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Lee K

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Journal Entries posted by Lee K

  1. Lee K

    1 in 200

    By Lee K,

    How am I supposed to get this?
    So I just got the info from my LCS and the breakdown for the new Justice League title is: regular cover, variant cover that comes with the digital download, 1 in 25 cover, and 1 in 200 sketch cover...
    I live in a town of 100,000 people with an aircraft carrier stationed at it, and my LCS is ordering an entire 75 copies of Justice League #1.
    So how exactly, without ruining my budget, am I supposed to get a copy of the 1 in 200 sketch cover? What a pain in my buttox.
    If anyone has an option that doesn't include spending an arm and a leg on Ebay, or your other site of choice - let me know...
    Sadness...

    Lee K
  2. Lee K

    132

    By Lee K,

    or 131...?
    So I'm now 4+ years into building and slabbing the go-go check collection. And I still love my focus - there's something for me in every genre - from funny animal to superhero to western, and in every price range from inexpensive to hard on my pocketbook expensive.
    The thing is: now I have reached a milestone - the next book I buy or slab for the collection will represent 25% completion, 132 of 531 books.
    What I am wondering is this: should I try to cross my milestone with a 'milestone' book? There's only a couple in the go-go check era and after eliminating the ones I have only two significant investments remain: Detective 359 and Superman's Girlfriend 70. And I just don't know that I am in a position to invest in a milestone book this summer.
    So do I wait? Save & wait? Or do I move forward and save the milestone book for the half-way point?
    Thoughts?
    Not entirely random go-go check image below:
    Happy Hunting!

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  3. Lee K

    139 days later

    By Lee K,

    ...
    I'm scheduled for grading...Yay!
    Now after waiting all this time I'm no longer excited about my anticipated grades.
    Oh well, I should know in another 20 days or so.
    *fingers crossed*
  4. Lee K

    14 business days...

    By Lee K,

    And my coupon books are still 'verified'
    Yeah - so I am really, really excited for tomorrow. As always, my personal grading most often is questionable at best, and I've missed restoration as well (I'm no expert, that's for certain)...but I feel pretty good about my 4 books.
    I sent it two 50's copies of Strange Adventures, and two early issues of Weird War (1 & 3) and I figure all 4 books to be VF(ish)...Now to hold my breath and see if that pans out.
    I have to admit that I didn't realize how much the books I had selected had in common until just now when I wrote the above paragraph. But Strange Adventures and the early issues of Weird War were both built on there being multiple stories in each issue - certainly there was a 'headline' story - but there were back stories too (B-sides if you will). Plus both series often had informational pages and 1 page stories. Strange Adventures often had text only stories (which I dig)...
    Well - I don't know - I just wanted to ramble for a bit.
    Good luck & Happy hunting
    Lee K
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  5. Lee K

    2011 Failure

    By Lee K,

    yep, I had a goal and it got away from me...
    I had high hopes at the beginning of the year of reaching the 25% point on my go-go check collection, something that would require 132 books from the 527 book set. Time and money (and a new car) have kept me from getting as close as I would like - I am 19 books short, with 1 book at CGC that I won't get back till 2012.
    My other goal for 2011, was to acquire one, or more, of the key go-go check books and there I was sucessful in adding Batman 181 in 9.2 - right on target.
    2012? Well, I'd like to reach 30%, that's 158 books and that seems unlikely unless there is a magic fairy out there to give me a raise. But maybe I can shoot for one of the other two real key go-go check issues that I don't have: Detective 359 or Superman's GF Lois Lane 70, either in 9.2 or 9.4...I keep my head down and see.
    Other than that, Justice Leagues; Strange Adventures; and maybe the occassional Wonder Woman for my wife - sure, but go-go checks 1st.
    And to you - best of luck in 2012.
    and
    Happy Hunting
    Lee K
  6. Lee K

