• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

My own personal GRAIL story !!! WARNING SUPER LONG POST

Started by comixcroz,

56 posts in this topic

comixcroz

comixcroz

Posted
Posted

FF1 has been on my mind for a good while now. I actually remember the first time I saw an FF1 in person. I was about 8 years old and my Uncle was into comics. He took me to a LCS in the suburbs of Pittsburgh every so often and let me pick out one book. He was a big X-men fan and so I would always follow suit and pick the same book he picked up.

 

The one day I was there with him I spotted the "High value" comics. Instead of being up on a wall, he had them in a glass case and there was an FF1. I remember asking my Uncle about it and he told me that it was the most expensive comic book in the world!! I was in awe at the price of this comic (I can't remember the asking price now) and it was the first moment I remember ever hearing of the Fantastic Four. I'll never forget the image of that book in my head. I saw that book about 20 to 30 times after that day and I remember it being perfect. I doubt that it was even a Fine copy but the image I have stuck in my head is that of a 9.4 beauty.

 

 

The LCS is now long gone by a good 15 to 20 years, but the influence that book had on me still exists to this day. Over the years I have built a rather impressive collection of FF raws. I have almost the complete Jack and Stan run with the exception 1, 2, and 4. Mind you, everything prior to issue 30 looks like it's been the toilet paper of a rhino, but I have them and they are complete. I just recently started upgrading my collection. 3 years ago I was at a con and bought a second copy of FF72 for $60. After holding it in my hands and seeing the glossy goodness of High grades I became addicted to not only having every issue, but now having them in VF or better. You all can relate I'm sure.

 

Then I started buying slabs and the disease progressed. I can register my collection online and compare them to other collections? I don't have to worry if the book is restored or the seller is an overgrader? you get it....

 

For the past 3 years I have been saving for my grail. The almighty FF1. I even opened a seperate savings acct just for the FF1 funds. Well last month my funds reached a level that seemed do-able for a nice copy. The seller finds me from a WTB thread I started and sends me some scans of a nice 5.5. I looked around a while and could not find one that was as nice as this one that I could afford. So I asked if I could fly into Manhattan to see it in person first before making a decision. The seller was completely fine with it and I made the reservations. At this point I had started to get cold feet. Prior to this purchase, the most I had ever spent on a single comic was $650. I started asking for advice about future value and most said not to do it, especially the people that are not comic nerds. Ultimately, none of that mattered, because I HAD to own this book at some point in my life. Period.

 

Here I am on a plane to NY, NY. Flight left at 11:00am and I am to depart later that night at 9:00pm. I have nothing but a backpack and myself. In the backpack I have a Bone TPB and my travel papers. I paid in advance to have a small van take me from LaGuardia to Manhattan for $12 bucks each way. This turned out to be much cheaper but a very slow way to get anywhere. I was meeting the seller at 1:00pm at a Barnes and Noble across the street from where the seller works. I get their before the seller and I can tell immediately who the seller is because when he walks in to the entrance he is carrying a box tightly secured in between his armpit. We say are hellos and we go to an empty table right outside of B&B. He whips out the FF1 like it was a beat up Sports Illustrated and hands it to me. :luhv::o(worship):cloud9:

 

This is the first time I had ever held an FF1 in my hands and the first time since I was a tiny tot with my uncle that I had seen one in person. I tried to act like it was no big deal. I had plans of heavily negotiating for a lower price. I was going to walk if I did not get my offer and that is it!!! lol

 

I handed him the cash and we went on our marry ways. His smile was grin to grin. I don't think he expected to be leaving with a nice wad of cash that day. Honestly, I could not be happier.

 

I told him I had some time to kill before my return flight and asked him what to do. He replied "You'd be doing yourself a disservice if you did not check out Mid-town comics." To which I replied "Cool!" He told me how to get their and I warned him that I am terrible with directions. I nodded as he told me the directions and then minutes later I had forgot them. Luckily, I had my iphone so I just typed in Midtown Comics in to the GPS and BAM 2 locations show up instantly. I set my course and start walking. It's cold out but the sun is shining, I have 5 hours to kill in NYC, and I have the HOLY GRAIL of my life under my arm. Life could not be better!! It isn't until 90 minutes later that I start to wonder "How far of a walk is this?!" I look down to my iphone and I realize I had been walking in the exact opposite direction. At this point, I am pretty frustrated but life is still grand because of the book in my hands. I turn around and make sure I am going the correct way. About 20 minutes into going the right direction I feel a single drop of rain on my head. please dont rain. Not with this FF1 in my hands. Mind you the book is wrapped in bubble wrap and then put into a box - but it is in no way water proof. 10 minutes later I am walking in a downpour. I run into the first store I find and ask for a large plastic bag. 4 stores later I am actually given one. I check the book for any moisture and Whew! there is none. So I continue the long walk except now I am soaking wet to the bone and carrying a 7 thousand dollar comic.

