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Buzzetta

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Journal Entries posted by Buzzetta

  1. Buzzetta

    The NFL Legal Troubles Collection

    By Buzzetta,


    NFL Legal Troubles Collection
    The NFL Legal Troubles Collection focuses on chase autograph cards that I pick up of NFL players past and present, alive and deceased, incarcerated, acquitted, paroled, or agreed to a plea bargain that found themselves on the wrong side of the law.  The card I own will be showcased along with my commentary as well as the wikipedia entry detailing their actions that led to be part of this club.
    Enjoy and feel free to comment. 
    Aaron Hernandez  OJ Simpson Rae Caruth Donte Stallworth Plaxico Burress Greg Robinson
  3. Buzzetta
    The greatest generation and everyone did their part. My Mom's dad fought in Europe and my Dad's dad worked in Grumman and later the Space Program. I recently found something that I thought lost from my Dad's dad and figured I would present it here.
    If anyone knows me, it is from the Comic forums. Recently while going through boxes for a sales thread I want to put together, I came across something that I had misplaced. Certain things in the family have been entrusted to me for safekeeping. This was one of them.
    During WWII, my paternal grandfather worked for Grumman as a project manager in producing airplanes and other things for the war effort. After WWII and the Cold War was in effect, Grumman transitioned to working on projects for the military and then eventually the space program. We knew this and as kids marveled at some of the documents that he had saved from this time period. He was not particularly close with his grandchildren so I know most of the information from the stories that my Dad has told me and the documents that have been left behind when he died in 2001.
    One of the artifacts that he had from the projects that he worked on was from Apollo 8. I remember as a younger child looking at the colorful NASA label and the critical sign and wondering really what it was never truly appreciating it. Apollo 8 was the first manned mission to orbit the moon and return safely to Earth. A piece of aluminum was brought on board with the mission and upon its return to earth, was melted down and incorporated into the metals that were used to create this coin. From what I understand, project managers were given commemorative coins and a certificate of appreciation for their efforts in making the mission a successful one.
    As with many people that came out of "The Greatest Generation", extravagance was not something that was part of their lives. This was the group of men and women that weathered a depression and a war and knew how to make due during simpler times. The frame here is a bit old and falling apart but the coin is untouched since it went into the frame what is probably well over forty years ago. I plan on reframing and refitting it myself to give to my dad this Christmas. Any and all comments and suggestions are welcome.

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  4. Buzzetta
    Back in January I set some goals for myself. Due to some diligent purchasing and the ability to bite the bullet and open the wallet in other cases, I am further along than I thought I would be.
    Back in January I wrote my goals for the year:
    http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/JournalDetail.aspx?JournalEntryID=10438
    My goals this year are to crack the top 50 in the Spidey set and pick up at least another ten books in my goal to have the first 100 books slabbed. I also want to upgrade a few books.
    Let's see...
    Since that journal, I have picked up 42 books since that post. Yeah, I went a little crazy but part of me said to just suck it up and finish this set off before it grows too far out of reach.
    I also upgraded several books. ASM 31 went from a 6.0 to a 8.5. Issue 65 went from an 8.0 that I had owned for a few days to a 9.6 due to a deal that was too good to pass up. My ASM 22 went from a 3.5 MA to an 8.5 Blue.
    I wanted to crack the top 50 and as of this writing I am at position 48.
    Now the question is what to focus on once this is completed?
    I would like to add a few more Golden Age Batmans and Supermans to my collection. I had an opportunity to show them off as a tool for a work related event and it went over pretty well. I would like to own a copy of Batman 20 in a nice glossy presentable shape. I would love to pick up a few more Superman war issues and that Action Comics #41 will eventually be mine I tell you. Still, I am tempted to buy a third copy of AF 15. The first copy graded out at a 1.8. The second is the most beautiful 3.5 currently graded. I promise pictures one day... I promise.. Perhaps I will go 4.5-5.5 range and then call it a day... Perhaps that money would be better spent on a Hulk 181 in a 9.6? I don't know...
    These decisions can wait until another 17 Spidey issues are in my hands,
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  5. Buzzetta
    R.I.P. Rothco Messenger Bag
    After many trips back and forth to comic cons, travel, work through the snow, rain, hail, wind and worst of all the NYC Subway System, my Rothco bag is set to go to the farm where all the other old messenger bags go to play and relax after they are no longer working.
    Either way, I noticed a week ago that my messenger bag which I purchased 7 or 8 years ago has seen better days and perhaps it was time to replace it. This $25 bag has held up better than any "business model" bag that I have had to buy and has proven to be more durable and manageable. It has always been my go to bag whenever I needed to commute.
    I will miss it, and it deserved a memoriam post before it is laid to rest as an asset in the trunk of my car should I ever require it to come back into service again.
    It's replacement is laid out next to it and it will be called into duty soon.

