The Dutch approach
Moderators: Daniel Jackson, greg
- ramonschenk
- Magnus, Solar, and Turok
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:22:58 am
- Location: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Contact:
The Dutch approach
As a kid in the early eighties, I was introduced to the characters through Dutch reprints. In particular, there was a pocket-size publication called "Superhelden Strippaperback" (Super-Heroes Comics Paperback) which was about two hundred pages long and contained Gold Key characters such as Magnus, Turok, Space Family Robinson, Dagar and the occasional Dr. Solar story.
I was handed these by my older brother because they were not "real" superheroes. He read "Spider-Man" and "Hulk" and the paperback was just too odd for him.
Since until then most of my comics reading experience had been with funny animals and other humor titles, the books were quite a culture shock for me. I vividly remember scenes in which Magnus chopped off robot heads and Turok shot arrows into humungous dinosaurs' backs and loved every panel of it!
I did not understand all of it -- some of this had to do with me being too young, some with the sometimes dodgy translations -- but I was a fan for life. That is, for all eight issues of the series.
An older cousin, seeing how I tore these books up, brought me a stack of tattered old comics from the late sixties and early seventies. The main title was "Avontuur Classics" (Adventure Classics) which reprinted a whole slew of Gold Key heroes, from Magnus and Solar to Lone Ranger, Flipper and Green Hornet. Quite eclectic!
But there was one problem with these comics, at least in my young mind: they were in black-and-white! This made me cringe at every page, thinking these must be some substandard versions of my heroes.
Skip almost ten years. In the meantime I had become quite a comics fan. Aside from European comics, I read three Spider-Man series each month, X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Conan and anything else I could put my hands on. I was a comics fan, not just a reader, and hoarded each issue I had found on the newsstands.
I had slowly started collecting some US titles as well, mostly because the Dutch publisher had skipped a few issues here and there and also because some titles were hinted at but never translated into Dutch. Then one day, someone in the magazine/comics store pointed out a new title: "Solar, Man of the Atom".
From then on, I was hooked. I quickly bought or traded all issues of the "old" titles Magnus, Solar, then moved on to the new titles. For a couple of years, I bought every single issue Valiant put out. I even went so far as to start collecting the old Gold Key (and even Dell!) issues and managed to get a fairly complete collection in just a few short years. Seems like, despite the popularity of the Valiant heroes, no one really wanted the older versions. Quite a few older collectors were pleased to trade them off to me.
But as time went on, I stopped buying the newer titles, only sticking with Magnus, Solar and Turok out of a nostalgic sense. Sure, I'd pick up back issues of other titles if I came across them in the 50 cent bins, but my heart was no longer in it.
Over time, a friend of mine started a comics store and asked me if I had any old issues I wanted him to get rid of for me. I went through my collection and got rid of some 15,000 issues I no longer wanted to keep. When I came to the Valiant/Acclaim boxes, I had no problems getting rid of many series. Harbingers? Fun, but had to go. HARDCorps? Nah. Secret Weapons? Gone without a second thought. Shadowman? Hmmm, hesitated for a while, but after rereading the first ten issues, it could also go. But when it came to the old trinity, Solar, Magnus and Turok just could not be abandoned.
Worse, I found that over the years, some holes had appeared in my collection. Trading, missfiling, lending out or simple not purchasing them when they came out meant that I now had an incomplete collection. So I set out, roughly three years ago, to fill the holes up.
This started out easy enough. Many issues were purchased for a buck or less at cons. But as time went on, I realized that maybe a dozen or two issues were simply not easy to find in The Netherlands. The higher numbers, which probably had low print runs, are simply impossible to find. And collectors who have those in their collection often guard them like hounds on a leash!
The hunt continues!
I was handed these by my older brother because they were not "real" superheroes. He read "Spider-Man" and "Hulk" and the paperback was just too odd for him.
