. The Japanese internment period was a sad time in US history. I was so fascinated by your video details/research. In particular I loved how you brought up the Sensation # 35 signature connection to the marriage certificate ! Incredible great stuff !!
Thank you for checking out my channel. When I made this video, it was important for me to focus on more than just the comics even though this is a YT channel focused on comics and original art. I still can't believe that Sensation Comics #35 was ultimately the book that could identify Jayne as the collector. Glad you liked the video. 👍
Don't wanna be that guy, but Internment is not the correct word. It's Japanese Incarceration or Concentration Camp. Internment was propaganda words used by the government at the time to justify and imply that US citizens were infact enemies of the state. Same goes for "Evacuation."
Absolutely fantastic video. This really deserves to get a algo bump.
Thank you so much! I appreciate you watching the video, commenting, and helping the video get that bump! It's super cool to get new viewers to my channel as well. 👍
The emotion and the history! This is why comics are so special, and why pedigrees are fascinating. Great research and storytelling, Karen!
Thank you geekimusprime! Any chance you're related to Optimus? 😉 I'm so glad you liked the video. 👍
Great research, I find it even more interesting because I'm from Fresno and near all the towns mentioned in the story. Thanks for sharing.
Super cool! I'm so glad you liked the video! Thanks for posting. 👍
Excellent research and a great story. Your findings do not diminish the Okajima Collection since the back story of the Japanese internment is still there. It sounds like a passion project which required a tremendous amount of commitment. Searching, finding and buying the high school yearbook demonstrates your passion. What is missing from your video is your story and what drove your passion. Love to hear that.
Thank you so much! When I made this video, I wanted the focus to be on the families. Maybe in a future video I can talk a little more about my interest in the story. I'm glad you liked the video. 😊
In a CZcams comic book community filled with video after video of "hot" books and top ten this and that, now and then there is a video that stands out above all the rest. This is such a video. Karen, here we are not even half way through February, and you have probably posted the video of the year for 2024!
Thank you so much, spinnerrackstudios! Wow, what a compliment! I'm really happy that you liked the video. I always appreciate your comments. Thanks again. 😊
What a fantastic video! Well researched and informative. Loved it.
Surprising to me that they lived into the 2000s and no one thought to find and interview them as that could have answered many questions.
Thank you so much! There have been interviews with some of Bette's family members, such as her nephew. In these interviews, I found it interesting that the relatives commented that selling their belongings publicly was something they would not have done (e.g., the estate sale) and they were not aware of any comics. It was always an indicator that there might be more to the story rather than a secret hobby. Glad you loved the video! 👍
This is comics scholarship at its finest. Love the plot twists. Got me riveted all the way till the end. Great work Karen.
Thank you so much, Mark! I'm really happy that you enjoyed the video! I hope you are doing well! 😊
When I look at some of my books, I often wonder who might have bought them from the newsstand and what was so special about the book to tear them apart from their dime. There is a human factor in our hobby. Some of us do not have the sensitivity to appreciate this. Thank you both for creating this wonderful documentary.
I really appreciate the thoughtfulness of your comment. I agree with you that the human factor should never be neglected. If I focused only on the comics in this video, it would have turned out completely different. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 😊
Thank you. That was a fantastic, heartfelt video. The montage certainly affected me right at the end. Well done 🌹
Thanks, Ken! This was a special video to make. The montage was one of my favorite parts of the video -- I actually made the montage first before filming the rest of the video. I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I hope you are doing well. 😊
The Sherlock Holmes of Comic books. Thank you for the all the good research!
Incredible! Greatly respect your research acumen. CGC should give you a Hobby Hero Award for this.
That's very nice of you to say! This is the first time I've heard of the Hobby Hero Award. Thank you for your compliments. 👍
@KarensPages Great video Karen. Maybe you should do the historical aspect of books prior to CGC establishing a collection a pedigree. I think the store clerk(s) writing their last name on the books is probably the best answer for the signature issues. I am sure the camps had ledgers of what was sold and who made the purchase. This new information you have provided does not take away from their story and I think this new information is great. Keep up the great work!
