CGC Registry

When Space Was Still A Dream


Set Type: Space Adventures (1952)
Owner: miraclemet
Last Modified: 7/19/2024
Views: 984

Rank: 2
Score: 9494
Leading by: 8024
Points to Higher Rank: 2600

Set Description:

Charlton Sci-Fi Anthology



I love an anthology series. Sci-Fi seems to lend itself to the short-story format (Asimov, Bradbury and so many others) and it's no different with "one shot" stories in comics. EC created iconic stories, but their publication ended before man ever set foot in space (April 1961).

I chose to collect Charton's Space Adventures because it spans the decades from before Alan Sheppard left the comforts of our Earth and then continued after Glenn made his trip around our little blue marble. Im intrigued by the shift in wonder when the unknown of space become a little more known. It did not leave once we began exploring the expanse of space, but it changed a little. It went from being fantastical to being a little more practical, but still amazing.

The first volume of the title (issues 1-59) came out in two phases.

The first publications came in 1952 and ran 21 issues until April of 1956. Of note issues 10 and 11 include some of Steve Ditkos earliest work in comics. Also issues 13 and 14 included some of the last prints of the GA Blue Beetle until his return in the 80s post DC Crisis. Issue 16 includes one Bernie Krigstein's few non-EC published stories.

The second phase of volume 2 began late in 1957 (so about 18 months off) and picked up numbering with issue #23. They had picked up the numbering of Nyoka Queen of the Jungle which ended with issue #22. As a result there is no issue #22 of Space Aventures. Steve Ditko's work is sprinkled throughout this run until he left for Marvel full time (to work on a little known comic called "Spider-Man". In issue 33 Ditko and writer Joe Gill introduced superhero Captain Atom (who I enjoyed in his 80s revival and COIE appearances). The second half of the series continued until November of 1964.

One side note about Charlton. They were (at the time) the only "one stop" publisher, housing the entire publishing process (from concept to print and distribution) under one roof in their Derby, Connecticut facility.


An interesting (to me) story about the SA#31 from the White Mountain collection. A few years ago, when I originally traded for the River City #25, the owner mentioned that he might have another SA and he'd check. He came back saying he was sure he had a #31 from what he thought was the White Mountain pedigree, but he must have traded it away at one of his local swap meets (why cant I live somewhere that has awesome comic book swap meets?). Fast forward 2 years and the same person, a member on the CGC message boards, sends me a message saying he saw my sig line on the message boards and it reminded him about our "missed connection" regarding the SA31, and that he had just recently gotten it back in trade and would I still be interested in it? I of course said yes, and two years later the White Mountain #31 was in my collection!

Notes:
Collection currently includes books from the following pedigrees:
White Mountain (#27,31)
River City (#1, #25)
Bethlehem (#9, #47, v2 #5)
Big Apple (#28)
Charlton File Copies (#46, 49, 52)

Of the 27 books in my Space Adventures registry, 16 are the highest (or share the highest) grade on census.
comic_category_sm Set Typecomic_category_sm Set Typecomic_category_sm Set Typecomic_category_sm Set Typecomic_category_sm Set Typecomic_category_sm Set Type

Slot DescriptionCert #GradeScore
Space Adventures 1 0242751003 8.5486 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 2 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 3 2077624001 7.565 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 4 3984509010 8.0109 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 5 0326637005 7.565 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 6 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 7 3984508008 8.099 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 8 1615657001 7.559 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 9 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 10 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 11 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 12 2039096002 4.0245 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 13 0014499018 9.6925 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 14 1969734007 9.0240 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 15 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 16 1054538004 9.4810 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 17 0010111007 9.4720 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 18 3700087003 7.050 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 19 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 20 0335870009 8.5211 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 21 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 23 2011359007 7.058 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 24 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 25 1043150009 9.4720 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 26 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 27 0084303012 9.61275 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 28 0130093009 8.564 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 29 0340563011 8.040 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 30 3700087004 6.013 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 31 0084303014 9.4825 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 32 1560112018 8.0116 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 33 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 34 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 35 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 36 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 37 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 38 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 39 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 40 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 41 3974657022 9.290 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 42 3974657024 9.61275 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 43 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 44 2003182001 9.6325 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 45 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 46 3700087005 9.290 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 47 1093447007 8.025 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 48 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 49 3700087006 9.060 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 50 2039096004 9.6300 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 51 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 52 3700087007 8.025 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 53 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 54 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 55 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 56 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 57 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 58 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 59 3700087008 7.515 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 60 No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 2 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 3 (v1) 1974880018 9.484 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 4 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 5 (v1) 1093447009 7.510 Shop eBay
Space Adventures 6 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 7 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 8 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 9 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 10 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 11 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 12 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay
Space Adventures 13 (v1) No Comic    Shop eBay

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