clobberintime

Greetings CGC comic lovers! Have finally gotten around to doing a complete inventory of my CGC collection and found around 40 or so doubles that i need to part company with in order to fund ongoing purchases and cover upcoming wins. So tomorrow will start an official sales thread with pics etc. The first 10 will be : Hulk 144 cgc 9.0 ow/w $115. Defenders 2 cgc 9.4 ow $225, Defenders 7 9.4 white $175. avengers 50 cgc 9.0 white $65. Avengers 61 cgc 9.0 ow/w $60. Thor 127 cgc 9.4 white and stunning $500. Thor 168 cgc 9.0 ow/w $110. Fan Four 60 cgc 9.0 ow/w $90 . Fantastic Four 40 cgc 9.2 ow/w $1300. More to come - mainly FF, Thor, Hulk, Spidey Ann #1 cgc 8.5.

This is a pretty fun thread as I am constantly re-thinking deals. The good - bought a cgc 8.5 FF 1 a few years ago for $19,000 and Hulk 1 8.0 pac coast for $10. That was a lot at the time for the books but has turned out to be a very good move. The gut wrencher - had a chance to get a Hulk 1 cgc 9.0 just before the movie for $20k but only wanted to pay $18,000 so someone bought it for $20 after I couldnt pull the trigger. about a month later, Blazin had one and offered it to me for $26 and we got into a huge fight about it because i thought the price was insane. When he listed it, it sold within an hour at his price! And the price now is about the cost of a new Hummer. The really bad - bought a Hulk 1 from a "friend" / dealer in 1995 for $1500 graded as vf. it was one of my first big purchases. It was allegedly given to him by his grandma when he was 7 and he had stoered safely etc. It looked pretty darn nice to - very glossy and ow pages. Well when cgc came about, I decided to get it slabbed. To my horror, it came back as a frankenstein -purple label of death mess! It had extensive resto including - trimming, color, re-gloss, pieces added etc. I had Josh sell it and I think we got like $500. looking back i should have just kept the book to be able to look at it because I still hate to think about that $1000 hit - much more than that if you take into account the passage of about 8 years.

Many thanks to crusty old Bob Storms for working a really big deal and getting me some great marvel comics that I can actually read! Basically traded a few high grade cgc doubles for something like 50 or so ungraded books and and a bunch of cgc vfs that I can crack out. All the ungraded books were right on! Also thanks to Vinny Z. for bringing my FF golden record reprint from metro and nice to meet him in person - although impossible to haggle prices with, still a nice guy!

Thanks to all of those who bought books from me! I forgot what a pain in the neck getting them shipped was but I think I have mailed just about all the packages now.

Bruce - to answer a couple of you earlier questions: I do agree with CGCs grading most of the time. The things I don't agree with are high grade books -9.4 up - with miswraps and date marks/writing. I just can't see books that are severely off center or have big date stamps grading over a 9.0 - but I see it all the time. The spine centering thing bothers me in particular. I have never considered those miswrapped books nm but CGC grades them up to 9.8 from what I have seen. I have been buying back issues for nearly 30 years now and think I am a tough/tight grader but have learned that sending in books is sometimes a [!@#%^&^] shoot. Out of the 20 or so books I have had graded, most have been in the range I thought. I sold FF a spidey 9 that I thought was a vf/nm to nm- and it came back a 9.2 but with slight color touch. Out of a batch of 10 books I was involved in having graded which I thought were all 9.0/9.2, two came back 8.5, 2 were 9.0s, the rest were 9.2s and one came out a 9.6. Unless you are employed by cgc or are a profesional grader, I think it is very presumptuous to say "this book is a 9.4, 9.6 or 9.8 " until they slap a label on it. I think CGC has created the standrds for those kinds of books - as I have said in many other posts, never before cgc did I ever hear of people paying 6 to 20x guide for a book. Try pricing a non-cgc book like that even now! That's why these ebay sellers that list unrestored 9.6 or whatever books for sale are laughable. And people go after those books trying to make money with the thought"I"ll buy it on the cheap, cgc it and get rich!"

