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surfer99

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Journal Entries posted by surfer99

  1. surfer99

    Enter the Black Suit

    By surfer99,

    Latest addition...
    So I was cruising around Phoenix Con last May hoping to find something for Art Adams and Jim Steranko to sign since they were both in attendance. I wish I had a decent book in my collection I couldve use but theyre all midgrade and I really wanted to find something nice. Ive never had much luck locating books in high grade at a con...theyre always overpriced or just nonexistent. As expected I struck out on finding a worthy Steranko book...although I did pick up a really nice looking Xmen book at my LCS recently that he did and Im hoping he will be back this year so I can get him to sign it.
    Anyway, I stopped by a small booth run by this guy and his son that looked promising so I asked if they had any high grade books I could check out. As luck would have it they had 3 small boxes of books for me to thumb through. To my delight I found not one, but three copies of Marvel Team Up 141...this book was on my radar because I knew Art Adams had worked on the cover. After gaining permission to do so I took each book out and carefully inspected the condition. I thought one was about a 9.2 so I quickly dismissed it, but the other two looked to be in pretty high grade so I picked the one with the most forgivable defects and bought it for like twenty bucks. Now Im wishing I wouldve bought the other one as well.
    Needless to say I was stoked when I opened the box from CGC last week to find that my copy of Marvel TeamUp 141 had achieved a grade of 9.8...highest grade on the census and currently only 1 of 51 with signature. Let me tell you, Im not a 9.8 or nothing kind of guy...depending on the book Im more than happy with a lower grade...but dude, 9.8! Haha. This book fits perfectly with my Secret Wars 8 and Amazing 300, both submitted by me and both achieving the coveted 9.8 grade. I dont know how I picked books of that quality, but I did and Im not complaining. Of course now the hunt is on to add a 9.8 worthy copy of Spectacular 90 and Amazing 252 to complete the Venom set. Ah, I love this hobby.
    Til next time...
    ***

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  2. surfer99
    Looking to stick with a familiar theme, but branch out into the...
    Silver Age! The early X-men guest star appearances from this time period (by special arrangement with X-men magazine) had some fantastic covers and the colors really pop off the page.
    I started my X-men collection in the Bronze Age with Hulk 181 (and later added Giant Size X-men 1) in CGC 8.0. Love these books, and the new team, but what really started to intrigue me were the X-men appearances that occurred when there was no X-men title. The focus of my collection for the past several years has been on obtaining 9.6 copies of these issues. For whatever reason that is the magic number I had to have, not 9.4, not 9.8, but 9.6- don't ask me why I just really like the 9.6. I suppose it could be because they're better than NM, but not as expensive as NM/MT. Anyway, I love these issues and will continue to collect them, along with high grade copies of the new team in X-men 94-143.
    So now this brings us to the Silver Age. I have been so fixated on getting only 9.6 copies that I never really considered collecting the earlier X-men appearances because I could never afford 9.6 copies of those. Then I realized, if 8.0 copies were good enough for my Hulk 181 and Giant Size X-men 1, then darn it, I can accept less than a 9.6 for my Silver Age X-men appearances as well! Will some of the lower grades still be expensive? Sure, but not so much so that they're unattainable. They are hard to find without overpaying though so wish me luck and as always I will let you know when/if I'm able to add any to my collection.
    P.S. I found a cool site another fan put together that gives a breakdown of all the X-men appearances, although I would use the term appearances lightly on some of these...
    Silver Age X-men appearances: http://www.justafanboy.com/SilverAgeXmen/
    Bronze Age X-men appearances: http://www.justafanboy.com/BronzeAgeXmen/
    Nice to know there are others out there who share my passion for these issues!
    Til next time...
     
    ***

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  3. surfer99
    What a crossover should be...
    It seems when Marvel first started doing these big crossover events, they would span across various titles...think Mutant Massacre, Gang War, and the Avengers vs Defenders War. I loved all these stories, and it was a great way for Marvel to get readers to buy titles they may not have otherwise because they wanted to follow the story. To Marvels credit, you could just stick to the titles you liked and still not miss a beat for the most part, but collecting all the titles allowed you to follow what was happening from various perspectives.
    The model Marvel uses today is more a miniseries format that may or may not spill over into the monthly titles. The most recent examples are Civil War, Dark Reign, World War Hulk, and now Age of Ultron. Sure, there were also stories like Secret Wars and the Infinity Gauntlet back in the day that had a miniseries with tie ins to the monthly titles but the tie ins were usually pretty weak and werent crucial to the main plot.
    Spoiler Alert for anyone that hasnt read Uncanny Avengers yet...
    On a completely unrelated note, just because its on my mind, I want to say that I am not a fan of the first story arc in Uncanny Avengers where the Red Skull puts Prof Xs brain in his head. First off, thats nasty, not to mention unrealistic. It also completely tarnishes the memory of such a great character. That would be like killing Peter Parker, taking the mind of Doc Ock and putting in Spidermans brain...oh wait. Seriously, is no one editing these storylines? Cmon Joe!
    Ok, sorry for the tangent. Now back to our regularly scheduled journal...
    I really miss the crossover events that did NOT include a miniseries. In fact I cant even think of the last time Marvel has done that in the past 10 years. Anyone? One of my favorite examples of this was the Xmen series, Fall of the Mutants. When it first came out I didnt collect every issue because I didnt want to spend money on titles that featured characters I didnt really care about so I passed on them. Now, years later, Ive gone back and collected them ALL, in addition to the aforementioned Mutant Massacre. Sure, I could have saved a bunch of money by buying the TPBs but I find it a lot more fun to open up each issue and read the stories as they were originally presented...old comic book smell and all. Its been a long time since I read these series, and there are some issues Ive never owned, so its going to be like reading them again for the first time and Im super stoked about that. What great series...creators like Marc Silvestri, Chris Claremont, and Walter Simonson. Villains like the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Apocalypse, and the Shadow King. As far as crossover events, it doesn't get much better as far as Im concerned.
    Lastly, thank you to Ronnylama and Tnerb for creating a registry set for Fall of the Mutants...might be a good idea to create one for Mutant Massacre, hint, hint. It was a big help in collecting the raw issues...though Im not sure how Hulk 340 relates, but I guess I will find out when I reread that classic issue again. Who knows, after I reread all the issues I may decide I want to get high grade slabbed issues of both sets, and get them all signed even. For anyone thats a fan of these characters and creators, I highly recommend collecting these sets for yourself...
    Mutant Massacre
    Uncanny Xmen 210
    Uncanny Xmen 211
    Uncanny Xmen 212
    Uncanny Xmen 213
    Uncanny Xmen 214
    X-Factor 9
    X-Factor 10
    X-Factor 11
    New Mutants 46
    Thor 373
    Thor 374
    Power Pack 27
    Daredevil 238
    Fall of the Mutants
    Uncanny Xmen 225
    Uncanny Xmen 226
    Uncanny Xmen 227
    New Mutants 59
    New Mutants 60
    New Mutants 61
    X-Factor 24
    X-Factor 25
    X-Factor 26
    X-Factor 27
    Captain America 339
    Daredevil 252
    Power Pack 35
    Fantastic Four 312
    Incredible Hulk 340
    Til next time...
     
