Colin Nash

I've just noticed your post and it may connect me to someone who could give me help on a subject I've just posted. I have a comic that was graded in 2003 (by a previous owner) but it has wavy pages. You seem to have removed yours, but this seems to have revealed something else. Can B2D327 help me? Should I get the comic repressed and regraded to remove the waves ? Its a thick spined comic, Silver Surfer #4 cgc 8.5. Does this type of comic present a problem when pressing such that, wavy pages/distortion are a possible consequence ? Should I worry the comic is no longer a cgc 8.5 because of this ? Thank you, Colin

Hi Shadroch, I have 'assumed' it was pressed at the time it was first graded. Grader notes just confirm it was graded. They don't say anything about wavy pages, but they wouldn't necessaily comment on this, so I understand from CGC.

I have a Silver Age comic Silver Surfer #4 in cgc 8.5. I bought it last year. It is in an old holder and from grader notes, it was first pressed and graded in 2003. The comic however, does not look flat. A bit wavy you might say. Should I send it off to be repressed and regraded OR just reholdered? Any advice would be most welcome. I was also thinking of sending off 2 special 2019 comics for grading that are unread and NM/M. Should I get them graded with, or without pressing ? Thank you, Colin

Thanks Steve. Amazing research from someone I see as a champion of the UK Variant. I'm waiving my Union Jack reading your editorials. My collection is 100% 1960's, UK price variant, as you know, with 30% price stamped. The history of US comic importation into the UK is revealing new facts and figures, thanks to you. This, I hope, will make comic collectors in the US and UK think again about the validity and historic relevance of such comics. I feel passionately about UK issues. I grew up with them and UK pence price, or price stamp on the comic should be seen as an attribute giving it provenance and rarity value, and not something that degrades it. Its historic and unique and should be celebrated as such. Keep it going please. Colin

I have been looking at market sales for 2020. Across the board it is clearly evident that Key Silver Age comic prices are going through the roof. You won't see this on any comic web sites that give you the so called 'Fair Market Value'. You have to do some research. An example is X-Men #4 in a cgc 7.0. In January 2020, this was selling for around $1400, in May it sold for around 1900. A $500 increase in 4 months !! There are numerous other Keys that are on the same path. I have pondered on the reasons for this. Firstly, because its pushing comics I want to buy beyond my planned budget and secondly, because it makes the published FMV a fictitious number. Could it be that the Covid- 19 lockdown has pushed more buyers onto to internet on a daily basis and, as consequence, people tend to spend more money on their comics to relieve the boredom ? With all the impacts of Covid -19 on jobs and income, it seems an anomaly that key comic sale prices are going up by significant margins. Or, are we seeing another shift in the market. I can remember back in 2013 an X-men #4 cgc 7.0 was selling for $600 !! (Now approx. 320% higher). If any of you experienced collectors friends out there can shed some light on this I would be truly grateful. Colin

I know the NR subject has been done to death, but I have this important and far reaching question. When I joined CGC last year and returned to comic collecting, I had a number of my original silver age keys graded for the first time. This was in November 2019. These were returned by CGC cased and pristine. i was pleased with the results. This remained so until June 2020. I now find a few of these comics are now exhibiting Newtons Rings....Why ? This has also happened to one or two recent modern age 9.8's I bought in January 2020. I keep these comics stored vertically in a proper BCW plastic bin. They are kept in a clean and dry environment in my bedroom wardrobe and away from the room heating radiator. I have thought about this and wonder if it could it be caused by storing vertically ? Maybe storing horizontally is better ? It is clear that something has brought the inner plastic and outer plastic sleeves closer together in order to make NR suddenly appear, or is this normal and the NR I'm seeing is something that will continue to permeate my collection with time ? Looking forward to your response. Colin

This may sound a simple question, but it's rather more complicated. I have recently obtained a Silver Age comic from a popular US auction site in CGC grade 8.5. Its Silver Surfer #4, notorious for being a thick comic with a relatively rigid square spine. Not the easiest to press, one would imagine. Anyway, onto the point in question. This particular comic has a gradual, but clearly visible, undulation running diagonally across it. The 'trough' of this undulation runs from spine to right edge. So its not flat'. Grading Guides say this grade can be 'almost flat' or 'relatively flat' but what does this actually mean ? How do you define it, and what is 'almost flat' anyway? It would seem open to interpretation. In the case I have mentioned above, does a visible undulation meet the 8.5 criteria, ie. 'almost flat' ?

Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated. I agree with you in that, I don't see any difference in say, a 7.0 grade ASM #50 and a 12 cent one. They are the same and there should be no descrimination. UK price stamps are a whole different matter and unfortuantely I have too many 1960's comics carrying them. Some stamps are faded and descrete, but some are a bit in your face. Those over zealous newsagents were a bit too keen to deface the front the covers. Why not the back instead ? I only ever had one comic with a small white price label on it, which came off nicely with a bit of heat. Maybe this newsagent was a collector ha..ha.

Very interesting replies. I had no idea that staples could become detached in transit. This may explain why a Silver Age comic I sent to CGC for grading with staples attached, was returned with grader notes saying 'top staple detached". I knew it can happened during pressing, but not during shipping.

My Silver Age comic collection is mainly comprised of original UK price variants. For the issues that do have a US 12 cent price, the covers have a (1/- ) UK price stamp. I was wondering if:- 1. Are UK price variants as valuable and collectable as their US counterparts ? 2. Would I be able to sell my comics on the US market ? 3. Would the UK price stamp on my 12 cent issues make these comics undesirable, even if graded by cgc as 7.0 ? 4. Are UK price variants considered rarer than US price ones ? Your views and opinions would be invaluable to me. Thanks

Its seems a common financial equation to me. The auctions will continue because they are businesses that have to. Many buyers wont be able to justify the expenditure in hard times, so there will be fewer of them. Those selling won't drop their prices but instead, absorb a lower turnover and reduced income for awhile. If you do get a lucky bargain it will be because the seller is really strapped for cash and will take what he can get, within reason of course. The most recent CL Auction, which just ended, did not show a drop in prices paid, but it would be interesting to see what happens in a few weeks from now.

Commendable that CGC announce they will remain open. Who knows how the comic world will be affected. Some of our beloved comic shops will go out of business, the buyers will drying up due to loss of jobs and income. Its a new world and who knows what will happen? People selling off their collections, buyers not willing to devote essential monies into comics, and so on. It seems to me, the wealthy will be the only ones buying those key comics for the forseeable future ?

Yes, I have experienced Midtown Comics. See my post entitled "Midtown Madness". Not a company I would ever use again.

Thanks guys for taking the time to respond. A lot of useful information and a lot to think about. You have shown me that I'm sort of on the right track, and will now use what you have said in going forward.

I can only say, that there still seems to be an upward trend on key issues. This may fluctuate up and down a little, but the trend is upward, I think. Ebay is not a good yard stick, as these prices tend to be inflated. Monitoring auction site sales can offer some insight, but there will always be those lower steals that do not reflect the real market. I can only surmise, what will an Incredible Hulk 181 be worth in 5 years time ? Everyone who has one believes it it will be much more than now.

I would just like to ask if anyone has had problems with Midtown Comics shipping ? I live in Europe and have just received a limited edition March 2020 issue comic from them in a Flat Rate Envelope and the comic inside is damage and virtually worthless. I note this issue was raised in the CGC Forum back in 2016 and Midtown are still sending out international deliveries in this manner. There was no attempt to protect the comic comic in any way. There was no boarding, as is normal for the industry, for protecting comics from bending in transit and handling. All my previous purchases from USA have been well protected in this way. My comic which cost me a total of $81, was sent in its poly bag and board within just a brown paper bag inside a floppy USPS Flat Rate Envelope. What sort of protection and customer care is this ? The comic was a mess and had numerous color break stresses all up the spine. Midtown have responded and have fallen back on their website statement that says,, "some damage may occur using a flat rate envelope, but they have generally found it to be a QUICK and SAFE method of shipping and rarely get complaints". I am taking issue with them on this, based on an apparent lack of regard in packaging the comic in a suitable and protective manner, regardless of it being in a Flat Rate Envelope. It seems to show a total lack of consideration from what should be a knowledgeable and experienced comic company. I would be grateful for any advice anyone can give me on this and what I should do, I'm now considering stopping the credit card payment and returning the item to them, as they have dismissed the matter as 'not their problem'.

