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{{Short description|American comic book historian and retailer (1952–2024)}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2012}}
{{Sources|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| birthname = Robert Lee Beerbohm<ref name=WhosWho>Beerbohm profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Accessed May 29, 2012.</ref>
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birthBirth date and age|1952|06|17}}
| birth_place = [[Long Beach, California]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2024|03|27|1952|06|17}}
| death_place = [[Fremont, Nebraska]], U.S.
| occupation = Comic book historian, publisher, distributor and retailer
| networth =
| education = [[University of Nebraska-Lincoln]]<br />[[California State University, Hayward]]
Line 17 ⟶ 18:
| children =
}}
'''Robert Lee "Bob" Beerbohm''' (born June 17, 1952)<ref name=WhosWho /> is an [[United States|American]] [[comic book]] [[historian]] and [[retailer]] who has been intimately involved with the rise of comics [[fandom]] since 1966. Lately his involvment revolves around ripping people off and stealing their money. As you can see [http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=7190002/here], there is a long list of people from whom Bob has stolen money. Sycopahnts such as Mitch Mehdy think he should get a pass, since he's been in the biz for so long, but nobody on the CGC Board is that stupid. He should be avoided at all costs, and no one should ever do business with him again, despite his sob stories.Beginning as a teenager in the late 60s, he became a fixture in the growing comic convention scene, while in the 1970s and 1980s he was heavily involved in [[Bay Area]] comic book retailing and distribution. In recent decades, Beerbohm has been a consultant and author detailing the early history of comics in the United States, including rediscovering an early comic book in America, [[Rodolphe Töpffer]]'s ''[[The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck]]'' (published on Sept 14, 1842 by Wilson & Co, New York City as Brother Jonathan Extra #9) which is in the same format as a "modern" day comic book sans staples which had not yet been invented. He has supplied data and visual aid as listed in the acknowledgements in over 200 books on comics and counting.
 
'''Robert Lee Beerbohm''' (June 17, 1952 – March 27, 2024) was an American [[comic book]] historian and retailer who was intimately involved with the rise of comics [[fandom]] from 1966. Beginning as a teenager in the late 60s, he became a fixture in the growing [[Comic book convention|comic convention scene]], while in the 1970s and 1980s he was heavily involved in [[Bay Area]] comic book retailing and distribution.
== Biography ==
 
Beerbohm was a consultant and author detailing the early history of comics in the United States, including rediscovering the first comic book in America, [[Rodolphe Töpffer]]'s ''[[The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck]]''. He has supplied data and visual aids as listed in the acknowledgements of over 200 books about comics.
=== Education ===▼
Beerbohm attended the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] from 1970 – 1972.<ref name="LinkedIn">[http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbeerbohm Beerbohm LinkedIn profile]. Accessed May 29, 2012.</ref> Later, after moving from outside [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]] to the [[Bay Area, California|Bay Area]], he attended [[California State University, Hayward]].
 
Known as combination pugnacious businessman, archaeologist, and what cartoonist [[Art Spiegelman]] called a "feverishly enthusiastic fan," Beerbohm was an evangelist of the [[comic book collecting|comics collecting]] hobby.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/15/arts/robert-beerbohm-dead.html |title=Robert Beerbohm, 71, Dies; Pioneering Comic Book Retailer and Historian |last=Rosenwald |first=Michael S. |date=2024-04-15 |website=ww.nytimes.com|publisher=The New York Times|access-date=2023-04-21}}</ref>
=== Retailer ===
Beerbohm began as a teenage comic book fan and collector, first making contact with other fans via the "Trade Corner" in ''[[Blackhawk (DC Comics)|Blackhawk]]'' #225 (Oct. 1966).
 