Do you get paid by the word or something? The bottom line to this whole issue is money. Say what you will in several paragraphs, the driving idea behind resending a book is get it up a notch and double your money - or triple it or whatever merely by paying another fee to cgc. Why don't you add a poll question about motivations for resubmitting?

I think it is a bunch of baloney and a problem as far as CGC goes. CGC was supposed to eliminate the hazards of onlining buying so you could tell what you are really getting. It was also supposed to eliminate problems like senseless haggling with dealers whether the book was vf or nm. But because grading is so subjective even with the professionals at CGC, you get stuff like "it is a matter of opinion, we make mistakes,etc" So now you have different problems - you get undergraded so you have to pay another fee to get it regarded so you can try to sell the book and make more money. If I knew a book had been graded and was originally a lower grade but was regraded and came back higher, I would never pay the higher grade price for that back without carefully studying the book in person. Overall the resub game sounds like schemes by folks trying to make some easy money by buying cheap on "undergraded" books , then getting the grade to magically change so they can make a lot of money on an item that is the exact same. To me it is the same situation as the dealer who buys stuff on the very cheap by talking down condition to the seller and then who turns around and sells the books as a few levels higher than what he bought the book at. It smells. Especially since in the 9.0 to 9.8 range every little tick up means a lot of money - great potential for problems in my opinion. For more on this topic, see some of the threads about Heritage and their "funny" examples of resubs.

Yeah - I thnk you should call him Gunga Thin. That would be really funny. And then you could explain how it is great to be 5'3" and 250lbs - always the argument of the gravity challenged. If bodybuilding comes from the classic Greek ideals of proportion and symmetry, todays bodybuilders have passed into the grotesque and missed the point - size with any sense of anything else sacrificed. Die huge! Life is too short to be puny!

Like my old football coach use to say - "son, if you're lookin for sympathy, you can find it in the dictionary between sh*t and syphillis." Another drama queen leaves the fold - I had never even heard of this guy prior to this wimpy good bye thread!

I also like Bauhaus a lot! Have all of their stuff plus Love and Rockets. The Hunger is a damn good vampire movie despite what a lot of others say - any movie with a guest appearance by Bauhaus and starring Bowie and Denueve has to rock! Did you see the band on the reunion gig? They did not get close enough for me to see them. I am also a huge Cult fan and have seen them 4 times since they got back together and will be seeing the 21st Century Doors( fronted by Ian Astbury) next week in Orlando! The 80s will never die!

Aurora monster models - old and new, Bowen statues, hero clix although I know nothing about the game, wacky packs to a degree, transformers old and new , and superhero action figures. I have a few megos but the new stuff is so good that that is the main focus - new JLA line is awesome as is Superman and the Marvel series.

That gives me an idea! aRE YOU SURE WE CAN'T INTEREST your folks in some pristine gem mint funny books? Someone should figure out how to market this stuff to all those who have lost in the stock market. Oh wait - I think JP already does that doesn't he?

When I got that gut feeling about my mutual funds, my banker talked me out of switching too. She said - "all you are doing now is guaranteeing yourself a loss." Every time I think back about 2 years and what I wanted to do with that money and where it would be now, I get furious. I think trusting your own instincts is a good thing most of the time. If something looks too good to be true or just doesn't pass the smell test, follow your gut feeling!

Well as i have said a couple of times in this thread, nothing is guaranteed. I have no idea what the next 10 or 20 years will be like - no one does. But I think certain characters will remain popular - I hope - and there will continue to be an audience. The specific stuff I would look at would be high grade meaning vf and up Marvels from 1961 thru 1979. Focus on the great artists and stories and keys in the $50 to $500 range. If you are good at grading, by all means by them non-slabbed. You may hit the jackpot like Greggy has a couple of times or Bob did with that Hulk 162. Spcific books - Spidey 39,40,41,44,46,50,51,53-56,97-102,119-122,129: Hulk Ann1; Ghost Rider 1, Spotlight 5-11; FF 21-60,100,112; X-men 10-19,49-66, 94-101; Journey into Mystery ; Suspense. I am pretty much a Marvel collector and that's where my experience lies so I am not as sure about DC investing . I am assuming with your stated amount of $5k you are relatively financially secure and have other investments? I would not tell someone with $5000 and that is all to blow it all on comics - you should only invest as much as you are willing to lose is a good phrase to go by.

