Wayne-Tec

That it does! I've only seen one other copy with white pages and it's on eBay right now last time I checked (not sure if a board member owns it or not). There's a chance that mine is one of only two graded copies in existence with white pages! A very special copy indeed. Thanks! I love the name too and don't worry, with the types of books I know you have in your collection...I'm sure it will only be a matter of time. (thumbs u

AMAZING! I mean really...WOW!! How is that even possible? Might very well be the most impressive Pre-Robin Tec run I've seen to-date. Literally, every book there is amazing but I'm particularly fond of your Tec #33. Wonder why?

I also figured it might be fun to keep a checklist of how many copies of each issue we've seen posted here in the Pre-Robin Tec Club. Obviously this will be far from scientific as I'm sure other members have copies of various issues that they might not post here specifically or might post elsewhere on the boards; but if this thread catches on, we might begin to get a more accurate reflection of what people have. Here's what we've seen so far... Tec #27: 0 Tec #28: 1 Tec #29: 0 Tec #30: 0 Tec #31: 1 Tec #32: 1 Tec #33: 1 Tec #34: 0 Tec #35: 1 Tec #36: 4 Tec #37: 1 Amazing stuff; keep em coming guys. (thumbs u

WOW! Every book there is simply unbelievable but your Tec #28 is my favorite of the bunch. Detective Comics #28 = very tough to find. Detective Comics #28 unrestored = impossible. Detective Comics #28 unrestored in that grade = is that even real?

That was a GREAT acquisition on your part. I remember being a bit jelous when you first picked it up and thinking to myself..."when am I ever going to be fortunate enough to own one of those?". Welcome to the club bro. (thumbs u

Well, if you insist... Detective 31 - picked up this copy within the past few years in a trade with a good friend (local collector). It has slight professional restoration, but near white pages and presents very well in my humble opinion. Detective 35 - obtained this nearly three decades ago out of an ad from The Comics Buyers Guide. Wonderful colors and great pages, but the top staple was popped so I had it re-attached. So again, slight professional restoration but another copy that I think presents very well. Love 'em both! Thanks for sharing. This is one of the reasons I have a feeling that I'm going to love this thread. People often talk about these books but I'm just as interested in learning about the history behind both the issues themselves and the specific copies collectors have managed to acquire. There are often stories to be told; we're already beginning to read some of them and I find people's enthusiasm to be contagious. Both of your copies are beautiful and present VERY well. I especially love your #31. Great to hear that you've managed to hold onto your #35 for so long as well. We often see the same copies circulate between auction houses and eBay so it's nice to see an owner hold onto a treasure like that for so many years. (thumbs u

I think Detective33kid is excited about owning his Tec 33, I still enjoy reading about board members who still get a kick out of owning a grail/key book. Thanks for the support. (thumbs u And "excited" would be an understatement. I've owned some amazing coverless/incomplete books over the years but before now...owning a book of Tec #33's caliber with at least a front cover has been nothing short of a dream.

Both beautiful copies! Although I have my suspicions that you might have another Pre-Robin Tec or two of some possible significance. I believe I remember that loose Tec #36 cover from eBay; had it on my radar but never managed to make a move on it for whatever reason. Don't remember for sure.

I think that it is about time that we began a club devoted to one of the most beloved runs in the history of the Golden Age; the famous "Pre-Robin Tec" run. Detective Comics #27-37... *Your copy: how did you get it? *Where did you get it from? *Why did you get it? *What kind of condition is it in? *Stories behind the book. *Interested in picking up a copy? *Interested in picking up another copy? Pretty much anything that you can think of related to the Pre-Robin Tec run is fair game. (thumbs u If my new display name hasn't already given it away, allow me to be the first to share... Detective Comics #33: CGC .5 (Back cover missing; WHITE Pages) This was a book that I had wanted for many years. I learned long ago that Detective Comics #27 would be way out of my price-range and at this point, the same could be said of any copy of Batman #1 that isn't coverless. I was very fortunate that a fellow board-member, "Bat-Man", was willing to sell me his copy. It was a book that I had wanted ever since he first shared it with me and I feel very fortunate to now be able to call it my own. Obviously the book has been through a lot. It has some serious mouse-chew and the back-cover is missing. What I found amazing is that despite the obvious defects, what remains of the book is still in fantastic condition. White pages and the classic image of Batman on the front-cover is still 100% in-tact. If it were not for the defects, this book would have never been anywhere near my price-range and I'd have to settle for a higher graded copy of a much less significant issue. Detective Comics #33 has always been one of my personal favorites because I simply love the cover and feel that the story of Batman's origin is the most important Golden Age story ever told. And thus...I'm proud to call myself "Detective33Kid".

The last CGC 2.5 sold for $14,000 earlier this year. Well,that book won't be in my collection (Can't save that much cash ) It is pricey. But they all are. That is, until you meet someone named Helen on eBay. Sorry, buddy. I just can't help it. Clink beating me for the Tec 35 ---> What's the story on this one? There was an old woman selling her father's original owner comics on eBay. Most were "junk." But one was a very nice Tec 35. It was not graded and the pics were lacking but it was still worth the gamble. It had 3-4 days to go on bidding and it was only up to $2,500 or so. I was planning on making a very serious play for it. Then *poof* it's been removed. I messaged her and she said she was overwhelmed with questions about the book. And decided to take it off after "a nice man" said she could get more for it once its been "graded and inspected" (CGC I assumed). I asked if she was still selling as I was greatly interested. She gave me her e-mail, we exchanged a few. She said she would keep me posted as to what happened with the book. She did not, and I saw it had popped up on Clink as a CGC 3.0 Blue. Sold for about $11,800 initially. A few K more than I had at the time, so I lost the sucker. Very happy the woman and her father got top dollar for the book. (thumbs u Sad I lost it (however I did end up finding another Tec 35 so its all good ) That's an interesting story. And I know what you mean; good that the owner was able to receive top-dollar but it's always going to be disappointing when you miss out on what could have been a golden-opportunity. And since you were able to later pick up a Tec #35; sometimes things can still work out for the best. (thumbs u

