Professor Pecora

Amazing Spider-Man #125 features the origin and 2nd appearance of the Man-Wolf! I feel like you can’t just own Amazing Spider-Man #124—1st appearance of the Man-Wolf, without owning the follow-up issue, as it features his origin story! To complement the previous issue, John Romita Sr. created another dynamic classic cover that embodies so much superb movement within a single image, that it plays out like a scene in a movie! After Spider-Man connected the dots and realized that John Jameson was indeed the Man-Wolf, he went to pay him a visit at his apartment around the same time John’s girlfriend Kristine was on her way over for a date. However, by the time both Spider-Man and Kristine arrived, John had already morphed back into the Man-Wolf and grabbed Kristine as hostage! Feeling guilty for the tragic death of Gwen Stacy that occurred just four issues previously in Amazing Spider-Man #121, Spider-Man frantically yells “NO! NO! I WON’T LET YOU DIE—NOT LIKE GWEN!” As Spider-Man leaps towards the Man-Wolf to protect Kristine from being harmed on a moving vehicle, the Man-Wolf violently back fists Spider-Man in the head, sending him flying backwards in midair as he cries out “NOT LIKE GWENNN!” A few frightened pedestrians in the background are seen fleeing the scene as they witness the vicious attack, and the vulnerable Kristine, feeling as if she is destined to be the Man-Wolf’s lunch, yells out “SPIDER-MAN—STAY BACK! YOU CAN’T SAVE ME!” All of this action is captured on this phenomenal John Romita Sr. cover that pops nicely against the bright yellow, red and blue color hues! The movement and attention to detail is precise and realistic, captivating both Amazing Spider-Man readers and unfamiliar viewers to take notice that: “THE MAN-WOLF STRIKES AGAIN!” Overstreet 2020 NM- 9.2 value = $110. According to the CGC Census Report as of Tuesday, April 27, 2021, out of a total of 895 Universal copies graded, only 73 copies were graded in 9.8 with only 1 copy graded higher in 9.9! This represents a rarity factor of only 8.16% of the total population! This stunning copy is definitely WORLD CLASS! It’s extremely difficult to locate a copy that doesn’t show a slight overlap of the front or back cover appearing on the opposite side. With that being said, this beautiful 1973 specimen is 99.9% PERFECTLY WRAPPED and CENTERED and contains PERFECT WHITE PAGES! (SIDE NOTE: The scans captured multiple glares due to the inner well containing multiple ripples; it will eventually be re-encapsulated into the latest generation CGC Holder!) In closing, I won this pristine copy in Comic Link’s Focused Auction in January of 2021! I was ecstatic when I was notified as the winning bidder and I’m proud to showcase this immaculate copy in Arachnophobia! Happy Collecting & Enjoy the Hunt! -Professor Pecora ASM #125 CGC 9.8 WP is featured in Professor Pecora's ASM CGC Registry Set entitled "Arachnophobia!" Please also FOLLOW on Instagram ----> @professor_pecora

Congrats on your ASM #25 upgrade! -Professor Pecora

Thanks man! I'm definitely not sure about "porn coming of age in the early 70's!" However, based on what you shared, maybe it was! That's awesome that you acquired an ASM #124 CGC 9.6 copy a few years ago; it has definitely appreciated significantly since then, so you did well! I actually have about "10" KEY ASM CGC 9.8 WP books that need to be re-holdered from the old cases into the new holders! Both my ASM #124 and #125 are included in this group; so I cannot wait to enjoy looking at them in the clearer cases with the brighter and bolder CGC labels! I know those bright colors are going to POP to a whole new level! -Professor Pecora

Thank You! I hope you enjoyed the read! -Professor Pecora

Thanks! WOW! I wasn't even born in 1973! I am an October of 1978 baby! :-) Yes, it's definitely appreciating! I saw a nicely wrapped and centered CGC 9.2 WP copy go for nearly $600 on eBay recently! I'd definitely try to grab a few CGC 9.4 WP copies! :-) I will be posting the follow-up issue: ASM #125 CGC 9.8 WP in a separate journal! I am actually just waiting for that book (along with 5 other ASM CGC 9.8 WP books) to be shipped by Comic Link! Then, I can scan the back cover to go along with the front cover (as I normally do). I will be a strong bidder in the upcoming Pedigree Auction! I am looking to acquire 2 books in particular, but maybe 3-4! We'll see how crazy the bidding gets! I will be content with even winning "1" of the books in that auction on my priority list! -Professor Pecora

