This marvelous set retails for $125. After Scott Cupp reviewed it last Friday I went to AMAZON and could not believe my eyes! AMAZON had the set listed for $28.55! Amazing! So a couple clicks later, I had it ordered. It arrived today and I can’t put it down! Gahan Wilson is a genius. Sadly, someone at AMAZON realized their mistake because now Gahan Wilson: 50 Years of Playboy Cartoons is going to cost you $58.77 (Barnes & Noble want $103.20 for this set). It’s still a bargain. Buy this slipcased 3-volume set before they’re gone forever. Somehow, I don’t think Gahan Wilson’s cartoons will look as good on a Kindle.
I always loved Wilson’s stuff. Sounds like you got a real bargain.
Timing is everything, Jeff. I wish I’d ordered 3 or 4 copies at that original price!
Saturday I ended up buying three more copies – one for a friend for hosting us in Dallas for the weekend, an extra for myself, and one for another friend to give to her husband for his birthday in March. I got them all at the $28.55 price ($35.14 with shipping). I checked yesterday and it was in the mid $50’s (like $55 or so) which is still a good price. It is an amaziong book.
Thanks again for reviewing GAHAN WILSON: 50 YEARS OF PLAYBOY CARTOONS, Scott! Without your review, I wouldn’t have checked AMAZON and seen that rock-bottom price. You were smart to order multiple copies! I should have ordered more copies, too.
Ordered a copy a few days ago. Wilson is a cartoonist of genius, and his novels and short stories are also pretty entertaining.
The Amazon price is down to $48.50.
My students have told me that AMAZON varies the price by the day, Drongo. This is the first time I witnessed it. Glad you were able to score a copy!
Have never been inside a Playboy.
I just read PLAYBOY for the articles, Patti. And the cartoons.
Patti, you keep denying your modeling career…protesting too much?
I suspect that Amazon bought their copies from Fantagraphics w/o option of return (hope so, rather than less-wealty Fantagraphics taking a bath on this fine production–I want all the POGO reissues and I want them now!), and are trying to clear out the stacks, but also maximize their profits (I doubt Amazon is actually losing money at any of their pricepoints so far)…wonder if its a human-controlled or algorhythm-controlled variation in price, following the sales and inventory…
I certainly hurried over when it was priced at $28.50 and it, and Kate Wilhelm’s newest and several HITCHCOCK PRESENTS: 2nd-hand hardcovers arrived yesterday…
That’s the way to stimulate the economy, Todd! I don’t know if AMAZON’S prices are adjusted by some sort of computer algorithm or if some humans sit around and change the prices periodically, but I’m glad we all scored this marvelous Gahan Wilson set for $28.55. What a bargain!
However, looking at my invoice for the Wilson, I note that despite my being a “Prime” member, the bastards charged me the “free” shipping at $14.58 atop the $28.55 price cited at time of order (the current Amazon price is now $78.75), and so I just chose to waste my time getting the shipping charges refunded…
I had the same thing happen, Todd. I had to call for a refund.
Aside from Wilson’s, PLAYBOY’s cartoons often leave a lot to be desired…sadly, rather like most of the rest of the magazine these decades (since the 1970s, when the early hormonal rushes probably helped, but it simply was a better magazine in its first 25 years or so–featuring up to four or so short stories per issue on a regular basis was certainly one fine aspect, particularly when one or two of those might actually be very good indeed…and in the ’70s, even though the airbrushing was still rampant, the women tended to look just a bit less plastic…if still, as one critic noted [Nora Epron?], too often posed like poodles. Hell, the photography at the end of the ’70s might even have averaged more revealing than it does now…who, exactly, wants a self-censoring PLAYBOY? Even ESQUIRE, as trivial as it tends to be now compared to itself in the ’60s or even the ’70s, seems less senescent and sad).
I haven’t looked at a PLAYBOY in decades, Todd. They used to run news-making interviews. Some great science fiction was published there. But sometime around 1980, PLAYBOY became irrelevant.
Ephron, of course. Must learn to type or at least proof one day.
I got it at the $28.55 price also, but mine has yet to arrive. Though I have Amazon Prime, this one was not eligible (due to weight, probably) so it’s on the slow dog cart, probably. No matter, I haven’t a place to put it yet anyway. Looking forward to reading it! I’d bet I’ve seen 50% of the contents, maybe less, as I was never a regular Playboy reader. Thanks to Scott for reviewing this, and to George for mentioning it. God I love the blogoshpere.
All the credit goes to Scott Cupp, Rick. I had no idea AMAZON priced it so cheaply! I’m glad I ordered it before the price went up. If you’re charged for Shipping & Handling, demand a refund! Todd and I got our money back. PRIME means PRIME!
Hm. Sad, that they would pretend that somehow they can’t afford to ship you the books after you and I and so many others pay a chunky premium for “free” shipping.
The AMAZON customer representative, the lovely Ashley, was very apologetic, Todd. I’m just glad you and I got our refunds.
Alerted by this and an email from Todd, I also called and got the shipping refunded. Thanks!!
Glad Todd and I were able to save you the bogus Shipping & Handling charge, Rick! We AMAZON PRIME members have to fight for our rights!
Sadly, it is now up to $78.75.
I wish I’d ordered more copies, Stan, and if I had I would have been happy to ship you a set.
Sad but true, or at least we have to wait on hold for a minute.
This looks great! I’m going to ask the county library to buy one. They’re pretty free with the taxpayers’ dough, so $28.55 or $125 is all the same to them.
Every Library should have a set of GAHAN WILSON: 50 YEARS OF PLAYBOY CARTOONS, Evan.
I do like about Amazon customer service that they call me and there’s no waiting. I just got the email confirmation of the credit. It’s interesting that they seem to be charging not only changing prices for this, but different shipping amounts. Area of country? Regardless, I’m looking forward to receiving it.
You’ll be very pleased with this set, Rick. Especially at the rock-bottom price!
Evan, if the regular library doesn’t buy it, you can get it at the Upper 55th Branch.
I’m with George on the interviews, usually my favorite part of the magazine (at least, the written section, OK?).
I still remember when they were going to do the George Lincoln Rockwell interview and he refused to talk to a Jewish interviewer.
Then sent Alex Haley.
The Jimmy Carter PLAYBOY interview with the “lust in my heart” admission caused a firestorm of controversy, Jeff.
The brief 20 Q interviews are often the best literary feature of any given PB issue these days. And yet ESQUIRE’s monthly “A Funny Joke from a Beautiful Woman” feature would seem to be the kind of thing one might expect to find in PLAYBOY. No chance.
Rick, I might’ve been the first to “catch” them on their attempt to charge Prime customers for shipping, so they did put me on hold for a minute or so while “researching” the matter.
I had no wait time, Todd. Ashley took good care of me.
Mine came yesterday, the thing is a doorstop of a set, heavy and nicely packaged. I’ll take the cellophane off when it’s time to put away large (I usually refer to them as “oversized”) hardcovers.
Once you dip into GAHAN WILSON: 50 YEARS OF PLAYBOY CARTOON, Rick, you’ll see you’re holding a tremendous bargain.
To those who have purchased, I have been looking for years for one of the cartoons published in Playboy in the 70’s… Two elephants in cramped quarters- he in an armchair, she at the ironing board. Caption is It wouldn’t be so small if we weren’t elephants.” Is this cartoon in the collection you purchased ?