    ***

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  4. surfer99
    Latest addition and one step away...
    Its official...my Xmen the Missing Years set is now 97% complete with the addition of Fantastic Four 103. Only one more book is needed to complete the set! Every book in this collection has been hard to find, and sometimes afford, in high grade but somehow Ive managed to get them all in NM- (9.2) or better with most being NM+ (9.6).
     
     
     
    I actually saw this copy for sale a couple of months ago, but the seller wanted almost twice what I was willing to pay for it. I emailed the seller an offer but they were only willing to come down like 18%...so I waited. The seller steadily dropped the price over the next couple of months until it finally landed on my initial offer and I made the purchase. I could have lost the auction to someone else, the seller could have stuck with his initial asking price and let the book sit unsold in limbo for years, but thankfully those things did NOT happen and it is now in my hot little hands.
     
     
     
    About this book...
     
    Release date was the same year I was born, 1970
     
    Part 2 of 3 in the Magneto/Sub-Mariner team-up to take over the world
     
    Features an awesome Thing vs. Sub-Mariner battle over land and sea...this is one instance where the cover doesnt let you down and you come to find out there was like a two second battle, haha
     
    Features a cameo by President Richard Nixon who would later be revealed in the pages of Captain America 175 to be Number One, leader of the Secret Empire
     
    Written and signed by Stan Lee on 9.8.12...this is the first time Ive ever bought a Signature Series book thats already signed
     
    Drawn by John Romita and signed by John Romita Jr. in homage to his father on 9.9.12
     
     
     
    With all that going for it I just couldnt pass up such a great book. I will continue to search for the last missing piece to my collection, but for now Im going to enjoy my FF 103 and go back and reread the whole storyline.
     
     
     
    Til next time...
     
     
     
    ***

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  5. surfer99
    Latest addition...
    OK, so I took the advice of my fellow collectors and decided not to bid on the raw copy of Tales of Suspense 49 that I wanted since the buyer would not guarantee the book was unrestored. I feel good about not pursuing that one, especially since I ended up being the winning bidder of another book that I really wanted...Fantastic Four 28! This seller seemed much more confident about their book being unrestored, and regardless of what the grade itself ends up being this book is just gorgeous! As long as it comes back with a blue label I am a happy man. I'll submit this one fast track at the Phoenix Con next month along with some others I'll submit as economy...even though I still have not received the 3 economy books I submitted at the Amazing AZ Con on 1.7.12.
    I forgot to mention the other 3 books I submitted at WonderCon when I wrote about that experience last month, so here they are...
    Avengers 47 probably a 9.2
    Avengers 53 hoping for a 9.4
    Sub Mariner 52 probably a 9.4
    I'll be sure to follow-up with the grades received on those when I receive them over the summer.
    Til next time...
     
    ***

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  6. surfer99
    Featuring the 1st appearance of Ronan...
    Its that time of year again when I need to curb my comic book spending...mounting debt and holidays approaching and all that. There are a half dozen books I really want to send to CGC, but again because of budget constraints I have to wait...which is fine. Of course this doesnt mean I have to stop collecting comics, I just cant spend as much as I would like. Fortunately Im still able to unearth amazing books from my LCS at a premium discount so not all is lost. Which brings me to the most recent addition I picked up and the title of this journal.
     
     
     
    Sifting through Silver Age back issues I found this beauty. I knew the significance of the book when I saw the cover and the condition looked to be VF to me...the price too was insanely low, so I snagged it. I'm not a huge Guardians of the Galaxy fan but I used to love watching Ronan battle the Silver Surfer back when Ron Lim was on that title so I have an affinity for the character.
     
     
     
    Now I guess the only question becomes do I eventually get it pressed and graded? I compared it to my Hulk 181 which is an 8.0 and the wear is very similar so Im thinking it has a great chance at that grade. Looking it up on eBay...cause who knows, I might need to sell it someday...the 8.0 graded copies are selling for about 200. The raw copies advertised in the VF range are going for about 75 to 100. Looking at the numbers and adding in applicable fees, the valuation is probably the same between graded and ungraded...either way I would be making like 10 times what I paid for the book which totally rocks. So what is the general consensus on this one...to grade or not to grade?
     
     
     
    Til next time...
     
     
     
     
     
    ***

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  7. surfer99

    Fast Track Rocks!

