n2wdw Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 On 11/17/2018 at 7:33 PM, jimjum12 said: There's just nothing quite like Bill Ward romance...… IMHO one of the best bargains going right now. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Lately I've been buying old humor mags with Ward strips. The price depends on the number of Ward panels in the mag. His art is truly amazing. Here's one I just got off eBay (with 11 Ward panels!). jimjum12 and szav 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlansdown Posted November 24, 2018 Share Posted November 24, 2018 3 hours ago, n2wdw said: Lately I've been buying old humor mags with Ward strips. The price depends on the number of Ward panels in the mag. His art is truly amazing. Here's one I just got off eBay (with 11 Ward panels!). Ward's artwork simply defies gravity. Great examples! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 (edited) 3 minutes ago, mlansdown said: Ward's artwork simply defies gravity. Great examples! Ha! Edited November 24, 2018 by n2wdw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 On 11/19/2018 at 6:02 PM, Sqeggs said: I've sent off three batches. The first I dropped off at NYCC. I think that was within a day or two of when they started offering the service. For that batch I didn't get the e-mail giving estimates of what the grades might be--they just went ahead and graded them, which is what I expected they would do. The grades were either at the original grade or a half-point to a point lower and all of the pq was the same as the original pq or worse. The worst outcome come was a 9.8 White copy of If the Devil Would Talk (1958 edition,) which came back as a 9.4 White, thereby wiping out about two-thirds of its value. For the second batch, I did the get e-mails with suggestions about pressing. That's too bad about Devil. If it started out PGX, then it was worth it. If CBCS, then that would have been a hard choice. Although it's hard to imagine CBCS and CGC would be that big a spread. I've found CGC to be offering great customer service with its crossover program. They sent me the email within a week of me sending in the books. One book I decided not to regrade, and they immediately shipped that back to me. Since I've sent my crossovers in, I've picked up this CBCS Millie. I wonder how long CGC will be running their current crossover promotion? As I'd like to send this book in but I want to send a few rather than just one. Patriot6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 I've never deslabbed a 9.8 and probably never will ….. the grade drop could easily come from one slight bend after or during removal. The way my luck runs, I wouldn't trust anyone else either... but that's just me. If it were 9.4 or less I'd probably give it a whirl, as they do have experience..... but a 9.8 ?..... no way. GOD BLESS.... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 6 minutes ago, jimjum12 said: I've never deslabbed a 9.8 and probably never will ….. the grade drop could easily come from one slight bend after or during removal. The way my luck runs, I wouldn't trust anyone else either... but that's just me. If it were 9.4 or less I'd probably give it a whirl, as they do have experience..... but a 9.8 ?..... no way. GOD BLESS.... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Yeah, the book I decided not to have graded and got returned was this 9.9, because CGC estimated it could drop to 9.6. But I think it depends on the company. If it was a PGX 9.8, I'd probably have it re-graded. CBCS, probably not. But I didn't have to grapple with that decision as none of the books I sent in under the crossover program were high grade (other than this Spawn). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 3 minutes ago, n2wdw said: Yeah, the book I decided not to have graded and got returned was this 9.9, because CGC estimated it could drop to 9.6. But I think it depends on the company. If it was a PGX 9.8, I'd probably have it re-graded. CBCS, probably not. But I didn't have to grapple with that decision as none of the books I sent in under the crossover program were high grade (other than this Spawn). It's a beautiful book..... but for me, grades of 9.8 and up weigh too heavily on semantics and human perception to be totally valid. Unless they're spending an hour going over the book, which wouldn't be cost effective, those miniscule differences that would separate those tiers are a bit too nebulous to satisfy me. I'm not sure a human being, without the aid of delicate technology, is even capable of distinguishing a 10.0 from something less. That being said, I've seen some sharp 9.8's and I've also seen some real head scratchers. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Microbia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 Oh.... I almost forgot to mention..... I'm mad at you now. Because of you, I've started liking Lady Mechanica … as if I can afford to like something new I know how busy you are, but if you get a second, I would love any recommendations on hardcover collections that are especially seminal. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 1 hour ago, jimjum12 said: I've never deslabbed a 9.8 and probably never will ….. the grade drop could easily come from one slight bend after or during removal. The way my luck runs, I wouldn't trust anyone else either... but that's just me. If it were 9.4 or less I'd probably give it a whirl, as they do have experience..... but a 9.8 ?..... no way. GOD BLESS.... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) It was CBCS and I thought about it before deciding to include it in the batch that I dropped off ay NYCC. Because it was graded very early on, when we now know that CBCS was consistently overgrading, I thought the chance of its holding the 9.8 grade was low. But I figured that I'd like to know what I have even if I don't have plans to sell it. Because I dropped the books off right when CGC first made the crossover offer, it was before they began sending the e-mails with estimates of the grades. So, I didn't have their thoughts on how the grade might turn out before they graded it. Wouldn't have changed my mind, though. Worth mentioning, I guess, that it's possible that CBCS is correctly grading--according to some criteria (Overstreet? Traditional hobby norms?)--and CGC is grading too tight. But for better or worse, these days CGC is the hobby's standard. jimjum12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Sqeggs said: It was CBCS and I thought about it before deciding to include it in the batch that I dropped off ay NYCC. Because it was graded very early on, when we now know that CBCS was consistently overgrading, I thought the chance of its holding the 9.8 grade was low. But I figured that I'd like to know what I have even if I don't have plans to sell it. Because I dropped the books off right when CGC first made the crossover offer, it was before they began sending the e-mails with estimates of the grades. So, I didn't have their thoughts on how the grade might turn out before they graded it. Wouldn't have changed my mind, though. Worth mentioning, I guess, that it's possible that CBCS is correctly grading--according to some criteria (Overstreet? Traditional hobby norms?)--and CGC is grading too tight. But for better or worse, these days CGC is the hobby's standard. I certainly don't fault you for it, brother ….. and a book in 9.4 and up is something I'd be uncomfortable owning raw ….. I think it's pretty cool of you to take the time to share your experiences in this regard.... My slabbing experiences are few.... but I experienced some major disappointments(… as a buyer) with CBCS's grading in the beginning..... they seemed like they were trying to capitalize on their previous reputation and drum up business by handing out gift grades... which was the absolute worse thing they could have done. Things would have played out much differently had they graded tightly out of the gate. Trust me, I think VERY highly about Steve and West.... but what could have been an easy birdie has turned into one hell of a sand trap now. Personally, I'm confused about the psychology behind CGC's crossover program.... and believe me, it is there...… I guess for now, ignorance will have to be bliss for me. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Edited November 25, 2018 by jimjum12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 25, 2018 Author Share Posted November 25, 2018 2 hours ago, jimjum12 said: It's a beautiful book..... but for me, grades of 9.8 and up weigh too heavily on semantics and human perception to be totally valid. Unless they're spending an hour going over the book, which wouldn't be cost effective, those miniscule differences that would separate those tiers are a bit too nebulous to satisfy me. I'm not sure a human being, without the aid of delicate technology, is even capable of distinguishing a 10.0 from something less. That being said, I've seen some sharp 9.8's and I've also seen some real head scratchers. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) I agree with you. I have 9.8s in my collection where I see defects, usually along the spine. Then I've submitted books that look perfect that get 9.6 or lower. It's definitely subjective and also subject to evolving standards. For example, at the moment, I think CGC is tougher on modern books than they were a few years ago. jimjum12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted November 25, 2018 Share Posted November 25, 2018 35 minutes ago, n2wdw said: I agree with you. I have 9.8s in my collection where I see defects, usually along the spine. Then I've submitted books that look perfect that get 9.6 or lower. It's definitely subjective and also subject to evolving standards. For example, at the moment, I think CGC is tougher on modern books than they were a few years ago. I would imagine it's not an easy job …. if done correctly. Striking a balance between structure and eye appeal makes objectivity almost impossible. I tune into the grading threads from time to time and run across the catch phrases often … for example, "the golden age bump" …. which does not refer to nursing home pornography.... and it makes me realize how complicated the job SHOULD be, A modern comic and a golden age comic are barely even the same thing outside of there similarities in format. A "perfect" golden age book will never look as sharp as a "perfect " modern age book …. It 's like comparing a bone knife to a Samurai sword …. they probably should be tougher on Moderns.... but not by arbitrarily assigning 9.6's to textbook 9.8's in an effort to create some semblance of scarcity in perception. GOD BLESS.... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) 1950's war comics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sqeggs Posted November 26, 2018 Share Posted November 26, 2018 On 11/25/2018 at 11:28 AM, jimjum12 said: I certainly don't fault you for it, brother ….. and a book in 9.4 and up is something I'd be uncomfortable owning raw ….. I think it's pretty cool of you to take the time to share your experiences in this regard.... My slabbing experiences are few.... but I experienced some major disappointments(… as a buyer) with CBCS's grading in the beginning..... they seemed like they were trying to capitalize on their previous reputation and drum up business by handing out gift grades... which was the absolute worse thing they could have done. Things would have played out much differently had they graded tightly out of the gate. Trust me, I think VERY highly about Steve and West.... but what could have been an easy birdie has turned into one hell of a sand trap now. Personally, I'm confused about the psychology behind CGC's crossover program.... and believe me, it is there...… I guess for now, ignorance will have to be bliss for me. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Yeah, I particularly agree with the part in bold above. Unfortunately, those of us who trusted their grading at the beginning have taken some significant hits. I'm willing to accept the view that they've since tightened up, but I still have a bad taste in my mouth from how things were in the beginning. With respect to the crossover program, my guess is that CGC probably figures that the more CBCS graded books they remove from the market, the less likely CBCS is to gain a foothold. 1950's war comics 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 27, 2018 Author Share Posted November 27, 2018 On 11/25/2018 at 11:28 AM, jimjum12 said: Personally, I'm confused about the psychology behind CGC's crossover program.... and believe me, it is there...… I guess for now, ignorance will have to be bliss for me. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Since (in my secret identity) I'm a lawyer, I can see cut throat behavior, so I know exactly what CGC is doing through its crossover program -- they're going for CBCS's jugular! (I suspect you do too but you're being polite ) But you never know what's going on behind the scenes. Maybe CBCS is doing well so CGC needs to do this for market share. I kind of doubt this, though, because at cons I never see people at the CBCS booth. I'm a CGC loyalist and I don't have any personal ties at CBCS -- but in any case, I'm enjoying watching this play out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 27, 2018 Author Share Posted November 27, 2018 (edited) On 11/25/2018 at 9:55 AM, jimjum12 said: Oh.... I almost forgot to mention..... I'm mad at you now. Because of you, I've started liking Lady Mechanica … as if I can afford to like something new I know how busy you are, but if you get a second, I would love any recommendations on hardcover collections that are especially seminal. GOD BLESS... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) Jim! Holy cow, I feel like I've pulled you over to the dark side, or convinced you to take a red pill. But Lady Mechanika does kind of draw you in. As far as I know, Benitez has not released any hardcover collections. So far he's only released trades, and they are collector's items. Which makes no sense. He should release a low cost omnibus collection to draw in new readers. Anyway, here are the collections I've been able to get. I'm sure I've missed some. Let me know if you need any individual issues. You've given me so many great deals in the past, I've got a bunch of reading copies I'd be happy to send to you. Edited November 28, 2018 by n2wdw STORMSHADOW_80 and jimjum12 