scburdet

IDK if your photos are making this book look faded, or there's really something going on around 8.5/9.0 pending closer inspection

The spine issues far outweigh any staple concerns. The stapling won't impact the grade at 4.0/4.5

>9.2. Fraying is a wild card. I'd cap expectations at 9.6.

3.5/4.0 staining. Probably the higher b/c it's an older book

3.0/3.5 stains are too much

And.....we're done with this one

Not sure I buy that a tiny reproduction of a forthcoming cover (in this case GS X-Men 1) merits the kind of prices people list copies of this fanzine for (that no ones seems willing to pay), but I saw this listed at a "worth the risk" price, so I grabbed it. Influenced greatly by the lack of an address label on the back & the whiteness of the cover. If not for a little bit of staple rust, you could convince me someone was making bootleg copies. There are also 3 small spots along the top edge of the back cover. These have texture, so I think it's some substance on the surface. Feels like something that could be taken off by someone who has some tricks.

8.0 max. Might take another hit due to the other corner which appears to have a small crease. 7.5/8.0. Love that cover tho

I'll say a photo 7.0, but I'd want to inspect some of the defects with the book in hand before making a final assessment. There are enough defects where the exact nature might tip a grade one way or another

4.0

>9.2

8.0

Thanks. Kind of close to my assessment that this is the upper limit. Definitely several grades lower than advertised.

1.0. Just short of 0.5 b/c the piece out isn't too large, but significant

Another flyer of sorts. Took a chance on a copy with less than ideal seller's photographs & I think the seller overgraded, but by how much? The two areas of concern are the stress lines that are much easier to see in the side view and the outside bottom corner. I don't know how much, but the condition of the corner appears to have been impacted by the gripper holes. One is really close to the corner. There are others in the more usual places. Between the gripper holes and the black cover, it might be a little harder than some to judge.

5.0/5.5 The spine split will be the set point of the grade, along with the corners that are dinged in various ways.

There's blue ink in the N of New that I can't tell if it was added or came from printing. I looked at a few examples & haven't found another copy with the same marking. Grade will depend on what this is.

9.2 or better. I don't see much going on

1.0

≥9.2 the CCA box looks like an ink smear, however, you'd want to see other copies with the same thing to be sure it would be classified as a printing defect. My short, unthorough look did not find any.

1.0/1.5. I think 1.0 b/c of the long spine split

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I had missed the staple note, but it doesn't really matter in this case. The CGC book says a removed staple only lowers to a 6.0. Splits are a big no-no unless they are teenie. In other words, the longer split here means the missing staple doesn't lower the grade further. Side note, I have a qualified 9.6 with no staples b/c it never had any.

Pretty accurate this time around except the HOS. That was the one I had the most questions about as my contemporaneous angry grader notes can attest

9.0/9.2