PGM X-Men #126 1 1

[atticus.fetch]

Another "on the bubble" Claremont/Byrne X-Men. This one has some minor to moderate spine wear that I think will hurt it. What do you think?

[Mars76]

8.0

[scburdet]

8.0/8.5 the latter is the best case scenario. My general rule, especially with writers, is that a signature book should represent a significant creation (new character, etc.) or landmark in the creator's career. I've had some mild disappointment with some sig books coming in lower than anticipated but if it's a significant creation, then it's not so bad. Does a first full appearance of Proteus fall under this category? It wouldn't for me, but others might think more of the character.

[grendelbo]

8.0/8.5

Thanks for posting.

[atticus.fetch]

On 3/8/2023 at 8:01 PM, scburdet said:

8.0/8.5 the latter is the best case scenario. My general rule, especially with writers, is that a signature book should represent a significant creation (new character, etc.) or landmark in the creator's career. I've had some mild disappointment with some sig books coming in lower than anticipated but if it's a significant creation, then it's not so bad. Does a first full appearance of Proteus fall under this category? It wouldn't for me, but others might think more of the character.

Oh, I have no intention of submitting this book for signature, just trying to figure out if it's worth submitting for grading/encapsulation at all since it is a non-key and a bit of a "filler" issue in upper mid grade. And I agree completely with your approach to signatures for writers.

Here are the books I am submitting to the Claremont inhouse signing:

Iron Fist #14 (first appearence of Sabretooth)
X-Men Giant Size #1 (Claremont isn't credited on the book but was the person that came up with the conclusion of that seminal issue and is acknowledged to have an uncredited writing contribution -- plus hard to argue he isn't the most important writer for the "new" X-Men so only fitting he appear on their first appearance).
X-Men #94 (1st regular series scripted by Claremont)
X-Men #95 (Death of Thunderbird)
X-Men #101 (1st appearance of Phoenix)
X-Men #129 (1st appearance of Kitty Pryde, Hellfire Club, etc)
X-Men #137 (death of Phoenix)
X-Men #141 (1st part of Days of Future Past story that was obviously made into a movie)
X-Men #142 (2nd part of Days of Future Past story)
Wolverine #1 (1st regular series -- torn between this one and the limited series, but will most likely send that one for the Frank Miller signature since I can't do both).

I'm on the fence with X-Men #134 (First appearance of Dark Phoenix) which would give me all three important books in that arc (#101, #134 and #137), but I want to limit my submission to 10 books and my #134 has some condition issues with some edge dings). Would you swap that one in for any of the above?

[scburdet]

Solid list. I got my 94 (color touched) & 101 last year. Maybe 109 this year. I did 129 as a regular submission (should be my highest graded bronze X-Men key 🤞). For the rest of those keys you list, I can't convince myself they would hit at least a 9.6, which is around the breakeven point given the graded books FMV. Same with some of the candidates I posted here recently. Certainly justifiable at Modern tier pricing, less so with the signature surcharge. 

I did learn an important lesson about stains with my IF14 as these were among my first submissions. Sent a few books before learning about this forum or having experience submitting my books and a few wouldn't make my cut now. Live & learn

 

[atticus.fetch]

On 3/9/2023 at 7:54 AM, scburdet said:

Solid list. I got my 94 (color touched) & 101 last year. Maybe 109 this year. I did 129 as a regular submission (should be my highest graded bronze X-Men key 🤞). For the rest of those keys you list, I can't convince myself they would hit at least a 9.6, which is around the breakeven point given the graded books FMV. Same with some of the candidates I posted here recently. Certainly justifiable at Modern tier pricing, less so with the signature surcharge. 

I did learn an important lesson about stains with my IF14 as these were among my first submissions. Sent a few books before learning about this forum or having experience submitting my books and a few wouldn't make my cut now. Live & learn

 

Nice set of books! I'm with you on the whole "value" proposition of signatures. Here's my personal analysis:

Iron Fist #14, X-Men #94, #101 and GS #1 are no-brainers since the values of those books in my estimated condition put them in the Standard or Express category for grading and ecapsulation at those levels means for $13 more (or $32 less), I get a signature.

On that point, there is a $64 differential between modern grading/encapsulation and this particular signature series. I spent a lot of time estimating the grades of my books and compiling the FMV of these books in my estimated condition (and 1 grade lower) in both the signature series and universal. Unfortunately, SS data is highly unreliable due to the low sample size for many of these books, but I did my best. Here are my results and logic:

X-Men #95 has only a $30 differential between sig and non-sig in a 9.0 but in the 9.2 I think my book will get, the differential is more around $175. Plus I like the idea of having the arc of the first 3 books of the Claremont era signed, especially considering he killed off a major team member by book 3.

My X-Men #129 is also probably my highest grade book from this run. No brainer in either a 9.4 ($175 differential) or 9.6, which I hope it is, ($575! differential)

X-Men #137 is a riskier proposition (and one I am really on the bubble with) since it is a square bound double issue which are notoriously difficult to grade. At a 9.2 there is absolutely $0 value in signature vs non-signature but at my estimated 9.4, $134. I could get hosed on this one, but it also somewhat highlights my approach to signatures. I am actually not a general fan of signatures because I am first and foremost a fan of cover art and in many instances a signature can detract from the "asethetics" of a book. I look for candidates with areas on the cover where a signature might blend well with the presentation (that way I get the "value" of the signature without it detracting too much from the presentation). I eliminated X-Men #121 from consideration because that cover has a lot going on and very little room for a signature that won't interfere with the art and presentation (and the fact that a signature has shown to add little value to that book at any grade). But #137 has a cool spot on the brick wall behind Cyclops and Phoenix that I think will make for a complementary area to have a signature so that has put me back into the "submit" camp.

