Zolnerowich

Oh my, that's an incredible set of books!!! I have no words, except for these sixteen words. So 26 years for these 5 books. What 5 books are you targeting for the next 26 years?

. There's some distracting handwriting at the top. But seriously:

Hi Lou -- thanks for that unadulterated and candid history of comic book grading magicks over the last 10-12 years. Having been on a comics holiday for a couple of decades, up until about 2006, I'd been pretty ignorant about the recent evolution of this hobby. This post of yours is required reading for relative newbies like myself. I appreciate how so many of the boardies here have shared their stories and perspectives on the more sordid aspects (and commercialization) of the funny books.

Might as well throw my hat into the ring. Berk. (Though this won't be in hand until that timed payment plan times out! )

Well, in California-speak: TOTALLY RAD, DUDE-LAR!

Wow. Thanks for those splash pages, GG! I think it's time for me to crack... out that is.

Interesting and insightful though disturbing perspective. Such is the way of the world I guess.

That would me to blame, unfortunately. Actually, I blame the underbidder. And we agree: awesome cover! maybe Joe Simon's best, IMBO (in my biased opinion).

OMG! Panel 8 is to DIE for!!! What a find!!!!! And most importantly, which dealer did you convince to part with this book?

I'm really not getting all this talk about CGC undergrading books. Admittedly it's a small sample size, but the grades for the two books I've received so far from the Berk auction appear to be on target, +/- a half point. I know I sound like a shill for CGC, but I don't really see why CGC would consciously assign lower grades to the books. Such a strategy undermines the whole point of CGC, which is to provide an "objective" assessment of the quality of the book. Assuming that the dealers (I love the dealers!) have a better handle on how to grade unpressed books just seems non-sensical, for numerous reasons. Can one possibly imagine that Worldwide would have assigned a deslabbed Berk book a lower grade? The idea that a CGC 0.5 Poor can be turned into to a raw Qualified Fine just sounds like so much hocus pocus. I suppose I've got the late-nite grumps.

Thanks guys for your comments! @sacentaur -- Steve, that back story on the Planet 6 is awesome!! Really adds some extra historical flair to an already awesome book! Thanks for sharing that.

Never seen that. Pretty spectacular! A bit beauty and the beast. In a good way.

Now that's mighty fine!!

Thanks @Ricksneatstuff ! It's been quite the labor of time payments love. BTW my sig line is kind of too big. Any advice how to make it smaller? I've tried various tweaks, but it always stays the same large size. Maybe it's just meant to be large?

And all this time I thought it was his square jaw and high cheekbones. I'm always learning new things on these boards!

Double posting this Cigar to its home on Fiction House Blvd.

A very good day for the collection!

It's the flowing mane, mostly.

Yowzal! Fantastic book, Kelly, one of my favorite Zolnerowich covers, and so hard to come by! Wonderful colors on your copy. This cover always reminds me of the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz, though these tomahawk-wielding lion aliens ain't very cowardly.

Lubbers didn't do any covers for Planet Comics, but he did interiors for issues 44-47. Here are his amazing splash pages for the Space Rangers title in Planet 44 and Planet 47, the latter of which contains quite a heady illustration. Such classic GA stuff!!! Planet 44: Planet 47:

Yep. Welcome to the rabbit hole! Easy to fall into, nearly impossible to get out of! There are very few who have survived to tell that tale.

Now that's what I call multi-tasking, that Neon! Left hand body grab, left foot roundhouse kick, and right hand zapper, all the while keeping cool concentration on the parachute tank. Defying the laws of physics. Such a classic Lou Fine cover!

Great stuff! Wish I could use your lawyer to find me some awesome books!

Just catching up on this thread. Great pickup, Red!!

Goodbye Photobucket! Hello Imgur! To begin: Auro Lord of Jupiter, splash page by Joe Doolin, from Planet 52: