"Born" grade/condition

[Smokinghawk]

Remember back when I posted that all my local copies of USM 40 were defective, and a lot of people agreed "same here!"?

 

Well, now it's the opposite post: I've noticed that ALL of the local copies of "Born" are in excellent condition, almost without exception. Are you finding that to be the case, too? Not sure if it's the heavier cover stock or what...but all my local copies were perfectly bound, with hardly a staple stressmark to be seen, and tight, flat covers. I could've picked at random and ended up with a perfect copy.

 

Are you all noticing the same thing, locally?

 

I suspect this book will be super-common in high grade.

 

[Susanville]

i remember that thread but look at the census for the USM 40.

 

http://www.cgccomics.com/poplookup/grades_standard.asp?title=Ultimate+Spider%2DMan+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++&issue=40+++++&publisher=Marvel+Comics++++++++++++&year=2003

 

EVERY book that has been graded has come in at 9.8. maybe that's because the books were picked clean and the junk was put on the shelf. i don't know about the Born books but i think it's slightly odd that every single USM 40 is a 9.8.

[cicamen]

I think all the copies are 9.8 because they have CGC do pre-screening.

[Smokinghawk]

Agree with the pre-screening. And with moderns, people are astute enough not to even submit books that they know going in aren't top-notch anyways.

 

I recall that Marvel changed the Ultimate cover stock in response to complaints about the conditinos...but I've had WORSE luck with the glossy stock than with the earlier heavy card. I don't see the advantage. The "Born" books, with the card stock, are looking excellent in several stores I've visited.

[delekkerste]

My local store still has a ton of them for sale in 9.6/9.8 condition. I agree that there will be tons of high grade copies to go around - whatever material they're using on this book is keeping all the books in great shape.

 

While I liked the first issue story a lot, this is nothing like "Origin", where Wolverine's mysterious past was finally revealed after years of hinting and teasing and otherwise whetting peoples' appetites. The Punisher already has a known origin and this is just a nice revisionist story that no one demanded but that Marvel thought they could make some bucks on. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the story, and while Wizard may hype it up for a while ("Released a full year before this summer's Punisher film, many collectors missed this sleeper series. Born #1 zooms into the #2 position on our Top Ten hot books of the month list, moving up from $6 to $20"), I have no doubt that 10 years from now this issue will be fodder for the bargain bins.

 

Gene

[Aman619]

("Released a full year before this summer's Punisher film, many collectors missed this sleeper series. Born #1 zooms into the #2 position on our Top Ten hot books of the month list, moving up from $6 to $20")

 

thats good!

I can see it now!

[chrisco37]

I picked up a copy of "Born" the other day and, now that you mention it, they were all in really good shape (considering what my shop normally has). Books of the shelf at my store, I would say, fall between 9.2-9.4 as normal case scenario; most I'd call 9.2's (and I usually swap out what they've pulled for me for a better copy in the store). But, "Born" did seem to be in better shape. I'd guess this was a 9.4-9.6. And that was like the second copy I looked at.....

 

In any case, I wish Marvel would go back to the "cardstock covers" they used for the first 25-30 issues of USM. It was much easier to find better copies.

 

Chris

[500Club]

USM is still no better, though.... tons of ripples along the spines.