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

[newshane]

TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT VARIANTS FROM THE MAIN SERIES (stopping with 275). 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. SPAWN 185 - MCFARLANE'S HEADLESS VARIANT 

 

I wouldn't feel bad ranking this book in second place. For a long time, it was considered one of the most difficult variants to acquire. Rightly so. In retrospect, however, I feel that a few other books are more deserving of the higher spots. 

Super cool book! It's my favorite of all the 185 variants.

Very, very few of these were released. Supposedly the second lowest print run of the 185 variants. That's what makes it hard to find. Also desirable because 185 is probably the second most important issue of the entire series from a story standpoint. 

None of the books on this list come cheap these days, at least not in NM/M condition! There is one on eBay right now for over 4K if you feel froggy enough to jump. 

 

 

Edited May 23 by newshane

[pmpknface]

Quick update....

Spawn Movie: Todd McFarlane Reveals Big Plan for Reboot (Exclusive)

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/spawn-movie-todd-mcfarlane-reveals-big-plan-for-reboot/?utm_source=Comicbook.com&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=240523_221056_Comicbook.com Daily Newsletter&utm_content=Link

 

[captainzombie]

On 5/23/2024 at 4:36 PM, newshane said:

TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT VARIANTS FROM THE MAIN SERIES (stopping with 275). 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. SPAWN 185 - MCFARLANE'S HEADLESS VARIANT 

 

I wouldn't feel bad ranking this book in second place. For a long time, it was considered one of the most difficult variants to acquire. Rightly so. In retrospect, however, I feel that a few other books are more deserving of the higher spots. 

Super cool book! It's my favorite of all the 185 variants.

Very, very few of these were released. Supposedly the second lowest print run of the 185 variants. That's what makes it hard to find. Also desirable because 185 is probably the second most important issue of the entire series from a story standpoint. 

None of the books on this list come cheap these days, at least not in NM/M condition! There is one on eBay right now for over 4K if you feel froggy enough to jump. 

 

 

I have always loved this variant cover. It is crazy expensive for sure.

I need to start posting some of my books this weekend in this thread, and what it took me find each book in a 9.8 quality candidate. There are some where I just gave up on keep trying to find a 9.8 candidate after several attempts and bought the 9.8.

[captainzombie]

I really do not plan to go in any certain order with the books that I post from my Spawn collection. I do need to get up some better pictures going forward, but I did get this one in today. I have bought several raw copies of Spawn #61 over the last several years in hopes that I get a 9.8 candidate, and I thought with the last collection that I had purchased, that I had finally hit the jackpot that this book would be a 9.8. There is a small issue where its borderline 9.6/9.8 and I didn't want to take a chance. This is a bit of a tougher book to get in a 9.8 due to the darn blacks on the bottom half of the front of the book and the back is a nightmare since the whole cover is black.

There are 127 directs and 6 newsstands on the CGC Census. There are a total of 59 books (direct) in a CGC 9.8, and for the age of the book and considering this is not an easy book to get in a 9.8, you have to wonder how many more are out there that still have not been sent in to be graded.

Spawn #61 is the first cameo appearance of Jessica Priest. Her first appearance is in Curse of the Spawn #12 which even has a less amount of books on the census. It appears like #61 is the more important book, but I would not discount Curse #12 either since it probably also has a lower print run overall. Of course, our new She-Spawn since issue #300 is Jessica Priest, whom is an awesome character overall. She leads The Scorched team and will soon be getting her own series.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 26 by captainzombie

[newshane]

TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT VARIANTS FROM THE MAIN SERIES (stopping with 275). 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. SPAWN 222 - KUDRANSKI VARIANT

5. SPAWN 185 - MCFARLANE'S HEADLESS VARIANT 

 

Probably my favorite book on the list. I absolutely love Kudranski's work, and this was probably his finest cover. At one point in time, I actually had two copies in 9.8. 

The publisher stated in the letters section of Spawn that this variant would be restricted to fewer than 500 copies. 