I absolutely AGREE! John Romita Sr. has always been my FAVORITE Spider-Man artist within the ASM title! I eventually would like to own every John Romita, Sr. ASM issue in high-grade (9.4 WP - 9.8 WP)! I am focusing more on the major KEYS right now to knock out the most expensive issues, but after that, I will begin targeting the less expensive issues and filling up the gaps within the run! You made some excellent points regarding John Romita capturing exceptional "motion" in the image! It's crazy! It's like a mini action scene unfolding with a single image, and that's what makes him special as an artist! I also LOVE the follow-up cover art on ASM #125! I also own this issue in CGC 9.8 WP and I will create a separate journal entry for! :-) -Professor Pecora

Amazing Spider-Man #124 features the 1st appearance of the Man-Wolf! As the front cover depicts, the Man-Wolf is actually John Jonah Jameson III, the son of J. Jonah Jameson, the editor-in-chief of the Daily Bugle. He originally made his 1st appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #1, published in March of 1963, and was created by legendary writer Stan “The Man” Lee and his artistic counterpart Steve Ditko. However, it was writer Gerry Conway who decided to turn John Jameson into the ferocious Man-Wolf in this 1973 September issue, in collaboration with John Romita Sr. providing the stunning visuals! On the front cover, amidst a full moon triggering his powers, we see a raging Man-Wolf shattering the windows as he leaps through with his razor sharp claws ready to attack his father and Spider-Man! In terms of color contrast, notice that the majority of Man-Wolf’s suit is yellow with green trimming; whereas J. Jonah Jameson’s suit is the same color green over a yellow shirt, which is very clever of John Romita Sr. to symbolize their father-and-son relationship! In addition, the Amazing Spider-Man title is also yellow with red trimming, which pops nicely above the light blue sky and Spider-Man’s red and blue suit! On the bottom left-hand corner, we see a light blue banner with the words presented in yellow font with red trimming that reads: “THE MARK OF THE MAN-WOLF!” What a beautiful cover! The Man-Wolf is a very intriguing and unique character. Although his origin story takes place in the following issue—Amazing Spider-Man #125, John Jameson is an astronaut who acquired the mystical Godstone, an interdimensional ruby that eventually grafted itself into his throat after wearing it as a pendant! John Jameson had already received superhuman powers on a previous space mission that strained his mind and body, after radioactive spores invaded his space suit and hence why he had to wear a state-of-the-art, strength-restraining Jupiter suit to harness and control his enhanced power. As a result, John Jameson referred to himself as Colonel Jupiter, and you can see a beautiful John Romita Sr. depiction of him battling Spider-Man on the front cover of Amazing Spider-Man #42! Now, after the Godstone activated under a full moon and turned John AKA Colonel Jupiter into the Man-Wolf, his strength, agility and senses increased yet again, although he was unable to speak and retain his human intelligence. Therefore, the Man-Wolf would attack anyone in his path with his bestial behavior! Furthermore, his character gets more complex and interesting when the radioactive Godstone transports Man-Wolf to another dimension, where he becomes known as Stargod! In this realm, known as the Other Realm, John can fully transform into the Man-Wolf while retaining his speech and human intelligence; he also possesses new powers such as telepathy and energy manipulation! As Stargod, he is also highly skilled in using weaponry such as the broadsword, dagger and longbow! With all that being said, I truly believe that high-grade copies of Amazing Spider-Man #124 are going to significantly increase in value, especially because there is a possibility that the Man-Wolf will be incorporated in an upcoming Morbius film! If this actually takes place, it would make sense because according to the comics, Morbius uses Man-Wolf as a pawn to distract Spider-Man as he searches for a cure for his vampire condition. Plus, having a vampire coupled with a werewolf is complimentary of the horror villain theme, which would make for an interesting twist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe! Overstreet 2020 NM- 9.2 value = $200. According to the CGC Census Report as of Tuesday, April 13, 2021, out of a total of 801 Universal copies graded, only a mere 27 copies were graded in 9.8 with 0 copies graded higher! This represents an impressive rarity factor of only 3.4% of the total population! This stunning copy is WORLD CLASS in every way! Published in September of 1973, it predates Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1st appearance of the Punisher) by 5 months! Due to the bordering black and brown colors on the front cover that expose the slightest of defects, high-grade copies like this gem will be difficult to acquire. Moreover, it’s also very RARE to find a PERFECTLY WRAPPED & CENTERED copy, as this beautiful specimen exhibits! In addition, the corners are razor sharp and the colors are super bright with internal MILK WHITE PAGES! (SIDE NOTE: The scans captured multiple glares due to the inner well containing multiple ripples; it will eventually be re-encapsulated into the latest generation CGC Holder!) I won this pristine copy in Comic Link’s Focused Auction in June of 2020! I was ecstatic when I was notified as the winning bidder and I’m proud to showcase this immaculate copy in Arachnophobia! Happy Collecting & Enjoy the Hunt! -Professor Pecora ASM #124 CGC 9.8 WP is featured in Professor Pecora's ASM CGC Registry Set entitled "Arachnophobia!" Please also FOLLOW on Instagram ----> @professor_pecora

