completing a complete issue 0

[Real Elijah Snow]

On 8/28/2021 at 5:59 PM, The Voord said:

Because their might be other pages, I'm after, no?  Just because one door closes, doesn't mean other remain ajar.

How about you letting this one goooooooooo????????

My initial response to the OP was more about the idea that there are some individuals who will try to exploit you.  There, does 'exploit' work better for you?

You've got it all figured out. Good luck to you. 

[The Voord]

On 8/28/2021 at 11:24 PM, Real Elijah Snow said:

You've got it all figured out. Good luck to you. 

And good luck with your confused.com problem in which you lose track of who the OP was and his responders.

[Real Elijah Snow]

 Thanks, baby! Now please stop flirting with me. It's awkward. 

 

 

 

 

[John E.]

On 8/28/2021 at 2:41 PM, Unovis said:

Thank you Malvin. That is what I expected. Paying 3K or so for my last page would not be worth it if the entire book is worth less than the sum of the individual pages. If I was intending on breaking up the book I certainly would not bother to get the last page. I had been wanting to get the entire book way back in the day because I loved it. Thanks for confirming it would be a loss at this point to complete it.

JG

Not knowing what issue you are talking about puts limitations on our advice and opinions. But let me offer you a contrary viewpoint. I have seen complete books for sale that have 1-2 "A" pages, 3 "B" pages, followed by 20 C-level, talking heads, out-of-costume pages. If someone decided to buy it and break it up, that person might get some good money on the A and B pages, but the sale of those might not even get him to break even. Now he's stuck with 18-20 C pages that he can't move, or will sell for <$100. That said, it would probably be "easier" to sell the book complete because there is something special to owning a complete book, or as a particular rep likes to say, "Your very own Artist Edition." So evaluate what you have. Can you move each individual pages easily? Or do you have 89% C-level pages? Because if it's mostly C, then it may be in your best interest to complete the book.

[Unovis]

On 8/28/2021 at 2:41 PM, Will_K said:

So you had a deal in place to buy the entire story and then the rep and artists sold that page?  Did you find out about that before or after receiving the pages ? 

From your first post, I thought you were trying re-assemble the story but this sounds much worse.  If I thought I had a deal for an entire story and then a page got pulled, I would've called off the deal.

There was an ebay auction for entire un-inked/unpublished complete story.  Before buying, I asked the seller to confirm all the pages were there.  He confirmed.  Upon receipt, one of the pages was missing.  I asked about the page.  Then he admits he didn't really count the pages.

I don't remember exactly what happened. This was 20 years ago. I had been buying various pages from the series over the past year and decided to try to put together a whole issue. The artwork was, as usual, split between the penciller and the inker. I arranged to get the pages at 50 or 100 a page; can't remember. The book came separated and then I noticed the missing page. So I was not out any money. The pickup was either at the SD Comic-Con or just prior. Probably just prior...in any case, I remember going to the SDCC and trying to get all three of them to help me get the "missing" page. The two talents basically said the other one screwed up. And I believe the rep never had the artwork. But since I was not actually out any money the three of them didn't care. (Something does not add up here....too much time has passed)

I obviously learned a lesson there but also never bought another page from that series again. I have been trying to acquire the missing page ever since then but, as this thread as thought me, it is not quite worth it any longer. I loved the series for the writing anyway. The art was always average, at best. But collecting OA because of the writing is a whole other topic...

[Varanis]

On 8/28/2021 at 3:41 PM, Unovis said:

Thank you Malvin. That is what I expected. Paying 3K or so for my last page would not be worth it if the entire book is worth less than the sum of the individual pages. If I was intending on breaking up the book I certainly would not bother to get the last page. I had been wanting to get the entire book way back in the day because I loved it. Thanks for confirming it would be a loss at this point to complete it.

JG

Why does it matter what the complete issue is worth if you're never going to break it up?

[Hockeyflow33]

I'm trying to complete two books and have 14 pages of one and 18 of the other. Neither are particularly expensive, pages were $50-200 each depending upon if they came from the artist or rep/auction site. If I needed one last page and it was a bit more than that I wouldn't mind but if someone wanted $1,000 I'd just live with that hole for the time being. 

[Rick2you2]

On 8/29/2021 at 10:30 AM, Hockeyflow33 said:

I'm trying to complete two books and have 14 pages of one and 18 of the other. Neither are particularly expensive, pages were $50-200 each depending upon if they came from the artist or rep/auction site. If I needed one last page and it was a bit more than that I wouldn't mind but if someone wanted $1,000 I'd just live with that hole for the time being. 

I’d pay the $1,000.

[Unovis]

On 8/28/2021 at 9:19 PM, Varanis said:

Why does it matter what the complete issue is worth if you're never going to break it up?

