Disappointing Grade is in: Thor 165 3 3

[scburdet]

I really appreciate all the feedback from the board participants even though I'm sharing a lot. I am limiting to 1/day but I have quite a number of books to decide on/prioritize for grading.

Here is my Thor 165. Fingers crossed Warlock actually makes GoG3. I have a pretty good idea where this one stands, so I want to verify my analysis. Thanks!

Edited July 11, 2023 by scburdet

[MrRoboto]

I wish the same for Warlock getting into GOTG3. I got some of these riding on that. This one appears to be a 6.5. I posted some on the forum. If want a comparison, check it out. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by MrRoboto

[scburdet]

On 6/24/2022 at 12:25 AM, MrRoboto said:

I wish the same for Warlock getting into GOTG3. I got some of these riding on that. This one appears to be a 6.5. I posted some on the forum. If want a comparison, check it out. 

Found it. Nice book. I'll be posting my nicest (bronze) Warlock book tomorrow night. I could pull out my FFs too, but I'm not sure they're exciting or something I'd really want to invest in grading unless he heats way up. I have a 2nd copy of Thor 165 (which I replaced with this one). It's more like a 4.0/4.5, but I think if you have a 6.0 and a 4.0 you can exchange them for a 10, right?

[MrRoboto]

On 6/23/2022 at 9:37 PM, scburdet said:

Found it. Nice book. I'll be posting my nicest (bronze) Warlock book tomorrow night. I could pull out my FFs too, but I'm not sure they're exciting or something I'd really want to invest in grading unless he heats way up. I have a 2nd copy of Thor 165 (which I replaced with this one). It's more like a 4.0/4.5, but I think if you have a 6.0 and a 4.0 you can exchange them for a 10, right?

100% for sure. 

[grendelbo]

C&P for 7.5

Thanks for posting.

[Galen130]

C&P to 7.0/7.5

[comicginger1789]

Lots of little things on this one...bottom edge wear, apparent crease or scratch on the back, little indents and dings to the front cover. A press should help but I am at 6.0-6.5

[Lpgk]

6.0. back crease

[scburdet]

With the C&Per now, then off to Sarasota

[MrRoboto]

On 9/14/2022 at 7:56 PM, scburdet said:

With the C&Per now, then off to Sarasota

Can we have pics of the c&p if you have them please?

[scburdet]

On 9/15/2022 at 8:16 PM, MrRoboto said:

Can we have pics of the c&p if you have them please?

I'll ask my guy when we get them back. I know he photographs anything that goes to CGC, which is smart. I got a book back from a signing recently and I'm almost positive it's not what I sent them (I got back a sketched/signed direct and I ordered a signature on what I'm pretty sure was a newsstand. Still waiting to see if they can figure something out on that one)

[scburdet]

I will let the GIF speak for me.

 

[scburdet]

small amount of color touch on top & bottom front cover
small amount of glue on bottom spine

I had no reason to suspect restoration here. Even at that, it feels like this should be a purple label with a higher grade. I have a 6.5R that the color touch is way more obvious (bleed through) and this book looks better period. IDK. Definitely not worth fighting with CGC about it, but still.

[Lninefingers]

4.5 feels absurd to me. 

[LDarkseid1]

On 7/11/2023 at 5:59 PM, Lninefingers said:

4.5 feels absurd to me. 

Here‘s the grader notes. Have to assume the spine splits did it in. If it were just one maybe a 5.5-6.5 still, but due to multiple grade seems plausible.

Grader Notes

light creasing to cover
light spine splits to cover
light spine stress lines to cover
small amount of color touch on top & bottom front cover
small amount of glue on bottom spine

Edited July 13, 2023 by LDarkseid1

[scburdet]

On 7/13/2023 at 7:01 AM, LDarkseid1 said:

spine splits

Possible the glue was holding some of this together. I definitely didn't notice any splits before I dropped it off. I can see one at the bottom now (where glue is indicated). I do not see multiple splits though. Not that CGC notes are historically consistent or anything. Like I said, it's not worth getting worked up about one way or the other since a purple through the mid-range on this renders it more or less totally undesirable. I'm getting very itchy about buying any more older black cover though.

Edited July 14, 2023 by scburdet

[Eric C M]

I’m going off a sample size of exactly 1 but I have to believe that CGC is grading Restored books much more harshly than unrestored, whether they admit it or not. I recently submitted 2 copies of JIM #112, one of which I had posted here. Superficially one copy was far superior, no question, and I submitted that one in High Value. The other was a nice mid-grade plus copy.

Results: High Value copy returned in a Restored grade 6.0 (sidebar - I was taken by KellysSuperheroes on EBay - avoid at all costs!)

Vintage tier copy returned Universal grade 7.0

if you were just judging the 2 without knowing of restoration 100% of people would say the Restored copy looked superior.

I have a 6.0 of your book, yours looks slightly better, I would have said 6.5-7.0.

[LDarkseid1]

On 7/14/2023 at 4:19 AM, Eric C M said:

I’m going off a sample size of exactly 1 but I have to believe that CGC is grading Restored books much more harshly than unrestored, whether they admit it or not. I recently submitted 2 copies of JIM #112, one of which I had posted here. Superficially one copy was far superior, no question, and I submitted that one in High Value. The other was a nice mid-grade plus copy.

Results: High Value copy returned in a Restored grade 6.0 (sidebar - I was taken by KellysSuperheroes on EBay - avoid at all costs!)

Vintage tier copy returned Universal grade 7.0

if you were just judging the 2 without knowing of restoration 100% of people would say the Restored copy looked superior.

I have a 6.0 of your book, yours looks slightly better, I would have said 6.5-7.0.

Oh damn I’m sorry man. Yeah KellySuperheroes are LITERALLY the biggest frauds in all of comics as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never seen someone get away with the level of fraud they do with both how they grade and what they do and don’t reveal regarding resto. There honestly should be a collecting community boycott on buying from them nationwide.

Edited July 14, 2023 by LDarkseid1

[LDarkseid1]

On 7/13/2023 at 9:17 PM, scburdet said:

Possible the glue was holding some of this together. I definitely didn't notice any splits before I dropped it off. I can see one at the bottom now (where glue is indicated). I do not see multiple splits though. Not that CGC notes are historically consistent or anything. Like I said, it's not worth getting worked up about one way or the other since a purple through the mid-range on this renders it more or less totally undesirable. I'm getting very itchy about buying any more older black cover though.

No I get it, was just going by the notes. If you don’t see multiple splits and didn’t recall seeing any before sending maybe it’s worth bringing it up to them still 🤷. At least to try and get a credit. I’d definitely recommend taking very clear photos of every possible detail going forward so you have that after the fact. I mean you have solid photos above, just not clearly of the spine to see splits haha. Anyway, I agree with you ultimately not worth getting too worked up, due to the grade and resto. Sometimes you get wins, sometimes you get disappointments in this game. Such is life lol.

Edited July 14, 2023 by LDarkseid1

[LowGradeBronze]

With regard to the grader's notes: I don't see the word 'light' being a useful way of describing spine splits. A split requires a measurement of some kind. Maybe in CGC world, use of the term 'light' with regard to splits is backed up somewhere by a table. This enables their rationale/grading to retain a certain level of shall we say, discretion, from the outside world. (eg: light = 3 to 5mm, moderate = 6 to 10mm etc)