Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

[conditionfreak]

Two things bother me more than other things do.

 

Restoration, and missing chunks.

[*Bronze age fan*]

I prefer lower grade or mid grade comics to high grade. I like to read my comics and if it's too high a grade, I get very nervous about reading them. And at that point, the high grade becomes a negative for me instead of a positive.

 

I don't necessarily mind writing on my comics either. It depends what the writing is and where. I like names if they are in a tasteful place, it really adds to the history of the book for me. And I like weird stuff. There was a romance comic sold on these boards a couple years ago I am still kicking myself over missing, as the original owner had written a practice "Dear John" letter on the back cover. That's gold right there.

 

 

It's amazing how many romance comics have names written on the covers. I guess girls loved to write their names. By far of all the comics I own....romance comics lead the pack in writing on the covers.

[PowderedH2O]

That's funny. I've bought a number of albums over the years at yard sales, and if there is a name on them, 9 times out of 10, it is a teenaged girl's writing. Maybe they bring their stuff to gatherings more often than the fellas. Who knows?

[Treco]

That's funny. I've bought a number of albums over the years at yard sales, and if there is a name on them, 9 times out of 10, it is a teenaged girl's writing. Maybe they bring their stuff to gatherings more often than the fellas. Who knows?

 

That type of stuff reminds me of going to yard sales and swap meets. Loved that stuff growing up, early 70's -80's. Good times.

 

I wish I had the time for weekend flea markets and such these days. Seems that free-time is a precious and rare commodity.

[rodan57]

Over the years, some books have migrated their way over from my "good" collection to my reading pile, as my eyesight and ability to grade have improved.

 

They can be read without fear.

 

[Green]

I agree. no matter how good it may look otherwise, if it has rusty staples or foxing of any sort I avoid that thing like the plague Any major writing on the cover also is turn off

 

Yeah. I collect some titles that are very hard to find. I have been offered copies with writing on the covers....most of the time I do buy these comics because locating copies are next to impossible. So some of my rules I bend at times. Try finding a copy of My Girl Pearl #2.

 

K

 

pearl2

[Green]

[*Bronze age fan*]

I agree. no matter how good it may look otherwise, if it has rusty staples or foxing of any sort I avoid that thing like the plague Any major writing on the cover also is turn off

 

Yeah. I collect some titles that are very hard to find. I have been offered copies with writing on the covers....most of the time I do buy these comics because locating copies are next to impossible. So some of my rules I bend at times. Try finding a copy of My Girl Pearl #2.

 

K

 

pearl2

 

 

Yeah I noticed that one. I have that title on my saved eBay searches. I was using that as an example for myself because I did buy a copy of that comic with a lot of writing on the cover. I stIll need issues 3, 4 and 5 for my set if you can find me those.

[jimjum12]

Water stains are the bane of my existence. I can handle just about any other type of defect on my books except for that.

Me too! That and rusty staples,foxing too.

 

I don't mind foxing. It's gives it character. Like graying hair.

 

..... Foxing doesn't bug me either.... and more often than not, a book with foxing will have real nice PQ. Rusty staples used to be a deal breaker for me.... but over the years that has changed. If it doesn't bleed to the paper much and doesn't go to the staples at the centerfold I will overlook it if the price is right. Some of my favorite books in my collection have some staple rust on otherwise nice books. I generally go for 5.0 to 8.0 books.... as I like them in mylars and nice and solid so I can handle it whenever I want. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[vaillant]

I think I have not yet understood properly the differences between foxing, tanning and dust shadows.

Not in terms of defect (I can distinguish them), but in terms of damage to the paper.

 

One of the three, I am sure of that, is related to a more marked degradation of the paper, as I have had SA books which, since I handled them without the necessary care, lost some bits or angles because of the problem…

[eriqui]

Dust shadows don't bother me AS much but it definitely depends on the cover and the colors used. Naturally the darker the cover the less of an annoyance the shadowing becomes.

 

When I think of foxing I think of it as clear sign of decline in paper quality developing sooner rather than later

[vaillant]

Dust shadows don't bother me AS much but it definitely depends on the cover and the colors used. Naturally the darker the cover the less of an annoyance the shadowing becomes.

 

When I think of foxing I think of it as clear sign of decline in paper quality developing sooner rather than later

 

Thanks. So dust shadow should fall under a class of lesser degradation of paper?

 

Yes, that’s what I meant about foxing. Are foxing and tanning different terms used to describe the same or a similar defect?

[eriqui]

I'm not really 100% on what foxing really is either at this point but I'v heard multiple theories, one of which deals with moisture/ fungal growth but I can't say for sure. My solution was to just avoid it all together Anything that could possibly be linked to moisture I stay away from