    25%

    By Lee K,

    5 of 20
    Or
    130 of 520There are days and even months that the go-go check collection expands by leaps and bounds, and other months where if doesn't do anything at all..it jus sits there, mocking me. But the years have produced some successes in the set. Earlier in 2013 I finally surpassed the 1/4 mark. That's right, I now own one in four of the go-go checks, slabbed, and excluding those copies that are less than an 8.5, or restored (not every purchase has been a winner)...I have tracked down books from all but eight of the different series that I need books from, and of the ones I don't have, the absence of Green Lantern, Sugar & Spike, and Superboy are a matter of choice. One easily remedied.Of course, there are many runs that I only have a single book from, and many of those will become the very last books I secure, simply as a mater of scarcity.Earlier today, I considered whether it would be feasible to capture a single image of all of them, to show them off, but that idea has been shelved as not attainable for the moment, although I do have an idea how to get there one day...(bigger room).But as a played with laying out my books, I also rediscovered the successes I have had, one run is complete, and another is complete if I ignore that one issue is a 7.5.,.And the big run, Action Comics is 25% complete as well. I know I could complete Action by throwing money at it, but there has to be something more than just throwing money away...I have to find them, to hunt them down, and secure them for the set.I did, on the other hand, manage to get an ok shot of my Actions all together to share.Happy hunting!Lee KTo see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. Lee K

    4/44

    By Lee K,

    Or really 6/66 revisited, since I don't have any books from April 1944
    Number four on my 'thou shall not purge' list needs no introduction.
    It is considered one of the key books in the go-go check run.
    For your viewing pleasure, I offer you the first appearance of Poison Ivy.
    Batman 181, CGC 9.2 off-white with an issue date of June 1966.
    This book is far more readily available than #6, OAAW 168 from the same month simply because it is a Bat title. Nonetheless, excellent copies are often buried in collections and fewer see the light of day than you would expect.
    One thing that I enjoy about this cover is Poison Ivy's shadow. It feels to me as if it is a direct homage to Peter Pan, although I have had other artists disagree with me.
    Until next time,
    Happy Hunting!

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  8. Lee K

    43,000

    By Lee K,

    Wow
    I just realized I have exactly 43,000 registry points.
    Weird.
    Lee
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  9. Lee K

    535 issues

    By Lee K,

    Over eighteen months
    Starting one month after the debut of the Batman TV show on ABC, in January 1966, and ending the Carmine Infantino's promotion to Editorial Director in August 1967.
    The go-go check marketing period contains a lot of firsts, a lot of lasts, and some surprises. What isn't a surprise is which title has the most issues with checks at the top: Action Comics with 20. That's right 20 issues in 18 months. No title has 19 issues in the set, but a number have 18, and this is where the surprises are...or some of them, anyway...
    The five most common titles after Action are:
    Adventure Comics, ok no real surprise, this is home to the Legion of Superheroes.
    Detective Comics, again no surprise, Batman is enjoying a surge in popularity due to the success of the TV show
    Our Army at War, so...a war title, maybe a little surprise as DC had five war titles running at once, six if you count Blackhawk, although it had ceased to really be a war book.
    Strange Adventures, I'm surprised. Just science fiction/science fantasy with no single leading character.
    Those four represent the 18 issue books, which leaves the sole 17 issue book: Blackhawk, which is surprising, as sales on this title are flagging...and it will be cancelled in 1968.
    But, do you see what isn't there? Batman, Superman, Brave & the Bold, Showcase, Wonder Woman, World's Finest? No...none of these books were monthlies.
    Tomorrow, what's new...
    Happy Hunting
    Lee

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  10. Lee K

    57 points

    By Lee K,

    And 53 points for another
    Probably the most difficult books to obtain from the go-go check run in high grade are the romance books. They just were never collected, protected, and cared for like the war books and the superheroes...
    If it wasn't for the Savannah pedigree, I would have none as opposed to three. But as hard as they are to find, and for the amount of money they sell for in high grade, they just aren't anywhere near as valuable as their war & superhero counterparts in the registry.
    While I am excited that the book below just came back from CGC, I am more disappointed that it is worth about half the points of a hero book in equal grade.
    Ah well, it isn't the points, it's the books themselves, and this one is beautiful.
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K
    P.S. The 53 point book is an issue of Girls' Romances that is also a 9.2 from '66 or '67

