SPAWN! A look back at an award-winning collection of graded slabs. 10 10

[newshane]

SPAWN 140 - CGC 9.8 

Here is my better copy. 

I also have one of these signed by Nat Jones, who did the interiors. Unfortunately, the CGC didn't see fit to give it a 9.8. 

I've included both scans. I don't recall seeing very many books signed by Nat Jones. 

I remember visiting every single comic convention website in search of people who worked on Spawn. Once I located someone, I'd have to track down the facilitators who would be in attendance. From there, it was a matter of windowing the book, requesting inks, filling out the paperwork, and the proper back and forth through mail delivery channels until it ended up in Sarasota. These books depended upon the careful hands of many people. Honestly, even this "lowly 9.6" is a miracle. 

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 141 - CGC 9.8 

She-Spawn cover. Gorgeous. Again, loving these colors. 

 

[zuulioso]

@newshane I am curious about your 9.8 pre-screening approach for determining if a book was worth sending in. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I have the run up to around issue 260 and have 19 of them graded. This thread has inspired me to go in and closely look at each issue to see which ones are 9.8 candidates. It was easier to justify the cost for grading with the key issues since the value was still there if it ended with a 9.6. I did decently with the 19 I submitted with only five coming back lower than 9.8.

My general strategy is any spine tick automatically made it a 9.6 in my mind unless the book was otherwise visibly flawless. That said, I still submitted a few that had a single tick and they ended up with a 9.8. I have seen leeway given on spine corners as well that aren't perfect.

I assume you had a similar approach? With the scarcity for ultra high grade in some of the lower print run issues, did you take risks?

Edited June 21, 2023 by zuulioso

[captainzombie]

On 6/20/2023 at 8:34 PM, zuulioso said:

@newshane I am curious about your 9.8 pre-screening approach for determining if a book was worth sending in. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I have the run up to around issue 260 and have 19 of them graded. This thread has inspired me to go in and closely look at each issue to see which ones are 9.8 candidates. It was easier to justify the cost for grading with the key issues since the value was still there if it ended with a 9.6. I did decently with the 19 I submitted with only five coming back lower than 9.8.

My general strategy is any spine tick automatically made it a 9.6 in my mind unless the book was otherwise visibly flawless. That said, I still submitted a few that had a single tick and they ended up with a 9.8. I have seen leeway given on spine corners as well that aren't perfect.

I assume you had a similar approach? With the scarcity for ultra high grade in some of the lower print run issues, did you take risks?

I'm roughly missing about 70 books from getting a complete run, which is not too bad considering that I started buying Spawn again about 2 years ago. As you mention, it is hard to find some of the older books and even the rare HTF issues without having any defects at all.

I've submitted quite a few Spawn books to CGC and there has been ones where they have a minor tic or some color rub on the back, and usually I do end up with a 9.6 on those. Some of the ones that have had some minor color rub but no issues, they tend to get a 9.8.

My strategy has been just to get the keys graded and any books that have awesome covers which are prone to getting tics easily.

I think any of the very low printed scarce issues as long as they are in 9.8 condition are worth grading to preserve.

I know talking for my standpoint, I've taken some risks sending in some books that were borderline 9.6/9.8 candidates. The good thing is that some books even in a 9.6 are worth the money if you want to flip them and keep trying to hunt down a 9.8 candidate.

[newshane]

On 6/20/2023 at 8:34 PM, zuulioso said:

@newshane I am curious about your 9.8 pre-screening approach for determining if a book was worth sending in. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, I have the run up to around issue 260 and have 19 of them graded. This thread has inspired me to go in and closely look at each issue to see which ones are 9.8 candidates. It was easier to justify the cost for grading with the key issues since the value was still there if it ended with a 9.6. I did decently with the 19 I submitted with only five coming back lower than 9.8.

My general strategy is any spine tick automatically made it a 9.6 in my mind unless the book was otherwise visibly flawless. That said, I still submitted a few that had a single tick and they ended up with a 9.8. I have seen leeway given on spine corners as well that aren't perfect.

I assume you had a similar approach? With the scarcity for ultra high grade in some of the lower print run issues, did you take risks?

A spine tick isn't necessarily a death knell, especially if it doesn't break color. The problem is with the CGC's consistency over the years, so it's really hard to tell. 

In general, my screening approach over the years has improved a great deal due to trial and (expensive) error. To get good at grading, you really have to be willing to accept the learning curve. If you pay attention, you begin to learn the CGC's expectations. 