Over the years, he was accused by his business partners and customers of shady dealings — all of which he denied.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024|reason=Unsourced libellous accusation.}}
==== Robert Beerbohm Comic Art ====▼
In October 1966, while still in junior high school, Beerbohm took out his first ad in ''[[Rocket's Blast Comicollector]]'' (a.k.a. ''RBCC'') #47, launching what has eventually become known as Robert Beerbohm Comic Art. The company sells vintage American popular culture artifacts (mostly comic books) via the internet. Beerbohm set up a booth at his first comics convention June 16–18, 1967, at the first [[Houstoncon]]. Traveling 28 hours on a [[Greyhound Bus Lines|Greyhound]] bus, Beerbohm turned 15 the first day of that seminal show.<ref name="Memories">Beerbohm, Robert. [http://www.comicconmemories.com/2010/06/24/update-to-comics-dealer-extraordinaire-robert-beerbohm-in-his-own-words/ "Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words,"] Comic-Convention Memories (June 24, 2010).</ref>▼
 
==Early life==
Early conventions he attended also included [[Southwesterncon|DallasCon]] in the summer of 1968; and [[Houstoncon]], the [[Detroit Triple Fan Fair]], and the St. Louis World SF Convention in 1969. In 1970, along with friend Stephen Johnson he set up at Oklahoma City's Multicon, [[Phil Seuling]]'s [[Comic Art Convention]] (the first of many appearances there), the first PhoenixCon hosted by Bruce Hamilton, the only Disneyland Hotel Comicon, another [[Detroit Triple Fan Fair]], and the first [[San Diego Comic-Con]], held at the [[U.S. Grant Hotel]]. By 1971, Beerbohm was a regular at most national comics shows, including New York City's first [[Creation Entertainment|Creation]] Con, held on Thanksgiving weekend. In 1972, Beerbohm set up tables of vintage comics at almost a dozen comics conventions, including the first [[Chicago Comicon]], and the first of every San Diego Comic-Con held at the [[El Cortez Hotel, San Diego|El Cortez Hotel]]. He has sold comics at San Diego Comic-Con since the first one in 1970, but no longer sets up at the show due to declining sales and increased costs.
Robert Lee Beerbohm was born June 17, 1952 in Long Beach, California.<ref name="nyt">{{cite web|title=Robert Beerbohm, Pioneering Comic Book Retailer and Historian, Dies at 71|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/15/arts/robert-beerbohm-dead.html|date=April 15, 2024|last=Rosenwald|first=Michael S.|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 15, 2024}}</ref><ref name=WhosWho>Beerbohm profile, Who's Who of American Comic Books, 1928–1999. Accessed May 29, 2012.</ref> In his youth, he lived in [[Saudi Arabia]] for several years, before moving to [[Fremont, Nebraska]], where he graduated from Fremont High School.<ref name="downthetubes" /> He attended the [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]] from 1970 to 1972.<ref name="LinkedIn">[http://www.linkedin.com/in/robertbeerbohm Beerbohm LinkedIn profile]. Accessed May 29, 2012.</ref>
 
==Career==
Also in 1970 he acquired from publisher [[Russ Cochran (publisher)|Russ Cochran]] (who had originally received it from [[EC Comics|EC]] publisher [[William Gaines]]) the original art to the very first [[Superman]] cover drawn by [[Joe Shuster]] back in early 1933 for Chicago's Humor Publishing Company. The art was in four pieces and fire-tinged along the edges, from when [[Superman]] co-creator [[Jerry Siegel]] literally pulled it out of the Shuster family fireplace after Shuster got depressed with the first of what turned out to be many rejections.{{cn|date=June 2012}} Beerbohm did not know what he had at the time, but knew it needed to be preserved on some level, so he had a couple hundred twice-up original-size poster prints made at a local printer.{{cn|date=June 2012}} This image has since shown up in many books on [[DC Comics]] history.{{cn|date=June 2012}}
▲==== Robert Beerbohm Comic Art ====
In October 1966, while still in junior high school, Beerbohm took out his first ad in ''[[Rocket's Blast Comicollector]]'' (a.k.a. ''RBCC'') #47, launching what has eventually become known as Robert Beerbohm Comic Art. By the 21st century Beerbohm was selling vintage American popular culture artifacts (mostly comic books) via the Internet, and setting up shows across the United States.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
 
