AsterixTheGaul

Wonder what opinions are on this. To me (and I know everyone is different) a faded cover (usually the reds, I talked to someone from the National Archives, and red is the color that always fades first) ruins a comic for me long before things like tears, chips, folds etc... as to me the whole artwork of the cover is ruined. But yet faded covers don't seem to be an issue to graders. And I just wonder why? Examples in my pic. The left is a 7.0 (restored) VOH 12 where you can see that the red is extremely faded. In the middle is one where the red's are nice and deep, no fading. Note I put the middle one (which I bought) at a grade of 1.8, and I paid less then half of what the 7.0 one sold for recently (keep in mind mine is all original, the 7.0 has restoration). But I would take the middle one over the left one even if the price was the same! To me a comic that faded would not get more then a 4.0 from me, and to be honest, I would not want it. But then I was astounded to see the FF #1 for sale right now with a faded red 'The Fantastic' (the 'Four' is a little better) with a 9.4 grade! How on Earth does something that faded get a 9.4? Even if everything else about the comic was a perfect 10, I would not give something like that with mild to moderate fading on a main part of the cover any more then a 7.0 or so. Maybe it's just me, but I wonder what other think about the issue of faded reds on covers and how it should effect grade and value?

For older golden/early silver age comics where your talking 2.0-6.0 grades I think the front cover should count for more. I care MUCH more about a defect in the front vs. back in an old Whiz comic or something like that. But when you in the 9.x's then perfection on both sides should count.

I think I found a PERFECT solution for me. I have a little over 50 of my comics framed and matted; comic (in Mylar) over the matting, with UV plexiglass in front (a nice sandwich, also slowly presses the book over time!). But over 15 years on the walls I am starting to get paranoid about the colors (red goes first) slowly fading, especially on some of my more valuable books (like X-Men #1 2.5, Avengers #5 5.5, Journey Into Mystery #83 4.5; all with nice red titles) So I did this: I have been scanning most all my comics for insurance/inventory purposes anyway (front and back cover). I then take the front cover scan and print it out, matching color and size perfectly (Epson P800 using 8 1/2x11" Epson Semi-Gloss paper). Then cut it and place it on top of the Mylar so it lines up perfectly with the real comic, then place the plexiglass back on top. It looks great! So in a way it's cheating, as you are not looking at the actual comic, but the real comic is right behind. You still have the 3 dimensions and can see that there is a real comic book there. And while I can see the difference between a comic with the printout in front next to one that's the actual comic (as I know), I have had several friends over and just asked them, "Do you notice anything unusual about my comics?" Not a single one saw anything. I had to point it out to them, and even then a couple didn't quite get what I was talking about. So visually it looks great, and the point is displaying awesome works of art, and now I have no concern of any (more) fading over the next 10, 20, 30 years (I am 55 now) that they will be hanging on my walls. Look at my picture below. Zoom in. The Iron Man/Sub #1 is the REAL comic. For the X-Men #1 you are looking at the printout of the scan of the real comic, sitting over the real comic right behind it. Can you tell the difference? From 10 feet away you can't tell (unless you actually know). You have to look up real close and know what you are looking for.

I have a grading question for those who better know these things then me. I have a Fantastic Four #5. Far from perfect, but it displays nicely (see cover). Staples fine, pages a little browning but not brittle, no spine split, cover and centerfold fully attached. A solid copy, I would grade it as a nice 4.0 or so. BUT, inside on about half of the pages little pieces are torn out (see pic for examples). Does not affect the story, all the pages are there, but obviously a defect! My questions: How much would that affect the grade? I mean I have seen CGC 3.0 with pieces bigger than that out of the cover, and these are inside and does not affect the story. But there are a dozen or so of them… How would CGC label that? I mean if the book is slabbed, they would have to say something, otherwise no one would know. For my own insurance how much should I downgrade the comic? From a 4.0 (let’s say if it didn’t have this issue) to what? 1.8, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5? For a comic like this one grade difference is a grand or two! Thanks all - John

I have been collecting since the late '70's, as a kid with my dad. When he passed 15 years ago I sold the bulk with help of a local Comic Store owner. But I kept a few I really liked, and started buying a few key issues I always wanted and now display about 50 or so on my wall throughout the house (behind UV resistant plexiglass). Whenever I buy a new book graded by CGC the first thing I do when I get it is crack it open and discard the case. After all, how to you actually check the comic if you don't? Plus it's a comic book, the whole point is to read it, and then in my case display it! So I was in a comic store the other day (first time in like 15 years) and talking to the owner (I brought a few books to see if he was interested) and when I showed him pics of my comics on the wall and that I discarded the CGC cases for ones I bought he was in shock! So question. Am I unusual is breaking open my CGC cases? Or is that normal among actual collectors? (as opposed to those who just buy books to flip and make a profit). I'd like to think actual collectors don't only look at their comics entombed in plastic and and enjoy actually holding the book itself! Thanks, - John