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bagofleas

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Journal Entries posted by bagofleas

  1. bagofleas
    Something to consider!
    Once Dazzler #1 came out in March of 1981, there were countless 80's issues that have two versions of covers. Those with the barcode on the cover(news-stand editions) and those with an image in it's place(Direct editions). They also vary slightly in the spot where the issue number and price are.
    A fellow collector, TNerb, recently wrote in a journal that he will pass up on any graded comic with the barcode on the cover. Personally, I agree with the choice on a purely cosmetic level. The direct editions are definitely prettier to look at, however, another thing to consider is the simple fact that if the comic was a news-stand edition, it was sitting on some metal rack in a convenience store or on a shelf in some regular bookstore.
    That means that countless people (mainly kids) would handle them or flip through them causing damage of some sort in almost every case. As a result, there are nearly NONE of the news-stand editions that could EVER reach a 9.8 or better grade.
    The art on the cover remains exactly the same between editions, so while I prefer the direct editions, I have no problem purchasing a news-stand edition since in my mind, it is actually A MUCH RARER THING TO POSSESS!
    I would never presume to say that because of this, news-stand editions should be worth more registry points than direct editions. This will more than likely never happen due to the difficulty of updating all the comics involved in the registry, as well as the fact that not everyone will agree with me, but I think it's worth at least talking about.
    So while my copies of New Mutants #17, Alpha Flight #10, Thor #374(in my Mutant Massacre set), and even my Star Wars #103 are news-stand copies, they are THE RARER copies of these issues in 9.8! I might get direct edition copies of some of these down the road, but a 9.8 is a 9.8 no matter which version it is.
    Hopefully this gives you something to think about and gets your mind working considering the possibilities. I've loved comic collecting for most of my life, and having a chance to express my views in a community like this is fantastic.
    Keep up the collecting everyone!
    Stephen

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  2. bagofleas

    What Would CGC Do?.....

    By bagofleas,

    Marvel Sticker Album
    Remember back in the mid-80's when different companies would come out with sticker sets and then have comic-shaped albums that you could stick them into in order to display your collection?
    I don't specifically remember which franchises did this, but I DO remember seeing quite a number of them. None of them interested me until Marvel took notice of the phenomenon and decided to copy the trend.
    The Official Marvel Series Sticker Set came out in 1986, along with (go figure) a comic book that you could stick them into.
    There were 77 stickers in the set and they came in packs just like baseball cards or whatever. The organization of these packs was completely random. This was before Magic: the Gathering had ever come out. From what I understand, they made the same number of each sticker, but who knew what stickers would come in a pack?
    Anyway, I DID manage to put together a whole set of all 77 stickers AND the Sticker Album to put them in. I went ahead and actually stuck each sticker into it's rightful place in the album, which by the way has other background artwork in it as well.
    Below is a scan of the actual Album. I wonder if I sent it in to CGC, how would they handle it?
    I KNOW it won't get a 9.8, but it might manage a respectable 9.2 or 9.4.
    Would it get a Qualified Grade since items were added to it from it's original state? Would they put on the label that "All 77 stickers are included"?? Would they base the grade on the condition of each and every sticker? How would they do this, I wonder?
    What do you guys think?

  3. bagofleas

    I'm in Shock!!!

    By bagofleas,

    Awards results.
    Ever since I became a registered member of CGC, I have hoped that one day, I would win one of the major registry awards, like the best presentation award or a Best-Set-in-Age award, whether it be for Silver, Bronze or Copper Age.
     
     
     
    Being that I'm more of a Copper Age collector, this Age was far more likely. I thought for sure that it would eventually be my New Mutants set, but so far, for some reason, that's never happened.
     
     
     
    While I've waited with great anticipation every year to see if one of my sets would be graced with the award, I've only ever had the one set that was really worthy of it. But now I have at least three more sets that could and should garner consideration at the very least.
     
     
     
    I still hope to have my New Mutants set eventually win one, but I know that I would be equally ecstatic to have either my Dazzler set, Booster Gold set or even my Mutant Massacre set take the prize this year.
     
     
     
    After being disappointed year after year, I haven't held out much hope anymore to see my goal come true. What do I have to do to get more attention anyway? I mean, I've steadily collected for six years now, always put pics and descriptions on my books, prayed long and hard, even performed a blood ritual. Ok, not that last one maybe, but everything else. What more can I do? Name my firstborn "CGC"?
     
     
     
    But after six years of CGC collecting, lo and behold, it has finally happened!!
     
     
     
    After finally finishing off my Mutant Massacre set earlier this year, along with almost all of them being signed, it has won the Best Copper Age set award!!
     
     
     
    That would have been enough for me, but oooooh no. They're apparently making up for the last six years, because they didn't stop there!
     
     
     
    My New Mutants set, the one set that both me and my brother have been hoping for me to get a major award on was given a Best Presentation award!!
     
     
     
    I don't believe it! I have always wanted a Best Presentation award, but never thought I would get one; and to get it AND a best Copper Age set award in the same year is beyond surprising.
     
     
     
    I'm literally in shock right now. Does anyone know if someone has won more than one major award in the same year before? And how does CGC treat it? Do I get 2 years of paid membership fees along with coupons for each one? I'll have to call and check on all of that.
     
     
     
    Also, congrats to Lee K for winning a Best Presentation Award for his fabulous DC Go-Go Check set! if you haven't "checked" his set out yet, do yourself a favor and give it a look. It's one of the more amazing CGC sets out there!
     
     
     
    I want to thank everyone who rooted me on. And I especially want to thank Tnerb, Ronnylama and Surfer99 for all of their support, generous gifts and help with my work on these sets. I wouldn't have achieved this without you guys.
     
