ASM #121 VS. #122

[COI]

Ok, putting market values and all that other junk aside( ), which book do you guys consider to be more significant to the Spidey mythos? These books are usually thought of as a pair, but if you set them apart, which one is the real deal?

 

Personally(and I think I'm in the minority) I've always believed #121 is more significant. If this were your life, which event would affect you more? The murder of a girlfriend/spouse, or the death of the person who killed her?

 

Also, it's important to note that Gwen's death was never cheapened over time. The only "gimmick" surrounding her death was the clone saga(the original, not that gawd awful mess in the 90's), which was actually good, and will go down as a Spidey classic. But GG has been resurrected several times, not to mention that his son permanently took up the mantle afterwards. I loved the whole thing with Harry, but my point is that GG never really went away as a result of his death, but it was the start of his legacy.

 

I wasn't aound at the time #121 hit the stands, but have read a lot about the impact it had at the time. I'll leave that to someone who was collecting Spidey back then. They would be best suited to comment.

 

What do you all think?

[blowout]

Definately #121.

 

It was the first BIG death in comics and has a real place in history.

#122 was a big issue too and though still a key, I think the fact that Marvel brought Osbourne back to life (however dubiously) will hurt its long term value.

Gwen Stacey died, and has stayed dead.

 

Hey that may be a bit of comics history too.

[murph0]

#121, it was the first death of a character in a mainstream title like this for Marvel. I think the fact that they kept trying to resurrect the character cheapened Osborn's death and made it a so-so book imo.

 

Brian

[awe4one]

#121...but I really believe that both issues are needed for the complete story. One without the other lessens the impact and importance of both.

 

 

Jim

[COI]

Wow, so far everyone agrees. I'm surpirsed. The current market and overstreet seems to disagree. Although it's close, in my experience either 122 will outsell 121, or they will be even. Oops, I said no market .......

 

But I agree that the 2 books are significant as a pair. I think they should guide for the same price also, and if anything I pay more for the #121.

[aardvark88]

Cgc market is swinging higher values to ASM 122 b/c it has a more dynamic Gr Goblin villian cover. #121 shows ASM's @ss in your face.

[FlComicFan]

they used to book for the same price for many years I tend to agree 122 has the cooler cover and the Green Goblin is still well know even to newer readers thanks to the many incarnations of the character whereas Gwen Stacy is long gone from Spidey mythos. I did note that Kirstin Dunst played a hybrid of Mary Jane Watson/Gwen Stacey not sure why they did that?

[BronzeBruce13]

A quick scan of recent 9.4 sales shows relative equivalence in value. There is a "slight" edge for 121currently.

 

Although the census shows (16) 9.6's each... the supply of available 122's in 9.6 has been higher than 121 in the past year on Ebay (2 vs. 5)

As such, 121's in 9.6 may outsell 122 because of that lack of availabilily.

 

Not what you asked, but relative to the discussion.

 

I don't own either, but if I had my choice I would start with 122 only because I like the cover better... but I intend to own both at some point. Have not really started on my ASM's as I always expected more supply to show up and prices to drop.

 

 

[COI]

I'm actually one of the few who really likes the cover to #121. I'm not really sure why, I think it's because I've always been a huge fan of Romita, and the 121 has his rendition of the faces of all the vital supporting cast members. Also, this is one comic I vividly remember seeing on the walls of my comic shop, and I was always captivated by "the wall".

 

Some more ASM's may show up, but I doubt prices are going to fall much in the long term for key or early stuff. But if you're talking strictly about bronze, there is a lot of HG raw copies out there, but HG CGC prices have already fallen. This is a good time to buy bronze Spideys IMO.

[supapimp]

i like the cover to ASM 121 better too, i think it's the bright canary yellow that get's your eye, same goes for ASM 129.

[fantastic_four]

You're all a bunch of loons , the cover to 122 has far superior action and color. The interior story on 121 is a bit better though; Gwen's death--where Pete thinks he's saved her but the force of her momentum on his webline kills her--is quite a bit more dramatic than Goblin's death.

[PovertyRow]

I too go with 121/122. It has been many years since I collected/read SA/BA but ASM 121/122 still stick in my mind and every once in a while I just flash on them. No reason. I may be eating a meal or watching tv or whatever and suddenly those books just knock at my brain.

[BronzeBruce13]

Hey JR... I'm no loon... I liked 122

[fantastic_four]

Here's another 122 CGC 9.6 data point: I bought one from Ted VanLiew a few months ago for $1200. If I had any balls, I'd resubmit it, because I haven't yet been able to find a single thing keeping it from the 9.8/9.9 level other than a bent bottom staple:

Click here for a larger image

[supapimp]

the serial numbers are low, try to resubmit it, but i think the bottom staple will hinder the final grade.

[BronzeBruce13]

Sweeet!

Call and see if the staple was the only listed defect?

[g-man]

yeah i saw this book at his warehouse....a gem to say the least!

[fantastic_four]

I've never really thought about it until now--how much should a bent staple impact grade? Is it a 9.6, 9.8, or 9.9 level defect? On this copy, it's the type of bent staple where the top part of the staple never went into the paper correctly and bent a little; anybody who's ever used a stapler more than a few times has had this happen.

[COI]

Post this question in the "ask CGC" forum.

 

Beautiful book. I'd do it, as I seriously doubt it'll come back lower.

[wolveroach-migration]

hi $1200 for this, heck i could have gotten a Amazing fantasy 15 a few years ago.

In 1986, i bought 121( vf-) & 122 (vf) at discounted back issue price, each costs SGD $15 ( around US$8) and i feel a special signifance to both, namely the death of pete's gal back then in the 70s and for 122, the demise of the arch villain in the spidey mythos .

 

though if given a choice, i would rather choose 121, the gorgeous dramatic cover, and given that today the Goblin is still around, the value of 122 shouldn't be greater than 121.