newshane

this year is the last time you will see this set together. I've worked for years and this is the best I could do: CLICK HERE TO VIEW MY SPAWN SET Going all in for the modern age competition! Now or never.

I'm very, very sad they never used this.

EDIT: 165 always seemed to be super hot...ditto for 175 and 176, the famous "Gunslinger" issues. Looking back through the run, there are many that I remember giving me lots of trouble. Definitely can't go wrong scooping up anything (at least high grade) between 110-199 if you want to be real.

110 - 199, with things getting increasingly more difficult as the issue numbers rise. Issue 200 had lots of variants and a relatively high print run, then things start to get tough from 201 all the way through the homage covers. I'd say 151 through 184 are the most exotic. Some of those books are insane. Very tough in grade because of the grade-busting dark colors that were used. There are enough people now who realize the truth about those books and are privy to their value. People are paying way too much for the early issues and not enough for the later, TOUGH ones! Also, the registry points are long overdue for an overhaul! Only 20 points for #175? WTH? For six or seven years now I've been working on the entire run in 9.8 or higher. I'm five short of that goal and I've looked EVERYWHERE and offered tons and tons of cash. Nothing. Not a word. I have three of the missing five in 9.6, so that will have to do for now. But those books are super hard in top grade and are majorly slept on.

Yes. And VERY difficult to find in 9.8 grade.

If you hate the story of the first 12 issues of Spawn, you can blame at least a few of them on no-name guys like, well, Neil Gaiman (issue 9), Dave Sim (issue 10), Frank Miller (issue 11), and Alan Moore (issue 8). I think the main problem with Spawn has always been identity. In the early years, it seemed that Todd couldn't decide if he wanted to market the books to children, depressed teens, or horror fans. Also, the quality has waxed and waned throughout the years depending on the writer and art team. You see huge, sudden leaps in style...just look at the last 75 issues of Spawn, for example. We go from dark, gothic art (Kudranski) to the childish lines drawn by Erik Larsen (HURK) and now we are seeing more "dark" painted art again. Todd will leap in for a dozen or so issues in order to "save things", which has never done anything other than add to the mess. Spawn needs continuity, direction, stability, and purpose. The chances of commercial success go way down as Todd continues to struggle with what he wants to do with the character. And now, for the movie, he wants a "ghost-like" character that doesn't speak. I guess we'll have to see. Regarding the overall run, there have been some great issues and storylines (I actually like the supernatural character as written by Holguin), but as a whole, it's a fractured mess, despite the (mostly) awesome artwork. I just don't have much faith in Todd as a writer, let alone a director. The concept of Spawn has a great deal of potential, but it's been unrealized because Todd has been uncomfortable with letting a good team run with the character. Maybe the movie will take off and I can sell my slabbed run to someone with a lot of money.

Not sure about that. Vancouver, for example, is a junkie haven and has been for decades. It's no Detroit or Chicago, but I'd say there are still plenty of opportunities to make bad choices in spite of where someone lives.

Should be re-written in third person.

You should. It's mind-blowing.

The more I read his rules...wow...just wow...

I'm a YUGE fan of the multi-tiered restocking fee! Brilliant!

OMG...it IS him, isn't it?

instead, I decided to read the "fine print" on this auction... WE DO NOT LIST EVERY NICK AND MOLECULE... Advertised as 9.8... now look at the back cover.

I'd be happy if he simply established himself as an independent. But it looks like he is currently enjoying the media attention...

WOW!!!

Ironic, because Newton Rings have always been a problem, not just with the latest cases.

Your books will be fine as long as you fix the problem ASAP. A day or two shouldn't hurt. If you have a dehumidifier, place it in the same room as your comics.

I was mainly joking but... there are plenty of people who would absolutely throw it on eBay. That would be sad. I think it's amazing that Todd did such a thing for a true fan. I don't know about Todd, but I do know that many artists are weary of doing these sorts of things because the "fan" turns out to be someone who is in it for the money. This is why lots of artists are starting to charge exorbitant prices and establishing restrictive rules for sketches and signatures. I asked a facilitating company who used to handle most of Todd's work if it was possible to get a sketch. They said no, pretty much impossible. A few months later, they had one for sale on eBay for an insane price As the owner of nearly every Spawn comic in 9.8 or above (around 400 slabs), I think one would be hard-pressed to find a more dedicated fan...but that made no difference to Todd's former "handlers." My advice for the OP is to keep it like it is! Leave it in a nice Mylar with backing board and enjoy your unique gift! The "Toddy" signature is very interesting and remarkable. I've NEVER seen one!

All I have to say is...Ric Flair for the win! Greatest of all time! Guy had coke boogers worth more than I pull in for the year.

Put it on eBay so he'll never do another one.

This approach hasn't worked for me. As one of the guys I hired to help said, "If it's not out there, it's not out there."

Nothing beats Excel if you are halfway decent at using it. There are no better options. I use them often at work to sort data, and I appreciate the speed and flexibility that it affords. There is no better option. I used the registry to track my Spawn collection. I scan everything, so I can also just check the folders on my hard drive to quickly see what I have and do not have,.

If you aren't familiar with grading, I would take it slow at first. If you send all 20 copies for grading, there is a good chance you could be disappointed in some of the grades. When I first started sending books to the CGC, I was very shocked at some of the grades. Books that I thought were a dead ringer for "perfect" came back as 9.0s and 9.2s. After a while, I was able to learn how to accurately grade. Unfortunately, it was a very expensive lesson to learn back in my early days. I suggest that you compare five books at a time. Pick the best from each stack. Then, compare the four best copies and pick the best one out of the bunch. Send it off for grading and see how you do. Once you get an idea of what the CGC thinks, you can send off some of your other books. Just remember to wear non-powdered latex gloves when you handle the books. Foil covers can pick up finger grease fairly easily. Lethal Protector is a great book that's on the rise. It's worth grading. But anything below a 9.8 will be difficult to sell. The last thing you need is 20 copies of the comic in the 9.0 - 9.6 range. Good luck and welcome to the boards! Let us know how they turn out.

Deathstroke with an adolescent sense of humor...initially drawn by a hackjob. A guy in a ninja outfit? *yawn* To each their own.

Couldn't agree more.