Rune

Just bought a fun cover by Rich Buckler - you can see it here: http://www.comicartfans.com/galleryPiece.asp?Piece=1274340&GSub=0&GCat=102942&UCat=102942

One full year has passed - and currently Census looks like this - black colors mark last year's results, red colors mark November 2015: Now there are 400 books in total, last year 364 (difference = 36 books), thus Census grew 3 books each month during the last year. During the last year, each issue had the following number of new books added to the Census: #1 - 4. #2 - 1. #3 - 1. #4 - no changes. #5 - no changes. #6 - 2. #7 - 1. #8 - no changes. #9 - 1. #10 - 1. #11 - no changes. #12 - no changes. #13 - no changes. #14 - no changes. #15 - no changes. #16 - no changes. #17 - 1. #18 - no changes. #19 - 1. #20 - no changes. #21 - 2. #22 - 2. #23 - 3. #24 - 8. Annual #1 - 8. So for the Census regarding Annual #1 and #24, each issue grew by 8 more books - #1 grew by 4 books - four issues grew by 2 books - six issues grew by 1 book - and Census for 11 issues did not change during the year. And what to learn from this Maybe that Annual #1 will be easier to get soon Can't wait to continue next year, this is so exciting

Just added two new #1s to the library: Get them here: http://comics.ha.com/itm/bronze-age-1970-1979-/conan-the-barbarian-1-marvel-1970-cgc-nm-mt-98-white-pages/a/7152-91238.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515 http://comics.ha.com/itm/bronze-age-1970-1979-/conan-the-barbarian-1-marvel-1970-cgc-nm-mt-98-white-pages/p/7124-21001.s?ic4=GalleryView-Thumbnail-071515 The first was graded in 2010, the latter in September 2015. Census 37 Universal book in 9.8 and one SS. On a side note, I think Obama made some great statements in relation to yesterday's terrorist attacks in Paris:

Looks great!! I think it clashes with the carpet and I don'r think you wife will let you hang it up so you might as well get rid of it. Thanks - Get rid of it? Over-my-dead-body (and I once believed that money can't buy happiness ) It's in the man cave and I did show it to her, she did not say much - but that's not a bad sign by any measure, guess it's a keeper Maybe there's a new saying to support the marriage "What happens in the man cave stays in the man cave"

Love the painted Dazzler Yes, amazing art - and you can just "enter an image" and paste the url to the jpg, like this:

Awesome paintings and framing (double passepartouts with colors matching the paintings?), congrats!

That's a great story, thank you for sharing it! Well, had a glass of red wine this evening and I thought better show the piece now than when she's completely sober - and although she did not say it directly, I think she (kind of) liked it We have been watching Comic Book Men together, so she knows a bit about everything

Yes that's exactly the equation I'm working on, thanks for the support Something like: Wife slightly accepting "sabertooth biting a dino-dragon while a half-naked long haired blonde Swede clings on to some truly weird-looking guy" painting = (number of flowers? Gallons of perfume? Jewelry? ) Once she looked at some of my inked pieces and said "why didn't you get them in color?" So color must be a good thing, right? I'm doing the same thing I did with the 33" Galactus Maquette statue - I'll just put it up in my man cave and pretend it's always been there I'm convinced that the painting must be less than a JND (thumbs u "In the branch of experimental psychology focused on sensation and perception, psychophysics, a just-noticeable difference or JND is the amount something must be changed in order for a difference to be noticeable, detectable at least half the time. It is also known as the difference limen, differential threshold, or least perceptible difference." Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-noticeable_difference Strange, but suddenly I got this quote from Star Wars running in my mind

After 6 weeks in the framing shop (they had to back order Museum Glass and the golden frame ), it has finally arrived Now, how do I hide it best from the wife?

With this scan I've got scans of 8 out of 9 Conan the Barb #6 9.8 books Graded Feb 2015, get it here: http://www.comiclink.com/auctions/item.asp?back=%2Fauctions%2Fsearch%2Easp%3F_SORT%3DYES%26where%3Dsell%26title%3Dconan%26ItemType%3DCB%26f1%3DCondition%26ODire1%3DDESC%26f2%3D4%252C%2BIssueNumber%252C%2BVolumeNumber%26ODire2%3DASC%26f3%3DMaxBidX%26ODire3%3DDESC%23Item_1089257&id=1089257 See the 8 books here: http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/runesr2/library/Issue06?sort=9&page=1

Just added two more books: #2 is from February 2015 thus Census did not just grow - there are 11 #2 9.8, I now have pictures of 10. Did not check #24, these are plenty, one more will not rock the boat... Get them both on CLink in the November auction.

