Why So Low on the Scarecrow?

[KillerCrocPot]

It baffles me when I look at auctions and realize the potential for some books that maybe others do not see. World's Finest Comics #3 is absolutely one of those books that has so much potential. I know there are quite a few ungraded copies out on the market, but the current scarcity and extreme significance of the 1st appearance of Scarecrow confuses me. The book shoots out for about $900 (5.5 Universal according to last auction), whereas the Penguin and Riddler would hit about $4k at the same grade. People don't understand that you don't sell this book on ComicConnect or Heritage due to the simple fact that you can't list it properly compared to eBay. Unless you are doing a DIRECT SEARCH for World's Finest 3 on the previous 2 auction houses, it will not show up in the "Batman", or "Detective Comics" category that people thoroughly browse through. Ebay, you have the ability to tag it into many different Golden Age DC, Detective Comics categories. Heck, even on ComicConnect, you have to type in World, not World's or Worlds because this will not work. For other books, yes, they work very well if the listing category is obvious. This book has SO much potential, and has a lower census number and higher significance than both Riddler and Penguin's 1st app. Just an observation. Any thoughts?

[G.A.tor]

Been discussed at great length in the past. Tec 73 (only ga scarecrow cover) is in HiGH demand. His fa (no cover, much like penguins fa) don't command the premiums that covers do (Tec 140) in today's cover driven/cgc world.

 

Factor in that he is not a top 5 villain these days (joker, riddler, penguin, catwoman, bane) and here just isn't that much demand relative to even scarce supply

[lhcomics]

Been discussed at great length in the past. Tec 73 (only ga scarecrow cover) is in [font:Arial Black]HiGH demand[/font].

 

Bid I say!!!

 

Entry level (missing cf) Tec 73 can be yours!

 

 

[KillerCrocPot]

Been discussed at great length in the past. Tec 73 (only ga scarecrow cover) is in HiGH demand. His fa (no cover, much like penguins fa) don't command the premiums that covers do (Tec 140) in today's cover driven/cgc world.

 

Factor in that he is not a top 5 villain these days (joker, riddler, penguin, catwoman, bane) and here just isn't that much demand relative to even scarce supply

 

 

Can you explain Two-Face for me then? I got my 7.0 Universal appraised at 4,500. It would go more than that at auction. The cover sucks, but his first appearance alone is doing quite well on the market.

[jgallo]

Two face is a bigger villain. His 1st appearance is in a Batman title and not a second tier title like WF. I think that probably hurts it more then anything else. People doing runs do batman and detective not WF. Same issues with Lois Lane 70, major catwoman book but when compared to the other major villains that came back in the SA it isn't worth nearly the same amount because it is a title. take that lois lane cover and put it in a Batman or Detective the value would double or triple.

 

James G

[G.A.tor]

Been discussed at great length in the past. Tec 73 (only ga scarecrow cover) is in HiGH demand. His fa (no cover, much like penguins fa) don't command the premiums that covers do (Tec 140) in today's cover driven/cgc world.

 

Factor in that he is not a top 5 villain these days (joker, riddler, penguin, catwoman, bane) and here just isn't that much demand relative to even scarce supply

 

 

Can you explain Two-Face for me then? I got my 7.0 Universal appraised at 4,500. It would go more than that at auction. The cover sucks, but his first appearance alone is doing quite well on the market.

don't want to burst your bubble, but last public 7.0 sold for 3750 (tec 66) and I sold a 7.5 for 4K...so a 7.0 is probably a sub 4K book today (especially at auction)

[KillerCrocPot]

You can tell me I'm wrong all you want, but this book will skyrocket in the next year. Watch it.

[goldust40]

Maybe it was your listing and advertising skills is the reasoning why it went only 4k. You can try to argue and negotiate all you want, but this book will skyrocket in the next year or so.

 

Any reason in particular why this will happen?

 

 

[KillerCrocPot]

Two face is a bigger villain. His 1st appearance is in a Batman title and not a second tier title like WF. I think that probably hurts it more then anything else. People doing runs do batman and detective not WF. Same issues with Lois Lane 70, major catwoman book but when compared to the other major villains that came back in the SA it isn't worth nearly the same amount because it is a title. take that lois lane cover and put it in a Batman or Detective the value would double or triple.

 

James G

 

I agree with you 100% on this, but people are simply not bright enough to put the listing up as "World's Finest Comics 3 DC Batman Detective Comics 1st App Scarecrow!" If they don't know it's for sale, how are they going to bid on it??? Do you see what I'm saying? I'm just trying to help.

[KillerCrocPot]

Maybe it was your listing and advertising skills is the reasoning why it went only 4k. You can try to argue and negotiate all you want, but this book will skyrocket in the next year or so.

 

Any reason in particular why this will happen?

 

 

Many reasons why it could happen: The CURRENT market for that item, current BINs for that item, the simple boring Listing CGC photo in a square box, bad camera angle, miswording the title or not making it available enough to find in an auction search.

[KillerCrocPot]

the longer a book stays off the market, its demand increases. the more people shove the BIN in your face, the less likely they are to buy it. ALWAYS start out your auctions at $1, due to psychological reasons.

[Sqeggs]

Two face is a bigger villain. His 1st appearance is in a Batman title and not a second tier title like WF. I think that probably hurts it more then anything else. People doing runs do batman and detective not WF. Same issues with Lois Lane 70, major catwoman book but when compared to the other major villains that came back in the SA it isn't worth nearly the same amount because it is a title. take that lois lane cover and put it in a Batman or Detective the value would double or triple.

