scburdet

Oh, and this is just my s****y photography skills. It's my hand shadow

That's sort of what I was thinking, but this is (obviously) a much more recent book that ones where this is cited.

I was tinkering with a Frank Miller sig on this, just b/c I like the art, not necessarily b/c it would be a good investment. The two spine corners are enough to scare me off this plan, but I also noticed a rough top edge that I haven't seen before. It's not what I'm used to seeing for rough edges from cover overhand or handling. It almost looks to me like the paper was cut with a dull(ing) blade. Is this possible during production? or is this "normal" edge wear that looks different.

I can't go to NYCC & I've never done a CGC convention drop-off. For the just-announced Frank Miller signing, the instructions sound exactly the same as usual private signings with the caveat that you drop off at the CGC booth. I know someone who is going who can drop off. If I do the usual prep (bag, pay, etc.) will this be as easy as just handing the books over and walking away? Will there be any issues with someone dropping off my order? Any recs about what to put multiple window bags in that makes it easy for them to put away? or is it better to just have "loose" window bags?

I am not going to NYCC & I've never done a CGC convention drop-off. For the just-announced Frank Miller signing, the instructions sound exactly the same as usual private signings with the caveat that you drop off at the CGC booth. I know someone who is going. If I do the usual prep (bag, pay, etc.) will this be as easy as just handing the books over and walking away? Will there be any issues with someone dropping off my order? If you have personal experience doing this, any recs about what to put multiple window bags in that makes it easy for them to put away? I'm going to ask CGC directly, but IDK how fast their response will be with a hurricane bearing down on them and power outages and so forth.

I don't see anything, so as best one can tell with photos >9.2. Really nice copy. My default setting is to press to take out any barely perceptible indentions and whatnot. I guess it depends on the cost. Do you save enough skipping a press that the potential difference between a 9.4 & and a 9.6 (or whatever) would not leave you curious about what could have been?

I caught that too. It supports my assertion that they have so much volume, they skip putting in notes for the higher grade books to save time. Clearly, no one is taking the time to proofread at minimum.

9.2±0.2. I'd bump up my guess except for the 2 little marks on the spine in the black shirt. Maybe there's something on the back cover streaking down below "Brothers" or that could just be the photo

9.2±0.2. The little spine stresses keep it out of the upper echelons

Here ya go. Everyone, myself included, was a little too harsh. Over the last month or so, I started to think what initially guessed (2.5/3.0) was too low based on how CGC seems to rank defects. I believe it's clear they didn't treat the markdown price (someone in 1972 got a good deal for 12¢) as a major defect and I think the lack of tanning really helped out. If you read the graders' notes for the other books I sent to Roy Thomas, I suspect some of them got dropped a grade or so for this.

From August 2022

From August 2022

I wanted to say 4.5, but with that chip out, I'll say 4.0±0.5. I noticed for the first time your bio says WV, which is my home state, albeit I left many years ago.

IDK this book in particular, but this was a point of discussion with my CGC dealer about a copy of Heir to the Empire 1, and he indicated that the act of reading these harder stock books made the white ?fraying? worse and at some point it would be considered beyond production. I agree with a >9.2 grade and the impossibility of being more accurate from photos with high grade books

Forgot to post my guess 7.5±0.5

8.5±0.5. I don't quite see the back cover issue, unless it's the "Rush coupon today" which I thought was light reflection. Any color removal, front or rear, is a defect. There is mild/moderate color rub of black around the edges, like below the CCA stamp. Some of the edges of the cover paper a slightly worn too.

Non-expert opinion, but you have a better chance at stain removal on a white spot. Of course, this could also lose gloss. It's not hopeless though. I see some indentions and light color breaking creasing around the 'e' in 'Archie'. A couple of other spots where color is broken. I would be a no on grading. Based on the data I can find, I think at best you could sell the graded copy for the amount it would cost to get it graded. For a comic that's not in demand, it would need to be pristine to pull the trigger on grading.

Interesting. This is one of the only copies I can find. Missing the staple? Different bindings out there b/c of the era? https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?ivitems=7210071#56793267

I'll take the over. Mine came back 7.0, pretty similar front but I had a tape pull on the back I didn't pay attention to. I think at least an 8.5 unless there's some tanning or something on the inside.

2.0, maybe 2.5. If that piece was out of the cover, I think it goes at least a grade or more lower. It seems like there's a modest allowance for interior pieces missing, but the rest of the book has some significant wear.

My initial gut said 7.0, and I'm too hard on the GAs, so that tracks that every grade I saw after the images was at least a level above. So, I think 7.5/8.0 is pretty safe.

5.0/5.5. Who writes on Snoopy FFS?

6.0/6.5

It does look great, and I don't want to be a buzzkill, but from what limited examples I can find, I think that staple might be added. That might take an otherwise 9ish GA book down a couple of grades.

I have a rear cover tape pull at 7.0. I think the over defects are similar to this book too, so I would suspect your grading is right. Maybe a 7.5, but no higher.