Question for Ian

[DCIndexer]

Thanks to everyone for the kind comments.

 

I've just started my "Guide to DC Promos" on the website. I'll be adding more stuff when I have time. I will need information and/or cover scans for promos I don't yet own. Feel free to send me what you can.

 

Also I'm still looking for cover scans for about 200 regular books to complete my gallery. Ian, perhaps you could help me out.

 

I probably won't be a regular contributor to this board since my time is scarce plus I have a strong dislike for CGC and slabbing in general. However, I do regularly check the DC Archives board on DC's site.

 

DCIndexer

Mike's Amazing World of DC Comics

http://www.dcindexes.com

 

P.S. Ian, my last name is Voiles not McVoiles

[BachelorOfComix]

I probably won't be a regular contributor to this board since my time is scarce plus I have a strong dislike for CGC and slabbing in general.

You don't have to be a lover of CGC to contribute here. There are many CGC haters who post regularly. As long as you like comics, nothing else matters.

[The Brain]

I probably won't be a regular contributor to this board since my time is scarce plus I have a strong dislike for CGC and slabbing in general.

You don't have to be a lover of CGC to contribute here. There are many CGC haters who post regularly. As long as you like comics, nothing else matters.

 

BOC is right it's the love of comics more than CGC that keeps people comming here.

[Ian_Levine]

I have a strong dislike for CGC and slabbing in general.

 

 

As do I. I think that slabbing is the worst thing that happened to collecting comics, and it's put people with a talent and artistry at restoration, like Susan Cicconi, out of business by creating a huge backlash against restored books, when all restoration ever did was to make the comics that we love and treasure look more desirable and pleasing to the eye.

 

TRAGIC !!!!!!

 

I absolutely LOVE restored comics, and have gone out of my way to get all restored keys - Action 1, Detective 27, Detective 1, All American 16, More Fun 52 and 53, Flash 1, Superman 1, Batman 1, etc etc, all loking pristine and fabulous purely BECAUSE they have been restored. I love 'em.

[r100comics]

Ian

 

I was wondering how many Pedigree copies you own in your collection ?

[goldust40]

Ian

 

I was wondering how many Pedigree copies you own in your collection ?

 

About 30,000. It's the "Ian Levine" Pedigree, don't you know.

[JohnBull]

Ian

 

I was wondering how many Pedigree copies you own in your collection ?

 

About 30,000. It's the "Ian Levine" Pedigree, don't you know.

 

I thought it was the "Cut and Paste" pedigree?

[goldust40]

Ian

 

I was wondering how many Pedigree copies you own in your collection ?

 

About 30,000. It's the "Ian Levine" Pedigree, don't you know.

 

I thought it was the "Cut and Paste" pedigree?

 

Naughty, but a

 

Actually I'd be interested to know about how many pedigrees Ian has. I know of one - the New Adventure 15 he has is a Lost Valley. I should know as I sold him the book (or rather got it for him). Nice book - CGC blue label 4.5 with off-white pages. Ian being Ian he cracked the slab immediately, but let me keep the label (hence my knowledge).

[JohnBull]

I doubt he has too many. He's obviously not fussed in that direction and I wouldn't be surprised if he had lost the designation for any pedigrees he did have. He didn't buy for condition and most of his grades would be well below normal pedigree levels.

 

In that respect, we're quite similar. The majority of my collection is probably around VG. Unfortunately, my readers don't include Action 1-100, Adbenture 1-100, etc etc ad nauseum.

[Ian_Levine]

I doubt he has too many. He's obviously not fussed in that direction and I wouldn't be surprised if he had lost the designation for any pedigrees he did have. He didn't buy for condition and most of his grades would be well below normal pedigree levels.

 

I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you......

 

The New Adventure 27 for example (my most recent acquisition), at an unrestored VF plus, is the highest grade known copy in the world.

 

And I have loads of the Lost Valleys. New Comics 2, Detective 5, New Adventure 15, and several others which I can't remember as I cracked them all open.

[FFB]

I doubt he has too many. He's obviously not fussed in that direction and I wouldn't be surprised if he had lost the designation for any pedigrees he did have. He didn't buy for condition and most of his grades would be well below normal pedigree levels.

 

I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you......

 

The New Adventure 27 for example (my most recent acquisition), at an unrestored VF plus, is the highest grade known copy in the world.

 

And I have loads of the Lost Valleys. New Comics 2, Detective 5, New Adventure 15, and several others which I can't remember as I cracked them all open.

 

So when you crack them open, you don't keep the labels with them? I hope you're doing something to maintain records of pedigree books! I'd hate to see that information lost!

[Bullet123]

I have a strong dislike for CGC and slabbing in general.

 

 

As do I. I think that slabbing is the worst thing that happened to collecting comics, and it's put people with a talent and artistry at restoration, like Susan Cicconi, out of business by creating a huge backlash against restored books, when all restoration ever did was to make the comics that we love and treasure look more desirable and pleasing to the eye.

 

TRAGIC !!!!!!

 

I absolutely LOVE restored comics, and have gone out of my way to get all restored keys - Action 1, Detective 27, Detective 1, All American 16, More Fun 52 and 53, Flash 1, Superman 1, Batman 1, etc etc, all loking pristine and fabulous purely BECAUSE they have been restored. I love 'em.

