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Infinite Bronze War Thread
11 11

Started by bronze johnny,

3,136 posts in this topic

thirdgreenham

thirdgreenham

Posted
Posted
I scanned a bunch of war books to post on the boards. They aren't all BA, but here they are anyway.

 

img492-1.jpg

 

Well, that's the two of us that own the graded 6.5's, now to locate the 7.0 and the 8.0.....and of course the sweet ungraded copies that are just sitting in someone's box.

 

Beauty books, thanks for posting!!

893applaud-thumb.gif

Andy

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bigfiver69

bigfiver69

Posted
Posted

I've had two copies, both raw, one a 5.5 and my current one, which has a great chance at 6.5 if graded.

 

I've seen a raw 8.5/9.0, which was frankly quite startling! The owner of that copy said he had seen another copy which was even nicer. Both are deep in collections of guys who will likely never CGC them.

 

There is hope, though, that nice copies will continue to appear. I got my copy off ebay last year, and paid way under guide for it. But it was a dice roll.... a grainy digital picture, not a very helpful description, etc. The tip-off that it was a nice book was that the flash from the camera threw back enough shine to tell me that it was a glossy copy. Where there's gloss, there's usually a good shot it will be nice. Included in the lot with the #87 were nice copies of GIC #89, #90 and #96 (which is an easy 8.0+). It was the best ebay gamble I've ever taken. The seller was startled... I got all four books for $280. He had no idea the books were worth anything. None were ever bagged or boarded. Kept in a drawer, that sort of thing.

 

I know we've hijacked the bronze thread with this book, but it's just an absolute cornerstone. Aside from the fact that it's a big key (first Haunted Tank), a ten-center (which makes it desirable), a gretyone (and a smokin' one at that), it is the ONLY Big-5 war comic that has the cover and all interior stories drawn by Russ Heath.

 

Okay... back to the bronze books.

 

Shep

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Jeffro.

Jeffro.

Posted
Posted (edited)
Great book - I love that cover with the faces of all the leaders.

 

Battle Albums... Mmmmmmmm. cloud9.gifcloud9.gif

 

The Churchill mask has (a plastic/rubber?) cigar already attached????893whatthe.gif

27_laughing.gif27_laughing.gif27_laughing.gif27_laughing.gif27_laughing.gif27_laughing.gif27_laughing.gif

 

That's not gonna fool anyone, Mr Unknown Soldier. insane.gif

Edited by Jeffro
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bigfiver69

bigfiver69

Posted
Posted

Hey John.

 

It's funny - over the holidays, I went through my bronze age Our Army at War book with a fine-tooth comb.... I really scrutinized them. Most are solid 9.0/9.2, a few 8.5s, some great 9.4s... in other words, what 6 or 7 years ago most of us would have called a 'really high grade collection'. Now, as my own grading has gotten much tighter (along with most of the hobby), I find that I really do need to upgrade on a lot of these. My hope is to eventurally get the entire BA run in CGC 9.4 - a very long-term and difficult goal.

 

As a result, I'm scouring all the available sources to find books that are truly 9.4. It's been really, really hard. Not having good shops or cons in my neck of the woods means I have to rely on the web... and it's very hit or miss.

 

Greggy might be able to chime in on this, as he has perhaps the deepest collection of DC Bronze age books in truly high grade shape. Are finding true 9.4+ copies of these books as difficult a task as I think? Or is it just a waiting game?

 

That said, I have had a little luck lately, and some nice books have come my way. Not cheap though.

 

Shep

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sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

Posted
Posted

Although I definitely don't have the deepest bronze age collection in terms of title, I definitely have one of the deepest ba genre collection...What I found out is that there are peaks and valleys of any title in this age that you will find are very easy and others that are difficult. There will be no apparent reasoning other than simple availability and perhaps publication numbers. When I started, everyone thought that the newer issues would be cake and the older, earlier issues would be hard to find.

 

What is hard is easy, and what is easy is hard.

What I've come to find is the opposite...but it isn't because they are necessarily any rarer (which could still be the case as publication numbers did in fact go down in the 1970s preceeding the DC implosion) but rather the prices haven't necessitated the outpouring of high grade copies of those willing to cash in.

 

For my House of Mystery set, getting the earlier copies, although was tricky, was simply having the money available when one came up--the price and demand ensured that copies became available (Obviously, I single out HOM 175,176, and 179 out as exceptions b/c those bastichards are VHTF). Ironically, the Dollar Comic issues and a smathering of the later issues still are empty.

 

Watch your Bidding

Although I haven't been collecting war, I've seen enough issues become available to be able to say to you that the goal will be fun and challenging, but not impossible. Learn from my mistakes...don't necessarily go for the gusto when a copy shoes up...bid up to a point but let it go if need be...the price will attract other copies to market. Understanding how your competitors bid is important. It's definitely worked that way for me. It's much easier to pay for the collection if you don't go nuts, otherwise if you lose the book the next person selling theirs will command the same nutso price. And in general prices for the title will go up as well. Your job as a collector should be to minimize this movement while in aquisition mode.

 

Learn to do it Yourself

I would say without a doubt that if you develop excellent sources of getting these raw, you will save much more by purchasing them raw and then getting them certified yourself at a later date. Technically riskier, but the reward will be more money in your pocket. Once you send some in to CGC and see how they grade, doing this will become cake. The challenge will be to find out where to buy raw with good success of the seller's grading techniques.

 

Work with Fellow Collectors

It helps if you have less competetition: work with others that collect the genre and work out a give and take system. When Guy was collecting horror, we would work out who would bid on what books--helped to make out cheaper, and we both get decent shots at some books. This is obviously dependent on the personality of the collector in question, but if something like this can work out then go for it.

 

Be Patient. Have Fun.

