jbud73

My quote was not entirely direct at you shrunk - it was just a notion based on having been through this before. I find there are more and more posts in BA horror directed at trying to ascertain the market - I think a reading of your comments indicated that you are doing this so as not to get on your purchases as a collector. But a lot of posts lately, not on this board entirely, is the specs trying to get a handle on what they can fleece the sheep for. I own a lot of BA Horror not as much as some but enough - so ppl may say hey whats your beef, you collection is appreciating in value, but its not. Speculator increases are only advantageous to the collector IF they decide to sell during the period of hype - spec or dramatic increase. I have no intention of selling, so that leaves me buying, if I choose to in an inflated spec market. I have been subject to this before in other sections of the comic marketplace - it gets tiresome from time to time and I was just blowing of steam. Sometimes collectors are lucky to finish or get what they need before the spec bubble sometimes not, mostly I've been lucky to get in early. I have butted heads a little with others around here who's motives are not shall we say as pure. Look like any other collector I didnt create the knowledge I learned from others, but I have witnessed individuals come into niche markets before - obtain the necessary info and turn profits at the expense of the collector base. Its not like BA Horror needs to be some secret society, but lets not kid ourselves gentlemen we are at a point, not sure which on a partially spec driven upswing - too much info has passed my eyes to not see this as being true. So sorry if you misinterpretted my response shrunk, it was not intended as a personal attack just a tad of frustration at being witness to the phenomenon yet again. Anyone with experience in Pre-Code should have a far easier time navigating the BA stuff - good luck and I hope that you will share you experiences good and bad as you venture into the genre. PS. If I ever seriously venture into a Pre-Code Series I will be buying Poverty Row, keith, you and others a 6 hour conversation laden dinner.

I also think that there is a lot of raw BA horror out there. You must remember that slabbing is largely tied to selling and until the prices escalate across the board I dont think we will see the larger seller slabbing em mass. Having said that and I'm not an expert on AA pre-code (paging POV) but BA horror does seem to have an excessive amout of dark covers and heavy inks. This of course makes 9.4 and up more difficult - to what degree I think we shall see. Personally I detest the, its only good if its valuable thought process in comics. BA horror is great beyond the speculation impulses because the stories and art are awesome......

OK, first of all this book is not rare, 300,000 for print run sounds about right. Second WAY TO GO DAM60, way to fleece the sheep. Hope it gets you a nice Bats book for the run. The stupidity of predictability never ceases to amaze me . I have 10 copies myself, came in a collection I bought. I bet ya Chuck has about 10,000 copies, and Doug Sulipa probably has 10,000 more and Dolgoff might have 50,000 etceterra. Sunburnz, you see the problem is you missed the boat bro' the cat is definitely out of the Bag on this one and if DAM60 can get 200+ for his 9.8 and most of my and everyone elses copies are 9.4 or better, then hmmm wonder how much I can make of the sheep too? I'll probably be lazy like JC and not be worth my time to sub 'em but I seriosly doubt anyone's gonna pop ya a copy in NM+ for $5 so you can flip it for more cash during the speculator craze that is about to ensue. I mean no offense but Its not likely to happen. I think you may have little trouble finding a nice copy cheap on Ebay. But why would JC sell you a NM++ when he can slab it and made $200 profit if hes so inclined?

Um can we get this pinned at the top of the BA board, Arch??? I picked up about 45 BA horror books at WonderCon some of the scans will be up later in the week.

So where are we now, I missed the last 3 pages, FFB have you conviced them its Resto or are we gonna have to hang the jury.

Yes, and what you did is closer to "pro" pressing than using hundreds of pounds of pressure. Actually, you've just inspired me to experiment with an iron! I considered it once but never went through with it. I recommend practising on your expensive copies. That way, when your ready to do the moderns, you'll know what your doing. To quote That 70s Show..........BURN

A few points to consider, I believe that the book is a good, or thereabouts - I believe that Joe's post stated that he felt Ian's offer fair, and that it was in line with Metro's offer. This whole thing and the numerous threads and side conversations has really got me thinking about the collecting industry, and the Ian - Metro thing seems the rule as opposed to the exception. The entire hobby is in part based on knowledge and capital and screwing ppl over, as I've said one of the most significant discoveries and most importatn transactions ever was the MH Chuck - Church transaction whereby Chuck paid, what was it 2K for the collection, he had to BORROW THE MONEY, and then proceeded to make his entire livelyhood from that one transaction, whereby he basically butt surfed the Church's. Don't you think that that has not been noted over and over again and is now the yellow brick road map of how business is done in the comic industry. When DAM60 says it was Joe Conzolo's lottery ticket what do you think the underlying psychology is?? Truer words were never spoken. Do you think that Mr. Conzolo paid even 50% of guide for the Double Action 2 to the original owner? I'm willing to bet NOT. I have never met Joe and I don't begrudge him this its the acceptable status quo in our hobby. To illustrate how bad it is, even I am not immune. I purchased a collection of 3000 books last year, and paid about 40% guide, why? because the other dealers new they had a live one, and were not prepared to offer anymore. The deales have the visibility and the pockets to corner the collectors, this has been changing, with Ebay, but it is still the case more often that not. In my case their over abundant greed back fired for once and through sheer fluke I was introduced to this gentleman and extended myself to purchase the books. All the BA and SA are staying in my collection and only 25% of the rest mostly dupes are going up for sale. I'm sure a few of them are still kicking themselves for not putting up a fair offer and missing the opportunity to flip all the books for a significant profit - my heart bleeds friggin bastards. Its still the garage sale mentality, steal and over little old ladies who have no idea what they own. That is the over lying motto of this and so many other collectables industries. So the ppl that excel at it are the ppl at the top, trust me, whenI say you should detoxify yourself after you deal with them...........

