Qalyar

On 5/4/2024 at 9:27 PM, Parabellum said:

@QalyarHere are all the variants to the Universal Soldier comics.  The photo covers are the newsstand copies with the toned down story.  Looks like  #2 newsstand has a “variant” due to the “better than ever” slogan versus the UPC.  The painted covers/direct editions contain the more graphic art.  The #1 with the painted cover and UPC was a Walden Books exclusive that came poly bagged.  I didn’t open the poly bag to confirm whether it contained the uncensored artwork or not.  If I come across an opened one I will purchase it and find out.

I'd sort of forgotten about the Waldenbooks version, but they're not actually that hard to find.

On the other hand, the most interesting book here is that #2 with the UPC. Normally, I'd expect the newsstand cover to come with a UPC. However... a quick inventory of the internet reveals only "NOW Better Than Ever" copies. That's what MCS lists for that cover. That's what MH lists for that cover. That's what the GCD shows. That's what all the currently available ebay listings with that cover include. So... what on earth is that other book?

I think there are two options.

First, it could be another store exclusive, maybe another Waldenbooks edition. But if that were the case, I'd expect some sort of label. Either there would be bagged copies with a sticker, like with #1, or stickers on the comics, or... you know, something. Also, frankly, although they're not raining from the sky, Waldenbooks copies of #1 aren't exactly rare. I could buy a half-dozen of them right now. If the UPC Newsstand #2 had the same distribution pathway, I would expect to see more copies.

So, I'm just guessing here, but here's what I think happened. That book should never have had the "NOW More Than Ever" slug in the first place. NOW used that slug in place of a UPC on direct market books that still had a cutout for the barcode (and on quite a few books that don't appear to have had newsstand distribution at all). But based on the covers, this was a newsstand book, which means it should have had a UPC. I'm guessing that one or more of their distribution partners (potentially even Waldenbooks, frankly) had some unkind words for NOW when they realized they got shipped books that couldn't be scanned by point of sale. And that NOW was confident enough in sales of this book (or beholden enough to the whims of one of their distribution clients) that they swapped the cover slug and ran off some additional copies. If that's the case, that's basically a 2nd printing ... although I don't think NOW ever officially had a second printing of anything, and I'm fairly confident they wouldn't have altered the indicia (although you might as well check, with that copy in hand). Frankly, they may have had surplus "guts" on hand to marry to the corrected covers. ...again, if that's what this book is.

On 5/3/2024 at 7:14 PM, newshane said:

MOST DIFFICULT BOOKS OF THE REGULAR RUN (VARIANTS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION)

1. - SPAWN 156 

2. - SPAWN 64 

3.- SPAWN 212 

4. - SPAWN 191 

5. - SPAWN 203 

6.- SPAWN 182 

7. - SPAWN 144

8. - SPAWN 207 

9. - SPAWN 201 

10. - SPAWN 26 

Still no copies in 9.8.........

or 9.6. 

A few in 9.4. One of them belonged to me. 

Jet black inks, relatively low print run, the world's crappiest coverstock, and the fact that it was released at a time when everyone had forgotten Spawn...all this contributes to a truly brutal modern. 

Cheers to the person who finds a 9.8! 

THE toughest main-series Spawn by far. 

 

What really hurts about this one is that it's also a really cool cover. Why couldn't the impossible book be one of the hot garbage covers instead?

At least a future ultracompletionist won't have to find a newsstand copy also, as they stopped ~20 issues earlier!

On 5/3/2024 at 11:23 AM, wardevil0 said:

Seems like the kind of things folks here might like: 

https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?ItemID=60911249

(Not my book, not my listing, just ran across it.)

This is not actually the first appearance of the Metal gear characters, however. The 16-page ashcan was essentially a preview for this miniseries, and was distributed a couple months earlier. Not my book:

On 5/3/2024 at 12:52 PM, shadroch said:

The Post Office doesn't open packages for inspection, with the exception of Media Mail, unless it has strong suspicion of a crime. Even then, they need a warrant, as far as I know.