You're very welcome! Thanks! I definitely LOVE my ASM 41 and 50! It's so cool to look at high-grade ASM Silver Age Keys from the 60's up close! It's almost unreal! I believe I have already read and commented on your next journal post (RE: 1970's horror theme)! I really enjoyed it! It feels great to be getting back into the CGC Journals again! I'll look out for your next..."next" post! -Professor Pecora

Nice post @john ivic! You raised an excellent point about "horror" being a common theme in both DC and Marvel titles during the 1970's! My current collecting focus is primarily acquiring high-grade examples of all the 1st appearance issues with the Amazing Spider-Man title from issues #1 - #400! With that said and in relation to your topic, two books around this time period really stick out for me; ASM #101 (1st appearance of Morbius), published in October of 1971 and ASM #124 (1st appearance of the Man-Wolf), published in September of 1973! With these ASM issues, we have both a "vampire" and a "werewolf" theme happening in Marvel's flagship title! Therefore, the horror theme was definitely highly popular in the 1970's! Congrats on your new acquisition! (My next journal will be on my ASM #124 CGC 9.8 WP!) -Professor Pecora

Yes indeed! Thank You so much! It has definitely been appreciating in value since I last purchased it over a year ago! The super bright cherry red cover makes it stand out to the point that you "know" you're looking at an ASM #50 even if the image is blurred or if viewing from a distance! I just LOVE this classic John Romita Sr. cover! Thanks @BoogieWoogie -Professor Pecora

Congrats on the new acquisition! I LOVE Neal Adam's artwork! I especially love his work on some of the early 1970's Batman covers! One day, I will start adding some of his pieces to my collection! I love when collectors have a specific GOAL and a clear FOCUS towards building their collections up; keep up the great work! -Professor Pecora

