RockMyAmadeus

Very nifty. Bud Plant was a groundbreaking distributor, indeed.

I'm surprised at how strong the 9.8 prices still are.... Pretty nifty.

Post toastie.

Sweet. You probably have another 6 months to catch up before you guys record another one. Slackers. There isn't any legit excitement around the Dark Key line anyway. I love some of the remarks directed at me in that thread. Nothing reveals one's own sexual insecurity more than constantly questioning someone else's. I *do* love "butternips", though.

So then you are holding on to the rest? Why not sell them? Your website says it is sold out. Yes, the cover stock on these is nice and thick and glossy. It's the kind of stock that looks like when they get bent up from no protection in transit though. And yes, I'll be reading the latest issue of Magnus and Solar before the next podcast, ya dink.

Well.... BEFORE you shipped them, maybe.....

Do I count....? This thread is ironically funny.

Have you ever met someone who seemed really cool and hip, and you thought you'd be great friends...only to later find out that that brief moment of cool- and hip-ness was just a coinkyidental fluke, and they're really pretty lame and try wayyyy too hard to get people to like them....? Yeah. This thread is like that. Carry on.

You mean it startS sad thEn turns funny ... or that it's more sad thAn funny? Oh come on, that's RMA's job..... I only correct grammar for people I like.

You mean it startS sad thEn turns funny ... or that it's more sad thAn funny? Oh come on, that's RMA's job..... He's obviously not logged on and I don't mind sharing the burden My God, you people love me...you really love me.....

. Oh, really? That was six years ago! I obviously learned since then I told you he keeps files.....

I hope you get it! why 1900 and not 1800? Is that a local line or smth? 900 numbers were pay-per-call or pay-by the minute numbers that were big in the 80's and early 90's. The charge for the call would end up on your phone bill. Effectively the opposite of a toll-free call. Not that I would have any knowledge of such things. I've just heard. My friends and I used to call 1-800 and then make up stuff like hot muff or big tits just to see if they were sex lines. That is awesome. Miss Cleo says to call her now.

You're wildest dreams are peeking through again. We can see him for what he really is now. He's been in denial, I know it wouldn't last forever. He went to Egypt with RMA. That, is where I draw the line. A comma there is unnecessary. But I'm still glad you miss me.

Awwww...you missed me too.

Alluring isn't the word I would have chosen. I think he needs a good dose of RMA. You can't spell MRSA without RMA Awwww. You guys miss me.

I`m fully aware of that. If you go back and read threads from 2004 and 2005, I actually made posts saying that not every ultra-HG book was a press job, particularly BA books, because anyone who had been collecting for a while would realize just how many pristine books were sitting untouched in collections. However, the sheer volume of pressing over the past few years has caused me to change my tune, because it does seem like whatever COULD be worth pressing does end up getting pressed at some point. What makes me sad, and one reason I crusade against pressing, is that the pressed books have tainted everything else, since we don`t know which books are pressed and which are genuine and end up just tarring everything with the same brush. I emjoy reading your posts, but I believe you have become paranoid about presed books. I press books here and there, and usually end up sellig them for whatever reason. But ever since CGC changed the BA/MA tier dates I would think there are less BA books being pressed, since profit on many "average" books are barely worth slabbing alone, so adding extra shipping and another 10-15 bucks doesnt make sense from a business standpoint. And I am sure there are plenty of 9.8s to be had out there, this book is from the age of bags and boards and collectors. There will likely be another 9.9, IDK if pressing will help it though. Like I said, I like your posts. But I think you have become paranoid about rampant pressing. I am not anti-pressing, at all. But I would be willing to bet that more books have been pressed in the last 24 months than were pressed from the delivery of the first copy of Obadiah Oldbuck forward. Here, let me fix that for you. "I would be willing to bet that more books have been pressed in the last 24 months than were pressed from the delivery of the first copy of Obadiah Oldbuck to that point." As it stands, both contentions are to the present day, which would make your hypothesis incorrect. ROLFMAOOMGWTFBBQ. Chainnball says "suck it and he loves you." Owned by a giant dork. Happy Christmas.

I`m fully aware of that. If you go back and read threads from 2004 and 2005, I actually made posts saying that not every ultra-HG book was a press job, particularly BA books, because anyone who had been collecting for a while would realize just how many pristine books were sitting untouched in collections. However, the sheer volume of pressing over the past few years has caused me to change my tune, because it does seem like whatever COULD be worth pressing does end up getting pressed at some point. What makes me sad, and one reason I crusade against pressing, is that the pressed books have tainted everything else, since we don`t know which books are pressed and which are genuine and end up just tarring everything with the same brush. I emjoy reading your posts, but I believe you have become paranoid about presed books. I press books here and there, and usually end up sellig them for whatever reason. But ever since CGC changed the BA/MA tier dates I would think there are less BA books being pressed, since profit on many "average" books are barely worth slabbing alone, so adding extra shipping and another 10-15 bucks doesnt make sense from a business standpoint. And I am sure there are plenty of 9.8s to be had out there, this book is from the age of bags and boards and collectors. There will likely be another 9.9, IDK if pressing will help it though. Like I said, I like your posts. But I think you have become paranoid about rampant pressing. I am not anti-pressing, at all. But I would be willing to bet that more books have been pressed in the last 24 months than were pressed from the delivery of the first copy of Obadiah Oldbuck forward. Here, let me fix that for you. "I would be willing to bet that more books have been pressed in the last 24 months than were pressed from the delivery of the first copy of Obadiah Oldbuck to that point." As it stands, both contentions are to the present day, which would make your hypothesis logically incorrect. ROLFMAOOMGWTFBBQ. Chainnball says "suck it and he loves you."

