The Official Groo Appreciation Thread! 9 9

[jick]

While I feel the $1800 fetch was not a true representation of the fmv, I do agree that it's surely more than the $500 it was selling for months ago.

I don't expect a 2022 drop though. Drastic value drop will only happen after the actual animation happens or is cancelled.

[jick]

Just as a benchmark, as of today December 25, 2021 (and will probably remain the case at the end of the year) population census ar CGC 9.8 are as follows:

Groo 1 Pacific = 129

Destroyer Duck 1 = 107

I am just posting this as reference to see how it b will grow in 2022 with the announcement.

[MAR1979]

On 12/25/2021 at 6:18 PM, jick said:

Just as a benchmark, as of today December 25, 2021 (and will probably remain the case at the end of the year) population census ar CGC 9.8 are as follows:

Groo 1 Pacific = 129

Destroyer Duck 1 = 107

I am just posting this as reference to see how it b will grow in 2022 with the announcement.

My guess is noticeably more of each this time next year.  Not the first time Groo has been warm but when the dust settles it will again go back to it's full niche status

BTW Groo's rarest early 1980's #1 in High Grade remains: 

Groo Special 1 = 46

For over 2 decades it was most "valuable" single Groo issue in the Overstreet Guide. I believe that only changed a few years back. When Pacific #1 overtook it by a mere 2 dollars.  The print run was far lower on the Eclipse Special than any of the 1980's Pacific or Marvel issues that also includes the heavily printed Destroyer Duck 1. But it's all about 1st appearances now not scarcity...

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by MAR1979

[jick]

On 12/27/2021 at 9:11 AM, MAR1979 said:

My guess is noticeably more of each this time next year.  Not the first time Groo has been warm but when the dust settles it will again go back to it's full niche status

BTW Groo's rarest early 1980's #1 in High Grade remains: 

Groo Special 1 = 46

For over 2 decades it was most "valuable" single Groo issue in the Overstreet Guide. I believe that only changed a few years back. When Pacific #1 overtook it by a mere 2 dollars.  The print run was far lower on the Eclipse Special than any of the 1980's Pacific or Marvel issues that also includes the heavily printed Destroyer Duck 1. But it's all about 1st appearances now not scarcity...

 

It was the most valuable for the longest time when "print run" was the key.  Now, the key is "first cover appearance" as seen by a slew of other comics.

It seems the pecking order now would be: (1) first appearance, (2) first cover appearance, and (3) some key issue like death or low print run or thereabouts.

Having said that, Groo Special #1 is such a great investment.  There was a seller selling 6 9.8 copies on eBay for $199 each. A couple of people have snagged it but then a couple still remain and the seller has it at $399 each now.

While Groo is very niche, he might become big if the animation rights are well handled.  Isn't Hellboy also niche?  And none of its movies come within whiffing distance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in terms of box office sales. Meanwhile, anything Mike Mignola Hellboy, even from a simple pencil doodle sell for quite high. 

Groo will have his day!  

[MAR1979]

On 12/27/2021 at 2:16 AM, jick said:

It was the most valuable for the longest time when "print run" was the key.  Now, the key is "first cover appearance" as seen by a slew of other comics.

It seems the pecking order now would be: (1) first appearance, (2) first cover appearance, and (3) some key issue like death or low print run or thereabouts.

Having said that, Groo Special #1 is such a great investment.  There was a seller selling 6 9.8 copies on eBay for $199 each. A couple of people have snagged it but then a couple still remain and the seller has it at $399 each now.

While Groo is very niche, he might become big if the animation rights are well handled.  Isn't Hellboy also niche?  And none of its movies come within whiffing distance of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in terms of box office sales. Meanwhile, anything Mike Mignola Hellboy, even from a simple pencil doodle sell for quite high. 

Groo will have his day!  

I think Hellboy is more cult than niche. Cult being a larger audience and some gen-pop name recognition.  

