Supraman16

I’m in!

I was just getting ready to submit my stash of Transformers 1 and I noticed one of them have a much more pronounced blue tone to the background. It’s not sun faded at all, and all of them are 1st prints. Notice the pics I’ve attached below.

Anyone else notice this? I wonder if this is a similar “variant like the Rai 0 “Glossy” variant??

Just got this badboy back.

I want to get my ASM 194 signed by Milgrom and Pollard and submitted for CGC Signature series grading...how would I go about doing this?  Will there be any vendors going to this show who are authorized by CGC for to submit books for the Signature series that I can send my ASM 194 to get it signed at this show?  Thanks for any tips go about getting my book signed by these legends.

Got a couple of 194’s but this is my favorite. Got it personally signed by Wolfman and Lee myself. Need to get it pressed and resubmitted...looks much higher than a 9.0 to me.

Prelim movie reviews for Venom don't look good.  I wonder how much of a hit ASM 300 will take if these reviews are accurate.

45 minutes ago, wolviefrk said:

Every time i was offered a copy below gpa i took them. I guess i should be selling now ?

 

That's just sick!  I would be looking hard at those older labels to see if any of them would benefit from a press and resubmit...

1 hour ago, rogue14 said:

Need some help deciding. Worth it: Cgc 8.5 qualified, missing mvs for $2000? It would be a huge upgrade to my current copy. I prefer blue label if getting a slab since book would be complete, but don’t think I can find the extra cash.

Or, just keep my low grade and get it signed by Stan Lee? Or both? 

I say save your money and get one that's complete/universal grade.

High grade CGC Universal available on Ebay are starting to dwindle down:

CGC 9.0:  2

CGC 9.2:  1

CGC 9.4:  1

CGC 9.6:  2

CGC 9.8: 1

I say get them while you can before they are gone for awhile locked up in personal collections.

I think there are certain events that will trigger a plateau or downward trend:

1. Character no longer prominent or interesting anymore.

2. Horrible movie or media exposure.

3. Prices are so high that people can’t afford it and issues that are for sale start to accumulate due to not anyone buying them anymore.

In regards to Wolverine and Hulk 181, I don’t think this is the case yet.  In fact, now that Disney has countered Comcasts offer and essentially made it very clear they want Fox and determined to get back the rights to the X-men, wolverine, etc and gets those characters back to the MCU, I think the prices will just keep going up.  There are less and less copies available, especially graded ones and ones with the MVS intact.  IMHO, I say buy now before Hulk 181 (or even Hulk 180) goes higher. 

9 hours ago, Broke as a Joke said:

Funny how that Variety article says that Amazing Spiderman 1 is her first appearance.  

I believe Cindy Moon's first appearance is in ASM 1.  Cindy Moon as Silk first appearance is ASM 4.  Now the question is which variant is going to be the most valuable.  I believe the Campbell Negative Variant is the rarest...

Yeah, the numbering on this whole series is hard to figure out. 

11 hours ago, valiantman said:

Interesting... people always talk about how new real estate has a limited supply, and with more people being born all the time, the amount of space is going to get tighter.  It's interesting to consider what we're all supposed to do with limited space for our property and assets. The long term potential for a comic like Hulk #181 is probably better than the long term potential for a Victorian piece of furniture of the same value, if for no other reason, because the comic takes up less space. 

One of the best pieces of advice I've gotten in terms of building wealth is having income property...I'm working and saving towards that one day. The biggest downside is of course the hundreds of thousands dollars it takes to actually get a decent income property. In that context, high quality, in demand comics of key characters that will always be remembered and desired for years to come are much "cheaper". 

11 hours ago, divad said:

 

You might reconsider. Perhaps optimize the sale for them and give them an IRA or a 329 account. You might get hit by a truck, and they set them out at the estate sale . . . 

IRA's, 529's, and stocks are good investments...I got all three already.  But comics are less volatile and at times appreciate much more than stocks.  Diversification is key, but holding onto some key comics, such as Hulk 181, that will never be reproduced and only keep going up in demand is even smarter. 

2 hours ago, ADAMANTIUM said:

I still say there are fewer and fewer available on ebay for some odd reason ..... 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=incredible+hulk+181+cgc+&_sacat=0

Only 67 results, mostly higher end stuff..... some lower grade, but blue label starts basically at 6.0 kind of odd... you would think that the uptick in price would bring more to the market if that "plentiful" compared to demand...

I definitely see less available on ebay.  And even though the CGC census states over 10K copies graded, I suspect there is a lot less than this available; the reason for this is that the census is based on the number of submissions CGC gets to be graded.  This is no where representative of the actual number that actually exists.  Also after pressing services became more popular and available, I'm sure there are more resubmissions of the same issue that was previously graded in hopes of getting a higher grade.  Technically you should resubmit the CGC labels back so the census can be updated, but how many people do you think actually do that?!  Also take into account there are plenty of issues that have the MVS cut out and restored (this is one of the most popular issues to have someone do some touchup on the cover in hopes of selling for higher grade, only to be caught by CGC), you have much less blue labels out there than the census actually indicate.  In either case, I'm not selling my three 181's...I'm passing them on to my kids one day... 