     
     
    Congrats to everyone else who also won major awards this year and to all who have top ranked sets. This is an expensive but rewarding hobby that takes years of dedication to bring these beautiful sets to fruition.
     
     
     
    These awards are an acknowledgement of the time, money and dedication that goes into these sets. We have the best community of collectors ever in one place here on the registry! You guys ROCK!

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  4. bagofleas

    File Copy = Pedigree?

    By bagofleas,

    Are they or are they not?
    Alright everyone
    Im fairly new to CGC collecting being that Ive only been involved in it for about three years. There are many of you guys who have been collecting CGC graded issues for ten years or better. So Im still a rookie in that sense. I certainly dont profess to know everything when it comes to comics and CGC collecting in general but there IS one thing Ive often wondered.
    Harvey Comics is the only company Ive seen who has put comics aside in their warehouse or whatever and only very slowly released these issues to the public as FILE COPIES. I dont think any other publishing company has done this. If they did they have not released any of the copies they did this with if thats the case. At least Ive never seen ANY CGC graded comic with the FILE COPY attribute applied to it except for Harvey issues.
    There ARE plenty of Harvey issues that do not have the FILE COPY attribute assigned to them when graded due to the fact that they were owned by individual collectors like any other comic series.
    So here is my question. Would these be equivalent to any other Pedigree assigned to CGC graded comics out there? I mean wouldnt these be basically considered as a HARVEY pedigree? A pedigree is considered genuine by CGC if the collection is significant enough to warrant such a distinction. What more could be considered as a significant collection than issues put aside by the very company that published them decades ago in most cases?
    I understand that the same spot is reserved for multiple cover issues but why else would CGC assign this distinction in the same spot as they do pedigrees?
    The reason Im asking this is because Ive recently read a journal by David Swan which alerted me to www.pedigreecomics.com that is dedicated to creating a database of pedigreed comics. I have since added four issues worth of scans to the database myself to contribute to it. I urge all you die hard collectors out there to do the same.
    This is probably me just being anal about the subject but I AM curious as to how everyone feels about it. I have sent an email to the person who runs the site about it just to see where it leads. Im hoping it could open up the site to accepting ALL FILE COPY graded issues as PEDIGREES which would allow a lot of comics to be added to this database of scans.
    Anyway just throwing this subject out there. Hopefully Ive avoided any commas or whatever keeps these journals from being applied to the message boards. Lets discuss it folks.
    Below is a scan of an OAK issue that I own. Its the single highest graded Richie Rich Dollars and Cents number 56 in 9.8 and it has White Pages too!! FILE COPY of course.

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  5. 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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  6. bagofleas
    I don't believe it!
    Holy , I just got my hands on the rarest 9.8 gi joe in the very last issues. There are only two of these puppies in the world! I don't frikin believe I got one!
    I am on cloud nine right now. No, make that cloud 152, because that is the issue I just got, #152!!!
    This thing is absolutely gorgeous! I love the cover!
    I should be able to get #'s 150 and 154 soon as well which means that I'll only be one away from having every single one of the last 9 issues in 9.8! The one I'd be missing is #151, but I'm keepin my eyes open!!!!

  7. bagofleas

    G. I. Joe #155

    By bagofleas,

    9.8!!
    With only 13 of these actually available in this grade, I didn't think I was going to see one available any time soon. Then a few days ago one of them shows up on Ebay for auction w/ no reserve! I've recently come into some cash and am itching to spend it on some of my more desired acquisitions, so I focused on this beauty. Eventually I won it for just over $600!! Pricey, but worth it to me. G. I. Joe is one of my favorite 80's franchises, along with transformers, any x-series and Star Wars. I'm really looking out for a Star wars #107 in 9.8. Here's to hope!
  8. bagofleas
    A new order?
    Let's face it, While we all love CGC and what they've done for the interest in our hobby, they have been woefully lacking in the modernization department.
    I'm sure each one of us could come up with at least one thing that CGC could do better. But until now, they have had no reason to do so.
    Since January, 2000 CGC has been revolutionizing our favorite hobby as the premier comic book grading company. There have been, and still are others out there, like PGX and the newer Vault grading companies, but CGC has continued to be where most people send their books. Arguably 90% of comic books are submitted for grading through CGC.
    With such a stranglehold on the grading market for so many years, CGC has done little in the way of updates and upgrades. They did manage to change the look of their labels once, almost five years after using the older labels. This was probably the last great, significant improvement to any of their service.
    But now, things may be on the cusp of changing. I am referring to Steve Borock starting up his own book grading company, CBCS. They will be accepting their first submissions at the Indy PopCon at the end of this month, which makes me almost wish I could go.
    I'm sure there are many different opinions and outlooks by many of us here on the registry, but I personally believe this will be a good thing, regardless of how it all pans out.
    Why? Because competition breeds innovation.
    The biggest reason for the lack of any real competition to CGC up to this point has been a lack of established integrity. If anyone has a chance to challenge CGC, it's Steve Borock, former President of CGC, as well as it's first primary grader. Steve is one of the most respected and knowledgeable individuals in the industry.
    Do I think this will lead to the demise of CGC? Absolutely not. What I believe it WILL do is cause CGC to finally take a long, hard look at many aspects of their services.
    I'm sure many of you will make suggestions as to what improvements could be made, and now I believe CGC will need to seriously consider many of these recommendations from us. We are, after all, what keeps them going.
    As for some of my thoughts in this regard, I can put forth a few items:
    1 - Quality of materials.
    The sturdiness of the outer casings, the quality of the label's paper stock, etc.
    2 - Restoration determination and accuracy.
    This has been a very contentious issue lately with CGC. I am also very curious as to how Mr. Borock will handle the pressing of books. CGC has determined that pressing is NOT restoration. I wonder if Steve will agree.
    3 - Quality Control improvements.
    This is another area that CGC needs to work on. There are times where I believe QC is not even applied to invoices other than to glance over the graded books quickly one time and pass them on to shipping. Mistakes in QC have increased in the last couple of years.
    4 - Accurate and consistent turnaround times.
    This is an area that Steve Borock is attacking head-on. He is "guaranteeing" turnaround times for books submitted through his company, it will be interesting to see if this happens and how it affects CGC's procedures on this issue.
    5 - updated and more modern online software.
    This is a biggie. The software CGC uses for all of its online chat, boards and registry is about ten years out of date. It really needs to be modernized. Being able to link through and apply changes made on the registry to other social media apps alone would be a welcome change.
    The one big thing that CGC has had going for it over anyone else is the online Registry. The way it breeds competition among collectors and allows us to show off our books and sets, as well as have the opportunity to receive awards for our collections, is a huge benefit to CGC.
    It will be interesting to see if Steve works something like this into his company eventually. To do so would surely be the biggest single boost to his chances of overthrowing the big boy on the block.
    CGC really needs to look into updating its online presence for the modern era of mobile inter-connectivity. I very much hope this competition brings about a change in this area.
    It will probably take a couple of years for any real competition to develop between these two companies, but I am hopeful that Steve's re-infiltration into the grading industry will benefit us all. If CGC can see this as a legitimate threat to its near monopoly of the grading market, then maybe we can start to see some serious changes to their practices and software applications.
    I know some have been skeptical in the past about CGC's grading accuracy, but the truth is, this is the one area that will be equal between the two companies in my opinion. It shouldn't affect either company's status in the market.
    I think it will come down to customer service, turnaround times and all the little aesthetic extras applied to their services that will ultimately determine how it all ends up.
    CGC, the ball is in your court.
    Below is a preliminary example of what a CBCS graded book will look like. Let's discuss, everyone.

