Since I put up this site, many people have written to me asking where they can find or buy such-and-such issue, recording, whatever. The answer is, I really don't know much about where you can find these things nowadays.

My own collection was amassed years ago, when many of the items were new or not that old. I had a subscription to the magazine from 1974 on, and sent away for practically all the back issues NatLamp had available at the time. I also picked up a few early issues (at a premium) in the mid-seventies from a magazine/book store that carried a lot of used magazines and comic books. Since that time, I have not spent much time looking, and in fact, had not really looked at my own collection much until recently.

However, since I suffer from Male Answer Syndrome*, I have some suggestions:

Check the Classifieds page on my site. The items here are from fellow readers of this site. It's a free service, but please be sure to read the rules and terms at the bottom of the page.

Used book/magazine/comic stores. This is probably your best bet. There are at least a few of these stores in every major city. From time to time, I have checked such establishements, and there is usually a section of old NatLamps. Issues from about 1974 on are easiest to find, but occasionally there will be fairly early ones. A few years ago, I picked up issue No. 1 of NatLamp for only $15 at Midway Book Store in St. Paul. (Back in the '70s I saw the same issue on sale for $100! I guess they're not a very good investment :-) ) I have also found a few at The Nostalgia Zone in Minneapolis. Prices are usually around $5-20.

Buyer's Guides. One reader informed me that there is a publication called "Comic Buyer's Guide" which lists many sources for comics. He says they occassionally have a list of Lampoons.

Antique/collectibles dealers. Not likely, but possible. I once saw a whole pile of NatLamps at Theater Antiques in Minneapolis. They were all issues from the late seventies and early eighties which I already had, so I wasn't interested in them myself. (In case you're wondering, the last time I looked, they were gone.)

The Internet. If you found my site, you probably used a search engine. Try searching in Usenet news groups using Google, AltaVista, HotBot, or Deja News with "natlamp" or "national lampoon" in the search field. Or, you could post a query in one of the following newsgroups:

rec.mag
rec.collecting
alt.marketplace.collectables
rec.arts.books.marketplace
rec.arts.comics.marketplace

I have seen FS (for sale) and WTB (want to buy) posts for NatLamp stuff in these news groups from time to time. Also, there are sometimes auctions on the web.

Another possibility is The Mad Store, an online store catering to humor magazine fans. Besides Mad, Cracked, and so on, they also have a large section devoted to National Lampoon.

There is of course e-bay, the Web-based auction site. Many people have recommended this to me as a good place to find NatLamp stuff

Another possibility is Amazon Books, the online bookstore. They have a free service for finding rare and out-of-print books. I was able to find a copy of Matty Simmons' book there. I wouldn't expect to find issues of National Lampoon, but they may be able to help you find things like the 10th Anniversary Anthology or the 1964 High School Yearbook Parody.

Garage sales and flea markets. Okay, I admit it would be a long shot, but you never know.

Used record stores. Check the comedy section. Any large used record store should have at least a few old Lampoon albums.

Looking for National Lampoon Radio Hour shows? About two years ago, Rhino Records issued a boxed CD or cassette collection of the best of the NLRH called "Buy This Boxed Set or We'll Kill This Dog: The Best of the National Lampoon Radio Hour." It's still available and is quite a blast to listen to. Also, there was a collection on LP issued in 1975 called "Gold Turkey: National Lampoon Radio Hour / Greatest Hits." (This is still apparently available--I've seen it listed on Amazon.com.)

If you're reading this and you do know where to find this stuff, please contact me and I will gladly put the information here for the benefit of others.

That's about all I can think of on acquiring old NatLamp stuff. If I think of anything or hear about anything else, I'll put it on this page. Happy hunting!

* Male Answer Syndrome is the annoying tendency of most men to answer questions regardless of whether they actually know the answer. I'm pretty sure I read that somewhere.