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bagofleas

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Journal Entries posted by bagofleas

  1. bagofleas

    7th Heaven

    By bagofleas,

    Scene 7, Getting The Comic You Want, Take 2... click!
    Its not often that you get a second chance at those rare moments in life when you wish you had done something differently. Usually, you have to just live with the outcome of the decisions you have made in the past, but not in the case of #7 on my Purge Survival List (PSL)!!!
    What is it, you may ask? Well, here it is...
    Dazzler #42 9.8
    I remember when I first saw this copy show up on Ebay nearly four years ago for $150. I planned on collecting Dazzler, but hadnt started yet so I passed on it even though it was the only 9.8 copy at the time. I figured that by the time I began building a Dazzler set, there would be other copies and I wouldnt have to pay so much for it.
    Hitman1099 wound up with it. I knew because I saw it in his registry set later on. Little did I know that it would haunt me seeing it in his collection for some time to come.
    A few months later, I started to put together my Dazzler set and began to realize that I had made a huge mistake in passing up on it when I had the chance. I should have gone for it, I thought to myself. About a year after that, it was STILL the only 9.8, but I had managed to gain the number one ranking from Hitman1099 for the Dazzler set, even without it.
    Apparently that was the catalyst for him deciding to sell off his Dazzler issues, including his Dazzler #42!! I couldnt believe it! He put it up on Ebay for $125 if I remember correctly, and this time I did NOT hesitate!
    As I write this journal right now, it is STILL the OAK it has always been!! The extremely low print run combined with the jet black background on the cover have made this one of the toughest last issues and Copper Age issues to acquire in this grade!
    Dont expect me to EVER let this beauty go!

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  2. bagofleas

    9.9 x 4 = 9?

    By bagofleas,

    The math does NOT add up but the reasoning does... I hope!
    Before anyone shouts out I THOUGHT THIS WAS A TOP TEN LIST SO WHAT GIVES? just know that this is the only one on my top ten that I could not pick just one. To split them up would mean that these issues would take up nearly half of my list and being that they are pretty much the same to me, I decided to group them together
    So here is my #9...
    ALL FOUR OF MY COPPER AGE 9.9 comics!!
    Warlord #82 9.9
    Warlord Annual #1 9.9 (Golden State copy)
    Wonder Woman #4 9.9
    Wonder Woman #6 9.9
    There is a number of reasons for me to group these together. Each are from the Copper Age, each are 9.9, all but one of them are OAKs. I hope to add to my CA 9.9 or better list and if I do, they will also become part of this spot on my list.
    I just love having these super high grade Coppers. Getting them for the prices I did make them even more valuable to me since I know I could eventually sell them for far more than what I paid. But I dont plan on ever selling them.

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  3. bagofleas

    90s Flash TV Series

    By bagofleas,

    Remember this?
    Who remembers the Flash TV series that ran for one season in 1990 and 1991?
    I have a DVD set of the season and it is really neat to revisit it!
    I was 17 when this show aired and absolutely loved it. It is dated to some degree by the effects and the clothing and hairstyles and such, but this was probably the very height of live action comic book TV series up until 2000. The only other TV show I would put ahead of it is the Hulk series from the 70s.
    This show was a little goofy but the suit was neat and the characters were interesting. It was not grade A acting by any real standard but some of the guest appearances were very memorable.
    Denise Crosby, from Star Trek: The Next Generation fame, appeared in an episode. And the ever immortal Mark Hammill appeared in two episodes as the Trickster!
    I was just curious if anyone else saw this series or remembers it. I remember being very disappointed that it did not continue for another season.

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  4. bagofleas
    No tissues just more issues!
    Well its been quite a while but I finally have a few more Booster Golds to put into my set!
    This is the single most nostalgic set of my collection for me. It takes me back to when I was thirteen years old and having the time of my life at Panama City Beach here in Florida.
    This was WAY BACK in 1986. Well WAY BACK for me anyway. My father and I had just gotten into comic collecting at that point when I came across some issues of this series in a convenience store near the beach.
    Putting a graded collection of these together will be more satisfying to me than any other set I could complete. Nostalgia can go a long way to making the most mundane item or thing mean the world to you.
    It has been quite some time since I have been able to add any more copies to this set but I finally have three more 9.8 issues!
    I now have 14 of the 25 issues in 9.8! I hope its not too much longer to get the last 11. My favorite one of the three I just got is shown below.
    Cool cover and a really dark one too!

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  5. bagofleas
    We all start somewhere.
    Bill Sienkiewicz is my favorite comic artist. Interestingly enough, the first time I ever saw his work, I absolutely hated it. As I read through New Mutants #18 for the first time. I thought the art was way too streaky, angular and splotchy and at times hard to distinguish what was going on
    Who was this artist who was mangling my favorite series? Arrrrgh!
    But I persisted through the art and as time went on, I began to appreciate his art more and more. Now I consider him to be one of the greatest artists to apply his trade to comics. There are many others out there of course who also garner this praise, but for me, Bill will always be the best!
    So when I finally had the opportunity to meet him for the first time a few months ago at Megacon, I took full advantage of it. I had over thirty books to get signed by him! Including one in particular that I was thrilled to get!
    While doing some research a few months before the show, I found out that the very first artwork of his that was ever published was when he was assigned the artwork duty on the Moon Knight stories inside of the Hulk! magazine starting with issue #13 back in February of 1979.
    Once I discovered this, I went perusing on Ebay, looking for a top notch copy. While there weren't any graded copies, I did manage to find what appeared to be a gorgeous raw copy of it for $25. After receiving it, I looked it over thoroughly and was astonished at how good it looked!
    I put it at 9.6 for sure, and after sending some pics to Tnerb, he agreed with me. So off I went to Magacon to meet with Tnerb! We had a great time! I wish there had been more time to spend going through dealer boxes, but I did way to much signature wise. The next show we do together, I won't do so much. I've really gotten into diggin through old boxes of books and finding those gems in the rough.
    Anyway, I got the Hulk! #13 signed and I just got it back today! It got 9.8 WP!! Wow! What a great raw find on Ebay!!
    There are now 6 9.8 copies in existence with none higher, and this is the only 9.8 to get signed!! I am so ST"OAK"ED!! Flashback to giddy me at Megacon!!!