I couldn't find a 9.8 for sale, but a few 9.6 copies are on eBay for north of 2K. A super cool book I wouldn't mind owning again one day. 

 

 

[newshane]

TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT VARIANTS FROM THE MAIN SERIES (stopping with 275). 

1. 

2. 

3. SPAWN 189 - SKETCH COVER 

4. SPAWN 222 - KUDRANSKI VARIANT

5. SPAWN 185 - MCFARLANE'S HEADLESS VARIANT 

 

While I was collecting, this was considered the second most coveted variant of the main series. They are not impossible to find, but you will pay very good money. eBay prices currently start at 7K. 

I'm not going to speculate on the number released beyond "not many." 

 

[newshane]

TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT VARIANTS FROM THE MAIN SERIES (stopping with 275). 

1. 

2. SPAWN 232 EWU VARIANT 

3. SPAWN 189 - SKETCH COVER 

4. SPAWN 222 - KUDRANSKI VARIANT

5. SPAWN 185 - MCFARLANE'S HEADLESS VARIANT 

 

This was the ONLY variant that I never found in 9.8! 

McFarlane played baseball for Eastern Washington University. He gave a speech there back in 2013. The variant was distributed to those in attendance. I just couldn't pull off a plane ticket in time. I found out just a few days before the event went down! None of my connections were able to attend. 

The cover states that this variant was limited to 400 copies. A great majority of those were signed by Todd after the speech. If you find one that isn't signed, it is very rare! Some of the unsigned books managed to slip through. I later heard that a few handfuls of these books were thrown in the garbage. Many of them were probably rolled up and stuffed in people's bags. Not everyone in attendance was a collector, and even fewer were probably concerned with "9.8 status." 

The ones that were signed at the event ended up in a qualified holder because there were no CGC signature witnesses in attendance. There is one 9.6 copy floating around out there in a yellow labeled holder. No doubt, that books was one of the unsigned copies that leaked from the original event and was later signed in the presence of a witness. 

There are only two universal copies in 9.8 on the census. There are only four qualified copies in 9.8. 

This is a BRUTAL variant. A very valuable book in ANY GRADE. From the looks of the census, this may even top the number one book at my spot, which is practically mythological. I'm sure that many of you can guess...but we will get there with the next post! 

 

Edited June 3 by newshane

[newshane]

TOP FIVE MOST DIFFICULT VARIANTS FROM THE MAIN SERIES (stopping with 275). 

1. SPAWN 185 - PORTACIO SKETCH COVER 

2. SPAWN 232 EWU VARIANT 

3. SPAWN 189 - SKETCH COVER 

4. SPAWN 222 - KUDRANSKI VARIANT

5. SPAWN 185 - MCFARLANE'S HEADLESS VARIANT 

 

No surprise to anyone halfway in the loop on collecting this series. 

The Portacio Sketch Cover for 185 is the granddaddy of all Spawn comics, at least from 1-275. I haven't been keeping up at all, so maybe there has been a recent variant to eclipse it, but I doubt it. 

In fact, it would be easy to argue that this is one of the top three most valuable variants of the modern age. There is a thread on the boards dedicated to such a discussion. 

A 9.6 copy sold last year for over 17,000 dollars. 

I'd say that you could buy a 9.8 copy IF: 

A. You found one at all. 

B. You found one with an owner willing to sell it to you. 

C. You had the cash. I'd say that a brand new Honda Accord and a 9.8 copy of 185 sketch would cost around the same! 

I don't have a lot of information about this book, but I know that most of them ended up in the hands of people who worked for Todd or high-level dealers. The census numbers speak for themselves. There aren't many! 

Word on the street is that the likely print run was around 100 copies, but I have zero actual proof. This seems about right to me. In the early days, people were claiming a run as low as 30 or 40 total copies, but current census numbers say otherwise. 

This book is valuable in ANY grade, and it's extremely tough. Its value comes primarily from its rarity, but 185 is probably the most important issue in the entire run, with the exception of the first issue. 

 

Edited Sunday at 03:03 PM by newshane