Big Boy Comics help needed!
Ray Bottorff Jr
Hello all,
I am trying to enter information into the Grand Comic-Book Database
(www.comics.org) to prepare others to one day index the Webs Adventure
Corporation giveaway Adventures of the Big Boy, and I am running into a brick
wall on three questions.
I hope folks on the lists I am emailing to can check their collections of the
comic to give me the answer. My source that I thought I had for a complete run
of the comic, as it turned out, had sold to run to Steve Geppi of Diamond. So
my odds of being able to obtain info from them on this might be remote. That is
why I am emailing all here...
Ok, question #1 related to issue #259. Issue # 258 is known to be titled
"Adventures of the Big Boy". Issue #260 is known to be titled "Adventures of
Big Boy". By issue #300 it would switch back. I need to know, which title issue
#259 has. I have not been able to find out which is the case from my other
sources.
Question #2: Sometime by the fourth year of the run, co-branding began on the
title. Almost all the franchises had their name printed on the back on the
comic, resulting in numerous variations to go with the various East/West
editions already existing. Does anyone know which issue this co-branding began?
Someone suggested it was after the Timely run on the book was done, beyond
issue #13. I know it was there by issue #45. I just need the issue # this
variation began.
Question #3: What are all the printed variations of Big Boy comics? I have seen
or seen scans for the following regional chains that did have their name
co-branded on each issue:
Elias Brothers (Known printed-Michigan, Ontario)
Bob's (Known printed-California, Arizona)
Shoneys (Known printed-Southeast: S. Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina, North
Carolina)
Frisch’s (Known printed-S. Ohio, Kentucky; N. Tennessee, S. Indiana)
Elby's (Known printed-West Virginia, E. Ohio, Pennsylvania)
JB's (Known printed-Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Rhode Island)
TJ's (Known printed-New York)
Abdow’s (Known printed-Massachuetts, Connecticut)
Manner’s (Known printed-N. Ohio)
Marc’s (Known printed-Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota)
Lendy’s (Hand stamped-Virginia, pre-1961 was part of Shoney's--Lendy's
versions seem to be blank where resturaunt info was printed and hand-stamped
with Lakeside Yoda's (Lendy's) stamp. This means there are probable variations
that are blank where the franchise info would go.
These following Big Boy franchises I need to find out if there is any Big Boy
comic books that had their name co-branded on the comic books:
Kip's (Texas, Oklahoma)
Azar's (Colorado, N. Indiana)
McDowell's (South Dakota)
Franklin’s (?)
Top's Drive (Illinois [used Big Boy food but not Big Boy name])
VIP’s (New Mexico)
I want to confirm which variations are out there for the database. If there is
a Big Boy franchise that I am missing, let me know.
I appreciate any help anyone can provide. At the end of the email is what I
have on the comic's entire run so far for you to enjoy.
Thanks!
my best
Ray Bottorff Jr
Adventures of Big Boy #1-2 East (Timely/Webs)
Adventures of Big Boy #1-2 West (Timely/Webs)
---Unknown: When did franchise variations begin? East version=Big Boy character
redrawn, red hair, striped pants, cook's hat. West version=original version of
Big Boy character and eventually final version. Black or Brown hair, checkered
pants. No hat.
Adventures of the Big Boy #3-12 East (Timely/Webs)
Adventures of the Big Boy #3-12 West (Timely/Webs)
---Unknown: When did franchise variations begin?
Adventures of the Big Boy #13 - 152? East known (Webs)
Adventures of the Big Boy #13 - 152? West known (Webs)
---Unknown: When did franchise variations begin? What all variations were
there? When did East/West versions stop (probably between #152 and 163,--known
Frisch Big Boy version #152 has East coast version character, by 163 had West
coast version)? Known possible franchise variations (printed and non-printed
and region): Elias Brothers (Known printed-Michigan, Ontario); Bob's (Known
printed-California, Arizona); Kip's (Texas, Oklahoma); Azar's (Colorado, N.
Indiana); Shoneys (Known printed-Southeast: S. Tennessee, Virginia, South
Carolina, North Carolina); Frisch’s (Known printed-S. Ohio, Kentucky; N.
Tennessee, S. Indiana); McDowell's (South Dakota); Elby's (Known printed-West
Virginia, E. Ohio, Pennsylvania); JB's (Known printed-Idaho, Montana, North
Dakota, Utah, Wyoming, Rhode Island); TJ's (Known printed-New York); Abdow’s
(Known printed-Massachuetts, Connecticut); Franklin’s; Lendy’s (Hand
stamped-Virginia, pre-1961 was part of Shoney's); Manner’s (Known printed-N.
Ohio); Marc’s (Known printed-Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota); Top's Drive
(Illinois [used Big Boy food but not Big Boy name]); and VIP’s (New Mexico).
Known west: Elias Brother's; Shoney's; Lendy's. Known East: Frisch's. Lendy's
versions seem to be blank where resturaunt info was printed and hand-stamped
with Lakeside Yoda's (Lendy's) stamp.
Adventures of the Big Boy #153?-258? (Webs)
---Unknown: When did EAST & WEST versions stop? Was issue #259 in which title
switched over to Adventures of Big Boy? Cover known for #258 for "Adventures of
the Big Boy." What was the last issue of the Shoney's & JB's variation
(sometime in 1976)?
Adventures of Big Boy #1-75? (Paragon Productions)
---Known variations: Shoney's; JB's. Issue #75 known to exist.
Adventures of Big Boy #259?-299 (Webs)
---Unknown: Was issue #259 in which title switched over to Adventures of Big
Boy? Cover known for #258 for "Adventures of the Big Boy."
Adventures of the Big Boy #300-466 (Webs)
---Unknown: Sometime between issues #374 & 379, the variations stop (at least
for Elias Brothers), became just a generic comic for entire chain?
Big Boy (#467-470) (YOE! Studio)
---No variations. 6 week publishing schedule.
Big Boy Magazine (#471-Present, currently at 515) (YOE! Studio)
---No variations. 6 week publishing schedule.