▲In October 1966, while still in junior high school, Beerbohm took out his first ad in ''[[Rocket's Blast Comicollector]]'' (a.k.a. ''RBCC'') #47, launching what has eventually become known as Robert Beerbohm Comic Art. The company sells vintage American popular culture artifacts (mostly comic books) via the internet. Beerbohm set up a booth at his first comics convention June 16–18, 1967, at the first [[Houstoncon]]. Traveling 28 hours on a [[Greyhound Bus Lines|Greyhound]] bus, Beerbohm turned 15 the first day of that seminal show.<ref name="Memories">Beerbohm, Robert. [http://www.comicconmemories.com/2010/06/24/update-to-comics-dealer-extraordinaire-robert-beerbohm-in-his-own-words/ "Update to Comics Dealer Extraordinaire Robert Beerbohm: In His Own Words,"] Comic-Convention Memories (June 24, 2010).</ref>
==== Comics and Comix ====▼
In late August 1972, with housemate [[Bud Plant]] and John Barrett,<ref>Nolan, Michelle. "Newswatch: Pioneering Comics Retailer John Barrett Dies at 50," ''The Comics Journal'' #233 (May 2001).</ref> Beerbohm co-opened [[Comics & Comix]] on [[Telegraph Avenue]] in [[Berkeley, California]].
 
Beerbohm estimated from June 1967 thru April 2012 he set up at a thousand comics shows. Two strokes saw him close it all down July 10, 2018.
In April 1973 Comics & Comix hosted the first Bay Area [[comics convention]], '''Berkeleycon 73''', in the Pauley Ballroom in the ASUC Building on the [[University of California, Berkeley]] campus. Berkeleycon was the first comic-con focused on [[underground comix]].▼
 
Beerbohm was among the first generation of dealers to traffic in original comic book art, sourcing his originals from suppliers with sometimes questionable [[provenance]], claiming to have bought hundreds of allegedly stolen pages of Marvel and DC art from dealers set up in a hotel room at the 1969 [[27th World Science Fiction Convention]] in St. Louis.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/buying-neal-adams-steve-ditko-original-art-hotel-room-1969/ |title=Buying Neal Adams & Steve Ditko Original Art From a Hotel Room in 1969|author=[[Johnston, Rich]]|date=2022-10-18|publisher=[[Bleeding Cool]]|access-date=2023-11-14}}</ref>
At Berkeleycon 73, Comics & Comix acquired over 4,000 [[Golden Age of comic books|Golden Age]] comic books owned by Tom Reilly. Beerbohm personally sold a good majority of the highest-grade items from the pedigree Reilly collection, including a copy of ''[[Detective Comics]]'' #27 (which sold for $2,200 — the first comic book to break the $2,000 barrier).{{cn|date=June 2012}} The phenomenal sales of the Reilly collection enabled Comics & Comix to open more retail locations, first in [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] (May 1973), on Columbus Avenue (down from the North Beach area on the way to Fisherman's Wharf), and later in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] and [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]], making it the first comic book chain store in America.{{cn|date=June 2012}}
 
▲==== Comics and Comix ====
Beerbohm, John Barrett and Bud Plant as Comics & Comix published the first three issues of [[Jack Katz (artist)|Jack Katz]]' ''The First Kingdom'' beginning in 1974.▼
{{main article|Comics and Comix}}
In late August 1972 (ten days after the first [[San Diego Comic-Con]] at [[El Cortez (San Diego)|El Cortez Hotel]]), with housemate [[Bud Plant]] and John Barrett, Beerbohm co-opened [[Comics and Comix]] on [[Telegraph Avenue]] in [[Berkeley, California]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Nolan |first=Michelle |department=Newswatch |title=Pioneering Comics Retailer John Barrett Dies at 50 |magazine=The Comics Journal |number=233 |date=May 2001}}</ref>
 