Warrants are necessary to search First Class or Priority mail, with limited exceptions (packages that appear hazardous, some situations involving international shipping, a few other things that don't apply here).

On 5/2/2024 at 7:26 PM, ComicCollector87 said:

Cool, thx very much!

Is there a reason why Issue #4 isn't listed? - because I know from ebay that there are Issues #4 graded by CGC

Issues 2 and 3 are Marvel versus DC; issues 1 and 4 are DC versus Marvel.

On 5/2/2024 at 3:25 PM, the blob said:

This genre really has me wondering how many future serial killers got pushed over the line by reading them?

On 5/2/2024 at 4:17 PM, the blob said:

I'd like to also, but some of the imagery in these of dismembering and what not, I'm no forensic psychiatrist, but if you're almost there I wonder if stuff like this just puts you over the top to make you want to really do it. For the rest of us it is "ewwww, this comic is crazy!" 

Nice try, Ghost of Fredric Wertham, but we're onto you!

On 5/2/2024 at 5:26 PM, newshane said:

MOST DIFFICULT BOOKS OF THE REGULAR RUN (VARIANTS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION)

1.

2. - SPAWN 64 

3.- SPAWN 212 

4. - SPAWN 191 

5. - SPAWN 203 

6.- SPAWN 182 

7. - SPAWN 144

8. - SPAWN 207 

9. - SPAWN 201 

10. - SPAWN 26 

 

Another gap in the collection of 9.8s. This one still frustrates me! I'm pretty sure this was a census ghost 10 years ago, but I must have blocked it out of my memory due to trauma!  

There are a few on eBay right now. You may balk at the asking prices but TRUST ME when I tell you...this is a very tough modern. 

This issue came in a polybag and included an insert. That's what made it so tough. The cleanest copy I ever found was a 9.6 that I subbed. I was really bummed when it came back "not perfect." 

Go find this book in your LCS. It will likely be shot to . 

The boards aren't allowing me to upload the image right now. I'll try in another post. 

 

It's obviously a different kind of completionism than even what you were going for, but I'd just like to note that this issue also has a newsstand edition ... and that the UPC identifying it as such is on the back (so not casually visible on a bagged and boarded copy).

On 3/25/2024 at 9:45 AM, jstam said:

***UPDATE*** I am told that we should have resolution to the "Unable to add books to Custom Sets that are not already in Competitive set (inventory)" by next week. The rest should be resolved by 4/30. These are not guarantees. This is the information that I've been given and I'm passing it over to you.

***UPDATE 4/24*** I have tested over several accounts this morning and it appears that the Custom Sets bug has been resolved. You should be able to add books to Custom sets that are not in your inventory. The other bugs are still outstanding.

***UPDATE 4/30*** We should have resolution to the bugs hindering new Competitive set creation and set changes by end of day 5/1. This is not guaranteed but it looks likely. 

***UPDATE 5/2*** The outstanding bugs have been addressed and everyone should be able to create new Competitive sets, make changes to sets, and add pictures. 

Glad to see everything is working again. But most of all, thank you @jstam for offering exceptional community engagement, providing updates as they were available.

On 5/2/2024 at 1:56 PM, ygogolak said:

 

That was a steal!

Don't let Chuck hear that, or he'll adjust everything else up another 15% or something!

I don't think there's any way to know ahead of time how CGC is going to treat this, as it's a pretty unique case. If I were grading this book, I would not call that edge trimmed; perhaps if the damage were at the top or the bottom, but this is just a chunk out of the center edge that happens to have left a more or less clean break. It doesn't disguise damage, nor does it attempt to improve the appearance of the book, so I wouldn't deem it restoration (not even crappy self-destructive "restoration" like trimming).

But what they'll decide?

On 4/27/2024 at 8:14 PM, Withering Wind said:

Well you are not the only one.  I pulled my copy and I'm seeing similar issues.  Either the paper used is very susceptible to foxing or this is some sort of stain introduced in production.  I feel your pain.