Thank you so much! I agree with your comment. In the end, I think these new additions will enhance the story of this pedigree. Both families deserve mentions to understand the full story. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
So , last year it was difficult mathematics - now graduate level history ! Man - I just wanted to check out some comics and comic art. An absolutely brilliant job worthy of an A+. I'm just floored. I will not waste any more of your time as I think thats Ken Burns on the other line ... congratulations.
I wouldn't exactly call it difficult math, Gabe. 😉😂 Speaking of checking out art, I'm looking right now at a Manix Silver Surfer that looks pretty sweet. Actually, your Batman and Robin helicopter piece is one of my favorites by Manix. I hope you are doing well. It's always good to hear from you. Glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
Wow, Karen! A masterpiece production. When are you moving to Hollywood?
Thank you so much, Neon Dragon! I'll move to Hollywood when you are ready to make the documentary with me! I hope you are doing well! 👍🐉
KAREN....A truly remarkable job on research and story development, through conflicting theories. Also with an intense understanding of the Human element involved in a time in History, that were not always bathed in a shining light. It's a true testament to the spirt and perseverance of a period where people had "gumption", as my late GREAT Dad would say. These things have always hit me deeply, as it's appeared through my "Vanishing America" Art and my numerous Collecting ventures, as the story of the item is as important as the item itself! Bravo.
Thank you CJDesign. I really like what you said here. Sounds like you had a great and wise dad. 😊
Fascinating! Have you had any communication with CGC regarding this? Not sure, but maybe even check with Ryan (Automatic Comics) as he has talked about this pedigree and it's historical signifigance, maybe he would find this interesting and have a perspective. Great stuff, really enjoyed this one. One of the best videos regarding comic history I have seen here on CZcams.
Thank you! Ryan reached out to me through IG and thanked me for the video, which was nice of him. I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! ☺
Very impressive research. Hopefully, more research will be inspired by this and the full origin story of the collection will be known.
Thank you, Alan. I think there is definitely a lot more research to be done. It will be interesting to see how the story evolves. 👍
Amazing research, Karen. The comic community needs more videos like this. I’m sure it took a tremendous amount of time and effort to put this together and we are all better off because of it.
Thank you, Rob! Maybe this video will start a trend... 😊
Congratulations on putting together the definitive video of this pedigree, this is very much a piece of comic book history defined right here.
Thank you, Captain UK! I appreciate the kind words. 😊
Amazing research 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 well done Karen. Love the story.
Thank you so much! 👍
What an absolutely incredible story. You've done a massive service to the entire comic book community, we're all in your debt. There's so much I want to say about this, but I'm really struggling for words. Most simply put, thank you. All of your work and research is greatly appreciated. I knew nothing about this story before watching your video, and now I'm just blown away by it. It's such an incredibe example of how comic books really do unit us. An hour and a half ago I didn't know anything about the Okajima families, and now I feel connected to them in a special way. Beyond the comic books, you did an amazing job of humanizing the Japanese Americans who endured what we put them through (the horrible irony of us doing this to a kid named Happy is to our collective shame). Although I'm sure it wasn't your motive, I really hope this story and your video go viral. Everyone in our community should know this story, and I'd love to see it explored further in a documentary. Be proud of what you've done here :)
I can't thank you enough for your comment, CretanBull. Yours was one of the first comments that I read and it was very reassuring because I was a little nervous about how this video would be received. Also, your comment about Happy really hit me strongly. Thanks again. 😊
@@KarensPages I'm glad that my comment helped calm any nerves you might have been having. It truly is a great video and a wonderful story. And speaking of something that hit strongly...you realizing that both you and Jayne were drawn to the same issue of Sensation Comics, the idea that a little kid all of those years ago was filled with the same sense of wonder that you had when you saw that book, the connection she felt with it that made her pick that one off the rack is the same connection you felt that compelled you to bid on it at an auction 80 years later....as you put it, "it's one of the reasons why comics are so awesome" :)
And if I can just add to what I originally said...I've been a little burnt out on some comic book youtube channels because of the relentless negativity that some of them spiralled down into it. I've done my best to cut them out of my viewing and done everything I can to find and support creators who celebrate our hobby in a positive way. Your video did a lot of restore my faith, it showed us what we're all capable of. As a community, our entire hobby is based on stories, and you gave us a great story. I said it earlier, and I'll repeat it here - we're in your debt.
