Get Marwood & I

Naah. Part of the fun, having a pop Stephen. They should expect it in business. "UK Edition" Indeed....

What bc said.

He said he had read this thread Stephen, and seemed genuinely interested in it all. I don't think it's ignorance - probably more likely that it's just not an area they have delved too deeply into given the overall lack of interest from large swathes of the US collecting community. In the main, CGC is an American company grading American creations. It stands to reason that they would have a lighter focus on books aimed at a narrower, non-US market. But I detect genuine interest, and am hopeful that we can help firm up the understanding of non US priced books, as others are doing elsewhere for, for example, AUS priced copies.

Do you think our cover couple were copied, or maybe inspired by a photograph? There's something uncommonly realistic about them.

The industry is full of these quirks. An AF15 that presents as a 7.0 which has a micro-trimmed back cover edge is worth less than a 3.0 with a 'naturally' torn off piece because of a purple grading label. One looks terrific, the other ugly as an ugly thing. Where's the sense in that? Grading is subjective. OA is subjective. Pricing is subjective. Your gut will tell you if you've done right.

Afternoon Scroll back a few posts and you'll find a debate concerning the merits of my calling the pence books in this thread "First Printing Pence Priced Variants". I've never been a fan of CGC's "U.K. Edition" label approach as it does not, in my opinion, adequately identify the fact that the books are first printing variants and not later reprints with repackaged content for the UK market. To further illustrate, and building on Rakehells earlier post, here are four books that CGC have labelled as "U.K. Editions": The first two are first printing price variants - one Marvel, one DC - both produced concurrently in the US with their US priced counterparts: The next two are reprints - books that were made in the UK, with repackaged US content: To call all four books "UK Editions" muddies the waters as it gives the impression that they are all the same thing which we know they are not. I would prefer to see CGC use label descriptions that highlight the key differences so that any lingering confusion is removed and the two separate entities are promoted as they should be. As readers of my US Price Font thread will know, I contacted CGC recently about the known variations in cents fonts for some early US marvels and Matt Nelson replied saying that he would look into them. In his reply, and I'm sure he won't mind me mentioning it here (as all debate can only help draw out the answer, if there is one), he said that CGC graders had identified that the "ink saturation, page quality and overall ageing effects of those books [the pence copies] clearly contrast with the US editions". Matt advised that CGC were trying to identify if anyone from Sparta, or any industry contacts, could shed any light as to why this should be so. There are a number of reasons why the early pence books may have a better page / ink quality and we've discussed them in this thread. There has been speculation in the past that maybe it is because they were produced first. This further assessment from CGC doesn't mean that they were of course - it may be they were produced separately or even, contrary to popular opinion, elsewhere. But CGC graders themselves have identified a difference, and they handle more books than most, so it's not something that can be ignored. I hope that they will be able to find out information about this and that maybe we will get an answer that settles this long running question. If they are successful, and can promote a final, common understanding of the production order, my next step will be to see if I can convince them to change their labelling. In the meantime, just a few more books needed before I hit you all with the final Thorpe & Porter indicia research. So much for me saying there was "nothing left to report" in this thread, a few months ago!

I can sort of see your point Timely, and you seem to be getting some mildly harsh treatment for some reason for making it. For me, the analogy above doesn't really work as OA by it's nature is unique. Each page is different, and will appeal to potential buyers differently. A Honda is a Honda - they're all the same, so no need to overpay (hence my ASM #129 example in my earlier post). But OA is unique, so you can't say you over or under paid on any piece as each will have a unique aspect to it. You might pay 'more' for a piece than the next guy if it has a particular sentimental meaning to you. So at the end of the day, it gets dark, and there is only the rough guide of what comparable pages have sold for to guide you, and your own instinctive knowledge of what you are prepared to pay around that ball park. If it makes you happy, and you could afford it, job done.

Up to 930 confirmed copies now: This copy of Ghost Rider #40 is quite cool: Ghost Rider is a funny title - I've found no issues between the eligible number range of 6-22, 23-44 I've found as single priced AUS copies (missing just #30), and then no copies from 70-75 It looks like 6-22 may have been missed. I expect #45 to surface, and maybe the 70-75 issues will too, as issues in this later range are really scarce. Time, as ever, will tell.

Or crazy. Yes. Yes, that too.

Might as well close the thread now.

There's a lot of money in the world. It's not evenly spread of course and some people have the ability to buy without a moments hesitation what others will have had to have saved years to be able to afford. It is possible to arrive at an approximate value for some art pages. A Ross Andru Amazing Spidey tends to land in the $2,000-3,000 area, last time I looked for an 'unremarkable' page. So a long term fan spends a few years saving up in the hope that one day they get the opportunity to own their little piece of history. And lo and behold, one day it's there in an auction. In dives our committed fan. Alas, that same day, a person to whom $2,000 is small change is also watching.... Being one of a kind items, there is no obvious ceiling price. A knowledgeable rich person wouldn't pay 20 grand for an ASM 129 in 9.2 as that would be a waste. They're freely available for much less. But he would likely pay 20 grand for an ASM Andru page, if the page happened to mean something to him (or her). There are price ranges that give an indication of worth, sure. But the only thing that really matters is how rich the watcher(s) is.

Double-Duology?

Yeah, I've said it before - there was a great film buried in the final cut. It made the most money, but was the least cohesive in my view. A Venom free 3, leading to a Goblin / MJ death 4, would've been a great trilogy +1. What's the trilogy equivalent of four by the way?

Same here. Some good parts here and there in #3, and the two Garfield ones had aspects to commend them, but I'd go as far as to say that the new ones actually make me dislike Spidey, so far are they from the original spirit of the character. Ditto the supporting cast.

Great story Whizzer Where's Chips?

5

Difficult question to answer given the many variables. As a former completist, I sure did buy some sh Spider-Man comics in my time. Thousands of them in fact. Looking back, I'd swap all of them now for a few decent books that I actually love. And read. Of equal value of course, I'm not totally stupid But then again, those pence Charltons...

78k

Wish Ewan was still on the boards.

A full 16 years later.....no change

It's Thor isn't it?

Don't be too proud of this sub-intellectual terror you've constructed. The power to identify Maximum Carnage upticks is insignificant next to the power of the fowce.

The winner takes it all The loser's standing small Behind the victory There's BITCOINSWAMI!

He's only gone and done it hasn't he