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  6. Buzzetta
    It went from Lego to Star Wars to comics. Those that know me already are well acquainted with my love of the plastic brick.
    I must have been about three years old when my grandparents surprised us and announced that they were taking us to Disney World. Shortly before the trip I became very sick and it was questionable whether or not we would even go, let alone postpone the vacation. After all, my grandparents wanted us to see Mickey Mouse but wanted us to do Disney at full capacity.
    I was the first grandchild and my maternal grandfather, Andy Buzzetta, who I have made mention of before, brought me something that completely changed my world. He brought me my very first Lego set. My grandfather, a WWII combat veteran, was not a cruel man or a stone faced hard man by any stretch of the imagination. But, as my mom told me, he was a bit distant at times when they were growing up. He was VERY strict and demanding but always loving. We began to understand the motivations behind this years ago as Tom Brokaw explored "The Greatest Generation" and this seemed to be common among WWII veterans where there seemed to be a distance between their own children and themselves, but they grew very attached to the grandchildren. In fact, he opened up about certain aspects of the war to me when I would ask him about it when I was in second grade, shortly before his passing, which was something he never really spoke about to my mother.
    Anyway, when he heard how sick I was, he came to visit one day with a gift in hand. He doted on my brother and I. I unwrapped it and there before me was a toy that was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was my first Lego set. My parents and grandparents explained to me that with that set I could build anything I wanted. To me that was the game changer. Build anything I wanted? I most certainly did. My grandfather crafted most anything out of wood in his workshop. I was now given that opportunity with plastic bricks. With that set, began a love for the plastic brick that has lasted into my late 30's.
    Now, back then Lego made basic bricks with few specialized elements. There were basic rectangular bricks and a few doors and windows. There were pictures, but no instructions. It was up to you and your imagination. Those bricks were eventually absorbed into my collection and I could not tell you which are pieces from the original set. However I made it a quest to track down what that original set was and to find a box complete with tray and liner. I knew that I would have to source the parts myself.
    About a two weeks ago, I finally found it and sourced the vintage parts, quite a few of which are no longer in production, to recreate a complete sample of my first Lego set. I present to you, Lego set 110.

