Comic Book Pedigree Collections: What They Are and How They've Built Comic Empires
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- čas přidán 28. 07. 2024
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►@KarensPages on the Okajima Pedigree: • They Got It Wrong | I ...
►CGC's 61 Pedigree Collections: www.cgccomics.com/resources/p...
Chapters
00:00 Intro
02:06 Three Elements of Pedigree Collections
07:13 Edgar Church Mile High
14:39 Green River
18:05 Okajima
23:15 Comic Tropes Show Stuff
The biggest comic collections are Named Collections but the most prestigious and rare ones are qualified as Pedigree Collections. This episode explains what elements are necessary to make a collection a Pedigree. Then I go into three Pedigree Collection stories: How Chuck Rozanski built Mile High Comics out of the Edgar Church Collection; how a suspect in the Green River Murders put together the Green River Collection; and the unique tale and strange wrinkles to the Okajima Collection, partially assembled behind the walls of the WW2 Internment Camps. - Zábava
Thank you so much for mentioning my video about the Okajima Pedigree, Chris! 👍☺ The story behind the Okajima Pedigree is fascinating and the history surrounding these families has been largely forgotten over time. I think we can bring their stories out of the shadows through comics.
Yeah, fantastic work. Thank you for your research. Great episode.
Karen...you did a fabulous job on the research.
Your video is great, I'm glad it's getting more attention
I'm checking that video out after this one :)
Congratulations on getting a shout-out from from one of the top-level comic channels (and one of my favorites, along with yourself and Pop Comics). It's nice to see a newer channel get that well deserved attention. Keep up the good work!
I had the pleasure of going to Mile High a couple years ago and was BLOWN AWAY by just how many rare books were on display. Easily the most valuable collection I have seen in person, even beating out the CGC itself when I visted.
Mike high is expensive surprise there still in business they don’t have PayPal option when I look for book they never have it in I have up on them
Mile High Comics - What an amazing story. WOW!
I just came back from Denver and made my first pilgrimage to Mile High Comics.
It was a great store...AND they had a 60% off sale!
Signal boost cause CZcams doesn't give a damn about quality content from actually good channels. Thanks Chris for all your work!
I'd never even heard of pedigree collections. This is the kind of stuff that I love this channel for. Amazing job as always.
Never once in my life did I think I would want to know about comic book collections. But this was amazingly gripping. I was fascinated.
Thanks for taking the time to make this.
Thank you.
I love these deep dives into the different aspects of the comic books industry .
I wonder what will happen to Harlan Ellison’s comic book collection. He had tens of thousands of comic books.
I’d love to see an episode about his comic book series, Harlan Ellison’s Dream Corridor.
The more esoteric, the better.
Me too
Chris: be casual, lay down, grab a blanket or some tea.
Me immediately preparing myself a good dinner to eat while watching this episode on tv.
11:48 The Mile High centrefold. Oh my. This page became so important to us 8 and 9 yr olds. It was Our first introductions to any real form of grading. We simply didn't know. Brings back memories. This Geek Still has many of the books with this centre page. I wont be giving them up too soon. 😊
You'd love the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library museum in Columbus, Ohio. It's small but has some real gems.
Yes, I’d love to see it. I really respect the work Caitlin McGurk has done for the museum.
Great little museum. Loved seeing Chester Goulds desk among all the original art
@@ComicTropesIf you haven't already seen it, check out the CZcams show "Shaturday Morning Cartoons" that McGurk is frequently a guest on (most recently on an episode in which they watch two cartoon shorts based on Bushmiller's "Nancy").
Yeah! I was going to comment something like that too!
Also fun story regarding large comic book collections in regards to the museum, there was a guy called Bill Blackbeard who collected newspaper strips and comics, he had a HUGE collection and keep them well preserved. He ended up donating his collection to the Billy Ireland.
Anyway I'm a local so I've been to the Billy Ireland a bunch of times!
I can't say I ever expected to see Ian Levine get a mention in a Comic Tropes video! You just gave every Doctor Who fan watching war flashbacks.
Yeah, that was a little crazy... he's definitely a piece of work, but i'd love to know what lost episodrs he's holding on to
A great movie whose plot centres on the discovery of a pedigree collection- and the chaos it causes amongst those who are aware of it- is Comic Book Villains. It stars D.J. Squalls, Carey Elwes, and Michael Rapaport, and is kind of a more nerdy Tarantino-esque crime caper (I mean even more nerdy than Tarantino already is).
Very entertaining, especially for geeks like us. Highly recommended.
I've never heard of this. Thanks for putting it on my radar.
Great movie! Happy to someone remember it
Directed by James Robinson, co-creator & writer of Jack Knight Starman, and also the screenwriter of _League of Extraordinary Gentlemen_ but everybody's gotta make a living...