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  9. bagofleas
    Getting MORE than your money's worth
    I have four main ways of collecting CGC comics.
    1)Getting particular issues that I'm interested in owning. (Cap. America Annual #8)
    2)Getting issues of series that I want to make sets of. (New Mutants, Dazzler, etc.)
    3)Getting issues because they're JUST SO CHEAP. (see my last journal entry)
    4)Getting comics that hit fantastic Registry Point/Amount Paid ratios.
    Part of the joy of CGC collecting is the gaining of registry points to slowly move you up the ranks of other collectors. When I first got into this hobby, there were just over 1100 registered collectors. Now there are over 2300 and as of this posting I am #172. I've been as high as #142 but there's been a lot of action over the last six months that has dropped me a little.
    Out of these four ways that I collect, #4 is one of the biggest things I take into consideration with ANY CGC buy, but most importantly with issues that I don't normally collect. The more registry points you can get compared to how much you are paying for a comic is vital to increasing your rankings.
    I look for a X3 ratio at the least when it comes to getting something I normally might not be all that interested in. But the higher the ratio, the better. If it's something that I particularly want anyway, so much the better!
    Some examples of this concept in my collection are:
    1) Richie Rich Millions #7 9.8 (1100 points/$135) X8
    2) Alpha Flight #51 9.8 (320 points/$95) X3
    3) Infinite Crisis #1 RIE SSx4 9.8 (880 points/$125) X7
    4) Tracy #111 9.6 (600 points/$135) X4.5 (see below)
    The ratios are approximations, but these are just a few examples of what I have acquired specifically to help increase my ranking. The Tracy issue is from 1957 and is the single highest graded copy out there. There are 2 copies of the Infinite Crisis #1 on Ebay right now that the sellers want more for than what I paid for mine, and their copies are not even signed!
    If your goal is to move up as quickly as possible in the total rankings, pay close attention to the issue's RP/AP ratio. In this economy, you need all the help you can get!

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  10. bagofleas
    Only one more to go!!!
    This is great! I now have a 9.8 copy of #150!
    All I need now is #151 and I'll have #145 thru #155, all in 9.8 WP!!!!!
    I never thought I'd be this close. These things are so hard to come by.
    The price was great! I got #150 and #154, both for the same price as a #154 I could have gotten a couple months ago, so that's pretty good!
    I'll put it out there as soon as I get my #151, so stay tuned fellow collectors!!!!!!!!!

  11. bagofleas
    What If #28!
    I've seen some double and triple cover graded comics before, and while they are definitely interesting, I've always refrained from purchasing any of them.
    Why? Two reasons.
    1)They are usually overpriced for my taste.
    2)The individual covers are graded separately and I've personally NEVER seen them get 9.8 or better on each of the covers.
    That is until now!
    Reason #2 is the biggest requirement for me to even consider purchasing one of these comics but they also would need to have White Pages.
    I've been keeping my eyes out for key What If issues at reasonable prices(translated:I could afford them at the time.) and I've been able to pick up some of them. Then this one showed up and blew me away!
    What If #28 with not only double cover status but with BOTH covers achieving 9.8's! White pages on top of the deal and I just couldn't resist!!
    This is the first time I've seen one of these like this and it's a comic I was specifically looking for on top of it all! This thing is definitely one of a kind and seriously cool! I have officially made my first double cover purchase and couldn't be more pleased.
    I wish the best of luck to everyone else on YOUR searches for YOUR dream comics!
    STEPHEN

