Seriously??? 2 2

[Flex Mentallo]

On 3/21/2022 at 5:45 PM, Gotham Kid said:

Holy cow ! I have 3 dozen of them lying around.

Invisible sculpture is sooo last week.

[Flex Mentallo]

On 3/21/2022 at 5:45 PM, Gotham Kid said:

Holy cow ! I have 3 dozen of them lying around.

I just made an invisible sculpture of a black hole.

[adamstrange]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:10 PM, Flex Mentallo said:

I completely agree with both of you. It's no longer about the thing in question, but the idea of it.

 

@topofthetotem posted this in the Water Cooler:

This invisible sculpture just sold for over $18K

 

I call first dibs on the NFT of the invisible sculpture.

I'll have the digital rights to nothing!

[Flex Mentallo]

On 3/21/2022 at 5:54 PM, adamstrange said:

I call first dibs on the NFT of the invisible sculpture.

I'll have the digital rights to nothing!

Its all a matter of perspective.

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/20/2022 at 6:57 AM, Bookery said:

Maybe I'm jaded, as I originally came from the rare book market (and maybe it's time to return!) -- but there's no way rare book collectors would pay anything for a sliver of leather off the cover of a first edition of MobyDick.  There sometimes is a market for single pages from famous works... but they have to be really significant (Shakespeare folio, Gutenberg bible) , and are generally from the 1400s or 1500s (or earlier).

See your first comparison makes no sense to me. I mean Moby Dic*, cool book and all, great piece of literature sure, but not a remotely close comparison in terms of importance to what Action Comics 1 is in the history of comics. I think the later stuff you describe definitely makes more sense, i.e., the Gutenberg or Shakespeare. There's no doubt a page from the Gutenberg sells for many tens of thousands, maybe more now. A small portion with writing cut from one of those pages would easily still sell for thousands, not even a question. So when you take into account the importance and rarity of Action Comics 1 to the history of comics, and on top of that, the fact parts of the cover NEVER come up for sale and thus that additional rarity, this was a very special item. So once again, I do not understand the lack of understanding in why this would sell for what it did. I suspect it will only rise in value. Interior pages come and ago somewhat often, the cover not soo much.

Edited March 21, 2022 by LDarkseid1

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/20/2022 at 7:46 AM, Point Five said:

All good thoughts! But IMO there is *something* to this 'No. 1' being visually recognizable, and seared into the retinas of generations of collectors, that makes this a not-perfect analogy. It's just odd and kind of jarring to us, as collectors have never before attached importance to this tiny bit of the cover before. It's also not a sale that can really be replicated, as it's not like other collectors have their own Action #1 'No. 1' scraps tucked away.

Again, it makes me think, I would love to see that bottom-2/3rds-of-an-Action-#1 cover come up for sale again today, as the iconic Superman drawing is the much more significant and well-known element of the cover.

 

If that thing ever comes up for auction, yeah I can't even imagine. I mean you have both coverless owners vying for that, as well as just anyone with deep pockets that would want to own it by itself. With the #1 piece selling for just under $10K, the 2/3rd's cover in my mind easily breaks $100K, and skies the limit from there.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 3/21/2022 at 5:38 PM, goldust40 said:

I foresee greater stupid. Not sure what it is yet, but the market will find a way...

There are two further stupid possibilities that I'm aware of Golders: the stupid associated with the oft promised, but never forthcoming CGC 'foreigns' labelling announcement, and the stupid associated with my continuing attempts at chasing it. 

[Bookery]

On 3/21/2022 at 2:07 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

See your first comparison makes no sense to me. I mean Moby Dic*, cool book and all, great piece of literature sure, but not a remotely close comparison in terms of importance to what Action Comics 1 is in the history of comics.

Maybe a better example would be Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue", considered the 1st detective story.  Far more historically important that Action #1, as far as I'm concerned.  Action #1 isn't the first comic book or anything... it's simply the 1st "super-hero" in comics... and you even have to fudge that by making excuses to exclude Mandrake the Magician, Tarzan, The Phantom, and others.  