Since until then most of my comics reading experience had been with funny animals and other humor titles, the books were quite a culture shock for me. I vividly remember scenes in which Magnus chopped off robot heads and Turok shot arrows into humungous dinosaurs' backs and loved every panel of it!
I did not understand all of it -- some of this had to do with me being too young, some with the sometimes dodgy translations -- but I was a fan for life. That is, for all eight issues of the series.
An older cousin, seeing how I tore these books up, brought me a stack of tattered old comics from the late sixties and early seventies. The main title was "Avontuur Classics" (Adventure Classics) which reprinted a whole slew of Gold Key heroes, from Magnus and Solar to Lone Ranger, Flipper and Green Hornet. Quite eclectic!
But there was one problem with these comics, at least in my young mind: they were in black-and-white! This made me cringe at every page, thinking these must be some substandard versions of my heroes.
Skip almost ten years. In the meantime I had become quite a comics fan. Aside from European comics, I read three Spider-Man series each month, X-Men, Avengers, Fantastic Four, Conan and anything else I could put my hands on. I was a comics fan, not just a reader, and hoarded each issue I had found on the newsstands.
I had slowly started collecting some US titles as well, mostly because the Dutch publisher had skipped a few issues here and there and also because some titles were hinted at but never translated into Dutch. Then one day, someone in the magazine/comics store pointed out a new title: "Solar, Man of the Atom".
From then on, I was hooked. I quickly bought or traded all issues of the "old" titles Magnus, Solar, then moved on to the new titles. For a couple of years, I bought every single issue Valiant put out. I even went so far as to start collecting the old Gold Key (and even Dell!) issues and managed to get a fairly complete collection in just a few short years. Seems like, despite the popularity of the Valiant heroes, no one really wanted the older versions. Quite a few older collectors were pleased to trade them off to me.
But as time went on, I stopped buying the newer titles, only sticking with Magnus, Solar and Turok out of a nostalgic sense. Sure, I'd pick up back issues of other titles if I came across them in the 50 cent bins, but my heart was no longer in it.
Over time, a friend of mine started a comics store and asked me if I had any old issues I wanted him to get rid of for me. I went through my collection and got rid of some 15,000 issues I no longer wanted to keep. When I came to the Valiant/Acclaim boxes, I had no problems getting rid of many series. Harbingers? Fun, but had to go. HARDCorps? Nah. Secret Weapons? Gone without a second thought. Shadowman? Hmmm, hesitated for a while, but after rereading the first ten issues, it could also go. But when it came to the old trinity, Solar, Magnus and Turok just could not be abandoned.
Worse, I found that over the years, some holes had appeared in my collection. Trading, missfiling, lending out or simple not purchasing them when they came out meant that I now had an incomplete collection. So I set out, roughly three years ago, to fill the holes up.
This started out easy enough. Many issues were purchased for a buck or less at cons. But as time went on, I realized that maybe a dozen or two issues were simply not easy to find in The Netherlands. The higher numbers, which probably had low print runs, are simply impossible to find. And collectors who have those in their collection often guard them like hounds on a leash!
The hunt continues!
For over a million indexed stories, go to the Grand Comics Database at http://www.comics.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;!
- kevinbastos
- I felt 'used car salesman' kind of dirty.
- Posts: 3868
- Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:34:06 pm
- Valiant fan since: 1992
- Favorite character: Rai
- Favorite title: Quantum & Woody
- Location: Pittsburgh, PA
- Contact:
Re: The Dutch approach
Welcome! By the way, saw your post on buying pages. Just post what you are interested in and a possible price. Or, just watch the sales boards. Great kids here.
Hey, look! I have a podcast!
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.
In addition, I'm right.
And a Website!
http://www.valiantnewuniverse.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If I win an argument, it doesn't mean I'm right. It means I'm a better arguer.
In addition, I'm right.
