marvelmaniac

As far as I know, "Variant Covers" started in the 90's although a Google Search has uncovered that the 1st was the 1986 1st issue of The Man Of Steel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variant_cover The 1st ones I remember the most were X-Men (1991) which had 5 different covers for issue #1, between Cover Variants and Gimmick Covers (Ghost Rider Vol. 3 issue 15, Glow In The Dark Cover) in the 90's, with all of the issues being printed and people hoarding them and creating unrealistic prices/shortages for "new" books, it was almost the demise of the comic industry. This was the headline in the Philadelphia Daily News in 12/96, I saw this in the newspaper vending machine at Denny's and had to buy it.

Blunted/rounded corners with some creasing, moderate to severe spine stress with a long (3"- 4") spine split, rusty staples, slight to moderate foxing/dust shadow on rear cover, creasing/wrinkling at top right corner/edge of rear cover. I cannot see/do not know, if the cover/centerfold is loose/detached at one or both staples or what the pages look like, going by what I can see, it brings up a sort of dilemma, the defects listed above, especially the spine split would put this book in the FR/GD 1.5 to GD- 1.8 range, however, the cover itself is much better than that, since a comic is graded by its overall condition, not just its worse defect I would grade this book at a... 3.0 GOOD/VERY GOOD (GD/VG): Back to TopA used comic book showing some substantial wear. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Cover reflectivity is very low. Can have a book-length crease and/or dimples. Corners may be blunted or even rounded. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is allowed. A triangle from 1/4" to 1/2" can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" to 1/4" square is also acceptable. Tape and other amateur repair may be present. Moderate spine roll likely. May have a spine split of anywhere from 1" to 1-1/2". Staples may be rusted or replaced. Minor to moderate staple tears and moderate stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one staple. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present.

All depends on the overall condition of the books, I would suggest you post pics of the books in question, clear pics of the outside/inside of the front and rear covers, splash page, last page and centerfold. I have a couple of raw books with binder holes but the cover is also detached, other than that they would have been in the FN 6.0 range, I graded them at a FR 1.0.

If the books are being stored in your home that is heated and air conditioned there should not be any issues with excess humidity, I only have two slabbed books and have never encountered any moisture issues inside the case or with any of my books. If you are that concerned about humidity use a de-humidifier in the room or place a Desiccant with the books if they are in a safety deposit box or safe, just remember, for proper storage you want temps between 68-72 degrees and humidity at 40-50%, if the humidity is too low the pages may become dry and brittle. This is from the American Library Association and the Library Of Congress. https://www.ala.org/alcts/sites/ala.org.alcts/files/content/_MeltzerBkmk16.pdf https://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/comics.html

9.4 NEAR MINT (NM): Back to TopNearly perfect with only minor imperfections that keep it from the next higher grade. Subtle bindery/printing defects are allowed. Bindery tears must be less than 1/16" on Silver Age and later books, although on Golden Age books bindery tears of up to 1/4" have been noted. Cover is flat with no surface wear. Inks are bright with high reflectivity and a minimum of fading. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever-so-slight blunting permitted. A 1/16" bend is permitted with no color break. Small, inconspicuous, lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable as long as they are in an unobtrusive location. Slight foxing. Spine is tight and flat. Staples are generally centered; may have slight discoloration. Almost no stress lines. Paper is off-white to cream, supple and fresh. Slight interior tears are allowed.

I do not see any other defects other than what you already mentioned, I do not know if the impressions/indentations are a bindery issue or a stacking issue or how you would be able to tell the difference, My Son had an ASM 361, it did not have those indentations/impressions on the rear cover. I will give the benefit of doubt that they are there due to a bindery issue, if someone knows how to tell the difference, Please let us know. With the indentations, slight color breaking spine ticks (which I understand CGC has become lenient on) and the small tear the book still presents extremely well, IMO, the book grades at least... 9.0 VERY FINE/NEAR MINT (VF/NM): Back to TopNearly perfect with outstanding eye appeal. A limited number of bindery/printing defects are allowed. Cover is almost flat with almost imperceptible wear. Inks are bright with slightly diminished reflectivity. An 1/8" bend is allowed if color is not broken. Corners are cut square and sharp with ever-so-slight blunting permitted but no creases. Several lightly penciled, stamped or inked arrival dates are acceptable. Very minor foxing. Spine is tight and flat. Staples may show some discoloration. Only the slightest staple tears are allowed. A very minor accumulation of stress lines may be present if they are nearly imperceptible. Paper is off-white to cream and supple. Very minor interior tears may be present.

