Tnerb

Or on mt way to the con. I was stressing. The morning of the first New York Special Edition was a very stressful beginning of the day. Even though I left with more than ample time, I should have realized that the trip to New York would be anything but easy, especially after what transpired a few days before. Wednesday, three days before the New York Special Edition was to open, I had yet to purchase my train tickets to get me there. I stopped at Suburban Station to purchase them. Normally I just walk through the underground transportation center never stopping, not even for my choice of three different "Dunkin Donuts" locations I could buy coffee at. Today I needed too, I procrastinated enough. I made my way through the increasing morning crowd towards the ticket windows in the middle of the station. Fortunately, the line was nonexistent, allowing this chore of the day to be short lived. I explained how I needed to get to New York from Torresdale Station in Northeast Philadelphia. I was charming, even delightful, so I was aghast when I asked for a round trip ticket to New York and I was told "no". Apparently she was able to sell me the regional rail tickets since SEPTA would be the beginning of my journey, but New Jersey Transit's computers were down and any tickets had to be purchased at a kiosk either at 30th street station, or on the day of the trip. I chose the day of the trip. I should have realized at that moment things could get worse. I woke up with my bag already packed and my Regional Rail tickets in my wallet along with my one day pass to the convention. I turned on my computer to get the weather of the day and found out a bit of news that I was forewarned about. SEPTA's regional rails went on strike.The tickets I had were now worthless. I had no way to get to Trenton to get on my train to New York. My best laid plans were torn asunder. I dressed and hurried out the door, deciding that I'd have to drive. I chose Princeton since I thought it would be much better to park there than in Trenton and asked SIRI to take me there. I made it, with thirty minutes to spare, but something was wrong. It didn't feel right, where were the cars, the people? Even on Saturday this place should have been bustling. And then I figured it out. The GPS took me to Princeton Station, not Princeton Junction where I had to be. I hoped back into my car, asked for directions from some construction workers and headed on my way. My time was diminishing and the detour made it worse. I arrived with 15 minutes to spare, parked the car, and made my way to the kiosk to buy my train ticket, but I still had to cross under the tracks and climb the stairs to wait. I found a seat on the platform, but I couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. Eight minutes, seven minutes, and I thought, what if I didn't lock the car door? I knew I DID lock the door, but what if I didn't? I headed back to the car to check and found out that even on Saturday you had to pay for parking...and I was in the wrong lot. Five minutes. On my way back to my car was a cop. I asked him where was the "non-permit" parking lot. I got back in my car, moved it, and parked again. Thankfully the same cop didn't pull me over as I sped past him. Two minutes. I rushed to get my parking permit and placed it on my dash, grabbed my stuff and ran for the train. I heard the whistle blow. It was coming closer. I reached the underpass, the stairs, and the platform as the train arrived. I was frustratingly out of breath, but I made it. I picked a seat and sighed, heavily. I was on my way. But, was it worth it? And why title my 600th journal "Brain Paste"? Thanks for Reading To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Could CGC reward us with a higher point system? Every year CGC has the registry awards. Recently a journal was written on how any obscure sets should be omitted. You can read what David Swan had to say http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/JournalDetail.aspx?JournalEntryID=15401 CGC complied with at least one of his suggestions, but could CGC also reward someone who diligently collected, who scoured the back issue bins, who tirelessly followed auction after auction to put together a set worthy of not only recognition from CGC, but kudos from those that matter, our fellow collectors? There are some heavy hitters out there that I can not complete against. I don't have the financial ability to do so. During my attempt to collect the New Mutants I have backed out of auctions if I knew Bagofleas was bidding on a book. This also stopped the book from climbing exponentially, my faux apologies to the seller. Twice I was bidding on copies of Alpha Flight #1 in a 9.9, I lost, both times, and each time against RonnyLama. If I would have known he was bidding, I would have stayed away. After all did you see his collection? It's maddeningly beautiful. I feel like Thanos staring into the Infinity Pool moments before he found out about the Infinity Gems. There are small sets out there that are easier to acquire. These limited series are a testament to that fact. My Longshot series is one of those that I have completed, if not the only one I have completed. The New Mutants has me stuck with needing two more in a 9.8, but if I include my annual 4 in a 9.6 SS, and issue 58, also a 9.6 SS then I too have completed that set. Of course what happens when two people are tie. I realize if there are two complete sets the top one falls to the leader who might have added words, and/or pictures. Would a final count (if everything was equal) be tallied to the amount of words written, grammatically structured, photo taking abilities, or blind luck? A signed book adds ten percent over the value of a universal label. So getting most of my modern books signed are more out of a labor of love, rather than any overall status increase on the registry. I have placed multiple signatures on books which does not garnish anymore then the pre-mentioned ten percent, once again out love. This means my under-rated New Mutants set only increases 3 to 4 points on average, per non-key issue. I imagine it would be difficult to have a point increase for each individual book for the aforementioned multiple signature syndrome (MSS). Not to mention a lot of work for the already back logged CGC offices, but what if they could reward a set holder by ten percent if a minor set is completed, and a twenty percent increase on a major set completion. I would hypothesize, a major set would be any set over a hundred. And then for anyone crazy enough to add signatures should get an additional ten percent. Once again much easier on small sets, but my over all major goal for the New Mutants. I know I can't compete against the big boys, like many others here, but wouldn't it be nice to get a bit more point recognition on a set that we might never get an award for, or any type of accolades. I was lucky going after the New Mutants, a set I might never achieve first place again, but other sets like Longshot, I can only hold onto first place for as long as someone else with more money is crazy enough to do the same thing, or a 9.9 is found, maybe a ten? Thanks for Reading To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or can CCS do much better? My first CGC experience was at a Wizard World convention. I purchased two graded books from a vendor as a novelty. At the time, I considered