The importance of great (not merely good) lighting cannot be overstated. You want to hit the book with as much light as possible. It also helps to use different wavelengths of light. Be sure to use warm and cool lights. Hold the book at various angles. Scan the spine first, then look at the surface before ending with the edges. If you see a few spine tics that don't break color, set them aside for pressing if you don't object to the practice. Don't underestimate the importance of the back cover. The CGC doesn't, and neither should you. Look at the surface of the book for dimples, finger bends, creases, and all the other stuff you don't want. 

Don't ever use cotton gloves. I've had more than one book slide out of my hands while wearing cotton. Make sure to get powder-free latex or nitrile if you insist on gloves. Honestly, and it took me a while to realize this, the best way to grade is with your bare hands. The tactile information provided by your fingers cannot be underestimated. Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with Dawn de-greasing detergent and dry your hands thoroughly. 

I would place my books on top of a lightbox and start hitting them with various kinds of light. Any color breakage at all would result in the book being tossed into the rejection pile. I would then sell those on eBay or here on the boards to recoup some of the cost. 

GET A JELWER'S LOUPE! Magnification is almost as important as great lighting. 

Pre-screening is a must! Will help you learn the curve while saving quite a bit of cash. Let's face it, what are you going to do with a bunch of modern slabs with 7.5-9.0 grades at the top? You can hardly give those away. 

Read all the advice on grading that you can. The Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics is a must-have. The CGC's grading manual, written by Matt Nelson, should become your bible on the topic. It's the most thorough book on the topic that I've ever seen. AMAZING. Just keep in mind that Overstreet and the CGC don't always see eye to eye on everything. 

Participate in the "guess the grade" contests held here on the board, but keep in mind that going by the scan alone is a quick way to lose money. You simply have to personally investigate the book to make a decision. 

My biggest piece of advice to anyone looking to tackle a perfect run like this is: VIGILANCE! I kept my eye open EVERY DAY for years to make this happen. 

1. I would use the registry as a checklist. Every day I would search eBay for missing books. Most people on eBay couldn't tell the difference in "fine" and "near mint" but I was able to hit a homer every now and then. 

2. I hired a few "hit-men" to keep an eye out for me at conventions. They had many connections with dealers, and having many eyes out there looking helped me snag quite a few white whales. These guys would take the risk of sending off the raws. I just had to write a bigger check in return for their services. 

3. I kept up to date with ALL national conventions and the appearances of any artist who worked on Spawn. I also had a small army of facilitators who would help me out. 

4. I'd troll every brick and mortar I would come to. This only netted me a few books, however. Usually a complete waste of time. 

5. I enrolled in one of the many "9.8 subscription services" to stay current with new releases and variants. I worked with two of these services. This was very expensive, but it practically guaranteed success. Spawn being Spawn, however, there were a few SURPRISE variants that slipped through everyone's fingers. Again, absolute vigilance, or should I say "obsessive vigilance" is the key to this, along with a lot of patience and very, very deep pockets. 

I'd say a majority of my books were already slabbed when I bought them. Maybe about 30% of the entire run was self-submitted.

No way I could have done this on my own. The key is to assemble your own task force, as corny as that may sound. I always have half a dozen or so WELL-CONNECTED people helping me look....for a price, of course. 

Also keep in mind that it may come down to the depth of your pockets, especially where auctions are concerned. I will be the first to admit that I overspent like crazy to make this happen. 

Looking back, that was my general approach. If anyone wants more detail, please ask! I love discussions in this thread, so feel welcome to post with any comments or questions! 

 

 

Edited June 21, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 142 - CGC 9.8 

 

[Mirkinator]

On 6/21/2023 at 3:38 PM, newshane said:

A spine tick isn't necessarily a death knell, especially if it doesn't break color. The problem is with the CGC's consistency over the years, so it's really hard to tell. 

In general, my screening approach over the years has improved a great deal due to trial and (expensive) error. To get good at grading, you really have to be willing to accept the learning curve. If you pay attention, you begin to learn the CGC's expectations. 

The importance of great (not merely good) lighting cannot be overstated. You want to hit the book with as much light as possible. It also helps to use different wavelengths of light. Be sure to use warm and cool lights. Hold the book at various angles. Scan the spine first, then look at the surface before ending with the edges. If you see a few spine tics that don't break color, set them aside for pressing if you don't object to the practice. Don't underestimate the importance of the back cover. The CGC doesn't, and neither should you. Look at the surface of the book for dimples, finger bends, creases, and all the other stuff you don't want. 

