Jaydogrules

I will grant you that. A lot of people would rather get an older back issue for what they would have to spend for this one that isn't even two years old. But they're just too sporadic to the market though, that's why they sky rocketed. -J.

...and if it was Black Cat. It's definitely creepy. But still oddly hot the way the symbiote exaggerates her...ahem...assets. But in all seriousness the book hits all the hot buttons...it is a variant that was grossly under ordered when Spidey sales were low anyway, and it appeals to Venom fans, MJ fans, variant hunters, completionists, and fans of homage covers. And it's cool and eye catching to even non Spidey fans. It just fires on all cylinders. I'm very glad I got the one I got. She's definitely a keeper. -J.

That. -J.

Might as well post mine on here. Only 18 total in 9.8 certified to date. And you never see them for sale. The raw ones usually sell immediately. Not as rare as the 667 Dell'Otto, but it has definitely become a bona fide Spidey variant grail in its own rite. -J.

If you like the cover then you should keep it in your permanent collection. Or....if you got yours on the cheap from your LCS, flip it, make your profit and then buy another one in a month or two. This will probably fade like most other variants once the next hot one hits and it's not like it has a snowball's chance in *spoon* of becoming practically impossible to replace like the ASM 667 Dell'Otto or something of the like. God forbid though I'm wrong, you sell and it skyrockets into the stratosphere afterwards . Odds are though that just won't happen. But right now a quick $40-$60 profit ain't nothing to sneeze at. I wish I had the luxury of getting even one of my variants at anywhere near cover . -J.

(thumbs u Indeed! -J.

Agreed. But that one is also only a 1:50 by probably one of the hottest and most talented artists around right now in an established title of one of the industry's all time top characters. And it's clever and sexy to boot. Plus I've heard dealers weren't informed it was going to be a Campbell variant so a lot of them may have under ordered. The variants that have legs seem to be the ones that catch everyone by surprise. This Harley Quinn certainly has its graces don't get me wrong . But she has "flip me baby" written all over her face on that cover. -J.

I agree Primetime (thumbs u That's what prompted me to spend several hundred dollars on this I'm SURE that many people wouldn't understand that purchase, but that's ok. I like it fine just the way it is, however it'd probably be one the easiest things to leafcast. Being a black and white page should make the ink work a lot easier than if it were a color page. I'm very happy to own a piece of history Absolutely to each his own. I'm always intrigued as to what each collector chooses to collect, what different niches are out there and how every collection develops its own identity. And it's certainly not bad for the hobby when even the last remnants of an important book is still highly sought after and worth big bucks, and that folks still see that much value in owning a piece of history as Frisco aptly stated. -J.

Yup, I was watching that one, it went for $3,106. I also watched an All American #16 front cover only with a big chunk missing go for $2,766. Per link below, 3/5 of the front cover of Action #1 went for $6,800 in 2009. http://www.comicconnect.com/bookDetail.php?id=300107 Any theories on why someone would be willing to spend hundreds and thousands of dollars even on literally mere pieces of covers? Regardless of the rarity of the actual comic they came from I'm having a hard time seeing it. -J.

Sell. These things are far, far too common to have any kind of staying power or ever become "rare". -J.

Nope, just the front cover That's just nuts . Wall art for someone I presume. That's a helluva sig line by the way Illustrious. -J.

Hot damn. I'm assuming that was at least a front AND back cover though. At least in that instance it would make sense that somebody was wanting to marry it to their cover less copy. -J.

Do you happen to recall how much? -J.

I was in for $200, but it quickly went above what I though it was worth. Once upon a time, I had a nice coverless copy. Not anymore. I'll bet the new owner has a coverless copy waiting in the wings. Too much of a gamble without one @ $350. But I might have been in, even @ that price if I still had my coverless. That's a good point it didn't occur to me that someone might be looking to marry it to a coverless copy.... even without the back cover. I was a little thrown why someone would be looking to spend that kind of cheddar for what the seller basically marketed as wall art. -J.

Does this happen often with "cover only" for early Actions? Or in this one's case, "front cover only"? Wow. http://www.ebay.com/itm/310820794236?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 -J.

You got strictly Adam Hughes fans vs Harley freaks vs Variant collectors/speculators. Factor in a possible printing defect and you got a panic on the Fourth of July Maybe it's one of the other 90% of variants that come flying-out-of-the-gate, only to plummet two months later? Or two WEEKS later. I'm looking at you Superior Spiderman #22. -J.