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  12. bagofleas
    Be patient or you may end up being a mental patient!
    All right, have you ever bought a graded comic and felt elated at your purchase, only to watch future equally graded copies sell for less and less until your purchase looks like you must have been drunk off your rocker at the time?
    Of course, you have. Pretty much all CGC collectors have faced this issue at one time or another. Why? No patience.
    We tend to think that just because this is the first copy of an issue thats been graded at it's level, there may never be another one or so few that the value couldn't possibly go down too much.
    Or maybe it because were trying so hard to put a set together that we are willing to pay almost anything for those last few issues we need to meet our goal.
    When I first got into this hobby about 2 1/2 years ago, I wanted Uncanny X-Men #212 so bad that I bought it for just over $400 (going price at the time). I thought, key issue, black background, wolvie vs. Sabretooth, only 25 copies in the grade at the time after 10 years or so of grading. This couldn't possibly drop too much below $400.
    Wrong, wrong, wrong. There are now 111 copies of this thing out there now and they generally sell for around $78 to $95.
    Why didn't I wait? Because I was new to the hobby and I made a bunch of assumptions, that's why. I now understand that there are MANY things to consider when determining what you are willing to pay for something. Don't drive yourself mad wishing you had waited just a little while before buying something you wanted.
    My recent purchase of a signed copy of Jonah Hex #92 (see my previous journal) is an example of my now-learned-patience. I almost went ahead and bought an unsigned one for $250 about a year ago but decided to wait it out. Now I've got the only signed copy of it's grade (out of 14) for $110.
    As an alternate example, I own the only 9.8 graded copy of Dazzler #42 (last issue/see image below) that I purchased for $150. Jet black cover and all! How will this pan out in the long run? We'll see, but for now, I'm a happy camper in this case. But that could change if everyone decides to suddenly send in their copies of this issue and some of them reach this grade.
    So what do we learn from all this? Be selective, be knowledgeable, be rich (HA,HA), and most of all BE PATIENT!!!
    There will almost always be future copies graded at the level you want, and the more that reach that grade, the cheaper you will get them for, unless current events cause the issue to skyrocket in demand for whatever reason.
    Once you've decided what you're willing to pay for something, don't back down off it. When it comes to auctions, wait until the last possible second to put in your maximum amount and hope for the best.
    Think before you buy or you'll drive yourself crazy wishing you had waited!
    So, as my teaser for this journal says, Be Patient Or You May End Up Being A Mental Patient!!

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  13. bagofleas

    Edging Closer!!

    By bagofleas,

    10 to go! Come on Registry Awards!!!!
    It's been a while since I've done one of these so here goes.
    I've been ever watchful for my beloved New Mutants issues and I've been slowly edging my way closer to my goal (all of them, of course!). I recently was able to get my hands on only the second copy of #51 to achieve 9.8 WP status! I am now only 10 issues away from the complete run!
    I was also going to put story summaries of each of the issues onto my descriptions. I started out quick with the first 6 but have since been entirely too busy to focus on it lately. I intend to rectify that soon and get back on it, so stay tuned.
    Since I am down to the wire on those, I don't see needed copies show up very often, so I have been getting other comics that interest me or that I am also trying to eventually get full runs of.
    My Booster Gold(1986) set has a great start at 11 of the 25 issues. These are nearly impossible to find so it will probably take quite some time to get the other 14.
    My Dazzler set also has a great start at 17 issues. I am currently #2 on these behind HITMAN1099, but I plan on breaking past him eventually. I wish I could have done it before this round of registry awards but alas, no. I do have some of the much harder to find later issues in this series.
    My Further Adventures of Indiana Jones set is slow go right now but this series was the second one I started getting when I first got into comics, so I will continue to be vigilant in my search for these elusive issues! There are some on Ebay but they are just too much $ for my taste.
    Warlord is a recent addition to my set building. I have always been a big fan of fantasy art, and just the covers of these issues alone have always interested me. I cant be too picky on a lot of these right now because many of them do not exist in 9.8, especially some of the early ones, but I am on the lookout for top grades on these. I have managed to get #82 and Annual #1 both in 9.9!!
    Marvel Fanfare is another one I'm working on. I really like these because of the CGC case's ability to show the full artwork of the front and back covers. This is another set that I hope to grab the top spot away from HITMAN1099. These too, however, can be very elusive.
    Most of all, folks, like many of you I am a lover of comic art and uniqueness. It doesn't have to be a series I'm wanting all of, but if it's a one-of-a-kind find then I'm all for trying to get it. Items like my Groo the Wanderer #3, Master of Kung Fu #69 SS, Richie Rich Millions #18, and all my difficult to replace SS issues are like landmarks to me every time I get one. I love this hobby!
    I also love being able to see what all of you have accomplished in your endeavors. It inspires me to keep pushing my collecting to new limits. Take the time and make an effort to properly catalog your comics with photos and descriptions. It helps others to really SEE what can be achieved with perseverance. Not to mention help you towards one of those Best Presented Set registry awards!
    Speaking of which, the registry awards are almost here, and I hope to have 5 or 6 top ranks by then. Wish me luck and good luck to each and every one of you out there with the same passion as me!
    Stephen

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  14. 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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  15. bagofleas
    YES!!! I'VE DONE IT!!!!!!
    I've finally done it fellow collectors!!!
    I am now the only person who has managed to put together all 11 of the last issues of GI Joe in 9.8 WP!!!
    I finally managed to get that elusive #151 (see pic below).
    I saw that one popped up on comiclink,com a few weeks ago for $201, but someone had already bought it. I was so upset!!!
    But then one showed up on Ebay a week ago and I set my sights on it! Not only did I get it, but I got it for a cheaper price than the one on comiclink!!! I also managed to get my hands on some other later issues along with this one!
    I now need only three more issues to have the last 20 issues in this grade (#'s 139, 141, and 144)!! This is my next goal

