Pulp magazines are the cornerstone of comic collecting. Pulps gave readers out-of-this-world heroes such as Buck Rogers, and heroes on Earth who would defend us from evil, such as The Phantom. But pulps were also an inexpensive way to be entertained during a time when you really needed to stretch your dollar. Since the pulp magazine heyday, vintage and antique pulp have become very collectible, with some going for thousands of dollars.

Showcase auctions like this one, Heritage's August 24th Pulps Showcase Auction, give fans all over the world a chance to bid on and win their first pulp, or another pulp for their collection. Going through auctions like this can be a bit daunting, so here are my gem pics of pulps you shouldn't miss out on!

Red Cross Magazine January 1919 Ungraded

This World War 1 era magazine is from The Red Cross, an organization that has offered disaster relief aid across the globe. They were prominent during both world wars, and have remained relevant to this day. While the contents of this particular magazine are hard to find, modern Red Cross magazines share stories of people living through natural disaster, war, and more.

Given the time frame of this particular example, this magazine likely covered events and people involved in World War 1. The image on the cover depicts a nurse with her arms around a soldier and sailor who have both been injured in the line of duty. I seldom see these pop up in auction, so finding a fair price point is hard. Heritage notes that this magazine is in overall Very Good condition.

Tailspin Tommy Adventure Magazine October 1936 Ungraded 

This first issue of the Tailspin Tommy Adventure Magazine has a very eye-catching cover. Inspired by the new comic book heroes of the era, the cover depicts an aviation action scene drawn by Fred Meagher.

The character Tailspin Tommy was first introduced in 1928 as a newspaper strip, and was the first to depict the exciting world of flying. The character was popular during his era and had a film serial of his own starring Maurice Murphy as the titular character. Unfortunately, the character would lose interest as America entered World War II and as printed media started focusing on comic book superheroes.

Heritage notes this magazine as being in Fine- condition. This is considered a scarce book, and with a motivated buyer, we could see this book ending at over $200.

Air War Summer 1944 Ungraded 

This iconic death pilot cover should be on everyone's want list. Created by Rudolph Belarski, this image is exciting and a little scary, as the pilot -- engaged in the heart of action -- has no idea death is on his shoulder. This pulp came out right in the middle of World War II, so it's safe to assume the stories inside were war-themed tales.

At this point, Americans were fully aware of what was going on overseas, and comic books and pulp magazines took readers right into the action.

Heritage notes this pulp as being in Very Good condition. As of this writing this pulp has already broken the $200 price point, and it very well could break the $300 mark. This is an exceptional pulp, with an exceptional cover.

Are you bidding on anything? Let us know in the comments!

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.