Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Chesler, Punch Comics

The Wild Worlds of Chesler's Punch Comics, Up for Auction

Published Sun, 08 Aug 2021 13:32:10 -0500

We've talked about the weird and wonderful world of the comic books from publisher Harry "A" Chesler a few times here recently, particularly the Dynamic Comics issues featuring Dr. Doom, and those wild Gus Ricca covers among others. But much of the rest of the Chesler line was equally amazing, and the Punch Comics series was one of the best of those. This is a tough-to-get series with Chesler's hallmark shock and awe covers by the likes of Ricca, Charles Sultan, and Paul Gattuso and interiors by Jack Cole, George Tuska, and others as well. There's a rare chance to get 10 issues of Punch Comics up for auction in this week's 2021 August 8-9 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122132 from Heritage Auctions.

The Punch Comics series had been taken over by Superior Comics by issue #20 (likely with material produced by Chesler) but the unrestrained content continued, as evidenced by that Punch Comics #20 cover shown above. The cover artist is a bit of a mystery, but according to GCD it may be a combination of Paul Gattuso and Ruben Moreira. That's Rocketgirl on the cover, and while the Rocketman story in this issue contains no giant buzzard with claws full of half-naked women, it still does not disappoint. The title page blurb kicks off with, "Crime was spreading like a dreaded disease, infecting innocent minds with the urge to steal, rob and kill. Every cop was on sixteen hour duty but in spite of many arrests, the plunder plague swept on. How could Rocketman and Rocketgirl defy the Mounting Menace and fulfill a vow to strike at the heart of the Crooked Contagion?"

Gattuso's covers for #13 and #19 are also among the stand-outs of the series. Gattuso drew comics for a wide range of Golden Age publishers, but his Chesler work was used as an example of cruelty in comic books by Fredric Wertham in the book Seduction of the Innocent. An underappreciated series with unrestrained covers and interiors to match, there are 11 issues of Punch Comics up for auction in this week's 2021 August 8-9 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122132 from Heritage Auctions.

: Punch Comics #20 (Superior, 1947)

: Punch Comics #13 (Chesler, 1945)

Punch Comics #1 (Chesler, 1941) CGC FR/GD 1.5 Cream to off-white pages. Charles Sultan art. Mr. E. Sky Chief. Kitty Kelly, Hale the Magician, and Unholy 3 begin. CGC notes, "Tape on cover, interior cover & interior." Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $258. CGC census 7/21: 1 in 1.5, 14 higher.
Punch Comics #2 (Chesler, 1942) CGC GD 2.0 Cream to off-white pages. Charles Sultan cover. George Tuska art. CGC notes, "Tape on cover." Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $129. CGC census 7/21: 1 in 2.0, 6 higher.
Punch Comics #10 (Chesler, 1944) CBCS VG/FN 5.0 White pages. The first copy of #10 that we have ever offered. Jack Cole art. Overstreet 2021 VG 4.0 value = $180; FN 6.0 value = $270.
Punch Comics #11 (Chesler, 1944) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages. Jack Cole and Charles Sultan art. Reprints the first appearance of the Sky Chief. Other characters include Master Key (whose origin is retold) and Little Nemo. Overstreet 2021 FN 6.0 value = $309. CGC census 7/21: 4 in 5.5, 4 higher.
Punch Comics #13 (Chesler, 1945) CGC GD/VG 3.0 Cream to off-white pages. Features Rocketman, Master Key, and Johnny On the Spot. Graveyard cover with Chesler artists listed on tombstone. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $123; VG 4.0 value = $246. CGC census 7/21: 4 in 3.0, 11 higher.
Punch Comics #15 (Chesler, 1945) CGC FN- 5.5 Cream to off-white pages. Paul Gattuso cover and art. Overstreet 2021 FN 6.0 value = $252. CGC census 7/21: 2 in 5.5, 3 higher.
Punch Comics #18 (Chesler, 1946) CGC FN+ 6.5 Tan to off-white pages. Gerber rates this issue a "7" ("scarce") in its Scarcity Index. Paul Gattuso bondage cover. Overstreet 2021 FN 6.0 value = $261; VF 8.0 value = $553. CGC census 7/21: 3 in 6.5, 14 higher.
Punch Comics #19 (Chesler, 1946) CGC FN+ 6.5 Slightly brittle pages. Classic cover by Paul Gattuso. Overstreet 2021 FN 6.0 value = $504; VF 8.0 value = $1,075. CGC census 7/21: 3 in 6.5, 7 higher.
Punch Comics #20 (Chesler, 1947) CGC GD- 1.8 Cream to off-white pages. Exposed breasts cover featuring Rocket Girl, by Paul Gattuso. Joe Beck art. Overstreet 2021 GD 2.0 value = $187. CGC census 7/21: 2 in 1.8, 29 higher.
Punch Comics #21 (Chesler, 1947) CGC VG+ 4.5 Dark tan to off-white pages. Paul Gattuso skull cover. Overstreet 2021 VG 4.0 value = $168. CGC census 7/21: 2 in 4.5, 12 higher.