    By surfer99,

    Surprised at such a fast turnaround time...
    On Monday I received the lot I submitted to CGC at the Amazing AZ Con using Fast Track on 5.26.12. Honestly with as long as it took to receive my last batch, I was shocked to receive these so quickly. Im satisfied with all the grades except one which Im dumbfounded by, but Im letting that one go. These are the results...
    Xmen 112 formerly CGC 9.4, now CGC SS 9.4
    Xmen 128 formerly CGC 9.6, now CGC SS 9.4 with a cool Phoenix logo sketch...worth it
    Amazing Adventures 11 best guess 9.0, received CGC 9.0 WP
    Avengers 48 best guess 9.2, received CGC 8.5
    Fantastic Four 28 best guess 7.0, received CGC 7.5
    Xmen 95 best guess 9.0, received CGC 8.5 WP
    Xmen 126 best guess 9.6, received CGC 9.6 WP
    Xmen 133 best guess 9.8, received CGC 9.0
    Except for the Xmen 133 I think I did a pretty decent job with my estimates. There are a lot of things to be excited about with these results... 1. No PLODs, 2. None with page quality worse than Off White/White, 3. Coming within a grade or half grade of my predictions for all books but one, and 4. Receiving as good as expected or better grades for the two books I spent the most on...Amazing Adventures 11 and Fantastic Four 28.
    This grading stuff is not as easy as it looks and Ive been collecting comics for more than 20 years. As fun as it is, Im thinking I will submit less books in the future and gladly spend more to get a high grade copy of the book I want that someone else has already gone through the anxiety of having graded by CGC.
    Im waiting for one more batch of 3 books that I submitted at WonderCon. I will let you know how those turn out when I receive them!
    Til next time...
    ***

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  8. surfer99
    And other goodies...
    Yesterday was Free Comic Book Day and today is May the Fourth be with You Day. My youngest son and I paid a visit to our LCS and picked up a few free books. Then the comic shop owner brought a long box he had just purchased...books weren't even priced yet. I love it when I get first crack at the good stuff. I was able to pick up an ASM 238 NM, an ASM 300 NM...dare I say NM Plus, Warlock 1 VF NM, and Marvel Premiere 15 VF. My son paid for the Marvel Premiere with his own money and is very excited to send it off for press and grading...it will be his first graded book. I plan to do the same with the other books at Phoenix Con next month.
    The other quandary I have is that Herb Trimpe AND Len Wein will be at Phoenix Con...do I dare crack my Hulk 181 VF 8.0 for the signatures. It's the first CGC book Ive ever owned...my wife bought it for me for Christmas years ago so it has great sentimental value, and monetary value to boot. What if it drops in grade, even with a press. This is a rare opportunity to get these two gentlemen to sign this book...will it enhance the memory, or if it drops in grade will it take away from the memory. These are tough questions I cant seem to bring myself to answer. I am conservative by nature so to even think about doing this is crazy to me. Let me know your thoughts.
    Til next time...
     
    ***

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  9. surfer99
    The book that never was...
    I picked up what I would say is a NM copy of Giant Size Super Stars number 1 from my LCS awhile back. It features a cool Hulk vs. Thing cover and I thought maybe this was some reprint that Marvel rewrapped in a new cover, but no it actually was a new story and I really enjoyed it. I even considered getting it graded, but after checking eBay even 9.6 copies weren't selling at low prices so I decided just to keep it raw in my collection...it may not have investment value, but at least I have a very nice reading copy.
     
     
     
    So as I was looking through the ads and reading the previews...I know Im not the only one who enjoys doing this on these 60s and 70s books...I saw a preview for Giant Size Super Stars 2 featuring Morbius vs. Spiderman vs. Man Wolf. As it turns out, that book was never published and the Giant Size Super Stars title ended after issue 1, but it did continue in a way with Giant Size Fantastic Four 2. Now I'm wondering if that Spiderman story was ever published and just under a different title maybe, does anyone know?
     
     
     
    Til next time...
     
     
     
     
     
    ***

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  10. surfer99
    Looking good...
    As I shared in a previous journal, I had a couple of raw Bronze Age books pressed and graded at the Amazing AZ Con at the end of March. The books showed up on the registry as Shipped/Safe last week, but not one to spoil surprises, I refrained from peeking. Well, the books arrived and Im VERY happy with the results.
    1975 Marvel Team Up 38 CGC 9.4 with Off White to White Pages
    1973 Shanna The She Devil CGC 9.6 with Off White to White Pages
    Ok sure, the MTU 38 could have been better, but Ive been looking for that issue in 9.6 for years and havent had any luck, and I dont want to pay 200 bucks for a 9.8 copy. That being said, Im happy with the 9.4 grade. Cool Bronze Age Beast appearance...nice.
    The Shanna issue I thought was not in as good a shape as the MTU, so I was happily surprised to see it grade at 9.6. Once I found out this issue featured an early appearance of Professor X I went on the hunt for it. The only copy Id been able to find was on wwcomics.com and it had been sold already. Could it be...yes, xfiles had purchased this copy for his collection. Ugh. So, I found the best copy I could on eBay and the rest is history. I am adding this one to my Xmen the Missing Years set right now to further establish my dominance of this set, mmmwaahhaa...oh man, that bagofleas guy is getting in my head.
    Til next time...
    ***

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  11. surfer99
    Latest additions...
    Back in May I attended the Phoenix Con and submitted four modern books to CGC after obtaining signatures from Peter David and Bret Blevins. I dont usually collect graded copies of modern books but these were Xmen appearances and I couldnt pass up the opportunity to have them signed by the creators. A couple of weeks ago I saw they had hit Graded status...after Tnerb talked me down from the ledge I opted not to peek at the grades until they arrived in my hot little hands. Well, now they are here so I can share with you all...
    I opened up the box and saw the grades were facing up so I immediately turned them over so I could flip them one at a time to see the grades. Flipped the first one.
    Hulk 336, XFactor appearance. Predicted 9.8 and received 9.8SS...Peter David
    Nice, I got one right. Man, now Im really hoping issue 337 graded 9.8 as well so I can have a matched set.
    Flipped the next one.
    Xmen 211, Mauraders first appearance, CGC 9.8 given to me by Ronnylama...thank you again my friend...signed and sketch by Bret. Expected 9.8 and received 9.8SS
    Im really glad this one retained its grade. Even better, bagofleas footed the bill for the grading as a thank you for getting some of his New Mutants issues signed. Thank you again kind sir.
    Flipped the third one.
    Hulk 340, Hulk vs. Wolverine. Predicted 9.2, maybe a 9.4 after pressing and received 9.6SS...Peter David
    Wow, this was a pleasant surprise. Pressing really paid off in this case. Ive always loved this cover and now I have a great looking signed copy. Yea.
    Flipped the last one.
    Hulk 337, XFactor appearance. Predicted 9.8 and received 9.8SS...Peter David
    Yes, a matched set of 9.8SS and without pressing even. Score. I did pretty well with these moderns and may need to consider doing it again sometime if the right issues and creators come along.
    Til next time...
     
