Some helpful suggestions to get you going

DaveLo,

Here are some helpful suggestions to get you going with CGC. I got out of comics for about 10 years and just jumped back into the fray last year. Here is alot of things I learned along the way. The first is, get yourself a copy of The Overstreet Grading Guide, 2003 Edition, if you don't already have one. It breaks down the "10 Point" grading system and helps collectors get a feel for where a book should grade. Be warned though, it takes alot of trial and error to get it right. Second is, submit your books through a CGC partner that offers a discont for grading. I use Metropolis Comics, www.metropoliscomics.com, and I send the books directly to CGC and get a 20% discount off the grading fee(just not the shipping). And lastly, keep up with current trends in comics. A magzine like Wizard, or Previews from Diamond Comic Distributers, will keep you inform of upcoming issues that you should check out. Oh one other thing, if you are having trouble finding a comic book store that stocks what you are interested in, may stores do online subscriptions or monthly orders. I use x-worldcomics.com and order the books I want each month, which they ship to me at the end of the month. The only drawback is if you like to search the rack for that 9.8, but they package well and are extremly reliable. I hope this helps and good luck.