What matters is the otherwise grade of the book and the appearance of the date stamp. On a Fine range book (5.5 is a Fine minus) you can introduce large defects without affecting the grade much, if at all. Introduce a 1" rip and it may not affect the grade at all. Introduce a 1" rip in a 9.8 book and it becomes a VF+ (or whatever it becomes). All depends on the grade, the defect and the eye appeal of the book. A neat, clean and relatively small date stamp likely doesn't affect the grade in 9.8 but it might in 9.9/10.0 Makes sense, thank you for the primer Vintage. -J.

I remember this being discussed on the Boards, specifically can you get a 9.8 with a date stamp. I know some examples were shown. Here is one I have in 9.8 with a date stamp. http://www.myslabbedcomics.com/GalleryPiece.asp?Piece=11530&GSub=894 I know that you can have a 9.8 with a date stamp. What I don't know is if you can get a 9.9 or a 10.0 That's a question only a grader can answer as I have no experience in that area. ....so if a 9.8 can have a date stamp I would imagine that they don't ding too much for them? One of my silver age mega keys has a fugly smeared date stamp on the back cover, but it's only a 5.5, so I'm gathering it was not too big a factor in the final grade. Please correct me if I am mistaken... -J.

Is it true that CGC does not ding a grade for a date stamp? Or is that only true if it is on the back cover? -J.

Congratulations! Looks really nice for the grade too. -J.

Action #23 is really one of the more underrated GA DC books from 1940. Although Superman #4 beat it to some newsstands in (technically making it the 1st newsstand app. of Lex Luthor), the story from Action #23 came first. It's also one of the last Shuster Action covers. Thanks guys I'm really happy with this. I had to stretch the budget a little for it, but what the heck it's Christmas. Yes Wayne-Tec you're correct some newsstands did get the Supe 4 slightly before the Action 23, but the 23 is definitely Lex's 1st appearance in cannon, as you also noted. Cosmic Boy you're also right, I believe he went by "Alexander Joseph Luthor" for the first 20 years or so before the nickname "Lex" actually came about. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong... But yes I am definitely stoked to have this 1st appearance of DC's #2 super villain, and a great classic cover to boot. -J. I think he was just referred to as Luthor for more than a decade after his first appearance. No first name. Double checked and you're right! (thumbs u -J. I have some newspaper proofs that once belonged to one of Shuster's assistant artists (forget the name) and there is a sequence with a bald Luthor in 1940 which, I think, predates Action 23. Wondering if it's one of those things they did first in the newspaper strip and then in the comic. That's a cool thing to have! But my understanding is that Lex had hair in his first appearances until an artist's "mistake" led to him being draw bald thereafter. -J.

Action #23 is really one of the more underrated GA DC books from 1940. Although Superman #4 beat it to some newsstands in (technically making it the 1st newsstand app. of Lex Luthor), the story from Action #23 came first. It's also one of the last Shuster Action covers. Thanks guys I'm really happy with this. I had to stretch the budget a little for it, but what the heck it's Christmas. Yes Wayne-Tec you're correct some newsstands did get the Supe 4 slightly before the Action 23, but the 23 is definitely Lex's 1st appearance in cannon, as you also noted. Cosmic Boy you're also right, I believe he went by "Alexander Joseph Luthor" for the first 20 years or so before the nickname "Lex" actually came about. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong... But yes I am definitely stoked to have this 1st appearance of DC's #2 super villain, and a great classic cover to boot. -J. I think he was just referred to as Luthor for more than a decade after his first appearance. No first name. Double checked and you're right! (thumbs u -J.

Action #23 is really one of the more underrated GA DC books from 1940. Although Superman #4 beat it to some newsstands in (technically making it the 1st newsstand app. of Lex Luthor), the story from Action #23 came first. It's also one of the last Shuster Action covers. Thanks guys I'm really happy with this. I had to stretch the budget a little for it, but what the heck it's Christmas. Yes Wayne-Tec you're correct some newsstands did get the Supe 4 slightly before the Action 23, but the 23 is definitely Lex's 1st appearance in cannon, as you also noted. Cosmic Boy you're also right, I believe he went by "Alexander Joseph Luthor" for the first 20 years or so before the nickname "Lex" actually came about. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong... But yes I am definitely stoked to have this 1st appearance of DC's #2 super villain, and a great classic cover to boot. -J.

I'm finally in! Kudos to GAtor for the hook up on the exact "early Action" I wanted to pick up. Superman says to Lois: "Please don't mind that lesion on my inner thigh. It's not contagious. I promise." -J.

I guess 33 just had a good year this year. Either way I am stoked to have been able to get my little 3.0 at the price point I did, especially with the book recently breaking five figures in a 1 grade range. -J.