This is not foxing. Both of these copies show paper translucency in the stained area, so this is almost certainly oil contamination. With two copies affected from different people, my guesses would be either errant machine oil on the press during printing or some sort of horrible mishandling during distribution.

In either case, even if this is a defect introduced during production, there's no way CGC is going to give these books a break. Sorry folks.

I do admittedly sometimes feel a little self-conscious when my quests for Very Specific Drek earns a mention in the CovrPrice weekly report. But still...

This is the 2nd best copy recorded, behind a single 9.6, and is certainly miles better than the half-dozen or so raw copies I'd already gone through. Nor do I expect there to be many other high-grade candidates forthcoming. This variant was distributed exclusively in one (seemingly low distribution) version of one video game box-set. The contents also weren't exactly secured, so these got to bounce around in the box along with several CD jewel cases and a ~300 page strategy guide. Casualties happened, so even breaking a sealed box of the correct version (none of which were available last time I checked) is no guarantee of an acceptable copy.

As an aside, the cover artist here is Francisco Ruiz Velasco, who is probably more familiar to Dark Horse fans for his Predator and AVP stuff a few years later.

Also, my slab photography skills are still, erm, Very Good. One of these days, I need to stop buying weird comics and just bite the bullet on a slab-compatible legal scanner.

On 4/21/2024 at 3:16 AM, BuraddoRun said:

I found these recently at HPB. I never knew they made comics based on the Disney World attraction.

 

Seven issue run and, honestly, not terrible as a light horror series. Obviously, the Roman Dirge covers are also a draw, especially for fans of Lenore. If you're a completionist fan, there's also a red foil variant to #1 which is... not super common, but not that rare. There was also a slipcased hardcover that collected #1-6; I don't believe I've seen a copy. to my knowledge, #7 was never reprinted.

In 2016, Marvel did a 5-issue miniseries for the Haunted Mansion also (gee, I can't imagine why Marvel would get to do Disney stuff... weird!). I haven't read it. It does have "modern cover variant"-itis (there's at least 7 versions of #1, including a Scottie Young cover that I assume is the chase option -- and that's not counting the Halloween ComicFest book that's technically a different title -- even the last issue has four!).

Finally, in 2020, IDW published a standalone 72-page Haunted Mansion graphic novel (I believe technically called Haunted Mansion: Frights of Fancy). I haven't read it either, but based on the art direction, it's definitely more "Disney" and less "horror".

On 4/23/2024 at 7:57 PM, rlextherobot said:

That sweet feeling of crossing one off the list (metaphorically, I have an app and not a physical list, but still feels good)

Sharp copy, too. The one I had in my Batman-ing days was... not... this pretty.

On 3/16/2022 at 5:21 PM, Qalyar said:

Found a second copy of this weird, presumably promotional, variant. Despite my best efforts, I still have absolutely no idea how these were distributed, but wherever they came from, it seems like it was hard on books. My first copy might manage a 5.5; this one could probably get pressed all the way up to a 6.5 or 7.0! Truly, these books are miracles of preservation, to have survived even in this shape all the way from the bygone time of ... 2001? Hmmph, nevermind.

Really, though, I'm still looking for information about how this was distributed (and looking for a copy in actually collectible condition...).

 

Two years later, I can finally state where the blue variant cover of this book came from!

Blizzard released a compilation set of their Diablo games (Diablo, Diablo 2, and D2: Lord of Destruction), called the Diablo Battle Chest. There are, erm, a lot of versions of this box set. The very first version released is referred to by video game collectors as the "Tall Box". No comic in that one. Shortly after, it was reissued as the "Wide Box". Predictably, there are multiple versions of the Wide Box.

This book is from the very first version of the Wide Box. Well, sometimes. The first Wide Box was also used for some international distribution; only US editions have the comic. Also, some reports suggest that not ALL examples of the first Wide Box actually contain the comic. I can't confirm or deny that, although I can confirm that SOME do. The relevant version of the Wide Box can be distinguished from later versions because the game covers reproduced on the box set are overlapped; in particular, the "O" in "Diablo" on the Lord of Destruction cover is concealed. Absolutely no idea how many of these boxes or how many of these comics were distributed, however.

