9.8 Comic with Defects 3 3

[Motor City Rob]

8 hours ago, Prince Namor said:

The OP isn't asking it to be perfect, and he knows it isn't a 10.0, he's questioning what it is that makes it 9.8. It's a fair question. There are books with zero spine ticks that get a 9.8 and books with 3 spine tics that get a 9.8. To someone newer to the slabbing process, as he states he is, this is confusing. That's why he's asking the question.

Yes, agreed the OP is looking for some insight. That's why it has been stated that a 9.8 does not have to be perfect. Thats important for someone to know, especially if they are new to grading. In addition to that, I think there is consensus from many boardies here that this particular 9.8 seems to have more defects than what most of us have traditionally seen on other 9.8's. I would also add that many people are just referencing spine ticks, but there are so many other defects to consider. For example, just because a 9.6 doesn't have any visible spine ticks doesn't mean it should be a 9.8. There could be defects we can't see from pictures (finger dents, dimples, etc.). Hope this is helpful.

[Rip]

I'd be disappointed to get this as a 9.8. But I don't think its way off either.

9.8's most certainly have some inconsistency from time to time. Not always from production defects either.

[Mercury Man]

4 hours ago, Lazyboy said:

I'm sorry that you're a bad grader.

And you never disappoint by being a bad poster. 

[MetalPSI]

Yeah people who post facts about the hobby and outs the conjectures and misleading jholes are just the absolute worst.

I never learn anything from those clowns

[Hartie Spence]

15 hours ago, Prince Namor said:

The OP isn't asking it to be perfect, and he knows it isn't a 10.0, he's questioning what it is that makes it 9.8. It's a fair question. There are books with zero spine ticks that get a 9.8 and books with 3 spine tics that get a 9.8. To someone newer to the slabbing process, as he states he is, this is confusing. That's why he's asking the question.

I appreciate your understanding! My post was not out of dissapointment or entitlement to a “perfect” book. I was honesty just curious to hear the perspective of more experienced people in the same hobby.

Thanks!

[Hartie Spence]

13 hours ago, Number 6 said:

While I’m sure it’s true in some cases when the question of ‘Is this really a 9.8?’ is raised that there may be an expectation of “perfection”, I don’t think that’s always the case nor do I get the impression that’s the case here. 
 

While it’s true that a 9.8 is not a 10.0 and is going to have defects, since a 9.8 is two-tenths of a point away from a theoretical “perfect” grade, I suspect the reasonable expectation is that the defects allowed are going to be very few and extremely minor. So it’s not so much a question of “perfection” as it is of the number of defects allowed and the degree of those defects. And I think it’s the later that’s especially coming into play in this instance. Just because a “9.8 is not a 10.0” doesn’t mean anything goes. 
 

While it’s good to be reminded that a “9.8 is not a 10.0” I think it’s also go to remember that many here are fond of repeating the mantra “buy the book not the label” which encourages buyers to actually examine the book critically and not just blindly except whatever the label says…even on 9.8s…and therefore it would be consistent to actually look at the book in question rather than just dismiss the question out of hand as ‘look at the label, not a 10.0’

@Hartie SpenceI would echo what others have said: this looks at best like a weak 9.8 and probably more like a 9.6…but I too have seen some 9.8s with more glaringly obvious defects. Doesn’t make it right, but there it is. 
 

As to your second question about using this copy for Signature Series op:  my gut reaction is to say “no” as I think there’s a good chance this wouldn’t come back as a 9.8 on a straight re-sub.  But even if you had a copy that looked like a straight-up 9.8 there would be a risk of it not coming back a 9.8 due to the handling during a signature op.  
 

So I guess it really depends on how badly you feel you need to get a 9.8 out of the op.  I guess it’s gotten a 9.8 once before so theoretically it could get it again…it just doesn’t seem like the best candidate to start with. 

Thank you very much. I appreciate the insightful feedback. I’ll probably hold onto as it is. Pretty proud to have my first slabbed book. I have a few at CGC of my own, and I’m curious to see how they turn out!

[Hartie Spence]

7 hours ago, Motor City Rob said:

Yes, agreed the OP is looking for some insight. That's why it has been stated that a 9.8 does not have to be perfect. Thats important for someone to know, especially if they are new to grading. In addition to that, I think there is consensus from many boardies here that this particular 9.8 seems to have more defects than what most of us have traditionally seen on other 9.8's. I would also add that many people are just referencing spine ticks, but there are so many other defects to consider. For example, just because a 9.6 doesn't have any visible spine ticks doesn't mean it should be a 9.8. There could be defects we can't see from pictures (finger dents, dimples, etc.). Hope this is helpful.

Thanks! The main defect I was honestly curious about was the “dot”. I didn’t know if it was a common manufacturing defect. I have a good handful of books I kept bagged and boarded from when I was a young kid, but there are a couple that have a dot or two like the one pictured. I didn’t submit those books because of it.

[djzombi]

Looking at the last pic, that doesn't look like the typical spine "tick," like the other pics may be.   That looks like a full-on bend resulting in color-breaking crease, like you would get from spinner rack damage, as evidenced by the crow's feet shape.  To me, that alone would disqualify it from being a 9.8, never mind the addition of the other "ticks."  

As for the dot, that looks like a typical printing hickey and CGC would not dock for that.  

[Number 6]

9 hours ago, Hartie Spence said:

Thank you very much. I appreciate the insightful feedback. I’ll probably hold onto as it is. Pretty proud to have my first slabbed book. I have a few at CGC of my own, and I’m curious to see how they turn out!

I hope all of us critiquing your book didn’t detract from the pride you feel in acquiring the book. 
 

I noticed it’s a newsstand copy and I know there’s been more emphasis placed on newsstand copies lately.  Was that a factor in your acquiring this copy? 
 

I ask because there’s a 9.8 book I have in my collection that has a couple tiny color-breaking spine stresses. Unlike your book - which presents well in the first straight-on photo you posted - on my book the spine stresses can be clearly seen in a straight on photo. 
 

However, my copy has a background color variation that I spent years searching for in a 9.8 grade. So while it doesn’t exactly visually match up with the other 9.8s in the set, it checks off enough boxes for me that it’s still very much a keeper. Sometimes that’s where you end up with a book:  it may not be everything you expected, but it checks off enough of the right boxes. 
 

Regarding the dot:  I would probably call that a printing artifact and as others said, that’s why it was allowed in a 9.8. Again, there’s books I’m after that I found that tend to have bindery tears and since it’s a common printing defect CGC will allow them in up to 9.8.  So for me personally, of all the potential printing defects that could be allowed, for me a printing artifact would be much easier to live with. 
 

As far as Signature Series, if you decide you have to have a 9.8, honestly probably the safest way to go about that is to get one that’s already done. It will certainly be expensive, but with all the hazards of handling and shipping associated with getting an SS book done and the potential for loss of value on a downgrade, unless you have a good eye for picking raw 9.8 candidates and can get them a wholesales prices, buying a 9.8 book that’s already done is probably the best way to go. 

[Hartie Spence]

2 hours ago, Number 6 said:

I hope all of us critiquing your book didn’t detract from the pride you feel in acquiring the book. 
 

I noticed it’s a newsstand copy and I know there’s been more emphasis placed on newsstand copies lately.  Was that a factor in your acquiring this copy? 
 

I ask because there’s a 9.8 book I have in my collection that has a couple tiny color-breaking spine stresses. Unlike your book - which presents well in the first straight-on photo you posted - on my book the spine stresses can be clearly seen in a straight on photo. 
 

However, my copy has a background color variation that I spent years searching for in a 9.8 grade. So while it doesn’t exactly visually match up with the other 9.8s in the set, it checks off enough boxes for me that it’s still very much a keeper. Sometimes that’s where you end up with a book:  it may not be everything you expected, but it checks off enough of the right boxes. 
 

Regarding the dot:  I would probably call that a printing artifact and as others said, that’s why it was allowed in a 9.8. Again, there’s books I’m after that I found that tend to have bindery tears and since it’s a common printing defect CGC will allow them in up to 9.8.  So for me personally, of all the potential printing defects that could be allowed, for me a printing artifact would be much easier to live with. 
 

As far as Signature Series, if you decide you have to have a 9.8, honestly probably the safest way to go about that is to get one that’s already done. It will certainly be expensive, but with all the hazards of handling and shipping associated with getting an SS book done and the potential for loss of value on a downgrade, unless you have a good eye for picking raw 9.8 candidates and can get them a wholesales prices, buying a 9.8 book that’s already done is probably the best way to go. 

That makes sense. I will still very much enjoy having the book. Mainly because I just had wanted it for a while now. I’m not sure if the newsstand is a real bonus since it’s a 1983 book.

I’m not going to submit it for a SS. I agree it wouldn’t be worth a potential downgrade.

On a side note, I had shared another book that I actually ended up submitting about a month ago to the Please Grade My thread. The guys over there seem to be a lot more strict than the mentality I’m seeing in comments over here. I was told this book would be a 9.6 by many and even a 9.4 by some.

[William-James88]

On 6/11/2021 at 11:00 PM, Hartie Spence said:

I just recently bought this 9.8 Thor 337, and looking at it really close in person, spotted 3 defects. One might be a manufacturing error that gets overlooked during grading, but the other two are spine ticks. (Would the first defect be ignored?)

This is the first graded comic I’ve bought, so I just wanted to share to get some insight. Was this comic incredibly lucky to get a 9.8? I’m feeling like submitting this for the Simonson signing would be a mistake.

9.8 for these 40 year old comics always has some luck to it. But sending it for a signing and opting for a press after the signing could get you 9.8 again.

[Rotcod]

On 6/11/2021 at 11:00 PM, Hartie Spence said:

 I’m feeling like submitting this for the Simonson signing would be a mistake.

I have no basis for saying this (not that that ever stopped me before), but my guess is that CGC is under internal pressure to maintain the same grade when cracking one of their own slabs and submitting the book for signing.  Imagine if it were known that a comic is often damaged by them with frequent down-grading happening.  This would be very bad for their business.
Of course they say they can't guarantee the same grade, but still, it benefits them to be known for NOT damaging comics.

[Lazyboy]

9 hours ago, Rotcod said:

I have no basis for saying this

Yeah, you could have just stopped here.

9 hours ago, Rotcod said:

(not that that ever stopped me before), but my guess is that CGC is under internal pressure to maintain the same grade when cracking one of their own slabs and submitting the book for signing.  Imagine if it were known that a comic is often damaged by them with frequent down-grading happening.  This would be very bad for their business.
Of course they say they can't guarantee the same grade, but still, it benefits them to be known for NOT damaging comics.

Tell that to the many, many people who've complained about getting a lower grade after submitting for SS.

[Rotcod]

On 6/17/2021 at 6:42 PM, Lazyboy said:

Yeah, you could have just stopped here.

Tell that to the many, many people who've complained about getting a lower grade after submitting for SS.

Have you? Or are you just being lazy?

[Artboy99]

don't make me show my Harley Quinn #1 9.8 with 15 spine ticks. Your Thor 337 is a 9.8 by comparison