Darthdiesel

Because they are virtually impossible to find in any condition? I remember them being bought that way. I think they were slabbed by the person who posted them on ebay for parity's sake. No questions about grade and the players shooting for them were also into the slabbing, from my recollection

Kudos to you Joe. You've been at it (picking up variants on the sly) for as long as I can remember you. Nice finds. Makes me want to go back on my resolve. I don't think I've picked up anything in 06 like this.

Me too! Ditto!

Because a few dealers actually sold some Defenders variants, and (gasp) reported them? Still,these prices would hold for an average of prices reported for unslabbed sales. Probably not enough sales data points for the Westerns to affect how it is listed in Guide. The crazy prices paid for the occasional sale make for good outliers that get dropped when the Overstreet formulas get applied Nice to see the Defenders variants finally getting the respect that is long overdue these classic works of literature

Thanks again Larry - LHJ rocks!

Kudos to Ares for a quickly shipped, well packed SNTG season 1 boxed set! I'm on disc 3 already... Thanks to blutobc for superfast shipping and a great deal for 3 whitman variants. I still owe him a set of Villains United...

And I've always said, if you ever wanted to get started seriously on chasing this set, there is no better time than when they do command less and less of a premium. Flying Donut has had several common to the harder to find variants up over the last month and seem to have sold for fair prices in my opinion, versus the heated market I was picking them up in 2002-2003. As a buyer newly stating out, I would have been happy to pick them up at those prices. However, as a seller, it may tell me that the market is soft and hold on my dupes longer and wait down the road to list a few to test the waters again.

The problem has always been getting folks interested in going for the whole variant set. Some collect only variants of specific superhero titles to be completionists and we see high er prices for ASM, Xmen, FF, Avengers variants. The westerns, reprints and horror variants are only of interest to those going for a complete 186 book variant set. Of the few folks I know going for it, they have copies of all or most of these books in the grades/conditions they want or can get a hold of it by trading from a known network of variant collectors. Then again it may be that VF is not HG enough for some folks, when it comes to these books After Matt Nelson auctions off his high grade 30 cent variants (9.2 - 9.6), you might see the opposite trend in prices acheived for 30 cent variants than comichunters recent bargain finds.

Let me know if you want to cross more 30 cent westerens off your list Very nice pick up! Right now I'm focusing on strictly upgrades in regards to 30 centers, but if I had been checking ebay, I would have bid on the westerns @ ~$50 a piece... If I won, great If not, oh well, wait for the next one to come along. Honestly, back during 2002- 2004 when my set was not complete, I was on top of any and all 30 cent variant auction on ebay: hiddens, prices sold, grades, sellers, frequent buyers, etc. I had cyberstalking lists for several of you guys and knew what weird stuff you had picked up in the last 4 months. It was fun. Now, with two wonderful kids that love and need my attention, I barely have time to read my new weekly comics, much less post on the boards and ebay is no longer a site I visit daily So every now and then, if you're unlucky, I might drive up the price of your next western, X-men or Sgt fury 30 cent price variant. But the rest of the variants, unless they are slabbed at 9.4 and up or are raw and have NM in the description, will definitely get passes or $5 marker bids at best.

he's reading an issue from the current Marvel Team Up series and laughing. I didn't look close enough for the rest. I know they talk about the framed Asia poster I got a kick out of that movie...how Oscar Goldman is rarer than Steve Austin and as he's packing Steve Austin up for sale he looks through the back of the head to get his "bionic eye" effect.

Yes, in one episode he is on the phone thanking someone from another Mash unit "thanks for the loan of your Captain Marvel". An avengers floating head cover!

If you call them, they will tell you all about the Ewert fiasco as well! I may just make it my sig I joined because of rickdogg too, I think...it's been so long. I've only participated on the ebay comics board before that and I felt lost since my collecting at the time was strictly off the shelf modern. I had a longbox or two of Copper Age and some Bronze mixed in so I felt a bit out of place there.

I probably deserved it. Apparently I breeched protocol by initially posting in a controversial thread. I didn’t know that newbies were only supposed to post friendly graemlins or limit discussion in topics such as which superhero is strongest? Chrisco37! ...probably a drunken driveby posting, more likely

1-800-NM-COMICS - this number is the answer to all!

