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Bigfiver691

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Journal Entries posted by Bigfiver691

  1. Bigfiver691
    War isn't Hell. Finding 9.4s is.
    When I started collecting war comics again seven years ago (after a nearly 20 year lay-off), I thought I'd be happy with a nearly complete, mid-grade set of bronze age books. Over time, however, and thanks largely to the advice and guidance of some very respected high grade collectors of this and other genres, I have been focussing on getting my books in higher and higher grade. I very recently made the decision to begin compiling a 9.4+ set of Our Army at War from 1968 to 1977, to have in addition to my complete 8.0 - 9.4 raw set. I am amazed at how few of these books actually appear on the market at any one time - probably a blessing, due to the cost. I have just received my first 9.4s, issues #236 and #244, both sweet 52 pagers. It will be an adventure, and it will take a long time, but please keep checking back in from time to time to see how the set is coming along. And don't hesitate to give me a shout.
    Shep
     
  2. Bigfiver691
    How do you build a better collection?
    After spending the past month scouring the usual sources for 9.4 CGC copies of Our Army at War, I have found about 8 and purchased 4 of them. Truthfully, I thought that there would have been more buying opportunities out there. I'm quite suprised that there aren't more slabbed 1975-1976 books on the market.
    Then, there are raw books purported to be in 9.4 - as we all know, few dealers grade as tighty as CGC, and since I live far from large shops and cons, I have to rely on internet deals. Sometimes books come back looking 9.4, while other come back looking 8.5 - not particularly reliable.
    So, am I better off buying raw and submitting, or holding out until nice certified copies appear? Tough call, but in truth, I am leaning towards holding out for the already certified copies.
    But man, are they scarce.
    Shep
  3. Bigfiver691
    A 9.4 copy of Our Army at War #218. Heaven.
    As I continue to pursue the Bronze Age Our Army at War run, there have been a few surprises along the way. One is that - without question - this is going to a long and expensive process, as these books are proving tougher to find than I had anticipated. But the big discovery is, frankly, the simple thrill of finding certain books in certified high grade. Our Army at War #218 is a case in point.
    The 218 is one of the classic issues of this title. I first found a copy about 6 years ago in small hole in the wall store in Orlando, Florida. It was a FN, and I remember that despite the grade, I couldn't wait to read it. I had heard about the book from fellow collectors.
    The reason OAAW #218 is so dear to me is that it has both an incredible Russ Heath art job on the Sgt. Rock tale, AND a key backup story - the first appearance of the USS Stevens by writer and artist Sam Glanzman. The USS Stevens was one of the most popular and successful backup series in DC war comics. So it was a book I always wanted to have.
    When the sole 9.4 copy of this book came up, I knew I had to have it, and thankfully Frank and Stephen at Metropolis made it possible for me to get it. In addition to all of this, it's the Oakland copy. So I have finally been able to get an example from this well-known pedigree into my collection.
    I have a raw copy of this book that would probably grade 9.0/9.2 but there really is no describing the thrill of opening the FedEx box and holding this book. And in the end, it's moments like those that make the hours and hours of searching completely worthwhile.