them to be the equivalent of someone giving me a shot glass from another country. It was nice to have, but with no real value. I found myself a bit more curious, I brought some of my favorite comic books to the convention for CGC to grade. One of the ones I picked was my copy of Daredevil #168. Throughout the years, this particular "key" book, along with a few select others, was the pride and joy of my collection. It was also one of the comics that helped teach me how to grade. I understand that the point system became popular only recently with CGC, but I remember somehow, somewhere, giving this book a numerical grade (9.2). Either that, or I graded more traditionally (NM-/VF+). I wanted to grade it higher because it was my book, but I found flaw after flaw after flaw. In good conscience I couldn't grade it higher. The grade was the grade. The funny thing is, I thought my copy of Daredevil #158 was higher than the 8.0 it received. I used to keep track of my books with a spiral notebook. I placed the grade and dollar amount next to each issue. At that time, I thought that the higher the financial value of the book, the better my collection was, and my Daredevil #168 was one of the best that I owned. I priced the book using the Overtstreet's price guide. Of course, if I really wanted my collection to sky rocket, I could have used the Wizard magazine as my guide. Their over-inflated prices made everyone Ga-Ga, especially with Valiant pre-Unity comic books. I wanted my collection to be worth something, but only if it WAS worth something. Years passed, CGC was born and in 2007 (not 2008 as I first thought) is when I brought my comic books for onsite grading. After waiting an excruciating full day, my books were returned to me. My first graded books were Daredevil #158 (a shocking 8.0), #168 (an expected 9.2), and my well documented ASM #129 (a disappointing 9.2). I paid a total of $89 for that first invoice. As I delved deeper and deeper into the CGC world, I experimented with the books I was submitting, never thinking I would eventually crack my Daredevil #168. Seven years later, for ECCC 2014, I did just that. I even decided to press the book myself and I am extremely happy with the results. My Daredevil #168 returned as a SS 9.4 with Klaus Janson scrawled in black (bad color choice, but he grabbed the book so quickly, I thought the grade would drop, and I couldn't give him any other color other than what he had). The book looks like what a solid 9.4 should look like. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or Closing in on 600 I went to ECCC for a few reasons. The main one was to hang with RonnyLama, Lee K., Shivabali, and Surfer 99. The other was to get some books signed. Not just any books, but one of my favorite series of books. When my first LCS turned me onto back issues, I scrounged to buy the Daredevil Miller years. A few of those greatest issues being 158, 168 (more on this later), and 181 were on the wall around the store. This location is where I drooled the most and found the greatest work that Art Adams ever did after the New Mutants Special Edition. Over the next few weeks, I purchased the Longshot limited series, buying them and reading them out of order. At the age I was, my finances were limited and I bought what was attainable. I was fortunate that no one else purchased these issues, or maybe he just had multiple copies that he was selling above cover price. I think I paid $5.50 for issue #5 and a whopping $8 for issue #6. The books were hung on the wall, safely snuggled inside a Mylar bag. A bag I have had them in for over twenty years, only removing them to read, not only the first time but many years after that. I decided to grade them myself before I sent them in to CGC. What I graded them at are as follows, along with the final CGC grades. Longshot #1: 9.4 CGC : 9.6 Longshot #2: 9.4(9.2) CGC : 9.6 Longshot #3: 9.6. CGC : 9.6 Longshot #4: 9.4. CGC : 9.8 Longshot #5: 9.6 CGC : 9.4 Longshot #6: 9.4. CGC : 9.6 I am shocked. I never thought any of them would ever get a 9.8, and yet issue four made it. I only hit the mark once. On four I was harsher than CGC and only on issue five did I think it was better. None of these books were pressed and now I have to wonder, if they were, would that increase all of them? I do know pressing will not improve every book and possibly may even damage them, so this is nothing short of amazing since I continued to handle and read these over the years. The other tidbit is, I also cracked my 9.8's. I delicately handled them and even though the invoice with these was marked graded before the ones I just listed, I am still waiting, and worried. Currently it is still under the graded status. I don't understand how my invoice for the 9.8's was passed by for another one of my invoices. I'm more worried about these, since I am hoping that they retain their 9.8 grades. Now I just have to wait until UPS delivers my newly graded original copies. One down, three to go...NYSE here I come. Thanks for Reading Tnerb 597 To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or, And in this corner... The gauntlet has been thrown. Someone put their money where their mouth is and that someone is Steve Borock. I too once did that by meeting with CGC to try to get a job. I flew down to Florida to try my hand at grading. The three days there were great, but alas due to reasons that I will not disclose I did not get the job, although I was good enough to be offered one. I do know more about the grading practices and "secret sauce" of CGC but will not discuss that either. The signing of non-disclosures have nothing to do with it...ok maybe just a little. The first time I heard CGC (Paul Litch) use the terminology of Secret Sauce was about four years ago at Wizard World Philadelphia. I always wanted to write a journal with that as a tilte. I never did. Recently I heard Steve Borock use the same terminology, so I wonder who used it first? But this isn't about the grading practices of CGC, something I became more comfortable with after I saw it in practice. This is more about Steve Borock creating another third party grading company. Everything that follows is my opinion only. I will not deal in facts, just thoughts, after all it's that whole non-disclosure thing. CBCS is the new dog in town and I wonder should CGC worry? Vault arrived on the scene, a company I know nothing about and PGX still seems like the younger brother of your best friend that no one wants to play with. Most of what I have read in Facebook, Twitter, and the CGC chat boards stress two different things to me. The first is that everyone is wishing Steve luck on this new venture and the second is, everyone seems to be hoping that this new venture that Steve is embarking on will help improve CGC. To me that sounds like, "Good luck, but I think you will fail". I do wish Steve the best of luck on this venture and I am very curious on how everything will play out. I won't be sending my CGC graded books to CBCS since the cost will just be too high, however there will be a few I will send just to get an idea of how they grade. Of course... I will try to get a New Mutants set from them in their best grade, but that's only because I'm a sucker. I can't afford both, and after seeing some of the prices CBCS is charging I can see them getting a fair part of the market. CGC is not only a third party grading company, it