▲In April 1973 Comics & Comix hosted the first Bay Area [[comics convention]], '''[[Berkeleycon]] 73''', in the Pauley Ballroom in the ASUC Building on the [[University of California, Berkeley]] campus. Berkeleycon was the first comic-con focusedthat onhighlighted [[underground comix]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Benhari |title=First Comix Con Right On? |work=Berkeley Barb|date=April 27 – May 3, 1973}}</ref>
Beerbohm stayed with Comics & Comics until early 1975 (the firm itself lasted until the early 2000s).
 
During Berkeleycon, Beerbohm, Barrett, and Bud Plant purchased what became known as the Tom Reilly Pedigree collection of close to 4000 white-paper, never-opened "near mint/mint" comic books published between 1939 and 1945. Tom Reilly had enlisted in the Navy in 1941. His parents, in the affluent [[Piedmont, California|Piedmont]] section of Oakland, California, kept buying one of each comic, placing them untouched on shelves in their son's bedroom. Tom was killed during a [[kamikaze]] attack in the Pacific, in 1945. His parents sealed the room. They died in December 1972. Beerbohm and partners ended up with most of the collection through a protracted series of events taking place from April to June 1972. Within three months they had opened three more stores, calling the company Comics and Comix.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/bob.beerbohm.1/posts/pfbid02bME221K33i5Dv3Y2fXtMY952PxcwNcaAsniZfUg74hxBJZN1r6Jx6QCkr9V9zk8jl |title=TOM REILLY PEDIGREE COLLECTION |last=Beerbohm |first= Bob|date=May 4, 2022 |website=Facebook.com |publisher= |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref>
==== Best of Two Worlds ====▼
In November 1976, Beerbohm opened his first solo comic book store Best of Two Worlds, its first location being in San Francisco's [[Haight-Ashbury]] district at 1707 Haight Street, across the street from the Straight Theater. In May 1977, Beerbohm took over Comics & Comix' old location at 2512 Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, when his former partners at Comics & Comix moved to a larger location on the next block, and in October 1978 with then-partner Gary Wood he opened a branch of Best of Two Worlds, called Funny Pages, on [[Pier 39]]/[[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco|Fisherman's Wharf]]. Eventually, Best of Two Worlds had locations in San Francisco's [[Sunset District, San Francisco|Sunset District]] in Irving Street, and the Brickyard Mall in [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]]. By this time [[Robert Borden]] had bought out [[Gary Wood]], and [[Rory Root]] had bought in as a 14% co-owner.{{cn|date=February 2013}}
 
▲Beerbohm, John Barrett, and Bud Plant, as '''Comics & Comix''', published the first three issues of [[Jack Katz (artist)|Jack Katz]]' ''The First Kingdom'' beginning in 1974. They also published comics by Jim Pinkoski and [[Dan O'Neill]] during Beerbohm's involvement.<ref>[http://www.comics.org/publisher/2900/ Comics & Comix entry], Grand Comics Database. Accessed Oct. 8, 2016.</ref>
During this period, in c. 1978, Beerbohm founded the "sub-distributor" '''Common Ground Distributors''', which was initially supplied by Detroit-based distributor [[Big Rapids Distribution]]. In 1982, Common Ground was acquired by the Midwestern company [[Capital City Distribution]], which enabled Capital City owners [[Milton Griepp]] and John Davis to expand the distributor's operations beyond the immediate Chicago/Milwaukee area.
 
