The Official Groo Appreciation Thread! 9 9

[paqart]

On 7/8/2022 at 10:02 AM, Bronty said:

Sure, I've heard you make this comment, more or less, previously, and I don't disagree.   Its a fantastic title and CERTAINLY one of the best humor titles ever published, but anything that isn't a marvel superhero with a cape in a movie is a tough sell in the current environment.   

That being said, its a genuinely funny series and character and you never know what the right creative team could do with him.    It might surprise you.   If they can make actually interesting Marvel, Pikachu, and Sonic movies, they can make an entertaining Groo series.    Getting the funding would be the tough part, but you never know.     It may be a bit of a niche character but the people who love Groo REALLY love Groo. 

 

When I worked in the video game industry, I made a serious effort to license Groo for a video game. The people I worked with, some of them anyway, were horrified because of the anticipated level of violence. I still love the idea.

[Bronty]

On 9/20/2022 at 10:26 AM, paqart said:

When I worked in the video game industry, I made a serious effort to license Groo for a video game. The people I worked with, some of them anyway, were horrified because of the anticipated level of violence. I still love the idea.

thanks for trying.   

Seems to me like the violence would all be comic violence.

And you could definitely have fun with the plot.

 

[MAR1979]

On 9/17/2022 at 11:31 AM, jick said:

No more action in this thread for two months.

Groo Pacific #1 CGC 9.8 now below $300 in eBay completed listing.  There is a listing for $319 BIN but now moving.

Destroyer Duck 1 CGC 9.8, no sale since that $710 on July.  Current lowest listing is $1,200 and remains unsold.

Speaking of $1,200, I think that money is better spent with Groo original art.  I just got three new drawings from Sergio Aragones, who just turned 85 years earlier this month.

I think virtually all the hype of Groo and the movie rights acquisition has died down, and Groo is destined to be like most other vintage comic strips whose original art isn't worth much.  After all, when we are all gone, do the younger generation or incoming generation of collectors even know Groo?

 

It was animation rights and without Sergio or Mark's involvement it won't be really be Groo. In the near impossible event soemthign does transpire. It a concept that must be handled very carefully and with out hose 2 it's not more than some mendicant mass-murderer. 

IMHO anyone purchasing Groo keys at today's prices will lose on ROI in the future. Money might be better spent on cheese dip.

Edited September 20, 2022 by MAR1979

[Bronty]

On 9/20/2022 at 1:02 PM, MAR1979 said:

It was animation rights and without Sergio or Mark's involvement it won't be really be Groo. In the near impossible event soemthign does transpire. It a concept that must be handled very carefully and with out hose 2 it's not more than some mendicant mass-murderer. 

IMHO anyone purchasing Groo keys at today's prices will lose on ROI in the future. Money might be better spent on cheese dip.

Sergio and Mark wouldn't be involved?  Why not?   Did they speak to that?

[MAR1979]

On 9/21/2022 at 11:18 AM, Bronty said:

Sergio and Mark wouldn't be involved?  Why not?   Did they speak to that?

Evanier mentioned it in within an article on his blog late last year or early this year - searching his blog is not easy, but give it a ago I'm sure you will eventually find it.

Logically:

Sergio is 85 assuming anything ever reaches fruition it will be years. Will he really be able to take on such an effort?   As for Mark I believe he is 67, by the time anything is ever developed he'll be pushing 70 or past it. Based on his blog-ings he is comfortable with more work than he can handle and he has no heirs. Will he really want to take on the grind of a TV show again? Based on his writings looks very unlikely.

Perhaps had it been 10-12 years back? The time has passed. 

Again without Sergio and Mark controlling Groo 100% it will likley come off as a cartoon about mass murder. 

I've said it before and I say it again the whole "animation exploration rights" is and will be a nothing burger - and no I don't care who purchased those exploration rights.  Less than 1% of those explorations ever amount to any final product and when they do it's usually just a failed pilot. Although perhaps the % ticks up a tad with so many current venues compared to years past?

I love Groo, but any purchasing the books at current FMV will lose money. Since I don't sell comics, and own all the keys in 9.8, I am merely offering my honest opinions .

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by MAR1979

[Bronty]

On 9/21/2022 at 12:20 PM, MAR1979 said:

Evanier mentioned it in within an article on his blog late last year or early this year - searching his blog is not easy, but give it a ago I'm sure you will eventually find it.

