World Devourer

Well that settles that then. I saw when it first hit ebay. Something like 50 views an hour with 40 watchers in 18 hours, and the book sold in under a day. Flipping books is not my thing, but I'd say yours was a successful one. Congrats on the sale, and yeah I'll be taking your membership key to the club house on your way out the door. -J. Before anyone pops champagne corks for this individual, take note of the following: Item listed for sale. I contact with an offer. Seller says fine, contact via CGC boards. I am tied up with family business for a day and in different timezone. Seller sends a message via Ebay, asking if I still want the item. I say yes, and follow up with another email. Then I learn via my good friend Master Jay here the item has been sold. I check the thread, and sure enough, here's the seller gloating ( ) When I advise this is unprofessional, I am advised "it is what it is" and that I am letting my emotions "get the better of me", which is ridiculous as anyone who has done business with me would know. So, one seller with more $ (albeit temporarily I'm guessing) but far less credibility. I think I will now go and snap up another AF#15 in the 2.0-3.0 grade. With a professional seller...

Well, when I finally own a ASM #667 In 9.8 W I'll celebrate every day...anyway, yes, it would nice to meet him. The "George Perez of modern times" (Perez late 70s, when first appeared. Avengers #167 is still amazing, and the splash page with the Guardians and Korvac is brilliant).

Interesting premise. Will have to check it out.

Yes, can't really go wrong investing in one of these gems. Just file it away and wait.

A check of GPA reveals $1,000 doesn't even net anything of significance from the Copper Age. Even the last of the Modern rarities are about to exceed this figure. Original poster should have done their homework first.

Each to their own. I personally see something maniacal in the eyes of our friend Arnim Zola. Kirby was quite good at drawing characters with that frenzied look. Yes, but was that intentional? A lot of other characters - including Cap - often had the same look... Agreed. Eyes wide, mouth agog...no thanks, I preferred his early work.

Each to their own. I personally see something maniacal in the eyes of our friend Arnim Zola. Kirby was quite good at drawing characters with that frenzied look.

Agreed. Much of the significance has been lost on account of this, and the simple fact it was a long time ago and new fans feel no connection. Even Crisis is now 30yrs old.

With all due respect, I think the question is flawed. $1,000 now buys nothing of note from the Bronze Age - certainly nothing that will appreciate. The "9.8 W or nothing" mentality has killed off a lot of interest in anything less. I admit I have always adhered to that mentality myself, but didn't think everyone would follow suit so quickly. I subscribe to the earlier suggestion - put the money against a substantial Copper investment.

Agreed. #123 is of greater historical significance, but #139 is "sexier" as it has character gravitas.

Why? Is it the female robot?

I should have called this the Jack Kirby thread. I also preferred his SA work to the highly exaggerated latter day stuff.

Good book that's not his second appearance. Second appearance would be ASM # 102, eight months earlier. Well, I was counting all of The Six-Armed Saga as the first...

Here's a question. Name an issue of a title you feel is under appreciated. I'll begin: Marvel Team-Up #3. Morbius' 2nd appearance and art by Gil Kane. A true gem from Marvel's great period of experimentation. Should be worth 3 times the current price. Are there others?

I have a little giggle from time to time at the thought of my 9.8 W. Then there's my ASM #129 and GSX #1 in the same grade...

I remember those two-page yellow spreads. The most expensive comic was the X-Men #94 for $40.

When it resurfaces I think $10K + is not out of the question.

Does anyone know who owns it?

I did some checking and there is a CGC 10 for 156 (Sept. 1968). Yes, 10.

Whoa. That's very obvious.

You really need to read the FF 52 thread. And you may also want to read the GL 76 thread in the BA forum. Yes, there are some post-1965 issues that are relatively scarce in 9.8, but they never turn out to be all that scarce once there is some real financial incentive for more copies to appear. Change the 'never' to 'rarely' and I would agree with you. Given that 9.6 copies of FF #51 go for over $5000, it's not for lack of financial incentive that there are no 9.8 slabbed copies after 17 years of CGC being in business - I believe a 9.8 copy would likely fetch $20,000 or more. It's not the only outlier comic, either, as others have pointed out already. Plus, there's more than a handful of early Bronze Age Marvels that have never been graded at 9.8. Maybe it's just the pressers won't get out of bed for less than $50K anymore. I guarantee that if a buyer who appeared with an ironclad offer of $80K for a FF #51 in 9.8, then one would appear. And probably more would quickly appear after that if it was a public sale. Exactly. It would be a 9.6 submitted to CGC for re-appraisal. Already tried it with the Pacific Coast copy. It stayed a 9.6. The hobby has looked very, very hard for a 9.8 copy of this ish, and in 17 years hasn't uncovered one yet, even from the many SA pedigree collections. Beautiful copy - and I suspect as good as it will ever get. Fight you for it.

Interesting. I would argue, however, that there is a direct correlation between Thor being the cheapest of the core SA Marvel titles and the lack of 9.8 graded copies. This, sir, is what I am getting at. Repetetive Asgardian sagas and no significant Marvel milestones seems to account for the lack of interest, which in turn meant very little collecting and almost no high-grade issues. Is there anyone here who collected during this period who can offer some valuable insight?

You really need to read the FF 52 thread. And you may also want to read the GL 76 thread in the BA forum. Yes, there are some post-1965 issues that are relatively scarce in 9.8, but they never turn out to be all that scarce once there is some real financial incentive for more copies to appear. Change the 'never' to 'rarely' and I would agree with you. Given that 9.6 copies of FF #51 go for over $5000, it's not for lack of financial incentive that there are no 9.8 slabbed copies after 17 years of CGC being in business - I believe a 9.8 copy would likely fetch $20,000 or more. It's not the only outlier comic, either, as others have pointed out already. Plus, there's more than a handful of early Bronze Age Marvels that have never been graded at 9.8. Maybe it's just the pressers won't get out of bed for less than $50K anymore. I guarantee that if a buyer who appeared with an ironclad offer of $80K for a FF #51 in 9.8, then one would appear. And probably more would quickly appear after that if it was a public sale. Exactly. It would be a 9.6 submitted to CGC for re-appraisal.

You really need to read the FF 52 thread. And you may also want to read the GL 76 thread in the BA forum. Yes, there are some post-1965 issues that are relatively scarce in 9.8, but they never turn out to be all that scarce once there is some real financial incentive for more copies to appear. There is certainly an incentive to slab 126 in the hopes of getting a 9.8. I bought the second 9.8 raw, graded it and sold it for $18,000 years ago. How many years ago was this and do you think the purchaser would be able to resell it for a profit in this current high flying market, given how rare these Thor books supposedly are in 9.8 condition? 6 or 7 years ago maybe? The Boston 9.8 has sold since, for a smaller number. From a strictly ROI point of view, it seems that lowest graded copies of HTF vintage comic books are much more of a sure fire winner over time than these highest graded copies of what would otherwise be common books in anything below uber HG condition. Being a high grade collector myself though, it's certainly hard not to be enticed by these pristine minty fresh looking books. Lou, you nailed it. I am the same. I enjoy the hunt and feel a sense of entitlement when I find and eventually own something ultra-rare.

and here she is https://www.pedigreecomics.com/v2/inventory/comic/028626 That's a nice find, Gotham. I have #143 in 9.8 W and am trying for a few other key issues.