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  6. bagofleas

    A Pair of Jacks!

    By bagofleas,

    No, I am not talking about poker, though I DO play poker.
    Six years ago, I bought a group of Near Mint Comics from Mile High. Among those was a copy of Machine Man #19. This is the low print run last issue of the series.
    After a few years, I decided to include it in my first raw submission to CGC for grading. I felt it would get a 9.6. I was astonished to find it had recieved 9.8 WP! This issue is a triple whammy!
    It is difficult to find in 9.8.
    It is the last issue of the series.
    And it features the first appearance of the Jack O Lantern!
    The Jack O Lantern is an interesting villain. The character was created by Jason Macendale Jr, who would later go on to take up the mantle of the Hobgoblin, which had been held by a few others before him.
    Ironically enough, the Jack O Lantern mantle itself would later be taken up by five other people. Steven Levins, Daniel Berkhart, Maguire Beck, an unnamed man claiming to be Levins brother, and the current unnamed person.
    Steven Levins used the mantle as a member of the Skeleton crew, then would later pop up in the Civil War as a Hero Hunter for Baron Zemos Thinderbolts before being murdered by the Punisher.
    Berkhart and Beck worked together for Norman Osborn for a time as the villain, using the name Mad Jack. Berkhart would later go back to using the Mysterio mantle and Beck would continue on with the Mad Jack mantle until her arrest.
    During the Dark Reign, Steven Levins brother would take up the mantle and work for Osborn until his disappearance.
    The current man behind the mask is an unnamed operative of The Crime-Master. Claiming to have killed all previous users of the Jack O Lantern mantle, he has appointed himself as the archenemy of Agent Venom.
    While some of these individuals were normal people using costumes and technology, the Levins brothers claimed that they sold their souls to Mephisto, who gave them supernatural powers to become the Jack O Lantern at will.
    After losing fights with Spider-Man and the Green Govblin, Macendale tried to get Nastirh to grant him supernatural powers during the Inferno crisis, but instead the demon had him possessed, and ultimately the two were incompatible and fought each other for control until the demon ripped itself away from him and went on to become the Demogoblin.
    Macendale would later be killed by the original Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley, who came back from retirement to reclaim his original mantle.
    I always thought it was neat how the writers would come up with elaborate ways for characters and villains who were otherwise normal to be able to perform in their heroic or villainous roles. In the case of the first Jack O Lantern, it was described as such.
    Jack O Lantern employs numerous types of custom designed grenades including anaesthetic, lachrymatory, regurgitant gas, smoke, and concussion grenades. He wears a complete body armor made of metal-covered, multi segment Kevlar panels, incorporating a rigid, articulated shell which can resist a 7 lb. bazooka anti-gun warhead. Jack O Lanterns head is covered by a bulletproof helmet with an internal, 3 hour, compressed air supply and is equipped with telescopic infrared image intensifiers for seeing in the dark. The base of the helmet is equipped with a fine network of pin holes which maintain a low temperature flame ("stage-fire" - a low density flame used safely on stage to simulate fire) that rings around his head at all times. The air supply cools the interior of the helmet semi-adiabatically through expansion. He was also equipped with wrist blasters, which incorporate high-frequency electric transducers that can deliver a long-range shot (effective range - 35 ft).
    Pretty wordy and intricate, showing the lengths writers will go to, to explain the possible reasoning behind the abilities of an unusual character.
    I have just recently come into possession of the 2nd appearance of Jack O Lantern. Spectacular Spider-Man #56, where he loses to the web slinger as referred to earlier. This issue has a nice black cover with webs and the two protagonists getting ready to duel. This would be a great issue to display during Halloween.
    Anyway, just wanted to throw something out there for everyone to read and waste a few minutes of your day.

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  7. bagofleas

    A Toast!!!

    By bagofleas,

    What a great pair of guys!
    This is a MASSIVE shout out and thanks to TNerb and Ronnylama!
    You two have been the absolute best with helping me reach this point! I am just as overjoyed at TNerbs ASM 129 as he is for my NM 47.
    While his is a huge key, mine is simply a single issue of the series that started my lifelong passion for comics. But as most fans and collectors can attest, it is those personally memorable and sentimental issues that mean more to us than even the big, sought after keys. It helps when those two things match up though, doesnt it?
    I also want to say that I am profoundly moved by both of you guys generosity, encouragement and exaltation! I nearly start tearing up sometimes when I think about it. If I ever get the chance to meet up with either of you, I would love to do so.
    This last part is genuinely from my heart...
    I close my eyes in thoughtful reflection and with glistening at the edges of them, I bow deeply when I send out to both of you.....
    THANK YOU SO MUCH.

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  8. bagofleas
    Not involved but applicable nonetheless!
    Ok, so I was going through my comics tonight, searching for any and all SS possibilities for the Baltimore show coming up in September.
    I have decided that I am just going to have to go to the show myself since there are too many issues that I want done there.
    I came up with over 60 copies that could be signed!!! Sheesh! I have whittled that down to 48 now, but I will probably have to cut a few more in order to make it manageable!
    I have cracked, signed and re-graded 43 issues so far and EVERY ONE of them has retained 9.8 grades! That is pretty darn good, I think!!! Of all the items I took to Supercon, there were 15 that I did the same process to. Hopefully the trend continues.
    But anyway, back to the reason for this journal. While going through my issues for Baltimore, I came across my recently acquired 1986 9.8 copy of Vigilante Annual #2. Vigilante issues are nearly impossible to find graded, let alone 9.8s. In fact, the vast majority have never been graded at all!
    Well, the cover was done by Brian Bolland, who will be at the show, so this is one I would definitely like to get signed, since it would be the only thing I have that I can get done by him.
    Here is where the genius moment happened! Without even thinking about it, I just happened to turn the issue over and glance at the back. After all, I always look for interesting signing possibilities, and sometimes the back is more appropriate than the front.
    On the back cover is a full page ad for the then upcoming Watchmen series, along with a large piece of art by Dave Gibbons!!
    He will also be at the same show! I can have Bolland sign the front and Gibbons sign the back, even though he had nothing to do with the actual issue! How cool is that!
    Below is a pic of the back cover so you can see what I mean!
    Have any of you noticed an opportunity like this before? I found this out by sheer accident! I think it is a great idea! What do you guys think?