is the paramount grading company, the ones all others strive to be. In the sixties when Marvel really started to take hold, did DC worry? Will CBCS have a website, chat boards, registry awards? Will they have a community where friends could be made? Will they start up like CVA? In 2000 a lot people waited to see if CGC would succeed and now 14 years later they have. But is the CGC that is around today a spoiled teen that thinks it knows everything or will they welcome their little brother to the world? If you have been following then you know a lot of the answers. If this is a first, I recommend you check out the chat boards and Facebook. You never know, you just might want to be in on the ground floor, or you may just hope this is the push to make your favorite grading company actually listen. At the end of the day, I wish Steve luck, because what I know of the man is, he wouldn't do something like this lightly and I think that he might, just might reminisce of the days CGC started while on the couch. Until he succeeds, not only will he be putting his money where his mouth is, he will also be putting his heart and soul there too. Thanks for Reading. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or Don't blame the dog for what the cat did. What if the Barex material they use is causing the lateness? Grading comic books is relatively easy, all you need is a good eye and an honest opinion. The first time I graded comic books I was approaching twenty. The one thing I had to learn while grading them was I had to be impartial. These were my books and of course I wanted the best possible grade, however just because I wanted the best possible grade doesn't mean it was. I was in the CGC offices for three days. I am one of the fortunate few who saw the process first hand. Being impartial allows a truer eye. We tend to vent when we do not get our books back on time and I seriously question when invoices get turned in at the same time and one is back already and the other two are only received but let's think for a moment and ask, what if it isn't cgc's fault? What if it's the company that provides the Barex? Barex is the plastic that is used for the inner well. I am sure this needs to be ordered. This also has a few uses other then encapsulating our comic books. The following is from their website. http://www.ineos.com/businesses/ineos-barex/products/ "Barex® resins are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct food contact and certain non-carbonated, aseptic-filled beverages. Barex® is also classified by US Pharmacopeia as a Class VI plastic for medical/ pharmaceutical packaging and is listed under FDA Drug Master File No. 2343. In addition, Barex® is approved in the European Union for direct food contact, beverage use, and liquor packaging (up to 50% alcohol content). The chemistry behind Barex® makes it readily convertible into film, sheet and bottles on standard equipment using extrusion, injection and molding techniques. Whether used in thermoforming sheet, stretching bottles or engineering applications, products made with Barex® offer uniform thickness top to bottom. It all adds up to a practical solution with exceptional value. Most plastics panels buckle or weaken from contact with acids, bases and other corrosive compounds. Barex® has the chemical resistance to withstand many of the world's most aggressive chemicals and the ability to resist permeation, absorption and attack by aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, chlorinated solvents, monomers, chemical blowing agents, salt solutions, acids and bases." So with so many uses, what if there is a manufacturing problem. What if what they send to CGC isn't up to par? How many people are getting slabs back with what looks like bubbles, and even a rainbow effect? Did CGC get upset and decide to use the product anyway because they were behind? Ok, these are a lot of "what ifs". Do I think it is true that CGC's slow down is outside the jurisdiction of CGC? No, I don't. All evidence shows that it's the quantity of books and the number of shows that CGC attends. They can only do so much. They are people just like us, after all. But I think a new department should be created, one that listens to the collector and not the wallet. Thanks for reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or these aren't the X-Men your parents told you about. I've decided to narrow down my sets. At one time I took over the first place position of the New Mutants. I did this by having a single book more than the previous holder and a lot more signatures. This has since changed. Bagofleas regained first place without looking back and I helped him do it. I also built my set by his rules. Nothing under a 9.8 was posted. That is about to change. I'll have three sets and I hope that will dwindle to two. My primary set will be my desire to have a full signature series. My secondary set will be my universal copies, of which I hope to get signatures for, as well as any doubles. The third set will be my original set, a combination of signed and unsigned graded books. Some will even be personalized, and all of these will be graded all over the spectrum. Most are only worth one point. At the end if the, with this set, the grades don't matter. I am hoping that one day they will allot more points for this set. There are almost as many first appearances in the first twenty issues as there are issues. I do have it obscure and I know I won't win an award, but the joy I'm getting at rewriting everything and taking pictures through Instagram are bringing a renewed joy that I have been lacking. Once I am finished I will then change the status of my set to allow all to see. Thanks for Reading Tnerb Ps. Bagofleas...I'm still coming after the first place spot. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or Dies CGC even acknowledge competition? I purchased one PGX book. This was a copy of New Mutants #5 in a 9.9 with white pages. I did this at the time since there were no available me 9.8 copies. It is also rumored to be the only book PGX graded the day Michael Jackson died. I also knew that once I sent it to CGC for them to grade, it would be a 9.8. I even cracked it again when I attempted to go after a full signature series line up of my favorite title. It stayed a 9.8. It took no longer than a month to get it graded, both times, one for the universal label, and the second time when a signature was added. I thought about purchasing a few other PGX books to do the same thing, but never did. I would never send my books to PGX because I think they are more lenient than CGC. And I wonder, am I stricter than the premiere third party grading company? Many 9.8's I purchased, I felt were graded wrong. But what about the comic books I purchased off the shelf? Do I send them in if I feel they won't get the Mecca of grades? Of course if the grade means nothing (for example, my New Mutants #15 4.5 SS) I might send a bunch in. I cracked a few of my CGC 9.8 copies of the New Mutants over the years. My New Mutants Annual #1 fell to a 9.6 (and rightfully so); so did my brother's copy. Recently another book of his fell. This one dropped two grades. Was it wrong the first time? I had six of his books at ECCC for signatures, Steve Leialoha among them. He did not have his books fast tracked. I turned my own invoices over at the same time, one of which was fast tracked. This I got back in less than a month. 