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Is Batman #221 The New Batman #227?
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Started by Randall Ries,

22 posts in this topic

Randall Ries

Randall Ries

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This book is becoming difficult to find in higher grade raw or slabbed for a decent price. It has the same basic bullpen as #227 except for Mike Esposito and Denny O'Neil. Graded higher 9's tier are pushing $1,000 in some cases. I have spoken with a few boardies who adore the cover. It IS a great cover. But nothing spectacular going on in the pages. What gives?

bat1.16921a.jpg

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Randall Ries

Randall Ries

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2 hours ago, scooter99 said:

It's just a cool Adams cover.  It is somewhat similar to Tec 411's cover, except Batman doesn't have someone swinging a machete at his neck. 

That was my impression as well. Sure heated up quickly.

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the blob

the blob

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3 hours ago, JollyComics said:

That's why I collect Batman and Tec books that have done by Neal Adams only. Any non-Adams cover issues during Adams run are unmatched to the values of those books even 9.2 or better.

Wrightson and kaluta, I think, did some nice ones too, though the market is non hysterical about them

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Kripsys99

Kripsys99

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On 5/4/2021 at 9:42 AM, Randall Ries said:

This book is becoming difficult to find in higher grade raw or slabbed for a decent price. It has the same basic bullpen as #227 except for Mike Esposito and Denny O'Neil. Graded higher 9's tier are pushing $1,000 in some cases. I have spoken with a few boardies who adore the cover. It IS a great cover. But nothing spectacular going on in the pages. What gives?

It really is an awesome cover - in fact, I think that it's Adams' best Batman cover: Batman's not bound like he is on the covers of 234 and 251, not in apparent helpless peril like on the covers of 232 and 244, not seemingly flying like on the covers of 241 and TEC 400, in a more familiar setting than on the covers of TEC 404 and 412, and not simply brooding in silhouette like on 227. Incidentally, I love and own all of the above books, but 221 feels more like Batman to me - dark, stealthy, in the city, perched on the side of a building, about to confront foes - and the choice of a red title splash really pops.

Also, this is just a tough book to find period. Every raw copy I find has a rather significant flaw which I think would hold it back from a 9+ grade, and there are only 118 in the census (with only 24 graded 9.4 or above) - they just don't come up for sale that often. I think 221 is more comparable to TEC 404 (163 in the census, 29 at 9.4 and above) than to 227 (1,564 in the census) in this regard, and both 221 and TEC 404 seemingly go for similar prices nowadays.

I don't think that any of 221, 227 or TEC 404 have particularly compelling scripts - I think they're all just exceptionally well suited to slabbing - they're all awesome Adams Batman covers. And while 227 has the cover-swipe going for it, I wouldn't be surprised to see 221 become the "next 227".

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Zonker

Zonker

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I don't know, it seems to me like 227 is in something of a class by itself.  The Golden Age homage makes it a bit of a unique animal.  I'm thinking in terms of strictly the cover adding value, it is going to remain at the top by a wide margin.  (In the modern world, Tec 880 occupies this same position.)

Of course, this is setting aside the keys 232, 251, 234, Tec 400, Tec 411, arguably 237.
And then you have the emerging keys due to content as well as cover image Tec 405, 244, Tec 395, arguably 222. 

But in terms of classic cover images without the content to support them as keys,  I'd agree that after 227, the next in line would be 221, with 241 not far behind.  (the blob had a recent thread on this topic.)

Then I'm not sure exactly how to treat issues like 217, 242, Tec 402,  where you have not only a borderline-classic cover image, but also important content inside to drive demand apart from the cover.

Edited by Zonker
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Number 6

Number 6

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4 hours ago, Zonker said:

Then I'm not sure exactly how to treat issues like 217, 242, Tec 402,  where you have not only a borderline-classic cover image, but also important content inside to drive demand apart from the cover.

I think the way to treat those is get them in your collection before someone starts a “Is this the next...” or “....doesn’t get any love” thread about them. xD

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Zonker

Zonker

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1 minute ago, Number 6 said:

I think the way to treat those is get them in your collection before someone starts a “Is this the next...” or “....doesn’t get any love” thread about them. xD

(thumbsu

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