    ***

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  12. surfer99
    Latest addition, 1st appearance...
    Its 1.11.2012 and what do I see? Not one, but two of the comics I want for my collection come up for sale on ComicLink that you rarely ever see show up in this condition. To date I had only seen these come up for sale like once every couple of years. Problem is I cant afford both, no way. So I make my choice, and its Fantastic Four 104 CGC 9.6. I wont go into it here about why I wanted this issue so badly but if youre interested you can check out the journal I wrote about it on 2.4.2012. As Im sure youve surmised by now, the other book I had to pass on at the time was Giant Size Fantastic Four 4 CGC 9.6. Apparently this exact book, serial number and all, sold on ComicLink earlier this year and I didnt see it. Dont you hate it when that happens?
    Anyway, the buyer put the book up for sale on eBay a couple months later and was asking twice what he had paid. Ouch. Im not paying that so I offered 200 less than what they were asking. No dice. The seller lowered the price 100 then 150 of their original price but it still didnt sell. I was tempted to go up on my offer for fear that someone else would snag it but I took Tnerbs advice and stuck to my guns. Instead I asked the seller if they would accept my original offer...which was 100 more than it sold for earlier in the year...and just do the transaction direct through PayPal. He finally accepted and I was thrilled. I made payment as soon as the transfer of funds completed and the seller shipped that same day. Now the waiting game begins.
    According to usps.com my book should be arriving today, Saturday. Ive decided I cant wait anymore, its 2pm so Im gonna go see if the mailwoman delivered my comic. Sigh, nope. Now its 4pm so Im checking again. Well, the mailwoman showed up but no comic. Grrr. Pulling up tracking info on usps.com now and it says item was attempted delivery at 12pm but address is undeliverable so it is being returned to sender. What...the...heck. Tried calling PO...they closed 2 hours ago and wont reopen until Monday, of course. Reaching out to seller now. If they printed the shipping label using the address in PayPal then this should not have happened. On the other hand if they hand wrote the shipping label and misprinted something then that would explain it. Nope, they printed the shipping the label right off of PayPal so this has to be a PO error. Cant do anything about it until Monday at this point.
    Its Monday morning and I call the PO. I pity anyone that has ever tried to navigate this IVR in an attempt to reach a human being. Finally I am being transferred...I wait for 10 min when all of a sudden the hold music stops. Im like hello, anyone there...aaaaannd Im disconnected. I dial back into the IVR from h-e-double hockey sticks and eventually reach someone. First thing I say is how sorry I am for the grief they must receive from customers about their IVR...I am very sympathetic and polite. After all, this person didnt invent the automated system that led me to them, and they didnt fail to deliver my package. The agent was cool and said he cant stand the IVR either, then he gave me a trick to get around it. Nice guy. He brought up my tracking number, confirmed the address is correct, said the postwoman must not have read the address closely enough, emailed the local PO and asked them to redeliver immediately. The package was diverted from Tuscon and made its way back to me today, delivered! Totally pays to be nice.
    With the drama ended I am SO happy to finally have this book in my hands, and now framed on my wall. So why all the fuss? Whats so great about this issue anyway?
    1. This is the last appearance of one of the original Xmen, dated February 1975, before the new Xmen were introduced in August 1975. The Xman in question is their founder, Professor X, who was last seen battling Magneto in The Defenders 16.
    2. This is the first appearance of Jaime Madrox, The Multiple Man. Ive always liked this character and its cool to read about his origin and meeting with Professor X for the first time. I had been waiting until the graded book was in my hand before rereading my beater copy so Im looking forward to revisiting this story.
    3. This fills a huge whole in my Xmen the Missing Years set. Not counting the books Im still waiting for CGC to return to me, I only need 4 more issues to complete the set! This particular book, in this condition, has taken me the longest to find...5 years to be exact. Its very satisfying to check this one off the list for sure.
    Thanks for sticking with me as I recapped my experience in finally obtaining this book. All is right with the world. Now I get to be excited about Phoenix Con on Friday...even though CGC wont be there. Big question mark on whether I crack open my Hulk 181 to get it signed, but either way I know Im gonna have a blast. Tnerb, wish you were here man.
    Til next time...
    ***

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  13. surfer99
    Wish I didn't...
    I told Tnerb I would wait til I received the books from CGC but that could be another month or more away so Im writing this now. I had 3 invoices I submitted at ECCC...2 Universal and 1 Signature. I filled out 1 CCS form onsite to press some books I picked up at the show, these were Universal...the other 2 invoices I only used CGC forms but was assured they would be sent to CCS first. I saw the Universal invoice that was to go through CCS move to Verified status a couple of weeks ago but no news on the other two...and none of the invoices ever appeared on CCS.
    I called CCS a couple of days ago to find out if they knew what the status was on any of my invoices. They assured me that the 1 Universal invoice in Verified at CGC had been pressed but the other 2 invoices went straight to CGC and are already graded...without pressing. If I want them pressed at this point I would have to pay for re-grading in addition to the pressing fees. I was told that I should have written PRESS in large print on the CGC forms to ensure they got pressed first. It was also explained that the reason I didnt see the other 2 invoices on the CGC site is because my account number probably wasnt listed on the forms...I checked later and it WAS on the forms so that makes no sense to me.
    I notice now on the CCS form there is a check box that says Send to CGC...there is no check box on the CGC form that says anything about Pressing or CCS. I asked when I was there...after filling out the one CCS form and the two CGC forms...if I needed to fill out both the CGC and CCS forms and was assured that I did not. I wish I would have done it anyway, or paid closer attention to the check boxes. It is what is at this point...now Im just waiting to see what the grades are when they get here, and without the pressing Im not very optimistic. Such a bummer.
    Thanks for listing...
    ***

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  14. surfer99

    Hidden Treasure?

