ASM nº300 vs nº238...who wins?

[joe_collector]

I enjoyed the McFarlane Spidey run, but I look back at as a whole and it just doesn't do anything for me...That whole late 80s Spidey was just the beginning of the speculator boom that almost killed the industry..

 

Actually, the original McFarlane ASM run could be had for cover long after he started in. There was little real speculation (other than by insiders) on the early issues, and I know, since stacks of ASM 300 were on discount racks.

 

The 1990 Spider-man run was mass-hoarded, and that was the beginning of the end. That was pure insanity, and was the point where kids totally stopped coming into the shops.

 

I separate them like that, and still have fond memories of the first 10-15 or so of the ASM Big Mac run, while using the Spider-man issues as fireplace starter.

[Smokinghawk]

I kinda think it'll be 238.

 

300 isn't really that "key." It's not McF's first ASM, and it's not a first Venom, it's just a hundred-numbered book.

 

ASM 238 is a key for content reasons, and the added collectibility variable ot tattooz adds a little (like the MVS variable in a H181). And my theory--which my recent buying habits hope for--is that eventual Spidey movies will combine traits of ASM 136 and 238 by having Norman jr. return--but as Hobgoblin (which is a step-up from Green Goblin in hardware and modernity).

 

 

[minutekev@50]

And in my opinion, 301 is the better cover anyway....

[shiverbones]

Actually, the original McFarlane ASM run could be had for cover long after he started in. There was little real speculation (other than by insiders) on the early issues, and I know, since stacks of ASM 300 were on discount racks.

 

The 1990 Spider-man run was mass-hoarded, and that was the beginning of the end. That was pure insanity, and was the point where kids totally stopped coming into the shops.

 

I separate them like that, and still have fond memories of the first 10-15 or so of the ASM Big Mac run, while using the Spider-man issues as fireplace starter.

 

i disagree wholeheartedly on this. Because of the hulk run, people were already all over mcfarlane. I was selling out of 298 for $8 by the time #301 came out. This was a time when i was doing shows monthly, and everyone was all over this book by that point. Maybe things were different in canada, but down here #300 was a $20 book by the time 306 was out.

[joe_collector]

Maybe things were different in canada, but down here #300 was a $20 book by the time 306 was out.

 

Things are different here, as most brick and mortar guys priced by Guide, and those ASM issues didn't move much in the quarterly updates, at least until later.

 

That's how a show is different, as you can "test market" higher prices and see who you can snare.

[delekkerste]

i admit as a mcfarlane hater i HATE #300 & venom as a character, so i am biased.

 

I despise the entire McFarlane ASM run, which ran counter to the very essence of the character (I'm sorry, but Peter Parker is supposed to be a guy everybody can relate to, not a guy who does book signings and is married to a supermodel living in a swank luxury apartment). I also think brain-eating alien symbiote costumes have no place in the Spidey universe, so I despise Venom as well.

 

That said, there is no accounting for taste, so while #238 is by far the better book, I think #300 is going to maintain its valuation edge going forward. As people said, (1) it's a double-sized anniversary issue, (2) it has garnered the perception of being "the" Modern Marvel key, (3) TMac is the more popular artist, (4) Venom is the more popular villain with Hobby largely gone and forgotten by now and (5) Hobby, who was always derivative of the Goblin, had his importance diminished even further when Marvel made the catastrophic decision to bring Norman Osborn back at the end of the Clone Saga in the '90s.

 

Gene

[Foolkiller]

Gene:

 

I can't believe you hate the McFarlane run that much. As a kid growing up, I think those were some of my favorite Spidey stories, and of course, i was a sucker for the McFarlane take on Spidey. I think that having Peter have some run of good luck (mostly as a result of MJ, not him) was actually an interesting plot twist... although Peter's an everyman, characters do have to evolve at some point, and go through different things in their fictional world.

 

That being said, there's no question ASM 300 is the more valuable book... and it's a great one in my opinion too.

 

[Freiherr]

I loved Venom the villain…I disliked Venom the anti-hero. I would have never picked up Spiderman or possibly even a comic if it was not for him.

 

McFarlane was OK to me till Spawn #10. I later became to dislike him more whenever I saw speeches made by him and interviews. I think his popularity went to his head a tad much and I would roll my eyes whenever his views were given as something important. I groaned when they added him to the extra section in the Anamatrix DVD. “When was the last time this guy drew something other than a paycheck” I would always say to myself.

 

[Scarlet_Spider]

300 isn't really that "key." It's not McF's first ASM, and it's not a first Venom, it's just a hundred-numbered book.

 

If it's not the first Venom what is?? 299 hardly counts and 298 certainly isn't it.

 

Hate to use the Hulk 181 comparison but its clearly noted as the first full Wolverine, as ASM 300 is the first full Venom.

 

The first appearance as a cameo is nearly always less of a key (and valued accordingly) than a first full appearance of any major character.

 

What do you consider to be the first Venom???

[OldSchoolTerry]

300 isn't really that "key." It's not McF's first ASM, and it's not a first Venom, it's just a hundred-numbered book.

 

If it's not the first Venom what is?? 299 hardly counts and 298 certainly isn't it.

 

Hate to use the Hulk 181 comparison but its clearly noted as the first full Wolverine, as ASM 300 is the first full Venom.

 

The first appearance as a cameo is nearly always less of a key (and valued accordingly) than a first full appearance of any major character.

 

What do you consider to be the first Venom???

 

ASM 252.......

[joe_collector]

ASM 252.......

 

 

ASM 252: 1st app. Alien Costume

 

ASM 300: First app. Eddie Brock + Alien Costume Hybrid, aka Venom.

[OldSchoolTerry]

ASM 252.......

 

 

ASM 252: 1st app. Alien Costume

 

ASM 300: First app. Eddie Brock + Alien Costume Hybrid, aka Venom.

 

I know it was only the costume in ASM 252, JC, I was just trying to bust balls. Between ASM 252 and ASM 300, you also had several appearances of the "alien costume", where it was trying, and later succeeded to escape the glass case Mr Fantastic had it encased in. I was reading FF #274(?) the other day, and I believe that's the first time the costume "escaped" from its' prison, and slithered off into the night.

[vic6string]

that is the right one...FF 274. OS has it as the 4th app of the costume. Surprised you didn't mention Secret Wars 8.

[OldSchoolTerry]

Well, yeah, since Secret Wars "happened" before ASM 252, that would be the first appearance of the costume. I was thinking in terms of what book hit the newsstand first.

I wonder why there seems to be no demand at all for that FF274....