Mask Comics actual pricing 10 10

[mjoeyoung]

On 3/30/2023 at 12:43 PM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

Its worth noting the Promise copy of Mask 1 only sold for $102k first time around.  This is one of the exceptions to our way of thinking on the Promise books.  The Eerie 1 similarly exceeded the first sale.  Maybe this is more of a comment on the state of PCH books than anything else.

True, PCH seems to be mostly unaffected at the high end and with the ECs.  There seem to be some cracks forming on the lower graded books.

[lou_fine]

On 3/30/2023 at 11:44 AM, mjoeyoung said:

I think it is just nuts.  A fool and his money...

If this is the case, then what's your feeling on the CL auction of the single highest 8.5 graded copy of Mask 2 for $118.7K back in June of 2022? 

[Inaflash]

On 3/30/2023 at 11:57 AM, Courageous Cat said:

at least you had the balls to say what many of us are thinking

I would bet the person who bought it is in no financial distress over the purchase. There are many things that cost far more than that that I care nothing about. I’m in the other camp. If money’s no problem, buy what you love.

[Dark Knight]

On 3/30/2023 at 6:30 PM, Inaflash said:

I would bet the person who bought it is in no financial distress over the purchase. There are many things that cost far more than that that I care nothing about. I’m in the other camp. If money’s no problem, buy what you love.

I'm always in financial distress everytime I drop 5 figures towards a book . I'm like what did I just do, the day after.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 3/30/2023 at 8:32 PM, Dark Knight said:

I'm always in financial distress everytime I drop 5 figures towards a book . I'm like what did I just do, the day after.

Amen, brother 

[mjoeyoung]

On 3/30/2023 at 6:02 PM, lou_fine said:

If this is the case, then what's your feeling on the CL auction of the single highest 8.5 graded copy of Mask 2 for $118.7K back in June of 2022? 

Nuts.  

If you are a collector, and can spend $100K-$150K on a book without any hardship, and want the best copy known, and don't care what you sell it for at some future date,  you STILL have to be a little nuts to pay such a high premium over the 7.5 Mask Comics #2 that sold for $33,600 in June 2021, or $42K more dollars than the same Mask Comics #1 sold for on June 2021.

There is nothing wrong with being nuts, "to each his own" and all that, but it usually isn't fiscally prudent.  We all do it (I think). If you haven't overbid, and I mean overbid to the point of "what the heck am I doing still bidding" are you really a comic book collector?  

[mjoeyoung]

On 3/30/2023 at 7:30 PM, Inaflash said:

I would bet the person who bought it is in no financial distress over the purchase. There are many things that cost far more than that that I care nothing about. I’m in the other camp. If money’s no problem, buy what you love.

I think this was the adage that Nicolas Cage lived by. 

[lou_fine]

On 3/30/2023 at 6:50 PM, mjoeyoung said:

On 3/30/2023 at 6:30 PM, Inaflash said:

If money’s no problem, buy what you love.

I think this was the adage that Nicolas Cage lived by. 

That is, until he met up with an immovable force, namely Lisa Marie, and apparently had to turf all of his collectibles and cars to try to keep her happy.   

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 3/30/2023 at 7:02 PM, lou_fine said:

If this is the case, then what's your feeling on the CL auction of the single highest 8.5 graded copy of Mask 2 for $118.7K back in June of 2022? 

At the time I thought that was too high, having just witnessed the 8.5 Mask 1 Promise copy hammer for $102k. I love both Masks, but when it comes to actually putting up the money, I gotta read the tea leaves and try to look into the future. And I fear the future for these cover driven books(with ho-hum interior art and no character development) is much more precarious than a book with a significant story line development. Although the Mask books have been on fire for 5 years now, who is to say tomorrow’s collectors will feel the same about the covers? I have a Mask 1 and love it. I just don’t need the highest graded one. 

Edited March 31, 2023 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[drbanner]

On 3/31/2023 at 7:44 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

And I fear the future for these cover driven books(with ho-hum interior art and no character development) is much more precarious than a book with a significant story line development. Although the Mask books have been on fire for 5 years now, who is to say tomorrow’s collectors will feel the same about the covers? I have a Mask 1 and love it. I just don’t need the highest graded one. 

I agree with your sentiment long-term which is why it seems the SA and BA Keys are a bargain right now, they have characters and storylines that will endure 10/20/30 years into the future. There are so many expensive GA books that don't have anything like that going for them...it's almost like the more you have to explain to a newbie collector (or non-comic collector) why the book is so cool (e.g. "It's rare...it has a Lou Fine/Matt Baker/LB Cole cover...it was used in SOTI...the cover is so gruesome") the less staying power it will have in the long run. Pull out an AF 15 and show it to Joe-Schmoe on the street and explain it's the 1st appearance of Spider-man and they'll be like "Wow, how much is that worth?!?!". 