    By surfer99,

    Heard about a comic stash...
    So a friend of mine told me he was in downtown Phoenix a few days ago at an electronics reclamation store and he ran across several boxes of comics buried in the backroom amongst all the other stuff they had for sale there. He knew I collected comics so he gave me a heads up in case I wanted to go check em out. Today was that day. Would I find an Amazing Fantasy 15 or Fantastic Four 1 like Ronnylama and Tnerb jokingly suggested, or more likely would I find the junk I expected?
    I arrived at the store which was in a seedy part of town (thankfully it was daylight), parked my truck in the dirt parking lot, and walked through the front door with bars on it (and the windows). I was immediately overwhelmed with the smell of what reminded me of my grandmother's house mixed with an auto repair shop garage and dust. The older man and woman who worked there were nice enough and left me to my own devices as I took a look around what turned out to be a huge warehouse full of all kinds of...well, stuff. Lots of old electronic equipment and small box after small box of various machine parts.
    As I walked around I tried to soak in all the odd things I was seeing in this warehouse including dusty old musical instruments, old photography equipment, stuffed panda bears with real working fish tanks for stomachs, credit card machines, a dirty litter box in the corner, a wall of military patches, barber chairs, outdoor lighting, and a bunch of stuff that I had no idea what it was. Finally I came upon a row that had like 20 small boxes of comics on the top! This was it...what the heck could they have hidden here? Find out next week when I continue this journal...
    OK, that would be pretty messed up after I got you all sucked into this story, right? So, Im looking at the first box and its got all these oddball Image and Independent titles from like the last decade or whatever, and a few DC and Marvel oddities from the same time period...not exactly what Im lookin for. The first thing I noticed about the books tipped me off to what I was really looking at...all the backing boards had a store stamp for Atomic Comics. This was a local store...actually they had 3 stores here...that closed its doors several years ago. I always wondered what happened to all their inventory. Im sure they sold all the good stuff online or to other comics shops and then all the leftovers, well they landed here. Then it hit me...this reclamation store, this is where businesses go to die once they go out of business. Hey look over there...stacks of old DVDs with Blockbuster stickers. Yep, suspicions confirmed. Kind of sad really, but interesting to see all this old stuff.
    I still took the time to look through the rest of the boxes. You never know right? Maybe somebody missed something. Oh, here are some XFactor books...nope, issue 7 was as close as I was gonna get to issue 6. Dang. I got really excited when I saw Hulk 289, 288, 286, 281...come on this is one of those junk issues thats gotta be here, but no...there is no issue 271. Sigh. Well, I didnt find any gems, but I gotta say I did have fun on the journey. Now I feel like heading to the flea markets and looking on Craigs List in search of comic treasure. Nah, I think I will get ready for ECCC instead!
    Til next time...
    ***

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  15. surfer99
    Latest addition?
    You know, I told myself I wasn?t going to buy any comics this year because I?ve been spending too much in my opinion. I love collecting comics, but really there are others things in life I could be spending my money on?painting the house, buying new appliances, paying off credit card debt, putting money in savings (we are crazy to spend like the money will always be there), not to mention going on a mission trip to love and serve those extremely less fortunate in Malawi or Haiti (I want to do this soon). So the realization I came to was rather than do away with comic spending all year like I?d planned, I?ll just limit my expenses.
    I tried to pick up a copy of Fantastic Four #104 CGC 9.6 on ComicLink recently but I was outbid last minute (OK, which one of you snagged my book!?). I love that issue because of the great cover and it features one of my favorite villains. Alas, it was not meant to be. That?s OK though, I am happy with my consolation prize that is the title of this article- Hulk #161. This book has been on my want list for a long time, it?s part of Marvel Masterworks X-men Vol. 7 which I?m collecting the individual issues of, and the price was right ($60 less than it?s been on eBay). That?s a purchase I feel good about, and it looks great framed and mounted on my wall (Frame-It Again Sam frames work GREAT!) next to my other top 8 books (hey, just thought of that- I should pick up a couple more frames so I?ll have a ?Top 10?).
    This will move me up a little in the rankings, but not as much as I?d like?I prefer to be in the top 500. For now though I?ll have to be content with moving just past the poor old duck loving man?no really, his member name is ?pooroldman? and he has a nice Donald Duck collection.
    Til next time?
    ***

  16. surfer99

    Hulk 181 CGC SS

    By surfer99,

    I managed not to peek...
    I was telling Tnerb as soon as I saw the book had been shipped safe that I REALLY wanted to check the grade online, but somehow I managed to contain myself. I have never had more anxiety about the grade of any book in my life. This book has a lot of significance for me for a number of reasons. Sure its the first appearance of Wolverine, but more importantly its the first graded comic Ive ever owned...a beautiful 8.0 copy given to me by my wife 2006 as a Christmas present. Now I can blame her for all of the money spent on CGC books since that time, .
     
     
     
    Anyway, while checking out who was going to be attending Phoenix Con this year I saw the names Len Wein and Herb Trimpe. Now why do those names sound familiar? Ohhh yeah, the writer and artist who created Wolverine! Hey, how cool would it be if they signed my Hulk 181? Then again, what if the grade dropped...that is too horrible a thought, Im not gonna do it. Besides, CGC isnt going to be there anyway so they cant witness the signatures. How can CGC not be there? This is Phoenix Con, its huge. Let me check the boards to see if anyone else is going and if there are other options. Turns out a very nice gentleman by the name of Hank Pym was going to be there...and he was a certified CGC witness. Ive never used a witness and didnt know how the process worked. I reached out to Hank and he was more than happy to assist me if I wanted to get my book signed. Now comes the days of indecision...should I or shouldnt I? Ultimately I decided, if it happened, a lower grade Hulk 181 signed by both creators was more prized to me than an unsigned 8.0 copy. Besides, its not like I would ever part with this book so what the heck.
     