On 3/21/2022 at 2:07 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

I think the later stuff you describe definitely makes more sense, i.e., the Gutenberg or Shakespeare. There's no doubt a page from the Gutenberg sells for many tens of thousands, maybe more now. A small portion with writing cut from one of those pages would easily still sell for thousands, not even a question. So when you take into account the importance and rarity of Action Comics 1 to the history of comics, and on top of that, the fact parts of the cover NEVER come up for sale and thus that additional rarity, this was a very special item. 

Action #1 is not especially rare.  I've had several dozen comics that are probably rarer.  I've seen several copies of Action #1 in person at shows, and even had a dealer bring  a coverless but otherwise complete copy into my shop a couple of years ago.  There are a multitude of pulps that are numerically rarer than Action #1.  Action #1 is one of the most significant comics in history... but the fact that it has become the most important is more a matter of decades of hype and the over-influence of super-hero collectors vs. the rest of the historical record for comic books.  A case could be made that Superman actually hurt the development of the comic book in America, as its success caused comic books to be seen as a kids-only medium.  It was almost 50 years before stories aimed at adults began working there way into mainstream comics.  

[telerites]

I am also one who thinks this isn't the stupidity acme.  I wonder how many thought we reached the peak when Mitch bought his Action 1 for what was nearly $2K or TMNT #1 going for over $250K (and I have the first 9.8 graded and I still think it is nuts), or when that New Mutants 98 9.9 sold for over $12K and so on.  

The other thing is stupid money attracts stupid money so other investment seekers are coming.  

I wonder how much of the hobby is made up of just collectors.  I mean I started in 1972 and have never bought a book just for investment purposes.  I bought it because I liked it and wanted it my collection (which I have joked is why my collection is worthless ).  I still love this hobby and love my collection but I guess it has evolved and I am just a grumpy old man.  

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/21/2022 at 11:43 AM, Bookery said:

Maybe a better example would be Poe's "Murders in the Rue Morgue", considered the 1st detective story.  Far more historically important that Action #1, as far as I'm concerned.  Action #1 isn't the first comic book or anything... it's simply the 1st "super-hero" in comics... and you even have to fudge that by making excuses to exclude Mandrake the Magician, Tarzan, The Phantom, and others.  

Action #1 is not especially rare.  I've had several dozen comics that are probably rarer.  I've seen several copies of Action #1 in person at shows, and even had a dealer bring  a coverless but otherwise complete copy into my shop a couple of years ago.  There are a multitude of pulps that are numerically rarer than Action #1.  Action #1 is one of the most significant comics in history... but the fact that it has become the most important is more a matter of decades of hype and the over-influence of super-hero collectors vs. the rest of the historical record for comic books.  A case could be made that Superman actually hurt the development of the comic book in America, as its success caused comic books to be seen as a kids-only medium.  It was almost 50 years before stories aimed at adults began working there way into mainstream comics.  

You're still equating apples to oranges. If you asked most people, they would know what the Gutenberg bible is, they wouldn't know what Poe's "Murder in the Rue Morgue" is hahaha. And as far as being "far more historically important than Action 1", nobody is comparing books to comics, and historical significance. I was trying to say what a book like the Gutenberg meant in the book world, just as what Action Comics 1 means in the comic book world. And yeah there's no doubt there were other heroes pre-superman, I think you could make the argument other super-heroes. But Action 1 is still the book that started it all.

You're missing the point yet again on rarity. Action 1 in of itself is a rather rare book, not super rare mind you, but pretty damn rare. Most people definitely holding onto the copies they have, and once again, pieces of the cover NEVER come up for sale. So you can bet that aspect is extremely rare.

I have to disagree with your assessments on the historical importance of Action Comics 1 and the attempt to diminish it I guess. It will always be the most important comic book to me.

Edited March 21, 2022 by LDarkseid1

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/21/2022 at 11:54 AM, telerites said:

I am also one who thinks this isn't the stupidity acme.  I wonder how many thought we reached the peak when Mitch bought his Action 1 for what was nearly $2K or TMNT #1 going for over $250K (and I have the first 9.8 graded and I still think it is nuts), or when that New Mutants 98 9.9 sold for over $12K and so on.  

The other thing is stupid money attracts stupid money so other investment seekers are coming.  

I wonder how much of the hobby is made up of just collectors.  I mean I started in 1972 and have never bought a book just for investment purposes.  I bought it because I liked it and wanted it my collection (which I have joked is why my collection is worthless ).  I still love this hobby and love my collection but I guess it has evolved and I am just a grumpy old man.  