I hope you weren't calling my son Logan an insufficiently_thoughtful_person See this is what happens when you gloss over a post to the point you think is funny, I forgot that you and Kev actually had children and the ppl used in the example were them...... Sorry Darth........ when did we all grow up? Things were so much easier when I was a kid and the only ppl that I knew who collected comics were kinds too.

Colin: Because no one collects comics anymore you insufficiently_thoughtful_person............

Why am I not surprised that this thread is the hot opic of conversation, I said it the very first time this came up with the More Funs and I will say it again........ When a book in the vein on a Double Action #2 comes up, you will usually have 3 or more protagonists involved all operating form 3 different perspectives, lets rehash the classic 3 using the examples found here. 1. THE SELLER - who I'm sorry, is trying to do one thing and one thing only, maximize thier profit potential. As we have seen this can mean more that $$, it can mean a nod and a wink from BSD Metro that the "Wheels are in Motion" and they have been granted access to the forbidden city that is Metropolis favouritism buyer status - for whatever thats worth 2. THE COLLECTOR - who is simply trying to get the book for the best price and thereby maximize the utility of their purchase vis a vie $$$ to product obtained. Who knows - in this case it would seem that Ian under bid, hard to know without knowing what it sold for - a detail that Metro will fight to their very last breath to NOT come out as it pins them into a segment for resale. What is for certain is that Ian's offer did NOT garner a sale, as he was threre early - maybe more $$$ would have, MAYBE THE SELLER WOULD HAVE SHOPPED IT REGARDLESS. Only the seller knows for sure. 3. THE DEALER - is after one thing and one thing only - PROFIT MARGIN in an ideal world there would be a mix between making money and passing on some profit attained to your customers with good deals, IE not squeezing every last cent out of them. But anyone who circulated areound the top of any industry, I can only speak of the political areana knows that a large % of those at the top play by ZERO SUM GAME RULES they don't win unless someone else loses I think Redhook's analysis is correct, Vince and the Metro gang know that this book was leveragble against alot of ppl including Ian. Maybe Ian should have seen this coming and bid more, now he most assuredly will PAY MORE, cause Metro will get their JUICE and, or cut and hey that just the way it is. This is how BSD become BSD, by getting to quote "Guy Ritchie" Their dirty little fingers in as many pieces of the pie as possible. Lets not hang Metro out on this one they are not alone - when books like a Double Action 2 come out, ethics are out the window, its kill your friend screw your family and destroy everthing that is in the way of your goal. Oh and the wheels are already in motion - read Vince's post, ' I sat down over dinner with my wife and pondered a price and who to sell it to control and power ladies and gentlemen, thats what its all about any business as successful as Metro knows this. They are already setting the wheels in motion to bleed every last cent out of this one...... It sickens me, but hey Carpe Diem.

As always, there's one side, the other side and, the truth - which usually falls somewhere in between. You know its sad, but most of the BSD's I've met in this business are some of the most cuniving, cut throat, down right dishonest ppl you would ever wanna meet. Its really sad that alot of the cream at the top of this hobby is sour. I wonder if the environment breeds the ppl, or vice versa. Think about the mentality that is behind the original, "wheels are in motion outburst" and the kindergarden chest thumping of Brulato's imfamous post a few months ago. HOWEVER HAVING SAID THAT - I HAVE NEVER DEALT WITH METROPOLIS ON A MAJOR TRANSACTION SO I CANNOT PERSONALLY SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS TACTICS - to do so would be hypocritical. However, in metros defense I have seen this over addiction in collectors as well - the step over everyone in pursuit of your own goals etc harrassment of sellers at shows etc etc, as laid out by Vince, yes believe me this exists. OF COURSE HAVING NEVER MET OR DIRECTLY CORRESPONDED WITH IAN I CAN'T SAY WITH CERTAINTY IF HE DISPLAYS THIS LACK OF CANDOUR BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. Gentlemen, I think maybe it is time to take this behind closed doors - though I will say that the "if you say one more thing about me I won't sell you the book mentality is childish as well." It could very well be a childish response to a childish harrassment by a slighty disjointed collector, at this point who knows. I guess I'm just glad that my collecting goals are rather simple - A solid complete run of Batman and Uncanny X-Men, you'd have to have alot of wheels in motion to stop that as I'm colse to finishing the X-men and will PATIENTLY be buying a Bat book once ever month or so for he next few years with no sense of urgency and alot of humility.

Hmmm, I'd sure like to have some of your non-high grade collection especially that entire run of SA Green Lantern from 1 up alot of them looked 9.0 to me.

If you alternate the spine side you could go higher that 20 and boards would help with spine roll. I'm sure that ninanina aka Herb will have some good advice here as his entire collection is stacked on shelves and hes got some serious books. For presentation its alot better after viewing Herb's collection and then seeing mine, a bunch of boxes the difference was noticeable. It might have preservation qualities as well with compression lessens air's ability to get at you books. The Mile High were stacked were they not? Again someone who's collection is actually stacked (IE ninanina) would be the person to consult for tips on making this work.

hmmmm, 19,000 in 20 years? I wonder could someone have a real, real nice raw copy. Nah couldnt be. Im just jealous