Re: The Dutch approach
Cool, another European representative. Welcome. Nice introduction post.ramonschenk wrote:As a kid in the early eighties, I was introduced to the characters through Dutch reprints. In particular, there was a pocket-size publication called "Superhelden Strippaperback" (Super-Heroes Comics Paperback) which was about two hundred pages long and contained Gold Key characters such as Magnus, Turok, Space Family Robinson, Dagar and the occasional Dr. Solar story.
I know the feeling. Especially as you above mentioned a pocket book series I did not know about before...The hunt continues!
/Magnus
- Daniel Jackson
- A toast to the return of Valiant!
- Posts: 38007
- Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:33:38 pm
Re: The Dutch approach
Great story. Welcome.
- Chiclo
- I'm Chiclo. My strong Dongs paid off well.
- Posts: 21681
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:09:11 am
- Favorite character: Kris
- Location: Texas
- Contact:
Re: The Dutch approach
I have a couple of copies of this somewhere. I also have some Condor Superhelden Taschenbuchen.ramonschenk wrote:In particular, there was a pocket-size publication called "Superhelden Strippaperback" (Super-Heroes Comics Paperback) which was about two hundred pages long and contained Gold Key characters such as Magnus, Turok, Space Family Robinson, Dagar and the occasional Dr. Solar story.
- jmatt
- Mmm, I was drooling over Cooshie tonight.
- Posts: 11026
- Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:41:10 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA!
Re: The Dutch approach
Great story! And welcome!
Wow, 15,000 issues? You had a pretty nice collection going there!
Wow, 15,000 issues? You had a pretty nice collection going there!
Re: The Dutch approach
The German editions have been mentioned here on the boards before. The Dutch were new to me. I looked them up and they are similar. Which do you have?Chiclo wrote:I have a couple of copies of this somewhere. I also have some Condor Superhelden Taschenbuchen.
/Magnus
- caniac
- the hole just keeps getting deeper
- Posts: 3688
- Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:41:24 pm
- Valiant fan since: 1992
- Favorite character: XO Manowar
- Favorite title: XO Manowar
- Favorite writer: Robert Venditti
- Location: the beach
Re: The Dutch approach
Nice story...welcome to the boards
- Chiclo
- I'm Chiclo. My strong Dongs paid off well.
- Posts: 21681
- Joined: Tue Oct 03, 2006 1:09:11 am
- Favorite character: Kris
- Location: Texas
- Contact:
Re: The Dutch approach
The Dutch editions are nowhere to be found at the moment, probably lost in a box in a closet. As for the German editions, they the aforementioned Superhelden Taschenbuch. I have one number 47 and two 15s. Looking on the back cover, they have a Dino-Riders one! I must have one!magnusr wrote:The German editions have been mentioned here on the boards before. The Dutch were new to me. I looked them up and they are similar. Which do you have?Chiclo wrote:I have a couple of copies of this somewhere. I also have some Condor Superhelden Taschenbuchen.
/Magnus
- iggy101us
- I bought my first comics at Kwik-E-Mart
- Posts: 8967
- Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:12:20 am
- Location: Calizona Sector, North Am
- Contact:
Re: The Dutch approach
Welcome
- FormerReader
- I spoke with Dino and he said you can divulge all information to me.
- Posts: 3754
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2011 10:15:58 pm
- Location: Florida
Re: The Dutch approach
Welcome!
- BruceReville
- Why don't we just call ourselves C-Men and be done with it
- Posts: 7318
- Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2010 8:47:41 pm
- Location: Here
- comicsyte95
- It's Porktastic!!!
- Posts: 9572
- Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:30:20 pm
- Location: somewhere in the valiant universe
Re: The Dutch approach
Welcome!
If I just can't be me ,and the Arrow isn't enough.. then maybe I should be Ra's al Ghul
- jmatt
- Mmm, I was drooling over Cooshie tonight.
- Posts: 11026
- Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2012 2:41:10 pm
- Location: Lehigh Valley, PA!
Re: The Dutch approach
Hmmm, this is a long shot. Sytse, is that you?