[JonTheScanner]

I sent the following email to GCD and thought I'd post it here as well.  I'm absolutely confident on the contents of Red Band #2 as I scanned that myself from JVJ's copy and Keltner reports the Bogay Man's origin is in the second issue. 

Narfstar scanned JVJ's of #1 which as posted here has identical contents.  Was/is that comic intact or is it possibly the loose contents of #2 tucked inside a cover for #1?  We know it is a #1 cover because the indicia differs (though it doesn't actually say #1 anywhere)

My email to GCD follows:

I'm trying to figure out if our contents for Red Band Comics #1 and #2 are correct or if there were possibly multiple versions of #1.

For issue #1, we show a November 1944 date and contents:
Satanas 12p
Bogey Man 12 p
Sorceror and his Apprentice 9p
Captain Milksop 6p
Sgt Strong 5p

For issue #2 we show a January 1945 date and identical contents and order except the Sgt Strong story is 6 pages.

I've seen a copy of #2. The indicia indicates it is #2 with a January 1945 date and a 1944 copyright.  The exact contents and order are:
Bogey man 12
First Aid (one-few panel gags) 1p signed by Jerry Schiano
Sorceror and his Apprentice 9p
Gag Parade (one panel gags) 1p signed by Jerry Schiano
Sgt Strong 6p
Passing the Buck text story by Bruce Elliott (no illo) 2p
Comedy Parade (one panel gags) 1p signed by Jerry Schiano
Captain Milksop  6p
Igloo Iggie by Bob Gordon 1p
Satanas 9p

The Bogey Man story is his origin (swiped from the Spirit's origin).

I've also seen a scan of #1 which has the identical contents including ads on the inside covers and back cover.  The only differences are that the inside covers are printed in blue ink rather than the black ink of issue #2 and in the indicia on the inside front cover.  It has no issue number nor date other than a copyright of 1944.

Since our data has the contents out of order for #2, I'm wondering if our data was verified by looking at a comic

Michelle Nolan's column

http://www.cgccomics.com/news/enews/cgc_enews_0507july.htm#a7

says, "Red Band #1-2 had the same cover; Red Band #3-4 had the same contents as well as the same cover!" which would certainly indicate that the contents of #1 and #2 differ.

Does anyone have a copy of Red Band #1 with a 5 page Sgt Strong story and a non-origin Bogey Man story?

[narfstar]

Jim can check but I am pretty sure the cover to #2 was detached. I think it was one of the books in lesser condition.

[paw broon]

I don't think this is much help, but, I have a coverless comic which now appears to be Red Band 2 as it follows exactly the layout as posted by Jonthescanner. I bought it coverless, as I've mentioned elsewhere, and thought it was Canadian.  No indicia and careful study of the staples makes me wonder if it ever had had a cover.  Could be wrong.

[JonTheScanner]

Jim can check but I am pretty sure the cover to #2 was detached. I think it was one of the books in lesser condition.

I did #2 and the cover was attached.  It's #1 I worry about which is the one you scanned.  Jim can you check your Red Band #1 and see if teh cover is completely detached.  I'm guessing maybe it is and you have a #2 contents inside a #1 cover.

[JVJ]

Jim can check but I am pretty sure the cover to #2 was detached. I think it was one of the books in lesser condition.

You are generous to describe my #1 as "lesser condition" Jon. It's completely brittle with all of the pages separated and loose. It fits the cover (dimension-wise), which is a plus in its favor for being the actual #1. As I've said before, I have two different copies of Tally-Ho #1 that are a full 1/4" different in their widths, so consistency of size on those books is NOT a given. And the cover is equally brittle, with is another indication that it is LIKELY to be the original contents. Let me call Michelle Nolan and see if she still has her copy and whether the contents are the same as mine. Let me also check my original index of the books done back in 1985 to see if I have any data to confirm or dispute the 1=2 contention.

It'll be a day or so, but I will do it.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

I did #2 and the cover was attached.  It's #1 I worry about which is the one you scanned.  Jim can you check your Red Band #1 and see if teh cover is completely detached.  I'm guessing maybe it is and you have a #2 contents inside a #1 cover.

[JVJ]

Update:
Michelle no longer has her copy of Red Band #1 and I didn't create an index entry for it back when I did the original research project - apparently I didn't have even my copy back then. All negative info. Sorry.

Michelle couldn't remember if the contents of #s 1 & 2 were the same. She remembered noting that the covers were, but doesn't recall anything about the insides. C'est la vie. I'll check with Bud Plant next to see if he has #1.

Peace, Jim (|:{>

[Yoc]

Thanks for checking Jim.
And if you speak to Michelle again please point her our way.
I think she would enjoy the eclectic collection we've got growing here.

-Yoc

[JVJ]

Thanks for checking Jim.
And if you speak to Michelle again please point her our way.
I think she would enjoy the eclectic collection we've got growing here.

-Yoc

Alas, Yoc, Michelle has not yet joined the computer age. Try as I might to encourage her, she doesn't even have email! Sigh...

What can you do? Peace, Jim (|:{>

[JVJ]

I have both my Red Band #s 1 and #2 at hand, side by side, and I believe that they are what I professed them to be - issues 1 and 2 with identical contents and covers. There are two small but unique differences that lead me to this conclusion:
1. On page 3 of issue #1, there is a yellow band across the top of the top two panels - part of what probably should have been a red "band". This is conspicuously absent in issue #2. Even under a magnifying glass, there is not a hint of yellow.

2. The bottom margin of the last page of issue #1 is blank. In issue #2, there is a black line of text below the last panels that says "Printed in Mexico by Editora de Periodicos, S.L.C. for Publicaciones Recreatives, S.A."

Based on those two differences, I feel confident that issue #2 is identical to issue #1 with the exception of the cover - as issue #2 shows MORE of the cover drawing than issue #1. It doesn't appear that it's been doctored in any way, but more likely that issue #1 used an enlarged portion of the cover art rather than the entire drawing.

My 2

[JonTheScanner]

Thanks, Jim.

Wish Howard Keltner were still around to ask him where he got his data.  I miss Howard -- and for much more than just this.

[Yoc]

Sadly I only know Howard by his index.  I'm sure it was a daunting chore to produce and I'm very grateful for his efforts.

Jim, thanks for that detailed comparison of Red Band 1 and 2!

-Yoc

[JVJ]

Sadly I only know Howard by his index.  I'm sure it was a daunting chore to produce and I'm very grateful for his efforts.

Jim, thanks for that detailed comparison of Red Band 1 and 2!

-Yoc

Je vous en prie, mon ami.

Paix, Jim (|:{>

ps. just practicing...