American Update: The Bute Collection: EC’s Weird Fantasy
*EC: Leading this week’s releases from the Bute Collection is a set of five issues of Weird Fantasy towards the end of the run (thus the #14 & #15 issues are the second such to bear that number). For me, this later period of EC’s science-fiction stories are the very apex of that publisher’s superb body of work, with the finest artists ever to work in comics.
PICTURED: WEIRD FANTASY
#14 GD- £80 Pre-code. Wally Wood, Joe Orlando, Jack Kamen, Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, Frank Frazetta. Clean cover with good colour and gloss. Nice off-white staples; cover off both staples at front only. Upper spine split 9.5 cm; lower 4 cm.
#15 VG £215 Pre-code. Joe Orlando, Al Williamson, Jack Kamen. Solid copy with intact spine, good cover colour and gloss. Staples firm at spine and centrefold. Nice off-white pages. Very small chip out bottom right cover edge.
#20 GD- £80 Pre-code. John Severin, Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, Frank Frazetta, Jack Kamen, Joe Orlando. Taped spine; small discoloured patch below issue number. Subscription crease breaks colour. Staples okay, but slight water-staining around bottom staple on some pages. Small chip out bottom rear cover. Clean 1.5 cm tear up from centre front cover bottom edge.
#21 VG/FN £300 Pre-code. Classic cover by Williamson & Frazetta. Interior art by Joe Orlando, Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, Jack Kamen, John Severin. Lovely copy with clean unmarked cover with rich colour. Staples firm at spine and centrefold and nice off-white pages, Just minimal wear at spine and edges. SOLD
#22 VG+ £135 Pre-code; final issue. Joe Orlando, Reed Crandall, Jack Kamen, Bernie Krigstein. Rich colour cover; off-white to white pages and firm staples. Reasonably mild spine wear with tiny split at top and 2 cm split at bottom. Slight suggestion only of subscription crease with no colour breaks. SOLD