I have had discussions myself with some of the real big wheels in comics and a lot of them put their money where their mouths are and only buy the best. They feel there will always be those that have to have it. Folks in that category are Josh, Toychef, Bronzebruce, Brulato, JP and a few others. If you have the money and can stomach the risk then fine. I think it is too risky with price volatility and cgc being fairly new. I will buy a few 9.6s and 9.8s if the price is right and it is a favorite book otherwise i don't even pay attention. There are only a handful of folks that spend thousands per comic but there are a vast amount that can spend $50 to $500.

You got the idea of what i meant. You can discuss anything you want on here. Deke complained about all this comic book value stuff - this is the place for it. where else can it be discussed? I like talking about characters and stories too - as long as it is stuff prior to 1990 as I don't buy a lot of new comics. i basically learned how to read from those early Marvels and know some stories by heart. But CGc in and of itself is about the money and investing side of these collectibles.

About as odd as you telling the guy not to bother investing in comics and to seek a financial advisor. If you check around comic sites there are plenty of discussions going on about what is in the comics. This is the CGC site - I assume you know that. CGC has very little to do with what is in the comic - you can't read or look at any of the cgc books I have. That statement was addressed to the guy who was pondering why so much of this value talk comes up around here. this is the place for it I would say. Now back to your advice not to invest in comics and to see a banker. I would assume that someone talking about spending $5k on comics has a pretty comfortable income and is fairly financially savvy - so your advice is patronizing at best. I imagine such an individual has a varied portfolio and may be diversifying. Again find something guaranteed for me please. That talk sounds like an insurance sales man to me. There are lots of people buying and selling comics and making money - i guess Bob S., Josh, the guys at Metro, Greggy just do this purely for fun and like throwing their money out the window. As with all investments, some know how to do it and can make money - others become street pizza by investing in Harbinger 1s, Spidey 166 9.6, Ultimate what nots - you know just like high risk stocks or sure things like ENRON or Worldcom etc. Nothing is guaranteed.

As this is the CGC site, it is the appropriate place for discussion of values, prices, crashes, restoration, ebay nonsense whatever. There are plenty of fanboy chat rooms for the discussion of characters and stories. Anybody that knows this stuff can tell you that the safest investments are between the $50 to $500 range. A lot of people can and will buy comics in that range. when you start getting close to $1000 the market gets very limited and $5000 you are talking collectors you can count on your fingers. The very expensive books can be more difficult to sell in a hurry if you need to. others would argue to buy the highest graded and most expensive book because there is always a market for the best. There are always those that must have the best - but the cgc census is always being upgraded and the prices on the 9.4+ books fluctuate a lot. If you stick to the more moderately priced books that have prices not out of all reality with the guide, that is the safest way to do things, but as anyone with an mba will tell you, nothing is guaranteed. For those interested in assurance or insurance, I would challenge you to find a sure thing for us.

Ok - just returned from getting eyes dialated for new contacs so I can barely see anything close up. But I promise to be in fighting form Monday. About that 12 though - I hate to call someone a liar - but you are I think. I never heard from you about the book if there was a problem 2 years ago and how do i know you didnt do the work you mention, what was the cgc #, and dont ypu think it odd tht anyone would doctor a book sold as f/vf? That is usually something you see on those 9.4, 9.6, 9.8 claims. Know anyone who sells stuff like that under very secretive conditions?

See - I told you that you knew me! The FF 12 came from your old buddy in Canada ValuApe - I also bought the Hulk 1 cgc 7.0 that you "won" on ebay and then turned down as it was allegedly " restored". The FF 12 was part of that humorously titled "log cabin" collection - and i am pretty darn sure nothing was wrong with it. I also won the Spidey 6 from that same auction and it came back cgcd as an 8.5 with no problems. The Hulk 1 is being sold by ComicLink as a straight 7.0 now as I am upgrading on that issue. I am not sure who else bought the log cabin books but i am close to positive that none of them had any work done. But thanks for changing the subject - for the moment.

