What is the better long term investment? AF 15 cgc 7.5 or FF 1 cgc 9.0 ? 1 1

[HighStakesComics]

9 hours ago, Tony S said:

Probably the AF 15. HOWEVER, if one wanted to gamble a bit, you could argue that as major keys go, FF 1 is a bit overlooked and under appreciated. At 9.0 it is also a great deal rarer than AF 15 in 7.5. There are 81 unrestored copies of AF 15 graded 7.5 or better. There are  15 unrestored copies of FF 1 in 9.0 or better. 

So it depends on your intent. As a collector, Spidey is my favorite character and I'd be inclined to get the AF 15 first. But if I was investing, I think I'd roll the dice and grab the FF 1 in 9.0. A book that appears to be undervalued in a grade that is rare.

I think this is a pretty good analysis and along the lines of what I was thinking.

 

[The Less Blob]

Every show I went to from 1994 - 1998, where I'd have $1-$2K in my pocket, why didn't I make it priority #1 to get an AF 15 in any half decent grade before looking for other krap? whyyyyyyy!??!??!  I knew it was a great book, but spending $400-$800 on one book just scared me (of course, i could have bought a bunch of restored copies in the process..)

 

as noted, the FF 1 in that grade is a heckuvalot harder to come by and historically that would have been a chunk more expensive, but i guess, in part, due to lackluster movies and kids not being into FF, FF being less iconic (they've never done The Thing properly, he's supposed to be funny and lovable 90% of the time, not morose and suicidal) right now, it has faded compared to AF 15.  Isn't AF 15 a pretty common book?  Look at how many copies of 14 are out there!

 

 

Edited February 17, 2017 by the blob

[Bfairb]

How about an AMS #1 CGC 9.4 vs. buying the Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 8.5?

Edited February 18, 2017 by Bfairb1
grammer

[lpsunburst]

2 hours ago, Bfairb1 said:

How about an AMS #1 CGC 9.4 vs. buying the Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 8.5?

No

[Bfairb]

Ok

[rabidwolf]

I always thought of FF1 as the silver age Marvel Comics 1 and AF 15 as Captain America Comics 1.

[lpsunburst]

1 hour ago, rabidwolf said:

I always thought of FF1 as the silver age Marvel Comics 1 and AF 15 as Captain America Comics 1.

That was absolutely true, when I started collecting in the 70's that analogy was quite accurate but many of the marvel titles have moved around over time. for example Hulk 1 was considered below JIM 83, TOS 39 and others at the time. 

[VintageComics]

On 2017-02-19 at 5:43 PM, rabidwolf said:

I always thought of FF1 as the silver age Marvel Comics 1 and AF 15 as Captain America Comics 1.

I've always considered (and still do) FF #1 as the most important SA Marvel. And let's face it, the values of comics are directly related to their movie properties these days. The fact that Marvel lost the movie rights to the FF, that the movies put out stank pretty bad compared to Marvel's efforts AND that Marvel tried to starve out the studios by ending the FF comic run have all hurt the value of FF #1 compared to other keys. But if / when those rights revert back that's all going to change. If someone has spare cash I'd say it's never been a better time to buy a high grade FF #1.

[zosocane]

1 hour ago, VintageComics said:

But if / when those rights revert back that's all going to change. If someone has spare cash I'd say it's never been a better time to buy a high grade FF #1.

This pretty much sums it up.  Depends on your risk tolerance.  AF 15 is safe.  It's a blue chipper, Too Big To Fail.  FF 1 riskier, but a ton more upside when (not if) those movie rights (or at least production rights) flip to Marvel Studios.  I think it will happen, after 2020, as Marvel Studios will want to exploit the incredibly rich FF universe for a future phase.

[Buzzetta]

I'm bigger on AF15 not just for self serving needs but because I genuinely feel that Spider-man is basically Marvel's "Mickey Mouse."

Spider-Man is their corporate symbol.  The FF are important and I actually believe that there are more higher grade AF15s out in the wild than FF1s but AF15 is of more importance...