Amazing Spider-Man #50 features the 1st appearance of the Kingpin (Wilson Fisk)! The Kingpin was created by writer Stan “The Man” Lee along with cover and interior artist John Romita Sr. The famous cover has been paid homage to many times over the years, making it a certified classic, which depicts Peter Parker in an unusual and highly vulnerable state of being. With his head casting down into his shadow and his body hunched forward as he walks alone in despair, we see a discouraged Peter Parker abandoning his superhero duty as the large caption reads, “Spider-Man No More!” What? No more Spider-Man? How could the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man just decide to call it quits? This cover imagery is a lasting one not only in the Amazing Spider-Man title, but in all of comics as it shows that superheroes, like every day human civilians, experience bad days and can even battle with internal issues such as self-doubt and depression. Although Peter Parker was frustrated with his dual life and decided to resign from his Spider-Man duties, criminal activity increased throughout NYC’s Hell’s Kitchen, and a new threat emerged that would motivate and compel Spider-Man to come out of his early retirement. After assassinating his former gangster boss Don Rigoletto, the man known as Wilson Fisk took over his criminal empire and became the biggest and most feared crime lord throughout the city—the Kingpin was born! The Kingpin’s initial story arch would continue into the next two issues, with Amazing Spider-Man #51 featuring his 1st cover appearance. In addition, the Kingpin would not only plague Spider-Man as a recurring adversary throughout the years, but would also become known as the archenemy to Daredevil and a formidable foe to the Punisher. Speaking of such, Wilson Fisk has been portrayed on the silver screen by actors John Rhys-Davies in The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989) and Michael Clarke Duncan in Daredevil (2003). However, it wasn’t until actor Vincent D'Onofrio embodied the Kingpin to perfection in the critically acclaimed Daredevil Netflix TV series (2015-2018), that left viewers with the chills after witnessing his twisted and dark childhood upbringing that influenced his cold-hearted and homicidal nature! If you have watched Daredevil on Netflix, you know exactly what I am talking about! We get to experience an adolescent Wilson Fisk who is exhausted and tormented from hearing his alcoholic father verbally and physically abuse his mother in a separate room, grab a hammer and smash his father’s skull to a pulp! As a grown man, after a Russian crime associate named Anatoly interrupted a dinner date with his future wife Vanessa, he had his right-hand man James Wesley pull over the SUV on a dark quiet street, where Wilson Fisk gave him a brutal beating followed by repeatedly smashing his head in between the car door and ultimately beheading him! The Kingpin is no joke! Published in July of 1967, Amazing Spider-Man #50 is not only one of the most valuable ASM Silver Age (1956-1969) Keys, but it is “The” most valuable issue in the post Steve Ditko era! We can even take it a step further and argue that ASM #50 is one of the top 15 most valuable issues of the entire 700-issue Amazing Spider-Man run! For instance, on April 30, 2020, Heritage Auctions sold a CGC 9.8 WP copy of ASM #50 (1 of 7 in CGC 9.8) for a record breaking $55,200! In that same auction, a CGC 9.8 OW-WP copy of ASM #12 (3rd appearance of Doctor Octopus) and only 1 of 4 in CGC 9.8, sold for $19,200! Therefore, ASM #50 can definitely compete with some of the early ASM issues in top grade! Overstreet 2020 NM- 9.2 value = $3,000. According to the CGC Census Report as of Tuesday, April 6, 2021, out of a total of 3,963 Universal copies graded, only a mere 53 copies were graded in 9.4! With these statistics in mind, this represents an impressive rarity factor of only 1.3% of the total population! Furthermore, there aren’t many copies graded higher; only 22 to be exact! For instance, there are currently only 15 Universal 9.6 copies and only 7 Universal 9.8 copies graded, which makes Amazing Spider-Man #50 a highly sought-after and coveted comic book! I noticed this particular copy was special at first glance, but it was confirmation after reading the lot description: “An original-owner copy of the key first appearance of the Kingpin. You'll have to look very hard to find something to criticize on this very sharp example!” From this description, I knew that this copy was an “exceptional” CGC 9.4 WP example, so I had to bid aggressively during Heritage Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction #7224 in March of 2020 to acquire this pristine beauty! On that note, this PERFECTLY WRAPPED & CENTERED copy is WORLD CLASS in every way! It is by far one of the cleanest and brightest examples in existence! Just look at how vibrant the colors pop on the front cover! Take a good look at the milk white background of the “Marvel Comics Group” section, “The Amazing Spider-Man” title, the background of the “Spider-Man No More!” caption and the “Comics Code Authority” stamp; they are super WHITE as if the book was perfectly preserved since July of 1967! The back cover looks MINT! It’s very RARE to find copies that radiate colors as beautifully as this gem! In closing, although I would love to eventually upgrade to a perfectly wrapped and centered CGC 9.6 WP copy, I have been reluctant to pull the trigger, because I still have not seen a 9.6 copy at auction that looks more exceptional! With that being said, I’m very thankful and blessed to proudly showcase this immaculate 9.4 WP copy in Arachnophobia! Happy Collecting & Enjoy the Hunt! -Professor Pecora ASM #50 CGC 9.4 WP is featured in Professor Pecora's ASM CGC Registry Set entitled "Arachnophobia!" Please also FOLLOW on Instagram ----> @professor_pecora