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  7. Buzzetta
    Golden Age Time Magazines
    When scouring the internet for old comics, occasionally you find something cool that falls into the paper publication category but isn't a funny book. I have acquired a few of these from the time period and I must say, they are pretty cheap and easily affordable. They are time capsules that offer a glimpse into what life was like about 70 years ago, view the world that now refer to as the Greatest Generation.
    This is one of the few issues I own and one of the "cooler" issues to have. I picked this up in 2010 after realizing that It was Time's earliest publication reporting on the invasion of Normandy. Inside are articles that would seem out of place by today's standards. There is the standard reporting, war propaganda, features on officers and other areas of interests of the time. The advertisements are quite distinct for the time.
    I do not think I would ever get this CGC'd as it is more beneficial, ads and all to page through. The books are relatively cheap to obtain even in 6.0-8.0 condition. If the opportunity arises for you to obtain some of the older copies, I urge you to do so and give it a read. I found them pretty interesting and thought I would share.
    http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/06/d-day-through-the-archives-times-earliest-coverage-of-the-normandy-invasion/
    Images to follow...
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  8. Buzzetta
    I decided to submit a few books that I picked up at NYCC and at Big Apple... How did they fare?
    Let us see how we did. I guess my eyes are going or something.
    ASM 21 - Advertised 6.0 - Received 5.5Q Last Page Missing
    ASM 23 - Advertised 9.0 - Received 7.5
    ASM 24 - Advertised F+ - Received 5.0
    ASM 43 - Advertised 8.0 - Received 8.0 Color Touch
    ASM 53 - Advertised 8.0 - Received 7.5
    ASM 101 - Advertised VF - Received 7.0
    ASM 119 - Advertised F - Received 9.0 (Ok.. win!)
    Very disappointed. None of the books were from eBay. One book is from a major dealer, one book from a regular dealer. The rest picked up by a few guys I do not recall offhand but will recognize once I see them at NYCC and will avoid their tables.
    The 21, 24, 43 and 53 will eventually be thrown up immediately on eBay. I will keep the 101 and the 119. I am torn between getting rid of the 23. I already own a 9.0 copy of 23 with a small amount of color touch that is simply gorgeous. Yes, I know the 7.5 is "supposedly" better but as of now I would rather keep the 9.0 Restored.
    Guess I am no good at buying raw books. Hopefully the Batman 47 and the Amazing Spider-man 3 I submitted last month restore my faith.
    Thoughts?
    9.0 With Small Amount of Color Touch or Universal 7.5?
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  9. Buzzetta
    It was something that I toyed with at NYC Comic Con in October of 2010. It was a goal that was realized in July of 2012.
    I got tired of looking around at all the "junk" that I had amassed over the years. I decided to sell everything that I felt I no longer needed or would not miss in lieu of having a nicer copy of Amazing Fantasy 15. I had that raw copy but I wanted a nicer copy. I sold off so much that I settled the education loans and bought my comic. Then I found this place.
    I always had a full set of Amazing Spider-man. I still do. A lot of the copies though were reader copies or lower to mid grade copies. I felt that I could do better. I started to upgrade some of my books but at that point I still did not think of going for a slabbed run. After I upgraded some of my books I saw that I had a decent percentage of the books already slabbed. With that I figured what the heck. Let's complete a set. In October of 2011 I opened up the set and started registering books. In less than a year that set is at 100%
    Thanks to submitting some of my own books to CGC, Comic Link, Metropolis / Comic Connect, Heritage, these boards and eBay the books and packages started showing up. I did my homework and assembled, what I believe a nice set of books. 71 books are 8.0 or higher. I mostly looked at a lot of 8.5's. There are quite a few books that present very nicely and some gems thrown in the collection. I love the ASM 12 in a 8.0 and a the 65 in a 9.6 as those covers are personal favorites of mine. While not in the set I was pleased at receiving my copies of 121 and 122 back from CGC in a 9.4 and a 9.2.
    I know that I will never take top spot. That is not what this was about. I do not have the resources to even think about making a run at doing so. The future plans for the set are to upgrade a book here and there. Right now it is well known that I am looking to upgrade my Amazing Fantasy 15. I am waiting on a couple of things back from CGC and some of those may be upgrades. Or perhaps... I may want to focus some more on the Golden Age. In the meantime I will start photographing the fronts and backs and continue to add descriptions to the books.
    To everyone that helped with this set, I thank you.
    Buzzetta-
    Link to the Set
    http://comics.www.collectors-society.com/registry/comics/PeopleSetDetail.aspx?PeopleSetID=49630