 

today and in the immediate future 

[VintageComics]

1 hour ago, Buzzetta said:

I'm bigger on AF15 not just for self serving needs but because I genuinely feel that Spider-man is basically Marvel's "Mickey Mouse."

Spider-Man is their corporate symbol.  The FF are important and I actually believe that there are more higher grade AF15s out in the wild than FF1s but AF15 is of more importance...

 

today and in the immediate future 

The FF used to be the flagship title. I understand nothing is forever but that's the way it was.

[Buzzetta]

6 hours ago, VintageComics said:

The FF used to be the flagship title. I understand nothing is forever but that's the way it was.

Oh, I am aware and I agree with that.  However, around the late 60's I believe it is then that we start to see Marvel isolate Spider-man as a character in it's advertisements and things like that.  It seems that despite the legacy of the FF, that Spider-man has been groomed over the last 50 years as the corporate symbol.

[VintageComics]

4 hours ago, Buzzetta said:

10 hours ago, VintageComics said:

The FF used to be the flagship title. I understand nothing is forever but that's the way it was.

Oh, I am aware and I agree with that.  However, around the late 60's I believe it is then that we start to see Marvel isolate Spider-man as a character in it's advertisements and things like that.  It seems that despite the legacy of the FF, that Spider-man has been groomed over the last 50 years as the corporate symbol.

I'd have to go back and check but I'm not so sure about that.

[chrisco37]

11 hours ago, VintageComics said:

15 hours ago, Buzzetta said:

21 hours ago, VintageComics said:

The FF used to be the flagship title. I understand nothing is forever but that's the way it was.

Oh, I am aware and I agree with that.  However, around the late 60's I believe it is then that we start to see Marvel isolate Spider-man as a character in it's advertisements and things like that.  It seems that despite the legacy of the FF, that Spider-man has been groomed over the last 50 years as the corporate symbol.

I'd have to go back and check but I'm not so sure about that.

I was going to say the 70's but I don't have a problem with late 60's timeframe.  When I started collecting (mid-80's), Spidey (ASM) was the flagship title.  Spidey was the biggest star.   He was who they were marketing.

I remember being a very young (probably late 70's/early 80's) and seeing the Spidey cartoon on TV.   Followed soon by Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends.   Spidey was always the king as far as I can remember.   I never even saw the old FF cartoon until years later on VHS. 

[Patriot6]

44 minutes ago, chrisco37 said:

I was going to say the 70's but I don't have a problem with late 60's timeframe.  When I started collecting (mid-80's), Spidey (ASM) was the flagship title.  Spidey was the biggest star.   He was who they were marketing.

I remember being a very young (probably late 70's/early 80's) and seeing the Spidey cartoon on TV.   Followed soon by Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends.   Spidey was always the king as far as I can remember.   I never even saw the old FF cartoon until years later on VHS. 

There was a FF cartoon?!

[Jeffro.]

On 2/17/2017 at 3:40 PM, the blob said:

 

Every show I went to from 1994 - 1998, where I'd have $1-$2K in my pocket, why didn't I make it priority #1 to get an AF 15 in any half decent grade before looking for other krap? whyyyyyyy!??!??!  I knew it was a great book, but spending $400-$800 on one book just scared me (of course, i could have bought a bunch of restored copies in the process..)

 

 

You're not alone. Many of us can say the same thing.

 

[chrisco37]

26 minutes ago, Patriot6 said:

There was a FF cartoon?!

Yes.  With HERBIE instead of the Torch.  

[Jeffro.]

27 minutes ago, Patriot6 said:

1 hour ago, chrisco37 said:

I was going to say the 70's but I don't have a problem with late 60's timeframe.  When I started collecting (mid-80's), Spidey (ASM) was the flagship title.  Spidey was the biggest star.   He was who they were marketing.

I remember being a very young (probably late 70's/early 80's) and seeing the Spidey cartoon on TV.   Followed soon by Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends.   Spidey was always the king as far as I can remember.   I never even saw the old FF cartoon until years later on VHS. 

There was a FF cartoon?!

 

[Jeffro.]

 

 

[Patriot6]

Sweet! I'm going to have to get that. It was Spidey and X Men on my cartoon station growing up.