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  11. Lee K

    6/66

    By Lee K,

    So a funny thing happened on the way to completing the go-go check collection...
    June 1966 happened. Right in the middle of the go-go check run, here are all these books with an issue date of 6/66 - or at least that's how CGC shows June 1966 on the label.
    Here's the other funny thing about 6/66 - it shows up on the label of two of the main key issues in the go-go check run. Odd? Heck yea. Particularly since most of the series in 1966 aren't monthly. So in the twenty-one or twenty-two month (depending on how you count it) run of go-go checks - two key issues, both introducing new characters, both of whom had their intro in monthly books, had their intro in June of 1966.
    At number six, I give you one difficult book to find in high grade.
    Our Army at War issue 168, CGC 9.2 off-white, with an issue date of June 1966.
    The first appearance of The Unknown Soldier, who later went on to headline his own series for several years.
    I am very pleased that this book came available at the same time I had money to secure it.
    In the picture below, it is on the left.
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K

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  12. Lee K

    7th Son

    By Lee K,

    of the 7th son...
    Or something like that.
    In the 40s & 50s - heck - even the early 60s it wasn't uncommon to find a comic whereon the cover featured a scantily clad woman being accosted by an octopus or squid or shark - (my personal favorite is a copy of More Fun Comics where Green Arrow is fighting an octopus underwater - with a bow, I love golden age books).
    Number 7 on my purge survival list also features a damsel in a bathing suit and a giant tentacled monster from the deeps - but the only ones being rescued here are the men in the longboat being rescued from the boredom of their lives.
    OK - the story doesn't read that way - but the cover is wonderful, the pages are white, and the cover has excellent colors and composition. Additionally, the cover is missing something minor - it doesn't have a price.
    At number 7 on my PSL I give you: House of Mystery 133, CGC 9.0 white, with an issue date of April 1963.
    I think that some day more early 60s House of Mystery books will make it into my collection...but this is my prize right now.
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee

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  13. Lee K

    8track

    By Lee K,

    From 1965 to the mid 1970's the 8track tape was the final word in portable music...
    And portable music made th late 60's a happening time.
    Number eight on the Lee K purge survival list isn't a single book, but rather three.
    These three books are a reminder that the sixties were a happening time for comic writers, artists and editors as well. Difficult to locate in any top condition, because the good ones are locked up in the top collections, romance and funny animal books were still a mainstay at DC.
    And the romance book covers often capture a piece of the grooviness that the sixties could have been.
    At number eight I offer you these:
    The Fox and the Crow issue 96, CGC 9.2 off-white, with an issue date of Feb/Mar 1966
    Girl's Romances issue 121, CGC 9.2 cream/off-white, with an issue date of December 1966
    &
    Young Love issue 57, CGC 9.4 white, with an issue date of Sep/Oct 1966
    Simpler comics from a simpler time.
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K

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  14. Lee K
    98 bottles of beer...
    Ok - not exactly but close enough.
    Some time ago I requested a custom set to reflect my go-go check collection, and about once a week I check the chat boards (the only reason I go to the chat boards any more...) to see how much closer I am to cleaning up my set lists.
    As of a moment ago, there are only 98 sets to be added before my request is up...that's not bad, seing as it was hundreds of sets to begin with.
    I am excited - I may even have a custom set for my focus before ECCC.
    Happy Hunting
    and
    Happy 2014
    Lee K

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  15. Lee K

    A NI MAL

    By Lee K,

    Because DC has a fascination with gorillas...
    Clocking in at number 5 on the big 'must not purge' list, the first appearance of the first of DC's characters to have 'The animal powers' - that's right Buddy Baker, making his first, pre-costume appearance is Strange Adventures issue 180.
    This issue misses being a key issue in the go-go check collection by six months, which is a shame, as it is one of my favorite silver age DC issues.
    Carmine did a wonderful job on the cover, even getting to put our hero in a plaid shirt (a browsing of Carmine's covers will show a serious liking for plaid).
    This issue is reasonably available in grade, but not nearly as much as an issue of ASM or FF from the same month. Animal man wasn't very seriously sought after until his long running series from the late 80s early 90s. But this white-paged beauty is all mine.
    For your entertainment I give you: Strange Adventures 180, CGC 9.2 white, issue date September 1965.
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K