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  10. Buzzetta
    I think it was cheaper when taking a break from a paper involved going to the bar.
    When I attended college immediately after high school, there were plenty of distractions from getting work done. There were the girls, the bars, the girls and the bars. When I went back for a masters, there were plenty of distractions of getting work done. There were the girls, the bars and the work from my day job and the work from my day job. Now that I find myself wrapping up the first 12 credits of another program to acquire the ability to advance my career, (if I should so choose) the biggest distraction is the internet and collection building.
    Mind you, that this is not putting me into poverty or even what I would call a financial strain. For the most part of it all, it is buying things that I would have eventually bought anyway as a means to assembling my collection. The problem (if one were to even call it that) is that I am doing it rapidly.
    I find myself sitting in front of a computer at almost every waking hour away from work in order to complete paper after paper, designing and rehearsing presentations as well as doing research on top of the take home work that I have from my regular job. Whenever I want to take a break though, I do not have the luxury of spending a few hours in absentia from my responsibilities. The easiest thing is to run a few searches on eBay and look through the selling forum. Distraction created, another book down, back to writing.
    Sigh... I will soon enter the internship phase... Luckily I can fit two Phish shows into my schedule before that starts.
    I can only imagine how those of you with families handle it...
    I tip my hat to those of you that do.
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  11. Buzzetta
    Varying grades of Silver Age books...
    So, I went to the Big Apple Comic Con with the sole purpose of submitting fifteen books from my collection. The separation anxiety was nerve wracking. My selection included books that I had duplicates of in varying degrees as this was my very first submittal. I wanted to see if my grading by CGC standards would hold up. Everything I own has been purchased post CGC grading.
    I submitted the following:
    Amazing Spiderman: 8, 22, 31, 37, 51, 61, 69, 84, 89, 121, 122
    X-Men 58
    Daredevil 4
    Avengers 3
    Hulk 340
    I am anxious to see the ASM 121 and the 122 as they should grade high and am curious to see what the Daredevil 4 and Avengers 3 rate out as.
    Depending on the grades and the turnaround time and my own nervousness, I would like to eventually finish having my complete Spidey collection from 1-100 graded to fill in the gaps that I am missing in my competitive set.
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  12. Buzzetta
    Interesting dilemma...
    As we move forward into the digital age some publishers have taken to including digital download codes into their comic books in case you want your comic to go wherever your portable media device goes.
    Now, this is in reality nothing new. After all, the funny books have included lots of freebies within their pages. Some books have offered 3D glasses, poster inserts, rub off tattoos and other inserts. They have even included cassette tapes of the Ramones singing the Spider-man theme song with certain comics. Except for the cassette tapes, CGC has noted the inclusion or absence of all of these within their grading notes. What if the absence or previous redemption of a digital code devalues a book?
    Does this sound outrageous? Consider this. An Amazing Spider-man 238 in a 9.6 seems to be worth less without the rub on tattoos in comparison to a 9.4 WITH the tattoos. Could a grader test to see if a download code works? If the code has already been redeemed then could the book be considered qualified or incomplete because there is an invalid code within it's pages? Do not simply scoff at this. Around 1983, no one assumed that little rub on tattoos were essential to the condition of a comic book either.
    Who knows what the impact of digital media or digital codes will be? Those unused digital download codes could be essential in determining whether your 9.8 white page copy of Avengers v X-Men #1 comes back in a Universal or Qualified grade. Me? I still want a copy of Detective Comics 27. At least that book didn't have any inserts that I have to be concerned with.
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  13. Buzzetta
    Last week's acquisitions and recent submits
    So, the wait begins again. I am not complaining about the time it takes for CGC to grade, slab and return my books. I am talking about the wait of anticipation. You know what I am talking about. It is that 'Christmas is only in four more days' type of wait.
    I went to show in NYC at the Penn Pavilion last weekend and had an interesting time walking around. I saw the reports on the message board and was amused that a fellow boardie was next to me taking pictures of Stan talking to Neal Adams. I almost threw a guy into a wall as he was about to sign a CGC submission sheet by placing his paper on the comics that I was submitting. (He realized what he was about to do before I realized it for him.)
    Neal Adams was a treat as I had never done the CGC SS thing before. He was a pleasure to talk to and I took to the knee so I could actually listen. Perhaps more on that in another journal entry. On a side note, I had sold all of my Batman books a few years ago to pay for college classes. It was nice to pick up a mid grade 227 to have him sign it. Felt like I was getting one of my old books back.
    I submitted the following:
    To Be Graded
    Amazing Spiderman 21 Expecting a 5.5
    Amazing Spiderman 23 (Bought from Metropolis at the show at advertised 8.5. Let's see what happens.)
    Amazing Spiderman 24 Expecting a 6.0
    Amazing Spiderman 43 Expecting a 8.0-8.5
    Amazing Spiderman 53 Expecting a 6.0
    Amazing Spiderman 101 Expecting a 7.5 - 8.0
    Amazing Spiderman 119 Expecting a 9.4
    Batman 227 Signed by Neal Adams - Expecting a 5.5-6.0
    Reslabs
    Amazing Spiderman 41 8.0 (Needed it reslabbed due to poor shipping)
    Avengers 4 6.0 (Needed it reslabbed due to poor shipping)
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  14. Buzzetta
    Once Upon a Time in Comic Book Occupied eBay...
     