Hi @1950's war comics, thanks for checking my journal out! -Professor Pecora

Amazing Spider-Man #41 features the 1st appearance of the Rhino (Aleksei Sytsevich)! When you think of the Amazing Spider-Man title and the various reasons that make it one of the most collected titles in all of comics, you can’t help but to think of the rogues’ gallery of Spider-Man, which is considered by many comic book connoisseurs to be the greatest of all time! With that being said, most of Spider-Man’s A-list super-villains 1st appeared within the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko run, which spanned from issues #1-#38, with the majority of them appearing within the first fifteen issues. However, after John Romita Sr. took over artistic duties beginning with issue #39, and just into his 3rd contribution to the title, he collaborated with writer Stan “The Man” Lee and created a new A-list Spider-Man villain-the riotous Rhino! Depicted on the front cover smashing through solid stone with his brutish force, the Rhino’s colossal size coupled with his speed and nearly indestructible rhinoceros suit, make him one of Spider-Man’s strongest opponents! Although the Rhino’s origin story isn’t disclosed until Amazing Spider-Man #43, his personal background is very compelling and deserves to be translated properly on the silver screen. For instance, on May 2, 2014, the Rhino (played by actor Paul Giamatti) made his debut appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. However, after viewing the film, I was personally disappointed because it was like they just casually threw the Rhino into the mix to make the movie more interesting, from having Spider-Man battle multiple villains. In my honest opinion, although I like the idea of watching Spider-Man defend humanity from more than 1 villain simultaneously, I am also a strong believer in sound character development that builds up intrigue in that particular character. Therefore, as a result of his initial portrayal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I believe the majority of the viewers perceived the Rhino as an insignificant Spider-Man villain with little substance, which is far from the truth. In fact, according to the comic books, the original Rhino was created after two Russian scientists convinced Aleksei to undergo experimental chemical and gamma ray treatments, in which they fused a molecular rhinoceros adhesive to his body. In exchange for transforming him into the Rhino, Sytsevich agreed to work for the two scientists and their criminal spy network. This was a huge career advancement for Sytsevich, as he was previously a simple street thug executing dirty jobs for the Russian mafia and receiving minimal pay. However, after a series of events, the Rhino realized that he could work for himself and attacked the two scientists in their lab facility. The Rhino continued his life of crime and became a regular foe to Spider-Man, the Hulk and many others. He also became members of various crime organizations such as the Sinister Syndicate. With the aforementioned background information on Aleksei Sytsevich that only scratches the surface in regards to his complete origin; the original Rhino clearly was NOT represented in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 film. Instead, the newer Rhino (controlled within a mechanical suit) was featured in the movie, which according to the comics, gets destroyed fairly quickly in a devastating one-on-one battle with Aleksei Sytsevich—the original Rhino! Maybe one day we’ll get to see the original Rhino featured as a main villain in a future Amazing Spider-Man film? In the meantime, I’m very optimistic that prices for high-grade copies of Amazing Spider-Man #41 will continue to appreciate to new heights! Overstreet 2020 NM- 9.2 value = $1,500. According to the CGC Census Report as of Tuesday, March 30, 2021, out of a total of 2,280 Universal copies graded, only a mere 20 copies were graded in 9.6! This ratio represents a ridiculous rarity factor of only 0.9% of the total population! Furthermore, there are only 3 copies graded higher in Universal 9.8, which are so elusive that only a single copy has surfaced for sale in the public market since January of 2006! Therefore, owning a CGC 9.6 white-paged copy is virtually the very best any high-grade ASM collector can attain! This particular copy is WORLD CLASS in every way! For a book published in October of 1966, the staples are perfectly inserted and the colors are super bright! Structurally, this copy is PERFECTLY WRAPPED & CENTERED, which is another RARE aesthetic quality that you don’t see often. I won this stunning original owner copy in Heritage Comics & Comic Art Signature Auction #7229 in May of 2020! It’s from The Variety Store Collection! Here is what Heritage Auctions had to say about this immaculate original owner collection: “The Variety Store Collection originated in a small Midwest convenience store during the 1960s. The store’s owner, a second-generation immigrant, became interested in the comics that were circulating through his business. He was a lifelong coin collector who appreciated art, and that influenced him to begin collecting comics. He saved the nicest copies from his stock issues, many times multiple copies of the same issue, and stored them away, taking care to keep them in the excellent condition they are still in today. He did this until the mid-1970s when the store was downsized into a more manageable hardware-based business that no longer carried comics. In the early 1980s he began collecting again with his only grandson, and together they attempted to complete the different series runs. Time has passed now, as has the original owner, and his family has decided to offer this wonderful collection to others. Heritage is proud to present The Variety Store Collection for your consideration.” I must admit that I almost folded during the final bidding battle, because the price already went up a few thousand dollars beyond my initial budget! However, with the pristine condition and rarity factor for this Silver Age ASM KEY within reach, I held in there and placed a few more bids and ended up the winner! I’m definitely honored to be the proud new owner of this gem! Thank God for payment plans! Happy Collecting & Enjoy the Hunt! -Professor Pecora ASM #41 CGC 9.6 WP is featured in Professor Pecora's ASM CGC Registry Set entitled "Arachnophobia!" Please also FOLLOW on Instagram: ----> @professor_pecora

Congratulations! -Professor Pecora

Congratulations in acquiring your 1st CGC 9.9 MINT book! It looks GREAT! -Professor Pecora

I just read your journal entry and I can understand your frustration and losing your desire to finish completing your set. Life always has its ups and downs and we all deal with the effects of trials and tribulations. My advice is to take a step back and don’t overreact based on your emotions. You obviously love the collecting hobby and you expressed a lot of joy you have experienced throughout the years that you have also passed on to your son. (Which those experiences are priceless) I would just take some time to reflect on your current collection and be proud for what you accomplished up to this point. You might even have to take a healthy hiatus for a time, which I highly recommend, because every true collector knows that you cannot just turn the “off” switch. Once you become a collector, you are a collector for LIFE! :-) From my personal experiences, I once felt like you did and threw in the towel and sold a very high-end CGC Comic Book collection back in November of 2013. I was dealing with lots of personal issues, which included the first stages of divorce (although I didn’t know it at the time), losing my job due to constant relocation (due to my now ex-wife’s career) and not being qualified for unemployment insurance and also facing several deaths in the family. I was very vulnerable and emotional and lost my passion for collecting and just decided to sell everything. I unfortunately took major loses on almost every high-end book I worked countless hours of buying and selling to acquire, which included the Mile High 2 Pedigree copy of Incredible Hulk #181 CGC 9.8 WP and X-Men #94 CGC 9.8 OW-WP just to name a few! As I eventually got myself back on track, I saw some of my former books sell for at least 3 times what they sold for in just a year after I sold them! (That hurt really bad!) Long story short; I definitely regretted my decision to just throw in the towel and sell everything and even if I didn’t take loses on those high-end books, I still missed owning them because my collecting passion came back to me...as it never went away...it was just being repressed by outside factors. I hope this has helped. As I read your post, I couldn’t help but to respond; especially if I can share my previous experiences to help another fellow collector out. Hang in there! God Bless! Professor Pecora

