newshane

I've seen them dock the grade for similar problems with other issues, so I wouldn't bother getting it graded.

What did the graders' notes say? It's important to remember that grade is based on cumulative defects and different flaws are given different weight. 9.8 with a spine tick or two can still grade out if the rest of the book is flawless...at least this is what I've seen from the CGC over the past several years. It doesn't look like the tick on the TMNT book breaks any color, but it's hard to really tell from the picture alone.

Agreed on all counts.

Hmmm....looks like it was a team effort. From Wiki: The artwork for Follow the Leader was done by Todd McFarlane Entertainment, with McFarlane and fellow Image Comics artists Greg Capullo (penciller) and Brian Hagelin (colorist) doing the album cover, and designer Brent Ashe handling the graphics work.[10][13] According to drummer David Silveria, the band got interested in McFarlane after hearing that "Todd had actually referred to us as 'the Doors of the 90's'", leading to them recording a song for Spawn, a film based on a comic book by McFarlane, and eventually approaching the artist to make an album cover for them.[14] The cover art depicts a child hopscotching off a cliff and a gathering of kids waiting to follow, a concept that begun with bassist Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu and sketched by a friend of Jonathan Davis before being submitted to McFarlane. It marked the third straight Korn cover featuring children in a disturbing context, which Davis explained by saying that "Children are always scared when they're all happy and stuff. They're the most beautiful thing in the world, but when you see it in our artwork, the way we've placed it, it's just kinda in' weird."[15][16] The "Freak on a Leash" music video features animated segments by McFarlane featuring this cover art.[17]

Yeah, I understand that he is a legend among Spidey fans, but I don't know who in their right mind would pick Ditko as their favorite. He had the same anatomy teacher as Rob Liefeld. Of course I picked Bags merely out of sentiment, so I can't judge Ditko fans for doing the same. I agree with AnthonyTheAbyss in regards to McFarlane as the technical and stylistic champ.

Once again, I don't think it's rust. Just put it in the Mylar bag and leave it.

Larsen darn near destroyed Spawn as well. His work last year on the title was absolutely gut-wrenching. Good thing that McFarlane was at least doing the inking. He was able to make some gross artwork look halfway passable. Apparently Larsen had a falling-out with McFarlane because his inks were starting to fundamentally change Larsen's pencils...as if he had a choice.

Agreed! I have to pick Mark Bagley because he was at the helm when I started reading Spider-man and collecting comics at around age 13. Plenty of people consider any comics from that era to be drek, but I'm just as nostalgic for Bagley's work as an older gentleman (or lady) may be for Ditko or Romita. It's hard to argue against McFarlane's run. He produced some iconic images during his time behind the desk.

Yep. This guy is a real turd. Block him instantly. Won my auction, never responded to invoicing or email. Area code is 08035 - Haddon Heights, NJ. Alias is Tommy O'Malley.

I just fail to see why wiping the grime off staples would warrant such a label when dry cleaning of the pages would not...seems like the same principle. I could be wrong, but I believe that "cleaned staples" is a more involved process...someone with more knowledge and experience, please weigh in here...

I doubt it. At worst it might get a conservation label these days. But I doubt they'd even notice it, to be honest.

Yeah man, I doubt it's rust. It looks just like that gunk I was describing. I won't pretend to have a scientific understanding of how it happens, but I saw this exact thing in many of the comics I found stashed away in unopened distributor's boxes from the early 90s. They were stored in a shed for many years. It seemed like some sort of gooey adhesive had built up on the staples and collected grime. Did it seem somewhat gooey when you scraped it off, or did it come off as a powdery substance? The "goo" is darker and grey-colored. Rust is typically red or orange hued.

Dear god I should read this thread more often... He just won one of my auctions . I sent him an invoice...we'll see.

Starslayer 2 CGC 9.8 for $105 shipped.

You can't stop entropy. Nothing will stop the rust from spreading, but proper storage may slow the process down. It's a runaway train. EDIT: That might not be rust. It might be some sort of glue, dirt, or gunk. Perhaps try to scrape it off with an Exacto knife? Just be very careful. I've seen the same sort of gunk on a few books from the early 90s.