    (Insert Ennio Morricone music ... now)Book 1So, what seems like many moons ago, I had submitted ten ASM books to be graded by CGC. One of the books was not graded at a condition that I was pleased with so I did what any sane comic collector would do. I searched for the book in the grade I was comfortable with and contacted the owner to see if they wanted to do some business. After some email negotiation I settled on a direct paypal money request for Amazing Spider-man #12 in a CGC Universal 7.5. I was very pleased with the book and its appearance and was pleased that the owner was going to send it out on Monday.Book 2I won another ASM last nights Sunday eBay auctions. I promptly paid and was pleased at securing a copy of Amazing Spider-man 91 in CGC Universal 9.4. I went to bed happy with myself for upgrading my collection and knowing that by the end of the week I would take a nice bump in registry points for my efforts.This MorningI got up and boarded my 5:25 train, arrived in Manhattan and had breakfast as usual. I checked my email around 9ish and my jaw dropped. Both individual sellers had emailed me that the books were no longer available and they must have sold them without checking their inventory. No Spidey books for Buzzetta.... My cynical self was disappointed to say the least. Immediately I suspected a scam. Then I realized that both sellers had already refunded my money through paypal. (Pain in the part is waiting for the refunds to clear.) I also did some history back tracking and indeed found that the ASM #91 WAS selling the truth. He sold the same book about three months ago. I could not verify the ASM 12 but was more likely to believe the guy since the bartering process was pretty clear cut and smooth.My biggest disappointment is that I have to wait for my money... Paypal was very quick to take it but not so quick in giving it back. Annoying, to say the least.I still want my ASM 12 and 91. The 91 might be mine shortly... we will see.
  15. Buzzetta
    A modern favorite of mine that is best displayed in a CGC case.
    There is nothing too special here. This is not a key issue. This is not a variant that had a low print run. In fact the ASM 648 Martin Variant isn't even that hard to find. However, I have been searching for a copy of this book for awhile and I wanted a CGC 9.8 copy of it. Why?
    I simply fell in love with the wraparound cover. Martin crafted a piece of artwork that showcases Peter Parker / Spider-man with his rogues gallery behind him. I liked the style, placement of characters and the use of color and tone. The book quickly became one of my favorite modern covers. The CGC slab allows both sides of the book to be viewed and enjoyed.
    Thoughts if any? I just wanted to share.

  16. Buzzetta
    Let's see what ComicLink, eBay and CGC brought to me in the month of January. Warning: all Silver Spideys
    What I picked up this month:
    ASM 6 in a 4.5
    ASM 6 in a 5.5
    ASM 18 in a 5.5 (I think it presents a bit better than a 5.5 but I could be wrong... thoughts? See image at the bottom)
    ASM 30 in a 7.5
    ASM 35 in a 8.0
    ASM 44 in a 8.0
    ASM 64 in a 9.0
    ASM 71 in a 8.5
    ASM 72 in a 8.5
    ASM 87 in a 9.0
    ASM 140 in a 9.6
    ASM 145 in a 9.4
    ASM 303 in a 9.8
    I am still waiting for the following back from CGC
    Another copy of Amazing Fantasy 15
    ASM 1, 4, 7, 12(x2), 14 (Sending my 3rd copy in) 25, 46, 59, 87, 100, 129,
    Anyway... I think I am done for a bit unless something comes along or someone makes me an offer I cannot refuse. My goals this year are to crack the top 50 in the Spidey set and pick up at least another ten books in my goal to have the first 100 books slabbed. I also want to upgrade a few books. That copy of ASM 22 that came back 3.5 trimmed bothers me. I need to upgrade that. However, my ASM 23 that is at a 9.0 with a slight color touch? I am cool with keeping that one as my permanent copy. Trimmed bothers me to no end while slight color touch is acceptable depending on the grade of the book.
    Anyway... check out the 18. I thought it was a sharp copy and slightly better than the 5.5. As the saying goes, buy the book, not the grade.

  17. Buzzetta
    My order for 10 books was verified as sent in on 10/18 by CGC. I just sent in a package of three books using my club coupons. How long before I send in another box of books.
    So I my order for 10 Silver Spidey's were verified as being sent in on 10/18 by CGC which was right after the NYC Comic Con. The breakdown is as follows:
    90 Days have passed
    59 of those days would be considered word days assuming that CGC graders had off on 12/26 and 1/2 since the holidays fell on the weekends.
    Now I am not complaining about the length of time. That has been spoken about continuously since this summer. My question is how long would you wait until you send in another order? I sent in a package the other day of what was another low grade AF15, an Amazing Spider-man 1 that hopefully gets a 3.0 to 4.0 and a high grade 129. However I have other things that I want to send in.
    I recently picked up a high grade Captain America 109 and I have a bunch of other 7.0-8.0 Spidey Silver Age books and mid to low Spidey issues from 3-15 that I want to send in. Then there is some... well you get the idea.
    However, how long should I wait. Part of me wants to see what I win on the current comic link auctions before I send some stuff off. I figure wait and see if I get a couple of things at a price that would make sending in a raw book inconsequential since I got a guaranteed grade at a decent price.
    What are your thoughts?
  18. Buzzetta
    Going outside my Amazing Spider-man collection and Marvel Keys, I drifted into the world of DC Golden Age.
    I was sitting around going through eBay and Comiclink auctions these last few months and found myself staring at some of the DC Golden Age books. These publications were crafted in a simpler time. Sure, there was nothing that compared to what Jim Lee does with Batman and Superman. However, that does not mean that these books do not stand out on their own beauty.
    In the last few months I have picked up Batman 41 in a 6.0, Action Comics 36 in a 6.0, Action Comics 65 in a 7.0 and Action Comics 81 in a 5.0. I also picked up a copy of Superman 15 with slight restoration as it was too beautiful a cover to pass up on.
    What attracts me to each of these books? In the case of the Batman 41, it was the first Sci Fi cover and to me it opened the door and hinted at the bizarre things to come later on in the run. The Action Comics 65 and 81 were WWII issues and pleasant additions especially because the 81 tells a story by the cover alone.
    I cannot wait to get the Superman 15 graded as it screams Fleischer Cartoon series. The book I am most proud of is one that I know I overpaid for. The Action Comics #36 was recently won on Comiclink. Winning this book essentially came down to a contest of who would open their wallet the most. I rarely see the book in this condition and for some reason... I cannot explain it... I REALLY wanted it.
    Where does it stop though? Only time and money will tell. While even a low grade copy of Action Comics 1 is out of the question there are plenty of other books out there that are still within range. I am looking at you Detective Comics 48.

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  19. Buzzetta
    First submission is finally back in my hands... Let's see what happened. Some pleasant surprises... some no pleasant
    So back in May, I submitted the following:
    Amazing Spiderman: 8, 22, 31, 37, 51, 61, 69, 84, 89, 121, 122
    X-Men 58, Daredevil 4, Avengers 3, Hulk 340
    Let's see what what happened and then I will vent on ASM 8:
    Hulk 340 - 9.6
    Avengers 3 - 5.5
    Daredevil 4 - 4.0
    X-Men 58 - 6.5
    ASM 37 - 6.0
    ASM 84 - 9.4 (woohoo!!)
    ASM 51 - 6.0
    ASM 121 - 9.4 (woohoo!!)
    ASM 122 - 9.2 (woohoo!!)
    ASM 89 - 8.0
    ASM 61 - 7.0
    ASM 31 - 6.0
    ASM 69 - 9.0
    ASM 23 - Restored 3.5
    ASM 8 - Restored 7.0
    Now, aside from the wait which has been well documented on the message boards by various members, I was very pleased with the service. The grading of my personal books was consistent with what I have seen with other books that have already been slabbed. Where is my gripe then? Well it is not with CGC. It is with a particular comic book dealer.
    You see, I have been buying books for many years as I assume many of us have. Years ago, I purchased the ASM 8 in what I thought was a nice grade for around $200. (We comic book fans have good memories like this) I have purchased restored books before but only those that have been slabbed and documented by CGC. To me, slight color touch is acceptable. I would have never purchased what I received back from CGC. The book came back as Slight P Trimmed.
    That was never disclosed to me upon purchase of the book. A question that I have always asked when purchasing a raw copy of a book of this price has been, "Has any work been performed on the book?" Now, I am left wondering, did the dealer know? Did the dealer choose not to tell me in order to move the book out of their inventory? Do I boycott this dealer completely even if I am interested in an already CGC graded book? I am left wondering how many of us have purchased books only to find that they were restored?
    I do not blame CGC at all. They merely identify and report. I do not see the difference in cover width between my CGC 7.0 Restored and my CGC 6.0 Universal copies of ASM 8. It is hard to see while they are still slabbed and I am not interested in taking them apart so I will trust CGC on this matter.
    Pleasant surprise on the ASM 69, 84, 121, and 122. The ASM 69 was the very first Silver Age book I ever bought. I remember paying $5 for it back in middle school because I wanted to own something that had a 12 cent cover. So while it is not so much a surprise, I am proud to see a 9 on it with white pages as I actually read that book a few times.
    Any time a Silver Age Spiderman comes back with a grade higher than 9.0 it is a nice feeling. The 84 was pretty cool but the gems of this order were the 121 and the 122. Besides the bump in registry points, almost 3000 between them, the books were always nice looking copies and graded at what I expected from them.
    Next step... joining CGC, and submitting a few other items. I am thinking of sending a beautiful copy of ASM 129 to be graded along with a raw copy of ASM 1 and AF 15.
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