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  16. Lee K

    a question of pedigree

    By Lee K,

    American Kennel Club (AKC) or United Kennel Club (UKC)
    So I am preparing to throw myself into uncharted waters once again...I have purchased some pedigreed books from a reputable dealer and I was provided with certificates for the appropriate pedigrees. But, I haven't ever submitted a pedigreed book before. The process seems straightforward, but I am loathe to relenquish my original pedigree certificate when there is no guarantee that I will receive pedigree status on my label.
    I'm going to give it a go - but, well, wish me luck.
    Happy Hunting
    Lee K
  17. Lee K

    A weekend in Phoenix

    By Lee K,

    Or...I need to get away
    up through 2009 I used to run away from the cold & the grey and hide in Phoenix for President's Day weekend; visiting friends, going to the Renaissance Faire; having lunch at Chompies and hanging out in Tempe & Scottsdale.
    I forgot how much I missed it, I'm looking forward to next weekend; but by closest friends have moved away - and their friends aren't really my friends...so what to do with my time?
    Is there a comic shop in the area anyone would suggest? I doubt I'll be able to convince my wife to make a long stop - but if I could drive by on 'accident' I might have to stop and see.
    If nothing else - at least my fingers will finally get warm.
    Happy Hunting
    Lee K
    (No, I don't own this comic - it's just an image I swiped, if it is yours, I thank you for the loan; on the other hand - I'd love to own a copy one day, it is one of my favorites)

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  18. Lee K
    So I finally got back to 100% images and 100% texts for my entries..
    I don't really have a lot of time to spend on the computer, so I am happy that the site makes it so easy for me to add a comic to one of my sets. The problem is, I don't always have a comment about a book right away and I often have to adjust the image if I ripped the image from a site I bought from or I have to work up my own and edit it - and that takes time.
    I feel much better knowing that my page is up-to-date. Now I can get some journals written and maybe answer Surfer99's question myself.
    L
  19. Lee K

    Add or Edit Journal Entry:

    By Lee K,

    Use the Journal feature to:
    Well, to journal.
    Right? To share some deep thoughts about our shared love of colored pictograms? To form bonds over hundreds or thousands of miles. Occassionally to complain a wee bit about service times...
    To meet people that I would never have met otherwise - except Ronnylama, who shops at the same LCS that I do. WEIRD - That's what that is.
    But then again - we'd been shopping at the same LCS for years and hadn't met already - so maybe not.
    Anyway - I think you're all really durn cool people - no matter what you collect or read. I may prefer my DCs, but I read 'em all - the 'big' players and the indies - GA, SA - new books off the rack. Sometimes, you all post about books that I purchased as a 20-something-year old - that you remember from your childhood...
    I'm glad I have gotten the opportunity to share with you, and to learn from your sharing...
    Some day - I might even collect a run of CGC'd Marvel books...maybe
    In the interim
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K
    Below - why I love DCs Korak

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  20. Lee K

    After it was a tryout book

    By Lee K,

    And before it was Batman team-up
    It was possible to have team-ups of two DC heroes not named Batman. Now, most of the go-go check era Brave & the Bold issues are Batman team-ups, simply due to the fact that Batman was everywhere while the 1966 TV shows was playing.
    The Brave & the Bold is a favorite of my childhood, because I often didn't have a quarter every month for a book, but here I didn't need to know what had gone on the month before to understand what was happening in the issue I bought.
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K

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  21. Lee K

    And it begins

    By Lee K,

    invoice shipped
    Four invoices of SS modern books and one invoice of SS bronze books were done at ECCC and have received dates of 4/2 & 4/1 - all five invoices are graded, but one of the modern ones has managed to sneak through QC and get shipped.
    The first invoice is mixture of modern books from Magnus #1 (Valiant - 1991) through Red Sonja V2#6 (2013) all came back 9.8/White. I am a happy camper.
    Now for the remaining books (including those sketch covers) to make their way through QC!
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K
    The image below is now SS by Art Adams

