Wolverine Limited Series #2 3 3

[BarneyBarn]

I recently picked up this set of Wolverine Limited Series #1-4 on Whatnot.

The owner was selling it as a NM set, from what I could see all the books looked to be in VF-NM range and I was happy with the price, so I picked them up. 

On arrival I had a couple of surprises. Number 2 looks to me like it has been trimmed on the right side of the comic. The top edge is 162mm long while the bottom edge is 170mm, so I think it's pretty clear. 

The other major surprise was that the comics all appear to have been signed on the bottom of the first page, by none other than Chris Claremont and Joe Rubinstein. Chris has even written a short message in two of them, and dated the signature in issue #3 as 11.9.82. 

I have checked the signatures and they seem to match other signatures from that period, I know Chris Claremont's changed quite significantly as he got older. If anyone can confirm these signatures to be authentic I'd really appreciate it.

I am only looking for a grade estimate for Issue #2 as I am unfamiliar with trimming and have no idea how much this will affect the grade. 

 

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by BarneyBarn

[Galen130]

One comic at a time, three per day max. 

[BarneyBarn]

On 8/1/2022 at 9:53 PM, Galen130 said:

One comic at a time, three per day max. 

Is it ok if I specify that i'm just looking for a grade for the issue #2?

[Galen130]

On 8/1/2022 at 3:16 PM, BarneyBarn said:

Is it ok if I specify that i'm just looking for a grade for the issue #2?

Or delete all photos except #2 and delete anything in the post that isn't related to that particular comic. 

[BarneyBarn]

On 8/1/2022 at 10:21 PM, Galen130 said:

Or delete all photos except #2 and delete anything in the post that isn't related to that particular comic. 

I've got rid of the images for #1, 3 & 4, except for the signatures as that's for context in the story.

[Galen130]

That will work, except which sig photo belongs to issue #2?

[BarneyBarn]

On 8/1/2022 at 10:32 PM, Galen130 said:

That will work, except which sig photo belongs to issue #2?

The second one. The issue number for each sig picture is visible in the small print.

[Galen130]

On 8/1/2022 at 3:33 PM, BarneyBarn said:

The second one. The issue number for each sig picture is visible in the small print.

The indicia is a bit blurry...couldn't quite read it.  No worries.

That comic is below a 9.0...too many ink-breaking spine ticks to go that high.  That isn't the worst production cut I've seen either, assuming it's production.  The signatures will get you an annotation on the blue label, most likely.  It's not a CGC SS, nor do I think it warrants a green label.

I think at best you're looking at a 7.5, maybe less depending on how CGC views that cut.  Personally, in order to enjoy those sigs, I would keep this one boarded and bagged.  It's not very valuable as a slab at a 7.5/8.0. 

 

[Galen130]

@grendelbo

[MattrixAlien]

On 8/2/2022 at 6:52 AM, BarneyBarn said:

I recently picked up this set of Wolverine Limited Series #1-4 on Whatnot.

The owner was selling it as a NM set, from what I could see all the books looked to be in VF-NM range and I was happy with the price, so I picked them up. 

On arrival I had a couple of surprises. Number 2 looks to me like it has been trimmed on the right side of the comic. The top edge is 162mm long while the bottom edge is 170mm, so I think it's pretty clear. 

The other major surprise was that the comics all appear to have been signed on the bottom of the first page, by none other than Chris Claremont and Joe Rubinstein. Chris has even written a short message in two of them, and dated the signature in issue #3 as 11.9.82. 

I have checked the signatures and they seem to match other signatures from that period, I know Chris Claremont's changed quite significantly as he got older. If anyone can confirm these signatures to be authentic I'd really appreciate it.

I am only looking for a grade estimate for Issue #2 as I am unfamiliar with trimming and have no idea how much this will affect the grade. 

 

 

@BarneyBarnI question whether that Claremont signature would pass a verification check. I own a UXM95 signed by Claremont and have seen his verified signature many times and it's quite different to what is provided in your photo. See a similar example below which looks like his usual signature. Quite different....

[Galen130]

On 8/1/2022 at 4:13 PM, MattrixAlien said:

@BarneyBarnI question whether that Claremont signature would pass a verification check. I own a UXM95 signed by Claremont and have seen his verified signature many times and it's quite different to what is provided in your photo. See a similar example below which looks like his usual signature. Quite different....

Valid point, except CGC won't verify it...only annotate writing inside the comic. 

[BarneyBarn]

On 8/1/2022 at 10:46 PM, Galen130 said:

The indicia is a bit blurry...couldn't quite read it.  No worries.

That comic is below a 9.0...too many ink-breaking spine ticks to go that high.  That isn't the worst production cut I've seen either, assuming it's production.  The signatures will get you an annotation on the blue label, most likely.  It's not a CGC SS, nor do I think it warrants a green label.

I think at best you're looking at a 7.5, maybe less depending on how CGC views that cut.  Personally, in order to enjoy those sigs, I would keep this one boarded and bagged.  It's not very valuable as a slab at a 7.5/8.0. 

 

Yeah, I would have put it at an 8.0-8.5 without the trimming. I don't think it can be a production issue as the difference of 8mm is more than i've ever seen before.

I know CGC will treat the signatures as pen marks, and not verify them, so i'm thinking I may keep the set raw for now. 

[BarneyBarn]

On 8/1/2022 at 11:13 PM, MattrixAlien said:

@BarneyBarnI question whether that Claremont signature would pass a verification check. I own a UXM95 signed by Claremont and have seen his verified signature many times and it's quite different to what is provided in your photo. See a similar example below which looks like his usual signature. Quite different....

That was my initial thoughts as well, until I found this thread: 

 

[MattrixAlien]

On 8/2/2022 at 8:17 AM, Galen130 said:

Valid point, except CGC won't verify it...only annotate writing inside the comic. 

There are people who get their books graded & signature verified by CBCS  @BarneyBarn I think whoever signed your copy also signed the book @RedKollar queried. I just had a look at that previous thread and it seems Claremont's signature did look like that back in the 80s... 

Edited August 1, 2022 by MattrixAlien

[grendelbo]

On 8/1/2022 at 3:48 PM, Galen130 said:

@grendelbo

8.0/8.5

Signature looks legit. It won't effect the grade since it's on the splash page. No verification though.

I doubt it's trimmed. Probably a miscut. Doesn't make sense to me - an otherwise VF book late Bronze Age and only the right edge has a defect warranting trimming? Nah. However, CGC would know better than me.

Thanks for sharing.

[MrRoboto]

8.0 imo