The Lions Den

I still love ya, brother...

Thank you! I hope he's OK.

Me too...

Very unfortunate. You have my sympathy...

Just a couple of random thoughts regarding this issue... 1) I've always liked this cover. It seems to have a certain...creepiness to it. And yellow bra or not, that gal is pretty darn alluring. 2) Yes, the letter by Frank Miller has been confirmed by noted magazine historian Richard Arndt as being from THE Frank Miller. But for my money, the letter from Ernesto Colon is more interesting. 3) This issue, for whatever reason, is notoriously difficult to find in high grade. I've rarely seen one above Very Fine, and I'm pretty sure I messed up badly when I sold a Near Mint copy sometime back in the 1990's for around $25. Ah well, hindsight really is 20/20...

I haven't read it in quite some time, but I remember that story being one of the highlights of this issue. I hope this helps...

By way of explanation, certain graders are often confined to certain tiers. This actually makes it easier for them to be more efficient, because they're more familiar with the books they're grading and with the common flaws those books may have...

That is certainly a possibility...

From what I understand, they already have some graders with extensive knowledge in that area...

While I'd like to think that all the graders at CGC are experts in their respective areas, the high value graders likely have a bit more experience with different types of books...

Regardless of the grader, this is exactly the kind of flaw that should have been in the notes...

For me, it's the accumulation of defects that make it a .5 instead of a 1.0...but you never know. If you do submit it, I'd advise putting a prominent sticker on the bag noting the fragility of the cover. Good luck!

My best guess would be that they missed it the first time around...

A classic example of a comic that should fall somewhere in the VG range...

Very nice...

This is along the lines of what I was thinking---a little bit of ink bleed. And while I'm certainly honored to be held in such high esteem, I've never actually worked with printing plates, though I once worked in a printing factory. But I certainly have worked with various types of ink (and paint) over the years, mostly as an aspiring artist. Still, ink is ink, and sometimes it can be pretty darn messy...

I do see the resemblance, but I suppose it could be partly because of Ploog's style---very Eisner-like. I agree completely. One of the best issues in the run...

These are many of the same reasons I enjoy Wally's work so much---he has a way of bringing you into his world (and what a wonderful world it is)...

FOR SALE: VAMPIRELLA #11, CGC 9.6 with WHITE Pages. CGC INVOICE # 3704182001. CLASSIC FRAZETTA "WOMAN WITH SCYTHE" COVER. GRADED 12/18/20. THE GRADING NOTES ARE: FRONT COVER SMALL CREASE BREAKS COLOR. THE CGC CASE IS ALSO IN BEAUTIFUL CONDITION WITH NO CRACKS OR WEAR. ASKING $2200 OBO (FEEL FREE TO PM WITH OFFERS). PAYMENT BY PAYPAL or MONEY ORDER. NO HOSERS OR POSERS, PLEASE. I ALWAYS OFFER A 14 DAY RETURN POLICY AS LONG AS THE ITEM IS RETURNED IN THE SAME CONDITION. FREE SHIPPING TO ANYWHERE IN THE CONTINENTAL USA. FIRST WINS! THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST AND HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! JOHNNY

He's one of my favorites...

Very sad news. In my dealings with him, he was always honest and informative. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace...

To be honest, the encapsulation team usually makes the call on whether a book requires a wedge or not. And while many comics may appear to be identical, there are often slight differences in the cut and overall size of a particular book which can result in the book being able to shift inside the inner well. It's also possible that the slab crew simply ran out of the right wells and had to improvise. Either way, just think of the wedge as an additional safety device and you've got the right idea...

I always thought his art style was heavily influenced by EC artists like Frazetta and Williamson. Still, it's always nice to see his artwork, and his storytelling became first rate as time went on...

For me, the 4.5 seems generous due to the variety of different flaws in the notes...but that's just my opinion.

You're very welcome...