What a great researched video, thank you for doing this.
Thank you so much Pop Comics! Glad you liked the video. Always nice to hear from you. 👍
Great investgative journalism. CGC & Heritage will give anything a pedigree now. It's all about the $. Next time do the video in a box.
Thanks for watching and posting, Scott! Glad you liked the video. 😉
Wow. This was totally captivating. It played like what it is -- a historical mystery thriller. If Pulitzers were given for comic book reporting, you'd deserve one. Also, THANK YOU for making a CZcams video based on actual primary sources and original research rather than on other CZcams videos that are themselves based on other CZcams videos ad infinitum (and all saying roughly the same thing). Your diligent research is what led to what appears to be something new, aka News, and rather significant news (at least for our little hobby). The yearbook and all of the other interesting points towards the end -- after the "mystery" is solved--are great, too. Excellent. Thanks.
Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it. I try to stick to primary sources whenever possible. I only showed a small fraction of all the information that I collected -- had I shown more, the video would have been 5-6 hours long 😅. I also try to look at existing evidence with a different perspective. I think this approach helped solve this mystery. I'm so glad you liked the video. 😊
Very interesting and well done video
Thank you so much, Jason! 👍
Great detective work Karen! I applaud you for going above and beyond for the community!
Thank you so much, Hart! I'm glad you liked the video and thanks for commenting! 👍
Very nice! This goes back to the idea of a promoter. The owner needs a hook (like the Carnival barker). Ladies and Gentlemen, I have here an amazing piece of history.... Then everyone pays a penny to come and see. The truth is buried in there somewhere and CBCS/CGC should review and remark this pedigree as multiple sources contributing and not a lone collector. This will change the definition of a pedigree. One note...They were Americans, many with children born in the US! They were of Japanese ancestry and not necessary citizens of Japan or captured soldiers brought here like the German prisoner of war camps in Texas during the same period. instead of saying "these Japanese", it should be Americans or hyphenated. The Supreme court ruled that the US Military had no authority to strip these citizens of their citizenship by birth or naturalization. Decades later President Reagan apologized for the nation and signed a bill to compensate those survivors for the cruelty the US heaped on them.
Thank you for your comment. I'm not sure where I said "these Japanese" in the video and what the context was. If I did, I may have misspoke. Most of the internees (two-thirds) were American citizens. The rest were Japanese immigrants who, unfortunately, could not obtain citizenship due to US laws at the time. The latter group were put into a highly difficult situation, especially with their "loyalty questionnaires." They were asked if they would fight for the United States, but if they said "yes" they were worried that they could lose their Japanese citizenship and be left without a country.
@@KarensPages Thank you! Loved the segment.
Amazing story. Astounding work detective. History made. Good connection and a great escape through comics. Thank you for your content. Next mission if you are willing to accept is the star stamp?
Thank you for the kind words. I think I need a little break before tackling the next big comic book mystery. 😄
Nicely presented, your tone and delivery really draw the listener in. Yours and husband’s dedication is appreciated.
Thank you so much, Fan4Collecting! I'll be sure to have my husband read your compliment. 👍
awesome, needed a nice video to watch in office,lol, oerfecttiming , will post after as well, thanks karen
Thank you #1marvelfan! I hope you got a chance to watch! Thanks for posting. 👍
Wow!!!!!!!! Incredible video
Thank you! 😊
That was an incredibly interesting video. Thank you for taking the time to bring these people to life through comic books.
