FineCollector

On 10/10/2022 at 8:20 PM, Buzzetta said:

I bought a copy at NYCC but only paged through it.   I will try to take a closer look at it later on this week.  It is a lot bigger and provides more pictures for examples than I expected. 

Given the description earlier, it sounds like we need three different grading guides... Hopefully they don't overdo it with pictures of 9.8s, and put some effort into the lower grades.

Curious... if Peter Parker appeared unnamed in one panel of Strange Tales 97 with May and Ben, what would people consider that appearance?

"11 panels" is the Gambit argument again.  The cameo debate is easy: if you can replace the character's appearance with them dressed in a tux and top hat doing jazz hands, and it has no effect on the story, it's a cameo.  In the annual, Storm walks Gambit in, and he's totally forgotten when the bad guy shows up.  The Gambit panels when they're getting blasted is actually Franklin.

On 2/6/2022 at 5:38 PM, Beige said:

Buy 7 boxes for $150 - about 1000 all up.

... 

Find these 3 in first box. Rest is gravy now.

I have no idea what those books are.  I hope I'm not the only one.

I'm not inclined to believe that $4.5 mil is the declared value, and the remaining sum was transferred to an offshore bank account in an attempt to commit tax fraud.

I strongly recommend getting flyers into the local comic shops.  Have enough for them to put in the bag with each customer's weekly purchase, and go back before the event in case they need more.  Dealers and the hardcore buyers will turn up no matter what, but they'll be looking for keys and obvious bargains.  If the dealers want to move inventory, you need the casual buyers to turn up.

On 11/30/2021 at 6:43 PM, BoogieWoogie said:

Any chance I could get one of the Spider-Man/Hulk promo books for $5?

Those are what make the lot... buy it, it's for a good cause!

Haven't seen this one posted yet...

Resurrecting an old thread... 

Is there an identifying mark that indicates that a book is a Crowley?  I bought a Marvel Family graded by the redheaded stepchild, and want to make sure that once I crack it, it's still going to be recognized.  It was packaged with the validation card in the back, but by virtue of being graded by they who shall not be mentioned, has that invalidated my book already?  If so, no big loss, I like the book already without the pedigree status.

On 11/6/2021 at 12:51 AM, Math Teacher said:

CGC can't identify pressing, but you can. I see.

When the press is done poorly, or on a book with defects that wont press out, you can often tell.  When the book is a good press candidate, and doesnt leave unusually flat creases or a smudged arrival date, no, you might not know for sure.

It feels like they all took a pretty big jump in price recently.  When prices spike like that, a few buyers and a lot of speculators play chicken with each other, buying from one another at increasing prices until they dont think they can flip it anymore.  We've hit that cap, so prices are likely to correct down or stagnate, rather than go up in the near future.  Long term?  Man-Wolf is the odd man out, they rest should continue to grow.

Some books are tied together, like bronze Marvel monster keys... if first Moon Knight goes up, it drags up Blade, Ghost Rider, Werewolf, because people think those have become relative bargains.  First Punisher acted the same way when Hulk 181 was first flirting with $1000 guide price.

Facebook and eBay help as well.  If people are watching a book that they think is too high, and someone buys it, that legitimizes a higher price for some potential buyers.  Suddenly, there's a run on that book, and other people think "hmm... why is that book hot?  I should find a few just in case..."

In your case, Secret Wars 3 and 7 are easier to explain: first Titania (and Volcana) in 3, full reveal of Julia Carpenter Spider-Woman in 7.  Speculators be speculating...

I miss the Ask Gator thread

I tapped out at page 28...

Am I a lurker if I dont know where "bomics" came from?

I can't say that I have that much to contribute here, I come to hear stories from our senior members that I wouldn't hear anywhere else.  People in the Facebook groups, on the other hand, have much to learn.  I've got plenty to say there.

Another factor is the slowdown in the sales forums.  When there were more sales threads, it was more enticing to log in and see what was going on.  After checking the sales, I'd wander through General, then the ages.

On 10/14/2021 at 7:35 AM, jsilverjanet said:

something similar happened to me at a garage sale.

i was the first in line and was going through the box and another person was waiting for me to finish. when i was going through it i asked how much the seller wanted and he said a price, i said ok and then the other guy yelled out a price double what mine was. he didn't even see what the box had as he was pretty far from me.

i told him hey not cool. i made the purchase and went on my way.

He probably recognized you as a dealer, and figured if you snap-call "sold" to the seller's price, it's worth at least twice what you paid.  Someone you had a bad interaction with in the past?  There are a handful of people out there who've burned their bridges with me, and I'd relish the opportunity to run them up on a deal.

On 10/2/2021 at 4:02 AM, Lightning55 said:

I don't pay anything to Key Collector, and I get the info I am looking for (which books are the important issues).

Look, the CGC boards have always been the wrong place to push that app.  The guy building a run of Jungle Comics wipes his arse with Spider-verse clones and Harley Quinn remakes, but none of his books are listed because "not key".  What good is that?

1 hour ago, waaaghboss said:

Honestly if I were to collect asm, 375 is where I'd cut off as well.  The title got really bad past that point. 

Bagley's ASM from 351 on are readily available.  Outside of the obvious books, 350-390 is prime dollar bin material.  I'm not sure if they were printing more at the time, or if they're just available because Bagley's run was so terrible.

If I had to do it all over again, I'd stop all Spider-Man titles at Kraven's Last Hunt.  No McFarlane, no symbiotes.

I never could focus.  When I'd go to a con, I inevitably couldn't find the top 10 issues I was looking for, but found dozens of other things I wanted.

Since no one else is asking, why stop at 375 when the run ends at 441?

5 hours ago, KEY ISSUES Comics said:

I think it's a terrible cover. The expression on the Watcher's face and his overall body language suggests that someone has reached under his robes and violated him. Not one of Kirby's bests in my opinion. It has nothing to do with needing my imagination. 

I'm glad you appreciate it though!

It's better than at least half of Ditko's Spideys. 

When I was first getting into GA, I ordered a Vg/F Marvel Family 1 from a shop in Minnesota.  Repro cover, complete with fake arrival date pencilled in.  Found out much later when I took it out to show someone.  Not too salty about it, the price now makes up for it.