DavidTheDavid

Many collect digital goods now. We had cases filled with tapes, then cd's. Today, you either create a digital library or just pay a monthly subscription for as much music as you can get. Apple TV advertises, "Build Your Collection!" Gamers have game collections on Steam. People who play digital card games like Hearthstone collect those cards. I work in digital gaming, and we love when a completist comes along, someone who wants every card or item in a game. Skins, avatars, Kindle libraries: those are collectibles. There are even living digital card games now, with fixed quantities of certain cards. There's a digital card game built on the blockchain; these cards can be traded and have varying values. There are even digital collectibles that are simply like old trading cards not connected to any game, but built on the blockchain so that each copy is singular. Heck, lots of kids collect memes, storing thousands of them in computer folders. I don't think that collecting impulse will ever die. It's just been massively disrupted as has everything else in our society.

Just beautiful!

Yes, people do indeed return to previous topics of discussion. Heaven forbid we discuss something more than once.

All CGC needs is a standard called something vaguely quantifiable at best, something like, I dunno, eye appeal. Then they can grade things whatever the heck they want.

Well, I see a crack. Right there between Spidey's legs. Sorry. That wasn't even clever.

What about the wrap? Or an eye appeal factor like gloss? Production flaw anywhere?

This sounds familiar. Moving away from higher dollar books can easily turn into the same amount spent on low dollar books. I need another round or two of tempering my behavior.

Some people want "the best" of whatever they're after, and in this hobby, those slight improvements as codified by a CGC label provide our standards for better and best.

Speaking more broadly to "collect the book, not the grade," I find a bit of dissonance around this. On the hand, many here espouse collecting the book, not the grade, as well as, "You can't grade from a scan." But at the same time, most slab sales come with the term: No returns since you know what you're getting. And people often state, "I want third-party verification for resto check and confidence in a grade." This notion of the book-not the grade and confidence in the CGC service sometimes seems a bit at odds.

Ya, I've been really turned off of some segments of the market because of the crazy pricing. I've been back in the hobby 6 or 7 years, and in just that time, I've seen things go bonkers. I feel like I wouldn't buy many books even if I were flush with cash. As a consequence, I've shifted my interests to niches where there's less interest. Grey tones, painted covers, Dell Lone Rangers, westerns, second or third tier covers from artists like Cole whose first tier covers go for crazy prices. And it's been really relieving. No anxiety or fomo when I see a hot book soar out of reach.

Blob smothers Jugs. Smurfs vs. Ewoks

Oh, I didn't know those existed! Time for some research and updating my "want" list. Thanks for sharing!

Just yesterday I was thinking it'd be better to have a private showing space for a few people. Maybe this trend is why I find myself buying in DM more.

Cyclops, once he learns to not hold back. Sgt Rock vs Unknown Soldier

I need my employer to fly me out again!

SOLD! Air Ace (v2) #3, 6.0, Lloyd Jacquet file copy (no COA available), $55 $45 Gerber 7

Sport Thrills #14, 7.0, LB Cole cover, $100 $85

White Rider and Super Horse #6, 6.0, LB Cole cover, $100 $80

Outlaws 14, 5.5, LB Cole cover, $95 REMOVED FROM SALE

REMOVED FROM SALE

SOLD

Cole #10, 4.5, LBCole cover, $55.00 $48 You can probably tell the whites are turned up too much on that back cover scan. If someone wants a new scan, lmk.

Space Western Comics #40, 2.5, $215 TRADED I have a hard time grading at this range, so here's some more info: staples clean and firmly attached, centerfold firmly attached, book badly needs a press, back cover shows some paper loss (look around the top black banner and the woman modeling), small piece out bottom back cover

Spy Fighters #7,7.5 OW (deslabbed CGC, label included), $200 $175 SOLD! Hard to find Russ Heath cover