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  9. bagofleas

    Almost at 3000 Folks!

    By bagofleas,

    Two journals in one night? WOW!
    I joined this elite group of CGC collectors back in December of 2008. At that time there were barely 1100 registered collectors out there. That was almost four years ago!
    We are now approaching the 3000 mark!
    The good thing about this is that it shows a constant growth in the industry as far as CGC collecting goes. But have you ever wondered how many CGC collectors there are out there who have never bothered with becoming registered members on the registry and actually inputting their comics on here?
    Im pretty sure there are some out there who could join the registry and IMMEDIATELY have top ranking sets if they made the effort. What holds someone back from taking that leap into our wonderful world of sharing and competition in this fantastic hobby?
    Is it the money to join? Its actually really cheap to become an associate member. Is it the time involved in typing everything in? That would probably only apply if you were talking about a HUGE collection. After all you dont HAVE to put pictures and descriptions in if you dont want to.
    There are some out there who buy CGC comics in order to try and turn a profit. Or who send in comics for grading for the sole purpose of doing the same.
    I will admit that there are some issues that I managed to get my hands on when I wasnt really all that interested in collecting them and wound up turning around and selling them. Sometimes for more than I payed in the first place!
    I recently sold two different 2nd printings that I was able to double and triple my money on in this manner! Cha ching!
    But I have found that getting higher on the overall registry point or RP rankings has become harder and harder to accomplish over the last year or so.
    At one point I was as high as number 142 in the total RP rankings! Now I have to struggle like crazy just to maintain myself under 180. Im sure part of this is because of the rest of you constantly continuing your collecting but I also believe it has to do with the constant addition of more and more registered collectors out there in general.
    In the last year or so I have transitioned into collecting higher RP Harvey comics for two reasons.
    First. Ive always liked certain characters in the Harvey Universe and have desired to put together collections of them.
    Second. I have found that I can get much bigger RP values for the amount of money I spend on them which helps me to stay within the top 200 registered collectors out there.
    This hobby of ours continues to grow and grow. It has now ingrained itself into the comic collecting hobby in such a way as to make a real difference in how people view the hobby. Where will it go in the many years to come? Who knows?
    There may be a time far down the road when a CGC graded comic is no more valuable than an ungraded copy of the same quality. Heaven forbid that this ever happens!
    But as long as people continue to become registered CGC collectors I just can't see this ever becoming a reality.
    So with that in mind.
    I want to say THANK YOU for all of you who have been registered for years and THANK YOU to every single new registered member that has joined up!
    As long as you continue to promote this hobby with your inclusion and enthusiasm we dont have to worry about the worst EVER coming to pass!
    Below is a picture of my copy of Caspers Ghostland number 3! Ive never put my picture of this issue up on a journal before so here you go!

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  10. bagofleas

    And Then There Was One

    By bagofleas,

    The end of the tunnel is in sight!
    During the course of 2013 I decided that I wanted to try and get graded 9.8s of all the issues involved in the Mutant Massacre storyline. I also decided that whenever the opportunity arose, I would attempt to get them signed.
    At the beginning of this year I decided to set my ultimate goal to have ALL of them as SS 9.8 copies. One by one I have been accomplishing this. All of mine but one were already graded copies that I cracked for signatures. The one that wasn't was a raw gift that initially graded at 9.6 and when I cracked it for signatures and resubmitted it, it inexplicably bumped up to 9.8!!
    Earlier this year I was honored to receive a registry award for Best Copper Age Set for my complete set of the books. There were only two more for me to get signed to finish my goal.
    When Baltimore CC was coming, I decided to go for Alan Davis on my X-Men #213. At the show, I never could get close to him. His line was ridiculous and I was fearful that it wasn't going to happen. That's when I decided to pay CGC the $10 to have them take care of it for me. I wound up being very worried because I didn't fill out all of the info on the submission form and by the time I realized it, they were too backed up to find my book.
    But Mike assured me that they would take care of it. Well it turns out he was right because it showed up in my order status page online later on.
    Now it is back in my hands and I couldn't be more excited!!
    Uncanny X-Men #213 SS 9.8 WP signed by Alan Davis!!
    I only have one more book to do (X-Men #212) and I will have finally achieved my goal!!!!

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  11. bagofleas
    My second one!
    Believe it or not, the very first CGC graded comic I EVER purchased was my 10 Gem Mint copy of New Mutants #1! It was the ONLY copy of the issue at the time to achieve the top grade, and it was the issue that sparked my whole interest in collecting CGC graded comics!
    Three years later. there has been ONE other copy to achieve the grade now, but it has not diminished the soaring pride I have in owning a graded comic of it's caliber. After all, as of this journal's posting, there are 496 graded copies of this comic out there and mine is one of only two to reach this pinnacle of graded greatness. Being from the early 80's and earlier make comics nearly impossible to find in the top grade like this.
    After almost three years of dedicated collecting, I have had a few opportunities to get my hands on another Gem Mint 10 copy of a comic, mostly from the 2000's, but NOW I have officially gotten my hands on my second Gem Mint graded comic and it's from the 90's!
    X-O Manowar #0 regular edition, published in august of 1993(see picture below)!! This issue has 233 graded copies so far and 5 of them have reached this grade, so there are a FEW of them out there. But ANY TIME you can acquire a comic from the 90's and earlier in this top grade, it is a reason to celebrate in my opinion! I mean, it took me three years to get another Gem Mint graded comic so this is a momentous occasion for me.
    I hope all of you CGC collectors out there have the opportunity at least once in your life to get a Gem Mint 10 copy of any comic. There is no feeling quite like it. After all, YOU OWN THE BEST POSSIBLE COPY OF A COMIC BOOK AVAILABLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD!
    I pray all of you have this experience!

