BarryAllen

It is still a rare book versus other keys. These prices will bring a few out of the woodwork, but I don't think there is a surge in the census or anything. I just wish the prices weren't so high!

US buyers don't have to pay import fees. I have no idea about whether Canadian sellers pay export fees though. Customs fees do not change. Carriers charge a "brokerage fee" which is usually the cost of the customs fee and a charge for them to arrange to pay customs fees for you. It can depend by company, but can be as much as 25% or more (depending on the value of the item). If shipped from the US by USPS there is not a "brokerage fee." In most cases you should be able to avoid the high charges, particularly if you are talking expensive comics. Auction houses and independent sellers will usually ship via usps if you ask and sometimes pay a nominal fee (to ship outside their typical carrier). I would expect someone who regularly orders extremely high value books from the US into Canada to know this...

Strange times.

Hmm, don't know how I got the date wrong. Whoops, looked at the wrong date here: ( marvel.com ) start of the series versus the "published date." My bad! I still stand by my statement that Dell'Otto' fandom only recently started and it is possible people don't know what they have. Not everyone checks the value of random issues (let alone variants), particularly once they already own them. I am just saying that it doesn't make sense that 175-475 people are not interested in making a few thousand dollars is all. Even the Dell'Otto fanatics are chasing in on other gushing titles. People don't hold onto things when they gush in value, they sell. Otherwise prices would never go up as everyone would only ever sell if they died and that is clearly not the case - we see waves of books behind pricing surges. Or are you suggesting that there are really only like 15 left in existence?

Just bought a raw set of books and was very pleased with the communication, timing and safe shipping! I give this boardie to great big:

I want to be clear I wasn't disagreeing with the number of copies, just postulating where they are. Whether everyone who has one "knows what they have." I think it people really knew about the book broadly and knew the value, there would be more copies for sale. I don't know very many fanatics that would refuse several thousand dollars for a book that cost them $5 or less...and I have met a lot of comic collectors (crazy fanatics and all). That's precisely my point. If collectors recognize when, say, original sin #2 goes from being a $20 book to even just a $200 book, and copies fly out of collections at even that modest of a price point, what basis do we have to believe that the majority of collectors who own an ASM 667 are collectively clueless that it sells for $2500 in even raw 8.0 condition ? One thing that we can generally set our watches to is, when a particular issue suddenly pops, a requisite ebay flood is never too far behind. Even if said "flood" is relatively modest and consists of the 10 or so raw copies of X -23 #1, for another example, that hit the market once it became a $500-$600+ book raw. -J. Obviously the book isn't following traditional buying/selling habits. However, there is a difference between someone who is speculating on eBay with "hot covers" right now with books that have been more recently published and advertised as "Dell'Otto." I am not suggesting that the "majority" of anyone are doing anything, but rather throwing out a suggestion as to why we don't see more copies. People are largely motivated by money and it stands to reason that if more people knew it was worth >$1,000 in mid grade and up there would be more for sale. Not to mention the modern variant speculation trend is still a relatively young one (well this trend is young this time around). The book is clearly rare with a speculated 200-500 distributed, but my bet is that people bought the book (for any number of reasons, but at the time it probably wasn't a bunch of Dell'Otto fanboys/girls) and put it into their long/short-box collection and have since forgotten about it. To be fair you hit the same faulty logic if you assume the majority of people don't know what they have when you assume that the majority of people do. In my favor though, on one side of that equation you are off-set with human behavior (money is a motivator, if more people knew what they have then more would be for sale) while on the other side you saying that the other 175-475 owners are run completionists and fanatics (and impervious to the almighty dollar) - which to mean seems less likely. In the end I am not declaring you incorrect, I am just proposing that everyone out there might not be as educated on the value of a random variant that without a CGC designation, the cover artist goes unnoticed (it isn't like Dell'Otto's art is as easily identifiable as Hughes or some others that have a very consistent style).

I want to be clear I wasn't disagreeing with the number of copies, just postulating where they are. Whether everyone who has one "knows what they have." I think it people really knew about the book broadly and knew the value, there would be more copies for sale. I don't know very many fanatics that would refuse several thousand dollars for a book that cost them $5 or less...and I have met a lot of comic collectors (crazy fanatics and all).

