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

[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.

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 194 - CGC 9.8 

Gorgeous cover! Love this one. I remember it giving me fits, too. 

Another one of the "lasts." You can tell because it's in the "pressure slab" version of the current gen. holder. 

 

[oldmilwaukee6er]

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? 

I still need this one for the PC. I managed to pick up the B&W in my travels but not the A cover 

[newshane]

On 9/3/2023 at 11:42 AM, oldmilwaukee6er said:

I still need this one for the PC. I managed to pick up the B&W in my travels but not the A cover 

Yep. I really do think the color copy is a tougher book, which is unusual. 

[newshane]

SPAWN 195 - CGC 9.8

 

[oldmilwaukee6er]

Any theories on why they put UPC codes on the books in the 190s? 

[newshane]

On 9/4/2023 at 3:52 AM, oldmilwaukee6er said:

Any theories on why they put UPC codes on the books in the 190s? 

That's a great question! I was just wondering that, myself. Not sure. Per spawnworld.com: 

"For any issue after #137, even if it has a barcode on the front cover, it is not a newsstand edition (issues #192-#199, for example, all have barcodes on their front covers)."

@Lobstrosity Anything to add here, Trent? 

Edited September 4, 2023 by newshane

[newshane]

SPAWN 196 - CGC 9.8 

Another gory demise! 

 

[Lobstrosity]

On 9/4/2023 at 3:27 PM, newshane said:

That's a great question! I was just wondering that, myself. Not sure. Per spawnworld.com: 

"For any issue after #137, even if it has a barcode on the front cover, it is not a newsstand edition (issues #192-#199, for example, all have barcodes on their front covers)."

@Lobstrosity Anything to add here, Trent? 

Beats me! haha

I assumed that it was a response to requests from the distributor or maybe retailers, but I'm not sure. I know my LCS complained back then when the books didn't have barcodes that were easily found.

[newshane]

SPAWN 197 - CGC 9.8 

Someone let Anti-spawn out of Sunday School...

 

[newshane]

SPAWN 198 - CGC 9.8 

Always loved this cover.