I have been looking at all the auction websites like ComicLink, Comicconnect, Mycomicshop, Ebay and so on, plus Gocollect and Coverprice as a bench mark. I'm now totally confused on the true value of a Silver Age comic. They all have different values for the same thing according to where you look. Ebay sellers tend to price a full grade above what it should be, and I regularly see them publish rediculous prices up to 50% more than the market value. You see sales on ComicLink that went for 50% less than others of the same grade and page quality. Not sure how this happens in a competitive auction ? I seems that if you buy at something close to the published FMV you've done well. I'm pretty confused right now and feel that, if I don't offer at least 25% upward on the published FMV, I don't have a hope in hell. Can someone ease my pain and explain why things have become the way they are ?

Thanks to everyone who responded. I hit a soft spot there, I think. I wiil look at The Punisher again and maybe view him in a different light. Some of you referred to Moon Knight and I think its a shame that this character has not been portrayed as a dark gothic character being tormented between doing good and evil. It would be a sinister, complex and intriguing story. Just my view. I agree with your thoughts on the phrase 'Mega Key'. I has been mis-used on a few popular comic websites, hence my reference to it. It tends to be used for comics that have an astronomical price tag, but clearly its the historic relevance and/or rarity that make it so special and the price tag is just a consequence of that.

I have long looked at key comic issues. However, I still can't understand why the 1st appearance of The Punisher is held in such high esteem. A secondary character like many others in the history of Marvel and in all intents a purposes a glorified hitman. I just don't get how Spiderman #129 can carry such a high price tag. Sorry, but he does nothing for me. HOWEVER, having said this I'm always open to being persuaded by other points of view ?

I've put this on the chat line as an observation when handling thin comics that have few pages. I recently received a Silver Surfer Black #1 with a nice Adi Granov cover. I carefully rebagged it from its boarded poly bag into a better boarded Mylar bag. In doing this, the comic stressed in two places on the spine, luckily with no colour break. These are minor but are there all the same. This comic has few pages so the spine is very weak and flexible. It tends to bend with the slightest handling. So, be aware of the fragility of such comics. I think the indents can be pressed out, but its still a bit of a bummer and a lesson learned.

I would be interested to know members views on the subject of signature COA's. My understanding as a new collector of modern age comic books is that CGC do not recognise COA's when grading comics. They don't advise you to send them with the comic. So, what is the point of all this comic shop hype on COA's when you can't get your comic graded as a 'signature series' edition ?

Well, a TV series has been announced, which will influence interest and maybe prices I have collected a few MK comics mainly because I like the character and that prices were relatvely low, even for a 9.8 CGC graded copy, compared to other comics from the same era. I can see a growth in issues like MK no.1, but can't see why this naff cover can sustain its high price. I have bought MK 29 and 30 in high grade and was very satisfied with them. Time will tell if the TV series does anything. I say this because the Daredevil TV series did little or nothing to increase the value of my 1960's Daredevil comic collection ?

I have had an email about QES which appears to be a higher grading tier for comics that have been already graded. It would seem QES, after paying a fee, stick a label on your CGC holder to indicate the comic's finer attributes. Not sure how this sits with CGC, as it tries to override/enhance their market standard grading system ? I suppose the market will decide if a graded comic with a perfect spine but, a 4 inch corner crease has been undervalued, or not ?

Wow. Thanks guys. There's some great feedback here. A real eye opener for sure. I can go forward with a better perspective on my collecting habits. I only buy new age comics that I really like the look of and tend to focus on the Silver Age Characters I know and love, but with a few cool exceptions, of course. Thanks

I have a 9.8 comic in GGC at the moment for re-casing. It was received from an ebay purchase with a small splinter of plastic protruding over the top edge of the front cover. CGC are recasing as a Mechanical Error and at no cost to me. My only alarm is that its current status is said to be In the Grading section. Why ? My fear is that it may come back at a lower grade for some reason !! Anyway, this aside, the subject of damaged cases is an interesting one. I have found that even raw comics I have sent for grading to CGC have come back with 'brand new' cases but with a single score mark, scuff mark, or even a small scratch on the front panel. You often can't see it straight on, but turn it at an angle to the light and all is revealed. So, new cases can be defective at source, let alone what you my may purchase at auction, or on ebay ?