Shadow

I started in 1978 also and your list is just like mine!

Amen

Lange Sports & Comics were there with a small booth. (If that's who you were referring to. ) They have a store in Muskegon. Usually find some good deals there.

Guess I was wrong. Won't upgrade for that.

Yes. Example of a non-major key: I’ve been looking to upgrade my X-Men 102. It’s $135 as a 9.2 in OSPG. I know that’s not always reliable. Saw a CGC 9.4. Thought maybe $200? Guy had it for $450. I politely handed it back and kept moving.

Drove an hour up to Macomb County for the Great Lakes Comic Con today. I have to say it's a very good smaller show. I go in with lower expectations than a C2E2 or Motor City and was pleasantly surprised. Naturally, there's a mix there. Some dealers charging crazy prices and some who couldn't grade if their life depended on it. But I found plenty of nice books and deals. Well represented with a small Artist Alley as well. (I have zero interest in most guests so hard for me to judge). Only one thing a "dealer" had bothered me. He had a $75 Avengers #103 book. Black picture frame cover. At first glance it looked pretty nice but I noticed there were spine creases that gave off a purplish-black coloration and different sheen. Warning flags told me it was touched up with a Sharpie. I asked if I could see the book in hand and if he wanted to take it out. His response was no, if I bought it, I could examine it. I politely told him it appeared someone had touched up the cover and he muttered that he uses a UV scanner to examine his books. Immediately walked away and made the mental note to avoid his booth if I were to ever see him in the future. I got burned by that when I was younger and this site has educated me! But someone is going to fall for that... All in all, well run Show and got some books I needed as well as just "buying" some in $5 bins.

I usually skip the $1 boxes. I do check the $5 boxes but if they look beat up and unorganized, I move on. Sometimes you just pick up a vibe...

I always liked his art and he was in his prime in my youth with NTT. As an artist, I found him consistent like Swan but could do dynamic art better. He could do the big battle scenes with multiple characters. I had the pleasure of meeting him twice. First time was before huge artists lines at the Cons. Walked right up at a Motor City show with no line. Told him how appreciative I was of his work and he signed my Crisis TPB. Last time was in Chicago a few years ago and so grateful that he signed a NTT #1 poster and a Crisis cover print on a wood placard (I think from Hobby Lobby years before). Always pleasant and friendly when I saw him.

I'm in the "upgrade" camp and don't really have any big dollar books as duplicates. (over $100) Mostly upgrading stuff I bought as a kid or when my grading experience wasn't as good as it is now since I joined the Boards 18 years ago. I've learned a lot being a member here. I have bought books I forgot to check off my Want List over again.

Huge shout out to Shadroch! The Omnibus alone was extremely generous. But to get a Steranko Cap, 1st Prowler in Spidey, some signed books, etc. Wow!

Thank you for another well done Holiday Raffle and all the hard work you put in!

Agreed. Doesn't feel like it when you send the list...

Pretty cool! One of my Top 10 made it to #50

Not sure if that means I'm up. If #9 is till left, it was in my Top 10!

For this year, my focus is more on completing runs (I have that curse) and lesser books. I was fortunate over the last 2 1/2 years to acquire some long sought key "grails" for me. Started with a GS X-Men #1 CGC 8.0, followed by MTU #1, Avengers #4 CGC 7.0 and HOS 92 CGC 6.5. The latest market prices are driving these up crazy. If I was a flipper, I'd be doing well. But, I'm not and these were books I wanted since I started 40+ years ago. This year, I'd like to focus on: 10 more issues of MTU (mid teens and 20's) to complete the set 2 more issues of 1970's Adventure with Aparo "Spectre" 12 more issues of Avengers to have from 100 - 255 8 more issues of World's Finest in the low 200's to have from 200 to the end in the 300's From a "grail" perspective, probably World's Finest #71. X-Men #1 is now well out of my hobby price range but still need #2 - #6 plus a smattering in the Silver Age. What I'd like to find the discipline to do: Stop the endless upgrading. Just wrapped upgrading Conan set with an upgrade to #6. Maybe if I sold the books or sent books to CGC it would make sense... Skinny the collection down. I have over 5500 books but there is a bunch of fodder from the 90's and 2000's. My top 35 books account for 30% of the value. (At least via OSPG... I know, I know.) Then I remind myself that The DC Comics Presents with the first He-Man used to be Dollar fodder... Thanks fully I kept that from when I originally bought it back in the day.

Blessed to have gotten the chance to meet him twice, especially his last C2E2 convention. What a gentleman! Appreciated his art style and stories of my youth. Thank you George and god speed on your journey.

Struggled for days to get in. Tried Google Chrome on PC and IPad and got in.

If that's a tear on the back, I'd say 4.0, maybe 4.5. Still looks nice!

5.0 is how I would grade it. Range maybe down to 4.5 but that may be harsh in my book. Optimistic at a 5.5

I'm in. Best time of year at the site (even if I royally messed up on not signing up for Secret Santa this year...) Let's go with a Superman & Barbarians+ theme.

Totally messed up and missed this... If it's too late, I totally understand. Or if you need a back-up Santa, let me know

Very 1970's cool!

This one is new to me. I bought an upgrade to my Aquaman #61 at Motor City this weekend. (This issue was at the same month I started collecting back in the day. Nostalgia rules the day for me...) I noticed there is a pull out survey. Something tells me if I fill it out in 2021, there will no longer be a chance at a "special DC gift".

Thanks. I had it as a 7.0 and it was worth the $7 I paid for it.

Bought this on impulse pretty cheap as I like the 100 Pagers and Giant Size books. Hard to see in the scans but has non-color breaking ripples in the spine. Not sure how that effects the grade? Not sure if the glue bindery is considered a defect? Thanks for the input