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  12. bagofleas
    Or maybe I should say, "Another SPECTACULAR Pickup Story".
    Last year, at Baltimore CC 2013, I picked up a raw copy of Avengers #196 (1st appearance of Taskmaster) for $20 and proceeded to have Joe Rubinstein sign it at the show and then submitted it for grading.
    It came back CGC SS 9.8 WP!! I have a total of only $55 in it total!! (Thanks big bro for letting me jump on that)
    I didn't think it could get any better than that. Then in January of this year I went to a first-time convention in Pensacola, FL called "Pensacon". It was a little strange since the whole dealer floor was on top of the ice of a hockey rink!
    Getting around in the building was a nightmare. They had guests all strewn around on the different floors on either side of the building, with just one elevator and stairway on either side. It was crowded and very unpleasant moving around to get to the guests, but the guest list was very good, so it helped make up for it. Just having David Michelinie there made the show worth it!
    But for some reason, there was only one actual raw comic book dealer there that was even worth spending any time at. So that's where I was for the majority of the time once I was finished with my signings and photo ops.
    This dealer had a boatload of very nice copies of books, and quite a number of them were even 80s newsstand editions in excellent condition!! We can argue the merits and/or beauty and rarity of newsstand vs direct edition books another time, but suffice it to say I was ecstatic to find so many gorgeous Newsstand copies!
    Among a number of awesome books I picked up was a copy of Spectacular Spider-Man #64. I love Cloak and Dagger and had been hoping to get a 9.8 copy of their first appearance someday. This copy was gorgeous!! And a newsstand edition too!! I took it out and looked it over closely. I felt it had a real shot at 9.8, so at only $17 I didn't hesitate to pick it up.
    Fast forward to August. I went to the Tampa Bay CC with my oldest godson, where I got a number of signatures on books, a photo op with John Rhys Davies, and turned in the SSM #64 along with a few others for universal grading.
    Well the results of this book are in now, and I AM STOKED!!!
    Spectacular Spider-Man #64 - CGC 9.8 WP!!!
    Yesyesyes!!! I have a total of just $37 total in this book, which is WAY cheaper than it would have cost me to get it like this now.
    This marks the second occasion for me to pick up a raw book worth hundreds in 9.8 at a mere fraction of the cost!

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  13. bagofleas

    Another MGN Success!!!

    By bagofleas,

    Key? No. OAK? YES!!
    One of my lofty, but at least feasible long-term goals in my graded comic book collecting endeavors is to eventually have all 75 original Marvel Graphic Novels in CGC 9.8 WP.
    This is a very difficult goal to achieve and I have a LOOOOONG way to go before I ever hope to reach it. But little by little, one at a time, I'm very slowly getting there.
    For a while, I held the number one ranked MGN set, but when a bunch of them showed up in 9.8 earlier this year on Ebay, somebody paid extremely high prices to acquire most of them, then inputted them on the registry and passed me for the top spot. I'm slowly gaining ground on them but it will be some time until I catch up again. This is due to a number of reasons.
    MGNs are notoriously tough to find in high grade. The large, cumbersome nature of the books makes them difficult to store and protect, and many of them have solid, jet black or solid white covers, making them highly susceptible to visual imperfections. Add to that the lower print runs of many of them and you have a recipe for difficulty in finding 9.8 copies.
    While some of them are immediately recognizable and even iconic and highly sought after, most of them are not so easy to locate, let alone in good enough shape to have graded. In fact, many of them don't even have a graded copy yet!
    Such is the case with one that I just recently located at the Baltimore Comic Con. While browsing around the dealers with my big brother, I came across a raw copy of MGN #30. It's titled "A Sailors Story" and I knew of it, but hadn't found a nice enough copy anywhere yet.
    It's not a big key or anything. It doesn't feature a major Marvel character. It's not highly sought after. It's nothing "special", per say. It's just one of the many MGNs that no one has ever submitted for grading before, and I still need in order to ultimately have a complete set.
    I found it in a magazine box, among a few other magazines and took it out of its bag for a close eyeballing. It looked gorgeous except for a couple of small indentions that did not crease or color break the cover in any way. So I had to decide whether a press would be necessary or not.
    Ultimately I paid for the book ($5), paid to have it pressed ($25), paid to have it graded ($28) and paid to have it shipped back to me ($10). That's $68 total to get the book from the dusty dealers box to its final, graded completion.
    For me, that's a deal, when you're talking about what would become an OAK for a set I want to complete, because no matter what the final grade was, this would be the only graded copy to date of this MGN!!
    I now have the book back in my hands, and I'm happy to say that my estimation of its condition was right on the money! I am one happy camper!!
    Now I'm no grading expert by any stretch of the imagination. My big brother is a much stricter grader than me in my opinion, which typically results in the graders generally agreeing with him in most instances. But apparently I'm pretty good at grading these awesome Marvel treasures.... unlike square-bound annuals, which we won't mention here....... please.
    This isn't the only MGN I found at Baltimore though. At a different dealer, I also found a copy of MGN #18, which is the John Byrne She-Hulk issue! It has a jet black cover and is extremely hard to find in top grade. I believe it is 9.8 worthy as well and will submit it soon! I'm just waiting for a little while to see if maybe I can it signed before grading.
    I also have a copy of MGN #2 that my big brother gave to me a while back, which is the P. Craig Russel Elric issue! I believe it is 9.6, but definitely worthy of grading, since it is an especially tough issue to find in high grade due to its jet black cover.
    These books are more expensive to grade and much harder to locate in high grade, but I feel that ultimately they are very much worth the effort.

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  14. bagofleas
    Little by little.
    As many of you know, I am slowly putting together a set of all 29 of the Marvel 25th Anniversary Border Covers. I am shooting for all 9.8 WP on them. Although a few will be nearly impossible to accomplish with that goal.
    I have a copy of Classic XMen #3 that surfer99 got signed for me In process at CGC right now, but while I am waiting on that to get done, I had a chance to win one for really cheap online, so I went for it...... and got it!
    I figure if the signed one does not get 9.8, at least I will have a 9.8 copy. And if it does get 9.8, then I can either sell this one or give it to my big bro, Tnerb.
    Anyway, here is a picture of the unsigned copy that I won.
    Now to try and find those last couple of pesky Star Comics issues.......

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  15. bagofleas

    Another Silver!!!

