Record Magazine Prices - Throw out your Overstreet Guide! 11 11

[jimjum12]

I would love to have a EERIE 7 in CGC 9.6 ... GOD BLESS...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[bounty_coder]

Wow, missed this one.  Not sure I would have had the go-nads to pony up for it; but boom-there-it-is.  

Highest Graded Nightmare #20 CGC 9.4 sold last month on eBay...

Anyone here get it? 

 

[Gregd]

Looks like it sold for $1415

Neat cover. Haven’t even begun to look into Skywald collecting  yet…. But boy some of those covers are so great. 

[Randall Dowling]

On 12/11/2021 at 7:29 PM, bounty_coder said:

Wow, missed this one.  Not sure I would have had the go-nads to pony up for it; but boom-there-it-is.  

Highest Graded Nightmare #20 CGC 9.4 sold last month on eBay...

Anyone here get it? 

 

Not me but I have an idea who might have.  He's the most voracious magazine collector I know of.  His quest for high grade copies borders on maniacal.  He purchases more magazines in a month than the average collector does in a year.  And he won't be outbid no matter what.  It's a matter of pride.

I'm talking, of course, about @oakman29!  Well, Oakman???  You want to step forward and acknowledge your role in all of this (he'll probably deny it and claim he doesn't really buy that much these days but we know better, don't we guys)??  

[Rip]

On 12/11/2021 at 5:29 PM, bounty_coder said:

Wow, missed this one.  Not sure I would have had the go-nads to pony up for it; but boom-there-it-is.  

Highest Graded Nightmare #20 CGC 9.4 sold last month on eBay...

Anyone here get it? 

 

I was tempted but I really didn't like that bottom spine corner. Otherwise it would have been mine.

[oakman29]

On 12/11/2021 at 5:38 PM, Randall Dowling said:

Not me but I have an idea who might have.  He's the most voracious magazine collector I know of.  His quest for high grade copies borders on maniacal.  He purchases more magazines in a month than the average collector does in a year.  And he won't be outbid no matter what.  It's a matter of pride.

I'm talking, of course, about @oakman29!  Well, Oakman???  You want to step forward and acknowledge your role in all of this (he'll probably deny it and claim he doesn't really buy that much these days but we know better, don't we guys)??  

I'm a poor pauper these days.🤔😜

[Rip]

On 12/11/2021 at 5:37 PM, Gregd said:

Looks like it sold for $1415

Neat cover. Haven’t even begun to look into Skywald collecting  yet…. But boy some of those covers are so great. 

I shutter to think what would happen, you have been a buying beast.

[Randall Dowling]

On 12/11/2021 at 7:44 PM, Rip said:

I shutter to think what would happen, you have been a buying beast.

I know, right?  @Gregd came to dinner with an appetite.  And instead of waiting for the food to be brought to the table, he's decided to go right to the kitchen.

[Gregd]

On 12/11/2021 at 8:46 PM, Randall Dowling said:

I know, right?  @Gregd came to dinner with an appetite.  And instead of waiting for the food to be brought to the table, he's decided to go right to the kitchen.

Thanks all! 😂 May slow it down because my wife just approached me with evidence of 2 big empty shipping boxes that I thought I had cleverly discarded.

Honestly, love the covers (why I love PCH), but PCH books are getting “off the charts”expensive. Last big auction was the kicker- could have bought a STT11 for around $800 in 2016- now $20k?! (And a lot cheaper to buy these mags even if I overpay by $100 or so on an issue. Losing $100 makes more sense then gambling thousands on a single book.)

That being said, I take advice from guys here on the board as to what to buy. @jimjum12and a few others have been awesome sellers here, and owe a debt of gratitude to them. Feel like I am talking to some of the best comic guys in the industry. You guys are the mag guys… tell me to buy Frazetta covers… orders received.

Again, thanks for all the advice! 

Edited December 12, 2021 by Gregd

[jimjum12]

Here's something I never mind having .... I'm still upgrading towards a flawless copy. I picked this one up in a trade and it was stickered at $200. Even though it is basically a graphic novel trade, It is considered to be a First Edition Stephen King. GOD BLESS...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

[Randall Dowling]

On 12/11/2021 at 8:01 PM, Gregd said:

Thanks all! 😂 May slow it down because my wife just approached me with evidence of 2 big empty shipping boxes that I thought I had cleverly discarded.

Honestly, love the covers (why I love PCH), but PCH books are getting “off the charts”expensive. Last big auction was the kicker- could have bought a STT11 for around $800 in 2016- now $20k?! (And a lot cheaper to buy these mags even if I overpay by $100 or so on an issue. Losing $100 makes more sense then gambling thousands on a single book.)

That being said, I take advice from guys here on the board as to what to buy. Jimjum and a few others have been awesome sellers here, and owe a debt of gratitude to them. Feel like I am talking to some of the best comic guys in the industry. You guys are the mag guys… tell me to buy Frazetta covers… orders received.

Again, thanks for all the advice! 

I think this is why a lot of us are enjoying magazines so much.  A lot of the precode artists ended up working for these magazine companies.  If you look at the early Warrens, it's basically the stable of EC artists with a few notable exceptions (Feldstein, Ingels).  And a few of the newer talents like Neal Adams, Jeff Jones, etc.  It's a lot of value for your collecting dollar and many are not that easy to find in nice shape.  