Thanks!

Thanks! I am considering resubmitting because it looks like it has 9.8 potential! :-) Professor Pecora

Amazing Spider-Man #16 features the 1st Daredevil crossover + the 2nd appearance of the Ringmaster and the Circus of Crime! It’s September of 1964, and the legendary duo of Stan “The Man” Lee and Steve Ditko made history once again, by featuring Daredevil’s 1st crossover appearance into another title! This historical landmark issue can easily get overlooked due to the plethora of major 1st appearances featured in the previous fifteen issues, but make no mistake that ASM #16 is definitely a legendary issue within the iconic Amazing Spider-Man Silver Age run! For starters, the origin and 1st appearance of Daredevil (Matt Murdock) took place in April of 1964; merely five months prior to the release of ASM #16! You’ll notice that Daredevil is featured in a yellow suit, because he didn’t begin donning his modern red suit until April of 1965, when Daredevil #7 was published exactly one year later! It’s important to note that the Daredevil title was published bimonthly for the first 11 issues (1964-1965), and only started being published monthly with issue #12 in January of 1966. Therefore, this means that Amazing Spider-Man #16 features Daredevil’s “4th” overall appearance in the history of comics! This is MAJOR! We’re talking about two perennial Marvel superheroes facing off against each other for the very first time! In my personal opinion, ASM #16 is one of Steve Ditko’s most striking and appealing battle covers within his 38 issue run! For example, if you scan through the first fifteen issues and view the front covers, the most close-up depiction of Spider-Man is on ASM #10, which features the 1st appearance of the Big Man (Fred Foswell) and the Enforcers. However, Spider-Man is not in battle mode, but rather shown hanging on a web with the Enforcers standing in the background. In turn, ASM #16 presents the 1st issue in which we are presented with another close-up view of Spider-Man, but in the midst of battling Daredevil, who would later become one of Spider-Man’s greatest allies in fighting crime throughout NYC! Stan Lee and Steve Ditko were also marketing geniuses of their time! To commemorate Spider-Man and Daredevil’s future alliance and partnership, in May of 1966, Spider-Man was featured in his first Daredevil crossover in <i>Daredevil #16!</i> How cool is that! These early crossover appearances laid the foundation for what would later become a cohesive and multidimensional Marvel Universe! With the aforementioned information above, Amazing Spider-Man #16 is without a doubt a significant historical issue, and is definitely one of the top 25 most valuable ASM issues of the entire run! Overstreet 2020 NM- 9.2 value = $2,150. According to the CGC Census Report as of Tuesday, March 23, 2021, out of a total of 1,738 Universal copies graded, only a mere 15 copies were graded in 9.6! This ratio represents a ridiculous rarity factor of only 0.9% of the total population! Furthermore, there are only 7 copies graded higher in Universal 9.8, which are extremely elusive and rarely offered for public sale. Therefore, owning a CGC 9.6 white-paged copy is virtually the very best any high-grade ASM collector can attain! This stunning copy is WORLD CLASS in every way! For a book published in September of 1964, the vibrant colors radiate brightly as if the book was printed yesterday! It’s definitely RARE to find copies this old that are not only PERFECTLY WRAPPED & CENTERED, but also contain MILK WHITE PAGES! I am honestly surprised that this copy did not receive the 9.8 grade! The spine is super tight and I don’t really see any color breaks! The corners are razor sharp and it’s truly an immaculate specimen! I won this pristine copy in Comic Link’s Focused Auction in December of 2020! This book goes down in history as my very 1st Stan Lee/Steve Ditko ASM acquisition, and since I am also a huge Daredevil fan and absolutely LOVE the Daredevil Netflix TV Series (2015-2018), this was the perfect early ASM issue to add to the Professor Pecora Collection! I want to give a special shout-out to Spencer of the Comic Link Billing Department for his excellent customer service skills, and to Colin Becker for providing the beautiful professional scans! Happy Collecting & Enjoy the Hunt! -Professor Pecora ASM #16 CGC 9.6 WP is featured in Professor Pecora's ASM CGC Registry Set entitled "Arachnophobia!" Please FOLLOW my NEW Instagram (IG) Account----> @professor_pecora - LOTS of GREAT Content to come! :-)

