jick

While I feel the $1800 fetch was not a true representation of the fmv, I do agree that it's surely more than the $500 it was selling for months ago. I don't expect a 2022 drop though. Drastic value drop will only happen after the actual animation happens or is cancelled.

A new auction of Destroyer Duck #1 CGC 9.8 that just finished minutes ago - from the same seller wth the $1800 result - just fetched $1,025. Now I don't know if that is still a shilled price, but at least it sort of proves that the $1,800 price is not reflective of real market price at the moment - even after the animation rights announcement. And there were only 16 bidders - for full disclosure I was one of them but I tapped out early. I am still not convinced that the results now are reflective of the true market value.

The same eBay seller who "sold" DD#1 9.8 at $1,850 eventually listed a couple of other copies with BIN. The most recent copy was advertised as his "last one." Right now, that same seller listed a DD#1 9.8 for open auction. Maybe he wants to "test" the market again because the $1,850 sale did not satisfy his questions? Maybe the buyer with only 30+ feedback backed out? Regardless, I am not saying that DD#1 did not spike up due the animation rights being sold. I am just a bit skeptical at the $1,850 result if that is what it really is. We shall find out soon when this next current auction ends. There was also a 9.6 DD#1 that sold in open auction for $316, but the ones in the $370-ish range in buy-it-now are still not seeing much movement. I am always observing the eBay sales because I too am an owner of DD#1 and Groo #1 so I would love to monitor how it is going.

Two 9.8 DD1 listings now with $2500 buy it nows... Meanwhile, no movement on the $300++ 9.6's.

Looks like the same seller has one more copy listed at $3500. Seems fishy. If it was really a $1850 book and not shilled, shouldn't all the 9.6's on eBay with buy it nows of $360 to $370 have all been sold by now already?

Hmmmm... curiouser and curiouser...

$1,850 for CGC 9.8 Destroyer Duck 1. That's an high by a mile. Last auction months ago was $600 range. This is 3x the price based on animation rights. Not sure if it's an "organic" high or if there is manipulation. There were only 18 bidders, with me being one of them. I quit at $700. The winning bidder only has a 30 bid count, so could be a shill or is this a new guy? There was also no movement in the final price in the last 5 minutes. So maybe $1,850 is artificial inflation? The issue at 9.8 only has a population of 107. It's not going to increase much as its a 40-year old comic and I doubt many hoarded this. I think the sleeper is Groo 1 Pacific. It's only 128 population at 9.8 and is Groo's first cover appearance. For purely aesthetic purposes, I'd prefer holding that than a duck on the cover.

Based on all the interviews I have watched on YouTube and read on print, it really seems like there won't be any Groo animation in Sergio's lifetime. The creators themselves admitted they are very "possessive" when it comes to Groo. I personally feel that Groo is best suited for a TV Series - like Simpsons or Family Guy, rather than a stand-alone movie.

After checking the latest Groo media blitz, it's starting to look like the prices for Destroyer Duck #1 are not undervalued and might probably be too high. Groo seems to get more niche and niche over the years based on these observations of metrics as of today August 24, 2021: 1.Instagram - 214 followers 2. Twitter - 218 followers 3. Facebook - 126 people "like" and 153 who "follow" 4. YouTube - 87 subscribers, most viewed video is only 310 views In the most recent video, Mark and Sergio have admitted they are very "possessive" about Groo. They also said that ever since day one, they have gotten offers for Groo animations but they have always turned them down. I guess they have been turning down offers for at least the last 30 years (Groo turns 40 next year). Sergio was also ranting against collected editions - singling out Omnibus versions of books which are just too thick for bathroom reading and somewhat implying that he thinks all collected editions will be going that way. In short, no new reprints or re-releases coming in the pipeline. Hence, Groo social media metrics are bad, and it seems the creators are not interested in doing things (animated series, collected editions) that will introduce Groo to a new audience. What do you guys think? How will this affect values of the key books?

I don't have GPA..

Ebay auction sales of dkr#1 cgc 9.8 June / 2 copies / $1600 July / 1 copy / $1275 August /1 copy / $2024 First, I think all values are underrated for a book this key that averages less than 2 copies a month in ebay auction. Second, I'd like to ask.. is the market picking up again, or was this August $2024 result an outlier?

I just saw one of those youtube channels where the high Destroyer Duck #1 comps were discussed. That issue is really starting to hit many people's radars. But don't sleep on Groo Pacific #1 as that's Groo's first cover appearance. A Groo fan or CGC displayer would want Groo to be on the cover rather than just a random duck right? I'm not saying Groo 1 will approach, much less eclipse, Destroyer Duck but it should be in demand. I actually see less graded Groo 1 comics on ebay that graded Destroyer Ducks.

Wow what took Groo so long to have an official site! Destroyer Duck 1 might go up even more now!

DKR#1 dropping fast. From nearly $3k two months ago, back to $1600 last two auction results.

Destroyer Duck first appearance of Groo starting to get noticed by some sites. https://covrprice.com/2021/06/weekly-comic-report-june-23th-2021/

My benchmark as the most influential book of the copper age is Dark Knight Returns. It introduced the mature storytelling for out superheroes, it introduced a new enduring character in Carie Kelly, and it introduced a while new comic format with the prestige book. While DKR CG 9.8 was selling in the high $ 2000 's just 2 months ago, the two most recent sales were $1625 then $1605. And it's still dropping. The bubble has burst.

I was just watching (and bidding but lost!) on a Destroyer Duck #1 CGC 9.8 on eBay. It finished at $575. Is that the highest that issue will ever go for, and will market-correct .. or is it just the start of a rise? I just found it weird that it was a private bidding. I haven't seen that book ever offered in a private bidding - how does that work? Would private bidding be more susceptible to manipulation and shilling? I think $575 is quite high - but then again it's nothing compared to the comic made by Groo's letterer!

How can values of Groo's first appearances and comics be only a small small small fraction of those of Usagi Yojimbo when the creator of Usagi is Groo's letterer?

Beyond his Batman run, he also: -created John Stewart and championed social justice in the GL/GA run. While this can be attributed to Denny O Neil, Neal Adams has said it was his idea to make John Stewart not the stereotypical characters of color for that era - making him a superhero with a college degree -championed artists' right by insisting original art be returned to them. He also championed the recognition of Siegel and Shuster as Superman's creators. It was only after Neal fought for them that Superman comics started having the blurb crediting their creators in the opening splashes -In the Marvel universe, he had those memorable runs on X-Men and Avengers. I think he designed the costume/helmet of Havok. -co-created Ra's Al Ghul who has appeared in at least 3 different live action forms in the span of just a few years - Dark Knight trilogy movies, Gotham TV series, and Arrowverse TV shows -The Superman Muhammed Ali crossover also put Adams' influence beyond just comics and into the world of sports. He reprised that cover in ESPN Magazine athletes of the century issue featuring Ali vs Michael Jordan. -and let's not forget the legion of artists who were influenced by his style - which is more than any other comic artist I can think of His writing is nothing to write home about. I still haven't fully understood Batman Odyssey - and not even close to full! And more than the hollow earth theories, he also believes that sasquatches and dogmen walk among us. But nevertheless, I still stand by my earlier statement that I agree that Neal is the biggest active living old-timer. And that was such a great read of an article by James Rosen.

I would say Neal is the biggest "active" old-timer left since he still does commissions. Even if he was retired, I'd still rate him above Romita Sr. and Steranko because Neal's body of work and influence spans so many different publishers. There would be no Dark Knight Returns if Neal did not modernize Batman. There would be no Arrowverse if Neal did not save Green Arrow in his GL run. And the original comic art portion of this forum would probably have never existed has Neal not championed artists' rights and the return of original art pages to them. I say this with full admiration for Neal, and in no way meant to diminish the accomplishments and influence of the other two artists you mentioned. They are titans of the comic industry too!

This was just posted in youtube a few days ago on Destroyer Duck #1. It looks like there's a lot more to that comic than Groo's first appearance...

George Perez, Infinite Crisis 7 Cover Design Concept ... with a long interesting story as I always love to tell in my CAF entries.... https://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=1731200

That's what I'm doing with my copies now!

For some reason, the early to mid-80's Batman - or basically pre-Crisis - feels more bronze than copper for me. Copper keys for me would be: DKR, Year One, Killing Joke, Death of Jason Todd, Introduction of Tim Drake, Breaking of Batman's back, Azrael Batman.

I totally agree that even at $500 it is undervalued for a first-appearance of a major creator-owned character. Sergio Aragones is a legend. His creation Groo is no slouch, having been published since 1982 (approaching 40 years) and reaching a 200-issue count! And you can get his first appearance 9.8 at $500? It's a steal for me. I also think Groo's first cover appearance (Pacific #1) is also a steal at $150 it sells for nowadays.