X-Men #141 and #142 are definitely "bubble" candidates from a purely valuation perspective. My conditions on these books are lower than the others with a 9.0 #141 having a $136 differential and $116 at the 9.2 I think it might get. That's a somewhat solid value add and the cover itself lends itself to a signature with a wall in the background that already has a Byrne/Austin signature as grafitti -- why not add Claremont? #142 is much more speculative since it is in lower condition and at 7.5 offers only a $31 bump sig vs non-sig. At 8.0 I'm better at $171 and if I pull off a better condition, it could work out. But the real driver here is that the story line was made into a pretty popular movie and having the source material signed by the creative mind behind it has a definite appeal.

Finally, my Wolverine #1 is definitely on the higher grade side and is probably the only one in this group that has an outside chance of a 9.8. At a 9.4 a sig vs non-sig offers a $175 bump and at 9.6 (which I think it will get) gets a $200 bump (although there was a redonkulous Heritage auction sale of this book in 9.6 recently which I discarded from FMV valuation).

As for other candidates, my X-Men #266 (1st Gambit) is also pretty high grade and has an outside chance at a 9.8, but realistically is a 9.6. At that grade there is only an $87 bump in value, and the 9.4 only offers $70 bump. Personally, I was "out" of reading comics by this point in time so I have no familiarity with the Gambit character so there is less of a personal interest in having this particular book signed so it would really only be for value purposes and I just don't think its there unless I score the unicorn 9.8. And I can't bring myself to invest anything more into my Avengers Annual #10, which is in 8.5-9.0 condition. I just have no affinity for that cover at all.

Anyways, thanks for back and forth on this. My decisions on the submissions for the Frank Miller signing are shaping up to be a lot more difficult, primarliy because the cost is prohibitively high. But I'll probably overspend there as well

Edited March 9, 2023 by atticus.fetch

[scburdet]

On 3/9/2023 at 3:41 PM, atticus.fetch said:

Frank Miller signing

I'm into FM for way more than is reasonable. 2 Wolverine 1s, DD 158 & 168, Spider-Woman 32 (personal preference), Amazing Heroes 69 (novelty factor) & PPSSM 27   Hopefully, I can recoup some costs by selling off one of the Wolverines.

[atticus.fetch]

On 3/9/2023 at 11:48 AM, scburdet said:

I'm into FM for way more than is reasonable. 2 Wolverine 1s, DD 158 & 168, Spider-Woman 32 (personal preference), Amazing Heroes 69 (novelty factor) & PPSSM 27   Hopefully, I can recoup some costs by selling off one of the Wolverines.

Ahhh, Frank Miller. Agreed. Unfortunately, my entire run of Miller Daredevils (yep, had them all in NM+) were stolen by some extended family when I stored them at their house when I went to college. Stored 6K books, retrieved only 5K. Claimed they might have been accidentally sold at a garage sale. Bald face lie, but what do you do? Crushing. Left the hobby as a result (even if I did lug the rest of my books around for the better part of 30 years).

Here's my list of candidates:

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1-4. I have 3 copies of each book all in unread, 9.4+ condition (I actually read the hardbound book, which I also have but it is in "reader" condition (sort of). One of my #1s is already signed (back in '86) which I need to send off to CBCS for authentication. Keen on the idea of having a set of all 4 books SS signed.
Wolverine Limited Series #1-4. Once again like the idea of having the whole set signed, but already decided against #4 due to the odd cut of the book and #3 with the black cover showing some tick marks on the spine and probably tapping out at 9.2. #1 is a bit busy to find a great place for the signature without interfering with the asethics of the cover but I'll still probably pull the trigger on that one. #2 is iconic and screams for a signature in the bottom left, plus my book looks to be 9.6.
Spectacular Spider-man #27. Usually shy away from signatures on books that the artist didn't do the cover, but this is too important of a book (both commercially and personally). It is a little busy for a signature, but I have a thought.
Weird War Tales #64 (1st art work at DC). Another cover he didn't do, but this is a low census issue and kind of a rarity so it made the list of potentials.
Batman #404 (1st issue of the "Year One" arc). Only the writer on this, but his signature seems to add a lot of value to an otherwise midling book, especially in higher grade, which mine appears to be. Also, the cover lends itself nicely to an unobtrusive signature.

And then you have the books that he only did the covers on:

Moon Knight #15 & #27 both have really great covers, but the series is really Sienkiewicz's and I have plenty of those set aside for his signature when he does a signing. Still, the covers are really cool.
ROM #1 & X-Men Annual #3 nothing special here.

I'd get them all done if they were only charging $85 for the signature, but at $140, I should be selective. I'll probably be stupid about it and get 10 books signed, but I may sober up and only send half that. Damn this hobby.

Edited March 9, 2023 by atticus.fetch