These comics weren't secured inside the boxes, which included a bunch of jewel cases CDs and a lot of other stuff. Needless to say, these boxes weren't exactly handled with care and precision, which did not contribute to keeping these books in high grade. Nor did the general lack of comic collectors' interest or awareness of this book. Many copies were well read and roughly handled.

On 4/19/2024 at 2:48 PM, pmpknface said:

Rolling on with the Hobgoblin collection!  Picked up a new one that wasn't even on my radar, Spider-Man:  The Parker Years.  This one only has 16 in 9.8 and 22 on the census.  Looks good in the slab with the wrap cover too.  It's mainly a flashback book that was during the clone madness, but my man is front and center on the cover so it was an easy call.  I didn't even realize it was a NS copy until it arrived.   

This checks nearly all the boxes to be a really hard book to find as a NS. After the peak of NS distribution had passed? Although certainly not a post-2000 distribution diehard, I don't think anyone would argue that direct market copies weren't dominant by '95. Way, way off the main-line titles? Check, I'm not sure I ever knew this flashback-y one-shot book ever existed at all. UPC box on the back, where no one will see it on a bagged and boarded book? Very much check.

And in 9.8 to boot. Congratulations.

Books like this aren't necessarily worth magical Christmasland FMVs, but trying to find them on purpose is another story entirely.

On 4/21/2024 at 2:39 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN GODSLAYER 6 - CGC 9.8 

Well, this is it! The last one! I will go through my files again in search of any strays, but I think we're finally done. 

It's taken us 16 months to get through it. I tried to maintain a pace of one book per day. I came close, but I failed. Maybe my dissertation had something to do with it? 

A truly massive collection. The sheer size of it was one of the reasons why I had to get rid of it. 

I'll had additional thoughts on this collection coming soon, so stay tuned if you're interested. 

If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them! I can't tell you anything in the way of cost or profit, other than the whole affair was stupidly expensive, and I wish that I would have bought Bitcoin instead.  

Thanks to everyone who's been tuning in. 

My goal with the collection was to complete a genuine archive of the entire series. I was approaching it for fun, but also out of a desire to preserve the world's finest record of McFarlane's work. I accomplished my goal. This was truly the finest collection of graded Spawn books that have ever been assembled, and it will be extremely difficult and extremely expensive for anyone who attempts to even match it. These statements aren't about me. They are about the collection.

Unfortunately, the collection is no more. It's been busted up and all of them have long since moved on to new owners. 

After selling the rarest variants piecemeal, I sold the overwhelming bulk of the collection to a massive dealer who will remain unnamed. I personally drove the comics in a rental car and did the deal in person. I would have made much more money selling them individually, but with such a massive collection, you have to consider the cost and logistics involved with packaging and shipping all those books. Not to mention the time involved! It was much easier for me to sell them altogether to a dependable buyer. Much easier and safer to move them myself than to package them. It was a marathon 22 hour round trip, but the deal was done, and I moved on. 

My next focus was assembling robot covers from the Golden and Atomic ages. I had an incredible collection. I sold them all. Really regret that, too. Now, I'm working on getting a few of them back. I've also decided that I will no longer have a focus. I'm tracking down any book that looks cool to me...I have obligated myself to only purchase "elite" copies of each issue. By elite, I mean a pedigreed or top/near-top census copy. My buying has slowed to an absolute crawl. Buying top copies ain't cheap, and there is a bottom to the wallet that's even more shallow after some major lifestyle upgrades over the last few years. Nicer housing and all the associated expenses, for example, comes with a steep cost these days. Kids ain't cheap, either. Especially when you insist on giving them the best you can. 

I got a lot of enjoyment out of the Spawn run before the variant game robbed me of every last ounce of it. I've also gotten a lot of enjoyment going back over the collection with all of you. It's been fun reliving the hunt! 

Happy collecting! 

I will be posting "ranked lists" over the next few weeks. Stop by if that intrigues you or feel free to create your own! This thread is open for any discussion related to Spawn. Cheers! 

