30 in 30 - Day 12: One More Grail

[Brandon Shepherd]

100 pages worth of material.

 

I'm a lucky man, I have some great books that I'm really proud of and the means to share such books with a great group of collectors. My set for Action Comics #400 through 499 in 9.8 grade is coming along at a slow yet rewarding pace. I've written countless times of my acquisitions, my lists of books I could not part with (should I have to purge my collection) and about some of my favorite covers. As of this writing (11/12/2013) I have 32 books from the Action Comics #400-499 run in 9.8 grade, the prize of this collection is Action Comics #443, a square bound, 100 page giant, notoriously difficult to find in high grade.

 

I'm fortunate to have one grail already in my graded example of Action #443, there is something missing however... A counterpart to the Action #443, the first issue of Action Comics to be a part of DC's 100 page giant series, Action Comics #437. Cover dated July, 1974, and one of only two 100 pagers in the Bronze Age Action Comics run, Action Comics #437 holds a spot on my want list. To date, there is only one certified exampled, the Pacific Coast copy, to reach 9.8.

 

The cover of Action Comics #437, by Nick Cardy is similar to the second 100 page giant in the title, both rely on the visual motif of Superman and DC's finest bursting through a comic cover, both covers catch the eye and imagination, both would look good together. I wonder sometimes how long my CGC collecting will last, for the time being, I think I'll add one more grail to the list, Action Comics #437 - in 9.8 grade, with white pages.

 

Brandon

 

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[SW3D]

Love that cover!

 

DC always had simple but impressive covers.

 

I hope you manage to track down that one for your collection.

 

I was parousing through your collection, and I must say, I am equally impressed and intrigued by the cover to AC 494 by Jose Garcia Luis Lopez. What's that ghost story all about? Just curious.

 

SW3D

[Brandon Shepherd]

I was parousing through your collection, and I must say, I am equally impressed and intrigued by the cover to AC 494 by Jose Garcia Luis Lopez. What's that ghost story all about? Just curious.

 

Ahhhhhh, AC #494 is a great cover indeed, that one was on the top of my want list for years. I believe the story deals with ghost sightings in the old Kent house in Smallville. Something about an anonymous letter arriving at the Daily Planet with an alternate S logo, prompting Lois and Clark to investigate. It also looks like the story in continued in Action #495 - a piece not yet in my set - this cover features a villain revealing Kent's alternate identity in front of a Smallville sign!

 

Maybe it's time I give some of these pre-Crisis Superman stories a chance!

[SW3D]

I like a mystery... especially ones with ghosts in them. That story seems more in line with Batman, Dr. 13, or the Phantom Stranger than Superman. Now I am dying to know what happens. Damn comics! Why do I love them so?