Nice books! Personally, I don't like the ASM 667 and think it mostly gets attention due to rarity. [\b] To each their own! The Original Sin 7 seems to pop in a bunch of lists. It is a beauty! But if you're happy, I'm happy! Yes the ASM 667 gets its attention largely because of it's unusual rarity and its presence in the ASM title run. But the art truly is simple and beautiful. To see a copy in hand is to know what I mean. To think that few will ever have an opportunity to actually see one in person is a remarkable notion. And without its noteriety, Dell'otto the artist probably would never have come on collectors' radar and his other fantastic work may not have ever gotten any attention. Most "hot" modern artists have a signature cover , and the ASM 667 is easily his. -J. Eh, saw it, had the chance to buy it and I was . But if you guys love it, more power to you. I think some of his Spider-Verse stuff is better personally. You should have picked it up. Could have been a hell of a flip if nothing else. -J. At the time it was way overpriced, if I had bought it and flipped it now I would have turned maybe a $500ish profit... Not worth the risk at the time... For the price I would rather buy an original painting from him of one of my favorite characters. I think there are a decent number of people out there that have this book and don't know what they have. Highly unlikely at this point given the ratio of the book, its age, what it sells for even in ragged condition, and how it was originally released but hey, anything's possible under the sun. -J. I'm not saying it isn't a small number. But with somewhere between 200-500 copies printed (includes a lot of assumtions). Where did the other 175-475 go that haven't been in "circulation." Do you think people threw them away? While Dell'Otto has gained huge popularity overall, I still think this book is largely unknown to the market at large. Oh they're certainly out there no doubt. I would simply posit that the small quantity that was printed and circulated (whatever that number may actually be) is buried deep within ASM run and rare variant fanatics collections, and is long out of the hands of speculators and flippers. Hence the ever so slight trickle of copies we see hitting the market and the census, no matter how high prices on copies seem to get. -J. You mean there are rare variant fanatics outside the boards!!! Maybe you are right, maybe I am or maybe it is a balance of both. :shrug:

I had the same thought when I first saw it. But could also be someone who reads up on comicbookinvest.com too Jerome Fair enough. Either way it is overpriced by about 40%. Cool if it sells though.

Nice books! Personally, I don't like the ASM 667 and think it mostly gets attention due to rarity. [\b] To each their own! The Original Sin 7 seems to pop in a bunch of lists. It is a beauty! But if you're happy, I'm happy! Yes the ASM 667 gets its attention largely because of it's unusual rarity and its presence in the ASM title run. But the art truly is simple and beautiful. To see a copy in hand is to know what I mean. To think that few will ever have an opportunity to actually see one in person is a remarkable notion. And without its noteriety, Dell'otto the artist probably would never have come on collectors' radar and his other fantastic work may not have ever gotten any attention. Most "hot" modern artists have a signature cover , and the ASM 667 is easily his. -J. Eh, saw it, had the chance to buy it and I was . But if you guys love it, more power to you. I think some of his Spider-Verse stuff is better personally. You should have picked it up. Could have been a hell of a flip if nothing else. -J. At the time it was way overpriced, if I had bought it and flipped it now I would have turned maybe a $500ish profit... Not worth the risk at the time... For the price I would rather buy an original painting from him of one of my favorite characters. I think there are a decent number of people out there that have this book and don't know what they have. Highly unlikely at this point given the ratio of the book, its age, what it sells for even in ragged condition, and how it was originally released but hey, anything's possible under the sun. -J. I'm not saying it isn't a small number. But with somewhere between 200-500 copies printed (includes a lot of assumtions). Where did the other 175-475 go that haven't been in "circulation." Do you think people threw them away? While Dell'Otto has gained huge popularity overall, I still think this book is largely unknown to the market at large.

But those sales will be called outliers By definition a single sale outside the established norm is an outlier. Once duplicated it becomes a pricing trend. A few more comparable sales and it becomes supported fmv. Time will tell Availability of this book will inhibit establishing pricing trends. These prices make shake some loose, but that would only be speculation. You know this more than anyone, setting FMV on "rarer" books is a PITA.