  16. bagofleas
    Jonah Hex #92!
    I can't believe it! I've been wanting to get my hands on a 9.8 copy of Jonah Hex #92, being that it's one of those Low-print-run-last-issue deals of a character that I like.
    So far, there are only 14 of these out there to get this grade, and they've always sold for over $100. When this thing showed up on Ebay the other day, I was blown away!
    9.8, White Pages and SS signed by cover artist Klaus Janson!? HOLY ! This is currently the only SS 9.8 copy of this thing out there! Talk about one-of-a-kind! This thing has got to wind up going for for $200 or more, I thought. Yeouch!!
    But I had to give it a shot. So after doing some creative account balancing, I decided that I would try for it at no more than around $185 and hope for the best.
    Well I'll be a Hex's uncle if I didn't get the thing for a total of $110 with shipping! I don't believe it! I was pretty sure I was gonna miss out on it.
    This just goes to show you that you never know what something's gonna go for on Ebay. It just depends on who's watching at the time.
    I love uniqueness, and this DEFINITELY qualifies!

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  17. bagofleas

    Gi joe #153

    By bagofleas,

    9.8 WP!!
    I'm doin' my best to try and get issues 150-155 of GI JOE in 9.8 WP's. So far I managed to get the hardest one (mainly due to price!) #155. I saw a 9.6 copy of #153 on ebay throughout the last couple of weeks, but really wanted to hold out for one of those 17 copies of 9.8 out there. Well a guy who I just got another comic from a couple of days ago put one up on ebay just in time for me to add it to my order, and he only charged me an extra penny in shipping! Hallelujah, baby!! I also have something brewing that may lead me to a 9.8 copy of #154, but I'll save that for another entry later on once I see how it turns out.
  18. bagofleas

    THE SHELDON SCALE

    By bagofleas,

    What percentage are you?
    OK. First of all this journal is just for fun. Just to throw something out there for you to think about and respond to.
    Dont send a reply based on what you think others would say about you but on what you honestly feel about yourself.
    Do you know the TV show The Big Bang Theory? How about the Sheldon character?
    All right. Sheldon is the Absolute 100 percent UBER EXTREME example of what would be considered the eternally child like OCD perfectionist techno junkie science and comics geek. I dont think thats an official stereotype term but you get the idea.
    I was just curious how everyone else feels they compare to him percentage wise. Im not talking about the actor who portrays Sheldon but the Sheldon character as he is portrayed on the show.
    I will go first and say that I am probably about 55 percent on the Sheldon Scale. In some areas I am practically 95 percent and in other areas I am more like only 15 percent so I will put myself at just above the halfway point.
    I encourage everyone who reads this journal and knows the Sheldon character to reply and be bluntly honest. Remember that Sheldon is the 100 percent that you are comparing yourself to.
    Where do you rate percentage wise on the Sheldon Scale in your opinion? Why do you feel this way? Remember that this is just to get everyone involved in a topic and in no way is meant to pass judgment on anyone. I am truthfully just interested in how others view themselves on a scale like this.
    I will say up front that I am grateful for every comic book and CGC collector who is registered on this site. You make this hobby fun and exciting to all of us other Sheldonites out there. Thanks everyone!
    I will show part of the area on the Sheldon Scale where I am probably closer to the 100 percent category by presenting you with a picture of one of the Marvel Graphic Novels that I recently acquired. Check it out below! I am overjoyed at getting such a great copy of this even though most people might not even give it a second thought.
    Send in your replies and lets have fun reading everyones responses.

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  19. bagofleas
    Gettin' closer, people!
    Well, if you've been following my progress for the last year, you'd know that I'm only 14 issues away from completing my New Mutants set in 9.8 WP or better!
    New Mutants was the first comic book I ever started collecting when I was a kid. The first issue I got was #32 and It sucked me into the whole comic universe and I've never really looked back. I will always have a special fondness, however, for this series. I'm currently in the process of putting a few different sets together but this is the one I'm most interested in completing.
    I see that Tnerb has decided to start his New Mutants collection as well, and I wish him the very best of luck (darn that #47!). Many of these are hard if not impossible to get your hands on right now, and some of mine are single highest graded copies (darn that #47!).
    I am currently in the process of putting story summaries on all of the issues in my registry. This will obviously take some time, especially since I am such a busy guy, but I will get there. Check my set periodically if you like and watch my progress (darn that #47!).
    The issues I'm missing are : 11(mine's OW to W), 17, 47(darn that #47!), 48, 51, 55, 58, 59, 70, 81, 89, 95 and Annuals 2, 4 and 5. I'm SO CLOSE!
    Anyway, best of luck to everyone in their collecting goals (that includes you, Tnerb. Darn that #47!), and may you someday own that dream comic you've always wanted.
    Stephen
  20. bagofleas

    QUUUAAACCCKKKK!!!!!!!