    By bagofleas,

    Thanks to my big brother.
    I have had a lot of luck in finding 9.8 worthy raw copies of books on Ebay. Of course, I'm VERY picky about what I buy raw on Ebay, so that helps.
    I am in the process of slowly putting together a set of all 29 Marvel issues that came out on November of 1986 with the matching 25th Anniversary Border covers, since the set was created earlier this year at my request.
    Many of these are fairly easy to locate, but some are extremely difficult. The Marvel/Star issues alone are VERY tough. Try finding a 9.8 worthy copy of Care Bears #7 or Muppet Babies #10 or even Heathcliff #12. Yeah, good luck with that.
    I hope someday to be able to find all 29 of these in top graded form, but for now, it's a slow process.
    Just recently, however, I DID manage to find a copy of Cloak and Dagger #9 on Ebay that appeared to have a real chance at 9.8, and once I got it in my hands, I was sure of it! It had one MD on it, but that wouldn't affect the grade.
    So I sent it along with some other books to my brother, Tnerb for signings at ECCC 2014. Arthur Adams was my goal for this issue. Tnerb got everything done for me, including this one, and I just got it back from CGC a few days ago!
    This is also a very tough one to find for this set, because it isn't normally sought after for grading for the most part. So I am ecstatic to not only be able to find one raw on Ebay, but also to have it signed by the great Art Adams to boot!!
    Thank you, big brother!!!!!!

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  16. bagofleas
    Some work out and some don't.
    When it comes to grading, I am very strict and tend to undergrade books. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised by an unpredicted 9.8 than be sure of the grade and wind up disappointed.
    I've had plenty of books that I hoped were 9.8 but secretly thought might wind up 9.6, but getting a signature on it made it worth the gamble. In most cases I get the 9.8 but in some cases the books match my secret certainty.
    I seem to be mostly in my element with Copper Age books and graphic novels. No surprise since this is the era that made up the bulk of my original collecting days with my dad. Bronze Age is a little tougher for me, but for some reason I seem to be pretty close or right on the money with Silver Age books, which is odd considering I never owned very many of them in my collecting lifetime.
    But don't ever ask me to accurately grade a raw squarebound annual. Sheesh, I just can't seem to be accurate on those for some reason.
    Anyway, I have a few invoices that finally went shipped/safe over the weekend and among the books on them was a copy of What If? #39.
    I picked this book up from a dealer at Supercon 2013 in Miami last year. A quick look told me it was 9.8 material, so for $5 I got it. Later on, when I really looked it over more carefully, I wasn't so sure anymore, and the pages appeared to me as Off White/White. So I put this book down as 9.6 with an upside of 9.8.
    I held onto it for a full year until I saw that Ron Wilson was a guest at Tampa Bay CC 2014. I was already planning on cracking my Masters of the Universe #4 for him to sign, but I don't like having just one book for an individual to sign most of the time, so I took my raw What If? #39 along as well for Ron to sign.
    I got the MOTU back already since it wasn't pressed, but I had this one pressed to give it a better chance, so it took a little longer. But now it is back and I can see how my grading prowess held up. I had prepared myself to accept 9.6 OW/W. The result?
    What If? #39 - SS 9.8 WP signed by Ron Wilson
    Wow! As I said, I would so much rather be surprised by a higher grade than expected instead of disappointed by a lower grade. This one not only surpassed the grade I had prepared myself for, but the page quality also surpassed it!
    It is now an OAK, being the single highest SS copy!

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  17. bagofleas
    I just love tough Harvey issues!
    Back in September I got my hands on an unbelievable copy of Little Dots Uncles and Aunts number 2 in 9.6 condition. That thing will probably NEVER be found in better condition due to its jet black background. It is one of only two copies to ever reach 9.6 so far. Then I got a 9.8 WP copy of Little Dot Dotland number 16 in December that just BLEW ME AWAY! Dark cover and OAK OAK OAK!
    For some reason I have chosen to select specific series of certain Harvey characters to slowly collect. Some I will not get unless they are 9.8 while others I will settle for 9.6. However Im always on the lookout for those special or very rare copies that just cry out for purchase!
    This interest of mine probably stems from when I was a kid. I had come across some old Richie Rich digests in a used book store and decided right then and there to find as many of them as I could. They tended to be VERY used and not necessarily in the greatest of shape but HEY I was just a kid and as far as I was concerned just getting all of them was a tremendous feat.
    Those digests are ultimately what set the tone for my becoming such an avid comic book collector later.
    I remember watching Richie Rich cartoons on TV as a kid too. Anyway I wasnt completely unfamiliar with the various Harvey characters and the fact that many of them originated way back in the childhood of my parents. I remember thinking as a kid that these characters had been around forever so anything regarding them must be pretty valuable. Hey I was just a kid...
    Anyway here we are now and seeing these 50s and 60s and 70s CGC graded Harveys is absolutely jaw dropping to me as an adult. Having been in this particular hobby now for over 25 years and in the CGC part of it for a little over 3 years I can really appreciate what it means to get my hands on some of these things in these top grades.
    As you all know there are many things that can directly determine how many of a particular issue of ANY comic can achieve certain levels of grading.
    AGE. PRINT VOLUME. QUALITY OF MATERIALS. STORAGE CONDITIONS.
    And of course the fact that the darker the cover the more likely it is to show even the SLIGHTEST imperfection. I have come to learn that this quality alone is a HUGE factor in the amount of higher CGC graded copies. The more recent the issue the less likely it is to be a problem but the farther back in time you go the more effect it has. Blue Green Burgundy Purple or of course Black. The darker these types of colors are the harder to find in top grades.
    How many copies of Detective Comics number 27 do you think there would be in even 6.0 grade if the cover had been almost entirely black? I would venture to say almost NONE of the remaining copies would ever HOPE to achieve even THAT level if this was the case. I could be wrong but you get the idea.
    Anyway Harveys are notorious for having certain issues with solid dark colors as backgrounds making those particular comics EXTREMELY tough to get in the higher grades EVEN with the company having put aside a number of FILE COPIES that never saw the light of day for many many years. Many of these issues will probably NEVER see 9.8 grades and very few 9.6s.
    I understand that Harveys arent as sought after as most of the popular Marvel and DC characters are. Many of Harveys characters are lost to this generation. Felix the Cat and Sad Sack are a couple of examples.
    But some have endured even to today and definitely have their place in comic book history. IMHO they deserve far more respect from collectors than they currently have. You wouldnt believe the RP/AP ratios Ive gotten on some of these things!
    The image below is another example of the very subject I have discussed in this journal. Little Dot Uncles and Aunts number 8 in 9.6! Only 3 copies in this grade so far and I would be willing to bet NONE will ever show up in 9.8. Look at the dark Blue/Black cover on this thing! Gorgeous!

