GeeksAreMyPeeps

I'm not your dude, buddy!

It's funny, but an option isn't really much of anything. Basically it lets a studio (or perhaps not even a studio, maybe just a no-name producer trying to build some cred) try to raise interest/funding to produce a movie. I think if I created an independent comic, I would print tons extra, and then give away the option to a studio (lots of small studios try to get an option to develop a property for free, but professionals will pay for them (and people will expect to be paid) and then announce the property was optioned, and sell all the extras to cover the cost of comic production.

The bottom line is that CGC is in the business of grading, not of identifying first appearances. My understanding is that if you ask them to note something on the label, they will try to verify whether that information is accurate, and if it is, they'll add it. King Shark is probably not important enough a character for people to be asking them to confirm first appearances or cameos. Historically, if you wanted to read a story, you needed to buy the original comic that the story appeared in. That's why Hulk 181 and Spider-man 300 go for more than the previous issue. People wanted to read the first story of a character, not a story that ended with a tease for the character. And it takes a long time for something like that to correct, if it ever does. Arguably, the original Valiant line changed the game, as they had a habit of introducing new characters with a last-page cameo for characters that they had already announced were going to be starring in their own series, and this happened at a time when people were speculating heavily on Valiant. First appearances of Harbinger were going for a ton when Eternal Warrior #4 hit the stand with a Bloodshot cameo, who had a series coming. Bloodshot #6 teased Ninjak. Shadowman #16 teased Dr. Mirage. So those books were gobbled up. With collected editions and digital editions readily available for people to read, the first appearance, even if it's a cameo, carries a greater weight than it used to.

The book you want is Action 598.

I found while going through various bookshelf format titles that most were barcode-only and it made sense to list the exceptions.

I picked up several copies of #1 when it first came out. I sold or traded a couple years ago, but I still have a 9.6, and a Neil-Gaiman–signed #1 and Orpheus Special (which is also the first appearance of one of the Endless), that also has a tiny sketch by Gaiman

Apparently there's a rumor because someone just said it. It doesn't mean it's a reliable rumor

Don't forget Stardust.

Good to know. It's a Rai #0 and really only worth grading (at this time) if it's at least a 9.6.

They sell so much that it's entirely possible that they missed changing the price in one of the locations. I recently bought two copies of a Valiant incentive variant from their eBay store. They were listed as the same condition but at two different prices. They only delivered one, and said the other was out of stock. I imagine they had just listed it twice and didn't realize it.

If they price the book sky-high on their site, they can try to make it seem like a really good deal when it's 40-60% off.

Book is otherwise pretty close to perfect, but has this rumpling in the corner which obviously puts it far from perfect. Just not where this falls on the scale. In a white area, so no color loss.

Harbinger 1 is notorious for spine splits and pressing can make it worse: http://valiantfans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47130

It's entirely possible that they printed a large excess, knowing that shops are going to want to re-order. That's what seemed to have happened with the recent issues, based on their availability to order after the release

I think all of the series Marvel launched around this time had an early variant. The Avengers family of books (Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor) all had "Sunburst" variants for #1. Many other titles had a second cover for the second issue. I guess to keep the orders up after #1?

This is correct. The Lizard does not appear in the second printing.

You mean Chromium front cover/card back, right?

Really? If we can't agree, then we should just accept your garbage argument? How about no.

Not sure if this has been the case for a while, but you can hav auctions renew without being charged for the listing (either as a free listing or with an insertion fee) for up to 8 times. So you're essentially getting two months for a lot to be listed for only one insertion. I did notice they're changing the 30-day listing to once-a-month, so it'll always be on the same day of the month.

You're trying to conflate two different meanings of the word "appear." In the terminology of comic collecting, that has always been understood amongst reasonable people to mean the inclusion of a character, thing, place, etc. in a story. You'd like it to now mean the more generic definition of "appear" and be equivalent to "depiction" but that's not how the hobby works, or has worked.

The first appearance of Wolverine is and always has been Hulk 180. But that's not been the more desirable book for collectors, historically.

Maybe, but the people doing the speculating here aren't the people running the site. That's the big difference.

Speculation is an element of the conversation here, but this is much more than a "spec site"

"Never thought of it" = "Saw absolutely no importance attached to it"

Shannon is a guy?