PGM Fantastic Four 51 2 2

[SolidShredder]

Hello again friends. I just picked this up for a stupid price (as in stupid cheap) and I'm afraid I might have horribly misgraded it lol. Help!

Edited April 6, 2023 by SolidShredder

[scburdet]

I'd call this a 4.0 up to the point of ignoring the two dots above Fantastic and the slash marks by the price box. What are these?

[SolidShredder]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:36 PM, scburdet said:

I'd call this a 4.0 up to the point of ignoring the two dots above Fantastic and the slash marks by the price box. What are these?

Some kinda newsstand markings. I think it's marker? The dots are a little more puzzling but they are the same color as the slashes so I think it's the same marker or whatever. 

Edited April 6, 2023 by SolidShredder

[scburdet]

I own a 4.5 that has marker on the cover crossing out a price & writing in a new one. There marking are a little more dubious in their intent. I'll go down to 3.0/3.5, but a CGC grader might view this less harshly if they seem them with some regularity & there is some purpose.

[SolidShredder]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:47 PM, scburdet said:

I own a 4.5 that has marker on the cover crossing out a price & writing in a new one. There marking are a little more dubious in their intent. I'll go down to 3.0/3.5, but a CGC grader might view this less harshly if they seem them with some regularity & there is some purpose.

I don't want to say yet what I think before others weigh in but the fact that it's not way off from you makes me feel a bit better lol. I will say though, I didn't think the markings (while a bit obnoxious) would be enough to affect the grade in these grade ranges? It was my understanding that you'd need something super egregis (like a ton of scribbles) for writing alone to knock something down from the 4s or 3s? Do you have any specific insight? Maybe there's something in the CGC book? I haven't been able to read it yet. 

[thehumantorch]

I'm at 3.0  There's a lot of color breaking damage along the spine and bottom of the front cover and a rip on the bottom left back cover and what appears to be rips around both staples and quite a bit of damage and wear all over the book.  The front and back covers look very dirty and a cleaning will help although I'd still be at 3.0.  The red felt marker, pencil marks, slash marks, and dots are pretty obnoxious.  Specific insight?  They confirm to me that I can't call it a 3.5 and a 2.5 is possible

[SolidShredder]

On 4/6/2023 at 6:22 PM, thehumantorch said:

a rip on the bottom left back cover

I can't find what you're talking about, no rips that I can see.

 

On 4/6/2023 at 6:22 PM, thehumantorch said:

Specific insight?

Specific insights as in sources like the CGC book, CGC videos, articles, personal experience, anecdotes, or otherwise so I can read up or learn about writing on books and how they affect the grade. You know, information so I can learn and become better. Not sure how I can be more clear than that.  

[thehumantorch]

On 4/6/2023 at 5:06 PM, SolidShredder said:

I can't find what you're talking about, no rips that I can see.

 

Specific insights as in sources like the CGC book, CGC videos, articles, personal experience, anecdotes, or otherwise so I can read up or learn about writing on books and how they affect the grade. You know, information so I can learn and become better. Not sure how I can be more clear than that.  

I see a diagonal 1/2 inch rough line on the back cover, bottom left corner that looks like a rip.  Perhaps I'm seeing it incorrectly.

You  can certainly pick up the CGC book, there should be useful information there.  
https://www.cgccomics.com/news/article/10586/cgc-guide-grading-comics-nelson/

 

[JollyComics]

It has a 4.0 looking and you may a good stealing price.  I am not worried about the markings. Any foreign substance on the book will downgrade.

[cchunn3]

On 4/6/2023 at 4:59 PM, SolidShredder said:

I don't want to say yet what I think before others weigh in but the fact that it's not way off from you makes me feel a bit better lol. I will say though, I didn't think the markings (while a bit obnoxious) would be enough to affect the grade in these grade ranges? It was my understanding that you'd need something super egregis (like a ton of scribbles) for writing alone to knock something down from the 4s or 3s? Do you have any specific insight? Maybe there's something in the CGC book? I haven't been able to read it yet. 

Writing on the cover should be limited to lightly penciled or penned arrival dates or maybe a store stamp or name. Other than that, you take a ding to the grade. In your example, the "PC" could be overlooked, but adding in the "eyeballs", parallel marks, red circle, maybe some ink scribble...that's an accumulation of pronounced defects in a prominent area.

Then the covers are dirty and the front cover has an accumulation of spine creases, edge creases and corner creases, rounded corners, loose staple...and heavy crease on back cover left corner...

Lots to consider. I suggest the overstreet guide to grading comics. They have  been at it for decades and is generally accepted.

[Dick Pontoon]

I wouldn't go higher than 3.0 on this one.

[fast eddie]

I'm agreeing with Mr. Pontoon on this one,,,,,,,,,3.0.

[grendelbo]

4 0

Thanks for posting.

[SolidShredder]

Since it looks like everyone weighed in that wants to I'll say that I had this pegged as a 3.5 when I bid on it. A lot of you said 3 and some even said 4 so I feel pretty good about my about my assessment. Definitely got a good deal! Thanks everyone.

I would really love to send this in with my ASM 66 that also has writing on it just to see how CGC will treat them. You know, for science. We don't have nearly enough graded examples of writing from CGC. My gut tells me, at least on this book, I don't think the writing will affect the grade. Unfortunately, I don't have the proper funding for such experiments. Maybe I can get a government grant?

Anyway, I wonder if I'll be able to at least get the pencil off? It's on a gray background, so I'm not sure how to go about that. If anyone has any insight, please let me know. Then again, this copy is probably staying in my PC so maybe I should keep the "PC" lol. 

[LowGradeBronze]

Don't add any more defects by trying to remove the harmless PC in pencil. This is a 3.0 at best so the pencil is the least of its worries. I'd happily own this book in this grade. It's a classic!

[SolidShredder]

So, this book just got delivered and I was taking a look at it. Those dots at the top? NOT the same medium as the slashes! In fact, it doesn't look like any sort of medium at all (marker, ink, paint, etc). It looks exactly like the rest of the cover, like it was printed that way. Could this be a printing error? Never seen anything like it.