The problem is that anything less than a 9.8 just isn't good enough...and that's gonna cost me more than $20 a month. I just can't afford it and with over 400 slabs I'm almost out of room. The total expense of the set is already beyond embarrassing. Thanks for the kind words on the set!

The recommendation is 7 years. That number is based on the lifespan of the microchamber paper. After that time period, the microchamber paper becomes inert and no longer works to mitigate the effects of any off-gassing. I'm sure it will continue to protect against any possible ink transfer, however. If you're OCD about preservation and have the funds, I recommend getting it done. If you're more rational about preservation, you realize that the book will age better than you will regardless of your decision. In short, do you HAVE to? The answer is no. Is it a good idea? Only time, really, will tell. Is it a bad idea? Not if you have the money.

This book is extraordinarily hard to find. I remember endless hunts back when I collected the Wolverine run, and I never came close to finding a 9.8. Pure awesome! GLWTS

Lately, yes...but for over a year, during the "homage" cover run, they released incentives...LOTS of them. I guess my ultimate point is...I would like to deal with one cover per month.

It just seems like a violation. In my opinion, books that old need to be preserved in the original condition. If you're looking for a more rational reason, I'm afraid I won't be able to give it to you. It's just my personal taste.

I stopped collecting Spawn because the variant game was getting out of control. I just couldn't handle it anymore. It's a shame because Spawn went against the grain in the mid 90s by not releasing any sort of gimmick cover. Now they have 3 or 4 variants per issue...EVERY issue. Some of them aren't even announced in advance. I can't even begin to express my disgust. I'm done, done, done with the variant chase.

Depends. Does the "spine break" break color? According to Overstreet standards, color break is not allowed in 9.8 or 9.6. "Almost imperceptible indentations are permissible, but no creases, bends, or color break" are allowed in 9.6. They also say that no stress lines are allowed in this grade. They allow up to a 1/16 bend in 9.4 as long as it doesn't break color and permit books with "almost no (stress) lines" in this grade. This assumes that the rest of the book is in "perfect condition" as mentioned. It's just hard to say without having the book in hand. It all depends on how nasty that flaw looks. I should also mention that Overstreet standards are not exactly congruent with CGC standards. During periods of looser grading, I've seen 9.8s with a color-breaking spine tic or two. From all accounts, I think they've really tightened up over the last few years, and I'm more cautious than ever when submitting books for a 9.8. Anything less than what I'd describe as nearly perfect is a crapshoot, and my definition of "nearly perfect" does not allow for any sort of stress line and a non-color-breaking indention is also pushing it, even if the book is perfectly flat and the corners are sharp. If grade is important to you, I suggest buying CGC graded comics. Hope this helps and good luck! * * * EDIT: I'm flipping through the Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics and there is another chart (pg. 25) that counts a 1/32 inch defect as "slight and subtle" and it accounts for one defect, which could allow an otherwise perfect book to grade a 9.8. According to their chart (pg. 24), you can have up to two defects in the grade of 9.8 * * * SOURCE: THE OVERSTREET GUIDE TO GRADING COMICS (2016)

Well, GPA is a good starting reference point, and I'd have to agree that it's about $100 or a tad bit more in CGC 9.8. So is it worth $350? Not in my opinion. Even if it were signed, I think that's a little high. Personally, I'd crack it out and get Todd to sign it for an extra $100 or so before I'd plop down $350. Yeah, you'd run the risk of a grade-drop...but I'm just saying what I would do. It IS a tough book thanks to the black cover. That's what makes Spawn so challenging. TOUGH covers. As a disclaimer, I own a 9.8 blue label of this book.

1. Don't grade it. Don't press it. Not worth it. Sorry. 2. Wait for a copy at the right price. GPA says this is about a $100 book in CGC 9.8. 3. This is a limited edition comic. 2500 copies. 4. There are 31 graded copies (9.8) on the census. Five of those are signature series and one of those (signed by Todd McFarlane) sold a few months ago for $350.

Also, Todd McFarlane drew the cover to Korn's "Follow the Leader" album.