▲==== Best of Two Worlds ====
In addition to retailing and distribution, Beerbohm again dipped into publishing comics during this era.
Beerbohm sold out in early 1975. He went 'solo' opening his first Best of Two Worlds early Nov 1976 at 1707 Haight St, San Francisco. By May 1977 he opened a 2nd Best of Two Worlds on Telegraph Ave near UC-Berkeley, taking over his ex-partner's old location a block apart.{{citation needed|date=November 2023}}
 
On Oct 4, 1978, with partner Gary Wood, he opened The Funny Pages on Pier 30, the first high-traffic tourist location comic bookstore in America, according to Beerbohm. San Francisco's [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco|Fisherman's Wharf]] was then one of the largest tourist attractions in the world. This location sold high-end popular culture artifacts. In 1980 Beerbohm opened a third Best of Two Worlds on 4th St in Santa Rosa. In 1982 Gary Wood sold his 50% to Robert Borden. In early 1985 Borden and Beerbohm sold 14% to [[Rory Root]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/comicbookstorewars/posts/5329085630535658/ |title=THE FUNNY PAGES |last=Beerbohm |first=Robert |date=2022-09-30 |website=Facebook.com|publisher=|access-date=2023-04-21}}</ref>
Best of Two Worlds was knocked out of business in February 1987 due to the massive flooding of its central warehouse in [[Emeryville, California]] a year earlier in Feb 1986. (The same flood also destroyed [[Eclipse Comics]]' warehouse in [[Forestville, California]].)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.luckymojo.com/vishantiprolepsis.html |title=The Lesser Book of the Vishanti: A Companion to the Dr. Strange Comic Books | last1=Yronwode |first1=Catherine |last2=Nagasiva |first2=Nagasiva |year=2002 |publisher=LuckyMojo.com |accessdate=September 28, 2010|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/61g9u8wLm |archivedate=September 13, 2011| deadurl = no}}</ref>
 
In February 1986 [[Floods in California#1986 California and Western Nevada floods|snow-melt flood waters]] cascaded out of the Sierra Nevada mountains, causing widespread property damage in much of northern California. Best of Two Worlds central warehouse was mostly destroyed. It contained a million comic books, half a million cards, 10,000 concert posters, 3000 pages of original comic book art, plus 90% of Beerbohm's comics fandom archives 1966–1985.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/from-john-byrnes-1978-uncanny-x-men-to-1995s-speculator-burn-out/ |title=From John Byrne's 1978 Uncanny X-Men to 1995's Speculator Burn Out |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=2022-09-26 |website=bleedingcool.com |publisher=Bleeding Cool |access-date=2023-11-11 }}</ref>
==== Best Comics and the Rick Griffin art gallery ====▼
After the demise of Best of Two Worlds, Beerbohm maintained just one store he shortened the name to just Best Comics in the Haight Ashbury, which operated from 1987–1992. His last location is immortalized in Terry Zwigoff's CRUMB! movie about famed cartoonist Robert Crumb in the scenes where Crumb and his former publisher Don Donahue are in a comic book store discussing comics.
 
▲=== EducationBest Comics ===
In June 1991, Beerbohm, with partner Edward Walker, opened Best Comics and Rock Art Gallery an art gallery centered on seminal rock poster illustrator [[Rick Griffin]] in [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco|Fisherman's Wharf]] at [[The Cannery]]. The store's grand opening party June 1, 1991, featured bands like [[Big Brother and The Holding Company]], [[New Riders of the Purple Sage]], members of [[Quicksilver Messenger Service]], [[It's a Beautiful Day]], the Irish band [[Phoenix (band)|Phoenix]], and others. Tragically, two and a half months later, Griffin was killed in a motorcycle accident; Beerbohm and Walker were forced to close the gallery in 1992.{{cn|date=February 2013}}▼
After Best of Two Worlds was forced by natural disaster into bankruptcy, Beerbohm went solo again with a single store in Haight Ashbury, but moved to a better location at Masonic, a major bus transfer hub. Here Beerbohm rebuilt almost from scratch once again, with signings by notable comics artists like a December 1987 [[Bill Sienkiewicz]] event and a growing relationship with [[Rick Griffin]], who moved into the neighbourhood in 1988.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/bob.beerbohm.1/posts/pfbid0N5WnMJ7q1XhbcJwq1sXtK78itsbJ7D3NVHSW3FgrXReKDk8swmcPprcqS2FeKrsdl|title=Facebook post|last=Beerbohm |first=Robert |date=2024-03-12 |website=Facebook.com|publisher=|access-date=2023-04-21}}</ref>
 