Groo Special #1 is one of my top 10 1980's comics, maybe even top 5.  I re-read it every Oct. As I may have mentioned I had my childhood raw comic graded 21 years ago. Having it in a 1st generation CGC 9.8 label+slab to me is priceless.

BTW: Groo Pacific #8 I believe is the 2nd "rarest" Groo book of the 1980's. Talking print run not CGC census.

Edited December 27, 2021 by MAR1979

[jick]

As a massive Groo fan, regular contributor to this thread, and investor in slabbed Groo comics, I'd like to add more info from recent completions in the bay.

Unless otherwise noted, I usually refer only to the CGC 9.8.

Destroyer Duck #1 CGC 9.8.  Six months ago, there was a population of 99.  Now it stands at 107.  It means people are still digging up and sending for grading minty copies of the issue.  If you read earlier in this thread, it went for a record sale at $1850 in an open eBay auction.  The only other open auction after that yielded a result of $1050.  Maybe up to six months ago, it was selling is the $500 to $600 range.  Hence, the announcement of the Groo animation rights only doubled it.  CGC 9.8 is still the top population.

 

Groo #1 Pacific CGC 9.8. To me, this may be a better one to get because it's Groo's first cover appearance.  The population six months ago was at 126 and now it stands at 129 so not many submissions.  It was regularly selling in the $200 range before the animation announcement.  The most recent two sales last week were $350 buy it now, and $430 in an open auction.  Consistent with the Destroyer Duck 1 price increase, it looks to have doubled.  CGC 9.8 is also still the top population for this book.

I think the $1850 result was an aberration or a shill.  I think the actual market price is closer to the $1050 it sold for after the $1850 sale.

Right now, there are three Destroyer Duck #1's on ebay listed between $1700 to $1995 with no takers.  But it seems everyone is holding on to their Groo #1's as there are none (or one) on eBay right now.  I will monitor and keep this thread updated as I come across more sales. 

[jick]

Another open auction for Destroyer Duck #1 (first appearance of Groo) at CGC 9.8 just closed now.

It ended at $1047.

After that initial spike of $1850 in the first auction after the Groo animation rights were announced, it seems like the price has significantly cooled off --or that $1850 result was manipulated as I suspected.  The one after that was $1025 and this one at $1047.  It looks like the CGC 9.8's of this book have already settled.

Meanwhile, it's been a long long time since there was an open auction of Groo's first cover appearance of Groo#1 Pacific.  I think the last one was at $430 a month ago.

Again, just typing all this info here so that someday when the animation is released, we can look back at check the values of the comic.

 

[mrwoogieman]

Pacific Comics offered a t-shirt of this front/back cover

 

p

Edited January 30, 2022 by mrwoogieman

[mrwoogieman]

Pacific Comic's Groo # 8 also had a house ad for the upcoming Groo Special 1, published by Eclipse Comics later that year. Here's a pic with the Pacific trade dress

 

Edited January 30, 2022 by mrwoogieman

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 1/30/2022 at 9:56 AM, mrwoogieman said:

Pacific Comic's Groo # 8 also had a house ad for the upcoming Groo Special 1, published by Eclipse Comics later that year. Here's a pic with the Pacific trade dress

 

I'm not sure what I've heard more of, with Groo, the art or the written word. Seemingly in every instance it has been a little more than a novelty. I'm glad it may get recognition. Still it is simple, which I believe is part of it's charm  

[Jaydogrules]

$1650 for this one.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175045348407?hash=item28c1840c37:g:aG8AAOSwo3NhpyY-

‐J.

[MAR1979]

Highly suspect.

 

[jick]

On 2/1/2022 at 3:48 AM, Jaydogrules said:

$1650 for this one.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175045348407?hash=item28c1840c37:g:aG8AAOSwo3NhpyY-

‐J.

 

On 2/1/2022 at 10:50 AM, MAR1979 said:

Highly suspect.

 

The last two auction results for CGC 9.8 were $1025 and $1047.  I do agree that the sale for $1650 is highly suspect.

