Where do you buy and who do you trust

[kaholo1256]

I'm currently trying to fill in some holes in my 80's - 90's era Modern books and am trying to find somewhere to purchase from where we as a community have had at least moderate success in making higher grade raw purchases. Tried Newkadia...not so much...Purchased something they stated as NM+ for it to come back an 8.....after being pressed. Tried Mile High, expensive and hit and miss. Reminds me of Newkadia but higher prices and no discounts. Also tried Lonestar and not a big fan.

 

Either way I have pretty much drained the LCS's in my area of Central Texas of what I was looking for Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Magik, etc...Mutant specific stuff and am now looking to branch out a little without having to rely on ebay and typing in multiple comics with the letters NM or NM+ or even the word Mint to be stuck with a few thousand to go through and even then most that even Helen Keller could tell weren't 9.anything quality.

 

Any help would be appreciated, or even photos of people eating popcorn is cool.

[Gotham Kid]

mycomicshop.com

[Gotham Kid]

You can also try the WTB section

[Speedy-D]

I buy on 125th and Lex.

 

Wait wait wait...buy what?

[LanceTX]

Have you been over to Waco to Bankstons?

[DeliBebek]

I'm currently trying to fill in some holes in my 80's - 90's era Modern books and am trying to find somewhere to purchase from where we as a community have had at least moderate success in making higher grade raw purchases. Tried Newkadia...not so much...Purchased something they stated as NM+ for it to come back an 8.....after being pressed. Tried Mile High, expensive and hit and miss. Reminds me of Newkadia but higher prices and no discounts. Also tried Lonestar and not a big fan.

 

Either way I have pretty much drained the LCS's in my area of Central Texas of what I was looking for Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Magik, etc...Mutant specific stuff and am now looking to branch out a little without having to rely on ebay and typing in multiple comics with the letters NM or NM+ or even the word Mint to be stuck with a few thousand to go through and even then most that even Helen Keller could tell weren't 9.anything quality.

 

Any help would be appreciated, or even photos of people eating popcorn is cool.

If Austin Books is one of the LCS's you've drained, then make the trip to Houston to visit Bedrock City's locations. They each have something different. If you're not a fan of the quality you get from mycomicshop.com, I don't think buying through a site is going to satisfy you.

 

The Want To Buy forum on these boards may be the best bet to make a couple of connections that have what you want in the condition you want it.

 

[DrWatson]

I'm currently trying to fill in some holes in my 80's - 90's era Modern books and am trying to find somewhere to purchase from where we as a community have had at least moderate success in making higher grade raw purchases. Tried Newkadia...not so much...Purchased something they stated as NM+ for it to come back an 8.....after being pressed. Tried Mile High, expensive and hit and miss. Reminds me of Newkadia but higher prices and no discounts. Also tried Lonestar and not a big fan.

 

Either way I have pretty much drained the LCS's in my area of Central Texas of what I was looking for Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Magik, etc...Mutant specific stuff and am now looking to branch out a little without having to rely on ebay and typing in multiple comics with the letters NM or NM+ or even the word Mint to be stuck with a few thousand to go through and even then most that even Helen Keller could tell weren't 9.anything quality.

 

Any help would be appreciated, or even photos of people eating popcorn is cool.

Since you are in Texas, I would start with Bedrock City Comics. The owner, Richard Evans, is a member here aptly named MrBedrock.

[GIJOEISAWESOME-migration]

I'm currently trying to fill in some holes in my 80's - 90's era Modern books and am trying to find somewhere to purchase from where we as a community have had at least moderate success in making higher grade raw purchases. Tried Newkadia...not so much...Purchased something they stated as NM+ for it to come back an 8.....after being pressed. Tried Mile High, expensive and hit and miss. Reminds me of Newkadia but higher prices and no discounts. Also tried Lonestar and not a big fan.

 

Either way I have pretty much drained the LCS's in my area of Central Texas of what I was looking for Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Magik, etc...Mutant specific stuff and am now looking to branch out a little without having to rely on ebay and typing in multiple comics with the letters NM or NM+ or even the word Mint to be stuck with a few thousand to go through and even then most that even Helen Keller could tell weren't 9.anything quality.