Edge/corner wear w/slight corner creasing and some color loss, minor spine stress w/slight color breaks, stain on rear cover w/bleed through. To me, it is more the small, color breaking corner creases than the stain that keeps the book from being a higher grade, even though I hear CGC is hard on staining (?), overall the book, IMO, is very nice and if it were mine it would be graded at... 7.5 VERY FINE- (VF-): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Very Fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 7.0 FINE/VERY FINE (FN/VF): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. A small accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear beginning to show, possibly including minor creases. Corners may be blunted. Inks are generally bright with a moderate reduction in reflectivity. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor foxing. The slightest spine roll may be present, as well as a possible moderate color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Slight staple tears and a small accumulation of light stress lines may be present. Slight rust migration. Paper is cream to tan. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present.

Moderate spine roll w/fanned pages, slightly blunted corners, what appears to be a small crease at the lower right corner, minor spine stress, slight color rub in the "Marvel Comics Banner", dented upper edge on rear cover, small stain (tear?) at lower edge of rear cover. It is hard for these old eyes to see anything else with the White Cover in a picture. If I were to be extremely technical the spine roll would put this book at a FN- 5.5 to FN 6.0, however, overall the book looks very good, so... IMO... 7.0 FINE/VERY FINE (FN/VF): Back to TopAn above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. A small accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear beginning to show, possibly including minor creases. Corners may be blunted. Inks are generally bright with a moderate reduction in reflectivity. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor foxing. The slightest spine roll may be present, as well as a possible moderate color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Slight staple tears and a small accumulation of light stress lines may be present. Slight rust migration. Paper is cream to tan. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present.

Welcome To The Boards!!! Just an FYI for next time, when taking pics to post Please remove the book from the bag, show a clear/full picture of the front and rear covers. Blunted corners, edge wear, multiple color breaking creases, moderate spine stress w/color breaking spine ticks, wrinkling of the cover by "Thor's foot and under the price box, large piece missing from the outer edge. Without the large piece missing this book, IMO, would have been in the VG+ 4.5 to VG/FN 5.0 range, with the piece missing the grade will naturally be lower, the book overall is much nicer than a FR/GD 1.5 which allows pieces like that to be missing, so, IMO... GD- 1.8 GD 2.0 - The largest piece allowed missing from the front or back cover is usually a 1/2" triangle or a 1/4" square, GD/VG 3.0 - A triangle from 1/4" to 1/2" can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" to 1/4" square is also acceptable. VG 4.0 - As much as a 1/4" triangle can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" square is also acceptable.

I cannot answer any questions on a clean and press since I do not use this service so I will grade the book by what I see. Question, is that a stacking crease running along the top? All I see with this book is... slight edge/corner wear with a dented edge/corner at the top left, what appears to be about a 3" crease from the price box across the "AM" in Amazing, slightly discolored staples, a stacking curl at the top left edge of the rear cover, minor foxing/dust shadow on rear cover. The way the book sits right now, IMO...VF 8.0

That is extremely useful info, I just checked my Overstreet Grading Guide and there is was, I had absolutely no idea that was in there. What else can I say except... Thank You!!!

Severe spine roll w/fanned pages, slight dust shadow, edge wear with small tears and denting, minor spine ticks. I do not see any major defects besides the spine roll. IMO, the spine roll keeps this book from being a higher grade. FN- 5.5 6.0 FINE (FN): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no significant creasing or other serious defects. Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases. Inks show a significant reduction in reflectivity. Blunted corners are more common, as is minor staining, soiling, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor spine roll is allowed. There can also be a 1/4" spine split or severe color break. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and a few slight stress lines may be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown and fairly supple with no signs of brittleness. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. Centerfold may be loose. 5.5 FINE- (FN-): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Fine but with an additional defect or small accumulation of defects that detracts from the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 5.0 VERY GOOD/FINE (VG/FN): Back to Top An above-average but well used comic book. An accumulation of bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor to moderate cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases and/or dimples. Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. Blunted corners are increasingly common, as is minor to moderate staining, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor to moderate spine roll is allowed. A spine split of up to 1/2" may be present. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and minor stress lines may also be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown with no signs of brittleness. Centerfold may be loose. Minor interior tears may also be present.