▲==== Best Comics and theRock RickArt GriffinGallery art gallery ====
▲InOn June 1, 1991, Beerbohm, with silent-partner Edward Walker, opened Best Comics and Rock Art Gallery, an art gallery centeredinitially centering on seminal rock poster illustrator [[Rick Griffin]] in [[Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco|Fisherman's Wharf]] at [[The Cannery]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Langton |first=Mark |date=October 1991 |title=Remembering the Cosmic Visions of Rick Griffin |magazine=The Comics Journal #145 |publisher=Fantagraphics}}</ref> The store's grand opening party June 1, 1991, featured bands like [[Big Brother and The Holding Company]], [[New Riders of the Purple Sage]], members of [[Quicksilver Messenger Service]], [[It's a Beautiful Day]], the Irish band [[Phoenix (band)|Phoenix]], and others.{{citation Tragically,needed|date=December 2022}} twoTwo and a half months later, Griffin was killed in a motorcycle accident.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-20-mn-1302-story.html|title=Rick Griffin; BeerbohmPsychedelic andArtist WalkerAdorned wereRock forcedMusic Posters|first=BURT A.|last=FOLKART|date=20 August 1991|publisher=|access-date=24 October 2016|via=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> Immediately after, the Griffin family attempted through legal means to closerestrict the sale of artworks through the gallery, but the lawsuit was dropped.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mason |first=Clark |date=August 22, 1991 |title=Dispute over dead artist's work settled |work=The Press Democrat |location=Santa Rosa, California}}</ref> Beerbohm and Walker closed the gallery in 1992.{{cncitation needed|date=February 2013}}
 
=== Historian ===
As a comics historian, Beerbohm rediscovered the first comic book in America, [[Rodolphe Töpffer]]'s ''[[The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck]]'', published on September 14, 1842, in [[New York City]], as ''[[Brother Jonathan (newspaper)|Brother Jonathan Extra]]'' No. IX, which is in the same format as a "modern" day comic book, sans staples, which had not yet been invented.<ref>[http://www.toonopedia.com/oldbuck.htm ''The Adventures of Mr. Obadiah Oldbuck''] at [[Don Markstein's Toonopedia]]. [https://archive.today/20120913203959/http://www.toonopedia.com/oldbuck.htm Archived] from the original on March 13, 2012. "On September 14, 1842, a New York paper, ''Brother Jonathan'', ran an English-language version of ''Oldbuck'' (published in Britain a year earlier) as a supplement."</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Beerbohm|first1= Robert|last2= Wheeler|first2= Doug|last3= De Sá |first3= Leonardo|title= Töpffer in America|work=Comic Art|issue=3|date= 2003|location=St. Louis, Missouri| pages= 28–47}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8FcK3PE35EkC&dq= ''Heritage Comics and Comic Art Auction #824: Dallas, Taxas, May 3–4 2007''], Heritage Capital Corporation, p. 1.</ref>
With his friend Steve Johnson, Beerbohm publishing five issues of the [[fanzine]] ''Fanzation'' in 1969–1970. #3 (1969) contains a letter by Amazing Spider-Man creator Steve Ditko on creativity quoted by Dr. Fredric Wertham in his last book The World of Fanzines (1974). #5 contains articles by Ted White and Jack Promo on origins of 1950s EC fandom and fanzines. Also, articles by Jerry Bails on the origins of Alter Ego and Bill Wallace on origins of Houston fandom amongst others.
For many years, Beerbohm was working on a massive history of comics retailing from the 19th Century through to the development of distribution networks for [[Underground Comics]] and the [[Direct market]] to be titled "Comic Book Store Wars" but the book remained unpublished at the time of his death. Beerbohm maintained a Facebook group with the same title and had published a 91-page book with the same title in 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/groups/comicbookstorewars/ |title=Comic Books Store Wars |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=Facebook.com |publisher= |access-date=March 28, 2024 }}</ref>
 