Thank you for your comment. I'm glad you liked the video. 👍
Powerful, informative, passionate.. just a few words to describe your undoubtedly hard work making this video. When you spoke of Sensation Comics 35 I could see the raw emotion filtering through and that I believe is the driving force behind collecting. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and wisdom and Jayne was honored very well in this video ❤
Thank you for the kind words. There was a lot of emotion that came out in this video. When I watch certain parts of the video (such as the montage at the end) I still get emotional. Thanks again for your comment. 😊
@@KarensPages I’ve shared it on social media so hopefully it gets the attention it deserves!
I really appreciate the time you took to investigate this pedigree, thank you for all the detailed explanations. I love the passion you have for this hobby. Thank you for making the video.
Thank you so much, Rob! I appreciate all your kind words. 😊
Excellent video and documentary and I can tell you did a LOT of homework and background in order to tell her story from which I never knew. I love history (any history) and this one is very interesting, especially what she and her family had to endure. I can't help but think what she and her brother would feel today knowing something as simple as collecting a comic would garnish so much interest, and money, from this community and practically made her a rock star. I always viewed comic books as a time capsule from a collector's life, especially when you look thru the book and find a signature. The ads also tell you so much about the time period in regards to toys, movies, tv and other pop culture that was going on at the time. Thanks again Karen!
Thank you, dadofducks. I really enjoyed reading your comments. Especially the part about comic books as time capsules from a collector's life. To that extent, I've been rethinking my position about slabbing books. On one hand, I like the idea of preserving comics and displaying them. On the other hand, you can't flip through the book anymore and see what was so great about it, including the ads that tell a story about the time period. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
Wow…..fascinating research. Well done! This needs to be on the History channel.
Thank you so much! Glad you liked the video.😉
Fantastic Karen. Poignant, compelling. Watched every minute. Bravo.
Thank you so much, Jason! I'm glad you watched every minute...get ready for the quiz on Sunday. 😉
Well done! And thank you so much for packaging all of your research into this thorough video, preserving and sharing it with the whole comic community.
Thank you so much, Jeff! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 👍
I have 1 Okajima book in my collection. I treasure it :) I always say some books you collect for the story on the pages, and some you collect for the story OF the pages. thank you for adding more info to one of my favorite Pedigrees
Nice work Detective! Wonderful story. God bless you!
Thank you so much, agentmobius! 🕵♀
Kudos Karen! Great attention to detail and priceless information. I agree with you that Jayne's Okajima's signature seems like a match on that Sensation comic. Absolutely fantastic detective work! And buying the yearbook off ebay is going beyond the call of duty! IS it possible the discrepancy in signatures could be that not only Jayne and Matsuro signed some books, but possibly some were picked up by the other family members for them and had to be signed for at the store when purchased? Regardless, O feel this in no way diminished but strengthens the provenance of this pedigree even if the books are not Bette Okajima's. Again congrats on your video! Also a collection was brought to market this year called THE BOBBY BLUE COLLECTION because the owner was called Bobby Blue and his mother wrote his name on the comics for when he lent them to other kids to then get them back. Bobby Blue said he stopped collecting in 1955, when the comic code appeared as he felt the comics were no longer interesting and were now too "kiddy" orientated so Matsuro Okagima might have stopped collecting in 1957 for similar reasons as well as the end of the publishers and titles he liked.
Hi Maurice! Thank you for your comments. Regarding the variation in signatures, I thought different store clerks could be plausible. As far as other family members, the only other person who could have signed and picked up books in this time period was Yoshie (Jayne and Mitsuru's mom). But, this is all speculation until there is more evidence, such as more handwriting samples. I liked your point about the Bobby Blue collection and the reason the collecting stopped in 1955. The same reason might have applied to Mitsuru. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. 👍
Most excellent, and powerful, presentation of facts and speculations Karen! Loved the video and I found it extremely interesting, even though I knew a fair amount about WW2 internment camps. You should think about drafting an article for one of the Two Morrows publications such as Alter Ego. While they typically deal with the comics themselves and their creators, they may be interested in such a compelling story. Kudos!!!
Thank you so much, LeadPaint! I am familiar with Two Morrows because of the Jack Kirby Collector, but I've never really looked into the other publications that they put out. I will look into Alter Ego some more. Thank you for the suggestion. 👍
Awesome background research. I learned something new today.