 

Any help would be appreciated, or even photos of people eating popcorn is cool.

 

If those are the titles you are looking for, I can easily help you out (thumbs u PM sent.

[kaholo1256]

Yeah, did the WTB section a few times and usually get cricket's. It's fine and doesn't bother me. Not the type who wants to incessently bump a thread every two days or so.

 

I tried a mycomicshop auction (Lonestar) for a RAW GFT issue listed at 9.8 raw condition thinking they would maybe be between 9.8 and 9.6 and came back a 9.0. I got it, its a little nit picking but I wanted to see if any others had an idea before I attempted to go for them again.

 

Another thing I wished LoneStar would do would be to have a location where I could go through there box's and not the small stores they have with a warehouse. That is unless I am missing something???

 

Never heard of Bankstons but will try it as well. I live around Fort Hood and have even traveled as far north as the Hastings up in Waco but due to not knowing that area I didn't know what to look for.

 

As for ABC yes I have tried both there and the side kick store as well and waded through there box's on an almost bi-weekly basis for high grades. Lately though some of what I am looking for looks like it belongs in the Side Kick location though.

 

Also tried in Killeen, America's Heroes, Comic Stan, and three locations in Temple... which the one old guy who owned the place beside the VA hospital seemed to think EVERYTHING he owned was Gem Mint prices...

 

I haven't yet made a trip to San Antonio nor Houston yet but willing to try Bedrock as well as I think its called Dragon's Liar. Not sure if they are anything like the store in Austin though as they don't carry any back issues.

 

And PM received replied and will look through and give more specific numbers once I comb through what I need based off of my little CLZ app.

 

Thanks for the help.

[Buzzetta]

Online, I hate crowds.

[999ghosts]

mycomicshop.com

+1

And if you use the link in me sig I earn a little on it that I can spend as trade in their store... Thanks in advance

[DougC]

I feel your pain when looking for very high grade copies of what most consider drek. Unless you make contacts with multiple dealers and overpay (sometimes by large multiples) finding 9.8 copies is just mostly out of reach for the average collector. Dealers with long boxes full of warehoused inventory will tell you different but it is a mater of perspective. When you find a dealer willing to sell to you, both will quickly realize that high grade drek they have isn't high grade all. After all everyone has been saying it is drek for decades now, why take care of it.

[kaholo1256]

Yep, personally I prefer going to a store front location and looking through the books themselves. Depending on how you speak to the owners / minions there they will generally allow someone who knows what they are doing to open up the bags to look at over all quality. Purchasing it online leaves me stuck at someone elses perspective and I would like to think I am a little more harsh on a comics grade than most. Also, if I think its a 9.8 and it comes back a 9.2 or something, I have no one to blame but myself.

 

If I do make a purchase at mycomicshop I'll go ahead and use your link from now on and saved it on my laptop. Never knew they had a program like that but at least it helps someone.

 

And yeah, I collect what I like and the Early Modern era is what I like. Most of it is out of nostalgia for what I read as a kid and thought would be worth millions now. Problem is what I covet as great everyone else believes is straight "drek". Most stores I go into simply tell me to look through the dollar bins and such for the ones I ask for and then the ones they do have bagged and boarded are from what looks to be some random guys comic collection from the 90's bought and purchased at a cool $20 for the lot. They are the last issues people generally care for, and when a store moves inventory around, the last comics they care about. By the time I get there to look through them, 8's and below are all I see.

[romanheart]

Buying from people on the board is generally higher quality than anything on eBay. WTB section or just look out for the modern sales. Cons are good too.

[Dr. Balls]

Buying from people on the board is generally higher quality than anything on eBay. WTB section or just look out for the modern sales. Cons are good too.

 

I trust a lot of the boardies with their grading abilities - if I am looking for a high grade book, I always post in the WTB section first because I know that most of the time I get no surprises there (as opposed to Ebay).