 

Walking in NY, I imagine, is like driving NASCAR. I always thought that I was a fast walker until this day. I am being passed by everyone!! Women, children, the ELDERLY!! Not to mention, everyone has umbrellas and I almost lose an eye every other block. Here I am sopping wet wearing a leather jacket and dodging pointy umbrellas all the while carrying my grail. After an hour of walking I get to Midtown Comics. I wait for 5 minutes more in the rain as people walk down the stairs at the entrance. (There is only room to go up or down - not both) I finally get inside and it really is a cool shop. You can see Time Square while you're browsing back issues. The only complaint I have is they don't have hardly anything SA in High Grade. Which is pretty much all that I buy now - so I went up stairs and looked at possibly the largest collection of Bowen and Sideshow Statues I have ever seen. I wasted an hour looking around the shop but bought nothing. I did ask one of the workers for a new plastic bag and I swapped out the sopping wet one. The whole time I was thinking, I wonder what people would think in this shop if they knew what I had in my bag....

 

I get a call on my iphone - it's the cab company that is riding me back to the airport. I have to be at 3rd and 52nd at 5:30 to make sure I get my 9:00pm flight on time. well ok... I guess traffic is that bad round these parts. I head to the pickup location - right where I started. Another hour of rain/speed walking and stopping several times to make sure no water is getting through the bag, I get to the pickup address. After 6 calls to the operator and a fight between a dude on a bike and someone in a benz, the cab arrives at 7:15pm.

 

I arrive at LaGuardia in no time and I am through security in 5 minutes. I get to my terminal about 30 minutes before boarding and sigh. That is until, the flight Attendant announces over the intercom that my flight is canceled!!! I ended up staying in an airport hotel, on US Airways dime ofcourse, with no change of clothes and no tooth brush!!

 

The FF1 and I stayed up all night lovingly :luhv: staring into each others eyes in our crappy hotel room.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comicparadox

comicparadox

Posted
Posted

Congratulations! FF1 is an iconic book, and your acquisition story adds to the pride you'll have in ownership.

 

And I agree about the pace of walkers in Manhattan - the phrase "New York minute" really means something!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
szelim

szelim

Posted
Posted

Congrats on acquiring your grail! :applause:

 

FF1 is an awesome book to get, one that you won't regret getting under any circumstances. The story of how you acquired it is great and will always stay with you every time you see that book.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
djpinkpanther67

djpinkpanther67

Posted
Posted
Congrats! :applause:

I know the seller and I know the book you bought! Excellent choice :thumbsup:

Post the scans, man!!! :baiting:

 

Thanks!

 

FF1coverraw.jpg

 

FF1rawbc.jpg

 

ff1slab.jpg

Now for a HG #5 :baiting:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
djpinkpanther67

djpinkpanther67

Posted
Posted
thanks for the congrats guys!! - a FF5 8 or above would be a nice addition hm

It's late - wait until tomorrow when everyone is up to read your thread :applause:

BTW I figured you would get that book. It was a pretty sweet price the way they have been climbing lately. I'm glad you got it and are happy with it :grin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comixcroz

comixcroz

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Cool story! I would have been sweating bullets over whether it was restored. Glad it came out great.

thanks man - actually I bought it cgc slabbed - the scans were sent to me from the seller from before it was graded. (thumbs u

Link to comment
Share on other sites
General Zod

General Zod

Posted
Posted
Cool story! I would have been sweating bullets over whether it was restored. Glad it came out great.

thanks man - actually I bought it cgc slabbed - the scans were sent to me from the seller from before it was graded. (thumbs u

 

Even better. :applause:

I almost thought near the end of the story after the rain started, that you were going to be worried about getting mugged. :gossip: (By other collectors...)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
comixcroz

comixcroz

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Cool story! I would have been sweating bullets over whether it was restored. Glad it came out great.

thanks man - actually I bought it cgc slabbed - the scans were sent to me from the seller from before it was graded. (thumbs u

 

Even better. :applause:

I almost thought near the end of the story after the rain started, that you were going to be worried about getting mugged. :gossip: (By other collectors...)

lol actually the thought did cross my mind..."what if someone grabs it off of me and runs away like a purse snatcher?"...."what if they check my bag at mid-town comics and accuse me of stealing it from the shop?" "what if they stop me at airport security and go through my things and.....DROP IT?!!!" ....etc. etc. etc....

 

but it was all good :headbang:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing