Randall Ries

If I spend $3k plus on the book, my wife will likely staple my penniz to my stomach while I sleep. I just spent $2K on a Bats 232 9.6 ow/w. When she found out, I saw her rifling through the junk drawer looking for staples.

That is a good point. I have seen many books that were graded 7.0 and looked 9.0 but got them at 7.0 prices. Who sez CGC graders are the last word in presentation? Almost every Neal Adams Strange Adventures I have is graded 7.0 and look far better. Maybe the grader doesn't like Deadman. For a major key like 181, I would prefer it to be a higher mid grade at least. Hence the trade possibility. If I spend $3k plus on the book, my wife will likely staple my penniz to my stomach while I sleep. I just spent $2K on a Bats 232 9.6 ow/w. When she found out, I saw her rifling through the junk drawer looking for staples.

High grade is kind of important to me at this point. If I were collecting the entire Superman run I could go with lower grade copies. My collecting wants/tastes run kind of erratically. Even mid grade, IH 181 is seeing $3-$3500.00 in 8.5. The thing is a steamroller right now. I also have a bad habit of buying on the bell curve. Like my frickin' house. Bought at the top of the bubble in 2006.

Thanks for the info. I have a hard time putting a value on the 16 because of a lack of hard sales data. Only three books grade higher than an 8.5. My biggest concern s if Wolvie's popularity takes a nose dive. It seems like at some point it will. One or two lousy movies could do that. But even giving that, it will still be the 1st appearance of a character that has had a huge impact on the bronze age. Trading a GA book for a BA book seems unnatural somehow. Plus, this IH 181 has ow pages despite being a 9.4.

That's why I lean toward not doing a trade. GA is steady while BA can be a bumpy ride. Towering peaks and debilitating crashes. If Wolvie loses popularity for some reason, th-th-th-that's all, folks for IH 181.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Incredible-Hulk-181-CGC-9-4-Nov-1974-Marvel-/182748246586?epid=85340044&hash=item2a8ca4f23a:g:PcEAAOSw791ZrcDI https://www.ebay.com/itm/INCREDIBLE-HULK-181-CGC-9-4-OW-OFFERS-TRADES-SEVERAL-COPIES-AVAIL-/252771652906?hash=item3ada5d552a:g:kRMAAOSwax5Yo-7m https://www.ebay.com/itm/Incredible-Hulk-181-CGC-9-4-white-pages-1st-full-Wolverine-/263266078409?hash=item3d4be18ec9:g:qRIAAOSwH5pZ5PdK https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hulk-181-CBCS-9-4-Marvel-1974-1st-Wolverine-X-Men-Like-CGC-G9-cm-/282677567290?hash=item41d0e55f3a:g:7YIAAOSw3G1Z0d-V https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hulk-181-CBCS-9-4-Marvel-1974-1st-Wolverine-White-Pages-X-Men-Like-CGC-G9-cm-/292283872631?hash=item440d79f577:g:EqoAAOSwak5Z2IJA https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hulk-181-CGC-9-4-1974-1st-Wolverine-WHITE-pages-X-Men-D12-121-1-cm-/281792944672?hash=item419c2b1a20:g:Vy8AAOSwwTlUpv7A https://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-INCREDIBLE-HULK-181-CGC-9-4-SS-STAN-LEE-1ST-APP-OF-WOLVERINE-L-K-IT-/112485453506?hash=item1a30a7cec2:g:dDEAAOSweN9Z459b

I put this in the GA/Bronze age forums. As an investment yes certainly. My only real concern with a trade like this is if IH 181 hits a wall or Wolverine falls out of grace. He has been pushed by the movies and different books. If his popularity wanes, a lot of collectors will be sad. I don't want to be one of them. But it has shown no signs of slowing. Like Walking Dead #1, once the tv show goes away - and may it be soon - that issue will come tumbling down in value. I keep books for awhile, then trade for something I haven't owned yet once in awhile. I don't have a real attachment to IH 181 other than it's a major bronze key book right now. Probably the top key. I think too the Supes is the better to hold onto for the long term. Last time an 8.5 sold, according to GPA for Comics, was 2006 for $1610. Have to think it's worth more than that. Guy wants $6999.00 for his Hulk. The difference in Golden vs Bronze and overall availability should cover a moderate amount of ground while considering this trade. There are thousands of 181's in existence driven by a 1st appearance and nothing else and I doubt there are that many of the Supes by a long shot.