When I started, the feedback that I got from many is that it would be difficult to achieve the goal of HG horror, because people read them (just like war). It's definitely harder, but not impossible. And to me, that's what makes it fun. I'm on average 75% complete on many 100+ issue sets with CGC 9.4 or better. Not too shabby, methinks.

 

Anyway, Just some thoughts from someone who has lived and learned this the hard way. To boil down my thoughts: relax, be patient, and have fun. The books aren't going anywhere.

 

1564743-sc.JPG

1564743-sc.JPG.a7070ef50bbe688cbc1fc1a699208826.JPG

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bigfiver69

bigfiver69

Posted
Posted

Great advice from a master!!

 

Sterling, those horror books of yours are killer - the evidence of an obvious labour of love. If I could get my war collection looking that fine, I'd die a happy man. Nice to hear that it was actually fun, and not a total hair-pulling exercise.

 

The advice on buying raw and certifying is sage. It's just that finding good sources of raw war books is proving very, very difficult. How did your own search for raw horror typically go... did you pick books off one at a time, or did they come in bunches?

 

And I'm not surprised to hear that you've had trouble with the pre and post implosion horror books. The toughest Weird War issues - in my experience anyway - have been the 1977/78 issues. And the other war books are no easier. Aside from the actual sales figures published each year in the various titles (the sales and circulation slug that was usually put at the bottom on a letters page) there is no really reliable sales and circulation data on these books. My instinct is that, in addition to the lower circulation levels then reported, a general drop-off in interest in DC books at that time (Marvel was really coming on strong) may mean that far fewer of these books survived than one might think.

 

Shep

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sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

Posted
Posted

In terms of raw, you are correct because others will want to get their share of moolah by getting their high grade copies certified. I lucked out on many raw grade copies on the earlier issues... but that is becoming rare (but not impossible). I think you will have a much easier time with the later issues...which according to your latest haul fits that description to a T.

 

I think you are spot on on the mid 1970s...many of my titles are missing HG copies in the same timeframe.

 

And yes, there was lots of hair pulling, "I'm going to leave collecting" moments. Just hang in there, relax, breathe, and say "It's only comics".

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thirdgreenham

thirdgreenham

Posted
Posted

Great books, fellas, 893applaud-thumb.gif and thanks to Sterling for what sounds to be excellent advice. You're right, it's only comics, but then again for me, it's DC war!! frustrated.gif (makes a difference)

 

Cheers! thumbsup2.gif

 

Andy

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underthebigw

underthebigw

Posted
Posted
Although I definitely don't have the deepest bronze age collection in terms of title, I definitely have one of the deepest ba genre collection...What I found out is that there are peaks and valleys of any title in this age that you will find are very easy and others that are difficult. There will be no apparent reasoning other than simple availability and perhaps publication numbers. When I started, everyone thought that the newer issues would be cake and the older, earlier issues would be hard to find.

 

What is hard is easy, and what is easy is hard.

What I've come to find is the opposite...but it isn't because they are necessarily any rarer (which could still be the case as publication numbers did in fact go down in the 1970s preceeding the DC implosion) but rather the prices haven't necessitated the outpouring of high grade copies of those willing to cash in.

 

For my House of Mystery set, getting the earlier copies, although was tricky, was simply having the money available when one came up--the price and demand ensured that copies became available (Obviously, I single out HOM 175,176, and 179 out as exceptions b/c those bastichards are VHTF). Ironically, the Dollar Comic issues and a smathering of the later issues still are empty.

 

Watch your Bidding

Although I haven't been collecting war, I've seen enough issues become available to be able to say to you that the goal will be fun and challenging, but not impossible. Learn from my mistakes...don't necessarily go for the gusto when a copy shoes up...bid up to a point but let it go if need be...the price will attract other copies to market. Understanding how your competitors bid is important. It's definitely worked that way for me. It's much easier to pay for the collection if you don't go nuts, otherwise if you lose the book the next person selling theirs will command the same nutso price. And in general prices for the title will go up as well. Your job as a collector should be to minimize this movement while in aquisition mode.

 

Learn to do it Yourself

I would say without a doubt that if you develop excellent sources of getting these raw, you will save much more by purchasing them raw and then getting them certified yourself at a later date. Technically riskier, but the reward will be more money in your pocket. Once you send some in to CGC and see how they grade, doing this will become cake. The challenge will be to find out where to buy raw with good success of the seller's grading techniques.

 

Work with Fellow Collectors

It helps if you have less competetition: work with others that collect the genre and work out a give and take system. When Guy was collecting horror, we would work out who would bid on what books--helped to make out cheaper, and we both get decent shots at some books. This is obviously dependent on the personality of the collector in question, but if something like this can work out then go for it.

 

Be Patient. Have Fun.

When I started, the feedback that I got from many is that it would be difficult to achieve the goal of HG horror, because people read them (just like war). It's definitely harder, but not impossible. And to me, that's what makes it fun. I'm on average 75% complete on many 100+ issue sets with CGC 9.4 or better. Not too shabby, methinks.

 

Anyway, Just some thoughts from someone who has lived and learned this the hard way. To boil down my thoughts: relax, be patient, and have fun. The books aren't going anywhere.

 

1564743-sc.JPG

 

VERY well put. Succint and really sums up how to collect while keeping things in perspective and without blowing your budget.

 

This should really be pinned to the top of the Bronze threads.

 

This is how I try to collect now. Every once in a while, something really moves me and I pay guide or slightly higher. In general, though, I'm looking for bargains. You just have to remember that there's always (almost) another copy around the corner, and someone else paying big money for a book will bring other copies to light, often for less cash.

 

I just wish I had this insight when I was completing my set of 30 cent Marvel variants and paid a pretty penny for 4 or 5 of the harder issues.

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