I just wanted to thank you for taking all the time go through these images and share them with us. Spawn has never really been one of my books, but I followed along all the same, because this really was an achievement in modern collecting -- both in terms of the quality of the books you had assembled, and the sheer breadth of the material you tackled. I know that, as a physical collection, it's gone, but through this thread, in a way, it continues to live on. And rightly so. I do not think we'll see its kind again for a very, very long time.

On 4/21/2024 at 4:19 PM, Jesse-Lee said:

Picked this up today - I've always been intrigued with Omaha (Omaha and Cherry are the only strictly adult titles I've sought out). First time owning this for me - I know this book ain't what it used to be (and this one isn't the highest grade), but for $10 I knew it was coming home with me...

First printings -- which this is -- aren't exactly rare rare (with a print run of 10k copies), but I would buy them all day long at $10 apiece, even in this condition. Frankly, I've seen these in a lot worse shape, and that color rub along the top border is a pretty common flaw on this issue. It's not a manufacturer's defect, in the normal sense of that term, but I would say that the properties of the cover and ink make it more likely than you'd otherwise expect.

Anyway, nice acquisition of a historically important book.

On 4/19/2024 at 2:41 PM, EastEnd1 said:

I'm so glad to hear you're enjoying the thread!  I remember thinking during that period after the nineties crash that it was a good time to be buying new comics as I figured the imploding circulation figures would lead to more scarcity and hopefully higher values for new comics.  So while I did pull back on a number of Marvel and DC titles when they killed and restarted their long-running titles, I didn't pull back on my comic spending overall... I just plowed the money into other things.  It's one reason why you see so much variety in what I've been posting.  

I love the oddities that ended up in here! A lot of the smaller publisher or straight-up independent works aren't really valuable in the FMV sense. But sometimes they have great writing, or unique artwork, or they just represent the attempts -- sometimes successful, sometimes not -- for people to break into the industry. (...and yeah, okay, sometimes they're just forgettable; not every book's a winner in ANY age).

We're not all gonna collect all of that stuff. Hell, even I don't collect most of that stuff, and I collect some pretty deep drek at times. But I sure appreciate the stories that can be told about some of these books. I hope everyone does.

On 4/18/2024 at 2:29 PM, dbcn said:

ouch!  

I zoomed in a bit, as it was hard to even tell it was there at regular resolution, below:

Still think it seems pretty minor for the grade knock tho.

I kid, I kid. My own comic photography skills are bad bad.

More seriously, these sorts of color breaks are always sort of a lottery. If they get 9.8s, people whine about gift grades; if they get 9.6s, people ask why this break mattered but that break over there didn't. It's probably not fair, but it's a trope for a reason: I think the grade loss is more likely against a black field than with whatever other color cover. Probably just because the contrast is more dramatic. 

Agreed, I've seen some weird stuff on this book, but never one missing the silver like this.

On 4/18/2024 at 2:14 PM, Poekaymon said:

Eh, these two pics are showing the same thing, just the "before" is out of focus.  I see this all the time on ebay books when one pic is soft.

Agreed. The VG+ photography doesn't really disguise that the book absolutely already had a color-breaking spine tick.

On 4/17/2024 at 2:02 PM, Captain Corum said:

What's LL?

Lower left.

I'd guess that somewhere in the ballpark of $400-500 is appropriate for a well-presenting copy. No idea what that 9.6 slab that started the thread in 2018 might sell for at this point.

I passed on a copy of this in 2021 because it had a gnarly corner ding at LL but the seller was adamant that they wouldn't go below $350, and I just didn't have enough interest in the book to drop that on a damaged copy. I've probably moved on from chasing this one at all, to be honest, so that's one less competitor for you the next time a nice one emerges. Copies do exist, but this is definitely not a book that comes up constantly, or sometimes even yearly.

Like with some rare promotional pieces, stuff like this is more like hunting for specific GA books than chasing a normal Copper / Modern, regardless of market value. It has to be about the hunt.