The Friars' Club

 

Howard Baker Single Issue Reprints

One of Howard Baker's ventures in an attempt to increase sales was to sell unbound Single Issues of Magnet, Gem, and other Comics. My suspicion is that it was a (vain) effort to boost flagging sales. The sales of the Gem Singles were poor at best; looking at the advertising pamphlets, very few were sold out. As for the Magnet, only some of the more popular Series, sold as unbound sets, were to become out of stock. I think these sales were to collectors intent on completing their Magnet collections.

The idea had some merit - for the cost of binding is not inconsiderable. Despite this appreciable cut in price, most collectors and readers of the Old Papers always have seemed to prefer the bound volumes - even when you cannot get the Magnets or Gems (such as they are) in chronological order, such was Howard Baker's eccentric order of publication.

Some of the other singles were from Howard Baker Holiday Annuals, and his Comic reproductions.

The Magnet list is split into three (roughly) equal pages. There is no rhyme or reason to this presentation - merely convenience! The Magnet and Gem listings are in numerical order. The other list (of Comics & other Papers) is given in the order Howard Baker listed them in his Singles Catalogues.

Magnet Page 1 Magnet Page 2 Magnet Page 3 Gem Others
  Home Page Friars Club Book Index Magnet Index Gem Index Frank Richards Contents