scburdet

I will buy this one eventually. I think it's the only BWS cover I don't have, unless there's one I've missed somewhere, which is possible

IDK if I would ever submit this, but this is one of my favorite BWS covers from this run (maybe if he ever did a signing). Purchased as a full run from the same seller as the Thor books I've posted on several occasions. Can't remember, which I bought first, but very pleased to have gotten these back then. This is the supposed low distribution issue, although I've read somewhere that the low distribution is a bit of a myth. I think that's a grease pencil distributor marking on the back cover. Glad they didn't write the number on the front cover.

The spine back & front is clearly the grade-limiting issue. Just on the front after pressing, I'd guess 7.0/7.5 due to several color breaking stress lines and rounded corners.. The back is going to drop it at least 1 grade unless that grime is cleaned off, it looks like cleaning could get a lot of it to an untrained eye. I love these painted covers.

gotta photograph out of the bag first

9.2ish b/c of corners

Covers can have gripper holes, which are production and are therefore treated less harshly than handling defects. I'm not convinced the chip out of the back cover is a gripper hole. I'm less skeptical of the one on the front b/c it looks like it lines up with the ones inside. It is however lower on the page. Someone with more expertise will comment. I'll call this is 9.2±0.2

The black streak on the BRBC and what looks like a bindery tear on that same corner are things to consider. The bindery tear is a little bigger than "allowable" at some higher grades. The corner damage on the interior pages could be production related, especially since the cover doesn't seem to have the same issue. If that's the case, it shouldn't count to much against the overall grade. I would say 9.2±0.2. The minor damage probably precludes NM+. If a CGC grader deemed the inner page damage to be handling related, I'd expect a couple grades lower 8.0/8.5

Creasing is hard to assess on white & light colored covers. The good news is that the book is pretty clean even though it's white. For what little grime remains IDK if CCS thorough cleanings, so you might do better with another service (plus the wait times are long). Guessing by the color breaks in the price box, I'd expect the others are of similar intensity & would break color if it wasn't white. Pressing should improve the indentions associated with the creases but not fix them completely. I'm going to offer a heavily uncertain 7.5 b/c of uncertainty with the white cover.

I am considered sending this book to the Ennis signing as it is credited in several places as his first comic credit. I cannot find any census data, so I'm assuming it's never been submitted for grading before. As far as I can tell, there are copies out there both with and without the external jacket, but I don't know if the ones without it had it removed at some point. I think the book looks better with the full cover art showing, but there's also the issue of Qualified or Incomplete labels if the jacket is removed. Can someone at CGC advise on how this one would be handled and in what form I should submit it if I go ahead with that plan?

3.5±0.5. Without the staining, I could see 4.0 with the small missing corner knocking it out of 4.5 contention.

Spine damage is going to drop this below 2.5ish that it otherwise might have been with the long crease, tape stain? & tanning. Whether it could be called a 2.0 or lower depends on how structurally sound/severity of the spine damage is. Some additional photos would help in that assessment. TBF it looks no worse than many of my childhood comics whose value was more than realized by multiple readings over the years.

It looks like a fair amount of paper loss along the spine. Hard to crack a 2.0 with significant structural damage. I imagine this one is holding together by a thread if it's actually not detached in places

>9.2

Is the book structurally sound w/o the tape? The tape stains are going to lower the grade significantly. I've seen small, light stains 1/4" diameter apparently lower a grade by ~1.0 & larger, light stains drop things into the 5s. These stains are neither small nor light, so I can't see this coming in higher than 4.0/4.5. Since there are light handing defects too, I would say 4.0 is the best case scenario.

I agree it's not foxing. In the absence of knowing what it is, CGC would probably just tag it was a stain or foreign substance. I see a 5.0/5.5 based on the spine stress & accumulated creasing.

1.8/2.0. If a completely detached cover falls at 3.0, I'd expect a couple grades lower

9.0 or better. I'd want to inspect this in-hand given the era to look for restoration. I don't see too many of these that look this nice

Great looking book except for the foxing on the back. I'd guess 7.0/7.5. I'd recommend taking your photos on a flat surface (i.e. without the overhang), but the lighting is on point.

pretty good size missing piece. Anecdotally, I say the ceiling for a piece that size is around 3.0. Perhaps you get a little leniency since it's on the back, but I think there are enough other defects to stick this at 3.0. You do have a nice white cover still. Some of these older white covers get pretty grimy, so it will display pretty well (as long as you leave it face up!)

You're option are limited b/c the detached piece can't be encapsulated in place & various repair options have potential grading consequences. The detached piece, missing piece guide in the CGC book is (purposefully) vague. For a detached piece it says 1.8–7.0 for the cover. I'd guess this size piece is about midway through the range, so let's say an absolute ceiling of 5.5 if the rest of the book was perfect. However, the rest of the book isn't perfect. With this degree of spine wear, and the tanning, especially to the back cover, I would already lower this to a 5.5ish without the detached piece. I'm going to say 4.0±0.5 and the upper end is probably a stretch.

someone has to set the bar low

my nephew is the only one old enough, I think he'd do work for Pokémon $$$, but he also seems to get plenty from aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc. I just supply the nephews with a steady diet of TPBs, which they seem to still be enjoying (even if our tastes are sometimes different)

I never did seed selling, but Christmas card companies in the same vein were the only way I had to make $$$ as a kid until I was old enough to do manual labor. Without that, I wouldn't have had as many comics & video games. No idea what kids do these days outside of school/sport/scout fundraising stuff. Especially given the cover prices of current comics.

The stain on the back is a killer. I think that has it max out at 8.0 & I could see a 7.5 or even 7.0. They are really hard on stains

Looking through my Isabela stuff. Pretty nice copy, except the little tear & wear on the bottom edge Measures just over 1/8"