A walk down memory lane

[Dr Hackenbush]

I gotta hand it to Bruce, he's the model of consistency.  Here's an ad he placed in Rocket's Blast Comic Collector #85, 1971.  He's still espousing the same belief today

[Bruce]

Thanks for the memory, Angelo. I have said that forever. A hobby is started by those who really love the items they collect, and slowly over time those guys are pushed out (usually priced out) and slowly "investors" with little or no love take their place, and then the hobby becomes stagnant, except for the most expensive items.

That ad was from around half way into my comic book career! I started in 1966, attended my first con in 1967, went to the World Science Fiction Con in 1968, and by 1971 I was one of the foremost comic book dealers, and I couldn't legally go into a casino, cause I was just 18!

In 1972 I went to Vegas for the first time, in 1973 I dropped out of college and split my time selling comics and playing poker, and by 1976 I sold out all my comics (and EC reprints) and became a full-time poker player.

Bruce

[Dr Hackenbush]

You're welcome, Bruce, and I do agree with much of what you say.  I couldn't not post this little piece of Hersheshon history.  I'm always amazed at how many dealers got into the hobby as teenagers.  I wish I had the foresight to do the same, but I was too busy reading them to think about selling them