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimjum12 Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 13 hours ago, n2wdw said: Jim! Holy cow, I feel like I've pulled you over to the dark side, or convinced you to take a red pill. But Lady Mechanika does kind of draw you in. As far as I know, Benitez has not released any hardcover collections. So far he's only released trades, and they are collector's items. Which makes no sense. He should release a low cost omnibus collection to draw in new readers. Anyway, here are the collections I've been able to get. I'm sure I've missed some. Let me know if you need any individual issues. You've given me so many great deals in the past, I've got a bunch of reading copies I'd be happy to send to you. … I would love anything you would recommend..... based on your enthusiasm, I snagged an issue offered on "Free Comic Day" …. that's all I have at this point. If you'd like to PM me we could work something out.... maybe some credit on a thread or something.... GOD BLESS.... jimbo(a friend of jesus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post n2wdw Posted November 28, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 28, 2018 Results of Latest CGC Invoice Yesterday I got my latest invoice back from CGC. Here's what I got. First up are a couple of Matt Baker books, Midget #1 and the Tiny Tales Cinderella book. I'm always debating with myself which Baker books to send in to grade. Lately, I've been focusing on (1) higher grade copies I've been able to buy, and (2) rarer comics. Both these comics fall into the latter category. Cinderella is rare; my copy is the only graded copy. Although recently @Ricksneatstuff offered a copy that I was tempted to buy to go along with my (now) graded copy. Midget isn't super rare. There are 7 graded copies and 1 restored copy. (In addition to my 3.5 blue, I own the graded copy too, shown below). So anyway -- I go back and forth whether it was worthwhile to send these comics in for grading. But whatever, I've got them now. I feel better about the other 3 comics I got back in this invoice. First is Jungle 86. This fits my "dastardly GGA" category and it's a pretty copy. I'm not crazy about the misprint right edge. For that reason, I recently saw another nice copy on eBay and I was tempted to buy it. But my want list is long and my budget limited. It doesn't make sense for me to upgrade when there are so many other comics I want to add to the collection. So I decided to just go with the copy I had, even with its (somewhat) unsightly right edge. I'm glad it came back at the relatively high 6.0. Next is Rangers 32. Rangers is probably my favorite Fiction House title, and #32 is in my top 10 of favorite Rangers covers. I'm really happy it came back 7.0. The last comic from this invoice is my favorite, Reggie #9. It's really amazing how many great golden age Betty and Veronica covers there are. And I'm not even talking about the classics, like Archie 50 or B&V 40. If you want to see some examples, see @Chuck Gower wonderful blog: http://undercoverarchie.blogspot.com/ Reggie 9 is a great, under-appreciated (IMHO) Veronica cover. No, it's not a classic GGA cover, like Torchy 5, Spirit 22 or Cindy 37. It's not a touch below classic, like Junie 5. It's not a "the price is going through the roof so get your copy now before it's too late" like Underworld Crime 7 or Ghost 6. Reggie 9 is below all of those. But still it's still a great cover. Thanks for reading. \ Prince Namor, Hutch88, szav and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricksneatstuff Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 I agree about Reggie 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patriot6 Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 1 hour ago, n2wdw said: Nice copy!! I was always curious about Ronnie's 'SinBad' belt??? A lot of the Archie spin off series from the time period have great art and a re very under appreciated. Jughead, the title, has great covers and art and they are, in my opinion, just as undervalued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2wdw Posted November 29, 2018 Author Share Posted November 29, 2018 On 11/27/2018 at 10:55 PM, Patriot6 said: Nice copy!! I was always curious about Ronnie's 'SinBad' belt??? A lot of the Archie spin off series from the time period have great art and a re very under appreciated. Jughead, the title, has great covers and art and they are, in my opinion, just as undervalued. That's something I like about the cover. Betty's belt, the pearls, the edging along the collar. Also Archie's polka dot bow tie and the yellow stripes across Reggie's sweater. You've got the love triangle going on, with Veronica making eyes at Reggie, and Archie throwing shade at his rival. So much going on in this cover! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