You're a good man for utilizing your knowledge of buying and selling comics to help out your colleague who was struggling financially. You both were blessed in the process and that's what life is all about! Nice post! -Professor Pecora

As of Monday, March 5, 2018, @ 9:17 PM EST, the eBay buyer followed through with full payment and makes this listing officially CLOSED! ASM #129 CGC 9.6 W SOLD for $4,450! Happy Collecting! -Professor Pecora

UPDATE!! The winning eBay bidder did NOT make the payment as of Sunday, March 4, 2018 @ 11:35 pm EST! The potential buyer literally just responded to my payment reminder as of this writing and states that he "has to make a run to the bank after work at the end of the day." I will keep you posted! If the buyer does not follow through on making the payment for some reason, I will close out this post and create one specifically for CGC members. 1st person that agrees to pay $4500 with FREE S&H will take it! Thanks for checking out my listing! -Professor Pecora

ONLY 14 HOURS LEFT!! This listing will close on eBay on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at approximately 12:40 pm EST! This is your last chance to acquire an EXCEPTIONAL looking CGC 9.6 W copy (LOOKS 9.8) of one of the most sought-after and valuable Bronze Age Keys in the hobby!! Click the followng link to place your bid -------> Amazing Spider-Man #129 CGC 9.6 W (1st appearance of the Punisher!) Looks 9.8!! Good Luck and Happy Collecting! -Professor Pecora