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  18. bagofleas

    Awards ahoy!

    By bagofleas,

    Some came, some went, some stayed the same... sort of.
    This years registry awards are in the books now. I hope everyone got the top spots they were trying for. I have managed this year to acquire more top spots than I've ever had in one awards year!
    I am the top rank on 17 different sets this year. That is due to a number of reasons.
    Some sets were added, such as the Starlog magazine set, which I seem to be the only person really pursuing anything on for the time being. Hopefully that changes this next year.
    Some sets I lost the top spot on and regained it this year. The Marvel Fanfare set in particular is one I lost two years ago and now have finally managed to re-establish my place as the top dog.
    Some sets just stayed where they were, even though I didn't add a single thing to them this year. My Groo the Wanderer set and even Power Pack didn't budge.
    Some sets I finally managed to squeak my way into the top spot. I got my Nick Fury vs SHIELD into the top spot by 2 points thanks to getting one signed and onsite graded at Megacon in March. 2 points! Whew.
    Unfortunately, I also lost at least one set that really has me down. My Marvel Graphic Novel set was snatched from me earlier this year by BarryJames, who I know has spent a fortune acquiring most of his copies, most of which I went after as well but wasn't willing to spend the kind of money that people are paying for them now. So now I'm just keeping an eye out for raw copies to get graded for this set. But I will be back!!
    Now I'm just waiting to see if any of my sets are worthy of a Best Copper Age set award this year. Two in particular have a legitimate chance. My Dazzler set and my Mutant Massacre set.
    Congratulations and good luck to everyone in their awards goals!,

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  19. bagofleas

    BACK AT IT!!!

    By bagofleas,

    Baltimore, Harveys and Stan Lee
    It has been a while since I did my last journal. I have been really busy helping a good friend get moved and established with their own business, and rearranging my condo with a new TV and some new furniture as well as getting a number of prints framed and hung on my walls.
    Now that all that is done, I have turned my full attention to preparing for the Baltimore Comic Con, which is shaping up to be a Fantastic show with MANY artists and writers that I want sigs from!
    Between Walt Simonson, Louise Simonson, Mike Mignola, Herb Trimpe, Joe Rubinstein, Ron Frenz, Sal Buscema (WOW!), Dave Gibbons, Brian Bolland, Joe Staton, Jim Starlin, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, Joe Hill and J. M. deMatteis, I have numerous issues that I am looking to get scrawled on.
    With only two days to do it within, I will be quite busy at the show just getting signatures. On top of all of that, I plan on getting my picture taken with Stan Lee and Tnerb. He has had pics with Stan a few other times, but this will be my first one, and I have a great idea for my copy that I have told Tnerb, but will share with everyone else once it is completely done.
    I have well over fifty issues I could have done at this show. Mostly New Mutants copies. But I am going to have to try and trim that total down somewhat. This is looking to be the most signatures I have tried for in one show, since most of the copies I plan on getting signed by more than one person. I just cant pass up on the chance for multiple signature opportunities when they present themselves!
    Just as an example, one such opportunity is the Xfactor #6 that Ronnylama gave me last month! It is most probably a 9.8 and I am getting it signed by Louise Simonson, Joe Rubinstein and Ron Frenz! AWESOME!! Thank you, Ron!
    If all this was not enough, Harvey issues have been coming up on auctions hot and heavy for the last two months! Both Casper Ghostland and Spooky Spooktown issues are flying out the door, many being single highest graded copies!
    My favorite one is Spooky Spooktown #20, which I just won. It is an OAK with a jet black background! Absolutely gorgeous! Check out the pic below.
    Once I get all my issues back from CGC with all the yellow label goodness from the Florida Supercon, I may put a few up for sale. I need to pay myself back for some of the other stuff I am having done in Baltimore.
    Decisions, decisions...

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  20. bagofleas
    Still working on them.
    I've been slowly in the process of acquiring Silver Age Harveys for years now, but I don't pick them up unless they are at least 9.6 and preferrably OW/W pages or better.
    It's been quite some time since I last picked any up, so when Pedigree comics had their recent Harvey auction I just had to try for some.
    The one I was most interested in picking up was this awesome copy of Casper's Ghostland #2 CGC 9.6 OW/W!!
    Casper's Ghostland is a series I definitely want to totally complete someday. I am quite a ways along right now, with only 38 more copies to get before I have all 99 issues!
    But this is one of the toughest ones to find in great shape like this, since it is one of the first two issues. I was stoked to finally get my hands on one!

