manetteska

Obviously a shilled Best Offer.

Might just be heading down to the LCS and loading up on some BA's. While you're there, checking for Batman Adventures, Annual #1 is also a Harley issue. Completed sales are all over, but probably worth your time. I have 3 of these and can't sell one of them. One I posted on here in about a 7.5(small water spots? barely noticeable BC) for like $5 and nothing. Tried selling another strict 9.6 copy on here for about $15.....again, nothing. I guess ebay is the way to go but as you said, prices are all over the place on this book when it does sell. I'm in the same boat as you. Had a full Batman Adventures run (minus 12), including both Annuals, a Special Edition, and couldn't sell it here. Sometimes the boards are good; other times eBay is the place to be. I'm not yet sure where to draw the line, but Copper/Modern feels about right.

Might just be heading down to the LCS and loading up on some BA's. While you're there, checking for Batman Adventures, Annual #1 is also a Harley issue. Completed sales are all over, but probably worth your time.

To those selling raw runs right now -- or just #1's -- for good prices, what do you think is driving the demand? I only stop in my LCS for 30 mins or so on Wednesdays, so I'm not a good source for word of mouth. Or to hear what all the kids are talking about. Unlike other series where there are internet articles or new media rumors, MD is just a "normal" book selling quickly off the shelf.

dont do it! its great you werent pushed into paying more than you wanted. Many more will be for sale, patience will save you money. Wouldn't surprise me at all if a second offer comes at you, because the winner isnt real.... For Chrissakes. Did someone hijack your account? You used to make sense once in a while, now it's all off the tracks. My friend, I understand you speculated on this book, and spent a couple dozen dollars on it. I am sorry that my comments upset your greed frenzy, but there is no need to take it personal. continue the cheerleading with those who also bought many, and dont worry about my posts Sigh, once again words and not facts. Speaking of trends, I think I have yours pegged: talking out of your butt. No cheerleading here; just posting examples of completed sales -- which is something you do quite regularly. Difference is, I just post them whereas you post and then extrapolate and assume to your heart's content until they fit in with some pre-conceived idea you have, then call yourself a hero. Rinse and repeat.

dont do it! its great you werent pushed into paying more than you wanted. Many more will be for sale, patience will save you money. Wouldn't surprise me at all if a second offer comes at you, because the winner isnt real.... For Chrissakes. Did someone hijack your account? You used to make sense once in a while, now it's all off the tracks.

And with yet another auction ending under the price of the "landmark" Feb 2nd auction, I'm still waiting to see this price movement. I'm also waiting for a response on how this theory came about -- one backed by examples and facts, not just a lot of words and paranoia.

Very nice. I almost missed out on the Ottley as I get to my LCS on Wednesday after work. I asked the manager about it just in case and he was able to get me a copy the next week from another store in the chain. Not sure it's subbing material, but I like it. Definitely two distinct feels from each of the covers for #1.

cujobyte, just curious, what do you think the odds are that the crew shilling up the price on MD are on the BlowoutCards forum??

All I can find in stores are the Alpha Flight copies, and a couple of the Big Hero 6 mini. Hoping those catch up.

Sigh all you want. The auction increased $5 over another person's legit bid because of alleged shilling. It did not start a price movement; it's a buyer wanting an item and probably over-paying for it. This auction ended Feb 2nd. An auction ended 2 weeks later for $232 ( Feb 17th) and a BIN set at $350 did not sell either ( Feb 18th ). If this auction started a revolution, why was the second auction $100 less? 2 more copies have come up since then and both had high BINs ($450 and $448) and didn't sell. Seems to me that buyers are actually smarter on this item than others in that they are not paying over that $350 auction price. (Though you will probably attribute that to your patented Shill Warning System.)

My point was that my response was to your speculation comment, not to CBT's shilling conspiracy FACT. http://offer.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&rt=nc&item=171227910896 That's a shilled auction whether you like it or not It may be a shilled auction. It definitely has some tell-tale markings. But that is over a month old. That is also not the auction we were talking about and that you called out a couple days ago. Finally, the "shill" increased the final price to $355 -- that is only $5 over what appears to be a legit bidder. All of this over $5? I'm pretty sure one can find a shilled auction for nearly every item available on eBay. It's not a transparent system and will therefore attract people that take advantage of the situation. I'm saying not everything that sells above your pre-conceived notion of a "good" price is fake. I don't know the correct % between fake and real -- and I don't think we ever will. As to full disclosure: I made my first and only (so far) DCBS pre-order purchase for 25 copies of this book. I made that purchase because it wasn't a large investment and the story sounded good -- I like historic fiction and covers the expansion of America. I sold enough copies at $5 each to make up for my initial investment and then a couple bucks on top of that. Hardly a cash cow. I now have a few copies left of #1 and 2 runs of 1-4. Yes, I would like to see the prices go up so I can make more money off of the few copies I have. Who wouldn't? Do prices for LBCC 9.8 variants impact me? No. As to the story: I wanted it to be good; perhaps I built it up too much. Perhaps it's way too early to say anything. I would have liked more of a slow-burn reveal into the strange creatures, but I'm not the writer.

And I have no idea why I keep writing all of this, or caring at all. No amount of back-and-forth here is going to change opinions or prices or how good or bad the actual comic is. I'm just tired of seeing the same raining on parades over and over again without anything to back it up. Now that the auction under fire and the "fake" bidder has come forward as a member and a non-fake bidder, that talk has died down considerably. Come in, trump up some charges, have them proved false, and ignore them. Anyway, back to the comic: those are some nice-looking horses.

My point was that my response was to your speculation comment, not to CBT's shilling conspiracy. I agree -- different subjects. The prices seen in the secondary market are due to supply and demand. People want it and there are not a lot for sale -- either in a store or on the internet. Speculation may play a part in that, but when all is said and done, if no one wants a product, the price does not go up. Reasons for wanting a product -- any product -- are varied and numerous. To say it is all speculation is ignorant.

no one has claimed any of the things you are posing counter arguments too... all the fuss was over whether a person is allowed to question if an auction might be tainted, some people feel that should be stopped at all costs, others favor free speech. What reasons they have for their positions....only they can say.

Yes there is speculation on this book. There is speculation on nearly every new independent book. No debate there. But, as relating to the person who bought all of a shop's copies of a 4th printing, if no one wants a 4th printing, then he can't sell them no matter how high he shills auctions for them. Similar to the original printings: if they were all bought by speculators or hoarders, and the story sucked, or no one cared, those buyers would be stuck with unsold stock. However, that does not appear to be the case.

and this one doesn't sell http://www.ebay.com/itm/Batman-Annual-1-New-52-NM-/111289014857?pt=US_Comic_Books&hash=item19e9579a49 actually there's quite a few with a bin under $30....I guess people are caught up in bidding fever. It's an advance shilled auction, obviously.

Saw 2-3 #1 4th prints at my LCS today around lunch when they open. No other copies of MD to speak of.

And here I am stuck with a #4 and nothing else.

It definitely could be, which I did acknowledge, I labeled it as suspicious, and to me, it is very much so. A thing a lot of people dont release is that there is advanced shilling that goes on. Groups of people working together to do so even. Second, third, fourth, etc LEGIT accounts, high feedback, etc. It exists, is it at play here, who knows, but people need to realize, the seller doesnt have to be involved, 373 feedback doesnt mean a thing, 0% bid history, irrelevant. Ultimately though, logic rules the day. People rarely act against their own interest, and prices dont change without a cause. That alone is enough to be wary, and cautious, which is all I ever warned. Just know, that the people with fake accounts, working in unison to scam, it does exist. With all of this advanced shilling running around, you would lead us to believe that every single auction with more than 1 bidder is suspect. How can I trust anything I see? How can anyone else? So an auction with 2 users bidding on a book below the price of several BIN items is suspicious? Just because people don't follow your exact "rules" of bidding on eBay does not mean something foul is afoot. Not everyone has a sniping account; and I'm willing to bet the majority of users don't even know what one is. If two people want a book, they will bid whenever they feel like it -- 4 days to go, 2 days to go, the day of, etc. You are not merely sending a warning flag out to people, you are picking an auction here or there - out of dozens - and calling it suspect with not a lot of evidence to back it up. I know people like to cite high prices to sell their own merchandise at inflated prices, but I'm not yet sure of your motive of crapping on everything.

1.) I certainly do not get to decide, all one can do is share their opinions, or post links to facts. 2.) I dont see how you come to that conclusion, I have never done that, nor have I ever seen anyone do that. I'd like to turn that question around and pose it back to you. Why do I get attacked for merely even SUGGESTING that an auction might be suspect? If I merely post links, and post facts about said links, why do people attack me instead of discuss the information I post or the suggestions I make. I have no problem with anyone pointing out questionable auctions; that research is more time-consuming than other things around here, but it also sheds light on some sellers and final hammer prices. What I was attempting to say, although worded poorly, is that nearly every time a person posts that a modern comic is hot or doing well, the same troupe eventually wander in to the forum and accuse everyone of hyping a comic for personal gain. I'm not naive and I do know there are times when this is happening, but it feels like blanket accusations. The auctions you posted - which are all for CGC comics - may be wrong or they may be right or somewhere in-between. But even taking these out of the equation, MD is still selling above expectations on the secondary market and raws are also quite healthy. The current "suspect" auction could be completely legit. Looking on eBay now, that is the only 9.8 variant at auction. The remaining 3 options are high BINs. One is a Best Offer which is coming close to the price of the auction, but that seller has already had offers and declined them all, which means he/she is not moving far on that price. Leaving only the auction as a place to possibly get a "deal". Supply and demand, albeit at a very small level.

Why does CBT, or anyone, get to decide what is BS or not? What if a person new to the boards wandered in here and said, "Wow, I had no idea prices for regular issues were so high already?" Will they then get immediately shot down for just quoting a fact? Immediately called a pumper? Piled on with walls of text? Prices are higher than cover price. Fact. You can either buy issues at those prices or not. No one is using a gun here.

I'm sure a few people will Especially when the #1 pictured is a first print.

Not only a price bump, but also a grade bump. (If we're talking about the same thing here.) Yup. Internet Detective skills!

Not only a price bump, but also a grade bump. (If we're talking about the same thing here.)