     
     
    The result...if you havent peeked already...is below. I am extremely pleased it turned out the way it did. No regrets whatsoever with the decision. Hank had his reservations because the signatures arent very prominent, but I really like the signature placement...Lens blends in with the shadowing of the Hulks muscles and Herbs blends in nicely with the pants. This is cool to me cause it doesnt take away from the art itself. Thank you again Hank for being there for me throughout the process, and to Tnerb for encouraging me to go for it while I seesawed back and forth.
     
     
     
    Til next time...
     
     
     
     
     
    ***

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  17. surfer99

    I Like Comics

    By surfer99,

    Felt like writing...
    Just chillin on a Saturday night and had comics on the brain so thought I would write about them. It's been cool reading Tnerb's journals this month and seeing some great books, like that DD 7..even if it IS only a 5.5 haha. Just kidding, I would totally take that book in a 5.5 even. DD is a pretty cool character and Im sure Im one of the few who actually enjoyed the DD movie.
    Lately Ive been buying fewer and fewer modern books and more and more Silver and Bronze books. Tales of Suspense has been my favorite with Captain America. Anyone else think Cap should have started his title at number one and Iron Man at number 100 instead of the other way around? Iron Man was on that book first after all. Oh well.
    Ive also been enjoying Strange Tales with Nick Fury. I even picked up a crossover appearance of Nick in a monster book, cause you know I love crossovers...Creatures on the Loose 35. Havent read it yet, but lookin forward to it. Thats the problem with the older books...they cost a lot more than Modern books so I have to savor them longer before reading and filing them.
    The last cool book I bought was from my LCS last week. Journey Into Mystery 107 featuring the first appearance of the Grey Gargoyle. Its only in VG but still nice for a reading copy. I wont go into it here, but Im sure Im not alone when I say that the only real Thor is the Odinson and the only real Cap for that matter is Steve Rogers. I will leave it at that.
    OK thats enough writing for now. Gonna go read Iron Fist 12...that is a cool Cap story. Hope everyone has a great weekend!
    ***

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  18. surfer99
    Latest addition.
    What can I say? I love high grade Marvel comics from the 1970's featuring guest appearances of my favorite characters and GREAT covers like this! Hulk #172 CGC 9.6= $200. Hulk and Juggernaut smashing through a wall together causing untold amounts of destruction= priceless. This is what comic book collecting should be!
    Sure, if you're lucky you can find a Hulk #181 CGC 5.0 for around the same price, but keep in mind there are currently 2976 copies of that book on record at that grade or higher (according to the CGC census). Conversely, there are only 25 copies listed of Hulk #172 in CGC 9.6 or higher. To get an idea of the rarity factor, do a search on eBay for Hulk 181 CGC and Hulk 172 CGC and see how many you can find of each. I'm not saying Hulk #181 isn't a great book, I've got a CGC 8.0 copy myself, but in terms of collectibility my money's on the book that has everything going for it (rarity due to condition, rarity due to age, limited availabilty, great cover and a high action crossover featuring my favorite characters).
    On a completely unrelated note...my Phoenix Suns traded Shawn Marion for Shaq. I will have to take the high road like everyone else and reserve judgment on that one, but a championship would be nice! Go Suns!
    ...

  19. surfer99
    Disneyland goodness...
    My family and I just got back from spending the weekend at the happiest place on Earth...Disneyland. Thats right, we are big Mickey Mouse fans, and proud of it. We cant get enough, and bought annual passes for the first time earlier this year. Its cheaper to do that than to visit twice in the same year so it was definitely worth it for us. The drive from AZ is a little long, about 6 hours, but we have such a good time we dont mind it too much. The park is really cool this time of year too because its all decked out in a Halloween theme. Space Mountain has a spooky space ghost thing going on...pretty freaky really. The best is the Haunted Mansion with a Nightmare Before Christmas theme that even includes this HUGE gingerbread house in the ball room scene, made out of real gingerbread...it even smells like gingerbread during that part of the ride. Im telling you, those imagineers at Disney are genius.
    New this year to the Innovations attraction was an Iron Man exhibit. My wife told me about this...they have all the different Iron Man suits from the various movies on display as you can see in the pic below. Even up close they look real. They also had this virtual reality type deal where you stand on this 3 foot diameter circle on the floor and face a TV monitor where you see yourself on the screen in Tony Starks workroom slash garage just like in the movie. First, the armor starts flying onto the image of you on screen until youre all decked out in the suit...then you reach out your hands like youre grabbing for the helmet and the image of you on screen puts the helmet on...so cool. Now that you have the Iron Man suit on you get to do a weapons test, aka target practice with your repulsors, and then finally a test flight around the room by leaning forward, backward and side to side. How cool is that. My understanding is that sometime in October the Iron Man exhibit is going away and they will be showcasing a Thor exhibit instead. Looks like I need to check my vacation calendar.
    Til next time...
     
