What were the reactions to the book from collectors and dealers?
That’s the first time anyone had put comic book retail values in a book and published it. There was a lot of criticism about the prices being too high, and there was a lot about them being too low. But everybody bought the book. That was the main result; the book was accepted. I remember Phil Seuling, who was throwing the New York conventions, didn’t support the price guide until I had put out four editions. Then he was interested in buying it. He started distributing it after that. It took several years before some of the other powerful people in the market began accepting it. When you put out a price guide, most people don’t respond directly to you at all. They’ll talk about the book to someone else, and that other person might call you and tell you about it if you’re lucky. Bruce Hamilton was one person who got involved after the first guide. He came to see me right after it came out. He drove to Tennessee. It really got him. He became one of my early advisors, and he still is with