    By bagofleas,

    No better feeling!!!
    I have been an avid comic collector for nearly 30 years. In that time, I have had many fantastic collecting moments. You know, those moments when you find a copy of a book you've been dying to locate. This occurs as you dig through box after box in store after store or show after show. It's that super-excited, tingly feeling that overcomes you as soon as your eye hits the exact book you've been pursuing!
    Once I started collecting CGC graded books, this experience became heightened ten-fold! I now peruse through dealer boxes at stores and shows looking specifically for only the highest grade-worthy copies of particular books.
    When I come across a copy I'm in search of, I initially feel excited. I pull it from the box thinking, "Here's a possible copy that could reach my grade-worthy desires". I look it over in its bag first. I either dismiss it right there as not grade-able or I move on to the next phase, which is taking it out of the bag.
    As I hold the actual comic book in my hands and look it over with questionable eyes, I scroll the spine, scrutinize the edges and corners, and repeat for the rear cover. I grow more and more excited as I can't find any noticeable defects. After this process is complete, I hold it at different angles using the light to reveal any surface imperfections. Once finished I move into the guts and examine the inner pages, until I feel it's a 9.8 worthy copy! When that happens, I start shaking. This is normally the time I feel I should put the book very carefully back into its casing. My insides become jittery and loosey-goosey. I'm ecstatic at having finally found a copy worthy of submitting to CGC and adding to my set!
    After shipping the book to CGC I go through the waiting process. As soon as I see "Shipped/Safe" on the invoice, I can't help but look and see how it came out. I use a piece of paper to hide the grade on the screen and slowly move it out of the way until the grade is revealed!
    If it doesn't reach the vaunted 9.8 I hoped for, I sigh and sag to the floor, shaking my head and wondering what I must have missed in my examination. Thankfully, this happens a lot less now than it did when I first started in this hobby. But ultimately, I'm still thankful for having a graded copy.
    If however, it DOES reach the grade I expected, or even (dare I hope?) surpasses the expected grade, I once again get that jittery and excited sensation! I squeal with delight, dance a jig, jump up and down, etc... etc....
    I've even done this at a convention with onsite-grading right at the CGC booth. My big brother and others present were in attendance watching and I must say I got a lot of smiles and laughs from everyone. At times like this, I feel like a kid in a candy store who was just been given the whole store's stock for free!!!!
    Which brings us to the reason for this journal and what currently seems like rambling on my part. Why am I telling all of this to you now? Because there is a development in a year long process that has come to fruition and I can't wait to tell you about it!
    Back in January, I decided it was time for me to really get down to business and try finding top notch copies of Howard the Duck #1 and #2 so I could get Frank Brunner's signature on them. I have always been a Mr. The Duck fan and these two particular books are nearly impossible to find in good enough shape to be worthy of getting graded (in my opinion). They are very pricey to buy CGC graded in 9.8, if they even show up at all.
    I resolved myself to being ok with 9.6 copies if I could only find them raw without having to kill myself doing it. The first thing I decided to do was look around online, especially on eBay. I have become very adept (or lucky?) at finding top grade copies on eBay for some reason. I've had numerous raw Ebay purchases achieve 9.8s before, even with older comics from the Copper and Bronze Age.
    It took some time, but I came across a couple of copies of Howard the Duck #2 on Ebay from the Tongie Farm Collection that the seller swore were 9.6 worthy. I looked the pictures over on both copies, and decided that they were worth a try. I picked the one I thought was a little better and paid $48 for it.
    Once I had the book in hand, I was sure they were right, it was at least a 9.6. Perfect! I took it with me to Megacon, for Frank Brunner to sign and take advantage of CGC's onsite service. I got Frank's sig ($10) and submitted it along with a number of other comic books. I also had it pressed just to be sure of giving it the best possible chance.
    I had thought in the back of my head that it could possibly get 9.8, but I wrote that off as wishful thinking on my part. I'm not perfect with grading comics from the Bronze Age and feel that I still have some practicing to do before I'm consistently accurate with this era.
    My big brother was with me when it came back on the last day of the show. Astonishingly, it WAS CGC SS 9.8 OW/W!!!! This, along with a few other unexpected results, is what had me doing the aforementioned noises, accompanied with dancing while jumping up and down.
    It didn't get white pages, but that's a minor issue compared to the grade itself. If it had received 9.6, I had planned on sending it with my big brother to ECCC the following week for Steve Leialoha to add his signature, but being graded at 9.8 had me rethink that notion. I wasn't going to risk it any further. I was perfectly happy with Brunner's scrawling on it at 9.8!! Who wouldn't be?
    I was so happy with the results of this book that I contacted the seller that I bought it from and told him what had happened. This turned out to be a very fortunate event, because not only was the seller very happy for me, he then told me he had a copy of #1 of the same title, if I was interested. He convinced me by telling me the comic was in just as good of condition as the issue I already purchased.
    Are you kidding? Of course I was interested!! I didn't even need to see it. I bought it without haggling for $100. When I received it, I once again agreed with their determination of the book at 9.6.
    The only thing I saw that was detrimental to the grade was a wide area on the outside edge of the back cover, where it was bent hard over towards the front cover. It didn't break color or anything, and I wondered if a pressing could get it to smooth out. I figured it was worth the try.
    It just so happens that Frank Brunner AND Marv Wolfman were both going to attend Tampa Bay CC in August. I decided to take it with me and get BOTH of them to sign it! Marv Wolfman was the editor of the book, and I love getting any signatures I can that apply to a comic if possible. He's there anyway, so why not, right?
    I went to the show with my oldest godson, got the book signed by the aforementioned creators and submitted it along with a group of other books. This was not an onsite show, so unfortunately I've been having to wait and it's been killing me.
    Well, the results are in and I will let the picture below speak for itself. Best copy in the world now! There is one other SS 9.8 WP, but it is only signed by Brunner.
    I'm sure you can guess by now what I was doing when I saw the grade for the first

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  21. bagofleas

    Heck! Why not?