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  22. Lee K

    And so it begins

    By Lee K,

    Go-Go Checks
    After my long wait - the go-go check set is a live competitive set. I couldn't be happier.
    It feels good to have all my ducks in a row and to be able to visualize where I want/need to focus to improve my set.
    500+ books is a big set, and there a many that I don't anticipate every acquiring in high grade - but with so many issues to chose from - that's ok. It'll be a long time before I am down to only 'hard to find' issues.
    Thank you everyone that has supported me along the way!
    Happy Hunting!
    Lee K

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  24. Lee K
    thanks to Tnerb for reposting in his half-answer.
    10 books? 10 BOOKS!? That's it as I'm running out the door in the underwear because the house is on fire? In all honesty whatever books were on top - or in the top box of slabs would probably be the ones that were saved, so Action, Adventure, Batman, Brave & the Bold, and Blackhawk would make it out the window/door...but, if I could choose 10 books, limited to my CGC slabs (I do have a couple brand x slabs...), then I would choose these - presented in alphabetical order.
    1. Batman 59 - CGC 8.0 OW - 1st Deadshot. Plus I love this cover with its childlike stars & planets and silly bat-spaceship.
    2. Brave & the Bold 28 - CGC 3.0 Cr/OW - 1st Justice League. I still maintain that this should be a 4.0; it fails to have any of the major flaws associated with a 3 - no detached cover, missing staples, significant tears or other damage - without regard to its grade, it is still my grail book. When I was young, Justice League was the first book I looked for on the rack with my mighty 20c in hand, and it still is today.
    3. Brave & the Bold 70 - CGC 9.4 OW - Pacific Coast. One of my nicest books from my go-go check collection and one of my favorite cover composition of the B&B run.
    4. More Fun Comics 78 - CGC 5.5 OW - One of my favorite Green Arrow covers of all time. Although not part of my go-go check collection, it is the 1st book in one of my forthcoming collections of Green Arrow cover More Fun books...I love the Arrow Car with the fins on the back and the pointy front-end; I love the spring loaded seat and just the fun of the whole composition.
    5. Our Army at War 168 - CGC 9.2 OW - 1st Unknown Soldier. The black backgound makes this one hard to find in high grade, it really should be scarce in HG in overstreet. My 9.2 is tied for second on the census with only a 9.6 higher. I might try to dig this one out 1st.
    6. Our Army at War 173 - CGC 9.4 OW/W. Not as rare in grade as the previous book, with 2 others at 9.4 and two at 9.6; but this is probably my favorite OOAW cover composition of the go-go check run; background explosions, the beach-head and whatever those big metal things are called that keep landing boats from beaching there - the men hunkered down into their helmets, it all ties together to be a favorite of mine.
    7. Sea Devils 3 - CGC 7.0 W. The only White Pages catagory on this list. There has always been something about grey tone covers that resonated with me as a collector. I don't have many of them, but the few I do hold a treasured place in my collection.
    8. Strange Adventures 195 - CGC 9.0 OW - White Mountain - 1st full Animal Man. For some reason, I really love Strange Adventures - but I have a fascination with anthology books anyway. Any time I can skip issues and still get an entire story (or 2 or 3 stories) in a single book, that make me way happier than continuity.
    9. Wonder Woman 164 - CGC 9.4 Cr/OW. The first book in my go-go check collection and still one of my favorites. What a great cover, plus a special meaning to me in the set.
    10. World's Finest 165 - CGC 9.6 - OW/W. Tied as the highest graded book in my go-go check collection. And the 9.6 with the best looking cover. There's just something fun about the little -eyed crowns and the gold swords that Supes & Bats are waving around. Kings of Crime indeed.
    This was harder than I thought - there's so much stuff to choose from. Well, that's my thoughts for the day.
    Happy Hunting
    Lee

  25. Lee K
    No, probably not...
    As I reach the end of day 31 on my current modern submission, I am forced to look back and see when my last modern submission was graded. On day 30. Now the current submission could take fewer than 5 business days to go from Graded to Shipped Safe and then my overall process could be faster...but I'm not counting on it - the last submission spent 5 days at Scheduled for Grading and I'm not even there yet.
    Oh well...