    ***

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  20. surfer99
    Be sure you?re insured.
    I don?t know about you, but sometimes I think to myself, ?What if someone stole my collection?? or ?What if my collection was destroyed by fire?? The first thing that came to mind for me was, ?I should be fine because I have homeowners insurance?. Maybe, maybe not. Take a look at some of the highlights below from the following article: http://www.comicartfans.com/SubNewsDetails.asp?NID=1377
    If you watch the news, you know unexpected tragedies like burglaries, fires and natural disasters happen every day. But what may be even more unexpected to some victims is finding out most homeowners insurance does not adequately cover their cherished collections.
    Even if your collection is covered, you may not be able to make a claim unless you have your collection listed on a schedule. Claims settlement may be based on actual cash value rather than the replacement value of the collectible. Finally, losses caused by flood, hurricane and earthquake may not be covered under the terms of your homeowner?s policy.
    If you are utilizing your homeowner?s policy to cover your collectibles, be sure to call your agent or insurance representative to discuss the coverage available under your policy. Put your understanding of the coverage in writing and request a written acknowledgement and comments.
    Make sure your collectibles are not valued at cost or depreciated value; in most cases collectibles appreciate rather than depreciate in value. Collectibles should be valued for insurance purposes at replacement value, or the cost of acquiring similar quantities and quality of collectibles.
    In the event that tragedy strikes, you can expedite matters and maximize your claim by taking a few simple steps:
    1. Create and maintain an inventory of your collection. Having a current inventory helps you and the insurance carrier substantiate the value of the claim.
    2. Take pictures or video of your collection and keep them with your inventory. When taking photos or video, be sure to capture any and all markings that will authenticate the piece.
    3. Keep purchase records such as receipts and invoices. If possible, scan these records to a computer so you have electronic copies.
    4. Keep a copy of your inventory, pictures/video and purchase records in a secure, secondary location from where your collection is housed, such as a safe deposit box or e-mail or save them to your work computer.
    Granted, in the grand scheme of things, comics are just ?things? and things can be replaced, but you should still be smart about protecting your investment. I contacted my insurance agent and fortunately for me, my collection is covered by my homeowners under ?personal property?, and at full ?replacement value? with no ?schedule? required (the only damage not covered would be from floods, hurricanes and earthquakes). FYI- when I contacted Collectibles Insurance Services, LLC they quoted me about $50/year per $10,000 in coverage. Not a bad price for peace of mind, but still more than the $29/year my insurance company would charge me for the same unlimited coverage were I to get my collection appraised and scheduled.
    Til next time?
     
    ***

  21. surfer99
    Latest addition...
    I wrote a journal a couple weeks ago about how I had just spent more than I ever have before on a comic book. Well, that book has arrived and is now framed and hanging on my wall. Most of you have probably already scrolled down to take a look at the picture so I will just come out with it...the book is Amazing Adventures 11 CGC 9.6 with white pages! Tnerb was closest to guessing the issue with his suggestion that it was an Xmen appearance from the time between teams (Xmen 66-94). Its just such a historic time for the characters, I love it.
    This is the most expensive Xmen appearance during that period and honestly I never expected to own a copy in this grade. With the black cover and the significance of the issue...first appearance of Beast with fur...this is a rare book to find in such great condition (thus the hefty price tag). My initial intent was to buy the best looking copy I could find raw and have it graded, which I did. The book I sent in came out a 9.0 which I was happy with. Now I had my sights set on a 9.6 copy which my wife couldnt understand but she supported nonetheless.
    So what changed? A couple of things...one, the other rare (in high grade) Xmen appearances I have displayed are all in CGC 9.6 condition with white pages so if I wanted to display this issue it had to fit the same criteria. Two, after creating the Xmen The Missing Years set I was quickly booted from the top spot by someone who had also obtained a copy of this issue in this grade...and I aim to reclaim the number one ranking. Not being petty, just competitive, and having fun!
    As an added bonus, I was able to sell my 9.0 copy, at a profit no less, and will be using the money to buy another issue. I will let you know how that turns out in another journal. Right now, I am going to reread Amazing Adventures 11 and admire the high grade copy I have displayed!
    Til next time...
    ***

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  22. surfer99
    All things considered, it was worth it...
    After waiting for what seemed like an eternity, I?ve received my books back from CGC (check out my 04/06/2009 journal entry if you wanna see my estimated grade of each comic prior to submission). Obviously I?m disappointed with some of the grades received, but overall I?m happy with the results and I will definitely consider submitting my own books again. Unfortunately, next time will be more expensive since CGC raised their rates and changed the Modern tier from 1975-Present to 1980-Present. Glad I got these in when I did, and I even submitted a few more prior to the 05/01/2009 price change!
    Here are the official results from CGC:
    Daredevil #196 CGC 9.6
    Daredevil #257 CGC 9.6
    The Punisher #10 CGC 9.8 (highest on census)
    Hulk 8 CGC 9.8 (highest on census)
    Wolverine #1 CGC 9.4
    Wolverine #3 CGC 9.6
    Wolverine #4 CGC 9.6
    Wolverine #5 CGC 9.8 (highest on census)
    Wolverine #6 CGC 9.6
    Wolverine #7 CGC 9.8 (highest on census)
    Wolverine #8 CGC 9.4
    Wolverine #9 CGC 9.8 (highest on census)
    Wolverine #10 CGC 9.6
    Uncanny X-men #105 CGC 9.0
    Uncanny X-men #268 CGC 9.4
    Spectacular Spider-man #17 CGC 9.6
    Spectacular Spider-man #18 CGC 9.6
    Alpha Flight #17 CGC 9.4
    The Champions #17 CGC 9.6
    Captain America Annual 8 CGC 9.0
    Lessons learned: you can never predict exactly how CGC will grade a book, but you can significantly increase your chances of receiving the grades you want by submitting more than just a few books at a time; if you have any reservations about sending in a book for fear that it might not grade as high as you?d like, don?t send it in- just buy a copy that?s already graded. Overall, I?m very satisfied with the way things turned out- every issue even came back with WHITE pages (nice!). We?ll see if this keeps me in the top 500 on the census for awhile, although I?ll likely sell some of these in an effort to upgrade my collection. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the journals. It?s been a fun process.
    Til next time?
     
