Any help identifying this book? Could be a find! 1 1

[Winkster1028]

I’m now the owner of a Birth of Spider-man Amazing Fantasy 15 - LTD 500 - signed by Stan Lee 

COI matches the 1997 anniversary stuff I can find. But nothing on this actual book. I can’t find any of the other 499 or a listing. 

 

Would love any help or information. 

[marvelmaniac]

Looked everywhere, found nothing related to that issue limited to 500 books.

Got a pic of the indicia?

[DougC]

I do not have any real information to add.

This book came out the same time as the box set (limited to 2500) and has the exact same certificate to celebrate Stans 75th and Spider-mans 35th birthday.

As this is a 90's book this could come from almost anywhere; the box set was published by applewood books and this issue could have been sold through various avenues.

The indicia has already been asked for but does this also have an ISBN?

[Winkster1028]

It has no UPC label - and nothing other than what looks to be a true reprint of the original.

 

1 page is a sketch page with notes and the next page is the finished page from the comic. 
 

 

[zzutak]

It looks to me like someone has put together a bogus reprint of AF #15 that features:

• A facsimile cover with extra wording on the outside front cover (Deluxe Limited Edition) and an incorrect inside front cover (that was scanned from Journey Into Mystery #83).
• An incorrect splash page that originally appeared as the outside back cover to Marvel Monthly Magazine #2 (Marvelmania International / Marvel Comics Group; Oct 1970).
• Contents that did not appear in the original AF #15 (the Dr. Strange story shown in your inside back cover image is "Dr. Strange Master of Black Magic" -- originally published in Strange Tales #110).
• A COA that appears to be a "modification" of the one that accompanied The Birth of The Amazing Spider-Man boxed hardcopy from 1997 (with the Marvel Comics trademark removed).
• Plus other bits and pieces from who knows where.

A Frankenstein-type creation like this is almost certainly an unauthorized bootleg and should have no value whatsoever.    One man's opinion. 

Edited September 8 by zzutak

[shadroch]

On 9/8/2024 at 1:17 PM, zzutak said:

It looks to me like someone has put together a bogus reprint of AF #15 that features:

• A facsimile cover with extra wording on the outside front cover (Deluxe Limited Edition) and an incorrect inside front cover (that was scanned from JIM #83).
• An incorrect splash page that originally appeared as the outside back cover to Marvel Monthly Magazine #2 (Marvelmania International / Marvel Comics Group; Oct 1970).
• Contents that did not appear in the original AF #15 (the Dr. Strange story shown in your inside back cover image).
• A COA that appears to be a "modification" of the one that accompanied "The Birth of The Amazing Spider-Man" boxed hardcopy from 1997 (with the Marvel Comics trademark removed).
• Plus other bits and pieces from who knows where.

A Frankenstein-type creation like this is almost certainly an unauthorized bootleg and should have no value whatsoever.    One man's opinion. 

Suppose it was authorized.....

[ThothAmon]

On 9/8/2024 at 4:45 PM, shadroch said:

Suppose it was authorized.....

I’d try California, hear they’re very open minded. 

[Winkster1028]

All that bums me out …. Does signature look right? 

[zzutak]

On 9/8/2024 at 2:18 PM, Winkster1028 said:

Does signature look right? 

I'm not aware of any respected professional or organization (JSA, PSA, etc) that will authenticate an autograph solely on the basis of a photograph.

[shadroch]

I'm not sure what that is, but nothing about it gives me any confidence that the signatures are real. The certificate says it is limited to 500 copies, not 500 signed copies.

I hope it turns out well.

[Subliminal]

I'll buy that  (for a Counterfeit) Dollar

[RockMyAmadeus]

On 9/8/2024 at 5:51 PM, Subliminal said:

I'll buy that  (for a Counterfeit) Dollar

[DougC]

That is a lot of time and effort to counterfeit something that even originally would not have sold for a lot of money; I am more leaning to it being a QVC/HSN style book created for them by marvel from cobbled together pieces. The certificate is generally meaningless as they would sell 3k of the same one under shady wording like limited to 500...."in the next 5 minutes" and repeat.

It is an interesting book and something I would pick-up if I saw it in the wild. As for the signature, it is a very clean pen auto; are you sure it isn't printed or stamped? in any case, you can have it authenticated by JSA (with a sticker) instead of having it slabbed as the value would only be from Stan's autograph. A "quick opinion" from PSA will cost $10 and only need photo's and links to this thread.

Despite its potential dubious origins I am sure there will be people interested in it if you decide to create a sales thread in the future after figuring out the signature authenticity.

[Dick Pontoon]

On 9/8/2024 at 10:16 PM, DougC said:

That is a lot of time and effort to counterfeit something that even originally would not have sold for a lot of money; I am more leaning to it being a QVC/HSN style book created for them by marvel from cobbled together pieces. The certificate is generally meaningless as they would sell 3k of the same one under shady wording like limited to 500...."in the next 5 minutes" and repeat.

Gotta disagree with that. It wouldn't be any more difficult than making one of those DIY facsimile reprints that are all over ebay, and there's no way any authorized copy would use the inside cover from JIM #83. I think zzutak is 100% on the money. In addition to everything he mentioned, the word spacing looks off on the "certificate."