But for today's market, PCH and books like Mask 1/2 are where it's at.

[*paull*]

On 3/31/2023 at 9:18 AM, drbanner said:

I agree with your sentiment long-term which is why it seems the SA and BA Keys are a bargain right now, they have characters and storylines that will endure 10/20/30 years into the future. There are so many expensive GA books that don't have anything like that going for them...it's almost like the more you have to explain to a newbie collector (or non-comic collector) why the book is so cool (e.g. "It's rare...it has a Lou Fine/Matt Baker/LB Cole cover...it was used in SOTI...the cover is so gruesome") the less staying power it will have in the long run. Pull out an AF 15 and show it to Joe-Schmoe on the street and explain it's the 1st appearance of Spider-man and they'll be like "Wow, how much is that worth?!?!". 

But for today's market, PCH and books like Mask 1/2 are where it's at.

I think that's where Mask 1/2 have an advantage over Fine / Baker / most ECs / and many GA keys for instance.  The covers don't need to be explained.  There's no "but Baker's women are so well rendered" or "Fine's anatomy and movement, blah blah".

[Professor K]

This Mask 2 Restored. Significant scuff(s) inner well? "Slab condition: Significant scuff(s) front or back; Significant scuff(s) inner well; Minor side/edge crack(s)". Maybe I'm misunderstanding but how does a book get scuffs on the inner well? https://www.ebay.com/itm/314487971219?

Edited April 1, 2023 by Professor K
link shortened

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 4/1/2023 at 1:48 PM, Professor K said:

This Mask 2 Restored. Significant scuff(s) inner well? "Slab condition: Significant scuff(s) front or back; Significant scuff(s) inner well; Minor side/edge crack(s)". Maybe I'm misunderstanding but how does a book get scuffs on the inner well? https://www.ebay.com/itm/314487971219?

CGC does it themselves during encapsulation process. Maybe the guy ate breakfast on it first. Anyway, I’ve got that problem with my Mask 1, actually. I’ll send it in for a reholder one of these days and hope for a better outcome 

[Professor K]

On 4/1/2023 at 3:12 PM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

CGC does it themselves during encapsulation process. Maybe the guy ate breakfast on it first. Anyway, I’ve got that problem with my Mask 1, actually. I’ll send it in for a reholder one of these days and hope for a better outcome 

Ok thanks. I considered that but dismissed it. I mean what kind of business would do shoddy work and expect to be successful. 

[comicjack]

On 4/1/2023 at 3:12 PM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

CGC does it themselves during encapsulation process. Maybe the guy ate breakfast on it first. Anyway, I’ve got that problem with my Mask 1, actually. I’ll send it in for a reholder one of these days and hope for a better outcome 

Or could be the outcome you don't want it's like thinking the second wife is going to be better 

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 3/31/2023 at 7:44 AM, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

At the time I thought that was too high, having just witnessed the 8.5 Mask 1 Promise copy hammer for $102k. I love both Masks, but when it comes to actually putting up the money, I gotta read the tea leaves and try to look into the future. And I fear the future for these cover driven books(with ho-hum interior art and no character development) is much more precarious than a book with a significant story line development. Although the Mask books have been on fire for 5 years now, who is to say tomorrow’s collectors will feel the same about the covers? I have a Mask 1 and love it. I just don’t need the highest graded one. 

All I'm hearing is that awesome cover-driven books like Mask #2 and Brick Bradford #6 may actually be affordable in the future. I can't wait ! 

[thehumantorch]

On 4/4/2023 at 1:44 PM, L'Angelo Misterioso said:

All I'm hearing is that awesome cover-driven books like Mask #2 and Brick Bradford #6 may actually be affordable in the future. I can't wait ! 

Good luck with that.

[*paull*]

On 4/4/2023 at 3:44 PM, L'Angelo Misterioso said:

All I'm hearing is that awesome cover-driven books like Mask #2 and Brick Bradford #6 may actually be affordable in the future. I can't wait ! 

Don't forget those dull interior books Fantastic 3 and Suspense 3.  You'll get them on the cheap soon, too.

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:56 PM, *paull* said:

Don't forget those dull interior books Fantastic 3 and Suspense 3.  You'll get them on the cheap soon, too.

"Dull interior" is how I'd describe most Golden Age comics, but yeah the dissonance in Suspense 3 between the [highly overrated] cover and the interior art is kinda hilarious

[*paull*]

On 4/9/2023 at 9:03 PM, L'Angelo Misterioso said:

"Dull interior" is how I'd describe most Golden Age comics, but yeah the dissonance in Suspense 3 between the [highly overrated] cover and the interior art is kinda hilarious

When that $1000 copy becomes available, you can make the decision about whether that disparity is too much for you.  Don't forget about Terrific 5, Hit 5, Dynamic 8, Suspense 8, and Startling Terror Tales 11.  All will be available for you for pennies on the dollar.