Thanks, Ogami, yes, I should think so

I do understand your opinion. My problem with the DKR set is that it for years was a set made just for 1st printings, but then CGC suddenly changed the rules. I would have preferred that they did not change old and established sets, but instead made a new set with all kinds of reprints etc (like "DKR (complete with variants)"). Many persons have spent years building their sets, it does not seem very respectful to suddenly expand and drastically change old sets. So every reprint we see of Spidey #1 should be in this set? http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/SetTypeDetail.aspx?SetTypeID=34 Seems like other rules apply to that Spidey set - like I wish they would to the old DKR set. Well, did discuss the matter with my old DKR mentor, the one person who got me into collecting CGC books many years ago. To my great surprise he did not back me up, but told me that he changed his mind about some of the DKR reprints, those from 1986, and had actually bought a few. So his message was simply - more or less: And after going through the Census, he may have a point - the 1986 reprints are very rare. Maybe because they long sold for next to nothing, thus CGC'ing those books could cost you more than you could get by selling the books. So with both CGC and my old mentor against me, I've decided to play the reprint game for some time and have rebuild my DKR set - guess my DKR set is something I truly love, and buying much the same books again may be some sort of fun. And I do feel kind of bad when taking down a set that CGC awarded me for just last year - most of all I would prefer to support this hobby. So for now - maybe this picture says it all Still hope Gemma will remove those TPBs - one thing is the reprints, TPBs are still in a class of their own. And don't get me wrong - I have nothing against graded TPBs, but these should have their own set and not be mixed with ordinary comic books My rebuild and updated DKR set - now with new reprints - can be seen here: http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/SetTypeDetail.aspx?SetTypeID=59

Amazing page, congrats!

+1 - it completely ruins everything, making it impossible to complete anything, because potentially there's always a tpb coming up. Just like adding all those 2nd, 3rd etc printings to original sets - so if some books are reprinted for the 234th time, then they get added too? I wouldn't mix reprints with the original printings, it dilutes the sets and reduces the fun of collecting. It should be quite easy to make sets where collectors can register all kinds of reprints - oil and water do not mix (One example could be having these two sets: 1. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-#4 2. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-#4 Reprints Probably a very clear way of separating books) Thanks, Gemma, Personally I still find it difficult to see all those 2nd, 3rd and possible soon 4th printings etc. mixed with the original 1st DKR printings - and of course I know you have already made a special DKR set only for 1st printings, thanks (it'll be my primary focus in the future). I can see that some amazing DKR sets (like Mitol's set, all 9.8 1st printings signed by Miller) have been dethroned by sets with far inferior 1st printings, but containing several reprints, and to me that's a sad development (I fully understand that other collectors may love reprints). Guess I have to walk the walk, so trying to separate reprints and 1st printings I just removed all my 1st printings from my DKR (with reprints) set leaving only the reprints behind - and thus changed my set from being the number 1 set to being the new the number 67 set. http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/PeopleSetDetail.aspx?PeopleSetID=11212 I'm not much into all those DKR reprints, and if other collectors love DKR reprints I will not stand in their way.

(Gemma asked that all requests are entered in this thread - so here it goes...) Hi Gemma, There are two TPBs in the Dark Knight Returns set - I would be very happy, if you could remove them or make them non competative: http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/SlotScoreDetail.aspx?SlotID=204984 http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/SlotScoreDetail.aspx?SlotID=204985 Sincerely and thanks, Rune

+1 - it completely ruins everything, making it impossible to complete anything, because potentially there's always a tpb coming up. Just like adding all those 2nd, 3rd etc printings to original sets - so if some books are reprinted for the 234th time, then they get added too? I wouldn't mix reprints with the original printings, it dilutes the sets and reduces the fun of collecting. It should be quite easy to make sets where collectors can register all kinds of reprints - oil and water do not mix (One example could be having these two sets: 1. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-#4 2. Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-#4 Reprints Probably a very clear way of separating books)

I fully agree - all my original art is framed to distract as little as possible from the art (black passepartout and black thin frames), I only have two CGC books on display, and they are quite small next to the art - and most persons seeing them are not much into superheroes, so my thoughts were to enhance only these two books by adding the Batman and FF logos (one is the DKR #1 which isn't the easiest book to identify, if you're not much into comics). I do not expose my better books to much light - so the two books on permanent display are low-value books displayed for fun - also the kids find it interesting (also when their friends are visiting), hope the new frames can help inspire the next generation even more ;-) And good luck with the grading!