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  21. bagofleas
    Here it comes!
    It's been a while since I've posted a journal. This is due partially to being so busy for the last few months, and partially due to having more jobs placed upon me. But now it's time to start back up with posts again.
    I have done far more shows this year than I thought I might be able to. When the year was starting, I was looking at doing ECCC, but once I realized what it was going to cost me to the show, I decided that this would restrict me from being able to do all the other shows throughout this year that I wanted to do.
    So I didn't go to ECCC, even though it would have allowed me to meet up with so many fellow board members. But even after making that decision, I wasn't sure I would be able to attend all of the other shows I really aimed to this year.
    But somehow I managed to go to Megacon, which was great.
    Then I went to Heroes Con in North Carolina for the first time! It was an amazing show!!! It reminded me very much of the show I will talk about in just a moment, but with more of an emphasis on original art.
    Then I attended Tampa Bay Comic Con, where I was able to get a number of things done, and meet a bunch of creators that o have never been able to before, including John Bolton, who hasn't attended a U.S. Convention in over 20 years!!!
    Now I've got yet another major con coming over the horizon. Baltimore Comic Con is a show that just a few years ago, I never would have thought I would attend. But I have been to the show for the last two years, and I was sure that due to finances, I wouldn't be able to go to it this year.
    But thanks to some new jobs and newly acquired funds, I will be able to go for a third straight year! This show means a lot to me, because it was at this show that I met tnerb in person for the first time and as a result, acquired the big brother that I never knew I had. We will be attending the show together again this year as well, and I couldn't be happier about it.
    It is also the first show that I ever attended that was strictly comic book oriented. No TV or movie stars, no wrestlers, none of that. Just artists, writers, dealers, producers and manufacturers. I've gotten so many awesome books signed and graded at this show over the last two years, and I hope that this year will be just as rewarding.
    The one big difference for us this year is being able to do audio recordings for our new podcast! We are really going to try and get some interviews with creators and attendees, so hopefully we can get some really great audio for our next episode! So far we only have one episode from a few months back. We've wanted to do more episodes by this point but we've been so busy between the two of us that it just hasn't happened.
    But now that con season is beginning to come to a close, and all of our other personal distractions are starting to settle back down, we can hopefully start being more consistent with recordings. Baltimore CC will feature our first recording done onsite at a show, so it should be very interesting.
    Being an onsite show means that I will try to get at least a few books done right at the show. I have a few options and I hope to get at least 4 or 5 done. But one book that I absolutely HAVE to get signed and submitted at this show is my Marvel Super Special #10.
    Being a magazine means it can't be done onsite, since Megacon is the only show every year that CGC can do onsite mags. But having Tom Palmer sign this and then getting it graded will make this the single highest graded SS copy in the world!
    Why? Because it is easily a 9.6 copy, which is awesome all by itself. But getting it signed as well is the big bonus here. So far, the highest graded signed copy is one single 9.2 copy. So this will be an OAK when done! With the hyper popularity of GOTG now, these early Starlord books are a lot more pricey tha they used to be, and finding top notch copies of these mags is very tough.
    If you're planning on going to Baltimore CC and want to meet up with us, and maybe even do an interview with us to possibly make our podcast, let us know! We can maybe meet up!
    Between hanging out with my big bro, getting books signed and graded, doing audio recordings for our podcast, and scouring dealer boxes for awesome books and fantastic deals, this will be a show to remember!!

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  22. bagofleas

    Baltimore with Tnerb

    By bagofleas,

    But without the bugs.
    My phone alarm woke me up at twelve thirty in the morning yesterday, and I proceeded to leave my lifelong hometown of Tallahassee in the great state of Florida and travel the 14 hours and 945 miles up to a little town called Baltimore.
    The Baltimore ComicCon was scheduled to start Saturday morning with a captivatingly crazy contingency of comic creators and I had a full box of cool stuff for a spectacular series of subsequent signatures to be scrawled upon.
    The trip was long, the weather was fine and the music was loud. Had to keep myself awake after all. I only got three hours before heading out.
    Anyway, while the main reason for my attending the show was Sal Buscema making an unheard of appearance to do signings, the main reason for the trip in general was to meet the resident writer of the registry, Tnerb himself.
    After working together with him over the last few years putting our New Mutants sets together, I finally have the chance to meet up with him face to face. He wrote in a journal last night that he felt like he has met a younger brother. I may be a year younger than him and have no siblings, but if I am to adopt an older brother, I couldnt find a better one anywhere out there than him.
    Walking around around at the show, talking, eating and geeking out with him has made this the best Con I have attended yet and any that I go to from now will seem so much less without him there.
    You are a true friend Tnerb, and I only hope that I can continue to be so for you in the many years to come.
    Once I am safe and sound back in Tallahassee, I will do another journal on the final results of the trip, and reveal the gameshow trivia answer for all who are still curious.

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  23. bagofleas

    Being the First!!

    By bagofleas,

    Setting the mark.
    There is a distinct thrill to being the first person to do something. Whether it is the first to have an idea or the first to create a new product or the first to win a challenge or any number of other scenarios.
    In the hobby of CGC collecting, you can accomplish this thrill in a number of ways.
    First to complete a run.
    First to complete a set.
    First to get top grade on an issue.
    First to get a signed copy of an issue.
    There are other ways as well, but you get the point.
    The funny thing is, with the popularity of CGC exploding over the last year, combined with the number of years that CGC has been around, There are still many issues that have not achieved 9.8 or better. Heck, there are many issues that have not been graded at all.
    Tnerb and I will be attending Megacon in just a few days and among the many issues I will be getting done, I will have a number of first time graded specimens to get done. Among them is the one you see pictured below.
    One of the sets I have been working on over the last five years is Dazzler. I am down to the last five issues I need to complete the set. While I have striven to have only 9.8 WP for the set, I have now decided to do what I need to in order to go ahead and complete the set even if the last five are not quite 9.8 copies.
    As a result of this, I have fantastic raw copies of all five issues to have done onsite at Megacon, including a 9.8 possible copy of #35, which until now has not only failed to achieve 9.8, but is currently the only issue of the series to never have been graded at all!!
    To make it even better is the opportunity to have Bill Sienkiewicz sign it at the show, since he did the cover. The same goes for the #9 issue I am taking, which has never achieved 9.8 status. This of course means that these two issues will also become part of my Sienkiewicz Cover Set as well.
    Of the five raw Dazzlers, some have a real shot at 9.8 and some may only reach 9.6, but this will allow me to have the complete graded set! Whichever ones do not get 9.8, I will still be on the lookout for 9.8 copies to get the whole set in the grade. Until then, I will be happy to have finally completed the set in mostly 9.8!!
    And also to be the first to ever have a copy of #35 graded.

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  24. bagofleas

    BIG HAUL!!

    By bagofleas,

    Baltimore and NYCC submissions are back!
    Almost all of my comics from the Baltimore Comic Con are now back in my hands!! The ten issues Tnerb did for me at NYCC are graded now as well!!
    I am still waiting on 10 issues that were economy tier, but otherwise everything is done and graded! I had to send one box back to CGC for a ridiculous mistake to be corrected. So I don't have those or the NYCC issues in hand yet, but I DO have the grades.
    Most of these were crackings, but some were raw issues given to me by Ronnylama or Tnerb or part of my original collection.
    This is the first time that cracking and signing and regrading resulted in some grade drops for me. Some of my New Mutants did this. I have now repurchased 9.8 copies of each of the copies that did this except for two.
    There were also two Star Wars issues that dropped a grade as well. But I am thrilled with all of the rest!!
    Below is the extensive list of everything I have grades on now! Remember that every single one of these are SS copies now. The signers are listed for each issue as well.
     