What did the last New Mutants 98 CGC 9.9 sell for? I think like $50K or so. Pretty nutty I have to admit.

You may be a grumpy old man, but there's still a place for grumpy old men in this industry

[Flex Mentallo]

On 3/21/2022 at 5:38 PM, goldust40 said:

On 3/21/2022 at 10:32 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

On 3/21/2022 at 10:26 AM, Duffman_Comics said:

This "hobby" has now reached peak stupid.

Yes. It seems stupidity is quite lucrative though, doesn't it.  

I foresee greater stupid. Not sure what it is yet, but the market will find a way...

I fear it's only just begun.

Spoiler

Borges, “Of Exactitude in Science”

 

Of Exactitude in Science

…In that Empire, the craft of Cartography attained such Perfection that the Map of a Single province covered the space of an entire City, and the Map of the Empire itself an entire Province. In the course of Time, these Extensive maps were found somehow wanting, and so the College of Cartographers evolved a Map of the Empire that was of the same Scale as the Empire and that coincided with it point for point. Less attentive to the Study of Cartography, succeeding Generations came to judge a map of such Magnitude cumbersome, and, not without Irreverence, they abandoned it to the Rigours of sun and Rain. In the western Deserts, tattered Fragments of the Map are still to be found, Sheltering an occasional Beast or beggar; in the whole Nation, no other relic is left of the Discipline of Geography.

—From Travels of Praiseworthy Men (1658) by J. A. Suarez Miranda

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Flex Mentallo

[Get Marwood & I]

On 3/21/2022 at 7:05 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

You may be a grumpy old man, but there's still a place for grumpy old men in this industry

 

[Bookery]

On 3/21/2022 at 3:12 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

 

Hey!!! How did you get hold of my driver's license photo??!!

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/20/2022 at 7:43 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Here's the back cover image:

That's either the natural colouring from the interior ad, or the owner cut his finger when he chopped it up. 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Considering we can't make a determination from the interior ad possibility, just occurred to me I never explained what I meant about the small detail I saw, between Action 1 and Detective Comics 11. So I compared multiple sold copies online for both, and at least from my perspective, the "o" is different in the "No." part. There seems to be less space inside the "o" with the Tec 11 and it's a bit more elongated and narrow. That seemed pretty consistent to me. If anyone disagrees let me know. Other than that they're pretty damn similar. @Point Five

Edited March 21, 2022 by LDarkseid1

[LDarkseid1]

Two examples. It’s soo subtle, but they feel different. Was the same in multiple copies.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 3/21/2022 at 8:46 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

Considering we can't make a determination from the interior ad possibility, just occurred to me I never explained what I meant about the small detail I saw, between Action 1 and Detective Comics 11. So I compared multiple sold copies online for both, and at least from my perspective, the "o" is different in the "No." part. There seems to be less space inside the "o" with the Tec 11, also it's a bit more elongated. That seemed pretty consistent to me. If anyone disagrees let me know. Other than that they're pretty damn similar. @Point Five

My Detective #11 post was just a bit of flippancy. The Action #1 has identifiable characteristics. 

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:50 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

My Detective #11 post was just a bit of flippancy. The Action #1 has identifiable characteristics. 

Yeah but flippancy aside you kinda make a solid case for it haha. I mean they look pretty close. What are the other identifiable characteristics? I definitely missed them.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 3/21/2022 at 8:52 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

Yeah but flippancy aside you kinda make a solid case for it haha. I mean they look pretty close. What are the other identifiable characteristics? I definitely missed them.

The o that you already pointed out and the distance between the two 1's on the 11 - the second 1 would show its tip with the amount of book on show in the slabbed #1 piece, if that makes sense. I'm on my mobile, otherwise I'd post pictures. 

[LDarkseid1]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:58 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

The o that you already pointed out and the distance between the two 1's on the 11 - the second 1 would show its tip with the amount of book on show in the slabbed #1 piece, if that makes sense. I'm on my mobile, otherwise I'd post pictures. 

Aww ok interesting. I guess the distance between them wouldn't matter as much, since the 2nd would be cut off anyway. Unless you mean the distance between the 1 and the 11 in connection to "No." But yeah, I'll take a closer look at the book space part.