Because breaking it up is not the same thing as not selling it. I don't mind selling it. Just that I won't be breaking it up.

[Unovis]

On 8/28/2021 at 6:51 PM, John E. said:

Not knowing what issue you are talking about puts limitations on our advice and opinions. But let me offer you a contrary viewpoint. I have seen complete books for sale that have 1-2 "A" pages, 3 "B" pages, followed by 20 C-level, talking heads, out-of-costume pages. If someone decided to buy it and break it up, that person might get some good money on the A and B pages, but the sale of those might not even get him to break even. Now he's stuck with 18-20 C pages that he can't move, or will sell for <$100. That said, it would probably be "easier" to sell the book complete because there is something special to owning a complete book, or as a particular rep likes to say, "Your very own Artist Edition." So evaluate what you have. Can you move each individual pages easily? Or do you have 89% C-level pages? Because if it's mostly C, then it may be in your best interest to complete the book.

That's a very good point  I will have to take a look at these pages. For sure the missing page is an A page.

[wurstisart]

On 8/28/2021 at 9:41 PM, Unovis said:

Thank you Malvin. That is what I expected. Paying 3K or so for my last page would not be worth it if the entire book is worth less than the sum of the individual pages. If I was intending on breaking up the book I certainly would not bother to get the last page. I had been wanting to get the entire book way back in the day because I loved it. Thanks for confirming it would be a loss at this point to complete it.

JG

But didn’t you say it’s the best page of the book ?

If it’s the best page and the market is what it is, then it doesn’t matter if it is the missing page or not.

Unless you don’t care for the book at all, then it is of course not worth getting the last page.

[Will_K]

On 8/29/2021 at 12:42 PM, Unovis said:

That's a very good point  I will have to take a look at these pages. For sure the missing page is an A page.

Without knowing the story in question, in a similar situation... if I could complete a story by acquiring the last page at a cost that is in the neighborhood of the current market value, I would do it.  There is some satisfaction in that.  And you mentioned it's a great page in its own right, at least for that story. 

If it would cost unholy multiples to get the last page, to the point where you think you could get good (or better) art for the same cost, I would feel OK walking away.  Collecting comic art is a luxury, you can rationalize overpaying.  You can't rationalize feeling ripped off.

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by Will_K

[Rasp Lame]

I'm intrigued to know what book it is. I say buy it, then maybe you can tell us.

[JadeGiant]

So, let me get this straight:

• You have been trying to put a complete issue together for 20 plus years? 
• You have all but one page?
• The page missing is the best (or near) page in the book?
• You have a chance to buy said page?

I gotta say ... close the deal! Even if over FMV - it's the best page so you would expect that. I have heard so many stories of people where you are that never get a chance to take the shot you have in front of you. That's me and I don't know the numbers involved but if the complete issue is as important as it sounds and you have been chasing for 20 years I would do everything I could to close the deal. How would you feel if the seller pulled the offer and it was no longer available? Or sold to a black hole collector? If you can't stomach this idea, buy it. If this would make you feel relieved, move on and stop chasing. Odds are the page will stop being available - one way or another. 

And ... is the seller a member of this board? If so, you should have gone through these thought processes before posting as the price may be higher now. 

[ngh81]

Without knowing all of the details...

If I was in your situation and could afford it, I would buy it to complete the issue.

[thethedew]

As someone who owns both 'complete' issues, and 'missing one &*%%^ page' issues - there is satisfaction in having an issue complete.  And, once, ONCE, I did manage to find a pair of wayward pages to complete a book.  That had its own reward - like a puzzle piece clicking into place in my heart.

But, it's all unquantifiable.  Only you know how you feel.

Also, the longer you wait to decide, the higher the price could go.  The market keeps shifting.

There are quite a few collectors who can say they have a complete book.  But the opportunity is ultimately still pretty uncommon. 

[malvin]

On 8/30/2021 at 10:13 AM, thethedew said:

As someone who owns both 'complete' issues, and 'missing one &*%%^ page' issues - there is satisfaction in having an issue complete.  And, once, ONCE, I did manage to find a pair of wayward pages to complete a book.  That had its own reward - like a puzzle piece clicking into place in my heart.

But, it's all unquantifiable.  Only you know how you feel.

Also, the longer you wait to decide, the higher the price could go.  The market keeps shifting.

There are quite a few collectors who can say they have a complete book.  But the opportunity is ultimately still pretty uncommon. 

The complete books I have I bought complete.

There was one book that I tried to complete.  It wasn't a special book, but I did enjoy reading it and I I bought a large portion of the issue in one fell swoop.  Since the pages were cheap I thought it would be neat to complete a book.  After awhile I realized that I was just completing it for the sake of completing it and was paying higher and higher prices for pages that I did not truly love, so I gave up.

Malvin