18 days from received to shipped safe. What confused me however was the amount of time it took to get his invoice back so quickly. How did that happen? It was in his hands one week after I received my fast track invoice. The other invoices I turned over at the same convention, on the same day are still sitting at Received. This makes me beg to ask, how is this possible? This doesn't include any invoices sent through CCS, which are currently at CGC as received. The only invoice further along the road to grading was turned over a week before when I was with my brother in Florida at Megacon. So, is first in not necessarily first out? One of the biggest complaints about CGC that I've read about is the amount of time it takes to grade a book. I'm an advocate of getting the job done right, so the time in question is not as important to me as it is to others. But, if I'm told four weeks, I want it to be four weeks. If I'm waiting on a table and I tell them their meals will be out in a few minutes, they will be out in a few minutes, not an hour later. I hear about such blatant disgruntlement here in the journals, and then again on other social media such as Facebook and Instagram. I always thought that it was a matter of time before PGX became a threat. PGX has proven me wrong, but wouldn't it be a weird turn of events if people started going to PGX with cracked CGC slabs? And what if we were seeing more and more PGX graded books at conventions? Could PGX flip the tables with the right business outlook? Don't get me wrong, I'll collect CGC for as long as I am financially able, but I would love a sense of order. You know, first in first out. I remember reading about a time when DC never worried about Marvel, so I wonder will history ever repeat itself? Will CGC look forward like they never looked back? Thanks for reading Tnerb Ps. One of the above mentioned invoices changed to verified as I was editing the journal. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or should I say the additional Cost of fast track. At Megacon, I turned over a few invoices for onsite grading. One invoice was for comics signed by J. Scott Campbell. This was done for a friend. I was hoping to have them done onsite but that wasn't the case. I waited for three hours in the line, which only moved because they relocated the table that Mr. Campbell was signing at. The good part about this was that it was closer to Bill Sienkiewicz, where Bagofleas and my friend were waiting. After my three hour wait I decided to give up, but that was because I knew CGC had it set up for a private signing. If that wasn't the case I would have continued to wait for ThePastorofMuppets. Eventually, I broke down and purchased a few Superior Spider-Man #29 variants. I decided to turn them over on a separate invoice. The comic books I turned over needed to be pressed and are currently at CCS. Out of everything I submitted between the two conventions, my first Megacon invoice was received on March 28th and verified on April 21st. A week after Megacon I was in ECCC, which had me bring a few more for J Scott Campbell. Two of them were waiting at my Father's, delivered fresh from Mexico. I had two more Superior Spider-Man #29's. These were nicer than the two copies I turned over at Megacon. I could get these signed and not be worried about getting anything less than a 9.8. At ECCC I turned over three invoices, which were all marked received on April 2nd. It was April 8th when my fast track invoice with four comics changed from received to verified. I was one step closer to getting my books back. I turned over a Ms. Marvel variant by Art Adams. I had it signed by him and G. Willow Wilson. I vowed I would give this away if achieving a 9.8. This was submitted with cover variants by J. Scott Campbell of Uncanny X-Men #19 and those 2 copies of Superior Spider-Man #29. I was going to turn them over to CGC as I did the week before, but after meeting the amazing Art Adams, who I have one major thing in common with, the witness I was with had to stop by and pick someone else up at J. Scott Campbell's table. I still had my three comic books with me for him to sign and figured I would ask the guy already in line. Once in a while a person might say yes. He knew what I already knew. It was ten dollars per signature for Campbell to sign books to be graded by CGC. After he said yes, I gave him forty dollars for my three books and told him to keep the remaining ten to pay for one of his books, after all he was doing me a favor. After turning it over and being marked received on April 2nd, it changed to Scheduled for Grading on April 12th. This was one day after two other invoices I turned over at Megacon for CCS was billed to me. On April 15th, tax day, my comic books were marked graded. Six days later they moved forward into Grading/Quality Control. I predicted by Friday, my invoice would move to Shipped/Safe. By noon I thought I was wrong, but finally at a little before two I checked again. Those lovely two words used in tandem appeared. I was hesitant. I was actually going to pull a Surfer99 and wait...ten seconds later I knew the grades. It took 18 business day for this invoice to change from received to shipped safe, 24 days total. CGC has it noted for modern age books that its estimated turnaround time is twenty days. Fortunately they added current turn around times as well. I like this small change. However, this is marked at 36 days. And then there is fast track, estimated at ten days, and currently at 18 days, exactly the amount of time it took. I have five invoices at CGC/CCS with only one at verified. Would they all be making their way back if I added the extra money? For one invoice, the ten extra dollars a book was money well spent, but imagine a hundred books, all under the fast track tier! What remains to be seen is this. Is fast track worth it? Getting books graded adds up. Adding signatures even more so. Having books fast tracked is an added expense that I can control, but I can control the other costs of CGC as well. I just have to quit collecting... yea right. Thanks for Reading Tnerb Ps. I'm realizing that if I got all my books back as quick as my fast track, I would be submitting more to CGC. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or A moment to breathe For every journal I write I tend to look at all the books I crave. Those cravings normally became purchases. I noticed in the recent months, as my life is going through some changes, including the failed attempt to be hired by CGC themselves that most of these changes have been positive. Money has become more of an issue. Fortunately I still have money for my bills, it's the comic books that have to take a back seat. After two conventions back to back I have to prioritize what I want. Of course without my friends, those two conventions never would have happened. And for that I can't thank any of them enough. I still plan on attending three more this year, but I won't be submitting as many signature series invoices. Some of the books I submitted are going to be for sale. Whether they do sell is another story altogether. The New Mutants I fear will drop, as I always do. Only time will tell. And if they do, the search will begin again. I will never attain first again in my set, not that I won't try, and now I have my eye on other sets that I would like to achieve first place or at least complete. I wonder though. Am I slacking or losing the desire to collect? Does CGC no longer hold it's sway over me? Or is it comic books that I don't want to collect...or maybe there is one other simple reason. Thanks for Reading. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or nothing but work. It's been a few weeks since I got home from ECCC. Just like last year, it was great. Surfer 99 being there was the proverbial icing on the cake. I do hope to go again next year, even if it might be the only convention I attend. I've been trying to work as much as I can, not only to recoup the money I lose by having off, but to save a bit for more days off. This time for my coming pool tournament. CGC is a rich man's hobby. I calculated what I have spent over two years, and for someone of my stature, it's staggering. Last year I decided to pin point what I wanted to collect and do. Megacon and ECCC helped contribute to my signature series by procuring the signatures myself, but my collection has not grown. I sold a few books but not nearly enough to refill my coffers. My bills are still paid first, but maybe, like the Professor, I might need some time away. Of course as I crack signatures for comic books, I'm only adding to what I spend, not to my collection. So I think I might omit getting more and more signatures this year from my list of requirements, after all, the two conventions I went to this year are worthy of sating anyones CGC appetite. Thanks for Reading Tnerb PS. I say this now like a drunk the morning after, but I'm reminded of a saying my boss would remind me of, volume hides all sins, and in this case that volume is money. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or Having a great day with friends. Day one was a short day for me. In the amount of hours we had there, the two signatures I really wanted were scrawled across my comic books. My Longshot books were finally signed, but the invoice needed to remain open. I still need to get steve leialoha on my issue 34, and Bagofleas 32,33,34, but I also brought my original 32 and 34. I might add one more New Mutants to the mix to have Joe Rubinstein add his signature since I am afraid my 9.8 will drop. Not to mention G. Willow Wilson on my Ms. Marvel variant. I wanted to be humble, to not get very much done, but watching RonnyLama pick this and pick that is having me decide, maybe one more. Surfer 99 is beyond polite and I realize I'm not used to anything above Philly hospitality. I hope I can get the few I need done for Bagofleas and then I can help RonnyLama get everything done he needs to do because from what I can see there is a lot of dealers that are offering some great comic books at some great prices. Tonight though, we all get to hang out. And this is the other reason I wanted to come to ECCC, hanging out with friends. Shivabali and Lee K will be joining Surfer 99 and I at RonnyLama's for some good food and good conversation. Hopefully we will all be well rested for tomorrow because I fear that day will make this day look like a picnic. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Ok, so the flight is to Seattle, with a stop over in San Francisco. I don't sleep well when I'm excited. I'm sitting in my seat somewhere over the mid-west and trying to nap a bit. I don't want to land in Seattle and sleep the rest of the day, especially when the doctor limited my coffee consumption. I have at least 19 books for signatures and grading, three of which I'm expecting to drop from their universal 9.8 status. So why do I do it? What's the allure to getting the signatures on a comic book if there is so much at risk? The majority of the comic books I get signed are low in points. The ten percent increase they give me is not nearly enough incentive, it's not like it's an Amazing Spider-Man 129 in a 9.6, which would garnish a hefty point increase with the percentage. Besides, I already did that one last year. Nope, the ones I'm cracking either give me a three or four point increase on the registry. This no where near compensates for the risk I'm taking. And if the books do drop, will they be available to purchase again? There are 277 sets in the under rated New Mutants set. Some of the issues in this set have only two copies in 9.8, where I have one and bagofleas has the other. The risk could be dire if the attempt to get the best set is thwarted by a simple reduction in grade. RonnyLama risks a lot in his attempt to gain some of the same signatures, but on books of a larger scale. Last year he sent me three books to get signed by Stan Lee, one of them being an iron Man #1 in a 9.6. The financial drop alone is devastating. I believe I heard a horror story of a 9.4 Incredible Hulk #181 being manhandled by Herb Trimpe causing a drop in grade and value. And yet I still crack a slab. My issue of thirty four looks iffy. So iffy, in fact that I didn't crack it. I'm bringing it with me and will crack it when I get to Seattle. A group decision between RonnyLama, Shivabali, Lee K., and Surfer 99 will determine if I place the risk to be nominal. And whether it drops or not the comic book becomes part of a story. And that's why I crack some of the slabs, because without doing so I never would have met the first three of the four I mentioned. I don't crack the slabs for value as much as I do just to have the creator sign the book. But I also crack them for the story. This may be an unintentional result from Steve Borock making sure the slabs were able to be cracked; to not only be able to read the story, but to add to it. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or the cosplay scene at Megacon 2014 I heard the cosplay scene was huge at this show. I wasn't disappointed. However, I've noticed it grow at these types of ComiCons. In other words, I'm not talking about pop culture events. Megacon had the right amount of artists, sales booths, and media stars to keep me happy. Yes, I was busy running around with BagoFleas and it might seem like it was very amiable by all his recent journal entries, but you must remember he is a relentless task master. I am honored he tells you how much help I was, and yet he omitted how he threatened me, by informing me, if he didn't get everything done my cat would suffer. Alas, I digress and I feel his fleas closing in. The other thing I like to do at a con is snap pictures of those dressed as my favorite characters. Some of which I like to see are Death from Vertigo comics, Harley Quinn from DC Comics, and Rogue from Marvel Comics. Occasionally, I get to see those rare cosplay characters in the form of my favorites. My first Wizard World in 2007 (when it was still a ComiCon) had me find Beaker walking around separated from Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. I gladly asked to have a picture taken of both of us. I did find a Beaker this year and posed with the Muppet, but I found something rarer, something akin to a 9.9 signature series book. I found the most underrated character in all the Marvel Universe, a character even more infamous than Doctor Doom. That's right I am talking about Forbush Man. This janitorial hero scorched through the scene at Marvel comics beginning in the late sixties. His origin aptly detailed in Not Brand Ecch #1 probably insinuates that the popular drug scene influenced this at "Marble Comics". I never thought I would see a cosplay of this calibre, or of this character and as Bagofleas was rushing back to the CGC booth with witness in hand I paused to snap a photo with my idol. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or a job well done Megacon is over. I imagine a group of people celebrating after the Super Bowl or World Series. High fives all around, Gator Ade poured over Paul Litch's head, and the Quarterback, Mike B carried on the team's shoulders. Or maybe just a few drinks like it was New Year's Eve. I have no idea of the number of books they graded, but I know there was a lot. So much in fact that Mike placed RonnyLama's, Bagofleas, and my stuff together in multiple boxes. If you were there and saw this grown man jumping up and down like a little girl on Christmas morning after getting her favorite doll, yea...that was my brother. Once I removed the two that were mine, I helped check the invoices. Out of 71 books we found one mistake. The whole team at CGC were great. Yes, they screwed up my one order that I got back on Saturday, but I have to remember I only turned them over on Friday. Three out of six comic books had to be corrected. One was fixed before it left the offices. I didn't see the mistake for the last 33% until they were in my hands. I still have to wait for these two. The sheer volume alone should be applauded. And of course I'm talking about the graders as well. I wish I could go into details to tell you what they do and how they do it, but I can't. I still remember the three days I was there and I'm confident in how they grade and what it means to me to have my books graded by CGC. Maybe one day I'll go back to collecting Star Wars Memorabilia or I'll start collecting signatures of media stars, but until then I think I'll stick with CGC. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or I'm thankful for their customer service Ok, I love when CGC makes a mistake, but I don't understand how a signature series cover signed by Bill Sienkiewicz could be confused with issue 31 of volume three over 25 years later. David Lafuente was the cover artist of the latest 31. They are two different styles entirely. And it's not like I can call customer service and expect them to answer. They are all at the show. Fortunately, Molly, being Molly called right away. A couple of hours later and my invoice changed to shipped/safe. Safe as in being able to check the grades. I don't wait, even when I know the books will be in my hands in hours rather than days. Another mistake has occurred. My two Thanos Quest, which retained their 9.8 status are marked "signed by Bill Sienkiewicz". I wonder how John Beatty will feel. And as far as my issue 31, it dropped in grade, lowering to a 9.6. ...a couple hours later... I have the books. However one other book disappeared into the ether. CCS has still not received it, at least by my records. I hope to be at CGC in the morning and trust they will fix it as they always do. So am I complaining, no, I'm not even venting, I'm just writing as I always do. Thanks for Reading Tnerb Ps. Everyone at the CGC booth was extremely helpful. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or I'm finished until next week. I'm guessing onsite is closed. Bagofleas let me know it lasted a whole lot longer than it did last year, although I was a bit upset I couldn't get J.Scott Campbell. I am still going to turn over a book today and one next week. I do like the cover of Uncanny X-Men #19 and I have one waiting from him when I get home, including two Superior Spider-Man variants for issue 29. Of course, whether I keep them or not is an entirely different story. A lot of my CGC graded books were either signed, pressed and/or graded for the sole reason of a journal entry. This might be no different. I respect those that do this for a living. It isn't easy. Of course, I'm sure they have their shortcuts, ones that Bagofleas and I hope to figure out and utilize in the months ahead. If we decide to do this, we now realize how tedious it will be. The line was a lot longer for those who didn't get their wrist bands today then it was yesterday. As far as wristbands are concerned, we are right by the front. A couple cosplayers are in attendance and I am becoming curious. Can I defeat day two without a cup of coffee? If not, I wonder can I survive Bagofleas screaming at me, "drink the coffee, drink the coffee"! Thanks for reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or Ouch I was more worried about the cut off time than anything else, and I wasn't getting much done. The thing is I accomplished a lot and I still have two days to go. I had a few more signed by Bill Sienkiewicz to add to my New Mutants collection. I cracked my second printings of Thanos Quest for John Beatty. The final signature I was trying to acquire was for a friend, and after three hours of waiting I forfeited my place in an unmoving line for J. Scott Campbell. Fortunately, CGC will be able to get them done for me, unfortunately not for the on-site for which they were so heavily swamped. I hope that every book I pressed retains and the five raws I sent in hit the minimum 9.4 status that I hope for. They don't need to be 9.8's to be added to the newly created Bill Sienkiewicz set, but I do want to try to get them all signed. Three of them can also be added to my New Mutants complete set. I just have to decide if I want to turn over two more for J. Scott Campbell, even knowing one will not get a 9.8 at all. I still have next week at ECCC, but now I have to be a bit more frugal. Once these shows are done I have three months to save for Wizard World in Philadelphia, but I don't think I'll be doing much in CGC. It's Baltimore I fear most, but I am getting a head of myself. Tomorrow is picture day. I will be spending time with Bagofleas again, but this time getting our picture taken over and over again. Stan Lee even requested our presence promptly at 2:00 and we plan to appease. Thanks for Reading Tnerb. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or the first line of many It's early, damn early, but Bagofleas and I are standing with a growing group. A group called "the Line". CSC staff is keeping us from going any further, almost like cattle. I'm listening as the others are discussing previous years. People are strolling in. I hope I'll be able to get all my on-site books taken care of, including a book that will not get a 9.8. I'm looking for three signature, for no more than twenty books. The question is can I do what I want here, and still do what I want at ECCC. I know Monday when I'm on my way home I'll feel like I accomplished exactly what I set off to do, but like the NYCC I'm hesitant. Bagofleas is going all out, and we even found some other books at a couple LCS's that we added to our collection. Then I have two waiting at my father's for next week. Eventually the con will start and the slight trepidation I feel will leave. On-site grading is a different calibre of animal, a beast that needs to be slain, or simply something to not even honk about. At the end of the day I'm here to enjoy myself, I'm here to have fun with my friends, and I'm here and not at work. Bring on the con. Thanks for reading. Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or this journal has nothing to do with the flight. I never seem to get the proper amount of sleep before a trip. This trip is no exception. I did my best to prepare for the convention itself, I slightly forgot the trivial details, like packing. My books were secure, as well as those I was bringing for others. I decided to wait to crack my other slabs. My time to prepare was dwindling and I needed to purchase a new camera, after all I want to document the event. This is my first convention in Florida and I hope not my last. Maybe, Supercon is an option, but that would take some very frugal planning, not to mention some serious sales. I'm going for signatures mostly by Bill Sienkiewicz and John Beatty. I also brought a brand new blank sketch book for signatures. One I hope to fill. I'm going to skip Neal Adams though. If I'm lucky I'll get everything accomplished. I'll let you know as the weekend progresses. Thanks for Reading. Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or the quest for the perfect set It's happening. The Megacon is only one week away. In less than six days I'll be in Florida and not only do I need to get ready for Megacon, but also for ECCC the week after. In essence, this is my vacation, but wouldn't it be cool if it was my job? Going from convention to convention and getting signatures for others?...I digress. Bill Sienkiewicz will be at Megacon. My first signature series issues were New Mutants 18 and 19. These were purchased off eBay and stolen by the USPS. It was the second package they stole, but again...I digress. Fortunately, the seller had two more. I wound up paying more for them than what I won the first ones for on eBay, but that was inconsequential because this was how I met Rich Henn. Knowing him helped my New Mutants collection grow. Without him I never would have attained the first place spot. That is, for the time that I did hold it anyway. I cracked three 9.8 copies of my New Mutants collection for signatures at Megacon 2014, even ones that I'm hesitant about. I'm even going to crack a few for John Beatty. Last year when I cracked a few different books, I learned a bit more on the practices and procedures of protecting the comic book. I'm hoping that now, I'll be putting that information to good use. Over all I have a good percentage ratio in my favor. If I didn't, I would have stopped cracking my 9.8's a long time ago. Some of the comic books I'm bringing will be turned over for onsite grading, including three for a friend who simply couldn't make it. A few others I'll turn over for pressing that desperately need it if I want a higher grade. With each comic I'll be walking around with Bagofleas and various CGC witnesses to add the coveted signatures. But what I'm adding isn't financial value, or even for the additional registry points. It's for the memories I will make from the convention while getting these signed. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or Mint? No thanks, I've got gum. There once was a time when I never talked about comic books. I kept quiet, not so much because I didn't have anyone to talk to, but it was my dirty little secret. How would girls react to me reading what most would consider to be childhood stories? Sure, I went into their bedrooms when chance allowed me to sneak upstairs. I saw numerous teddy bears, some of which I purchased for them; but wasn't I supposed to? When a girlfriend (or rather "The" girlfriend) came over, my long boxes sat at the foot of my bed with sheets draped over them in a simple attempt at disguise, and an alarm clock placed on top to finish the look. My secret was safe. I wonder now what would have happened if I hadn't hidden them. Would more holiday and birthday gifts be the comic books I so desired? In my twenties, my collection expanded. I had 15 long boxes stacked in rows. This time I had sheets layered between the boxes like furniture covered during winter time in a summer home. This room, my bedroom was my haven and when I remember all those comic books stacked there, hidden under sheets, I never thought the Star Wars cookie jars prominently displayed on top were anything other than cool. As an adult I have openly discussed my addiction. I write journals about it here on the registry. I blog on "A Shot of Comics", and I discuss it with those people I work with, to their chagrin. I use Instagram to show off my collection and have recently joined a few Facebook pages where I can freely discuss my passion. At work I have numerous regulars that come in and will occasionally discuss how they had comic books as a kid, over fifty-sixty years ago. "If only they weren't thrown away...", they would declare. Then there are a few that are my age and want to get rid of their collection, with a one percent hope that the books they bought during the early nineties will finally pay a few mortgage payments after purchasing a brand new car. It's even more interesting when they talk as if they know exactly what they are talking about and can give every reason why their "very good" copy should have no problem selling. I inwardly cringe when I hear "very good" when chatting with these people. My New Mutants 15 is very good. It's not worth anything. Well, except to me that is. I also love it when I try to explain to these same people that it's near mint that most other collectors strive for, and I'm inevitably corrected that I just don't understand. "The books are in VERY good condition," they would say. I politely nod and wish them luck. Now if they only had an Amazing Fantasy #15 in very good condition, then I might agree with them. Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

It's not about Star Wars, it's not. Star Wars was a HUGE part of my life. I didn't have lots of toys or comic books like some of my friends or neighbors when I was growing up. Many parents thought this was depicting their love for their children, which possibly means I was not as loved. The few select figures and toy sets I had, I cherished and enjoyed, but it was the numerous times that I went to my "Neverland" thinking I was Luke Skywalker each and every bedtime that I enjoyed most. Star Wars might very well have been my gateway drug which eventually led me to collecting comic books. A treasury sized edition of Star Wars littered the bottom of my Pop-pop's care in leu of a floor mat or maybe along with one. Star Wars arrived on the scene in 1977, a mere month after my fifth birthday. For thirteen weeks I sat quietly in the front row immersed in every single scene in front of me. Yes thirteen weeks in a row, it was the only time I would shut up. I would watch the movie, my sister would watch me, and my father would nap. In 1980 The Empire Strikes Back was released. In 1983 it was Return of the Jedi. I was 8 and 11 subsequently. 