    ***

  23. surfer99
    Choosing the right books?
    So here?s the thing. Do you send raw books to CGC for grading, or do you buy books that are already graded? For the most part I like to buy books that are already graded. Yes, it?s expensive, but I know exactly what I?m getting and there is zero risk involved. However if I can find the raw books I want in high grade for a good price then why not submit them myself and try to save some money? [NOTE: It?s a good idea to ask lots of clarifying questions about the condition of a book before buying from an auction site like eBay. Some sellers will list a book as NM/MT when in reality the book may have several defects that clearly keep it from grading that high...I found this out the hard way.]
    For me personally it makes the most sense to submit raw books from the Bronze Age and some early Modern Age that I would expect to grade high and that are valued at $200 or less. The cost of grading these books (1975-present) is much less ($15.00 per book) than that of older more expensive books ($29.00-$37.00 per book) and the initial investment is minimal so the risk is well worth the potential reward. If you haven?t already, you should also go through your existing collection and submit those books you love that have a good chance of making the grade. I?m a big Wolverine fan so I pulled together several issues to complete a #1-10 run and found a couple of other noteworthy books that hopefully will do well. Having said all that, I anxiously await the results and return of the following books I just sent to CGC today?
    Existing copies from my collection:
    The Punisher #10 NM+ (1988), Daredevil crossover
    Hulk 8 NM/MT (1999), Wolverine appearance
    Wolverine #3 NM/MT (1989), Silver Samurai appearance
    Wolverine #4, NM+ (1989)
    Wolverine #8 NM+ (1989), Hulk appearance
    Wolverine #10 NM+ (1989), Sabretooth appearance
    Uncanny X-men #105 NM- (1977), Firelord appearance
    Uncanny X-men #268 NM/MT (1990), Captain America appearance
    Purchased copies from eBay over the past several months:
    Spectacular Spider-man #17 NM+ (1978), Iceman and Angel appearance
    Spectacular Spider-man #18 NM+ (1978), Iceman and Angel appearance
    Alpha Flight #17 NM+ (1984), Wolverine appearance (X-men #109 cover swipe)
    The Champions #17 NM+ (1978), Sentinels, Iceman and Angel appearance
    Captain America Annual 8 NM+ (1986), Wolverine appearance
    Daredevil #196 NM+ (1983), Wolverine appearance
    Wolverine #1 NM+ (1988)
    Wolverine #5, NM/MT (1989)
    Wolverine #6, NM/MT (1989)
    Wolverine #7, NM/MT (1989), Hulk appearance
    Wolverine #9, NM/MT (1989)
    Daredevil #257 NM+ (1988), Punisher crossover
    I?ll let you know how these come out once I receive them back from CGC and we?ll see how bad I am at grading. What?s the worst that can happen right? Oh yeah?they could all come back 7.5 (Aarrgghh!!). Dude, if that happens I?m sticking with buying slabbed books from now on, period. Wish me luck!!!
     
    Til next time?
     
    ***

  24. surfer99
    More to follow...
    I dont want to give it away just yet, but I just won a ComicLink auction for a high grade book Ive wanted for a long time. This is an amazing book and I cant wait to get it in my hands! I spent more on this book than I ever have on any other. I figured Id treat myself since I got a nice bonus at work. If I hadnt won this book I would have settled for Iron Fist 14 and Daredevil 168 in CGC 9.6. It was a tough choice, but this is the one I really wanted. I will share more when I receive it, and if you can guess the book I won before then you will receive an unofficial No Prize!
    Til next time...
    ***

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  25. surfer99

    Ka-zar #2 CGC 9.6

    By surfer99,

    Latest addition...
    Can I just say that Im still pumped about my last addition, Amazing Adventures 11 CGC 9.6? After acquiring that copy I was able to sell my 9.0 copy which in turn allowed me to buy the book in the title of this journal. This book was high on my wish list for a few reasons, none of which are listed on the CGC label. First, its written by Jerry Siegal, the creator of Superman. How cool is that? This is part 1 of a 3 part story he wrote. Second, this is the first time we see an Xmen character, Angel, since the Xmens own title essentially ended with issue 66 in March 1970 when the reprints began. Third, this book gets me one step closer to retaking the top spot in the Xmen the Missing Years set. I only have until June to make that happen when the registry awards close so wish me luck!
    Besides the new Angel story which...SPOILER ALERT...chronicles the death of Warren Worthington Jr., Angels dad, this issue also reprints Daredevil 12 and 13. Marie Severin does a great job with the cover too by doing a flipped stat of Daredevil 12 in homage to John Romita.
    After picking up this issue I got to thinking...after the Xmen title began the reprints, I wonder when each of the heroes or villains from that original series made their next appearance in a new story, and who was the author that made it happen? Am I the only person that thinks of these things, or cares? Probably, but Im going to share the answers I found with you anyway...
    Magneto... September 1970, Fantastic Four 102...Stan Lee story
    Angel... December 1970, Ka-Zar 2...Jerry Siegal story
    Iceman... January 1971, Amazing Spiderman 92...Stan Lee story
    Professor X... May 1971, Avengers 88...Harlan Ellison story
    Beast... March 1972, Amazing Adventures 11...Gerry Conway story
    Havok, Polaris...April 1972, Incredible Hulk 150...Archie Goodwin story
    Jean Grey, Blob, Mastermind, Unus the Untouchable... May 1972, Amazing Adventures 12...Steve Englehart story
    Sunfire... August 1972, Sub-Mariner 52...Bill Everett story
    Sentinels... August 1972, Avengers 102...Roy Thomas
    Mimic...March 1973, Incredible Hulk 161...Steve Englehart story
    Cyclops...September 1973, Marvel Team-up 4...Gerry Conway story
    Juggernaut... January 1973, Amazing Adventures 16...Steve Englehart story
    Banshee...April 1974, Captain America 172...Steve Englehart story
    Living Monolith...May 1978, Marvel Team-up 69...Chris Claremont
    Many of these I own in high grade, some I still want to find. I found it interesting that Angel was the first Xman to make an appearance and that Cyclops and Juggernaut were so much later than the others. Consequently, Angel was also the first Xman to ever appear in a crossover involving the Xmen...Tales of Suspense 49. That is a book I definitely want to add to the collection as well, but it will have to wait awhile due to the high cost for a decent copy. In the meantime, let the hunt continue for other great Xmen appearances. Of course I will continue to take you along this journey with me as well.
    Til next time...
    ***

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