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Exciting Comics #38 from April 1945 is “in the shop” for a press and slabbing.  But that shouldn’t stop me from posting this brilliantly colored gem of a motorcycle cover.  And no, I don’t think the “M” grease pencil on the cover stands for “motorcycle.”  It’s hypothesised that it may have earmarked the owner, contrasted with the similarly marked “P” books that were unearthed at an estate auction “in the middle of nowhere in NW Wisconsin.”  I liked the backstory around the book so much that I successfully fought through the throng of eBay bidders to pair this “M” book with two “P” books here and here.
According to the seller,

P book“about 75% had a P on them and the rest had nothing or a M, I have no idea what those letters might mean. There were about 180 ‘good ones’ and around 50 that have bad damage, no covers or are not so desirable. This was an M bookauction near my cabin. I couldn’t believe they had them sitting on a table and anyone could go up and handle them. I also couldn’t believe there wasn’t much interest in them considering everyone has the internet and can easily look up values. I’ve been selling them since January and this week’s listings are the last of them. It was fun selling them and I did well money wise but I’m glad to see them go to collectors who will appreciate them.

And what’s not to appreciate?  Besides the great condition and the motorcycle featured cover the The Black Terror is done by Alex Schomburg and the inside story features a red, white and blue superhero – none other than The American Eagle (image below).

American Eagle