Don't ever use cotton gloves. I've had more than one book slide out of my hands while wearing cotton. Make sure to get powder-free latex or nitrile if you insist on gloves. Honestly, and it took me a while to realize this, the best way to grade is with your bare hands. The tactile information provided by your fingers cannot be underestimated. Just make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with Dawn de-greasing detergent and dry your hands thoroughly. 

I would place my books on top of a lightbox and start hitting them with various kinds of light. Any color breakage at all would result in the book being tossed into the rejection pile. I would then sell those on eBay or here on the boards to recoup some of the cost. 

GET A JELWER'S LOUPE! Magnification is almost as important as great lighting. 

Pre-screening is a must! Will help you learn the curve while saving quite a bit of cash. Let's face it, what are you going to do with a bunch of modern slabs with 7.5-9.0 grades at the top? You can hardly give those away. 

Read all the advice on grading that you can. The Overstreet Guide to Grading Comics is a must-have. The CGC's grading manual, written by Matt Nelson, should become your bible on the topic. It's the most thorough book on the topic that I've ever seen. AMAZING. Just keep in mind that Overstreet and the CGC don't always see eye to eye on everything. 

Participate in the "guess the grade" contests held here on the board, but keep in mind that going by the scan alone is a quick way to lose money. You simply have to personally investigate the book to make a decision. 

My biggest piece of advice to anyone looking to tackle a perfect run like this is: VIGILANCE! I kept my eye open EVERY DAY for years to make this happen. 

1. I would use the registry as a checklist. Every day I would search eBay for missing books. Most people on eBay couldn't tell the difference in "fine" and "near mint" but I was able to hit a homer every now and then. 

2. I hired a few "hit-men" to keep an eye out for me at conventions. They had many connections with dealers, and having many eyes out there looking helped me snag quite a few white whales. These guys would take the risk of sending off the raws. I just had to write a bigger check in return for their services. 

3. I kept up to date with ALL national conventions and the appearances of any artist who worked on Spawn. I also had a small army of facilitators who would help me out. 

4. I'd troll every brick and mortar I would come to. This only netted me a few books, however. Usually a complete waste of time. 

5. I enrolled in one of the many "9.8 subscription services" to stay current with new releases and variants. I worked with two of these services. This was very expensive, but it practically guaranteed success. Spawn being Spawn, however, there were a few SURPRISE variants that slipped through everyone's fingers. Again, absolute vigilance, or should I say "obsessive vigilance" is the key to this, along with a lot of patience and very, very deep pockets. 

I'd say a majority of my books were already slabbed when I bought them. Maybe about 30% of the entire run was self-submitted.

No way I could have done this on my own. The key is to assemble your own task force, as corny as that may sound. I always have half a dozen or so WELL-CONNECTED people helping me look....for a price, of course. 

Also keep in mind that it may come down to the depth of your pockets, especially where auctions are concerned. I will be the first to admit that I overspent like crazy to make this happen. 

Looking back, that was my general approach. If anyone wants more detail, please ask! I love discussions in this thread, so feel welcome to post with any comments or questions! 

 

 

My goodness… What a journey! Only to sell it all in the end eh? Here I thought I was fresh with my ebay saved searches and notifications, heh.

You mentioned you had more fun in the hunt itself, rather then getting these books…  Have you found another run or outlet to fill the need to ‘hunt’? Id imagine this kind of determination isnt easy to just stop. I find my need to collect finds its way to my other hobbies.

Also, GREAT info on grading and in general! Thanks for sharing. Cant wait for some of the higher numbered issues and those crazy rare variants Ill never have 

Edited June 22, 2023 by Mirkinator

[newshane]

On 6/21/2023 at 7:48 PM, Mirkinator said:

My goodness… What a journey! Only to sell it all in the end eh? Here I thought I was fresh with my ebay saved searches and notifications, heh.

You mentioned you had more fun in the hunt itself, rather then getting these books…  Have you found another run or outlet to fill the need to ‘hunt’? Id imagine this kind of determination isnt easy to just stop. I find my need to collect finds its way to my other hobbies.

Also, GREAT info on grading and in general! Thanks for sharing. Cant wait for some of the higher numbered issues and those crazy rare variants Ill never have 

Yes. Having well over 400 slabs was very ponderous. The joy was in the journey and the satisfaction of getting it done. The set was almost a source of anxiety, and I had definitely found little to no joy when it came to trying to stay current with all the variants that were coming out each month. It just didn't feel good anymore. 

