Browse by Thumbnail & Description

Esquire Comics - Special Collections
Special Collections of Mark S. Zaid, Esq.

The primary reason for the creation of EsquireComics.com was to feed my own insatiable appetite for the love of collecting comic books. Alas, even my lawyer's salary simply was not enough to sustain the purchases I truly wanted to make time and time again. So I made the tough decision to sell most of my collection in order to still enjoy the hobby.

Notwithstanding my decision, I have not given up collecting altogether. Instead, I decided to focus on some very specific themes or titles, and I am happy to present them to you for your viewing pleasure.

None of these specific books are for sale as they are part of my personal collection, so please do not inquire about them.

However, I am ALWAYS looking to buy or trade for copies of books that I am missing from these special collections.

I prefer high-grade copies, but depending on the rarity of the book, I am certainly amenable to considering any offer. Please e-mail or telephone me if you have something you believe I would be interested in.

Anti-Nazi/Anti-Communism/Cold War Comics

I still remember those early days in the 1970s when at elementary school we practiced "duck and cover" under our desks just like the turtle from those old Army cartoons recommended. As an "historian" by university education, I spent the 1980s studying the Cold War tension between the East and West. In law school I witnessed what so many never thought we would see, the actual end of the Cold War.

In the aftermath of World War II, as the United States shifted from combating National Socialism to Communism, so too did the stories within the comics. With the Soviet Union gaining atomic weapons by 1949, the theme of nuclear warfare and Cold War propaganda dominated the early 1950s. And the theme, though muted at times, did not end until the very collapse of the Soviet Union.

Comic books do more than just tell stories. They reflect an opening into a window of time of a society that previously existed. And these books in particular are a part of our history.

To view this collection, please Click Here.

Espionage/Secret Agents/Lawyers

In my day job as an attorney, I routinely represent spies. Good ones that is. Dedicated men and women who work for the U.S. Government in both overt and covert positions with such agencies as the Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. Many of my clients epitomize the legendary and fictional James Bond. Thus, it is fitting that I collect comic titles and stories that exemplify their work. Of course, as an attorney I also cannot resist simply collecting the various examples and roles that lawyers have played throughout the years.

To view this collection, please Click Here.

More Fun Comics

This title, of course, was originally called "New Fun Comics" when it debuted as D.C. Comics' first comic book in 1935. After six issues, the title was changed to More Fun Comics and it ran another eleven years until issue #127 hit the stands in November 1947.

"New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine" was the brainchild of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, the founder of D.C. Comics. Measuring 10" x 15", it was indeed big! Although the interior stories were printed in black and white, the Major included all new stories and content, unlike those of his early competitors. The first issue contained stories ranging from spies to science fiction. The sixth issue welcomed the significant debut of the dynamic duo of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who would become legends in the comic industry.

The seventh issue not only saw a title change, but also a reduction in size to the standard format. One of the early "superheros" was "Dr. Occult, the Ghost Detective," a mortal who battled the uncanny and eventually developed superhuman strength and the ability to fly. Sound familiar? Of course, Dr. Occult was the prototype for the then-unpublished Superman, a Siegel/Shuster character who was being rejected by publishers everywhere until Action #1 debuted in 1938.

The most significant change for More Fun Comics came with issue #52 (2/40) with the origin/1st appearance of The Spectre, an omnipotent being who fought crime through the transcended spirit of a murdered policeman. Though The Spectre only lasted five years until issue #101, the covers featuring him are some of the most sought after Golden Age books.

More Fun Comics witnessed a host of impressive firsts welcoming into existence Dr. Fate (#56), Johnny Quick (#71), Aquaman (#73) and Superboy (#101). Eight books from this title are listed in Overstreet's Top 100 Golden Age Books (though technically several are actually from the Platinum Age). Many of the early books are virtually impossible to find in high grade, and even the low grade copies are scarce.

To view this collection, please Click Here.

Notable Key and Rare Issues/Books About Comics

What more can be said about this collection? The title speaks for itself. And the images will as well.

To view this collection, please Click Here.

Promotional Comics

Comics are not just for entertainment, they can be used to promote products, espouse idealogical rhetoric or persuade citizens which politician they should vote for in the next election. I have amassed a sampling of interesting and often rare promotional comics.

To view this collection, please Click Here.


MARK S. ZAID, ESQ • ESQUIRECOMICS.COM
P.O. Box 342-492  •  Bethesda, MD 20827-2492
(202) 498-0011  •  EsquireComics@aol.com

© 2005 Esquire Comics. All rights reserved.