Nice books! Personally, I don't like the ASM 667 and think it mostly gets attention due to rarity. [\b] To each their own! The Original Sin 7 seems to pop in a bunch of lists. It is a beauty! But if you're happy, I'm happy! Yes the ASM 667 gets its attention largely because of it's unusual rarity and its presence in the ASM title run. But the art truly is simple and beautiful. To see a copy in hand is to know what I mean. To think that few will ever have an opportunity to actually see one in person is a remarkable notion. And without its noteriety, Dell'otto the artist probably would never have come on collectors' radar and his other fantastic work may not have ever gotten any attention. Most "hot" modern artists have a signature cover , and the ASM 667 is easily his. -J. Eh, saw it, had the chance to buy it and I was . But if you guys love it, more power to you. I think some of his Spider-Verse stuff is better personally. You should have picked it up. Could have been a hell of a flip if nothing else. -J. At the time it was way overpriced, if I had bought it and flipped it now I would have turned maybe a $500ish profit... Not worth the risk at the time... For the price I would rather buy an original painting from him of one of my favorite characters. I think there are a decent number of people out there that have this book and don't know what they have.

How big are they? Where did you pick them up? Rhino was eBay. Bullseye I posted a want for on CAF and an Italian collector accepted my offer. Despite being around 40 years I only know of a little more than a half dozen Bullseye published paintings and a few are covers to French reprints. They are both around the usual 11x17 I believe.

How big are they? Where did you pick them up?

What is this from? Wide vision print set. Same for his Ghost Rider. The Doom/Thing painting may have been as well. I forget. They are very cool! I have so many prints I don't buy much anymore because the cost to frame is crazy and I don't have unlimited wall space. I would consider a larger physical painting (and the costs associated), I just never come across them.

What is this from?

Crack kills Jay. Crack kills...

Pretty expensive "starter-set." Issue being here that most fans own at least one (if not multiple books in the set. He would be better off breaking it into smaller lots and selling the hit books individually. If the price was closer to $800 a dealer/flipper would buy and separate to sell tomorrow. There is clearly something hidden here. Plus the grades are all "NM" which is a gamble in itself (that could easily be CGC anywhere in 8.0-9.8). It does feel like the sale from someone on the boards though... I would assume you could talk him down....or ask for scans of some specific issues... Scans most likely (although pictures are from a camera). I don't know on price, I would pay $800 for set as is, but not more than $1,000 even if most are NM+. That is a $500 gap in a best case scenario. :shrug:

+1 Would love to see some new covers!

Pretty expensive "starter-set." Issue being here that most fans own at least one (if not multiple books in the set. He would be better off breaking it into smaller lots and selling the hit books individually. If the price was closer to $800 a dealer/flipper would buy and separate to sell tomorrow. There is clearly something hidden here. Plus the grades are all "NM" which is a gamble in itself (that could easily be CGC anywhere in 8.0-9.8). It does feel like the sale from someone on the boards though...

For instance? (with pictures please) For instance DD is definitely cool on those, Wolerine's claws bug me for some reason. I think he has done better Spider-Man for sure. BW is clean and simple, but I usually like my female cover art more objectifying.

Nice books! Personally, I don't like the ASM 667 and think it mostly gets attention due to rarity. [\b] To each their own! The Original Sin 7 seems to pop in a bunch of lists. It is a beauty! But if you're happy, I'm happy! Yes the ASM 667 gets its attention largely because of it's unusual rarity and its presence in the ASM title run. But the art truly is simple and beautiful. To see a copy in hand is to know what I mean. To think that few will ever have an opportunity to actually see one in person is a remarkable notion. And without its noteriety, Dell'otto the artist probably would never have come on collectors' radar and his other fantastic work may not have ever gotten any attention. Most "hot" modern artists have a signature cover , and the ASM 667 is easily his. -J. Eh, saw it, had the chance to buy it and I was . But if you guys love it, more power to you. I think some of his Spider-Verse stuff is better personally.

Nice books! Personally, I don't like the ASM 667 and think it mostly gets attention due to rarity. To each their own! The Original Sin 7 seems to pop in a bunch of lists. It is a beauty! But if you're happy, I'm happy!

For instance? (with pictures please)

I would go, in no particular order: Original Sin #2 Original Sin #7 Immortal Iron Fist #1, Second Print Dark Knight Master Race #1 Batman/Superman #7 -J. Good list, a little surprised by the Black Panther cover. A personal favorite character? The Batman/Superman 7 is a great book, but being a foreign cover makes it a pain to get a hold of. Personally I would swap Dark Knight Master Race out for his Batman and Superman 50 connecting covers, but that is just me.