@@timothybarnett1006 Holy moly! 😯 I never made the connection!
He is credited as James Dale Robinson, so I never realised it was “our” James Robinson!
Thanks for the rec of Karen's channel, great stuff. Would love to see you cover Deadpool's early years; very rarely discussed.
Great video. Love stories about how vintage comics get passed down.
Fantastic and absolutely fascinating episode! This is totally new to me. Never been a graded comic guy. In fact, most of my floppies are trash readers worth a buck or less😂
Definitely gonna check out the Okajima vid! Thanks, Chris, you really keep my interest in comics piqued, even when I'm not buying them consistently!
I'm not sure if it's a pedigree. One of the big collections in my area is the Greg Eide collection. Greg was the owner of the oldest comic shop in Pittsburgh. He unfortunately passed away a few years ago. Some of the stuff he had in his collection was crazy.
Totally go watch that Karen's Pages video. It's a fantastic deep dive connecting the personal aspects of comic collecting, American history, and investigations.
Never heard of these before but I'm going to look into them now. I def see a lot of old comics that seem to have a history I will never understand...
okajima thing is so sad... wild how easy it is to forget abt that like i doubt most people even know
I loved this episode, Chris! This is a subject, oddly enough, that I didn't know much about. It really is fascinating. So thank you for sharing this with us. I'm headed over to Karen's Pages to see more.
I’ve never heard of pedigree comics until now. Great video Chris.
Richard Dreyfuss is going to be at the Dallas Fan Expo next weekend. Definitely a Jaws summer! I look forward to your Jaws manga video!
It wasn't part of a pedigree collection but I do have a copy of Eclipse's Miracleman #1 that was originally owned by Alan Moore. He was the neighbour of one of my old schoolmates, and when he found out I was a fan he signed the comic and gave it to me.
Fairly convinced that for me (like so many others) Mile High Comics was responsible for my very first internet purchase back in the 90’s! The first of sooo many more. Had no idea the legend behind it all.
Videos like this is why Comictropes is the best comic book channel on CZcams
I visited Mile High in Boulder, back in 1983. Fun times. I think I still have the paper bags the comics came in. 😊
Nothing shows the love of a book as much as putting it in a container that is never meant to be opened, thus making sure it is never read again.
Lol right?! I buy up low grade silver age rags for my runs and actually read them. Adds, letter columns and all. They smell good too.
The promise collection is my favorite, it was a tragic story about 2 brothers. My favorite book in the collection is a .5 detective comics 38, mainly because they both loved Robin and he was their favorite character of im recalling correctly. So they read the book so much that it is beat to hell. And that's something I care about is the story behind a book. These high grade books they feel weird like they were never read and kept in a drawer for their entire life and that's why I love the detective comics 38 from the promise collection.
Very interesting episode. I’ve always lived near Mile High Comics stores (and even applied to work at a couple when I was younger), so it’s really cool to hear the story behind them and about Pedigree collections and what they are.
I would pour over those mile high ads when i was kid. I heard the story of his find a couple of years later and it blew my mind.
Definitely everyone's dream to find a hidden treasure trove of comics in their attic or a family member's home.
Made my way to Mile High Comics while in Denver a couple of days ago because of this video. Had a great chat with the owner outside after the store had closed about the pedigree collection, life in general, and their love of pottery.
I don't collect comics but the history of these collections is real fascinating. Thanks for covering
Really great episode Chris. Thank you for all of your hard work!
That Okajima video by Karenspages is the most awesome comic video I've ever seen!
I went to Mile High Comics last year and your description felt accurate to me. I spent most of my time just looking through all the stuff and felt like i was in a museum dedicated to comic history, and i could tell there was a ton of space that was roped off.
I wonder if the Fantast collection qualifies as a pedigree. The Selling Superman movie should be out soon. CGC gave them their own custom label, a first for CGC. The story of the father who amassed these comics is definitely in line with these other eccentric collectors.
I saw the feed store pedigree collection before it went to heritage. It was gorgeous!
You had me at “serial killers”
Really love your channel, one of my favorites to listen and relax.
I love looking over collections, you always find the most interesting things in them even if you are not a fan of the particular topic being collected.
Thanks for this! I'm 55 and have been collecting since I was 8. I remember in the early 80s seeing these Mile High ads and MH notations in the Overstreet price guides and wondering what the hell it meant. I eventually learned a bit but this finally gave me the full story. Every comic geek's dream. When I was maybe 13 my uncle visited and gave me a box saying he'd just bought a bunch of old comics real cheap at a garage sale for me and handed it over. I excitedly dug through it and oh my GOD, it was all crap. An old Dell Tarzan that could go for 15 bucks ten years later, but hey I totally appreciated him for the effort.