It's nice with books on display - actually I've just ordered two custom frames - handpainted etc. - I think such frames look amazing on books - here are some examples (I've ordered the Batman and Fantastic Four frames, unfortunately without the books, sigh ): Each frame is $60 plus shipping ($50 if it isn't a CGC book). More info here: https://www.facebook.com/CustomComicDisplays

A new Annual #1 has emerged - maybe the best looking so far - had to reconstruct the scan, because the seller provided the label and the book in two seperate scans, did my best Graded July 22nd 2015. Get it here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CONAN-THE-BARBARIAN-ANNUAL-1-CGC-9-8-WHITE-PAGES-SMITH-COVER-1973-WOW-/111777228262? Seems like the Annual #1 Census just exploded from 9 to 17 - so now there's enough for everybody Well, sort of... So maybe one collector just dumped a lot of Conan Annual #1s on CGC and got 8 9.8 books back, in that case we might be seing many more in the next months... At least it's very rare for the Census to jump so high in such a short time - I mean for 15 years only 9 books were found, and suddenly that figure doubles in less than a year...

Still, I'm not sure the poll in this thread really reflects members of the Registry - although members of these Chat Boards of course my be different (in the Registry you walk the walk - here you can talk the talk And of course an entire collection may be much more than comics) Regarding the Registry I started this thread some time ago: http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=7869591&fpart=1 And made an update with this post: "So what has changed during the last year? Here's an overview: "Points needed to be in [...]" refers to the minimum number of points needed to be part of a category Forgot to include the top 10 % - To fit in that category, today you need 38,091 points or more. The number of Registry members increased 11 % the last year making it slightly easier to reach for example the top 5 %, 25 % and 50 % (indicating that most new members did not register large collections). And it shows that the Registry is expanding. (If the Registry expands another 11 % the next year, then there will be about 5000 members.) Even though Cheetah lost a lot of Registry points the last year, it's probably not a trend of high end collections having reduced their Registry points, because today it requires more points to be among the top 1 % than last year (even though the number of members in the top 1 % high-end club also increased 11 % - from 41 to 46). As written in an earlier post, using average values are not a good idea due to the enormous difference between the lowest and highest amount of Registry points (nearly 3,000,000 to 1). For example, if we (as a thought experiment) include the two highest collections and set all other collections to just 1 point, we can calculate that the average member has a collection worth about 1200 points. So the largest collections introduce a severe bias to an average value, and using average values may be quite misleading. As shown 50 % of all members have less than 1500 points, and every 4th member has less than 250 points. Guess we could say that a normal (IQR) collection now has between 250 and 8300 points." So I'm betting that 50 % of all Registry members have CGC comic collections worth less than $2k And that extremely few persons (less than 1%, probably close to 0.003 %, of current Registry members) have CGC comic collections (made public in the Registry) worth more than $ 1 mill. Well, something like that

Once I tried to do the math and ended up with having paid something like average $1 to 1.5 per Registry point. It's not an exact measure by any means, but may help as a rule of thumb - maybe not so, if you only have a few special books

33 - when this thread was started 9 years ago

unless you're on that train, I'd say no. Agreed. The key to a successful marriage is never to let the wife know how much you spend on comics and art "The data in Table 1 reflects that the primary cause of conflict in the individuals surveyed was finance. With 39 percent listing finances as a primary conflict and 54 percent listing it as their secondary conflict, it is evident that most couples find finance to be a primary cause of conflict. At 31 and 35 percent, communication was also a key factor. Only 1 percent felt lack of commitment as a primary conflict. Other issues included children, step children, abuse, and lack of sexual relations; these issues were less than 1 percent of primary conflict listings." http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2008/v13-n1-2008-spring/Washburn-Christensen.php So now you know These are a lot of number for 3am I live in Europe, posted 8:19 AM

unless you're on that train, I'd say no. Agreed. The key to a successful marriage is never to let the wife know how much you spend on comics and art "The data in Table 1 reflects that the primary cause of conflict in the individuals surveyed was finance. With 39 percent listing finances as a primary conflict and 54 percent listing it as their secondary conflict, it is evident that most couples find finance to be a primary cause of conflict. At 31 and 35 percent, communication was also a key factor. Only 1 percent felt lack of commitment as a primary conflict. Other issues included children, step children, abuse, and lack of sexual relations; these issues were less than 1 percent of primary conflict listings." http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2008/v13-n1-2008-spring/Washburn-Christensen.php So now you know