or the Banes and Pitfalls of Pressing

I have looked into pressing for the past year and have gotten many viewpoints. I poked and prided asking fans, dealers, and those that do it themselves both as amateurs and professionals. My favorite collection is the New Mutants. I looked, seeked, and hunted for the best issues. A majority of my Universal 9.8's were through WorldWide Comics while the majority of my signatures were through Rich Henn. To both I'm thankful for.

Matt Nelson was partnered with the former so who's to say that all the books WorldWide sold weren't pressed. When I talked to Matt I asked him about it, although I was more interested in pressing I wanted to know if my books were pressed. He told me that the majority of the Golden State collection was so nice they didn't need pressing. He continued on by telling me it wasn't even cost effective to try to press a 9.6 to a 9.8 because it wasn't always possible. Of course he didn't say that he didn't press any into a 9.8. So if I found out without a doubt my New Mutants were pressed 9.8's would I love them any less?

I decided to learn more. I used one of my pride and joys. I used my ASM #129, along with my DD #158 and 168. To start off these books were purchased as back issues around 1987, maybe 88. The ASM #129 was purchased through cash and traded. I think it is safe to say that this book was not previously pressed. I read it and put it back in Mylar. Eventually CGC arrived and I cursed them. How dare you lock away something that should be read? Eventually, as a novelty I purchased my first two CGC graded comic books. This was in 2007. By the time 2008 rolled around I decided to turn over my own comic books for grading. I chose three.

In one day I got them back, my ASM #129 was graded a 9.2 with white pages. I thought it would be a 9.4, I never thought of grading the pages. Eventually I accepted the grade. It wasn't until a year later when I purchased my New Mutants #1 in a 9.8 white pages that I decided I wanted to be part of this community I previously despised. I finally joined the registry on July 24th 2008. This was right after I had my first onsite invoice completed. I felt like I needed to share my books, but it wasn't until over a year later I wrote My First Journal on November 16th 2009.

Eventually CGC had a signature Series Signing that I couldn't pass up. I never thought I would eventually grace the man's presence so I opted for the next best thing and sent out four books, one being my ASM #129. After I saw the return grade I was in shock, amazed, and even confused, finally my book was the grade I thought it was. Did CGC mess up the first time, did they decided that the book was a prime specimen for a 9.4 with only the three spine creases to note. I don't know but I was curious so I asked around about how that could have been done and one person came up with a most interesting aspect, that when the book is slapped they get pressed.

How could that be? But have you ever open a slab? Inside the well is another plastic that is sealed shut. How was it sealed shut without pressure and heat. IS every single slab we purchase being pressed during the encapsulation process? If books can withstand being between newspapers in a barn and becoming a pedigree couldn't every book be pressed as it is being encapsulated? I asked others about this and some disagreed right away, saying no way? Other disagreed but paused, and some said, maybe?

But the journey of my ASM #129 went on. John Romita had a signing and I wanted is signature too. My book retained a 9.8. What did this mean? Did CGC get it right, did the same three graders look at it? Did they just look at what I had on the old label and to save time just gave it the same grade? But I wanted more for this book. I wanted to know what else pressing could do. I sent this with 16 others for Matt Nelson to look at while in Baltimore. He pointed out to me what could be pressed and what couldn't as well as what shouldn't. I chose eight. My ASM #128 came back a 9.6, while the others are still at CGC. I was happy, this book that went through so many journeys with me added another chapter. But, I wanted to add one more, I wanted a third signature and one of the best chapters occurred.

During this Chapter I met RonnyLama, Lee k. ShivaBali, Designer Toast, Liaton-9000 (stupid cheerio joke) and I apologize to anyone I missed. The book being signed by Gerry Conway added to that mix. Once again the book retained its grade as a 9.6. Did the press from a 9.4 to a 9.6 retain, or did CGC just take the easy way out and give it the same grade. And does it bother me that the book was pressed.

My New Mutants, my original ones I know have not been pressed with the exception of my Annual #4. My issue #15 is great at a low 4.5, but my New Mutants #99 made the 9.8 grade, even my triple signature 9.6 copy of issue #77 is cherished. Then there are the two books I bough JUST to get pressed. I bought both issue #109's of Incredible Hulk and X-men. I decided to get them signed first. Were they pressed before I got them, I don't know. Did they get high grades, yes they did. Consecutively they received a 9.4 and a 9.8. I'm overjoyed that they weren't pressed, but once again to my knowledge.

So let's get down to it. My 9.6 ASM #129 if it had a notation saying it was pressed it wouldn't bother me. It's still mine, it still has a history and if I were ever to sell a book that was pressed (and to my knowledge) yes I would give full disclosure, hell if I knew I read it on the toilette, I would let you know that too. But, if my New Mutants #99 was notated as being pressed I would fight that because that was mine since day one and although bagged in Mylar and boarded in a nice cold box, it was never intentionally pressed other than being tightly packed in to get the most out of my storage space.

Should CGC distribute a new label for books pressed by them? Should CGC ask if the books are pressed on all invoices turned in? Should the GPA keep notations of these records? Could a third party pressing records company come to fruition in this day and age, ten years after the ball already was placed into play?

And then how do I feel about pressing? After a full year later of asking questions, investigating, talking, and even learning a small amount of the procedure myself, I still don't know, and honestly I don't care. I have a few purple labels and I still like them in my collection, I have green labels which I adore, the blue labels and the yellow labels don't matter to me anywhere except on the "points" scale of the registry. How many of you turned in the best book you could possibly have with any free coupons you received. How many are looking for your book to be returned a 9.8 but disappointed it got a 9.6. I know I have on books I paid for, so I decided to send in the books I cherished as a kid. I decided to choose the books than meant something. Because whether the book is restored, or damaged, or rusty, or pressed, they are still mine.

And a special Note to ScreenWriter3d, I love the tenacity you show, but they are just books. Maybe I have lost so much in my life time that if I lose my books it would just be another story to tell. I like that our back writing journals, and I hope you continue to do so, but I also hope you are writing what you desire on the side, that we have not had the pleasure to see. A

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