    Amazing Spider-Man #300 - 9.6 WP Tom DeFalco & Bob McLeod
    Avengers #196 - 9.8 WP Joe Rubinstein
    Daredevil #238 - 9.6 WP Sal Buscema
    Dazzler #1 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    Dazzler #2 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    Dazzler #3 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    Dazzler #4 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    Dazzler #5 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    Dazzler #6 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    Dazzler #19 - 9.8 WP Bob Wiacek
    Fallen Angels #5 - 9.8 WP Joe Staton
    Fallen Angels #6 - 9.8 WP Joe Staton &Mike Mignola
    Fallen Angels #8 - 9.8 WP Joe Staton
    GIJoe ARAH #1 - 9.8 WP Bob McLeod & Herb Trimpe
    Marvel Fanfare #50 - 9.8 WP Joe Staton and Joe Rubinstein
    Marvel Fanfare #60 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Marvel Graphic Novel #3 - 9.4 WP Jim Starlin
    Marvel Graphic Novel #34 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    Marvel Team Up Annual #6 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco and Ron Frenz
    New Mutants #11 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema, Walt & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #12 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #14 - 9.6 WP Sal Buscema & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #15 - 9.6 WP Sal Buscema & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #16 - 9.6 WP Sal Buscema & Louise Simonson (2 copies)
    New Mutants #17 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema
    New Mutants #19 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bill Sienkiewicz
    New Mutants #20 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bill Sienkiewicz
    New Mutants #24 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bill Sienkiewicz
    New Mutants #36 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bill Sienkiewicz
    New Mutants #58 - 9.2 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #62 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #74 - 9.8 WP Bob Wiacek
    New Mutants #81 - 9.8 WP Joe Rubinstein
    New Mutants #86 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #87 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #88 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #89 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #90 - 9.6 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #91 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #92 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    New Mutants #93 - 9.6 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #94 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco & Louise Simonson
    New Mutants #95 2nd print - 9.4 WP DeFalco, L. Simonson & Rubinstein
    New Mutants #95 2nd print - 9.6 WP DeFalco, L. Simonson & Rubinstein
    New Mutants #96 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco, Louise Simonson & Joe Rubinstein
    New Mutants #97 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco, Louise Simonson & Joe Rubinstein
    New Mutants #98 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    New Mutants #99 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    New Mutants #100 - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    New Mutants #100 2nd print - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    New Mutants #100 3rd print - 9.8 WP Tom DeFalco
    New Mutants Annual #1 - 9.6 WP McLeod, Claremont & Sienkiewicz
    New Mutants Summer Special - 9.4 WP Tom DeFalco
    ROM #2 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema
    ROM #3 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema
    ROM #17 - 9.8 WP WesternPenn Sal Buscema
    ROM #18 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema
    Star Trek: Debt of Honor - 9.4 WP Adam Hughes & Karl Story
    Star Wars #50 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #52 - 9.6 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #53 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #56 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #57 - 9.6 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #58 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #60 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #63 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #66 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson
    Star Wars #99 - 9.8 WP Ron Frenz
    Star Wars #102 - 9.8 WP GS Sal Buscema
    Star Wars #106 - 9.8 WP Joe Rubinstein
    Star Wars #107 - 9.8 WP Joe Rubinstein
    Thor #373 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema & Walt Simonson
    Thor #374 - 9.8 WP Sal Buscema & Walt Simonson
    Uncanny X-Men #210 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bob Wiacek
    Uncanny X-Men #211 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bob Wiacek
    Uncanny X-Men #214 - 9.8 WP Chris Claremont & Bob Wiacek
    Web of Spiderman #18 - 9.4 WP Joe Rubinstein
    X-Factor #6 - 9.4 WP Ron Frenz, Bob McLeod, L. Simonson & Joe Rubinstein
    X-Factor #9 - 9.8 WP Joe Rubinstein & Louise Simonson
    X-Factor #10 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson & Louise Simonson
    X-Factor #11 - 9.8 WP Walt Simonson & Louise Simonson
    Below are the issues I am still waiting on:
    Doctor Strange #1 - Frank Brunner
    Doctor Strange #2 - Frank Brunner
    Jonah Hex #1 (1977) - Jose Luis Garcia Lopez
    Jonah Hex #2 (1977) - Jose Luis Garcia Lopez
    Marvel Two-In-One #3 - Sal Buscema
    Master of Kung Fu #17 - Jim Starlin
    New Mutants #53 - Chris Claremont, Jim Shooter & Terry Austin
    New Mutants Special Edition - Claremont, Shooter, Terry Austin & Stan Lee
    ROM #1 - Sal Buscema & Joe Rubinstein
    Spawn #1 - Todd McFarlane (2 copies)
    Special Marvel Edition #15 - Jim Starlin
    Spectacular Spider-Man #1 - Sal Buscema
    Spiderman #1 poly-bagged edition - Todd McFarlane
    Star Wars #16 - Walt Simonson
    I hope everyone's Christmas was wonderful! Mine was really nice. Having all of these come back to me right now is like a big Christmas gift as well.
    Below is my Thor #373. Not only does it have Sal and Walt sigs on it, but it can be inputted in both my Mutant Massacre set and the upcoming Marvel 25th Anniversary Border Covers set!

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  25. bagofleas
    Warning, this is a teaser journal.
    I have just two invoices left now at CGC from last years cons and send offs!
    One has five issues and one has three.
    Some are raw purchases from Mile High.
    Some are crackings and re-gradings.
    The invoice with five issues on it went Shipped/Safe on Friday! Normally I get my shipments from CGC the very next day after shipment. It is nice to live so close to them!
    But being shipped on Friday means I have to wait until Monday to actually get them in my hands. Since I have to wait to get them, I will wait to reveal the final grades until I do.
    I know, BOOOOOO, right? Well, suffice it to say that I am ecstatic about the results!
    Meanwhile, on a completely non CGC related note, I just got through putting together a 1500 piece Springbok puzzle tonight. This is one of the hardest puzzles I have ever done. I love Springboks for their highly unusual piece shapes and thickness of the pieces.
    You can actually pick up and hold a finished Springbok without it falling to pieces on you. This one is huge now that it is finished! Take a gander at the pic below and you will see why it took me a full week of working on it on and off to finally finish it.
    Anyway, I will post a journal of the issues on Monday. Stay tuned!!

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