Now, I only buy one or two slabs a year, but they are always exceptional Golden Age books. I'm especially drawn to science fiction from the 30s-50s. Pedigrees and highest graded examples are my new obsessions. 

Lots and lots of Spawn variants coming up in the future, that's for sure. The real crazy stuff will be when I get into the toy editions, foreign editions, one-shots, and mini-series. 

[newshane]

SPAWN 143 - CGC 9.8 

Kind of looks like the cover of issue 24, only cooler. 

Again, pardon the scanner noise. These black covers could be tough on the scanner. . 

 

 

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 144 - CGC 9.8 

So, this was a self-sub, and it was the very first graded copy of this issue. It was for a LONG TIME the only copy on the census. 

Maybe word got out to the dealers about how much I was paying, or willing to pay, for these? 

Now there are several. I'm really glad, because this is one of the (relatively) few I'd like to reacquire. 

Not sure why, but this is one of my favorites. A dark and evil vibe. How can you leave a comic that looks this cool sitting on the shelf? 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 145 - CGC 9.8 SIGNATURE SERIES SIGNED BY GREG CAPULLO 

I can't believe it's been almost 10 years since I had this signed. Love the crazy clown violence and the hat/t-shirt as well! This ain't no kiddie comic! 

Should have kept this one, too! 

Clearly a Capullo piece, but Danny Miki's fingerprints are all over this one. Just look for the fine detail. 

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by newshane

[Poutine]

On 6/24/2023 at 3:37 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN 145 - CGC 9.8 SIGNATURE SERIES SIGNED BY GREG CAPULLO 

I can't believe it's been almost 10 years since I had this signed. Love the crazy clown violence and the hat/t-shirt as well! This ain't no kiddie comic! 

Should have kept this one, too! 

Clearly a Capullo piece, but Danny Miki's fingerprints are all over this one. Just look for the fine detail. 

 

Love this

[newshane]

SPAWN 146 - CGC 9.8 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 147 - CGC 9.8 

Interesting "frame" cover. The border really gives it a fresh, clean look. 

Getting very close to the "Philip Tan" era - one of the best stretches of the run IMHO. 

 

[Poutine]

On 6/26/2023 at 1:28 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN 147 - CGC 9.8 

Interesting "frame" cover. The border really gives it a fresh, clean look. 

Getting very close to the "Philip Tan" era - one of the best stretches of the run IMHO. 

 

I'm not a fan of borders myself, but this piece of OA I would gladly frame and hang on the wall

[newshane]

SPAWN 148 - CGC 9.8 SIGNATURE SERIES - SIGNED BY GREG CAPULLO 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by newshane

[Pixx_L]

Just out of curiosity, there was a book called Musings. Issue #2 had spawn on the cover and featured an interview with McFarlane. I always wondered how well known it is, desirable, etc among Spawn diehard collectors - and whether it is worth getting graded.

Edited June 28, 2023 by Pixx_L

[pmpknface]

Fun note...

Spawn Movie in Very, Very Active Development, Predicted 2025 Release According to Blumhouse Head Jason Blum

Quote

The long-in-development Spawn reboot is apparently close to entering production, with Insidious: The Red Door producer and Blumhouse chief Jason Blum telling ComicBook.com that the current hope is to have the movie in theaters in 2025. Unfortunately, it sounds like the -script is not yet completed, because Blum suggested that the key to getting the movie back on track is the end of the current Writers Guild strike. He offered no insight as to whether the movie, which was to be directed by Todd McFarlane, is still working with McFarlane's original idea or whether big changes have been made since the last update. 

Sounds like it's in decent hands.  Let's see where it goes....

[newshane]

On 6/27/2023 at 8:30 PM, Pixx_L said:

Just out of curiosity, there was a book called Musings. Issue #2 had spawn on the cover and featured an interview with McFarlane. I always wondered how well known it is, desirable, etc among Spawn diehard collectors - and whether it is worth getting graded.

I'm surprised to say this, but I've never seen or heard of that before. Too bad! It's got a wicked cool little cover! 

Not sure about it's desirability. Like I said, I've never seen it before. 

@Lobstrosity is probably aware of it. That's a sure bet. Got anything to add here, Trent? 

[newshane]

On 6/28/2023 at 12:20 PM, pmpknface said:

Fun note...

Spawn Movie in Very, Very Active Development, Predicted 2025 Release According to Blumhouse Head Jason Blum

Sounds like it's in decent hands.  Let's see where it goes....

I'm...not enthusiastic. 

Of course, I am an eternal pessimist. 

Edited June 29, 2023 by newshane