scburdet

Obviously, I would talk to someone who presses professionally first. IMO, no because there's no guarantee the press fixes the issue, there's no guarantee you won't get a lower grade and there's the re-grading cost.

I posted mine on Saturday if you want to go compare. I win this one I believe, but finding these sq bound books in anything close to acceptable condition is tough (an pricey!). That bottom corner where the binding is coming apart and whatever that tearing pattern is, will dictate the starting point. I believe that would put you at no better than a 4.0 and then add the rest of the defects on top of that. Somewhere between somewhere around 4.0-5.0 an accumulation of defects seems to become more acceptable and I have a hard time differentiating between the lower grades until you get to <2.0. I'd subtract another 0.5 for the cover creasing, so 3.5. I think it looks more like 4.5 if you put your fingers over that corner.

These square bound books are tough. It's something that's keeping me up at night. My understanding is that they're harder to press, especially well. It looks to me like the cleaning is way more important than the pressing here. For example, you have some of the staple pops that are just unavoidable b/c how the books are assembled. My experience with C&P is limited, but it's not like you can expect a pristine book just b/c of that. I'm going to say 4.0 as the basement although I can envision something that's not obvious outside, or something internal brining it down another 0.5. My upper limit is 5.0 *if* the cleaning went perfectly and you got a discount for being square bound. I've heard there's some leniency compared to regular books. Definitely closer to 4.0 and below when compared to GSXM listings out there. It's still a very nice book

I wavered between a couple of books with unusual issues before landing on this one. As square bound books go, it looks nice in hand and it's not falling apart. One specific defect that's not that common (at least for me), is an apparent miscut that's particular noticeable across the top of the front cover. That light thin triangle that starts above the dash between super & heroes, is just printed paper that does not match the actual color scheme.

The spine aside, it looks really nice. I'd put this in the 4.0-4.5 range just b/c those spine issues are pretty much top to bottom. Caveat: I pay a lot of attention to spines, often to the exclusion of paying attention to other problems.

I should say I have less knowledge about this than even other things I speculate about when it comes to comics, but I have a vested interest in knowing b/c I have at least one Marvel Magazine with a similar offset pages issue.

I know how you feel. I have a few books like that including Avengers 158. I have my beat up reader that I had as a kid, a collectible copy and I splurged on a 9.6 a while back. Also, why I grabbed an Avengers 9 well before everyone on the planet decided it was the book to have last week.

9.0-9.2. Those 2 spine ticks and the wear? on that cover edge are going to keep it in that range. The dark covers really highlight those little defects unfortunately.

I think 4.0ish is right. I'm curious if a good C&Per could straighten the pages of this spine roll(?).

yes.

To my eye, the bottom of the back cover looks like it has a water stain, granted in could be regular dirt that looks like staining. Is that a light spot next to the phoenix nose? I'm tougher on copper age books b/c collecting field was starting to become what we recognize. I'd go with a 4.0, but maybe as low as a 3.5 depending on the above notes. I've purchased books listed at a 4.5 that look better overall, but have some specific defect (e.g. a small tear)

2.0 sounds reasonable to me. If the back was better, maybe a 2.5 with the front cover. This looks like the condition of the comics I read over and over in the late 70s and early 80s. Presentable in a lot of ways, but wouldn't be that collectible except that its's an important book.

Recent sales for this book (direct edition) in ~9.0 CGC are a bit all over the map. Newsstands are higher, but there aren't many of them. No MJs that I've found. All things being equal, $24 is a pretty small price to pay if some of the prices I've seen for minor keys with MJs are indicative of demand. It seems like MJs demand 50% or more premium depending on the significance of the book. Since I have no intention of selling anytime soon, I'd love a TM signature series for it. I'm going to say the TM Hulk run is the more important between Spider-man and Hulk b/c my Spider-mans look like dog 💩

I've got one of those too (along with a non-MJs). That's the best cover in the Mobius/Fear run IMO.

Me neither. I just sent in a beautiful copy (IMO) of Marvel Feature #1 for sign/grade and I'm scared to post it here for fear that someone will point out something, and I'll fret about it for the next 3 months until I get it back. It's definitely nicer than this MSH, which is probably in the (very small) 2nd tier of my noteworthy square bounds. The rest hover in the 5.0±1.0 where there are issues, usually stemming from the binding and general sturdiness of the format.

Half the time when I see a "stain", it's crud on my laptop screen

Here's my real post for today as I work through the questionable grading candidates in my pile. This is one of those square bound books, but it looks much better than many of them in my collection, particularly the binding on the spine, which always seem to be deteriorating. I'm assuming most people checking in on a CGC forum are familiar with this kind of book, but if not, it's a prototypical example of how the staples impact the cover. Mid-cape near the spine there's a little white spot, which is from the staples just inside the cover pushing up and causing color rub. I can't imagine any way for these books to avoid this defect unless someone had the forethought 50 years ago to put some archival paper or a card in between the cover and first page. Thanks for looking.

I was wondering if that was printing defect b/c it's so straight and thin. I can maybe see it in the white areas if I squint. Of course, some people noticed a stain on the back cover I still don't really see, so maybe my eyes are just not working anymore.

9.0 is about the max I was thinking with C&P. 9.2 if super lucky. From why I've been able to determine, the majority of the MJs out there are in garbage condition. That or they're stored safely by a specialist collector and not for sale. Getting a 9.0 is about the equivalent of a 9.8 with a regular comic

Just wanted to check whether this is the 2nd or 3rd print. I just realized that's what it was.

I like having a book in hand for comparison. Mine came in at 7.5 after C&P. I think your front cover starts in a better place. I would say 8.0, which a chance at an 8.5. The crease at the top of top corners of the back gives me pause though. It also looks like some wear too. I'm assuming that line down the middle is a printing defect. Maybe pressing irons those indentions out a bit? IDK. Overall, a really nice book and at the current FMV I would get it graded ASAP. There are advertised specials at CGC rn people are talking about using that could save you some $$$ on what's clearly an Express tier book.

I've got another book much higher in the queue to post later, but I thought the forum participants might find this book interesting. I just found this Friday while sorting through books. It definitely needs pressing, and my untrained eye thinks it's a good candidate to remove the superficial non-color-breaking defects. This probably wouldn't be anywhere on my grading list, but for the MJs insert, albeit this is still a milestone issue as the first McFarlane Hulk. I haven't been able to find a price point to help ascertain how worth the grading expense would be. None sold recently or listed for sale. I wish there was a quick way to ID these MJs in a bagged/boarded comic b/c I've only found them by randomly opening books, not yet when I intentionally grab a handful thinking there might be one and sort through it.

I looked again. Is that a tear between the O and M of COMICS along the top of the cover? If it is, that might impact my thinking.

9.2±0.2. That little ding on the bottom left of the front cover probably keeps if from going higher.

I'm 7.0±0.5. Lower side as is, upper side depending how well the back cleans up with C&P. I got mine back recently at a 6.5.We could go back and forth about the differences in spine wear, I think yours is nicer. So the difference are the top edge (ink loss) and the grime. I *think* mine was cleaner before going to C&P, but I did not photograph. I can see a max of 8.0 b/c some of my stuff in this range came back higher than I expected. Nice copy