Showcase #4 9.8 on Comic Connect - sold for 15k

[Mark 1]

Interesting points Fingh. Hard to argue with that.

 

And, to Roy's point about not knowing what a newsstand fresh copy looks like is really a bit much. First, most copies that were on the newsstand back then were not 9.8 copies. I think we can all agree that many were dinged, had marks from the strings that held them together, had spine bends from the racks, etc.

 

To even claim there would be a newsstand fresh 9.8 is speculative at best. We don't know that a 9.8 of Showcase 4 ever existed.

 

And there is 1 lonely 9.6 Showcase 4 in a blue label. I bet that is as fresh as you will get to seeing one newsstand fresh (whatever that is).

[sacentaur]

I put a low ball offer in Bit broke atm

 

Hi

 

Looking for, as the title says a restored copy or low grade. Have up to $20k for the right copy

 

Many thanks

 

Matt

 

Isn't it interesting how in one breath you don't have two nickels to rub together in order to purchase a coverless SA book, yet in another breath you have $20k to spend on a low-grade Suspense 3?

 

And you have no vested interest in IGB. Verily.

 

It doesn't require much thought to figure out who is being disingenuous.

[Gotham Kid]

I put a low ball offer in Bit broke atm

 

Hi

 

Looking for, as the title says a restored copy or low grade. Have up to $20k for the right copy

 

Many thanks

 

Matt

 

Isn't it interesting how in one breath you don't have two nickels to rub together in order to purchase a coverless SA book, yet in another breath you have $20k to spend on a low-grade Suspense 3?

 

And you have no vested interest in IGB. Verily.

 

It doesn't require much thought to figure out who is being disingenuous.

 

[*matterus023*]

I put a low ball offer in Bit broke atm

 

Hi

 

Looking for, as the title says a restored copy or low grade. Have up to $20k for the right copy

 

Many thanks

 

Matt

 

Isn't it interesting how in one breath you don't have two nickels to rub together in order to purchase a coverless SA book, yet in another breath you have $20k to spend on a low-grade Suspense 3?

 

And you have no vested interest in IGB. Verily.

 

It doesn't require much thought to figure out who is being disingenuous.

 

Excuse me but my personal buying habbits are just that and as I have mentioned (so this just makes you look not very smart) is that I have/do look for comics for them to work on. So hence the suspense 3 post.

 

Really this is exactly what I am on about. I was happy to stop commenting but how dare you try to make me out to be a lier when I have NOTHING to hide.

 

Thankfully it os only a selct few on here who are as badly natured as yourslef which is why I continue to post and buy comics on here.

 

It would seem from what I have heard like I say from a select few if you look out for comics for someone you like/respect then you are disengenous or have a vested interest in them for only financial gain. What a great community you are part of. I would always go out of my way for others who I get on with.

[Gotham Kid]

Let's talk apparent shilling.

 

5-figure eBay auctions (Tec 33 ) with 0 feedback from either buyer or seller. I know I'd certainly leave feedback on a 5 figure purchase, especially one for a highly publicized single highest graded restored early Detective.

 

 

Current ComicConnect auction:

 

Action Comics 23 9.8 $2.200

 

Hulk 1 9.8 $20.500

 

More Fun 52 9.6 $8.200

 

Showcase 4 9.8 $6.801

 

 

[*matterus023*]

Let's talk shilling.

 

5-figure eBay auctions (Tec 33 ) with 0 feedback from either buyer or seller. I know I'd certainly leave feedback on a 5 figure purchase, especially one for a highly publicized single highest graded restored early Detective.

 

 

Current ComicConnect auction:

 

Action Comics 23 9.8 $2.200

 

Hulk 1 9.8 $20.500

 

More Fun 52 9.6 $8.200

 

Showcase 4 9.8 $6.801

 

 

The Hulk 1 as you point out does seem an anomaly but why go to all the hassle of shilling it to the point where in effect you don't get the sale. As people have mentioned a lot these are one of a kind type of purchases. So if it has been shilled (I have no idea) then when it doesn't really sell they would be hard pushed to put it back out there with all the speculation as there is (on here anyway) and make a healthy sale. Seems a lot of hassle with a very distinctive comic such as this.