I cannot answer your question about a clean and press since I do not use these services. The pics are not very clear and sharp so it is difficult to see any small defects with the white cover. Blunted/rounded corners, edge wear with a few small tears, moderate dust shadow on spine/lower edge of front cover and spine of rear cover, slight spine roll, I do not see any "major" defects. IMO, the dust shadow prevents this book from being a higher grade, so... FN+ 6.5 7.0 FINE/VERY FINE (FN/VF): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. A small accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear beginning to show, possibly including minor creases. Corners may be blunted. Inks are generally bright with a moderate reduction in reflectivity. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor foxing. The slightest spine roll may be present, as well as a possible moderate color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Slight staple tears and a small accumulation of light stress lines may be present. Slight rust migration. Paper is cream to tan. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. 6.5 FINE+ (FN+): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 6.0 FINE (FN): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no significant creasing or other serious defects. Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases. Inks show a significant reduction in reflectivity. Blunted corners are more common, as is minor staining, soiling, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor spine roll is allowed. There can also be a 1/4" spine split or severe color break. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and a few slight stress lines may be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown and fairly supple with no signs of brittleness. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. Centerfold may be loose.

Welcome To The Boards!!! Grading has so many "Gray" areas and terms used such as were mentioned above or words such as slight, small, minor, minimal, etc. and these words are all similar, they may have the same meaning or may be interpreted differently by different folks, this makes grading and agreeing on a grade very difficult at best. Here is an example of confusion, from Heritage and probably Overstreet...FN 6.0 6.0 FINE (FN): Back to TopAn above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no significant creasing or other serious defects. Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases "No Significant Creasing", "With Minor to Moderate Creases" how do you interpret that, what is the difference between Moderate and Significant, isn't that open to individual interpretation since there are no black and white definitions in the grading guide, such as if it is this length is minor or this length makes it moderate, etc. I have always used Overstreet and Heritage Auctions grading standards so I am somewhat consistent on the books I grade, I have nothing against CGC or CGC graded books, however, from what I have seen/read on this site CGC has been inconsistent in their grading and they tend to change their view on certain books depending on the book and the market, however, it is CGC grading and their standards that most dealers use these days. https://comics.ha.com/tutorial/comics-grading.s?show=comicdefinitions Just find a grading tool you are comfortable with and use it to learn the terminology and how to grade, then you will be able to compare the other grading guides/tools out there. Grade a couple of your books, write down the defects you see and the grade you determined the book to be, then post clear pics of the book (Front and rear covers, inside cover(s) with the splash page and centerfold, clear pics of the staples, spine and corners) then post the pics in the https://boards.cgccomics.com/forum/42-hey-buddy-can-you-spare-a-grade/ , do not post the defects/grade you have written down, this way you will see what others say without your hints/clues to see how accurate you are. The grading standards listed on this site are far outdated, however, the glossary is great. http://www.teako170.com/grade.html

Dented corners w/slight creasing, 1" crease at lower right corner, edge wear w/color loss, moderate to severe spine stress with a few color breaking spine ticks, moderate staple tears, 1" spine split at lower edge, moderate spine roll/fanned pages, moderate staining/soiling/foxing on rear cover, slight tears on the lower edge of the rear cover, 1/2" piece missing from the left lower corner of rear cover, piece missing from last page. Since this is a Golden Age book you may get some leeway if sent for grading, however, due to this book being a low grade copy you will get a blue label and the book will be graded with all of its defects present. IMO this book would be a GD/VG 3.0 if the piece was not missing from the interior page, with the missing piece and staining... GD 2.0 3.0 GOOD/VERY GOOD (GD/VG): Back to Top A used comic book showing some substantial wear. Cover shows significant wear, and may be loose or even detached at one staple. Cover reflectivity is very low. Can have a book-length crease and/or dimples. Corners may be blunted or even rounded. Discoloration, fading, foxing, and even minor to moderate soiling is allowed. A triangle from 1/4" to 1/2" can be missing out of the corner or edge; a missing 1/8" to 1/4" square is also acceptable. Tape and other amateur repair may be present. Moderate spine roll likely. May have a spine split of anywhere from 1" to 1-1/2". Staples may be rusted or replaced. Minor to moderate staple tears and moderate stress lines may be present, as well as some rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached at one staple. Minor to moderate interior tears may be present. 2.5 GOOD+ (GD+): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Good but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 2.0 GOOD (GD): Back to Top Shows substantial wear; often considered a "reading copy." Cover shows significant wear and may even be detached. Cover reflectivity is low and in some cases completely absent. Book-length creases and dimples may be present. Rounded corners are more common. Moderate soiling, staining, discoloration and foxing may be present. The largest piece allowed missing from the front or back cover is usually a 1/2" triangle or a 1/4" square, although some Silver Age books such as 1960s Marvels have had the price corner box clipped from the top left front cover and may be considered Good if they would otherwise have graded higher. Tape and other forms of amateur repair are common in Silver Age and older books. Spine roll is likely. May have up to a 2" spine split. Staples may be degraded, replaced or missing. Moderate staple tears and stress lines may be present, as well as rust migration. Paper is brown but not brittle. Centerfold may be loose or detached. Moderate interior tears may be present.

