CLIMAX Nos. 1 and 2 [and] PRIZE MYSTERY Nos. 1 and 2 * Lot of Four Post-Code STANLEY MORSE Comic Books Publisher: Stanley Morse [Indicia: Gillmor Magazines, Inc.] Date Published: 1955 Description: Climax #1: Fine- (5.5). Light stress to spine near staples, faint crease mark along bottom edge of front cover, two shallow (1mm) chips to back cover. Cream to off-white pages. GPAnalysis: No results in this grade in 8 years. A 3.5 sold for $119 in 11/22. Climax #2: VG (4.0). Spine stress, fine crease to top edge of front cover, tiny chip to bottom corner. Cream to off-white pages. GPAnalysis: A 4.0 sold for $77 in 4/19. Prize Mystery #1: VG (4.0). Slight spine curve, mild spine stress, creases to top spine and edge of front cover, reading creases parallel to spine, a few small nicks, grease-pencilled distributor's mark ("P3-3") to "M" in "MYSTERY." Off-white pages. GPAnalysis: A 4.0 sold for $695 in 12/21 (an outlying result: a 5.0 sold for $288 in 1/23, and a 5.5 sold for $432 in 1/23). Prize Mystery #2: VG+ (4.5). Light spine stress, a few short tears, creases to top spine, tiny dogear to top right corner of front cover. White to off-white pages. GPAnalysis: No reported sales in any grades. Covers: Uncredited. Art: Sal Trapani, Eugene Hughes, Fred Bell. Stanley Morse, the sketchiest publisher in the pre-Code comics biz, makes a game attempt at survival in the post-Code landscape with these watered-down mystery mags. Despite Code strictures, Morse manages to cram a surprising amount of violence and seediness into these mags, with pistol-play, death, grifting, hoboes who'll do anything for a fin, etc. In case these attractions weren't enough to pry dimes from kids' pockets, Morse added a $100 prize gimmick for kids who solved the mystery murder in each mag. Naturally, Morse folded both titles without paying a dime in prize money. The cover to Prize Mystery #1 features a hottie hobnobbing with a scarecrow, clearly swiped from George Evans's similar cover to Shock SuspenStories #17. In the EC version, it's strongly implied that the gal has sex with the scarecrow; in the post-Code Stanley Morse iteration, the gal merely gives the scarecrow a fistful of cash. Enjoying the Sale? Order a fully-illustrated softcover catalogue for 30 bucks. Only about 100 copies were printed and they're going fast. To reserve a copy, contact PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com. Consign to PBA Galleries. Our comic sales average a 98% sell-through rate, our prices realized are top-of-the-market, and our research-intensive catalogues are the best in the business. Seeking Silver Age Marvel, Golden Age superheroes, and pre-Code horror. Contact ivan@pbagalleries.com. Item#: 351201 Headline: CLIMAX #s 1 & 2 and PRIZE MYSTERY #s 1 & 2 * Post-Code MORSE Mags
CLIMAX Nos. 1 and 2 [and] PRIZE MYSTERY Nos. 1 and 2 * Lot of Four Post-Code STANLEY MORSE Comic Books Publisher: Stanley Morse [Indicia: Gillmor Magazines, Inc.] Date Published: 1955 Description: Climax #1: Fine- (5.5). Light stress to spine near staples, faint crease mark along bottom edge of front cover, two shallow (1mm) chips to back cover. Cream to off-white pages. GPAnalysis: No results in this grade in 8 years. A 3.5 sold for $119 in 11/22. Climax #2: VG (4.0). Spine stress, fine crease to top edge of front cover, tiny chip to bottom corner. Cream to off-white pages. GPAnalysis: A 4.0 sold for $77 in 4/19. Prize Mystery #1: VG (4.0). Slight spine curve, mild spine stress, creases to top spine and edge of front cover, reading creases parallel to spine, a few small nicks, grease-pencilled distributor's mark ("P3-3") to "M" in "MYSTERY." Off-white pages. GPAnalysis: A 4.0 sold for $695 in 12/21 (an outlying result: a 5.0 sold for $288 in 1/23, and a 5.5 sold for $432 in 1/23). Prize Mystery #2: VG+ (4.5). Light spine stress, a few short tears, creases to top spine, tiny dogear to top right corner of front cover. White to off-white pages. GPAnalysis: No reported sales in any grades. Covers: Uncredited. Art: Sal Trapani, Eugene Hughes, Fred Bell. Stanley Morse, the sketchiest publisher in the pre-Code comics biz, makes a game attempt at survival in the post-Code landscape with these watered-down mystery mags. Despite Code strictures, Morse manages to cram a surprising amount of violence and seediness into these mags, with pistol-play, death, grifting, hoboes who'll do anything for a fin, etc. In case these attractions weren't enough to pry dimes from kids' pockets, Morse added a $100 prize gimmick for kids who solved the mystery murder in each mag. Naturally, Morse folded both titles without paying a dime in prize money. The cover to Prize Mystery #1 features a hottie hobnobbing with a scarecrow, clearly swiped from George Evans's similar cover to Shock SuspenStories #17. In the EC version, it's strongly implied that the gal has sex with the scarecrow; in the post-Code Stanley Morse iteration, the gal merely gives the scarecrow a fistful of cash. Enjoying the Sale? Order a fully-illustrated softcover catalogue for 30 bucks. Only about 100 copies were printed and they're going fast. To reserve a copy, contact PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com. Consign to PBA Galleries. Our comic sales average a 98% sell-through rate, our prices realized are top-of-the-market, and our research-intensive catalogues are the best in the business. Seeking Silver Age Marvel, Golden Age superheroes, and pre-Code horror. Contact ivan@pbagalleries.com. Item#: 351201 Headline: CLIMAX #s 1 & 2 and PRIZE MYSTERY #s 1 & 2 * Post-Code MORSE Mags
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Create an alert![CLIMAX Nos. 1 and 2 [and] PRIZE MYSTERY Nos. 1 and 2 * Lot of Four...](https://pbagalleries.com/images/lot/4438/443865_l.jpg "Source: PBA Galleries")
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