The Men In Black 1 1

[Illustrious]

I've seen this briefly touched on a few times in the years I've been on here, but I've never really seen any thorough discussions as to why the first three issues of Men in Black are so underrated and possibly undervalued? The first issue has the first appearances of Agent J, Agent K, and Zed, who of course were the main characters in three pretty big and popular films. Is it overlooked because the CGC label doesn't list the first appearances, or is it because they were they released so far back they're not considered movie hype books? Would the release of the proposed 21 Jump St./MIB crossover movie have any impact at this point? It just boggles my mind the non-existant demand and the current prices they go far compared to far lesser (in my mind) movie hype "keys".

[Aweandlorder]

I've seen this briefly touched on a few times in the years I've been on here, but I've never really seen any thorough discussions as to why the first three issues of Men in Black are so underrated and possibly undervalued? The first issue has the first appearances of Agent J, Agent K, and Zed, who of course were the main characters in three pretty big and popular films. Is it overlooked because the CGC label doesn't list the first appearances, or is it because they were released so far back they're not considered movie hype books?

 

You nailed it. I mentioned this in a thread I started a few months ago. The movie/TV hype speculation started with Walking Dead. Up until then optioned books wouldnt trend on eBay.. At least not on the same level they do today. I can guarantee you that if and when MIB 4 comes out, youll see a spike in increased sales and demand for the original Aircel title. Thats not because the movie will be a hit or because of speculation, thats just because its hyped in the post WD speculation era we live in

[Illustrious]

You nailed it. I mentioned this in a thread I started a few months ago. The movie/TV hype speculation started with Walking Dead. Up until then optioned books wouldnt trend on eBay.. At least not on the same level they do today. I can guarantee you that if and when MIB 4 comes out, youll see a spike in increased sales and demand for the original Aircel title. Thats not because the movie will be a hit or because of speculation, thats just because its hyped in the post WD speculation era we live in

 

I think that's where I recalled it last here on the boards. I'm also genuinely shocked that there's only 3 9.8's and 3 9.6's total on the census. I just find that insane.

[Iceman399]

You nailed it. I mentioned this in a thread I started a few months ago. The movie/TV hype speculation started with Walking Dead. Up until then optioned books wouldnt trend on eBay.. At least not on the same level they do today. I can guarantee you that if and when MIB 4 comes out, youll see a spike in increased sales and demand for the original Aircel title. Thats not because the movie will be a hit or because of speculation, thats just because its hyped in the post WD speculation era we live in

 

I think that's where I recalled it last here on the boards. I'm also genuinely shocked that there's only 3 9.8's and 3 9.6's total on the census. I just find that insane.

 

50% of those had passed through my hands (2 9.8's and 1 9.6), I opted to trade an Aliens 1 CGC 9.8 for an MIB 1 9.8. A week later my second copy of Aliens 1 went for $450. His second copy of MIB 1 went for something like $150, he is a good friend and asked if I still wanted to make the trade (as we hadn't exchanged the books). I took it in a heart beat as MIB is a nostalgic book to me and the census numbers are stupid low (which is likely also due to the lack of heat which means people don't want to sub unless a ROI). I now have to track down the next few in the series.

[Gatsby77]

Movie speculation happened well before The Walking Dead TV show, just not at the instant speculative velocity of today's levels.

 

Examples:

 

Batman (1989) -- nearly every single Joker book spiked

 

The Crow -- it was a niche cult hit before the movie, but once word of the film got around it really took off

 

Blade -- Tomb of Dracula 10 suddenly became a legit Bronze key

 

Spider-Man -- ASM 14 was always expensive -- it spiked big-time in the lead-up to the film. Ditto with every major Spidey movie villain since (ASM 6 more than doubled in the 36 hours after The Lizard was announced for Spidey 4).

 

Watchmen -- mad common books that suddenly caught on after the first movie trailer

 

To me, the reason Men in Black seems like such an outlier isn't that the books pre-dated the Walking Dead TV show, but that the movie was original enough it didn't "seem" like a comic book film. It also wasn't a typical superhero film.

 

Others in this category that had limited (niche) comic fan appeal include:

 

From Hell

History of Violence (technically a graphic novel)

Road to Perdition (ditto)

300

Mystery Men

 

On the bubble: The Mask.

 

Those books went from $1 to $10-$15 per, but in today's environment, some of those appearances would have instantly gone to $50-$75.

 

[seanfingh]

Movie speculation happened well before The Walking Dead TV show, just not at the instant speculative velocity of today's levels.

 

Examples:

 

Batman (1989) -- nearly every single Joker book spiked

 

The Crow -- it was a niche cult hit before the movie, but once word of the film got around it really took off

 

Blade -- Tomb of Dracula 10 suddenly became a legit Bronze key

 

Spider-Man -- ASM 14 was always expensive -- it spiked big-time in the lead-up to the film. Ditto with every major Spidey movie villain since (ASM 6 more than doubled in the 36 hours after The Lizard was announced for Spidey 4).

 

Watchmen -- mad common books that suddenly caught on after the first movie trailer

 

To me, the reason Men in Black seems like such an outlier isn't that the books pre-dated the Walking Dead TV show, but that the movie was original enough it didn't "seem" like a comic book film. It also wasn't a typical superhero film.

 

Others in this category that had limited (niche) comic fan appeal include:

 

From Hell

History of Violence (technically a graphic novel)

Road to Perdition (ditto)

300

Mystery Men

 

On the bubble: The Mask.

 

Those books went from $1 to $10-$15 per, but in today's environment, some of those appearances would have instantly gone to $50-$75.

 

This is exactly correct. If MIB were a new franchise, the early books would have spiked to $500+ They are hard to find (relatively) and they were read, so there are a lot of 8.5-9.2 copies (as all of mine are.)

