CKB

Yeah I held back in that thread and was just trying to be cordial. I had helped multiple local collectors send some of their books to CGC. Usually they contacted me after attempting this on their own and getting back a book or two missing a page. They were all books bought from SNE.

Wait, so he was doing you a favor, trying to sell your books for you! What an enterprising fellow!

Really! What is the top weight for a first class package now. Old weight was 14oz, correct?

Really? Seems like most of the graded Valiant keys have dropped back almost to pre-movie announcement prices. Just off the top of my head, I remember EW 4 9.8 (Bloodshot 1st appearance) collecting dust on eBay at $50 pre-hype. Seems like it shot up to $200-250 at its peak, and looks to now have settled at around $100. At the same peak, Rai #0 9.8 was maybe around $175 and seems to hover just above/below $100 now (the last auction for a 9.8 ended at $80 just two days ago). Still not quite at pre-hype lows, but it's fallen off fairly significantly. Again, these numbers are off the top of my head and I'm sure Valiantman or someone else would have more accurate records, but I think these two Bloodshot keys have seen significant dips. Significant dips? Prices go up and down, but at the end of the day you still have two books with high print runs that are common in high grade going for more than triple the book+grading cost. This is a monster win for just about any post Unity book. The fact that any post-unity book sustains a price point around and above $100 for multiple years is just stunning.

Most of the 68 issues of X-O have not been collected in TPB form. There is an old-school TPB that collects 1-4. There is an old school Unity TPB that contains 7-8. There is a 'birth' VEI hardcover that reprinted 0-6. Then there is the VEI omnibus, which collects 0–30, Armorines #0, and X-O Database #1, as well as material from Secrets of the Valiant Universe #1. For the rest you have to track down the issues (which is not hard or expensive, save a few).

I know you NYC guys think the rest of America is different from home, but Rome, NY is not a foreign country! Come on Sal get through that lock! We'll make Rome by 6'oclock! 15 miles on the Erie Canal

Even if one of their own employees steals the package? This actually happened to a board member using UPS (not fed ex) with a big box of valuable books. There is a thread about it. My best recollection is that it did not help him in his case.

Can anyone find a spoof of this sort of thing.. I think it may have been a SNL skit but it could have been "In Living Color" or a show like that. The guys were selling something on TV and had a "fire sale" and actually appeared to burn the place down... and then the sale ended and they put out the fire and moved onto the next item. It was brilliantly funny...can't find it anywhere! SNL SNL Will Ferrell as Don West Definitely correct, thank you! I wish they had the sketch I remember at that link, talk about keeping a turkey in suspense. Although with this extra info I may be able to find it now. Thanks again!

Can anyone find a spoof of this sort of thing.. I think it may have been a SNL skit but it could have been "In Living Color" or a show like that. The guys were selling something on TV and had a "fire sale" and actually appeared to burn the place down... and then the sale ended and they put out the fire and moved onto the next item. It was brilliantly funny...can't find it anywhere!

Seriously? Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. I can at least understand not wanting to trade non-historical confederate symbols whether or not I agree. But in terms of fiction, or books about our history...seems very short sighted if not ignorant. This is where ISIS sold millions of dollars in stolen ancient middle-eastern artifacts with impunity? But you can't say there's story about the confederate army in Jonah Hex? Yeah great.

Geez I had one of those, played it like mad, is it a Merlin? Magic Square?

Well they are certainly uncompetitive on the long haul packages. I just tried to send 14 pounds coast to coast. $43 USPS ("Parcel post" AND priority mail), $21 FedEx (cheapest home delivery service). Guess which way it went? I'm not sure what changed but this gap has never been so big.

