SPAWN! A look back at an award-winning collection of graded slabs. 11 11

[newshane]

SPAWN 185 - CGC 9.8 - CAPULLO VARIANT 

What's up with all the headless stuff? 

Spoiler

Al Simmons blows his head off. 

Why is this a mega key? 

Spoiler

Because it's the first appearance of the new Hellspawn. Exit Al Simmons. Enter Jim Downing. 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 185 - CGC 9.8 - MCFARLANE VARIANT 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 185 - SECOND PRINT - CGC 9.8 

Slightly different colors on this one as compared with the first print. A superior look, IMO. You can spot the difference in the robe and the smoke coming from the gun. 

Multiple printings of books are usually pretty tough because they tend to fly under the radar. This is no exception. 

 

Edited August 17, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 185 - CGC 9.8 - SIGNATURE SERIES - WHILCE PORTACIO VARIANT 

This was one of those cases where I had a backup 9.8 copy in case the book dropped grade during the signing process. 

I'm showing off the signed copy since it's a bit more unique. 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 185 - SKETCH EDITION - CGC 9.8 

There are 33 total on the census, with eight copies in 9.8 (2 of those are signed). 

So, this is one of six copies in Universal 9.8. 

Don't let the census numbers fool you. I image nearly all of them have been graded by now. 

Back in the day, I heard rumors of print runs as low as 16 (obviously false), but no higher than 100. 

This is the RAREST and MOST VALUABLE Spawn comic out there, at least it certainly was back in my day. I admit that I haven't been keeping up with the series since issue 275 or so. 

This was also the first "super expensive book" that I bought. This was years ago. I saw it on auction at eBay. I was in grad school at the time, and I didn't think it was a responsible purchase, but my girlfriend at the time (who is now my wife) told me to go for it! I didn't need a big push to make the decision. 

If I recall, I got my graded copy for $1600! 

Out of respect for the privacy of all involved parties, I cannot divulge what I received for the book several years later, but I made an exponential profit. 

A few years after I sold the book, I had someone reach out to me to buy it. I was able to track down the guy I sold it to, and I eventually brokered a massive private deal between the two parties. Let me just say that the sale was high enough to buy a lower-end new car. 

Secretly, I was massively sick about it. I made quite a bit of profit, but if I had just waited! I would HATE to see what one would go for now. No recorded sales on GPA since 2013, when a copy moved for $2750. 

I will give massive props to the guy who made the bigtime profit from the book. He was thankful that I was able to negotiate a very high price (he did NOT want to sell initially, but this amount of money would talk to anyone), and he actually gave me a generous finder's fee! I did not solicit for any fee, by the way. I was doing this for nothing. But there are good people out there in the collecting world. He showed me proper thanks, and I'm forever grateful for it! 

This book is the Spawn collector's holy grail, and it would be the centerpiece of anyone's collection. 

I'd love to see images of the two signed copies though! I was WAAAAAY too scared to risk losing that 9.8 grade. 

 

 

 

Edited August 19, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 186 - CGC 9.8 

Portacio enjoying a little run here. 

I have a SICK original sketch by Portacio that you will see at one point a ways down the line. Honestly, I get pretty sick when I think of letting all of my original sketches go. Almost all of them were absolutely stunning. I remember negotiating the pieces directly with Portacio's wife. Very nice folks, and a properly sick artist who understands the Spawn aesthetic. \

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 186 - 2ND PRINT - CGC 9.8 

Surprise! This one was harder to find than the first printing. 

As we move forward, everyone can saddle up for the variant game that would eventually lead to my total rejection of the series AND the collection. If you thought the 185 variants were ridiculous, just wait until we hit the 200s. 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 187 - CGC 9.9 

Probably my second favorite 9.9 - right behind my copy of issue #4. 

 

[oldmilwaukee6er]

On 8/21/2023 at 7:28 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN 186 - 2ND PRINT - CGC 9.8 

Surprise! This one was harder to find than the first 

 

This book is a mini monster. Spawn reprints about to be the poor man's incentives ...

[newshane]

SPAWN 188 - CGC 9.8 

Is Whilce trying Jae Lee's trick with the ink splashing? 

Off-topic, but I freaking loved Jae Lee's work back in the day! Namor was awesome! 

If I were God Emperor of the Known Universe, I would show the world the glory of a Jae Lee run on the series! 

 

Edited August 24, 2023 by newshane

[pmpknface]

On 8/23/2023 at 8:08 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN 188 - CGC 9.8 

Is Whilce trying Jae Lee's trick with the ink splashing? 

Off-topic, but I freaking loved Jae Lee's work back in the day! Namor was awesome! 

If I were God Emperor of the Known Universe, I would show the world the glory of a Jae Lee run on the series! 

 

Jae Lee was killer.  He suffered from the disease of not thinking his stuff was good enough all the time, which caused him to re-do a lot of work.  It's why he would be so slow to produce anything or on any regular basis.  I have a friend that used to chat with him all the time in the early days of the internet.  It's too bad because he really has a distinctive style and produced some amazing art.  

[newshane]

SPAWN 189 - CGC 9.8 

Scarce variant up tomorrow! 

 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 189 SKETCH - CGC 9.8 

Back in the day, and I believe this is still probably true, this was the second rarest Spawn comic, behind the 185 Sketch. 

All I have is anecdotal evidence from a few dealers back in the day, but they made it seem like there were around 150 of these, tops. Who knows? NOTE: I did not engage in business with these particular dealers, but I did trust them. 

As with the 185 sketch, I suspect most all of these have been graded. You'd have to be lucky to find a raw copy. There are currently 84 on the census in varying grades. 

One thing is for certain. This is an extremely difficult (and expensive) book. 

EDIT: Just checked eBay and there are several copies available if you can pony up the cash. Looks like people are asking several thousand dollars for a book like this. Knowing what I know about private sales of 185 sketch, I'd say that's (unbelievably) in line. 

 

Edited August 26, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 190 - CGC 9.8 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 191 - CGC 9.8 

I remember this one being extremely difficult. One of the last issues I was able to find.

This was encapsulated in one of the discontinued "pressure" design slabs. There was no inner well in the earliest itineration of the current gen slab. Thankfully, they changed the design after a few brief months of total uproar. 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 192 - CGC 9.8 

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 193 - CGC 9.8 

Who needs Starsky and Hutch when you have Sam and Twitch? 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 8/29/2023 at 7:40 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN 193 - CGC 9.8 

Who needs Starsky and Hutch when you have Sam and Twitch? 

Violator really is kind of creepy. For a kid the spawn movie still did a good job of pointing THAT out 😂

[newshane]

SPAWN 193 SKETCH - CGC 9.8 

According to my notes, these were supposedly released in numbers equal to the color version. 

I didn't cite my source, so take that notation for what it's worth. I do recall having a harder time finding an acceptable copy of the color version. As with other "sketch editions," it's usually just a matter of patience and a willingness to spend the cash. Honestly, I can't remember any of the sketch editions (with the exception of 185) being as challenging as some of the standard editions. 

 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 8/30/2023 at 8:34 PM, newshane said:

SPAWN 193 SKETCH - CGC 9.8 

According to my notes, these were supposedly released in numbers equal to the color version. 

I didn't cite my source, so take that notation for what it's worth. I do recall having a harder time finding an acceptable copy of the color version. As with other "sketch editions," it's usually just a matter of patience and a willingness to spend the cash. Honestly, I can't remember any of the sketch editions (with the exception of 185) being as challenging as some of the standard editions. 

 

Cool

I saw some old Sam and Twitch comic or several today in the bins, thought about recent posts.