[valiantman]

Mystery Men

Flaming Carrot #16 - first appearance - There are 7 total copies on the CGC census... all grades.

 

I still believe Mystery Men would be a box office hit today... after we've all seen Avengers and other superhero movies.... because it takes the serious superhero movie and makes it fun/parody with star actors.

 

The problem with Mystery Men is that it was making fun of the comic book movies before we all had seen a bunch of comic book movies.

[seanfingh]

Mystery Men

Flaming Carrot #16 - first appearance - There are 7 total copies on the CGC census... all grades.

 

I still believe Mystery Men would be a box office hit today... after we've all seen Avengers and other superhero movies.... because it takes the serious superhero movie and makes it fun/parody with star actors.

 

The problem with Mystery Men is that it was making fun of the comic book movies before we all had seen a bunch of comic book movies.

 

That movie was hilarious. It is still in my top ten favorite comic movies. Frak you later, Frankenpuss.

[valiantman]

Mystery Men

Flaming Carrot #16 - first appearance - There are 7 total copies on the CGC census... all grades.

 

I still believe Mystery Men would be a box office hit today... after we've all seen Avengers and other superhero movies.... because it takes the serious superhero movie and makes it fun/parody with star actors.

 

The problem with Mystery Men is that it was making fun of the comic book movies before we all had seen a bunch of comic book movies.

 

That movie was hilarious. It is still in my top ten favorite comic movies. Frak you later, Frankenpuss.

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/mysterymen/images/0/0e/Dr._A._Heller_business_card-1-.jpg

(thumbs u

[juggernaut]

Sold these a long time ago. Just remember that 1 of the 9.8's is a double cover.

 

 

 

[the blob]

My LCS sold MIB #1s for $50-$75 when the movie came out. He happened to buy a collection where someone bought multiple #1s of these sorts of oddball books and was jumping up and down when he found those in there (he had not actually looked at the books, he just paid a $25 a long box without examining them). The collector also had about 20 copies of Magnus Robert Fighter #1 in there, which at that point was worthless. He put them out on the rack to sell at cover price without much luck.

 

Movie speculation happened well before The Walking Dead TV show, just not at the instant speculative velocity of today's levels.

 

Examples:

 

Batman (1989) -- nearly every single Joker book spiked

 

The Crow -- it was a niche cult hit before the movie, but once word of the film got around it really took off

 

Blade -- Tomb of Dracula 10 suddenly became a legit Bronze key

 

Spider-Man -- ASM 14 was always expensive -- it spiked big-time in the lead-up to the film. Ditto with every major Spidey movie villain since (ASM 6 more than doubled in the 36 hours after The Lizard was announced for Spidey 4).

 

Watchmen -- mad common books that suddenly caught on after the first movie trailer

 

To me, the reason Men in Black seems like such an outlier isn't that the books pre-dated the Walking Dead TV show, but that the movie was original enough it didn't "seem" like a comic book film. It also wasn't a typical superhero film.

 

Others in this category that had limited (niche) comic fan appeal include:

 

From Hell

History of Violence (technically a graphic novel)

Road to Perdition (ditto)

300

Mystery Men

 

On the bubble: The Mask.

 

Those books went from $1 to $10-$15 per, but in today's environment, some of those appearances would have instantly gone to $50-$75.

[Illustrious]

Sold these a long time ago. Just remember that 1 of the 9.8's is a double cover.

 

This brings me to another point. It's been mentioned on here before that these issues were prone to spine tics, and that's why maybe people won't submit them since they think that would exclude them from 9.8's. But the 9.8 copies you posted have one big spine tic right in the middle, noticeably visible. With that said, does CGC take the spine into account as a production defect and overlook it?

 

 

 

[divad]

Mystery Men

Flaming Carrot #16 - first appearance - There are 7 total copies on the CGC census... all grades.

 

I still believe Mystery Men would be a box office hit today... after we've all seen Avengers and other superhero movies.... because it takes the serious superhero movie and makes it fun/parody with star actors.

 

The problem with Mystery Men is that it was making fun of the comic book movies before we all had seen a bunch of comic book movies.

 

Ahem . . . and who do you have to thank for the two 9.8s?

 

[TheAmazing R.J.S.]

Thanks for the info ! been going crazy myself on finding one with out those annoying tick mark. See mine its in a different location my tick mark seems to be at her shoulder height & yours seems to be little lower. Do these tick marks differ on most books ?

 

 

[Iceman399]

My copy does not have a tick like the ones shown.

[RockMyAmadeus]

My copy does not have a tick like the ones shown.

 

Good thing. You wouldn't want to put Frontline all over it.

[juggernaut]

Sold these a long time ago. Just remember that 1 of the 9.8's is a double cover.

 

This brings me to another point. It's been mentioned on here before that these issues were prone to spine tics, and that's why maybe people won't submit them since they think that would exclude them from 9.8's. But the 9.8 copies you posted have one big spine tic right in the middle, noticeably visible. With that said, does CGC take the spine into account as a production defect and overlook it?

 

 

 

 

All the Men in Black issues have spine ticks. It is a production issue. This has been known for a long time.. I have never ever seen any MIB issues without the spine tick production issue.

[Iceman399]

[juggernaut]

Thanks for the info ! been going crazy myself on finding one with out those annoying tick mark. See mine its in a different location my tick mark seems to be at her shoulder height & yours seems to be little lower. Do these tick marks differ on most books ?

 

 

This might be hard to explain.

 

The spine tick(s) are in the same location along the spine for each individual issue.

Basically, all #1 issues have the spine tick(s) in the same location. Notice the spine tick is in the same location as CGC copy shown above.

 

[juggernaut]

 

Then your spine tick is on the back in same location.