newshane

I'm surprised to say this, but I've never seen or heard of that before. Too bad! It's got a wicked cool little cover! Not sure about it's desirability. Like I said, I've never seen it before. @Lobstrosity is probably aware of it. That's a sure bet. Got anything to add here, Trent?

SPAWN 148 - CGC 9.8 SIGNATURE SERIES - SIGNED BY GREG CAPULLO

SPAWN 147 - CGC 9.8 Interesting "frame" cover. The border really gives it a fresh, clean look. Getting very close to the "Philip Tan" era - one of the best stretches of the run IMHO.

This is THE holy grail for robot collectors like myself. I wish I still had my copy.

SPAWN 146 - CGC 9.8

SPAWN 145 - CGC 9.8 SIGNATURE SERIES SIGNED BY GREG CAPULLO I can't believe it's been almost 10 years since I had this signed. Love the crazy clown violence and the hat/t-shirt as well! This ain't no kiddie comic! Should have kept this one, too! Clearly a Capullo piece, but Danny Miki's fingerprints are all over this one. Just look for the fine detail.

SPAWN 144 - CGC 9.8 So, this was a self-sub, and it was the very first graded copy of this issue. It was for a LONG TIME the only copy on the census. Maybe word got out to the dealers about how much I was paying, or willing to pay, for these? Now there are several. I'm really glad, because this is one of the (relatively) few I'd like to reacquire. Not sure why, but this is one of my favorites. A dark and evil vibe. How can you leave a comic that looks this cool sitting on the shelf?

SPAWN 143 - CGC 9.8 Kind of looks like the cover of issue 24, only cooler. Again, pardon the scanner noise. These black covers could be tough on the scanner. .

Yes. Having well over 400 slabs was very ponderous. The joy was in the journey and the satisfaction of getting it done. The set was almost a source of anxiety, and I had definitely found little to no joy when it came to trying to stay current with all the variants that were coming out each month. It just didn't feel good anymore. Now, I only buy one or two slabs a year, but they are always exceptional Golden Age books. I'm especially drawn to science fiction from the 30s-50s. Pedigrees and highest graded examples are my new obsessions. Lots and lots of Spawn variants coming up in the future, that's for sure. The real crazy stuff will be when I get into the toy editions, foreign editions, one-shots, and mini-series.