Thank you! It's rewarding when viewers learn something new from my videos. I appreciate your comment. 😊
This video genuinely tugged on my heartstrings... Wonderful. Truly..
Thank you for your heartfelt comment, Marwan. ☺
Holy sh!tbalz Batman! This is the most incredible amazing fantastic comic video I've ever watched! I might even watch it a 2nd time. You should be a detective! Wow! ❤❤❤
Thanks for the high praise! Your comment made my day! 😁👍
This is so amazing. It would be really great to hear more from their family. Perhaps someone alive today could recount some of the family's experiences.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Maybe someday more of their stories will be revealed. These were incredible people.
Wow! That was amazing. What great investigative journalism. I am so impressed with your meticulous research. Your channel is always so interesting but with this post you have knocked the ball out of the park. Kudos Karen.🎉❤😊
Thank you, Bruce, for the compliments. I'm glad you liked the video. Thanks for following my channel. 😊
Directed here from Comic Tropes. Really awesome video, such an amazing story thank you for sharing
very good informative video, Karen. thank you for sharing it.
Thanks, Joe! Always great to hear from you. I hope you are doing well. 👍
Thank you for delving into the history and validity of this… I know that right now it only has a few thousand views, but you created one of the most in-depth comic documentaries on such a topic you had to research fully yourself. You are a wonder, thank you.
Please consider just delving deep into people, or anything about comics that interest you because obviously you are willing to do research that no one else will
Edit: wow… that took a turn I didn’t expect, as your statement in the beginning should be understood by everyone I’d think (that comics aren’t sexist, and little girls or grown women are just as interested in art and heroes as any guy can be) Personally it’s all dependent on the person themselves, and a lot to do with how they’re raised: if literacy is something that’s important growing up, chances are more than not that youth will be interested in comics . Not to mention: they had next to no entertainment in the camps, therefore superhero comics in the 1940s??? Uh yeah sign me up too, even if unfortunately I have to accept the fact occasionally I see propaganda that hurts me because again like you said internment camps were like prison except the “inmates” only crimes were being from one of our enemies, comics are mental escape from normal reality much less a place like that.
I tested up a little bit hearing that you’re the one who discovered the truth behind this once you announced midway through that one of the breakthrough parts was the signature on Sensation Comics #33 the book you chose for your first Golden Age comic. If it wasn’t for my great aunt, a high school English teacher, taking me when she was 60 I never would’ve had the life I did much less be able to collect comics growing up because my mom was busy spending money on drugs rather than bringing me to Watertown to pick out manga in the mid 2000s not just for myself but some to bring to my older brother who still lived with my mom and wasn’t my aunts blood so unfortunately she wasn’t able to take him in and he chose to move back in with her rather than the uncle on his dads he chose to stay with. Again, comics and literacy have nothing to do with gender: it has to do with principles, interests, and access to comics.
This was destiny, idk if you have gone to the forums to share your evidence but CGC NEEDS to correct this especially after the bad PR press that came recently over reslabbing. You have real evidence: the opinion of a single “handwriting analysis pro” however long ago is not even close to evidence. Sorry for the rant. Thank you for the documentary again, this was a wild and strange trip that I assumed was going to be fraud but it’s obviously just a mistake which you’ve proven
First of all, I'm so grateful for your very detailed, personal, and thoughtful comment. Also, thank you for the encouragement to make more videos like this one involving personal stories and history. It made me sad to hear about your mom, but I'm glad that your great aunt saved you and helped transform your life. I liked what you said about comics and literacy being aligned with principles, interests, and access rather than being aligned with gender. This rings true for me -- I started buying comics in my thirties and that's because that was when I was introduced to comics. As far as CGC, my video has been posted on the forum and people are aware, but I have no idea if CGC will update the Okajima pedigree description. Thanks again for your comment. You did not rant. I appreciated every word. ☺
Incredible video. I was glued to my laptop screen from beginning to end. The montage at the end was incredibly moving as well. It was really cool to follow the evidence you discovered, which could reveal the true owners of these comic books and help rewrite comic history.
