Buzzetta

I won it... Let's see if I get it... For those that do not know... this is the "Face it Tiger, You Just Hit the Jackpot" issue. My reasoning as far as the value? An ASM 8.0 runs between $150-200. Getting Stan Lee to sign and then to submit to CGC can run another $100 Getting John Romita to sign and then submit to CGC can run another 100 I figure for $250 I got off cheap...

I may look for a higher grade but to me I really want a presentable grade over a higher grade. For example I went after a book in a recent auction where there were three copies listed. Copy one was a 8.5 with a date stamp Copy two was a 8.0 with a clean cover Copy three was a 5.0 I went after the 8.0 with a lot more dedication than the other two books. In fact I basically ignored the date stamp cover. To me there is not much difference between the grades so I have been trying to hunt for 8.5 and up in my ASM 1-100 run. If a better copy comes along at a later date then I may upgrade and sell the older ones but for now... I want to complete the set.

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) To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

I do not understand how anything drawn by Liefeld deserves a 9.4 let alone a 9.9... And that was my snarky comment for the evening... back to studying... Goodnight...

Holy shiznit... I just took the A train uptown. I am used to the homeless riding the NYC subways by now and am used to the drunks and crackheads. However, this guy had a body odor smell that was so bad I had to cover press my nose with my thumb as I covered my mouth with my hand to breathe through the fingers. It was the kind of smell that makes you want to strip and bathe the minute you enter the door when you get home. There is no excuse for poor personal hygiene. Ladies and gentlemen... please for the love of God... clean every crevice. And yes... I do throw elbows on the subway to the transplant hipsters that refuse to move or do not understand the concept of walking to your right.

We all have our own personal set of guidelines that we act within at shows. I just read a story of an individual (this is not a hate thread) that was apparently involved in accidentally knocking down a dealer's display after asking and being allowed access to behind the table. What do you do at shows? Me? I am personally of the idea that until I pay cash for it I am not touching it. I came to that conclusion after a dealer laid a book out in front of a prospective customer that was next to me. Someone bumped into the guy as the dealer allowed the buyer to turn the page... All it took was a bump and a jostle and you had a rip in the page. Wrong place wrong time. When looking at books I usually have my loot in a hard case folder keeper in my messenger bag. When looking at expensive books, the bag swings in front of me so I know where my stuff is and I only go where I am allowed to go. The last thing I want to do is be responsible should anything happen. Everything and anything as far as I am concerned is off limits unless I ask. If the dealer says I am free to touch then even then I go by comfort level and ask the dealer for assistance telling him it is not mine unless I hand you the cash. Usually the dealer does not mind. The last thing I ever want to do is be in the situation at one of these crowded shows where I damaged some guys property from being bumped by the crowd. Any words...?

I am probably about to make a nice bump in the registry... From Auction Sites Amazing Spiderman 22 - Universal 8.5 Off White to White Amazing Spiderman 45 - Universal 8.5 Off White to White Amazing Spiderman 56 - Universal 9.0 White Pages Amazing Spiderman 91 - Universal 9.0 Off White to White From CGC Amazing Spiderman 4 - Universal 5.0 White Amazing Spiderman 7 - Universal 4.0 Off White Amazing Spiderman 12 - Universal 3.0 Cream to Off White Amazing Spiderman 12 - Universal 4.5 Cream to Off White Amazing Spiderman 14 - Apparent Slight (A) 3.0 - Color Touch and small spot of glue - Off White Amazing Spiderman 25 - Universal 7.5 Cream to Off White Amazing Spiderman 46 - Universal 6.0 Off White to White (I don't know why I submitted this either) Amazing Spiderman 59 - Universal 9.0 Off White to White Amazing Spiderman 87 - Universal 5.5 Off White to White (Or this...) Amazing Spiderman 100 - Universal 6.0 Off White to White I reported last week that my other order came in Amazing 129, AF 15 and Amazing 1

Oooookay... The next ten books just came back from CGC... I will slab any Spiderman I have from 1-25 just to see what I have, keep some for my collection and sell off a couple to buy more. I have mixed feelings on the ASM 4 and since that is part of my keeper collection and I felt it could have gone a little bit higher. I understand the 100 getting a 6.0 due to the printer bleed but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it. The 59 in a 9.0 was a nice surprise on the other end of the collection. Here we go. Amazing Spiderman 4 - Universal 5.0 White Amazing Spiderman 7 - Universal 4.0 Off White Amazing Spiderman 12 - Universal 3.0 Cream to Off White Amazing Spiderman 12 - Universal 4.5 Cream to Off White Amazing Spiderman 14 - Apparent Slight (A) 3.0 - Color Touch and small spot of glue - Off White Amazing Spiderman 25 - Universal 7.5 Cream to Off White Amazing Spiderman 46 - Universal 6.0 Off White to White (I don't know why I submitted this either) Amazing Spiderman 59 - Universal 9.0 Off White to White Amazing Spiderman 87 - Universal 5.5 Off White to White (Or this...) Amazing Spiderman 100 - Universal 6.0 Off White to White

Was VERY disappointed that I had unwittingly purchased a restored copy a number of years ago when I was completing my collection. When it arrived back from CGC last summer this issue became a priority to upgrade to something universal and something higher up... perhaps in the VF area. It is a tough cover with those deep blues and I notice that others have been buying up sharp looking available copies in the last few months. This just showed up today... I will add it to the registry along with others once my CGC order comes back from Florida.

I don't want to show pictures until I receive them in my hands... Earlier this week I got my second AF15 back from CGC along with the ASM 129 and the ASM 1. I also picked up: Amazing Spider-man 45 in 8.5 Amazing Spider-man 22 in 8.5 It has been a busy week and the comiclink auctions are ending soon. BTW... STILL waiting for the CGC books I submitted at NYC Comic Con back in October.

What I received today and my original copy measured against my 3.5. Amazing Fantasy 15 - 1.8 Amazing Spider-man 1 - 2.5 Amazing Spider-man 129 - 8.5 (I may resubmit this to fish for a higher grade) Last picture is my AF15 1.8 next to my AF15 3.5 The 3.5 is one of the nice 3.5 I have ever seen. I need to scan it in order show it off.

I agree. I feel the same though, that they slightly over grade their books. However their customer service is excellent as they make you feel just as important whether you are spending $100 or $10,000.

eBay Comiclink Sometimes Comic Connect / Metropolis. If it is a raw book worth more than $250 I make an appointment and go to the offices to make the purchase as they are located in NYC. On a side note... if anyone here ever has the opportunity to go to the offices at Metropolis I urge you to do so. It is a museum of original art. The walls are lined with original artwork dating back to the Golden Age.

This week in my collection? Amazing Spider-man 56 in a 9.0 Amazing Spider-man 91 in a 9.0 Amazing Spider-man 99 in a 9.2 (Upgrades my previous 8.0) I figure I will probably bow out of next week's auctions to stash some cash for the C-Link Winter auctions... Goals are changing this year... My interest continues to grow in upgrading / acquiring another Amazing Fantasy 15 or a Batman 47.

Honestly... I found a first printing copy of Ernest Hemmingway's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" The only thing it was missing was the dust jacket. I thought that was the coolest thing I ever found. As far as comic books... we do not have anything around here that draws dealers with anything worth picking up.

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.

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.

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.

So far? Upgrading or filling in slabbed slots on my Amazing Spiderman Collection: ASM 6 - 5.5 ASM 64 - 9.0 ASM 71 - 8.5 ASM 72 - 8.5 ASM 87 - 9.0 ASM 140 - 9.6 ASM 145 - 9.4 I upgraded the ASM 2.5 SP to a 4.5 Universal earlier this month and now upgraded to a 5.5 universal. I will probably sell off the lower two copies later on down the road to fund another book or tuition as needed. The 64 was upgraded from a 7.0 universal to a 9.0. I have always been a fan of the cover and the price was right from what I have seen on a 64 at that grade. There are a few other books I am interested in on the CLink auctions closing this week and will be monitoring to see if there is anything else I want to pick up. I am aiming for a decent condition ASM 18.

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?

It would have been nice if you would have been able to contact him. I'm sure he would have been thrilled to see this. Stinks you are one year too late. Maybe you might be able to contact his children? I took your idea and acted upon it. I wrote the following. Hi - I am a comic collector. While looking at an old Batman book I came across one that might have been owned by your grandfather. I was bored and wanted to see whatever happened to the original owner of the book. That search led me here. Thought you might want to see: I AM NOT THE SELLER http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-Comics-DETECTIVE-BATMAN-Golden-48-good-nice-issue-1941-1st-batmobile-/370567692628?pt=UK_Books_Comics_Magazines_US_Comics_ET&hash=item56478e4154 Anyway... regards

That was one of many reasons that I instantly passed on this copy.

Ha - Whenever I look for golden age books I see the name of the original owner somewhere written on the book. I assume that was due to "vigilant" mothers that wanted to make sure that Johnny's Superman 1 did not get mixed up or taken from him when he brought it to school. Then I wondered are these people alive and selling their books before they pass or are they part of the same deal like I noticed an estate sale that was recently divided up and sold on eBay? Then over on a GI Joe collecting site, people started talking about where do all their toys go when they pass. Some were under the assumption that they will be cherished and passed down for generations to come.

So I am in the market for a Detective Comics 48 and I take a look at every one that is put up for sale or auction on eBay. While looking at this listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-Comics-DETECTIVE-BATMAN-Golden-48-good-nice-issue-1941-1st-batmobile-/370567692628?pt=UK_Books_Comics_Magazines_US_Comics_ET&hash=item56478e4154 I noticed the name, "Rodolphe Marinelli", written on the cover along with the initials "RM" in cursive. Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to see what happened to Mr. Marinelli. A quick google search led me here and this man fits the age of who would have once been the owner of this comic. http://www.imorial.com/rodolphemarinelli/ He died last year at the age of 82. He would have purchased this book around the age of 13-14. It is a question that I saw on another collecting board. What happens to all of your stuff when your number is called?

Captain America 1 9/11. Romita Variant, Joe Simon SS CGC 9.6 Woo Hoo Christmas Also picked up a Action Comics 76 that I will have to send in to get graded.