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Author:
Title: DC ASHCANS": Lot of 36 Replica Ashcan Comics"
Place Published:
Publisher:[DC]
Date Published: Contents: 1940s-1950s. Covers: Early 2000s
Description: Replica "ashcans": Lot of 36 coverless DC comic books with stapled-on black and white photocopy covers (except for "Double Action Comics" #1, which has a color photocopy cover with touch-ups in ink, paint, and Wite-Out), made by Ian Levine as a substitute for the ultra-rare ashcans that he was unable to obtain for his monumental collection of 40,000+ DC comics (Ian was eventually able to obtain an original copy of the Flash #1 ashcan, which is offered in this sale). The coverless comics vary in condition; most of them are incomplete, and chips, tears, dampsoiling, tape, slightly brittle pages and other flaws are possible. The photocopied covers are in generally excellent condition, and these patchwork mags present beautifully when bagged and boarded.

It must be stressed that these are NOT original ashcans. These are Franken-comics cobbled together from photocopied covers stapled to coverless mags. They're offered in the spirit in which Ian Levine created them: as an attractive, oddball alternative for DC diehards who despair of ever owning the originals. This set is unique, and it's the closest that 99.999% of collectors will ever get to owning an original DC ashcan. Provenance: The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION.Ashcan or Ash-can't? A unique set of 36 fake DC "ashcans" created by Ian Levine, comprising coverless DC comics, most of them incomplete, under photocopied covers, plus a replica of Double Action Comics #1, created by CGC President Matt Nelson exclusively for Mr. Levine. The lot consists of:

"Action Comics No. 1" (contents: All-American Comics #30)
"Action Funnies" (contents: Batman #17)
"All-American Comics" (contents: Action Comics #39)
"All-American Men of War" (contents: Boy Commandos #25)
"All-Star Comics #1" (contents: Comic Cavalcade #5)
"Animal Antics" (contents: Mr. District Attorney #15)
"Boy Commandos Comics" (contents: Funny Stuff #13)
"Commandos #1" (contents: All-Star Comics #15)
"Double Action Comics #1" (contents: Black & white reprints of Dr. Occult stories, created by Matt Nelson)
"Flash Comics #1" (contents: Flash Comics #2)
"Girls' Love Stories" (contents: Hollywood Funny Folks #28)
"Headline Comics" (contents: Flash Comics #26)
"Here's Howie" (contents: Leading Screen Comics #69)
"House of Mystery" (contents: Star Spangled Comics #111)
"Leading Comics" (contents: Adventure Comics #65)
"The Mysterious Stranger" (contents: Dale Evans Comics #23)
"Mystery Trail" (contents: Detective Comics #141)
"Old Glory Comics" (contents: All-Flash #11)
"Our Men at War" (contents: Mr. District Attorney #19)
"Radio Funnies #1" (contents: Adventure Comics #60)
"Real Fact Comics" (contents: Real Screen Comics #44)
"Real Screen Funnies #1" (contents: Mutt & Jeff #60)
"Red, White & Blue Comics" (contents: World's Finest Comics #6)
"Screen Cartoons" (contents: A Date with Judy #4)
"Screen Comics" (contents: Real Screen Comics #47)
"Screen Fables" (contents: Hollywood Funny Folks #34)
"Screen Funnies" (contents: Girls' Romances #6)
"Screen Gems" (contents: Tomahawk #6)
"Star Spangled War Stories" (contents: Big Town #50)
"Strange Adventures" (contents: Western Comics #24)
"Superboy" (contents: Batman #19)
"Supergirl" (contents: Batman #41)
"Superman" Comics (contents: Action Comics #81)
"Superwoman" (contents: Batman #61)
"Wonder Woman #1" (contents: Comic Cavalcade #25)
"World's Best Comics" (contents: World's Finest Comics #2)

The Lowdown from Levine: "Regarding the replica ashcans — well, I was able to find the Flash ashcan, right? But I knew I was never going have the Action Comics ashcan and all the rest.... And then some collector on the CGC discussion boards, I forget his name, contacted me privately and said, 'I have photocopies of the covers of all of the DC ashcans.' He sent me copies, and so I bought a box of coverless DC comics, and just stapled the covers to them, just so I would have facsimile copies. And then Matt Nelson (President of CGC) made the Double Action Comics #1 replica for me. I think Matt made five copies for me. I kept one, gave one to Harley Yee... I forget who I gave the others to. Anyway, they were made by Matt Nelson to look as authentic as possible."****************************************
The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION comprises over 40,000 comic books, encompassing every single DC comic published for retail sale from 1934 to 2014. The collection was amassed by British music producer Ian Levine over the course of several decades, and it's been hailed as the single greatest collecting accomplishment in comic book history. This collection served as the basis for former DC Comics president Paul Levitz's monumental book 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, published by Taschen in 2017. PBA is proud to present this epic collection in a series of themed sales, including The DC UNIVERSE COLLECTION Part 3: The GOLDEN AGE, coming this summer. To join the DC Universe Collection notifications list, contact pba@pbagalleries.com.

Enjoying PBA's DC Universe Collection: Pre-Hero, Ashcans and Oddities sale? A very small number of softcover and limited edition hardcover auction catalogues are available for purchase. The catalogues are fully illustrated, thoroughly researched, and make excellent reference works for DC diehards. To order a copy, or to inquire about consignment opportunities, contact Ivan Briggs, PBA's Director of Comics: ivan@pbagalleries.com.