That's unfortunate. I'm sure there are several people who would be willing to take those books for more than the cost to shred. However...if you have a mind, you might pass this on: please ask Dino and VEI to document and account for the numbers shredded. That way, we might have a better idea of what actually exists down the road. In fact, you might ask them to document everything, because who knows what people will be interested in in 2036? I asked him that exact question tonight. He replied: "Lol. We don't document it. All publishers shred o.O" To which I replied: "Sure, but all publishers don't have Valiant fans." Dumb and shortsighted. Expected. But dumb and shortsighted. Didn't learn anything from the original Valiant experience...? Actually, it's more than shortsighted - they have to track to take those books as a business loss. I would be shocked if there is not some accounting of all merchandise they destroy - Dino may not even know about it. I would also be shocked if Marvel/DC ever printed anything other than a rounded-up number of just about any variant. A printer may charge nearly the same for 1000 copies or 600 copies based on their equipment.

Where do these numbers come from? I imagine they're estimates based on actual Comichron numbers for recent issues. Yes, the monthly numbers come from Comichron. The incentive ratios come from Previews. Not those numbers. THOSE numbers. It would be interesting to see if VEI would be willing to confirm that information. Not that I doubt either you OR Dino (is it passé to call him Dino anymore...? I'm so 2005) but as you know, DC and Marvel don't release these numbers, and, of course, we also know that neither DC nor Marvel prints to their ratios (because of the occasional sale of these books that Diamond puts together for retailer accounts.) I believe that is what Greg is saying and that Dino has confirmed: VEI claims to actually print the number the ratios indicate they do, unlike Marvel/DC. This recently came up with one of the Divinity (I think, maybe Harbinger Wars) Variants, where Dino confirmed they actually only printed like 350 of them. That does not put them all in the hands of shops. For example, half the print run may have gone to shops that did not qualify, which would leave VEI with half of the 350 undistributed. So it is not entirely unlike Marvel/DC.

Out of curiosity, is it light or heavy stuff? Because I think I have been seeing an actual easing of the rates on heavy stuff that is not going across country. Stuff going coast to coast is off the charts, and UPS coming in cheaper is no surprise.

There are at least two types of customs label. The one you can ALWAYS use is the 4-copy one where all the copies are actually a little different. There is a single sheet form that you can use in limited circumstances. I am forgetting the actual details but I believe it is first-class packages and envelopes valued below a certain amount. A small package with a comic or two could fall into this category.

Yes. They graded my Summer of Valiant TPBs. Yes, but as far as I know the DIAMOND Unity TPBs exceed the limits of their holders. Unless something has changed recently they are unable to grade them.

Happy camper? Yeah, I guess so. Holy crud!

Makes a lot of sense. My "impossible" detector was really ringing on this one but I could not imagine that was the answer. Thanks for sharing that info... if I ever get a chance to talk to Bob Layton at the Boston show again I will see if he remembers that stunt, too.

I agree, I would only slab that for sale. The condition is irrelevant on a one of a kind thing like that. Why would I need to make sure it's a great copy, it's the only one.

I think my "know better" comment was unclear... I meant that I think it is real despite the very low chance of it happening. Not that it's fake despite the extremely low chance of someone going through the trouble to fake it. When it comes to automated machine processes, the one in a billion thing happens all the time. How the two cover stocks got mixed is a real stunner. I guess this confirms Valiant ordered both editions from the printer at the same time to save money.

I have never come across a Valiant VH1 double cover. Knowing a little bit about how comics are printed, your copy of Magnus 21 with two different covers makes little sense. I almost want to think it was fabricated. Not sure why anyone would bother though. The chances of it happening for real that way are beyond small. Of course I have made a career in computer science cleaning up after other engineers who do their work saying "oh that could never happen". So I know better.

I knew it was a bogus story. Den Of Geek must need some click-bait $$$. The sure sign that's it is true is that you will start seeing new licensed merchandise.