Many of us have sworn off doing that since many folks snipe at the last second and looking at the ended auction bid histories for this seller showed 2 variant collectors I know who won books from her. Did not want to butt in to this one and figured I'd hit the winner up with more details on the book's conditions and if they want to sell. Good luck guys... I'm always interested in upgrading westerns...

- let me know if there are no takers - I need an upgrade - I'd gladly work my undercopy to the person who needs one for their set for a real steal of a deal

Today I was home from work, nursing a worsening cold. One good thing was I was there for packages and I got several today; mostly Millies I've been winning all week, but to top the pile off today: The Thunder from Down Under, forumite Blowout came thru with some sweet price variants from the Scottish collection, which is slowly being reunited You weren't kidding about the NM-ness of these books - shiny mylar always does the trick. I thought you said the Def 38 was a vf/NM - definitely a pleasant surprise From what I've read, Lee has been hooking up forumites left and right lately. Also in that batch, Johnenock came thru again with some gorgeous moderns - a top grade CGC 9.8 USM 4 that remember I couldn't get on my own slabbed for the longest time. And a Red Sonja 0 retailer variant with the sketch linsner coverCGc 8.5! Well packed and speedily shipped. Thanks again!

Once again, I've gotten a package from nikos that was just exemplary! He goes above and beyond to make sure the buyer is satisfied. The box had a sweet horror head sketch with the words "trick or treat" on it. Man, you're good The item I won for a steal from his last ebay sale, a slabbed Subby 34 was wrapped extra carefully along with two sweet exxtra bronze age horro books that I totally didn't expect! I'll have to take my scalpel to the top of that Weird Mystery 14 and show you how the makeover turns out Thanks for making it easy to deal with forumites

what's up with this duck book? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3972&item=6569987625

Sorry Andy - I tool a look at the dealer's other auctions (nice selection by the way - affordable for those of us who don't want to or can't shell out $32K for VF/NM slabbed copies )and saw another that might have that top staple issue as well - the JLA 5 But I found his shipping notes pretty funny...looks like he loves Canadians freak'n Greggy...

A big thanks to Sal for our first deal ever off these boards - a throng of "Greggy-sweet" DC Whitman variants! Sent the books before I paid. I even forgot to pay for them after I had them for a day or two ...then Sal even reminded me to pay for them! What a guy! Thanks for going out of your way on this one.

Great Chamber of Darkness 7 from johnenock off ebay! Glad to deal with you

Wins this week off ebay: Daredevil 136 variant CGC 8.0 - HTF in HG - I didn't have a slabbed copy until now. My collection copy was a $45 purchase from Metro with a razor slice going thru Daredevil on the cover and into the next 3 pages Doctor Strange 17 variant CGC 9.4; my registry copy was a 9.2 Fantastic Four 169 variant CGC 9.2 - my collection copy was unslabbed because it was a VF+ copy except for a flaw on the spine, as if someone started to cut the book with scissors - the cut went thru the entire book Jungle Action 22 variant CGC 9.4 - another doozy to find in hard grade - my copies have all been in the FN/VF range and I had a nice candidate from metarog that I will end up sending in eventually. Hoped to do it onsite at Balto, but alas, it was not to be... Marvel Double Feature 15 variant CGC 9.2 - tough in HG - at least for me, all I've come across were FN/VF copies, tops Marvel Double Feature 17 variant CGC 8.0 - tough even in VF, IMO - Marvel's Greatest Comics 63 variant CGC 9.0 - my old copy was a CGC 7.0 that I thought had great eye appeal and could have passed for a NM copy - I'll have to check grader notes on that but I'm sure it is due to some fatal flaw. I know variant guys like Shield_Agent and metarog who don't really care about the number on the label and can appreciate my "reject" for the pretty book that it is Marvel Two-In-One 15 variant CGC 9.4 - it beat out my former top census 9.2 - had to upgrade How did this book get in here? Snipe gone wrong? Actually was hoping to pick up the Night Nurse 1 CGC 9.6 as well from JE but underestimated the bidding on that. Now DKB and I can drool over this copy next time we hook up for a comic trade? What a sweet sweet deal for a 35 cent variant in CGC 9.2 - $50!!! Yes, it's Tarzan 1 but, for a 35 center, I'm thrilled!