SPAWN 142 - CGC 9.8

A spine tick isn't necessarily a death knell, especially if it doesn't break color. The problem is with the CGC's consistency over the years, so it's really hard to tell. In general, my screening approach over the years has improved a great deal due to trial and (expensive) error. To get good at grading, you really have to be willing to accept the learning curve. If you pay attention, you begin to learn the CGC's expectations. The importance of great (not merely good) lighting cannot be overstated. You want to hit the book with as much light as possible. It also helps to use different wavelengths of light. Be sure to use warm and cool lights. Hold the book at various angles. Scan the spine first, then look at the surface before ending with the edges. If you see a few spine tics that don't break color, set them aside for pressing if you don't object to the practice. Don't underestimate the importance of the back cover. The CGC doesn't, and neither should you. Look at the surface of the book for dimples, finger bends, creases, and all the other stuff you don't want. Don't ever use cotton gloves. I've had more than one book slide out of my hands while wearing cotton. Make sure to get powder-free latex or nitrile if you insist on gloves. Honestly, and it took me a while to realize this, the best way to grade is with your bare hands. The tactile information provided by your fingers cannot be underestimated. Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with Dawn de-greasing detergent and dry your hands thoroughly. I would place my books on top of a lightbox and start hitting them with various kinds of light. Any color breakage at all would result in the book being tossed into the rejection pile. I would then sell those on eBay or here on the boards to recoup some of the cost. GET A JELWER'S LOUPE! Magnification is almost as important as great lighting. Pre-screening is a must! Will help you learn the curve while saving quite a bit of cash. Let's face it, what are you going to do with a bunch of modern slabs with 7.5-9.0 grades at the top? You can hardly give those away. Read all the advice on grading that you can. The Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics is a must-have. The CGC's grading manual, written by Matt Nelson, should become your bible on the topic. It's the most thorough book on the topic that I've ever seen. AMAZING. Just keep in mind that Overstreet and the CGC don't always see eye to eye on everything. Participate in the "guess the grade" contests held here on the board, but keep in mind that going by the scan alone is a quick way to lose money. You simply have to personally investigate the book to make a decision. My biggest piece of advice to anyone looking to tackle a perfect run like this is: VIGILANCE! I kept my eye open EVERY DAY for years to make this happen. 1. I would use the registry as a checklist. Every day I would search eBay for missing books. Most people on eBay couldn't tell the difference in "fine" and "near mint" but I was able to hit a homer every now and then. 2. I hired a few "hit-men" to keep an eye out for me at conventions. They had many connections with dealers, and having many eyes out there looking helped me snag quite a few white whales. These guys would take the risk of sending off the raws. I just had to write a bigger check in return for their services. 3. I kept up to date with ALL national conventions and the appearances of any artist who worked on Spawn. I also had a small army of facilitators who would help me out. 4. I'd troll every brick and mortar I would come to. This only netted me a few books, however. Usually a complete waste of time. 5. I enrolled in one of the many "9.8 subscription services" to stay current with new releases and variants. I worked with two of these services. This was very expensive, but it practically guaranteed success. Spawn being Spawn, however, there were a few SURPRISE variants that slipped through everyone's fingers. Again, absolute vigilance, or should I say "obsessive vigilance" is the key to this, along with a lot of patience and very, very deep pockets. I'd say a majority of my books were already slabbed when I bought them. Maybe about 30% of the entire run was self-submitted. No way I could have done this on my own. The key is to assemble your own task force, as corny as that may sound. I always have half a dozen or so WELL-CONNECTED people helping me look....for a price, of course. Also keep in mind that it may come down to the depth of your pockets, especially where auctions are concerned. I will be the first to admit that I overspent like crazy to make this happen. Looking back, that was my general approach. If anyone wants more detail, please ask! I love discussions in this thread, so feel welcome to post with any comments or questions!

Love the presentation!

SPAWN 141 - CGC 9.8 She-Spawn cover. Gorgeous. Again, loving these colors.

SPAWN 140 - CGC 9.8 Here is my better copy. I also have one of these signed by Nat Jones, who did the interiors. Unfortunately, the CGC didn't see fit to give it a 9.8. I've included both scans. I don't recall seeing very many books signed by Nat Jones. I remember visiting every single comic convention website in search of people who worked on Spawn. Once I located someone, I'd have to track down the facilitators who would be in attendance. From there, it was a matter of windowing the book, requesting inks, filling out the paperwork, and the proper back and forth through mail delivery channels until it ended up in Sarasota. These books depended upon the careful hands of many people. Honestly, even this "lowly 9.6" is a miracle.

SPAWN 139 - CGC 9.8 A tough book in almost every sense of the word! Lots of noise in the scan. Sorry, but I was doing the best I could with what I had! Capullo had definitely hit a good stride at this point.

Not sure. I guess so? I also think the blank stripes at the top and bottom are interesting.

Since it's a wraparound cover, I'll go ahead and provide the scan of the rest.

SPAWN 138 - CGC 9.8

SPAWN 137 - CGC 9.8 I've mentioned my big eBay score of raw Spawn. Here is an issue from that purchase. Many of the issues you see from 110-150 or so were self-submitted by me and pulled from that particular haul. My only regret was not buying more books from the guy. They were pristine and professionally packed. My apologies, but I can't recall the seller.

Indeed! Perfect casting IMHO. He looked JUST like Clown.

I just noticed that the 135 was actually a 9.6 instead of a 9.8. That was my undercopy/placeholder. Can't find the other scan. Sorry! SPAWN 136 - CGC 9.8 1. I love the Violator. 2. I love the colors on this one.

hahahaha! I love that cover!

SPAWN 135 - CGC 9.6

SPAWN 134 - CGC 9.8 Again, one of my favorite "eras" of the series. Awesome art and strange stories.

SPAWN 133 - CGC 9.8 Another beauty.