eBay Link ---> Amazing Spider-Man #129 CGC 9.6 W (1st appearance of the Punisher)! Looks 9.8!! Amazing Spider-Man #129 CGC 9.6 W (1st appearance of The Punisher)! • BRONZE AGE HOLY GRAIL!! • 2nd HIGHEST GRADED!!! • PERFECT WHITE PAGE QUALITY & COVER WRAP!! • FRESHLY ENCAPSULATED & CENTERED in the NEW CGC Holder!! PERFECT DISPLAY! •One of the BEST CGC 9.6 W copies you or anybody will ever see!! Looks like a CGC 9.8 W copy!! The Punisher is KICKING on Netflix!! If you haven't watched the new Punisher series yet, do yourself a favor and WATCH IT!! This KEY Bronze Age book will only continue to appreciate and RISE in value! If you do not have +15K to purchase that perfect looking CGC 9.8 W copy, THIS copy is the BEST solution to owning a copy that presents just like a perfect looking CGC 9.8, but at a fraction of the cost! Just look at how BRIGHT the colors POP on this copy! Look at the PERFECT REGISTRATION along the spine! Look at how BRIGHT WHITE the back cover is! (Looks MINT!) Look at how SHARP those corners are! This PRISTINE CGC 9.6 W copy is 99.5% PERFECTLY CENTERED; just a slight run-off (where it says "Approved") on the upper right hand corner where the "Comics Code Authority" Stamp is located...but it is VERY MINOR!! This blazing copy is by far "Professor Pecora Approved!" On that note, my BIN price of 5.5K for this beautiful and perfectly registered and BRIGHT CGC 9.6 W copy is reasonable for the PREMIUM CONDITION this particular copy exhibits! The value and DEMAND is only trending UPWARD so the sky is the limit! Throw in a bid at the last seconds of the auction and maybe you'll get lucky and win it!! If my former World Class Copy of Amazing Spider-Man #129 CGC 9.8 W (1st appearance of The Punisher) sold for 15.5K on September 3, 2017, don't you think this PRISTINE WHITE-PAGED COPY (2nd Highest Graded) which looks just like a CGC 9.8 W copy is at least worth 8K? When you put it in that perspective, acquiring this World Class CGC 9.6 W copy between 5K and 6K is GOOD! This World Class copy hails from The Professor Pecora Collection, which is from my personal collection! I am a well-known and established (and highly particular) CGC Collector who only buys and sells THE BEST books in the world!! This copy looks flawless!! I do not use any auto correct or brightening in my scans (as many other sellers do); so what you see is the REAL THING! The colors are super bright on this particular copy! Just take a good look at the high-resolution scans for confirmation! I have great relationships (over 5 years now) with ALL of the Major Comic Book Auction Houses: (Heritage, Comic Link, Comic Connect, Pedigree Comics, High Grade, Pristine Comics, World Wide Comics, etc.), so rest assured you are dealing with a seasoned professional (just as you were to purchase from one of the auction houses / comic websites mentioned above!) With that said, you can rest assure that you you will receive your high-end product in BOMB PROOF professional packaging and will be shipped within "1" business day of cleared payment via PayPal. FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING!! Check-Out my previous e-Bay feedback! Trust me, you won't be disappointed!!! This immaculate copy of Amazing Spider-Man #129 CGC 9.6 W will make a powerful addition to any advanced Amazing Spider-Man collection, Bronze Age Key collection, Punisher collection, or 1st appearance collection! Or, it can serve as a GREAT (tangible asset) Long-Term INVESTMENT to your investment portfolio! KEY Bronze Age CGC books in top-graded condition and PERFECT STRUCTURE just don't show up very often...so act now while you still have the opportunity!!! Please Check Out my other world class CGC eBay listings: ---> Professor Pecora's CGC Comic Book eBayListings Happy Collecting! -Professor Pecora _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For additional information on Amazing Spider-Man #129, please enjoy the following write-up taken from my CGC Registry! "Amazing Spider-Man #129 showcases the 1st appearance of the Punisher (Frank Castle) and the Jackal! The Punisher was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita, Sr. and Ross Andru, with publisher Stan Lee providing the name. The classic cover art displaying the “Different and Deadly” Punisher was drawn by legendary artists Gil Kane and John Romita. The most lethal hired assassin is featured in his iconic skull-imprinted black suit with an arsenal of weaponry, including an automatic assault rifle in which he is unloading a full clip of ammunition directly at Spider-Man. The close up view of the Punisher’s sniper scope depicts a defenseless and aerial bound Spider-Man avoiding bullets exploding against the surrounding brick buildings, with cross hairs aimed precisely at his heart! Couple this action on a commanding bright yellow cover, and you have one of the most sought-after and treasured comics in the history of the Amazing Spider-Man title! As a matter of fact, ASM #129 is considered one of the top 10 most valuable Bronze Age (1970-1984) comic books of all-time and remains a contender for one of the top 5 most valuable Bronze Age Marvel Keys! For instance, sales for ASM #129 in CGC 9.6 and 9.8 have already begun surpassing that of what Giant-Size X-Men has been selling for in grade. In terms of the Amazing Spider-Man title, ASM #129 is “The” most valuable and expensive issue of the entire Bronze Age! Moreover, what made the Punisher truly unique is that although he was originally created as a villain; he was gradually developed into a crime-fighting antihero. It was characters like the Punisher and Ghost Rider (1st introduced in Marvel Spotlight #5 in August of 1972), that would influence the industry in creating more violent and grittier material. Since the Punisher’s inception in February of 1974, he has starred in 3 feature films. The first Punisher movie premiered in the USA on July 8, 1990 at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention, and was characterized by actor Dolph Lundgren. It wasn’t until 14 years later; on April 16, 2004, in which The Punisher had a reboot and was played by actor Thomas Jane with John Travolta playing the antagonistic character Howard Saint. The setting took place in Florida, which was not true to the comics as Frank Castle’s origins take place in Queens, New York. The most recent installment, Punisher: War Zone, released on December 5, 2008, was played by actor Ray Stevenson. In addition, actor Dominic West played the Punisher’s arch enemy Jigsaw (William “Billy” Russo), which is true to the comics as Jigsaw was introduced in Amazing Spider-Man #162 and plays a significant and enduring role throughout the Punisher’s storyline. Unfortunately, none of the aforementioned Punisher films were successful. There were a number of reasons why none of the films gave the Punisher’s character justice; they ranged from inconsistencies in the comics to corny representations of the characters to not finding the “right” actor to emulate and embody the Punisher to perfection. Fortunately, after decades of failed attempts to portray the character and build a successful franchise, in March of 2016, the Punisher was played by “The Walking Dead” alum Jon Bernthal (Shane Walsh) in season 2 of the critically acclaimed Netflix Daredevil series! Prior to his big screen debut and adding fuel to the hype, Marvel Head of Television Jeph Loeb said in the initial announcement on Marvel.com, “Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation and vulnerability that will connect with audiences. Castle's appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same.” Since then, the Punisher has been kicking and captivating the audience into his psyche that depicts pain and vengeance amidst his fragmented memories of being a former loving husband and father of two, before they were tragically killed by the mob. Furthermore, on November 17, 2017, the Punisher was officially integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the release of his own self-titled series on Netflix! Finally, it looks like the Punisher is getting justice on the silver screen! In turn, this has translated into increased demand for high-grade copies of Amazing Spider-Man #129, as the Punisher’s stock has significantly surged!" -Professor Pecora