 

[kablin12]

Hi, I have no horse in this race but I also have often wondered why some of the top restorer's work, like that of Trace and Susan comes back as B quality?

[mar-vell]

Hi, I have no horse in this race but I also have often wondered why some of the top restorer's work, like that of Trace and Susan comes back as B quality?

 

About 15 years ago I had a few keys restored. The experience taught me at the time that restorers were talented people but not miracle workers.

 

there was also a lot of hype on places like ebay where sellers claimed their extensive pro books were so great looking they couldn't detect any resto by looking at them. I was ignorant enough to believe this hype but restoring books taught me if you can't spot moderate or heavy color touch you must be blind.

 

I also learned that completely restoring a heavily damged book is very time consuming to do well so it is best not to push the restorer for any kind of deadline as the result may be inferior work. I did return one book and told the restorer it looked like an old lady with too much make-up on, he held onto for a few more months and returned it looking much better.

 

This new process i know nothing about and seems to be a real game changer. My experience with the more traditional forms of resto indicated to me you can only put so much lipstick on a pig. At some point the original state of the book starts to dictate what the restorer can accomplish especially since most top top restorers think of themselves as conservists and trying to preserve the original art not manufacture a new book with some original parts.

 

 

[VintageComics]

Interesting points Fingh. Hard to argue with that.

 

And, to Roy's point about not knowing what a newsstand fresh copy looks like is really a bit much. First, most copies that were on the newsstand back then were not 9.8 copies. I think we can all agree that many were dinged, had marks from the strings that held them together, had spine bends from the racks, etc.

 

To even claim there would be a newsstand fresh 9.8 is speculative at best. We don't know that a 9.8 of Showcase 4 ever existed.

 

And there is 1 lonely 9.6 Showcase 4 in a blue label. I bet that is as fresh as you will get to seeing one newsstand fresh (whatever that is).

 

You're missing the point entirely.

 

It sounds like you are equating technical grade with new looking. When I say newsstand fresh, it has nothing to do with technical grade. It has to do with what a book looked like when it was fresh off the presses.

 

And a book graded 9.6 does necessarily mean it looks like it's fresh off the presses.

[VintageComics]

This book from a recent sales thread of mine is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.

 

The technical grade is not all that high (it's only an 8.5 and not a 9.6) but this 70 year old books looks surreal in hand. It is so bright and white that it almost looks fake. It's the freshest Baker book I've personally seen and yet imagine what the book would look like with no spine stress, no slight aging, no foxing. I'd bet that on the newsstand back when it was new it looked much better. I just wish I took some photos before the book was slabbed so people could see what I'm talking about because a 2D scan doesn't really do it justice.

 

 

[Beige]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

[BarryAllen]

 

 

 

pretty...

 

<3

[Mark 1]

Interesting points Fingh. Hard to argue with that.

 

And, to Roy's point about not knowing what a newsstand fresh copy looks like is really a bit much. First, most copies that were on the newsstand back then were not 9.8 copies. I think we can all agree that many were dinged, had marks from the strings that held them together, had spine bends from the racks, etc.

 

To even claim there would be a newsstand fresh 9.8 is speculative at best. We don't know that a 9.8 of Showcase 4 ever existed.

 

And there is 1 lonely 9.6 Showcase 4 in a blue label. I bet that is as fresh as you will get to seeing one newsstand fresh (whatever that is).

 

You're missing the point entirely.

 

It sounds like you are equating technical grade with new looking. When I say newsstand fresh, it has nothing to do with technical grade. It has to do with what a book looked like when it was fresh off the presses.

 

And a book graded 9.6 does necessarily mean it looks like it's fresh off the presses.

 

Ok, if you say so.

 

 

[Dark Knight]

 

 

 

pretty...

 

<3

 

Which the book or the girl?

[BarryAllen]

 

 

 

pretty...

 

<3

 

Which the book or the girl?

 

The book! The girl looks like she has RBF.

[VintageComics]

So on the topic of restoration, if you were to restore a book like this, what would you do to it if you wanted to make it look like it was newsstand fresh?

 

Remove the slight yellowing halo on the back cover?