Around the same time, a CGC 9.6 just sold for $202.50, which is lower than the last 9.6 auctioned maybe a month or two ago that netted just a shade over $300.

Is it possible for the 9.6's to be dropping in price while the 9.8's will somehow boom?  I am not so sure.

 

[MAR1979]

On 2/2/2022 at 9:00 AM, jick said:

 

 

Is it possible for the 9.6's to be dropping in price while the 9.8's will somehow boom?  I am not so sure.

 

My opinion

Generally when a bubble begins to burst on a former hot Copper/Modern book the first to drop is the lower high-grade of 9.6. The 9.8 will maintain for time before it too follows suit.  While it does not answer your question it's along similar lines I guess.

BTW in the situation I mentioned the only people still buying the 9.8's at top price are; the oblivious, the uninformed, the ignorant, or those with more dollars than sense.   During that time is when those trying to manipulate the market on a book tend to go all out knowing it's all about to cave in. Is the $1650 one of the cases, I don't know but it is certainly plausible and explains that alleged sale perfectly.  The manipulation also does not need to be for internet sales but to beef up a book's going rate for private sale or trade.

The same situation has already occurred with Starslayer #2, 9.8's can now be purchased for less than 9.6's were selling for from late Sept - Mid Nov.   It why never purchase a book when hot, never ever at hot market price, is a collecting rule i live by.  I simply move on to another book that interests me.

Edited February 2, 2022 by MAR1979

[jick]

On 2/2/2022 at 10:34 PM, MAR1979 said:

My opinion

Generally when a bubble begins to burst on a former hot Copper/Modern book the first to drop is the lower high-grade of 9.6. The 9.8 will maintain for time before it too follows suit.  While it does not answer your question it's along similar lines I guess.

BTW in the situation I mentioned the only people still buying the 9.8's at top price are; the oblivious, the uninformed, the ignorant, or those with more dollars than sense.   During that time is when those trying to manipulate the market on a book tend to go all out knowing it's all about to cave in. Is the $1650 one of the cases, I don't know but it is certainly plausible and explains that alleged sale perfectly.  The manipulation also does not need to be for internet sales but to beef up a book's going rate for private sale or trade.

The same situation has already occurred with Starslayer #2, 9.8's can now be purchased for less than 9.6's were selling for from late Sept - Mid Nov.   It why never purchase a book when hot, never ever at hot market price, is a collecting rule i live by.  I simply move on to another book that interests me.

Totally agree with most of what you're saying here.  I am posting the results of sales here more to document and archive them permanently so I will know the best time to sell what I have.

[jick]

Groo #1 CGC 9.8 was snagged in Buy-It-Now for $439 last week.  But curiously enough, there is another 9.8 there for BIN $474.95 (been there a week already), but no takers.

There is another live auction for DD#1 CGC9.8.  This should be a good test to see how the market value is moving.

There seems to have been no momentum or new news regarding the animation rights or the development stage of it or if it will really even happen.  Thus, maybe Groo can go to a slow downslide and that would be the right time to buy.

I am not sure if I mentioned this already, but a comic art dealer Carsten who sells a lot of Groo original comic art, has sold out of all the Groo covers he was offering.  That sold out months ago, around the same time the animation rights announcement was made.  So perhaps some collectors are already hoarding on Groo original art since not many make it to the open market.

Finally, it's worth nothing that Mark E and Sergio A have not done a YouTube Q&A lately.  Their most recent Q&A did not discuss the animation rights yet.  Hopefully the next one will, so we get a better picture of what will really happen about all that.

[Microchip]

@CGC Mike 12 pages in, is it time to change the thread title?

[CGC Mike]

On 2/28/2022 at 2:35 AM, Microchip said:

@CGC Mike 12 pages in, is it time to change the thread title?

Why should the title be changed?  

[Microchip]

I think it's clear we've moved past the "no thread" stage.  But thats just my take on things.  

[CGC Mike]

@mrwoogieman Would you like me to change the title of your thread?  If so, what would you like it to say?