MBFan

What issue number is that?

If I could "Like" your post a million times, I would. You have clearly defined what so many others overlook: Matt Baker's men were just as distinctive as his women. If a person wants to develop an eye for authentic Matt Baker work, they must learn to recognize Baker dudes.

To be generous, MAYBE someone was trying to copy Baker's style for the girls' expressions, but that does not look like authentic Matt Baker art to me. In 1951 he was busy turning out stellar work for St. John. That I know of, the only Baker art in a Star publication is in All Famous Police Cases #7. “Death Is Its Only Reward”, featuring Inspector Layton, appears to be a previously unused Inspector Dayton story from Baker’s time at the Iger Shop. And the leading lady in that story epitomizes the work Baker was doing at the shop during those days.

That Gang Girl splash is a nice example of Baker pencils and Baker inks from an era when much of his comic book work was mangled by the inking of Vince Colletta.

Since no one else has responded to you in the past 3 days, here are CGC's prescreen details from the Services & Fees page: Grade PreScreen Only encapsulate comic books or magazines that reach your minimum grade. There is no minimum submission requirement to select Grade PreScreen. Tier fee OR $9 per reject

Sent CGC an email 2 days ago regarding their lateness with my small order. Did not receive a reply, but my order was marked as "Shipped" today.

Thanks for your report. CGC is obviously behind on Vintage without Fast Track. They should quit showing a 30-day turnaround on the web when it's not true. CGC listed my small 5-book order as Received and Scheduled for Grading 9 business days before your books. My books entered Grading/Encapsulation/Imaging the week before yours. I'm happy you got your books back and they all look great, but I'm wondering why mine are stuck in Grading/Encapsulation/Imaging.

Was lucky enough to find a raw copy 8 years ago.

5 Vintage (Not foreign or anything unusual) CGC Received and Scheduled for Grading 1/30/24 Grading/Encapsulation/Imaging 3/15 If CGC was meeting the 30-working-days Vintage turnaround shown online, they would have been finished with my order by 3/15. Will update when the books move from G/E/I.

Your copy is the US version, with "LN" and "AUG. SEPT." at the top right. It might be rarer than the Canadian printing sold at HA.

The handwritten cursive "P" on the cover looks like the one on many Pennsylvania Pedigree books.

Quality Publications romance titles like Heart Throbs had a thing about featuring teary-eyed girls on the cover. Matt Baker rarely used tears to make a point, especially during his St. John run. Baker drew an expression on the girl's face on Heart Throbs 46 that didn't require a teardrop to convey the necessary emotion. Perhaps the editor asked the inker to add one.

The markings on these books look kind of like those on your Ohio copies.

Got mine slabbed last year.

I don't know if it'll work on the "white discoloration", but I have used Novus to successfully remove scratches from CGC slabs. Disclaimer: YMMV. Practice on an inconspicuous spot on a slab you care least about. Some people use PolyWatch, but I have no personal experience with it.