Well I think because you have parties in different states trafficking in interstate commerce, it would have to be in federal court. The federal rules of evidence are pretty strict amd move along quickly. The initial part of the lawsuit is called the discovery phase - this is where you have depositions, serve subpoenas, file motions for summary judgment, to dismiss and frivolous suits etc. Discovery is meant to avoid those embarrassing court room surprises you see on tv shows - not many Perry Mason moments in reality! In this phase the defendant and plaintiff can have depos and file for production of documents - so a Defendant can take testimony on pertinent factors. The defendant can also file cross and counter claims - and if I were handling it, i would name Ebay if I were Supa. One crucial factor in this suit would be plaintiff proving his damages - even if he proves his case on slander, what are the damages? Very speculative and hard to determine and you need concrete proof to have a judgment for damages. The prospective plaintiff here said something about criminal mischief! At best this would be a poor civil suit and may subject the claimant to rule 11 sanctions - so if you really do have an attorney Mr. Plaintiff, ask him if he knows rule 11 in the federal rules of civil procedure.

I hate to get back into this but I practice in Federal Court and I would love to see you try a suit against someone there. I guess some dogooders around here feel the overwhelming need to warn people about you and since you have private auctions and private feedback, that is difficult and Ebay ought to be sued for allowing such bs to operate. I have little sympathy for anyone that would bid under such mysterious circumstances and like i said before, I don't care if you are trimming books with a ginzu and coloring them with crayolas - I aint bidding. So if you want to get serious about all this stuff, there are a few folks around with the time, money etc to take this to the next level - and I am not talking about some internet strip and pose.

There are a bunch of those wrestlers that are all buds that have homes in central Fla - I am not sure they are here a lot because I only see them when they come to work oout. Nash who is about 7 ft tall is pretty funny and nice to talk to - did not like going back to Vince. But Big Poppa has had the roids go to his brain! Acts like his ring persona - same with Buff Bagwell. Nash looks like an aging biker - I think he said he is in his early 40s and does not look like a roid guy - but no doubt in my mind about steiner! If you have worked out long enough, you know immediately who is on the juice. There are limits to human proportion and strength which can only be defeated by science it appears!

Ok - we will talk just physical, weight lifting stuff now since that seems to be the tangent of the moment.. I have been training for almost 20 years now - I played abit of football in undergrad and when i hurt my knee( had it scoped there doctor) I played waterpolo. I am now 37 and i still work out 4 or 5 days a week and swim about 4 miles evry week. I am friends with some serious bodybuilders and i know some pretty big time wrestlers as their incomes have allowed them to build homes in my neighborhood. Some names for you - Lee Apperson is a trainer at my gym - older but still a top bb with pics on the covers of M&F etc. Also Kevin Nash, the Steiner bros, and a few more big time wrestlers go to my gym. And you know what none of them are in there trying to impress anybody with their bench press. That is mostly an ego exercise that causes shoulder and other damage and gives limited results compared to other exercises. I have not benched in 10 years due to a rotator problem - had a shot of cortisone but no surgery. I can still do lots of dips and I can rep the 120 lb dumbells. I am close to six foot three and weigh about 225 and due to fondness of bbq, beer and pizza I am not exactly ripped but do not care to be. I still do the other hard exercises though -squats and deadlifts and I use real weights and not smith or hammer machines. So your bragging about your physical abilities is really boring. i amsure there are others on here who are also in shape or play sports. it does sound like you have ever played sports - sounds like you are a strutter affraid of actual competition and contact. i have broken my wrist, smashhed my left knee, been clipped and knocked silly playing ball so intimidation from some internet hobgoblin like you is pretty amusing. so as the big man Nash would say, don't sing, it bring it or how about if you are feeling froggy, jump!

yeah there is a lot of that kind of thinking going around. Well I am headed over to ebay to watch for the terrific posts for those elusive private auction, restricted feedback nm++ gems I heard that are about to be listed. Best to keep out the thrill bidders for heaven's sakes!