Ian , I have to respectfuly disagree with you on this subject at least when it comes to my perspective CGC has not degraded the value of restored comics. CGC has enhanced the value of pristine copies of GA SA BA books. Part of the reason that PLOD has hurt the restoration market is because there was a significant part of the collecting community ( especialy those buying high value books) that only wanted the best and were duped by unscrupulous dealers into thinking what they had in their hands was just that a pristine copy of a key book in unrestired original condition. Not a color touched tear sealed staple replaced fabrication of a pristine book. There is nothing wrong with a restored book. i think people like Susan serve an important sector of the collecting community. Saving precious and rare treasures of history from turning to dust in a few years. IMO I think that PLOD have a bad rap for two reasons. 1.Sour grapes on the part of the owner because he thought he was the proud owner of a gem and 2. most avid collectors, whether they like to admit it or not, still like to think that the books they are collecting will be worth something in the future should their habits or those of their heirs change and right now at least, only unrestored books continue to appreciate regularly. ( A point I do disagree with as I think PLOD books have value but the collecting community needs to make the distinction between restoration (preservation) and re-creation

[tilleycs]

I probably won't be a regular contributor to this board since my time is scarce plus I have a strong dislike for CGC and slabbing in general.

You don't have to be a lover of CGC to contribute here. There are many CGC haters who post regularly. As long as you like comics, nothing else matters.

 

I agree. I'm getting married in late November, and pretty frugal besides that, so I only get reader copies when I buy. Anything nicer than that is either from luck or trading.

[JohnBull]

I doubt he has too many. He's obviously not fussed in that direction and I wouldn't be surprised if he had lost the designation for any pedigrees he did have. He didn't buy for condition and most of his grades would be well below normal pedigree levels.

 

I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were you......

 

The New Adventure 27 for example (my most recent acquisition), at an unrestored VF plus, is the highest grade known copy in the world.

 

And I have loads of the Lost Valleys. New Comics 2, Detective 5, New Adventure 15, and several others which I can't remember as I cracked them all open.

 

You've named 3. Which out of 31000+ comics isn't a particularly high percentage (0.00967% to be exact)!

[Ian_Levine]

You've named 3. Which out of 31000+ comics isn't a particularly high percentage (0.00967% to be exact)!

 

There are loads more but they're so unimportant to me. What matters to me is the comic, not whose collection it originally came from. It all seems so petty. Sorry. I just want to own a nice looking and presentable copy of every DC, all equally bagged and boarded to match each other. All complete in their runs.

And as I'm only one away from completion, I think I must have done SOMETHING right, even if certain others disagree.

[burntboy]

You've named 3. Which out of 31000+ comics isn't a particularly high percentage (0.00967% to be exact)!

 

There are loads more but they're so unimportant to me. What matters to me is the comic, not whose collection it originally came from. It all seems so petty. Sorry. I just want to own a nice looking and presentable copy of every DC, all equally bagged and boarded to match each other. All complete in their runs.

And as I'm only one away from completion, I think I must have done SOMETHING right, even if certain others disagree.

 

well Ian, i agree with what you've said in the last couple of posts.

 

i've always been a fan of restoration (when it's disclosed and the book is priced accordingly). i have a bunch and they look GREAT!!!

 

i also agree that since you don't care for Pedigrees, and strive for completeness and uniformity, you've certainly succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

 

but as FFB said, it would be nice to try and capture your pedigree info so that it's not lost forever. there is a decent part of the collecting community that places great stock in the lineage of books. and here's where we differ, as i tend to agree with the concept. although personally, i wouldn't seek out pedigree books, just nice books

 

Continued good hunting...........

[Larryw7]

think that slabbing is the worst thing that happened to collecting comics

 

I think that slabbing is a good tool for buyers to know the grade of a book, particularly those buying off of eBay or the Internet, but I crack open the slab almost right away as well. The only books I personally get slabbed are those I want to flip(maybe not immediatedly, but at some point in the future).

[Ian_Levine]

I think that slabbing is a good tool for buyers to know the grade of a book, particularly those buying off of eBay or the Internet

 

But the worst thing about slabbing is the way that certain dealers get higher grades than others.

 

The notorious Action 1 with a huge hole where the number 1 should be, and mould profusely growing on it, being given a 2.5.

The Detective 27 with a huge chunk out of the right hand side of the cover being 4.5.

The Detective 3 with mould and foxing and staining and a creased up back cover being 3.0

 

These examples make a sheer mockery of slabbing.

The Action 1 was no better than a 1.0. The Detective 27 was no better than a 2.0. And the Detective 3 should have been a 1.0.

 

This is bound to ruffle a few feathers, but free speech still rules.

[PUNYHUMAN]

Ian , after reading this post Burntboy, Doiby, & yourself i agree with!!! I like resto. if it's done right & explained to me!! I crack them also , but if their Pedigree ,keep the label my man!! Even if there not ,keep that label!!!!

[Paul_Maul]

The problem I have with restored books is: if someone phonied up a copy of

Action #1 completely from scratch, it would be called a worthless reprint,

and rightfully so. With restoration, part of the book (at least when paper is

added, color is added, etc.) is not genuine. So it starts to seem like only a

matter of degree between a restored book and a counterfeit book. Sure, a

color touch is on the light end of the spectrum, but some of those examples

of trashed books with huge missing chunks that become beautiful copies, as

shown in ads for restoration services and in Overstreet...

well, it starts to seem like, why not just buy or produce a reprint?