I'm glad you gave a history about what pedigree collections are. I had heard about them but didn't know the history. Thank you
What I love about your videos is sometimes they are unexpectedly gripping. Often I have CZcams videos on in the background while I do things especially if its just audio, but you always have ones that grab my attention, so here's a comment for algorithm. Great stuff! Also I do have some single issues sealed and in good condition, but doubt they are worth much (late 80s early 90s stuff) but not graded.
Years ago I found a Mile High Comics blog or something, those stories are amazing like the one you told and I think one involved a storage space in New York that was complicated. Thanks Chris!
Thank you for explaining what "Pedigree Collections" are, Chris! I don't collect comics because I have no place to put them, as a retiree don't have the money for them, and at this late date there's really no point-but I do enjoy looking at the "good girl" art covers, especially those Fiction House did. I'd seen the gold tops to the bags CGC uses for their Pedigree collection comics, and wondered what they were for besides "This is high-quality, and expensive!"
I never would've been interested in this until you talked about it, and I must say I was captivated. Thank you, sir!
On a related note, I've been coming across Edgar Church’s graphic design work (which are great examples of custom lettering) via Pinterest over the past month, so it’s cool that get the comic-related part of his story from you. Much appreciated
Fascinating, I cannot remember the name of the movie but it's Jack Black and DJ Qualls. That's where I learned the Mile High Comics story.
I remember reading about a guy who embezzled money for years from the post office, and used it to amass a huge comic collection that he stored in his attic. I thought that was what became the Mile High Collection?
Never knew that collections themselves become famous. The stories behind them are so interesting especially Okajima's story
Not something I’ve ever thought about before but an incredibly interesting topic!! Great video
The green river killer comic is long OOP. I've been trying to buy it for years.
Excellent, excellent episode as I have not heard about pedigree collections. Thanks much.
I was born in the 90s so Ultimate was the big thing while I was growing up. I have the complete (ungraded) Ultimate line across X-Men, Spider-Man, F4, and Ultimates. Also ungraded is the entire X-Statix run. The only books i have graded is the original Iceman solo series (always been my favorite x-man) from the 80s graded between 8.4-9.1. Currently organizing a graded Hellboy collection that i hope to have on my shelf by the end of the year. To me, collecting has always been a sign of respect for the creators and the enjoyment you were given by their story/art.
I'd never heard of these before. Great episode, as always!
So glad you mentioned Karen's research into the Okajima Pedigree--it's a fascinating video. I am putting together a run of Fantastic Four 100 - 200 (my first comic I purchased at my local 7-11 was FF 149) in CGC 9.0 or higher (96% complete). I have a few pedigrees in that run.... Suscha News, Winnipeg, and Don Rosa. I also have a few Jewelers Mark inserts (but that's another rabbit hole). At the end of the day, the Pedigree comics are many times just not as nice as some of the others in my collection. For instance, I have a FF 174 CGC 9.4 that looks better and has way better centering than the FF 174 CGC 9.4 Winnipeg copy I have.
One of my favorite memories of comics was getting to visit mile high comics in 1993.still have the books I got there
Fascinating topic Chris! Another home run video!
I'm 50 and have bought many comics that my dad and grandma bought me as a little kid, and had them graded to display. These were the nicest people in the world to me, and I have the happiest memories. None are particularly super valuable except for Daredevil 1, and many Amazing Spider-Man issues that my dad bought when he was 15 or 16 years old. I inherited them. You just never know!
Another interesting topic not usually covered!
Actually making our very first comic and I'm super excited to share it to the world soon!
A couple a years ago I learned about graded comics & that the most valuable ones gets to be in those blue cases.
Today I learned about "Pedigree" 🙂
Yes please do a Deadpool history video, would love to see that & learn some new things I didn't know about earlier! 🙏😃🙂
Incredible video as always Chris! Your dedication is commendable
My Star Wars #1 (VF) was bought from Mile High Comics around 2010 or so... it's from the Dallas Stephens collection. Came with papers and everything. It was listed at $37.50 but I got it 60% off.
This was a few years before Rozanski lost his mind and his prices skyrocketed FAR ahead of the rest of the market.
Hey Chris, could you do a video about collected editions? Most of my comic reading has been moved over to collected editions (specifically hardcovers and omnis) so i feel like it would be interesting to learn the history behind why comic publishers decided to start selling their books in collections.
Great great video! Thank you!!
I collect comics...majority are graded through CBCS and CGC. Some goldenage and bronze....mostly silverage.
I have no pedigree books as pedigree books generally command a significant premium in price. At the time when I was really into collecting, I couldn't reconcile the increased cost for a book simply because of who owned it before (I.e the back stort).
I realize now, that was a mistake. There are some very very important pedigree collections such as the two you mentioned (Edgar Church/Okijima).
When searching for books now, I keep an eye open for pedigrees and if the price is right, I would buy.
Great channel and keep up the fantastic work!!!
This has been a great video. I could see it as a Hulu documentary.
This guy does what he likes and controls every aspect. These videos are here to enjoy at our convenience. Why involve other entities? Why make the audience pay to enjoy his content? If you feel the need to pay, he has patreon and other ways to support him. Please do so.
CZcams has replaced channel surfing or streaming and chilling. I listen as I labor on more tedious tasks at work. Why change what seems to be functioning perfectly well?
Wild we read the Green River book for our book club and I had no idea there was a comic book collection connection. We also read They Called Us Enemy.
Ah yes. Enjoying my cup of coffee while watching a relaxing video about comic books and serial killers. Lovely.
Great Episode Chris...Love falling into holes...check out the sordid story of Mile HIgh 2...I'm sure you prob already have....although not an official Pedigree, some CGC books have the Mile High II notation.
Yes. A Named Collection but not a Pedigree!
When I got back into comics after a 30 year absence about 10 years ago, I bought JLA #50 from a Comics Shop in Nashville Tennessee. It was in Good condition, wasn't graded, but it had a certificate inside when you opened it, I had a stamped seal of the State of Colorado. It had absolutely nothing to do with the Mile high collection that was purchased in the 70's. This one was part of a collection of this guy that was embezzling Hundreds of thousands of dollars to buy a copy of every comic book from 1935 until the present day. He bought a copy of almost every comic book from 1935 to 1990, until he was caught stealing all that money. My comic book that I got in Nashville was part of the collection, it had the State Seal telling about the crook and everything about how he stole the money. I sold it to this old grouch Larry, and the first thing he did was throw away the certificate that had the Colorado state seal ! He did that just because I got a big kick out of the story ! He hated anything that didn't have him in the story looking like a hero or something, , he was an angry old Goul, someone that if he grew up in a younger generation, would be considered a player Hater, or a jealous cock Block ! Thats who and what he is , if he is even still alive ! If you are still out there Larry, I wish you nothing but the best, God Bless
I'm not that big a collector. I just keep the books I really like and have a high chance of re-reading.
I love that you ended on a sneeze.
As always. Fascinating stuff, Chris! Thanks for sharing another great video!
Very cool and intriguing episode. Never heard about pedigree collections and now I want to know more 😊
Got a tea all ready! Thanks Chris!
One of your best yet! Thank you!
Loved this video and the format. Fantastic stuff
I do collect comics (mostly X-Men and related stuff) but don’t get any to get them graded at all. I want to be able to enjoy my comics and having them locked in a box stops that.
Bloody hell as a Doctor Who fan seeing Ian Levine pop up was like a flash bang
The cuts! The cuts!! OW!!!
Pedigrees are pretty cool, I do not have one in my personal collection. Another aspect is that it has to be original owner collection (or their heirs). There are newer "collections" that are not pedigree like Fantast or Secret Sound.
Great video, Chris! Interesting as always, and I really like the chill vibe. Keep em comin
Great vid as always, Keep up the good work Chris!
Fascinating, Chris! I've never really given much thought to this, but it's an interesting aspect of collections.
Great video! I only want to add that Don Rosa didn't retire from comics, he quit (his words, not mine from a comic con a couple of years ago)
The conditions the artists worked on Disney comics were horrible, maybe an idea for another video?
Another great video Chris! Loved it
Loved this video and subject! Thanks for all you do 🤙🤙
"Oh, hi! You caught me watching highlights of Triple H landing his finisher. Speaking of pedigree..."
Edgar Church! What an amazing story!
This is extremely interesting!!
Thank you for putting in the legwork to cover this topic!
This is an awesome video. Excited to go down this rabbit hole, and this was a great intro!
Great video, love the deep look into collecting
Thanks for the new info Chris! ❤
Definitely falling down a hole catching up on your videos! This video is great!
The Chinatown pedigree is local to me and I've been buying books from that shop since the early 1980s. Really cool story there, too, of course!
Thank you for sharing these stories.
Thank you for your videos. Its very entertaining hear someone as knowledgeable as you talk about my favorite medium.
Awesome video, thanks for pointing towards this rabbit hole xD
I 1st heard of the EC/MH collection in the mid 1980s and always wanted to one day own just one of the 18,000 books.
Another great video. Thanks, Chris!
Fantastic and very interesting and informative video!
this is an amazing video, thank you for all the work you put in these