[RCheli]

The thing is, for that era, the highest grade copies that are not graded of those books are often in overstock. I mean, I picked up a collection a couple of months ago of early 90s "hot" books that were all unread. They were in terrific shape. As soon as they get bagged and (perhaps) boarded and put into stock, your 9.6 is now a 9.2.

[youmechooz]

Yep, personally I prefer going to a store front location and looking through the books themselves. Depending on how you speak to the owners / minions there they will generally allow someone who knows what they are doing to open up the bags to look at over all quality. Purchasing it online leaves me stuck at someone elses perspective and I would like to think I am a little more harsh on a comics grade than most. Also, if I think its a 9.8 and it comes back a 9.2 or something, I have no one to blame but myself.

 

If I do make a purchase at mycomicshop I'll go ahead and use your link from now on and saved it on my laptop. Never knew they had a program like that but at least it helps someone.

 

And yeah, I collect what I like and the Early Modern era is what I like. Most of it is out of nostalgia for what I read as a kid and thought would be worth millions now. Problem is what I covet as great everyone else believes is straight "drek". Most stores I go into simply tell me to look through the dollar bins and such for the ones I ask for and then the ones they do have bagged and boarded are from what looks to be some random guys comic collection from the 90's bought and purchased at a cool $20 for the lot. They are the last issues people generally care for, and when a store moves inventory around, the last comics they care about. By the time I get there to look through them, 8's and below are all I see.

buy them off boardies in the wtb thread. or try to find a board member that sells a lot of modern drek on ebay and gives board members free shipping, tell them you want 9.8 copies only and see what they have. make sure they know their way around cgc grading to pick out 9.8 copies only. they might just send you the books for free because they have around 110 long boxes of this mess and want their basement back.

[Psithyrus]

I'm currently trying to fill in some holes in my 80's - 90's era Modern books and am trying to find somewhere to purchase from where we as a community have had at least moderate success in making higher grade raw purchases. Tried Newkadia...not so much...Purchased something they stated as NM+ for it to come back an 8.....after being pressed. Tried Mile High, expensive and hit and miss. Reminds me of Newkadia but higher prices and no discounts. Also tried Lonestar and not a big fan.

 

Either way I have pretty much drained the LCS's in my area of Central Texas of what I was looking for Uncanny X-Men, X-Factor, X-Force, New Mutants, Magik, etc...Mutant specific stuff and am now looking to branch out a little without having to rely on ebay and typing in multiple comics with the letters NM or NM+ or even the word Mint to be stuck with a few thousand to go through and even then most that even Helen Keller could tell weren't 9.anything quality.

 

Any help would be appreciated, or even photos of people eating popcorn is cool.

Since you are in Texas, I would start with Bedrock City Comics. The owner, Richard Evans, is a member here aptly named MrBedrock.

 

I can do a pre-check through the back issues for you, too, if you're planning on making a trip. I'm in the main shop twice a week. They have really nice copies of many of the Uncanny books in the back.

[fastballspecial]

I understand his plight there. Using the WTB section usually only applies to higher grade books. Many sellers just honestly don't feel its worth their time to fill lower end want lists. Now before some toasts me here I understand that philosophy. The quality is much better there as well.

 

There has to be enough books to make it worth the seller's time. I have posted many times looking for higher grade singles, but since its a smaller amount and the books are only worth $4-10 usually its harder to get a seller to give up there time for a small sale.

 

Feel free to chime in if you are seller that would appeal to that level of books. I will bookmark you as well because I am constantly looking for higher grade books to fill sets as well.

 

[checkonetwo-migration]

I tried a mycomicshop auction (Lonestar) for a RAW GFT issue listed at 9.8 raw condition thinking they would maybe be between 9.8 and 9.6 and came back a 9.0. I got it, its a little nit picking but I wanted to see if any others had an idea before I attempted to go for them again.

 

Another thing I wished LoneStar would do would be to have a location where I could go through there box's and not the small stores they have with a warehouse. That is unless I am missing something???

 

 

Can't remember the exact details, but any "Lonestar" store out there is no longer affiliated with mycomicshop.com. IIRC the Saunders clan has nothing to do with any brick + mortar stores anymore, and I thought they all had to change their Lonestar names?