Mr. Zipper

I've been avoiding this thread because I feared I'd be overcome with envy. I was correct.

responses to Belit kicking the bucket? Dan has a letter printed in that issue. I have my own personal copy I'm hoping Dan will autograph someday.

I was searching for information on detecting comic restoration and a CGC Thread was near the top of the results. I just couldn't believe the volume of information here... I spent days reading just on resto detection, values, etc. (I was very sad to learn that the books I had "with a little "no-big-deal" marker touch" were worth less than what I paid for them over 10 years ago. ) I lurked for about a month before making any posts.

Actually, his later signature is much more ornate. People that sign autographs tend to get more ornate and artistic over time as they perfect their "autographing signature." (Further, some artists have 2 signatures... their autograph signature and a stylized signature they use to sign their work. Norman Rockwell and Charles Schultz are 2 examples.) I did find a Kirby signature on an old sketch that is similar to the signature on the FF 2. So, it is possible the signature on the FF 2 is a much earlier, less common iteration of his signature. Until we can see a valid sampling of know authentic exemplars, I'd label this signature, "Undetermined."

Well, I didn't want to say anything, but since you've chimed in already. My first reaction was that the signature wasn't authentic. I'm no court expert, but I have been collecting autographs for over 15 years, written numerous articles, serve on the UACC Ethics Board, have done authentications for dealers and auction houses... so I have a pretty good eye for picking out fakes. There are a number of problems with this signature in regard to formation. Further, the signature has a "slowly drawn" and heavy appearance that you don't see in authentic Kirby signatures. It doesn't "flow" like a naturally signed name does. While I can't say definitively it is not authentic, I think the chances are high that it is a forgery. If it was mine, I would operate under the presumption the signature is not authentic. If it is a fake, perhaps the forger thought it would be a good way to squeeze a few extra bucks out of a lower grade book.

What an unfortunate moniker.

Congratulations on accomplishing a long sought after goal. Your passion for comics is inspiring.

I wish! There's a little too much wear along the bottom edge and slight rounding to the LRFC. I'd say 8.5. The book presents very well because the spine is square and the centering perfect. I've really grown fond of the Superman Annuals and my next goal is to complete the run. I also have Annual #7 from the Green River Pedigree. Not as nice as the #3, but it has great QP as well.

From the Northland Pedigree...

I was you being mean to the newbie (calling him illiterate)! Not nice!

BTW, I coined the term "spine crack" and I'm not a modern wimp!! But I do want credit if the term catches on.

Excuse me gents, but that describes a major flaw . . . Not if he's talking about spine crack... that is, the white cracking/flecking that occurs on moderns along the spine where the cover is folded. I have 9.8s that have light flecking along the spine where it's folded. This is most common on heavy paperstock and highly varnished covers. I wouldn't expect a newbie to know, but Diva, haven't you seen this topic any of the 100 or so times it's been discussed in the last year?

While comics was my first collecting love, and perhaps still my favorite, I also collect autographs. I tend to focus on sports and historical autographs, but also have a decent amount of other areas like entertainment. (If you think that undisclosed restoration and grading inconsistancies are a problem in comic collecting, it is miniscule compared to the epidemic of forgeries in autograph collecting.) I tend to go back and forth a bit. I'll get a bit bored with the nonsense in one hobby and drift the other way for a while to eventually return. Right now, I'm pretty discouraged with all my collecting areas. I'm half tempted to unload many of my autographs because the unrelenting flood of forgeries is already beginning to devalue authentic autographs. It sucks to do your homework, study up and invest in nice historical pieces with impeccable provenance, only to have them devalued because thousands of scumbags are selling fakes on eBay. With comics, I'm discouraged because I've spent the last 20 years putting together a respectable midgrade collection to learn that the future looks very bleak for any book that is less than 9.X as per CGC. While "investment and future value" are not my primary collecting concerns, with today's prices, it would be foolish to completely ignore the matter of future value. Check out my blog (link in my signature). I put up my Jerry Orbach signed photo today.

Actually, I think this is one of the unintended benefits of CGC... In the past, everyone kinda stood around not knowing what to do with them. Now CGC has sent the message that its acceptable and encouraged to rip the books out of those lousy polybags.

If I'm not mistaken, Overstreet has always encouraged collectors to free the books from the bags and never broke out different pricing tiers for bagged and unbagged. I think the only party encouraging books to stay in polybags was the publishers... that way they could sell at least 2 copies of every issue -- one to read, and one to stay in the bag.

Yes, they were on Metro's recent posting. These boards cost me more money... !!! I was surprised the 100 was still available when I called.

Nope. I'll call Ed later in the week to see if I can get some backup documentation.

I don't slab books for myself, except for pedigrees. I like to slab pedigrees for display, plus the label keeps the provenance intact. With the Big Apple, there is no COA or any other documentation. So, other than my memory and Metro's verbal statement that they are Big Apples, there is no chain of provenance... that's why I initially though slabbing would be a good idea. My concern is that if I do want to get these slabbed down the road, how do I prove they are what I say they are? "Gee, 7 years ago I bought these from Metro and they told me they were Big Apples." Will that cut it?

I picked up a few Big Apple Pedigree TTAs and here they are. The page quality is OW, but I am blown away by the superior color and gloss on these books. The scan won't do it justice, but in hand, they look and feel like they just came off the rack. I am VERY pleased with the quality of this pedigree... The quality of these books is much nicer than the Boston, Mass., Green River & Winnipegs in my collection. I think I want more! BTW, because there is a slight right edge overhang, I will not be sending these for slabbing. I fear they would be prime candidates for slab damaged corners.

Gorgeous book, Red. The colors really pop and it doesn't have the ugly overhang which seems to plague this issue...

I've asked before, and never got a response, so I'll try again... Why are Mass. Pedigrees denoted as "Mass. Copy" ? Why the "Copy"? No other pedigrees TTBOMK carry the "Copy" denotation?

Of course, The Vincent's Collectibles on the bag is the same Vincent Z who is now with Metropolis. I used to buy from Vincent when he was doing the monthly shows at a Holiday Inn in Rockville Centre Long Island. He was a good dealer then (as well as now).

A few more Sgt. Furys. The purple on the 44 really pops. In my collection recently thanks to the good Captain...

I posted this in a western thread, but it was kinda buried. Got this from Metro last month. Gunsmoke #1 Boston Copy. Currently vacationing in Sarasota...

Apparently, mine was the reader copy, and this one was the file copy.