PGM Sub-Mariner 5 (1968)–?faded? internal ink 3 3

[scburdet]

So, it's like too hot to do anything so I'm spending a Saturday afternoon scrolling CGC boards. I pulled this one out last night even though it's never been on my grading list to get some experienced eyes on it. The early Sub-Mariners have these great Buscema covers and this one looks like a decent enough grade. The the annals of guidelines to buying online, one should expect an internal pictures too. When I got this, I thought the internal ink looked too light. I probably should have sent it back or at least complained. Only the 2 photos of inside pages, but it's consistent/uniform throughout the book. I feel like for regular fading or bleaching the cover would take a hit. This cover looks bright though. Is it possible this was just at the end of a print run and the ink was running low? I'm hard pressed to think of how this would happen by natural fading over time, especially without some lighter/darker pages throughout. Curious if this is a known phenomenon.

[kav]

5.0

[grendelbo]

5.5/6.0

I don't think there's fading. Ink plates or what not needed to be changed/filled. I've seen the opposite - my What If? 10 looks so vibrant with some ink transfer on it's interior pages I suspect it may have been first off the presses.

On 7/23/2022 at 12:36 PM, scburdet said:

So, it's like too hot to do anything so

Thanks for posting.

[Kramerica]

Solid 6.0. I don't see any major - or even moderate - defects nor do I see the fading of which you speak. 

[scburdet]

On 7/23/2022 at 7:27 PM, Kramerica said:

nor do I see the fading

Thanks. For reference, here's a panel of a book I pulled off ebay images. The colors inside are bolder:

[scburdet]

On 7/23/2022 at 5:51 PM, grendelbo said:

Ink plates or what not needed to be changed/filled

Are you factoring in the muted color into your grade? I can't imagine something like this doesn't impact it if CGC handles it. I'm guessing there are other examples of this phenomenon in books from my collection that just escaped my notices (or I memory-holes them). The color is mostly disappointing b/c Tiger Shark has such a vibrant outfit, even by the standard of comic book characters.

[grendelbo]

On 7/23/2022 at 6:28 PM, scburdet said:

Are you factoring in the muted color into your grade? I can't imagine something like this doesn't impact it if CGC handles it. I'm guessing there are other examples of this phenomenon in books from my collection that just escaped my notices (or I memory-holes them). The color is mostly disappointing b/c Tiger Shark has such a vibrant outfit, even by the standard of comic book characters.

I looked at a few copies online. If there's color/sun fade it's minor, IMO. I'm more inclined to believe it's a manufacturing issue.

It's possible to reverse-engineer (to an extent) many of CGC's grading standards. Color/sun fade is one of the hardest defects though. If there is fade I would expect one grade deduction at most for this book in it's condition. I don't think the interior pages will matter at all.

[evilskip]

I have a copy with the same problem regarding the pages. Here is a scan of one of my pages. (I bought it as a 4.5 from MCS).

[Galen130]

5.5