The cover states she is dead. "My wife was murdered so I killed your Lois Lane" vs. "You murdered the only girl I ever loved", I do not see a difference, going by the cover only it is assumed both were killed, you do not know anything else without reading the story. But I digress, this is your thread and you can allow or disallow any cover you please.

Although the yellowing above "Earth's Mightiest Heroes" appears to be color loss/color rub it is not, I checked my book and books on eBay and they all have that yellowing, so, no deduction there. Blunted corners w/slight creasing, edge wear with slight color loss, color rub in the black "Marvel Comics Group" banner, mistrimmed top edge, small color breaking scratches on cover, minor spine stress with a few color breaking spine ticks, slight staining in the price box, minor to moderate staining/foxing on rear cover. IMO...FN+ 6.5 7.0 FINE/VERY FINE (FN/VF): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. A small accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear beginning to show, possibly including minor creases. Corners may be blunted. Inks are generally bright with a moderate reduction in reflectivity. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor foxing. The slightest spine roll may be present, as well as a possible moderate color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Slight staple tears and a small accumulation of light stress lines may be present. Slight rust migration. Paper is cream to tan. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. 6.5 FINE+ (FN+): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount. 6.0 FINE (FN): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with no significant creasing or other serious defects. Some accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases. Inks show a significant reduction in reflectivity. Blunted corners are more common, as is minor staining, soiling, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor spine roll is allowed. There can also be a 1/4" spine split or severe color break. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and a few slight stress lines may be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown and fairly supple with no signs of brittleness. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. Centerfold may be loose.

If the ticks are that hard to see, my question would be, because I really do not know, does CGC use magnification when looking for defects or is it by the naked eye?

No different than the Superman 281 shown in an earlier post.

I am assuming that your original pic is highly magnified, looking at your new pic, my old eyes cannot spot the ticks, even enlarging the photo.

Is this the book you are referring to? I just looked at four CGC NM/MT 9.8 books and some 9.6/9.4's on eBay and none have those ticks, chances are they are not production flaws. Exactly where are these ticks located? Can we get a clear pic of the entire front cover?

Bottom edge wear w/color loss, top edge dented, right lower corner ding, left lower corner blunted/creased w/color loss, multiple creases/scratches and a long fold on left side of book that break color, slight staple tears, discolored staples, minor spine wear w/multiple spine ticks, slight spine roll, slight foxing on rear cover. 5.0 VERY GOOD/FINE (VG/FN): Back to TopAn above-average but well used comic book. An accumulation of bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor to moderate cover wear apparent, with minor to moderate creases and/or dimples. Inks have moderate to low reflectivity. Blunted corners are increasingly common, as is minor to moderate staining, discoloration, and/or foxing. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. A minor to moderate spine roll is allowed. A spine split of up to 1/2" may be present. Staples may show minor discoloration. Minor staple tears and minor stress lines may also be present, as well as minor rust migration. Paper is tan to brown with no signs of brittleness. Centerfold may be loose. Minor interior tears may also be present. The autograph has no affect on the grade, as far as authenticity, I have an F.F. 8 that was given to me for a Christmas gift back in 82/83 that has the same autograph on the bottom of the splash page.

Edge/corner wear w/color loss and color breaks on the corners, slight spine roll, small staple tears, minor spine stress with a few color breaking spine ticks, upper right corner dented/dinged on rear cover, slight foxing/dust shadow on rear cover. As far as grading goes, this is a personal choice, but the FMV for this book in this grade is between $15.00 - $30.00 IMO... 7.0 FINE/VERY FINE (FN/VF): Back to Top An above-average copy that shows minor wear but is still relatively flat and clean with outstanding eye appeal. A small accumulation of minor bindery/printing defects is allowed. Minor cover wear beginning to show, possibly including minor creases. Corners may be blunted. Inks are generally bright with a moderate reduction in reflectivity. Stamped or inked arrival dates may be present. Minor foxing. The slightest spine roll may be present, as well as a possible moderate color break. Staples may show some discoloration. Slight staple tears and a small accumulation of light stress lines may be present. Slight rust migration. Paper is cream to tan. Centerfold is mostly secure. Minor interior tears at the margin may be present. 6.5 FINE+ (FN+): Back to Top Fits the criteria for Fine but with an additional virtue or small accumulation of virtues that improves the book's appearance by a perceptible amount.