I joke but I think you're approach is the right one, buy the tough issues first, be aggressive and don't look back.  I've never regretted reaching for something that was on the outside of my comfort zone.  I have lots of regrets about not taking down books when I had the chance.  These are still the salad days of magazine collecting.  Once more people figure out how cool these things are, a lot of these prices (record highs or otherwise) will look like bargains.  And there are already certain issues that are becoming legitimately tough in grade (like Nightmare 20).  

[oakman29]

On 12/11/2021 at 5:38 PM, Randall Dowling said:

Not me but I have an idea who might have.  He's the most voracious magazine collector I know of.  His quest for high grade copies borders on maniacal.  He purchases more magazines in a month than the average collector does in a year.  And he won't be outbid no matter what.  It's a matter of pride.

I'm talking, of course, about @oakman29!  Well, Oakman???  You want to step forward and acknowledge your role in all of this (he'll probably deny it and claim he doesn't really buy that much these days but we know better, don't we guys)??  

Personally I would have gone the way of the raw book. I'm not into paying that much dough, especially around Christmas time. 

[oakman29]

On 12/11/2021 at 6:18 PM, Randall Dowling said:

I think this is why a lot of us are enjoying magazines so much.  A lot of the precode artists ended up working for these magazine companies.  If you look at the early Warrens, it's basically the stable of EC artists with a few notable exceptions (Feldstein, Ingels).  And a few of the newer talents like Neal Adams, Jeff Jones, etc.  It's a lot of value for your collecting dollar and many are not that easy to find in nice shape.  

I joke but I think you're approach is the right one, buy the tough issues first, be aggressive and don't look back.  I've never regretted reaching for something that was on the outside of my comfort zone.  I have lots of regrets about not taking down books when I had the chance.  These are still the salad days of magazine collecting.  Once more people figure out how cool these things are, a lot of these prices (record highs or otherwise) will look like bargains.  And there are already certain issues that are becoming legitimately tough in grade (like Nightmare 20).  

I wholeheartedly agree with you.  These books are pretty awesome, and they wont be cheap for long.

[oakman29]

If you missed the boat on the superhero floppies( which of course I did not) magazines will be the next progression.  Get em now,  before it's too late fellas. I guarantee you wont regret it. Auctions like these are very telling .

[OtherEric]

On 12/11/2021 at 6:16 PM, jimjum12 said:

Here's something I never mind having .... I'm still upgrading towards a flawless copy. I picked this one up in a trade and it was stickered at $200. Even though it is basically a graphic novel trade, It is considered to be a First Edition Stephen King. GOD BLESS...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

A friend had this when I was a kid, it was my introduction to Berni Wrightson.  Need to track down a copy for myself one of these centuries.

[jimjum12]

On 12/12/2021 at 1:07 PM, OtherEric said:

A friend had this when I was a kid, it was my introduction to Berni Wrightson.  Need to track down a copy for myself one of these centuries.

Be on alert for the 2nd Printing, unless of course you just want a reader for cheap. Even the 1st Print is reasonable unless it's in grade. GOD BLESS....

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Gregd]

On 12/12/2021 at 1:02 PM, Taylor G said:

C'mon, this is because this is the highest rated book with John Byrne's earliest work, it's a spillover from the insanity in comics.  Let's not make more of it than it is.  

How rare is this book? And for Skywalds is it a matter of lots of high grades out there but not slabbed, or just tough to find in grade? Were these low print circulations or higher print? I don’t ever remember seeing them around as a kid.

Edited December 13, 2021 by Gregd

[Jayman]

[Jayman]

BTW, that is my original owner copy I bought off the rack…

[Randall Dowling]

On 12/12/2021 at 8:28 PM, Gregd said:

How rare is this book? And for Skywalds is it a matter of lots of high grades out there but not slabbed, or just tough to find in grade? Were these low print circulations or higher print? I don’t ever remember seeing them around as a kid.

Others can chime and feel free to clarify/correct me, but my understanding of the census reflects the following factors:

• Skywald was a "me too" company in many ways in that they were following a few years after Warren had established itself.  I think part of the motivation for starting the magazines was based upon a period at Warren when the quality of material dropped substantially and they saw an opportunity to upend their position.  
• As such, their initial print runs were a bit more substantial but nowhere near the runs for Marvels and Warrens.  Later the print runs would drop substantially as they found their market position and Warren caught it's next wave with the Spanish Invasion and took off again.
• Even though the covers were well done, the interiors were substantially less in quality from other material, another reason for comparatively lower demand and print runs.
• By the end of the runs, as with all companies at the end of their life, cashflow becomes an issue and you start trying to cut costs to stay afloat.  One of the ways publishers do that is by using cheaper printing materials, cheaper printers, cheaper content creators, etc.  By the time Nightmare 20 was getting produced, they were pretty much done (last issue was 23).  

All of these factors contributed to magazines that had lower print runs, were collected less for decades, and had cover stocks that are more easily damaged.  There are certain common flaws in the later issues like staple tears at the top staple (or at least stress there).  So, the result is that Nightmare 20 would be a tough book no matter what, but on top of all that, it's John Byrne's first published work and so there are non-magazine Byrne fanatics that have copies as well.  Current census is 10 copies with (1) 9.4, (1) 9.2, (1) 9.0, and (2) 8.5s.  And that's after 20 years of some very dedicated magazine collectors trying to get the absolute best copy in a 9.8 or a 9.6.  

I'm not saying that they aren't out there.  But the best I've ever seen in person was probably a 9.0.  And I'm kind of a Byrne fanatic...