1 hour ago, FormerReader said:

Any thoughts on the recent prices? Is it because AF#15 is out of the price range of so many and this book is the next most popular character. After Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man I can’t think of a bigger character. Though I don’t know why it is now getting so expensive.

Iconic character that is very marketable (look at all the toys, etc), beautiful classic cover, and a comic that everyone wanted when they were growing up and now that they can possibly afford it, the possibility for Wolverine joining the MCU if the Disney-Fox deal passes...I think that's what driving the prices.  I think supply and demand also has a role to play in the prices, especially in higher grades. 

That's one of my biggest fears is that it'll come back with a lower grade due to either more damage from handling the book (opening the case, pressing, dry cleaning, etc) or a change of opinion about the grade (I know CGC is currently extremely strict grading standards compared to before).  I'll definitely check with CGC/CCS if it may qualify for conserved grade...thanks for that idea.  But overall, I don't think i'll be selling this anytime soon so I'll probably hold on to it as is for now.  I definitely appreciate everyone's opinions...thanks.

16 hours ago, Unstoppablejayd said:

why not buy the graders notes to see there thought process?

I did. And also called CGC up. There is nothing specific mentioned about what they specifically noticed to account for “interior lightened”.

My admission ticket to this exclusive club:

7 minutes ago, pemart1966 said:

Russ Manning did not paint the covers.  Those were done in most cases by George Wilson.

Did not know that. Still awesome cover art nonetheless. 

One of my favorites from the Silver Age is Gold Key’s Magnus Robot Fighter.  I fell in love with it when I saw Russ Manning’s art (especially the painted covers) and story which I thought was well beyond it’s time.  Post up some of your favorite Gold Key Magnus comics. 

I’ll start off with one of my Grails: Magnus Robot Fighter 1 CGC 9.0.  I have comics that are more expensive but this one has a special place in my heart given it’s rarity and beautiful painted cover.

4 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Couple of observations. Disclosure: I have pressed for many clients over the last 8 years, and pressed somewhere in the neighborhood of 6,000-8,000 comics of all eras.

1. Pressing isn't magic. While I am of the opinion that EVERY book can be improved from pressing, not all improvement will result in a grade increase. And, due to the subjective nature of grading, yes, some books go DOWN in grade. I underestimated the tanning on a major Bronze key, graded when tanning wasn't treated as severely, and, despite the book looking markedly better than before, it went from a 9.0 to an 8.0. Should have left it in the 9.0 slab. That's one of two books that I have had go down in grade (the other being a Marvel Premiere #1 that went from 8.5 to 8.0. Sigh.)

2. Pressing is, like all art forms, not something that can be taught. You either have the temperament and personality to be a good presser, or you do not. Owning a press doesn't make someone a presser, any more than owning a drafting table makes one a penciler or owning an easel makes one a painter.

3. Notes are notoriously inadequate. What may seem like "pressable defects" in notes may not...and frequently ARE not...actually so.

4. Proper pressing...that is, removing all pressable defects without introducing NEW defects to the book...is worth far, far, farrrrr more than the pittance that the market is paying right now. $8 for a "quick press"? $12 for a "standard" press? You're getting what you pay for. If your book has more than just the most subtle of defects, those charging you this pittance aren't doing what needs to be done to the book: and I don't blame them. The time, effort, talent, patience, and ability it takes to work real magic is worth much more than $12/book, but very few people want to pay that. I don't press for others any more because of that, except on a very limited basis, and only because I enjoy it. Once I stop enjoying it, I don't do it.

5. Every book...every single copy...is unique. While there are obviously techniques one can develop, the fact is, every book has to be approached on its own terms, to get the best possible results. 

6. A hint for wannabe pressers: the actual press should be the "top coat", the "sealer", the "finishing touch" on a properly processed book. Overheating, overwatering, oversquishing...these do not make for a proper press job. Gentleness, patience, perseverance, gentleness, and above all, gentleness is the key. If an educated observer can tell the book has been pressed, you're not doing it correctly. 

RMA: I definitely agree with all that you said.  Especially about the fact that $12 is extremely cheap considering the amount of work that a good press job takes.  But most pressing companies advertise a "full service" when you choose their pressing services, but I guess what's me off is that they seem to be doing a "Quick Press" even though you pay for the higher end service.  There is no way to really check to see if these companies are doing everything that you paid for, you just have to take their word for it that they did everything possible to press and dry clean your comic for the best results.  Especially nowadays where these companies are being pushed to the limit in terms on the number of submissions they have to get done in a timely manner and get submitted to CGC.