Is that like suddenly getting pregnant..? What a mess that was.

And this is entirely possible...SB is already on record as stating that a particular "highest grade" isn't necessarily given based on that book's individual merit, but rather "is this book the best preserved example we're likely to ever see?" Everyone here can think of 9.6 GA examples. 9.8 Early SA, and 9.9 Late SA books that wouldn't hold up to other, later books in those grades. Does that philosophy still exist...? What say you, Mr. Litch...?

Really? Surely not pre-1990 newsprint, flimsy stock books? Hey, you know me. If I think something's got a strong shot at a 9.9, it's not without reallllllly good reason. As someone who has had several books fail a 9.8 pre-screen, only to be subsequently graded 9.8 on a second go-round, I can tell you for sure that "cusp" books can go either way. I currently have two books sitting in 9.8 slabs that are legit 9.9 copies, and which will be cracked and re-subbed at a time when I feel the grading is most in my favor (keeping in mind that this is two our of several hundred 9.8s) Caveat #1: I would never do this with an already slabbed book, because there may be flaws which prevent it from being higher than a 9.8 that are not visible outside the slab. This only works when I had the chance to sub it myself and physically inspect it. Otherwise, it's just, at best, a waste of another slab fee. Caveat #2: I only do this with relatively low value (in 9.8) books and books that I know have at least an outside shot at a 9.9. For example...my Primer #5 9.8 and Strangers in Paradise #1 9.8 will never see the outside of those cases while I own them. 9.8s they are (and the SIP had the benefit of being reviewed TWICE), but they are legitimately 9.75s. Better than a 9.7, but not quite 9.8 enough to absolutely remain 9.8 on resubmittal (and pressing will help neither.)

About a 1/32" non-color breaking spine stress. A very strong 9.8 can have one. A 9.9 cannot. Easy, cheesy. Next question. But I guess it can have a blunted upper right corner with associated color loss? I've only seen the scan that is on the site, but that is what I observed. Well, no, that criteria is for non-slab damaged books.

I am completely with you on the concept that we will see a handful of 9.9's within 5 years. OK. How is this going to happen? We've discussed pressing, and the fact that the micro defects that separate 9.9s from 9.8s are near universally not pressable. CGC has been up and running 10 years. Hulk 181 is one of the most subbed books. One 9.9 has been graded. Dealers and collectors have subbed the low hanging fruit. So where do you see these 9.9s coming from. From my printing press out back...... Shhhhhhhh......

I am completely with you on the concept that we will see a handful of 9.9's within 5 years. Is the current 9.9 considered by most to be a 9.9? I am a numbers person not a comic expert. I see the numbers of 9.8's growing and too little reason why one or two won't move up to the vaulted class? Will there be a debate on the merit of calling the newly crowned books a 9.9? Absolutely. I would argue that the debate is a political decision and not about the merits of a comics grade. There are probably several hundred to a couple thousand (low 4 digits) books sitting in 9.8 slabs that are markedly superior to *most* 9.8s, and should be in 9.9 cases. When you just look at the numbers... http://www.gregholland.com/CGC/stats.asp ...the numbers of 9.9s and 10s relative to 9.8s is ridiculously out of whack. You've got 1 9.9 for every 62.6 9.8s? That should make it obvious to anyone that those numbers are frightfully out of perspective. However...the ratio of 10s to 9.9s, on the other hand, is a very reasonable 1 to 4. CGC has jealously guarded the 9.9 and 10 grades, and rightfully so...but in that vigilance, they've created a verrrrry wide "9.8 gate", and you end up with 9.8s that are noticeably superior to other 9.8s, which rightfully should be 9.9s (and the corollary that there are 9.8s that should be in 9.6 cases. Granted.) But until and if CGC gets competition, that won't change. Yay for those selling 9.9s and 10s...sad for those who want them.

Woohoo! I've always said.... No one finds 9.9s and 10s....they find YOU. I had a nice chat with Jeremy at SD this last year...very nice guy, and made some wonderful sketches on a current print CPG that I got for a friend. He signed n' sketched 'em fo' free. Cuz he's blizzomb like dat.