Thank you so much ShinKazama! The montage is one of my favorite parts of the video. Glad you liked the video. 👍
Glad I got directed over here. This was very impressive. Great story. Great research. More expert analysis than the "experts" put forth went into this video. The work of true documentarian in the guise of a hobby. Very well done.
Thank you so much, Paul. I really appreciate your comment, especially what you said at the end about the work of a true documentarian in the guise of a hobby. What a compliment. I feel like you truly understood the intent of my video. Thanks again. ☺
Wow! What an excellent job. Thank you so much for putting this together.
Thank you so much! Glad you liked the video! 👍
Most informative historical story great thanks.
Thank you so much, Ronald! Glad you liked the video! 👍
This was a well done research video. I have learned a lot. Thank you.
Thank you so much, Matt! I'm glad you learned a lot. 👍
Very informative. Solid video, thank you.
Thank you! I appreciate your compliment! 👍
@@KarensPages You're very welcome. The depth and passion you had for the story was enjoyable.
The yearbook was a cool find as well!
I just have to say what a brilliant job you did researching everything with this okajima collection. So insightful and intriguing thank you so much for sharing
Thank you so much for your comment, Justin! This video was the most rewarding video to make. It was well worth the time required to research everything. There's still a few questions that I would like to address, so I will probably do more research in the future. I'm glad you liked the video. 👍
A great vlog Karen! I purchased several books from the Okajima Collection from Alan in the 1990s. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area where he has his store. As a Japanese American, I was interested in the story of this collection. A former significant other had a boyfriend from Fresno with the last name of Okajima. I don’t why I didn’t follow-up with the story by speaking to him (I didn’t even discover if he was related). However, you did fine research work for this vlog. By the way, most Americans now use the term “concentration camps” instead of “internment camps” as no one was free to leave and guard towers with guns facing in not out of these camps. The term is used from the view of the detainees like my parents and grandparents. As I wrote in another vlog, keep up the fantastic work in the comic genre as well as its history.👍🏼
Arigato gozaimasu, Kurenai. I appreciate your comment, especially sharing your personal stories. It's super cool that you were able to purchase books from the Okajima collection directly from Alan in the 1990s. Do you still have them in your collection?
Yes, I still have the books in my collection.
Super job… I really enjoyed this!!! You’ve done a lot of work and our collective comic knowledge has been advanced because of you.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate the kind words. 😊
Greetings from South Africa. Thank you so much for this beautiful story. It's a war story, a family drama, a detective story, a history channel documentary all rolled into one. Just loved it. You should write a book about this. I would definitely buy it.
Thank you for the kind words, Jorge! I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I think you might be the first person from South Africa to comment on one of my videos -- super cool! Book? Not a bad idea...🤔👍
Really insightful and interesting. It’s so cool that the yearbook you got has Jayne’s signature in it. I find the history of this pedigree soooo interesting.
Thank you for the kind words. ☺ I'm glad you liked the video. I completely agree about the yearbook, it's very special. I get the impression that these students were a close-knit group.
Well done.
Thank you, Chad! 👍
I would assume its the comics collected while they were in the camp that command the big money as opposed to the later comics. So it was Jayne & Matsuru from a different family than Bette but with the same last name.
Yes, you are correct. The highest priced comics from the Okajima pedigree are the camp-era books with the Okajima signature, date, and code. Some of these Golden Age books are also in very high grade. Thanks for taking the time to watch the video (and perhaps even watch it a second time). P.S. I love your YT handle and image. 👍
Karen, I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Very well done, very well researched. It's crazy to me that you talk about how you have the same taste in comics that a young woman from the 40's would have-- and then both you and Jayne get drawn to LITERALLY the same comic book. And as someone who always gets feelings about seeing people's handwriting on old books-- getting to her actual signature is so amazing, what a connection to have.
Shoutout to @ComicTropes for taking me here!
Also, subbed!
I just drew an issue for Archie comics reviving one of their Golden Age characters, so while researching for it, I've been in my feelings about those old 40's creators and their legacies. So it's really cool to think about those original geeks who were buying the comics-- and this is an example of one of THEIR legacies.