Well, I have been thinking about trading my Superman #16 CGC 8.5 o/w pages for an Incredible Hulk #181 9.4 ow. While I know there are many variables involved, I'd like to hear from the experts. I'm leaning toward not, myself.

Well, I have been thinking about trading my Superman #16 CGC 8.5 o/w pages for an Incredible Hulk #181 9.4 ow. While I know there are many variables involved, I'd like to hear from the experts. I'm leaning toward not, myself.

I have the Batman /Ra's Al Ghul Adams Treasury (C-51) graded by CBCS. They put it in a sturdy plastic sleeve with a backing board. The grade is in a little tab on the front. The sleeve is sealed by two little CBCS tabs on the back. I have to assume if you break the tabs, it voids the grade. Mine is a 9.2. Maybe someday this site won't get all butthurt when we want to show our other books graded by another company. CBCS allows CGC graded scans.

Why even bother with Overstreet anymore? It seems like eBay is the Price Guide now. That and the auction houses like Metro and CLINK. Guess we pay for convenience. Through the nose.

Here's the rub: Is eBay actually driving the prices of this book? What IS FMV if not?

I only have a 9.0. Quite happy with it. It was chosen for reprint in "Batman: From The '30's through the '70's" way back when. That's when I got turned on to it.

I have been carping a little on this book. I just got it in the mail and for the life of me I can't see any flaws whatsoever. Why it only garnered an 8.5 is perplexing. On the other hand, I got it for a very low price.

Considering most graded copies are cr/ow page quality and the covers are usually smashed, I'd say you did well! Maybe you will share some scans someday.

Wow! That's really heavy! HOS #92 went nuts price wise. One of each is all I can have for now. Too many other books that I want before I start doubling up.

I just got this in the mail. I can't find ANYTHING wrong with this book. Unless theres something going on inside, this deserves better than an 8.5. Hate the ambiguity of grading.

Yeah. I didn't really want an HOS #92 initially. After I collected ST 1-10 in high grade, my OCD said Something's missing. Something's missing. Something's missing. So, I got a 9.0 for $900. Then several years later, I traded it. A year later, my OCD said Something's missing. Something's missing. Something's missing.

I wouldn't slab it. If I found a really nice copy, say in the 9.0-9.8 range, then yeah I'd send it to be slabbed. It's a valuable book and a "key" of sorts, even though the story offers no new characters or developments and is mediocre. It's the cover that is the draw. Black cover and an Adams swipe of a Kane cover. Most of these books have been reprinted or can be found online so our really nice copy can remain untouched by our chicken finger/Dorito stained fingers. I have a 9.4 ow/w. I'm not about to bust it out just to read it.

Really nice 9.2! Congratulations!

Nice! So jealous. Congratulations!

She had and still has one SICK mofo collection. She was given an award for having every single issue DC Comics ever printed. She bought a second house to store all her books in. She showed me her private stash. All the Golden Age #1's. ALL of them. She let me hold her Action 1, Detective 27, Superman and Batman 1's. All the keys. I thought I would pass out. I'll never forget it. I wasn't mature back then, per se. I was dead broke and had little means of fixing the situation. Unskilled labor with a chip on his shoulder. It has been a really rough ride. It's over now and much better. But I am 20 years behind where I should be. My grail is still a Batman #1. Will never see one in my possession.

I wish that were the case for myself at that time. I was 20 years old and literally had no where near $3k for a Batman #1. We had a new baby and money was almost non existent. Even if I had $3k back then, I would have been divorced a lot sooner than I was if I had spent it on a "comic book". What I am left with was foresight back then and hindsight now. Ah, well. The woman selling the #1 had two more plus issues 2-52 in a bag a farmer brought into her store. So, I bought a #9 and the #52. Paid $90 for both, I think. She was very cool. She gave me the choice between one of the three #1's. Made no difference.

In 1983, I had an opportunity to buy a Batman #1 6.0-ish for $3,000. I wasn't a fool. I didn't have $3,000 was all. Now - thirty three years later - I don't have $90,000. I get what I can get at the moment. Thinking about what might have been will drive one crazy.