The last CGC 2.5 sold for $14,000 earlier this year. Well,that book won't be in my collection (Can't save that much cash ) It is pricey. But they all are. That is, until you meet someone named Helen on eBay. Sorry, buddy. I just can't help it. Clink beating me for the Tec 35 ---> What's the story on this one?

I see where your coming from; getting all logical on us. But I think it's that lack of interest at price-point that makes the issue under-appreciated. I'm not saying it should sell for more than #31, but I do think it should sell for more than #35 (just my opinion of course). I'm sure people would be interested in owning the book, but most are not as interested in #38 as they are in books that I feel should be worth less. I'm no authority by any means and I'm sure availability plays a factor. I just feel that the book should be "hotter" than it is and while you're certainly right that its frequent availability compared with an often times hefty asking-price drives collectors away, that doesn't seem to be as much of an issue with other classic GA Batman books. I don't see the availability of Batman #1 driving collectors away in the same way it does Detective #38. And I don't see the very hefty asking-prices of Detective #35 (just using it as an example) driving collectors away. And yes, Detective #35 is much harder to come by than #38 so perhaps I'm answering my own question. Bottom line, the combination of the above factors for better or worse makes the issue under-appreciated in my eyes. From what you say, that wasn't always the case. I wouldn't expect #38 to begin to out-sell #31 anytime soon but I do expect in the coming years for there to be a resurgence of interest in #38 to the point in which not as many collectors will be driven away for the reasons you discussed.

It would be a good book to go for. I'm not sure what your budget is but unless you plan on selling a huge portion of your collection, Batman #1 is out of the question for most collectors unless you can find a coverless/incomplete copy. As I stated above, Detective #38 is really an under-appreciated issue and if you can find an affordable copy...I'd suggest you pick it up before some of this anti-Robin sentiment begins to fade away.

Congratulations! As others have mentioned, it looks much nicer than a 2.5. I'm not sure how much you got it for, but I do believe that now is a good time to buy a book like Detective #38 so long as the price seems reasonable to you. It's just such a legendary issue and one that is very under-appreciated in this day and age. There are so many others (like myself) who love the pre-Robin Tecs that issues like this tend to not get the amount of appreciation that they really deserve. This is a classic issue, a true grail, one of the greatest books of all-time in my opinion. Fantastic pick-up. (thumbs u

Really? Very interesting.

I imagine that you probably already know this, but Superman #4 is technically the true first appearence of Lex Luthor as it hit the stands on February 15, 1940; just days before Action Comics #23 was released on February 22, 1940. I think the Lex Luthor aspect seems to get overlooked in this issue as many appreciate it mostly for the classic cover and the fact that it's a very early issue of the series. Beautiful pick-up!

Wow! Any history on this photo (the man holding Superman #1 & Batman #1)?

You should have asked him to pencil a nice Church code on the Fawcett to make you feel better. Why not? He's done it to other books. Please do go on...I'm curious.

Rick, I asked this in the other thread but I don't think anyone responded; is that the PGX's 5.0 Superman #1 that sold on Comic Connect a while back? I know that you do not think very highly of PGX so my question is; why not crack it out to sell raw or re-sub it to CGC?

By OSPG standards...the most under-valued and under-appreciated comic book of all-time. Too bad you couldn't both find one (impossible to do) and purchase one for "guide". Congratulations man; that's a true "holy grail" that would be the centerpiece of most people's collections.

Wow, beautiful pick-up! Congratulations!

Congratulations Matt! That book is beautiful and a true sight to behold. Even though I know it's restored, it's just amazing to look at a book like that and see how well preserved it has become after 70 years.

Does anyone have scans of the interiors? Are they exact reprints with different covers, reprints of strips, american comics, or both?

I apologize if this may seem ignorant (as it very well might be) but I really don't see how this could be much of a competition. MPFW #1 (the Pay-copy no less) is the first printed appearence of a Marvel character, is it not? And while Subby is not nearly as popular as Spiderman or even Captain America, he is a very significant character in the history of superhero comics. It's a bit of a bummer that there is no Subby on the cover and you're forced to look at a book that appears (when judging it by it's cover) to be the definition of a "funny book" but even so, what is so special about Suspense Comics #3? It's a classic cover, I'll give you that, but what about the inside, the entire book itself? Did the stories found inside lay the ground-work for modern-mythology as we know it? Because that's what Sub-Mariner's first appearence meant to the comic-book industry. Not on the same level of Superman mind you, but to be one of the driving foces behind the eventual evoultion of Timely comics is historically significant. Now I've never read the inside of Suspense #3 so if there is something significant that I'm missing, please feel free to put me in check as it's very possible. But as far as I can tell, you're comparing a book rarer than rare could be, that is the first printed app. of the first Marvel character, a grade higher and a pay copy, to a lower-graded, "D" copy book, that is rare in it's own right with slightly better PQ. To me, it's not much of a contest but I would honestly be interested in hearing the other side of the argument.

Wouldn't even blink...MPFW #1.