scburdet

3.0/3.5, although the splitting looks longer in the photos than the length you state, or maybe it's just close to splitting beyond the actual end. These square bounds are tough to find in great condition b/c the binding is so delicate. If it was a regular binding & split like this, I would drop the estimate by at least a grade. If the spine was completely attached, it still looks like it would max out around 4.0/4.5 b/c of all the color breaking creases.

I really want to say higher than 5.0Q, but I can't with the two little pieces out. It's those two pieces out away from a 7.0 or better assuming the soiling on the back was somewhat removable.

7.5ish Whatever that slash is across the cover breaks color and looks like there is deep enough damage that it won't matter much how pressing addresses other defects

Forum guidelines are photos out of the bag with full front and reverse covers at minimum. A piece that size probably sets a ceiling around 3

8.5±0.5 Looks like just light wear, maybe some color rub in the price box. Could be higher with c/p. Lighter areas like that sky/water are hard to evaluate in photos for defects other than soiling

7.0/7.5. A few areas with some color rub to go with some spine stress lines

back cover?

all going to depend on that tiny stain. Whatever my guy can do to make it look less bad & how hard CGC wants to hit it. Could be a 9.0. Could be a 6.0.

Seems to me like that color rub/eraser was the determining factor then. I suspect it would be close to the 7.0 with the location/severity of the ink loss. Too bad someone hit it with the eraser. I'd bet the untouched pencil would have come in a grade higher.

Already dropped off for C/P & submission with the other books I bumped today. Several others went to CGC too that I never posted (mostly Moderns that are unremarkable from a grading perspective). We pulled the last 2 of my MJs that are key/semi-key issues, not b/c they are super high grade, but that are rare enough in this condition. Kind of hard to find martial arts books & some other genre comics that don't look terrible. First appearance of Razor Fist FWIW.

I file this under the category of books where I care less about the grade, and more about the aesthetic appeal. I think it will look nice slabbed.

Accidentally scrolled down to the other graders' guesses, so now my opinion is tainted but I've got 5.0/5.5 too.

could grade higher, inside cover or pages show discoloration of any kind?

this is a cardstock cover, right? Might benefit from pressing, although it's harder to effectively do that with these books. The top edge of the back cover looks like some foxing or oxidation going. For a book this age, I think CGC would grade this with a heavy hand. Max 7.5, maybe lower.

Yes. All my stuff gets cleaned & pressed by a professional.

I'm approaching a year on a magazine that was supposed to be signed last April & graded with an advertised 4-6 week turnaround time. I do know that the magazine, signature & comics are all separate operations, as are the different tiers of comics. Magazines have been abysmally slow, with waiting for the new holder being the latest excuse for prolonged waits. I'm a little surprised that a 7.5 exterior didn't warrant some explanation, but it's not been uncommon for comics I get back a 9.0 & higher to not have notes. 9.0/9.2 I'd say are 50/50 on getting notes, with the chance decreasing as the grades go higher. I wasn't hanging around here when you posted, but there is some color rub on that outer cover. I agree, 7.5 seems a little harsh, especially for a magazine. I would have been at more of an 8.0/8.5 leaning higher b/c the black covers are so damn hard to not have rubs or spine stress show up like a sore thumb. In talking to the guy who handles my submissions, it's easy to be the victim or the beneficiary of what's happening at CGC at a given time. Not the case for this book, but he's noticed, for example, that if something gets too hot, it's a bad time to send that book b/c they see too many of the same book & just get too nitpicky. This is a unicorn book, so maybe someone just had a slightly off day, or saw something that we can't in photos. Never hurts to call, or post in the Ask CGC forum with an issue like this.