Color in the spine stresses?

White out the foxing spots?

 

After you do that, would the book look fake?

 

 

[mar-vell]

So on the topic of restoration, if you were to restore a book like this, what would you do to it if you wanted to make it look like it was newsstand fresh?

 

Remove the slight yellowing halo on the back cover?

Color in the spine stresses?

White out the foxing spots?

 

After you do that, would the book look fake?

 

 

The way i see it a book can have newstand freshness and still have a spine tick or two. As long as the pages and interior are snow white and cover colors are vivid like the day they were printed with that wet gloss look. To me these are the qualities that define newstand fresh and are often not present in structurally near perfect books that grade out at 9.4/9.6.

 

I think in this books case the aging on the back cover can't be fixed to the point of being immaculate. I could be wrong but I am of the opinion once a book loses its newstand level of lustre there is no going back. Sure you can paint over a defect or two that might make it look better from the distance but would it really clean up(by any process) aging to the point of being newsstand? I doubt it.

[mar-vell]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

We live in a new age now! Thanks to certification beauty is often in the holder. many nowadays just buy the label not the book!

[VintageComics]

So on the topic of restoration, if you were to restore a book like this, what would you do to it if you wanted to make it look like it was newsstand fresh?

 

Remove the slight yellowing halo on the back cover?

Color in the spine stresses?

White out the foxing spots?

 

After you do that, would the book look fake?

 

 

The way i see it a book can have newstand freshness and still have a spine tick or two. As long as the pages and interior are snow white and cover colors are vivid like the day they were printed with that wet gloss look. To me these are the qualities that define newstand fresh and are often not present in structurally near perfect books that grade out at 9.4/9.6.

 

I totally agree. Physical condition and freshness can be completely unrelated.

 

This book is as wet and glossy as a brand new comic off the newsstand. The interior pages are snow white.

 

I think in this books case the aging on the back cover can't be fixed to the point of being immaculate. I could be wrong but I am of the opinion once a book loses its newstand level of lustre there is no going back. Sure you can paint over a defect or two that might make it look better from the distance but would it really clean up(by any process) aging to the point of being newsstand? I doubt it.

 

The back cover yellowing would disappear if the cover was cleaned (but it would obviously then be a purple label). The yellowing comes from oils that have transferred from the interior inks over time and migrated into the cover. If the cover was cleaned that back cover would be snow white right across.

 

 

 

 

[mar-vell]

So on the topic of restoration, if you were to restore a book like this, what would you do to it if you wanted to make it look like it was newsstand fresh?

 

Remove the slight yellowing halo on the back cover?

Color in the spine stresses?

White out the foxing spots?

 

After you do that, would the book look fake?

 

 

The way i see it a book can have newstand freshness and still have a spine tick or two. As long as the pages and interior are snow white and cover colors are vivid like the day they were printed with that wet gloss look. To me these are the qualities that define newstand fresh and are often not present in structurally near perfect books that grade out at 9.4/9.6.

 

I totally agree. Physical condition and freshness can be completely unrelated.

 

This book is as wet and glossy as a brand new comic off the newsstand. The interior pages are snow white.

 

I think in this books case the aging on the back cover can't be fixed to the point of being immaculate. I could be wrong but I am of the opinion once a book loses its newstand level of lustre there is no going back. Sure you can paint over a defect or two that might make it look better from the distance but would it really clean up(by any process) aging to the point of being newsstand? I doubt it.

 

The back cover yellowing would disappear if the cover was cleaned (but it would obviously then be a purple label). The yellowing comes from oils that have transferred from the interior inks over time and migrated into the cover. If the cover was cleaned that back cover would be snow white right across.

 

 

 

 

many moons ago that might have been tempting but in this day and age values have clearly tipped in favor of totally unrestored books.

 

While i have had a book or two professionally cleaned it was during a full restoration project of turning a true low grade into a solid copy so a lot of other work was done making it more difficult to determine what a cleaning alone would look like.

 

My question would be if professional chemical cleaning is detectable then it must alter the books appearance/feel in some manner so while it might render it visually more appealing do you think it would truly help restore a "newsstand" quality to the book?