Nope, it wouldn't be a copy of Rai #0... but I'm not sure what the correct answer would be... but it might be fun to follow the white rabbit down that rabbit hole. Action #1 was the start of the whole superhero genre. The single best copy of Action #1 is the "best copy for the first issue of the whole superhero genre". CGC 10.0 Rai #0 can't be the "best copy for the first issue of the whole Valiant universe" because Rai #0 isn't the start of the Valiant universe. The start of the Valiant universe was Magnus #1 from 1991. If there was a single best copy of Magnus #1 it would be the "best copy for the first issue of the Valiant universe". Currently, that's a big tie for the 273 copies graded at CGC 9.8, because there are none higher. There are also 17 copies of CGC 9.8 Magnus #1 (1991) Signature Series... so, you could argue that those 17 are tied, or that whichever one has the "best signatures" might be the best. That all depends on whether signature series books are viewed as "better" than universal books. In terms of "better sale prices", that's true, but not necessarily true in terms of "better published surviving copy" since they were published without signatures years before CGC existed and started witnessing signatures. But then what if a CGC competitor graded a 9.9? Ummm... maybe we should talk about which book is the Action #1 and ignore the best copy in existence aspect for now. We've already made an argument for Magnus #1 (1991) being like the Action #1 for the Valiant universe. BUT... The current Valiant universe doesn't include Magnus, so the first original title in the Valiant universe was Harbinger #1 (1992). So, you could argue that Harbinger #1 (1992) is more like the Action #1 for the Valiant universe. BUT... The Harbinger Foundation and its leader, Toyo Harada, were introduced before Harbinger #1 (1992) in Solar #3 (1991). So, you could argue that Solar #3 (1991) is more like the Action #1 for the Valiant universe. BUT... Rai was the first original character in the Valiant universe, and the Rai (four issue mini-series) was published as flipbooks on the back side of Magnus #5 through Magnus #8. So, you could argue that Magnus #5 / Rai #1 mini-series (1991) is more like the Action #1 for the Valiant universe. BUT... If you're going to include Magnus #5 in consideration for the Action #1 for the Valiant universe, it would be weird to say it started at Magnus #5 instead of saying it started at Magnus #1. That circles the argument back to Magnus #1 being more like the Action #1 for the Valiant universe. BUT... The Magnus stories as published by Valiant (or VALIANT in all caps at the time) specifically included the published stories from the Gold Key Magnus books as canon within the Valiant universe. So, you could argue that Gold Key Magnus #1 (1963) is more like Action #1 for the Valiant universe than Magnus #1 (1991). BUT... Doctor Solar #1 (1962) is older than Magnus #1 (1963), and the Solar in the Valiant universe was "inspired" by the Dr. Solar from Gold Key comics. So, you could argue that Gold Key Dr. Solar #1 (1962) is more like Action #1 for the Valiant universe than Magnus #1 (1963). BUT... The Valiant universe also included Turok Dinosaur Hunter, first seen by Valiant in Magnus #12 (1992), but the character was first published by Dell in 1954 as Four Color #596, aka Turok Son of Stone #1 (1954). So, you could argue that Four Color #596 (1954) is more like Action #1 for the Valiant universe than any more recent comic. But no matter which argument you pick, Rai #0 (1992) isn't the Action #1 (1938) of the Valiant universe. If we compare it to anything, it would have to be more like something from 1939 (or newer) than any book from 1938. Shooter said it's Harbinger 1. That's all that should matter.

Last sale was $1,130 http://www.ebay.com/itm/131614180864 It's not just Harbinger #1 CGC 9.8 that has had some recent highs, Solar #10 and Eternal Warrior #1 Gold Flat in 9.8 have also reached recent highs haven't they? Yes. Every time we discuss the big prices for 9.8s and I see the incredulous posts about the prices... (not directed at anyone in particular) Please remember in the case of these books a 9.8 really means something. These books are hard to find IN-GRADE. If there were going to be thousands of these they would have been graded. Many of the pre-unity books have unique flaws and printing issues that despite sizeable print runs (compared to today's books) keep them more desirable in the highest grades.