Your work on this brings so much joy to my heart.
Thank you for the great compliment, Jay, or should I say, Juggernaut. 😉
This is an incredible bit of work you have done. You should be very proud of the video.
Thank you, StormcastleComics! This is one of my favorite videos that I've made and it definitely took the longest time to research, film, and edit. I appreciate your comment. ☺
Here from Comic Tropes❤❤
I appreciate you coming over to check out my channel, Alexey. Thank you! ☺
What a video! Wow. Thank you.
Thank you, DQ! Glad you enjoyed the video! 👍
great work! i think some of the okajima ped books that dont say okajima on them could quite possibly have been purchased by someone else - im sure more than one person in the internment camps bought comics and some of those comics undoubtedly entered the wild over the years and may have been incorrectly attributed to the okajima ped.
Yes, I agree completely. Thank you for your comment! 😊
absolutely astounding research and storytelling! very glad you made this video, a lot was learnt in this
Thank you for the great compliment! ☺ I'm glad I could share the Okajima story with you. I learned a lot as well when I was doing the research for this video.
Wow. Really cool video. Very interesting insight into an amazing collection, and the people who owned it. Nice job.
Thank you so much, Ryan! It's definitely an amazing collection and I enjoyed getting to know the people who owned it. Glad you liked the video. 👍
What a fascinating deep dive! Amazing research.
Thank you so much, @SchoonsComics! I checked out your YT profile. I'm a huge Jack Kirby fan, too! Do you have any favorite titles that Kirby worked on?
@@KarensPages of course all of his Silver Age Marvel. But an oddball book I also dug is Devil Dinosaur. It’s like a funky Saturday morning cartoon.
@@SchoonsComics You have great taste in comics! 👍
Amazing! The amount of research you did is commendable, and the passion you have for this history is heart warming.
I can’t remember watching any other CZcams video and truly thinking “I want all good things for that person” afterward, but I strongly felt that here. Wishing you all the best in your channel and collecting!
Thank you so much for the kind words, breakbeatz! I am excited for what's to come this year! 👍
Could the signature not be the seller's, having put this aside for her in her name? Just asking.
Yes, it's absolutely possible that the store clerk could have written her name on some of the books and set them aside for her (this might help explain the variability in the signatures). I also wonder if Jayne might have worked at the store at some point. Since I believe the code is from the store, the dates and the codes were likely written by the store clerk (the handwriting for these look more consistent). Thanks for watching and thank you for your question. 👍
Fantastic video!!! Very thorough and well researched. Nicely paced and expertly edited. Likely the most important comic book pedigree and you did it justice. Great work! cheers!
Thank you so much for the kind words. I'm glad you liked the video. ☺
Comic Tropes sent me! Just subscribed!
Thanks, Doc! I appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and subscribing. ☺
@@KarensPages I really enjoyed this episode and will likely watch it again soon. Very well done. Can't wait to dig into more of your content!
@@Doctor-Shoebill Wow! Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy my other videos - I show some pretty cool comics and original comic art and sometimes discuss the stories behind it, the artists, what I like, and more! Let me know what you think. 👍
Truly wonderful video. Your handle of investigative storytelling was powerfully used. Many moments of catharsis pulling strong emotions out of me. The world is a better place from you putting this work in and sharing it with others
Thank you for the wonderful compliment. It really means a lot. When I get comments like yours, it reminds me that all the time that I spent making the video was worth it. ☺
Excellent work. Well researched and very interesting!
Thank you so much, Stephen! ☺
Great video and very informative. I had not heard of this pedigree. Sensation 35 was also my wife's first golden age book.