    By bagofleas,

    Ever get one just because?
    Have you ever picked up a cgc graded copy of a comic that you don't even collect, just because the price was so good?
    I've had a few occasions where I bid on and won an issue that I really wanted and because of combined shipping costs and cheap prices and apparently no one showing interest, wound up getting my hands on 2 or more extra issues REALLY CHEAP!
    I'm talking cheaper than it would cost for me to go out, find a great condition copy of the issue, and pay to send it in and get it graded myself, and maybe not even have it reach 9.8! I find it really hard not to take advantage of these opportunities when they show themselves, even when I'm not really that interested in the particular comic series.
    The most recent of these acquisitions for me is New Teen Titans #11 (shown below). I don't really have any interest in collecting this series outside of Annual #2 (1st appearance of Vigilante), but because of the cheap additional shipping cost, I got it for a grand total of $11.50!!! Heck Yeah! No brainer in my opinion.
    I also acquired my copies of What If #20, Further Adv. of Indiana Jones #33 and the one and only 9.8 graded last issue of Saga of Swamp Thing #171 this way. I just can't pass up on deals like this when they pop up!

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  22. bagofleas

    GI Joe #154 9.8!

    By bagofleas,

    Oh yeah,baby! 9.8!!!!
    I had an opportunity to get this about two months ago but wasn't ready to pay the price, so I waited. I'm so glad I did!!
    I got it for a lot less and I'm ecstatic about it!!
    I was also able to pick up #146 in 9.8 along with this one! I've got a chance at #150 in 9.8 and if I get it, I will only be missing #151 to have the last 11 issues, all in 9.8!!!!
    Wish me luck!

  23. bagofleas

    EAGLE EYES!

    By bagofleas,

    I have the best big brother in the world!!
    Ok, kids. STORYTIME!! YAAAAAYYYYY!!!!
    Once upon a time, there was a young man who bought all 8 issues of the comic book mini-series "Fallen Angels". The young man got them all graded by CGC and all but two came back in 9.8!
    The young man was happy about the ones that got 9.8, but really wanted to find 9.8 copies of the other two books to have a complete set in 9.8 or better.
    A year later, the young man's big brother found copies of the two books that were good enough to get 9.8 and gave them to his younger brother! The young man was thrilled, and after getting them signed by the cover artist, he had them graded by CGC.
    They both came back in 9.8, and the two brothers lived happily ever after.
    THE END.
    Hahaaa! Ok, this is simplistic, but it's also completely true!
    In early 2013, I bought all 8 issues of the Fallen Angels mini-series from a seller on Ebay who promised me they were all very high grade books. After receiving them and looking them over myself, I had to agree with him. I wanted to get this series because of three members of New Mutants being featured in it.
    I sent #4 to Desert Winds to get Val Mayerick to sign it at SDCC 2013, since he was there. Then as Tampa Bay CC approached, I planned on submitting the rest of them for universal grading. That's when I noticed that Joe Staton and Mike Mignola were going to be at Baltimore CC, which I had just decided I would be going to. So I held back #5, #6 and #8 since they could sign them and submitted the other four copies at Tampa Bay CC.
    Long story short, when I finally got them all back, 6 of them got 9.8s and two got 9.6s! Turns out both the dealer and I were right! The only two books to not get 9.8 were #3 and the #4 that Val Mayerick signed, unfortunately. So I planned on eventually finding 9.8 worthy copies of those two in order to complete my set.
    Fast forward all the way to Baltimore CC the next year. Once again my big brother and I were hitting the show floor in search of signatures and books. I hadn't really made any mention of this set for a long time, nor do I have any designs to really look for the two I still needed in 9.8, due to having so many other things I wanted to do at the show.
    At one point on the first day, Tnerb walked off to do some looking around while I was standing in line for a signature. When he came back, he handed me a few comic books and said something along the lines of, "I found these at a dealer and they look great, like 9.8 possibilities. I know you're trying to put together a complete set of them". That's paraphrasing, but what's completely accurate is that he handed me a few copies of Fallen Angels issues, including #3 and #4!!
    I was flabbergasted! I was even more astonished when I looked them over later at the hotel and determined that they were definitely 9.8 worthy! Not astonished at Tnerb's grading accuracy, which I already knew was fantastic. But astonished that both books were at the show and he just happened to be at the right place at the right time to find them. The fact that he thought about me when he saw them and picked them up for me is just another reason to show why I love my big brother so much.
    To make matters even better, Tom Palmer was attending the very same show! Talk about timely!! Not only did Tnerb manage to find the two books I needed to complete the set in good enough shape to achieve 9.8, but the cover artist could sign them right then and there!
    So that's exactly what I did! I prepped them right there in the hotel room and took them to Tom Palmer on the last day of the show and submitted them to CGC, along with another Palmer signed book which I found at the show. I will do another journal on that book very soon.
    So the books just got back in my hands and the verdict is in! Ol' Eagle Eyes (Tnerb) strikes again!! My 9.8 set of all 8 books is complete thanks to you, big bro!! Thank you so much! I couldn't have done it without you!!

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  24. bagofleas

    The Waiting Game.....

