cranky's

That's what I was asking. Your patience is commendable.

All this makes my head hurt... sooo my question now: Is it safe to say, that pre-'79 diamond price-box comics are single-distributor pre-cursors to the industry-wide Direct Market that went into effect with the June 1979 cover date for Marvel, October 1980 for DC? And therefore... were there other companies involved other than the Whitman/Western?

I have to disagree. I think the market will eventually be more discriminating. This business more akin to a geriatric Micky Mantle signing a perfectly good 1950s baseball six decades after his heyday, with a fat sharpie- if said baseball was already an example of a highly sought-after key collectable. In the long term, collectors will seek out unsigned books or contemporary signatures, which are a far cry from the artificial, CGC-condoned defacing of already-valuable vintage books that is going on now. There are many collectors now who won't even consider paying money for these things. I predict a glut of unwanted SS copies that will be viewed for what they are, the fruit of money-grabbing promoters and grading companies, produced decades after the creators' relevance to the work at hand. OP, sell the signed copy. While you still can. Rant over.

It's an interesting subject and I applaud your enthusiasm, I really enjoy your graphic additions. As far as pre-06/79 diamonds, or whitmans go, I don't really know either, "early diamonds" maybe? But sure to say that if they predate the direct market system they are different animal entirely.

I'm beginning to really like these checkerboard DCs

Whoa, not just an article it seems... an extensive guide to prices. That could stir things up

Marwood, I think you have to be careful calling whitman copies 'direct' as they were for a different market altogether than the direct to comic store approach, which from what I can tell began in June of '79 for Marvel, so ASM 193. While they do share the diamond shape price-box, can't be classified as directs, IMO...

Picked this up recently--- a surprise, complete, affordable copy of a book I was resigned to never owning

cool

I had ASM 50 as a saved search on ebay for a long time and kept getting notified for new listings from this guy. Unbelievable how many copies he's butchered and foisted on the community.

Yes, Marvels begin 06/79. DC, 10/80 That's what I thought, but it doesn't check out. At least on ebay, both versions of the early books are readily available in pretty much equal proportions. I thought Dc directs were introduced more gradually because DCP26, a book I'v been watching, tilted towards newsstand, but it's the only example I've found that's weighted that way. I'm beginning to think as a prominent key they've been scooped up but I'm really not sure. Based on current availability I see no reason for premiums on early directs but if you know of other examples I'm all ears.

Really? It makes sense there's a market for early directs but I haven't noticed. I guess it also makes a difference in what book we're talking. Marvel directs from the get go in '79 are everywhere, while you might have to search some for say, a DCPresents 26 direct.

Whichever's higher grade. Newsstand probably more common and/but no difference pricewise for books of this age.

I'd say $7-10.

This book looks beautiful. If that's a result of pieces added during a restoration, another professional might recommend removing them. I'm not sure what grading penalties you'd incur for minor tear seals but avoid anything that results in loss of original material.

Are you implying you would cut out the areas with glue to avoid a restored grade??

2.0/2.5 Presents well, despite that lower corner

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ATOM-SHOWCASE-COMIC-BOOK-34-BATTLE-OF-THE-TINY-TITANS-1961-le2017165/263183058969?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

way cool. I like the super skrull.

I say reschedule and come up for the October show at CCC. Do other boardies have the bottom banner showing up on every page here? It's the only upcoming event I've seen advertised like this. It's also one of the only shows I get to regularly. Wondering if it's a coincidence or am I being regionally targeted somehow??

Here ya go

Ha, true. Still no better way to show off those Submariner covers...

Those are my preference too. Something about a rigid new mylar that makes even low grade books sing. I've heard people say they're bad because of how they are open at the top but I'm not too sure. For high grade or fragile books I'll place in M2's, and then into Archives.