Logically:

Sergio is 85 assuming anything ever reaches fruition it will be years. Will he really be able to take on such an effort?   As for Mark I believe he is 67, by the time anything is ever developed he'll be pushing 70 or past it. Based on his blog-ings he is comfortable with more work than he can handle and he has no heirs. Will he really want to take on the grind of a TV show again? Based on his writings looks very unlikely.

Perhaps had it been 10-12 years back? The time has passed. 

Again without Sergio and Mark controlling Groo 100% it will likley come off as a cartoon about mass murder. 

I've said it before and I say it again the whole "animation exploration rights" is and will be a nothing burger - and no I don't care who purchased those exploration rights.  Less than 1% of those explorations ever amount to any final product and when they do it's usually just a failed pilot. Although perhaps the % ticks up a tad with so many current venues compared to years past?

I love Groo, but any purchasing the books at current FMV will lose money. Since I don't sell comics, and own all the keys in 9.8, I am merely offering my honest opinions .

 

thanks for the background.   Fair points.

As for purchasing the books at FMV, you've beaten that drum a lot.    At the end of the day, even the most expensive groo books are three figures.   Hard to lose too much unless you go out and buy 50 of them.

[THE_BEYONDER]

I’ll probably be flogged for this, but I’ve never read an entire Groo comic....

 

 

 

 

Until now 

Picked up a run of 1-26 in a recent collection and just read issue 1.

Now on to issue #2....

[THE_BEYONDER]

2 down...

[Bronty]

So?   Best thing you've ever read?

[THE_BEYONDER]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:07 PM, Bronty said:

So?   Best thing you've ever read?

Pretty fun so far 

[kimik]

A bit late, but I dug out a run of Groo from 40 - 100 for the Edmonton Expo a couple of weeks ago and sold over half of them. The price point is low, but I am glad to get $4-$6 per book instead of them being dollar bin fodder. I have noticed more people asking for the title since the start of the year. Destroyer Duck #1s sell steadily when you have them.

[THE_BEYONDER]

Enjoying my daily Groo....

[THE_BEYONDER]

3 was great.  Really enjoyed it.   
 

4...was a little lacking.  Great cover though.  

Hopefully issue 5 delivers again...

[Bronty]

On 9/27/2022 at 10:47 PM, THE_BEYONDER said:

3 was great.  Really enjoyed it.   
 

4...was a little lacking.  Great cover though.  

Hopefully issue 5 delivers again...

Don’t worry the deliveries are consistent.   My favorite issue is 21.  
 

Enjoy!

Edited September 28, 2022 by Bronty

[jdandns]

Here's a nice selection of Groo trading cards issued in the 1990's by Image Wildstorm. This includes some of the "chase" cards as well as a few base cards signed at SDCC by Sergio and Groo letterer Stan Sakai. At center is a blank card Sergio was nice enough to draw on for me.  I have another like it with Rufferto, as well as a very rare uncut sheet of all 9 chase cards (including those shown above) I got from Sergio himself at Comic-Con. As soon as I can find that, I'll post a picture of it. It's pretty cool...

 

[jick]

I just picked up a Groo #1 Pacific CGC 9.8 yellow label sergio signed. There's only 41 in the census at that grade and no recent sales, so I have no reference if the price I paid at $450 is decent. What's importantb is that it's a price I can live with, even if it will lose half its value tomorrow. I'm more a Groo and Aragones fan than a speculator.

[jeffreyk]

I remember back in college in the 80s when I got back to my dorm with my weekly books.  If a new Groo came out that week, it was always the first book I read.  Always a good read!

I wish there was a Groo Omnibus!

[LowGradeBronze]

I found a whole run 32 to 61 all in fine or better at cover price in a local charity shop a year or so back. Had to pinch myself when I saw them all there in a basket. I bought the lot and enjoyed reading every one of them. Sergio's love of ships really comes through. 

[jick]

I will share this also in the Original Art part of this forum, but hey this is still a Groo thread so here are my latest original art acquisitions.  I posted links to CAF because there are additional images there like the digitally colored versions as well as photos of Sergio holding the art:

 

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1860896

 

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1860899

 

https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1860902

Edited October 13, 2022 by jick

[MAR1979]

Destroyer Duck1 now under $600 in 9.8, $500 threshold to be tested next.   My opinion is it will be a $300-$375 book in 3-6 months, which may be is going rate for a while.  I do not think it will drop further. Look for Pacific #1 to ride the downward coattails to find its new level as well.

Groo price levels falling to where they probably should have organically been all along is good news as Groo will be working its way in the hands of true collectors.  Speculators and Flippers had their day one year ago after the nothing burger news of animation exploration rights, but now those days are gone. Long Live Groo!

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by MAR1979