    By bagofleas,

    The nature of grading.
    As graded comic collectors, we all know how it's a patient man's way of collecting. You can fork out the money to buy already graded books like I did for the first five years of my collecting cgc books, or you can submit books yourself, which is mostly what I do now.
    But the length of time to get them back after submission can be agonizingly slow. We understand that that's the case ahead of time, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. But that's what happens when everybody wants books done in massive volume all year long.
    Paying the extra $10 per book for Fast Track is always an option, and one that I very often take advantage of, but when you're submitting a lot of books, that extra cost adds up fast!!! So depending on what I've budgeted myself for my current round of invoices, I may or may not do Fast Track.
    In the case of the four current invoices I have at CGC, only one is Fast Tracked, and that one is only because I want it back YESTERDAY.
    It is my ASM #300, which I sent to Kaholo1256 (thanks buddy!!) for getting MacFarlane to sign. I would normally be willing to wait the regular time for it, but it's a personal thing and not for selling. It is the copy that my late father and I picked up right off the shelf back in 1988.
    It has been graded and cracked a total of FIVE TIMES now!!!!! But when it comes back to me for this last time, it will have signatures from Tom DeFalco, Bob McLeod, David Michelinie, Stan Lee and Todd MacFarlane!!!
    It was 9.6 at first but fell to 9.4 during the multiple cracking sessions. I had it pressed this last time to try and get it back up to 9.6, so hopefully that will be the case, but regardless of the grade, it is a very sentimental book to me.
    The other three invoices however are in the process of going through at the normal snail's pace. I've been patient, but I dying to know what they get.
    Among the three invoices are six total books. Four of them are for my Marvel 25th Anniversary Border Covers set!! One is for my Indiana Jones set, and one is for my What If set.
    Two of them were sent to Surfer99 for Herb Trimpe to sign at Phoenix Comic Con, les than a month before he passed away. I am so thankful to him for getting those done for me.
    Heck, once the Transformers #22 and Indiana Jones #17 come back, they will be not only the only signed and graded copies, they will both be the only graded copies that will ever exist that are signed by Herb!!!!
    So while it may be mind numbing to have to wait so long, it just makes it that much sweeter when they finally make their way back to you!
    The picture below is of my copy of Transformers #5, which I'm contemplating cracking for Bob Budiansky to sign at Baltimore Comic Con. Ive never seen him attending a show before and the only reason he is going to this one is to support the Heroes Initiative. I want to be sure to take advantage of him being there, and I have a few books I can get signed by him, but this cover was always one of my faves of the original series.

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  25. bagofleas

    My Last Hurrah For 2013!!

    By bagofleas,

    Now the waiting begins....
    I have collected CGC comics for over four years now, but its only during this year that I dove into the wonderful world of conventions. Oh, I had gone to a number of cons with my father when I was a kid, but that was back in the 80s and early 90s. And we never went to any of the big cons, just smaller local ones thrown by Tallahassee LCS or ones in nearby towns.
    Now I have a sudden drive to get a big hunk of my CGC collection signed and turned into SS yellow labeled glory! I have Tnerb to thank for this. He went on a signature acquiring spree during 2011 and 2012 and managed to pass me on my New Mutants set in 2012. After six months of sadness at the loss of my favorite first ranked registry set, I decided to hit Megacon in March of this year, taking a big chunk of New Mutants issues with me for Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod to sign.
    I also took a number of other issues with me including some Starlog and Star Trek TNG magazines for cast members to sign. I can sum the experience up in one word...
    AWESOME!
    I loved it! I loved meeting the creators. I loved getting the items signed by everyone. I especially loved it once everything came back graded and gorgeous with fresh yellow labels announcing their presence through the clear plastic.
    I also loved knowing that a bunch of those items were now OAKs!! Most of them still are! This caused a chain reaction in my brain and I decided that I would try to attend at least one more show this year.
    Before that would come to fruition, however, Surfer99 would lend me a huge hand by taking ten of my New Mutants issues to the Phoenix ComicCon for Bret Blevins to sign. I am eternally grateful to him for this.
    Following those being done, I looked and looked around online. But it was when my mother told me she would be going down to Sebastian to stay with her sister for a couple of weeks that I realized that the Miami Supercon would be taking place right around the time she planned on coming back, so we organized it so that I could attend the show and then bring her back home to Tallahassee.
    The Supercon went wonderfully and it served as an opportunity for ME to actually help a fellow registry member for the first time. Ronnylama sent me a number of comics to get signed by a few creators there and I was thrilled to be able to do it for him! He also sent me a number of issues for myself that I would later submit for grading or get signatures on! thanks Ronnylama, YOU ROCK!
    Tnerb would later inform me of the Baltimore ComicCon and after some financial shuffling, I decided to attend that show as well. I managed to do a one day run down to Tampa for the show down there while waiting for Baltimore. I even managed to help Tnerb with a signature in Tampa as well.
    Then came Baltimore and I did a record number of issues for myself at this show! Meeting Tnerb for the first time was the real highlight of the show for me and being able to walk around the con with him was a really fun time! I now feel that I have a brother I never knew and look forward to our next meeting!
    Now I have sent off ten more issues to Tnerb for the NYCC coming up next month and could not be more thankful to him for helping me out with them. I have also just sent off two issues to the NY Masters signing for multiple signatures.
    With these last two send offs, I have officially ended my signature collecting endeavors for the year. The next Con I will be attending is Megacon again in March. Tnerb will be joining me for that show. If anyone else wants to meet us there, let either of us know.
    Anyway, now that I am home and reorganizing my collection, I realize I am in waiting mode big time! Between everything I did at Supercon, Tampa, Baltimore and now what I have sent off for NYCC and the Masters, I have over 150 comics in the process of being pressed and graded or just graded!!
    I dont think any will start showing up on my doorstep until at least December and they will continue to show up throughout the first couple of months of next year. I will be all gnashing teeth and tapping feet until then but that is the nature of the business when submitting to CGC.
    Thank you to all who have helped me in these adventures, I am forever in your debt! love this hobby and the friendships I have developed with fellow CGC collectors. I cannot wait to see what else this hobby of ours brings in 2014, but for me it will start the same way it did this year...
    MEGACON, HERE I COME!!!
    Below is a pic of the empty boxes that are just waiting for the SS issues to start piling in!

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