Excellent video, and work on this. What I find interesting is, how and why was it assumed that the collection was Bette's to begin with. I personally love pedigree designated books. Having 2 in my collection. And one of which is from the "promise" collection. They really are great stories tied to amazing collections
Thank you, upagradepressing! The Promise collection is absolutely amazing and it has a heartfelt story to go along with it. What is the other pedigree book that you have? I hope to one day own books from both the Okajima and Promise collections. Glad you liked the video. 😊
@KarensPages the other pedigree I own is the "Northland" pedigree. I would like to get a Okajima and Mile High (Edgar Church) pedigree. Those are ones im always on the lookout for
Wow, truly stunning! You've definitely got a new fan and subscriber
Thank you so much, Nick! I'm so glad you liked the video and have subscribed to my channel. I appreciate it! 👍
So... CGC scandal number 3 in recent weeks. Excellent work here, Karen. I guess you are going to now tell me that the Mile High II pedigree is not a pedigree. 😉
😅I wouldn't call this a scandal per se. If you look at the CGC description of the Okajima pedigree, it was always relatively vague regarding the collector (I wonder if this was intentional). Thank you for your comment. 👍
It's incredibly difficult for me to know where to even begin to give you my feelings on what you've done here. I'm essentially speechless and don't know what to say because my mind is so fucking blown. First of all, I guess what I primarily want to put out there is that what you've done here is, in MY mind at least, create a documentary style focus on the horrors perpetrated upon Japanese Americans by the American government during WWII, with a focus on a couple of different Japanese American families, more specifically about the children thereof, with the same family name for which I'm sure both of those family's members were no doubt confused throughout their lives. Of course, they probably WERE related.
While most viewers' interest will likely stem from the story's relation to comic books, I think the REAL interest derives from the knowledge that you, a comic book collector with a love and passion for your hobby unlike many I've ever seen, decided that you were NOT just going to accept the status quo regarding a great story (albeit one with many glaring inconsistencies), and instead chose to dedicate an untold amount of time and effort digging through and researching copious amounts of readily available information in order to get to the bottom of all the questionable holes the pedigree story has always been filled with and in doing so, not only succeeded in disproving the original story and essentially rewriting it, but also shone a light on a very dark period in American history which has never gotten nearly the attention it deserves, by spotlighting the two Okajima families and their ties to something as relatively benign and unimportant as a comic book collection and bringing out the humanity from something that was so cruel and inhumane. The ending montage you included, along with the perfectly chosen music, is especially and hauntingly beautiful. Kudos to your husband for being such a great supporter of everything you do.
While it is our shared love of our four color heroes that brings us all together and unites us within the hobby, it is the hard work and dedication to your craft of meticulously researched content creation which today shows us that REAL heroes are constantly around us and come in many different skin colors and a wide variety of names. This video is a story about the human condition, wrapped in a comic book cover and slabbed with a 10 Gem Mint grade. ♥
This is the nicest comment I have ever received, Rubén, and one that I will never forget. It brought tears to my eyes. I struggle to come up with the words that could show my appreciation of what you wrote. The ironic thing is that this was never a planned video...I thought I was going to do another unboxing video. I'm glad I put that unboxing video on hold. Comments like yours (and that absolutely perfect last line) make it worth the effort. 😊❤
@@KarensPages As always, Karen, you're far too kind. It may not have been deemed "important", but I would've loved another unboxing just as much. Okay, maybe not quite as much, as this is a masterpiece and may even become your magnum opus, but I'm also glad you chose to put the unboxing aside. You are truly amazing at everything you do, as you've seen by ALL the fabulous comments everyone has been leaving for you. As always, I look forward to much more amazement from you in future videos.
P.s., forgot to mention, CGC/CBCS should probably hire you to vet all "pedigree" designations going forward!
🤩😅
What a great video!
Thank you for the kind words! 👍
Anyone else here from Comic Tropes?
GREAT VID!!
Thanks for coming over and taking the time to watch my video. ☺
"I am NOT a handwriting expert whatsoever! I am just a regular person looking at what this article is presenting."
There is nothing wrong with being regular! It just means you have a healthy dose of fiber in your diet...
I walked into that one....🤦♀😂
Did they ever get their land back
I believe the two Okajima families were able to hang on to their farms. Unfortunately, many families lost everything. If you read about George Takei’s story, after he and his family left the Tule internment camp, they were left destitute and living on Skid Row and had to rebuild their lives.