 

James G

 

Does Lois 70 actually go for less than other significant mid-60s DCs? I thought prices were pretty strong. Do seem to be a lot of high-grade copies around, though.

[G.A.tor]

You can tell me I'm wrong all you want, but this book will skyrocket in the next year. Watch it.

didn't tell you, you were wrong...gave my opinion backed by the only 2 sales I know of in similar grade...

 

that said, "why" will this book skyrocket, when it hasn't for the past upteen years (truly curious your opinion)

[G.A.tor]

Maybe it was your listing and advertising skills is the reasoning why it went only 4k. You can try to argue and negotiate all you want, but this book will skyrocket in the next year or so.

 

Any reason in particular why this will happen?

 

 

Many reasons why it could happen: The CURRENT market for that item, current BINs for that item, the simple boring Listing CGC photo in a square box, bad camera angle, miswording the title or not making it available enough to find in an auction search.

still curious "why"... you didn't give any reasons why you thought there will be an increased demand in tec 66, relative to supply...or what events lead you to believe there will be an increased demand... don't get me wrong, it is a GREAT book, and I love tec 66's...but I struggled to find a buyer for my 7.5, for the past year... the current market (at least the market I exposed the book too) didn't seem to interested in it

[mrmyst]

the longer a book stays off the market, its demand increases. the more people shove the BIN in your face, the less likely they are to buy it. ALWAYS start out your auctions at $1, due to psychological reasons.

 

 

 

[G.A.tor]

the longer a book stays off the market, its demand increases. the more people shove the BIN in your face, the less likely they are to buy it. ALWAYS start out your auctions at $1, due to psychological reasons.

 

 

 

part of this statement I agree with...

 

I always favor a no reserve, $1 starting point on books... that does, imo, get folks more anxious to bid, because the "chance" of winning presumably exists...

 

high BIN's are indeed a turn off...but they don't increase demand for a book?

 

a rare book, off the market for some time, certainly can increase demand... but tec 66 is not, by most collectors standards, "rare"... in grade, of course it is "rare" (aren't virtually all GA books)

[KillerCrocPot]

You can tell me I'm wrong all you want, but this book will skyrocket in the next year. Watch it.

didn't tell you, you were wrong...gave my opinion backed by the only 2 sales I know of in similar grade...

 

that said, "why" will this book skyrocket, when it hasn't for the past upteen years (truly curious your opinion)

 

 

1. People don't know how to list this book correctly

2. Batman Arkham Knight will bring more attention to the Scarecrow character (and in my opinion, Scarecrow is a top 5 Batman villain).

3. Once the ungraded copies go off the market with these idiotic BINs, people will feel regret for not getting it when it was available.

4. The story in the WF 3 for the Scarecrow was amazing in itself (but people don't know this unless it is advertised).

 

I'm not trying to sound arrogant, but I've been correct on every book I've bought. From Batman Adventures 12 (that I bought 2 issues for $4), to Batman 121 (own 3 copies, and did you see the recent auction that ended last night? $1400+ sale),

 

What I foresee skyrocketing in the immediate future:

 

Batman: Sword of Azrael (will take more time than the others)

Spider-Man 361

WF3

Tec 66 (even more so than now)

Batman #66

Transformers #1 (1984)

Batman Adventures 12 (will hit the $1k mark average in the next 18 months if the insufficiently_thoughtful_person sellers pull the plugs on the BINs)

 

The sellers simply don't know how to reach maximum potential profit with these books, and that holds them back. The last time WF3 went up for $1 auction, it hit 1k + ungraded.

[G.A.tor]

ok, I was asking about tec 66

 

wf3 is "known" to the majority of collectors of the batman genre...it did have a little run up a year or so ago...certainly could go higher...

 

however, I would be curious where scarecrow lies, villain wise, to the majority of collectors....I know he's not top 5 (but might slip into the top 10) to me, but thats just my opinion....

 

(in no particular order, villains that have gotten more "press" time than scarecrow, especially of late)

joker

catwoman

riddler

two face

bane

poinson ivy

penguin

ra's a ghul

mr freeze

killer croc

black mask

red hood (yeah, I know)

black glove/hurt

argument could be made all those villains are more recognizable than scarecrow

 

 

[G.A.tor]

If you have a 66 @ 7.5 lying around for 4K

not lying around any more, sold it at new orleans in feb

was the only offer I had on the book in a year!

[KillerCrocPot]

ok, I was asking about tec 66

 

wf3 is "known" to the majority of collectors of the batman genre...it did have a little run up a year or so ago...certainly could go higher...

 

however, I would be curious where scarecrow lies, villain wise, to the majority of collectors....I know he's not top 5 (but might slip into the top 10) to me, but thats just my opinion....

 

(in no particular order, villains that have gotten more "press" time than scarecrow, especially of late)

joker

catwoman

riddler

two face

bane

poinson ivy

penguin

ra's a ghul

mr freeze

killer croc

black mask

red hood (yeah, I know)

black glove/hurt

argument could be made all those villains are more recognizable than scarecrow

 

 

It's almost impossible to rank the villains in Batman since they are all the reason why I read the books. In my opinion, I never liked Bane, Riddler, or Penguin because they simply didn't show much character, nor have they evolved much from their original form over time. However that is ONLY my opinion. I would consider my top 5 favorites as such:

 

1. Joker

2. Two-Face

3. Harley Quinn

4. Mr. Freeze

5. Scarecrow

 

Since Scarecrow is from 1941, it has age as an advantage over Riddler (1948) and others. I'm just trying to throw out my 2 cents (for what it's worth) on my predictions. Funny thing I saw yesterday was a 1984 Comic Price Guide that had the 1st Two Face valued at $150 in mint condition