Philflound

You can't open that case without cracking it, so you'd see apparent damage to the plastic if it had been opened.

Definite 0.5. If it was the back cover, there would be a slim possibility of a 1.0. Depends on the rest of the condition of the book.

Whatever dude. Just send them back on their dime and have them fix it.

I agree that it looks like it is rippling from the holder. Not sure if it is cracked out if the ripples will remain or just flatten from not being in the holder. If the ripples remain, they may press it for free due to the defective holder. I'd ask though before sending it. Maybe even send the pics. With your original notes, there is nothing you list that says anything about bends. So most likely there would not be an increase in grade.

Well, you could always call them and apply for a job with QC. Maybe it would improve if you were there. Decided to add a little. When a few people push through a few thousand books a day, there are bound to be some slip ups getting through. If they have to slow down much to look over said books with even more detail, you'd be harping on later turn around times. I rarely see people praise the company for a job well done. When they are flipping their comics because they got graded for multiple times of what they paid. I'd like to know how many people actual send a thank you email to the company when their comics come back in a timely manner in great condition. BTW, I never heard back from the OP about why they posted a book graded 1 1/2 years ago now to complain about it.

Actually you should remove the plastic beforehand. The problem with this book and other polybagged books is that the line sealed down the middle usually will leave a "polybag crease", which is more like a bend. This will lower the grade, even if the book is 9.8 otherwise. You'd be looking most likely at a 9.2. Remedy of course is pressing, which should remove most of the bend if not all of it.

Most people define high grade as 8.0+. Yep. Once you get out of the 8.0 or 7.0 and up range, rust (unless disintegrating) and writing (a name or something small) will not factor in. It's the extremes that matter. So if you had say a 6.0 book and it had 1/4" piece of tape on the interior cover for a small tear, it would probably just drop to 5.5, maybe 5.0. Same book with say 30c written on the back cover, that should not affect the grade at all. Stains are a different story altogether. Also depends on whether they are small water stains that you can only see on an angle, or ring stains and darker stains would drop the grade much more. Again, it depends on location. Inside covers will drop grade less than back cover which drops less than front cover. Foxing is considered staining, but unless really dark or the cover/book has a lot, wouldn't detract as much.

High grade books will factor in immediately along with any type of stickers. It's when you get low grade it really doesn't matter. So if you had a completely split spine and the person puts a strip down the spine to re-attach it, as long as the book isn't totally destroyed, it will probably get a 1.0, not a 0.5. If your book is in 1.8 condition and there is a 1" piece of tape on say the inside back cover helping a tear, then the book will remain a 1.8 since that small piece of tape isn't really doing much to an already low grade book. Like I said, it depends on the size of the tape, where it's located, and how much of it is there to affect the grade. For example, if you have like a 9.8 book, but someone decided to reinforce the spine with a strip of tape going down the full spine, you'd be looking at about a 4.0. Tape is never good regardless unless you have a tiny piece holding part of the cover from completely falling off and then having a chunk missing. I don't recommend using it.

Marvel Silver 3rd wrap is the one that usually has ads/pinups. Ads are usually for future issues of titles coming out. People had a tendency of cutting out these future release comics I guess to pin them up on their wall. If you look at non-story pages missing on many graded silver books, page 12 is usually the culprit with page 3 sometimes, 3rd wrap completely sometimes (3/14), and then the letter pages afterwards. Not sure if there would be an easy way to check out qualified or 0.5 missing page marvel silver, but if you can do a search and find some examples, I guarantee 90% will be one of the instances I've mentioned. 12th page: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazing-Spider-Man-1st-Series-11-1964-CGC-0-5-SS-1288291009/312111172915?hash=item48ab468d33:g:1uYAAOSw5Oxa0t18 letters page: https://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-AMAZING-SPIDER-MAN-21-Silver-Age-CGC-Graded-0-5-034-Just-Graded-By-CGC-034-/192524905920?hash=item2cd360edc0%3Ag%3AurEAAOSwVWpa5NWM&nma=true&si=94GqlMwOCkYofHzmbjArjh8ClkQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 14th page: https://www.ebay.com/itm/DAREDEVIL-7-Silver-Age-CGC-Graded-0-5-Just-Graded-By-CGC/202300706560?hash=item2f1a0fcf00:g:pPAAAOSwS3Za5NV2 3rd page: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fantastic-Four-3-Marvel-1962-CGC-0-5-/202283383077?hash=item2f19077925%3Ag%3AU8gAAOSwbDZayj25&nma=true&si=94GqlMwOCkYofHzmbjArjh8ClkQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 12th page: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Amazing-Spider-Man-11-CGC-0-5-1964-Unmasked-by-Doc-Ock-See-Scans-/173259500143?hash=item2857122a6f%3Ag%3ALgYAAOSwrLRayWCB&nma=true&si=94GqlMwOCkYofHzmbjArjh8ClkQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 12th page: https://www.ebay.com/itm/The-X-Men-8-Nov-1964-CGC-0-5-Missing-page-does-not-affect-story-/263580031480?hash=item3d5e9819f8%3Ag%3Aq9AAAOSwwB1awAgU&nma=true&si=94GqlMwOCkYofHzmbjArjh8ClkQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 AND... you get what I mean.

Besides tanning, rusty staples don't help (not that this has rust). The rust eats the paper and staple pops are common.

I read a decent amount of this post, but not all of it. Don't want to ruffle feathers, but what about comic books that don't contain any ads? Technically they could be sent media mail and the argument can be made there is no advertisements in the comic. Sort of like TPB and Graphic Novels. Most don't have ads.

I could swear I saw a pre-Marvel horror book with a story that contained a Swamp Thing. I can't recollect which title though.

Examples? I have never seen any.

So then it should get a conserved if done by a professional. Like I said, call and ask.

Anyone say Best Cellars #1? https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=118751 I actually had one and sold it real cheap before I knew what it was. I thought I had a copy in my collection and sold the extra. Think I sold the only copy I had.