Beerbohm was also fundamental on the 1971 rediscovery of the first [[Superman]] cover pencilled by [[Joe Shuster]] in 1933. The cover was the last remaining art from the very first Superman comic book produced by [[Jerry Siegel|Siegel]] and Shuster to be published by Chicago-based Humor Publishing. He received the art from [[Russ Cochran (publisher)|Russ Cochran]] who got the art from [[Bill Gaines]] in 1969 who re-discovered the four torn up pieces jammed up behind a drawer in his father [[Max Gaines]]' desk which had sat untouched since August 1947. In 1975, Beerbohm had Joe Shuster validate the origins of the cover during San Diego Comic-Con.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/bob.beerbohm.1/posts/pfbid02WSJCax8LSybqKtHHNJqe8p6WUR8vLSJwK5aTrqV9xSjnPYeztY7iJY8cHXA4owmul |title=Facebook post |author=Bob Beerbohm |date=February 1, 2023 |website=Facebook.com |publisher= |access-date=April 21, 2024}}</ref>
Beginning in the 1980s, Beerbohm worked as a consultant on a number of publication related to popular culture, specifically comics and [[rock music]]. Clients included the ''[[Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide]]'' (1981–2013), ''The Big Little Book Price Guide'' (1980–1983), and ''The Underground and New Wave Comix Price Guide'' (1981) among many others. He has been invited back inside Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide every year since #27 1997 teaching proper comics history to the rest of the comics world.
 
According to comic book historian Charles Hatfield, Beerbohm's contribution to the study of the [[Direct market|Direct Market]] was threefold: 1.the idea that dealer speculation was at the root of the new distribution system; 2. the idea that so-called affidavit return fraud created a need for better distribution on the part of publishers; and 3. the growth of [[Head shop|head shops]] as an outlet for Underground comics and a model for the Direct Market.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tcj.com/remembering-comics-retailer-and-historian-robert-beerbohm-1952-2024/ |title=REMEMBERING COMICS RETAILER AND HISTORIAN ROBERT BEERBOHM, 1952-2024 |author=Charles Hatfield |date=2024-04-18 |website=tcj.com |publisher=The Comics Journal |access-date=April 21, 2024 }}</ref>
In the 1990s and 2000s, since closing down brick and mortar outlets and converting to more of an Internet presence, Beerbohm has authored and co-authored numerous articles for the comics trade press on such topics as the history of American comics, the evolution of the [[direct market]], and individual creators.
 
== Personal lifeDeath ==
Beerbohm died in Fremont, Nebraska from colorectal cancer on March 27, 2024, at the age of 71.<ref name="nyt" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newsfromme.com/2024/03/28/bob-beerbohm-r-i-p/ |title=Bob Beerbohm, R.I.P. |author=[[Mark Evanier]]|date=March 28, 2024|website=newsfromme.com |publisher= |access-date=March 29, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Comic Book Shop Pioneer And Historian Bob Beerbohm Had Died At 71 |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/comic-book-shop-pioneer-and-historian-bob-beerbohm-had-died-at-71/ |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |access-date=1 April 2024 |date=29 March 2024}}</ref><ref name="downthetubes">{{cite web |title=Fundraiser launched to help the family of pioneering comics historian, Robert "Bob" Beerbohm |url=https://downthetubes.net/fundraiser-launched-to-help-the-family-of-pioneering-comics-historian-robert-bob-beerbohm/ |website=Down the Tubes |access-date=1 April 2024 |date=30 March 2024}}</ref>
Beerbohm, retailing partner Bud Plant, Terry Stroud, and Dick Swan were involved in a van accident in June 1973 coming out of the [[Houstoncon]].<ref>Duin, Steve, and Richardson, Mike. ''Comics Between the Panels'' (Dark Horse Comics, 1998), p. 333–335.</ref> Beerbohm suffered long term damage to his hip joint cartilage which caused him to eventually have [[hip replacement]] surgery in October 2009. Beerbohm had previously worked towards going overseas to India for said operation due to huge expense in America but the bi-lateral surgery ended being performed in Los Angeles, California at Saint Vincent's Medical Center.<ref>Beerbohm, Bob. [http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php/please_consider_buying_some_comics_from_robert_beerbohm/ "Please Consider Buying Some Comics From Industry Icon Robert Beerbohm,"] The Comics Reporter (March 14, 2008).</ref>
 
Beerbohm's medical insurance had been cancelled in Oct 2006 by his health care provider HMO(Aetna) citing "undisclosed pre-existing condition" using the 1973 van accident as a pre-text. HMO Aetna canceled policy just four days prior to already scheduled surgery.
 
On January 20th, 2010 Beerbohm underwent a hernia operation at the Fremont Area Medical Center (FAMC) as a private-pay patient. While in post-op recovery he had a slip-and-fall incident following signed discharge papers due to OR staff negligence, and on January 18th, 2011 he filed a tort liability claim against the FAMC countering their claim. The tort liability claim was withdrawn on July 29th, 2011, and on August 27th, 2012 Robert Beerbohm filed suit against the FAMC for medical malpractice. Beerbohm's suit against the FAMC was subsequently dismissed for accidetnal failure to file a precipe .<ref>Office of Public Records, District Court of Dodge County, Case ID# 12-31. </ref>
 
== Bibliography ==
* Comic Book Store Wars (Fremont, Nebraska : R.L. Beerbohm, 1994. -- 91 p.)
* "The first Superman cover ever" (''Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1165, March 15th, 1996, page 40)
* "The Big Bang Theory of Comic Book History" (''Comic Book Marketplace'', 1997)
* "The Mainline Comics Story: An Initial Examination" (''[[Jack Kirby Collector]]'' #25, 1998)
Line 80 ⟶ 83:
* "The Illustrated Books of Frank King" (''Comic Art'' #1, 2001)
* "Topffer in America" (''Comic Art'' #3, 2003) (with Doug Wheeler and Leonardo De Sa)
* "The American Comic Book: 1929-Present: The Modern Comics Magazine Supplants the Earlier Formats" (''[[Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide]]'' #4027, 1997 thru 49, 20102019) (with Richard Olson, PhD) — articleThree hasarticles beengrew in size and scope which were continuously expanded and revised every year by the authors sincecovering ''Overstreeta "Victorian Age" (1842-1890s), a "Platinum Age" 1890s thru 1934 as well as an in-depth Origin of the Modern Comic Book Price1921-1970s Guide''which ran thru #27 (1997)40.
 
== References ==
{{reflistReflist}}
 
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{{Authority control}}
{{Persondata
 
| NAME = Beerbohm, Robert
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =Historian
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1952
| PLACE OF BIRTH = [[Nebraska]]
| DATE OF DEATH =
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beerbohm, Robert}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living2024 peopledeaths]]
[[Category:Comics retailers (people)]]
[[Category:American comic collectors]]
[[Category:Comics critics]]
[[Category:Comics scholars]]
[[Category:American archivists]]
[[Category:Art dealers]]
[[Category:University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni]]
[[Category:California State University, East Bay alumni]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:People from Fremont, California]]
[[Category:American expatriates in Saudi Arabia]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Deaths from colorectal cancer in the United States]]
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