1983 was the same year Marvel published its fourth graphic novel. My comic books consisted of well read copies of Star Wars 11 and 13, Batman 313, Crazy 3, Fear 8, and Sub-Mariner 38. There are a few more but I digress, in fact this whole journal is nothing about what I wanted to write about, the title though grabbed me, much like my imagination as a young child, how could I not collect the dots. The comic books I had were staples in my life, much like the furniture in my room. I didn't know how they got there, they just always were. After winning the Copper Age award for best set, I was given a coupon for four free coupons as part of a membership upgrade. I sent four of my childhood comic books in, including one that had my name written on the back. The New Mutants was the same title that roped me in, once again not being the first I ever had, but the first I collected. This time it was issue one and not fifteen, that one took a long time to find graded in a 9.8. I joined the registry before purchasing my first graded comic book, it was free. I didn't yet add or contribute in any way until a few years after that. The journals section didn't have many at the time and would linger on the left for days, sometimes dare I say, weeks. I wrote for the first time, "My First Journal" and on that same day this was entered. http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/JournalDetail.aspx?JournalEntryID=6441 It was the seventh written by Bagofleas. There were others I read like Ipersky, Best2u, and a few others. As people started to follow me, I followed a few of them, Bagofleas among them. Over time I decided to follow anyone that followed me. This opened my eyes to a larger collection of not only what I collect but what others collect. I interacted, made friends, and increased my knowledge. I thought it was cool when I took first place on the New Mutants set, especially when I was so far behind. I thought it was cool when my first journal hit a 100 views. I thought it was cool when I wrote a 100 journals. Then I was able to lay claim of owning 100 CGC graded comic books, 200...300 and climbing. Currently I'm somewhere around 460, not all of them are registered. And the reason why I began to ramble, and the Star Wars reference of a title, I have reached 66 followers. When I learned about the registry I looked at the NGC side too. People followed each other, a lot more there then over on the comic side. We were the under dog. They had more journals per a day as well as a better catalog of registry perks. They still have one that bothers be that we don't have. Over time I wrote and wrote. I appreciate the things I do have and I appreciate the 66 followers that had me decide to write a journal like this. I originally was going to write about getting fifty followers. I was at 48, then 51. So I decided to pass. I do watch my numbers, whether it's my place lingering at or around 430, the amount of journals I've written, the amount of graded comic books I have, or even how many followers I have, not to mention I follow the same amount. Will I get to a hundred? Will I surpass the 400 threshold? Will five hundred slabs eventually take up place on my shelves? I think so, and I hope you'll join me in my journey, I'm looking forward to joining you on yours. Thank you all Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or on the precipice. It's safe to say I get personal when I write a journal. I told the whole community I was going for a job at CGC and a week later had to tell the same community I didn't get it. Now it's about my budget. For the last week I have been out of work, not due to losing a job, but because of a surgery. The worst part is I can not do any proper cleaning around the house. Last week, the day before I went in for the simple procedure, my boss asked me if I would be in Monday, the same day as the operation. I was aghast that he would even think that I would get my surgery and come in to work the same day. This missing week had to be budgeted for. It felt nice to take a week off and not have to worry about my finances. It's the next ten days I have to worry. It's these ten days I need to become part of a miracle...or borrow my parents credit card. Maybe both. I wanted to get both my LongShot series by Art Adams and Ann Nocenti at ECCC, a few more Bill Sienkiewicz at Megacon. A few eBay purchases sprinkled in to try and add a few more graded books to my collection outside my immediate goals. Did I mention John Beatty? Last year I had a goal to buy to sell. I got the signatures I wanted, the grades I needed, but fell short of the sales to do it again. It's my fault however. I've been compliant. The chance to work at CGC had me postpone selling them, it would be the best excuse on actually keeping them. My East of West, Lazarus and Ten Grand issues are perfect examples of books I'd like to keep. I did sell a few, of which 75 percent of the sale went towards my bills and the remaining 25 towards items I wanted, although not necessarily CGC graded comic books. After these two cons I hope to have some extra money. There's a set I decided to try to get a bit higher up and I'll have to get back on eBay and look for them later. I checked out World Wide Comics as well and saw these books sitting there. This of course was the same way I got into Ka-Zar, the prices of the deal was just too good to pass up. And then...there is the new Bill Sienkiewicz set... Thanks for Reading Tnerb. The book pictured below is my original copy. It is also the first New Mutants I purchased at my first LCS. Notice that beautiful Spider-Man face where the dreaded bar code would have been if I purchased this at the 7-11 like the three issues before it. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Or, a Picture will tell me exactly what to buy... I am trying to put a few sets together. For the most part I know what I need, but there are a few select entries I have no idea what they are. I wonder if many of you feel the same. Some of these issue slots were only created because we asked for them. That means the mistakes made are created into the set we asked for. There are currently seven separate slots for Thanos Quest. The first two are Thanos Quest #1 & #2. Slot three and Four belong to Thanos Quest #1 & #2 2nd printing. Slot five is the Thanos Quest (2000) reprint. I'm familiar with this cover. It's slots six and seven that concern me. Slot six is written much like slot five as Thanos Quest (2012) and slot seven is reserved for Thanos Quest one shot nn. If you hit the shop eBay link it only helps if you're looking for anything in that set, not that particular item, so at first what looked like a good idea is only a redundancy, after all we can look on eBay with better skill and accuracy typing the item in ourselves. I am fortunate I have the first four slots filled along with the seventh. Slot five will take time, but slot six... This is where I get confused. On my CGC universal label it is marked as follows: Thanos Quest one shot #nn. Marvel Comics, 9/12. On the comic book itself on the left hand side is a numeric 1 underneath the word "one-shot". The first place holder has his set obscured, so I can't double check there. I like to see the top spots to help with what I have to search for. To my knowledge the 2012 reprint and the #nn copy are the same covers, but are they actually the same comic book? Did CGC count the same issue twice? I scoured eBay looking for any variations and only found the same cover with the same UPC codes. If I send the same book in will it get slotted for the sixth slot? Can anyone tell me if they have the book below graded by CGC and placed in Thanos Quest (2012) slot? So what I'm getting at is this. What if CGC had a more comprehensive database? The census is great. I love being able to check if the books I need are out there. Like New Mutants 58. What if the census could have pictures of what the comic books look like along with how many are graded? This is totally possible, if not a bit time consuming. What say you CGC? Care to update the registry and database to standards of 2014 and not 2004? Thanks for Reading Tnerb To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.