Seulingcon for many of us was driving across country spending July 4th weekend in Manhattan soaking up the energy of a growing group of comics world souls. Not only were Phil’s shows the best of the best back in the day, he also lent his teaching skills to others seeking to host shows in their own areas around the country.
That is my main earliest memories of Phil Seuling. A guy who could be gruff as all get out, yet patient enough when in teacher mode to make sure his point was absorbed before moving on.
I was blessed to be able to set up at 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973. Phil helped Steve Johnson and myself tremendously acclimate from Fremont Nebraska to the Big Apple Manhattan NYC at that firwst 1970 Baptism in Fire. We came so totally unprepared for NYC survival realities. Just naive young pups on a fast track learning curve.
Nest year 1971 Steve and I were pre-prepared for bear hunting. We traded and/or bought from first Al WIlliamson who wanted my PV Feb 1938-1949 full Sunday page run, then Frank Frazetta scoring 90 Johnny Comet dailies in one deal. Some of the most fun at comicons that I still remember vividly as if just a moment ago.
1972 is the summer when an actual circular arc circuit developed cuz the show promoters all wanted those of us die hards to buy tables to fund their shows.
So they semi organized, a 72 show circuit was made easy that year after the mind f*ck of 1971 back & forth across country.
1973 was the year Ed Summer brought that week's brand new comic books earmarked for Manhattan. Set up 20 spinners. A direct Direct Market germ Phil and Sol Harrison witnessed (as did we all) which saw Phil improve the Bay Area DM method adding in pre-ordering paying two months in advance.
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Phil Seuling taught me how to but a large batch of vintage comics quickly in your head before launching in to actual negotiations. The fundamentals employed I and many others used for many years to come as many of us then teenagers where learning how to be business men.
Paul Levitz hit the nail squarely on its head describing Phil would take a project, some thing he was working on, some one else’s ideas in gestation. And simply make said project better.
Though Phil did not create what we came to call the Direct Market, there is no doubt what so ever he took this already existing system pioneered by Print Mint launching Crumb & crew’s Zap Comics – and made it better.
His main contribution was instituting all stores and other wholesale re-sellers pre-ordering their desired quantities of comics code comic books shipped from World Color, Sparta. The pre-pay two months before shipping was a hard nut for many to crack.
When I finally finish Comic Book Store Wars, Paul, you will see I pay intense homage to Phil’s multi-faceted approach he instilled growing the comics business when in the early 70s was faltering, floundering, as hundreds of us took up the clarion call to help save the American comic book.
The 70s was a tough heady decade.
Many fond memories
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