PGM: Avengers #3

[drewincanada]

Grrrrrr!

 

Got this in the mail today. It was in a sealed interior shell of a CGC case (more about that in a sec), and the dimwit who sent it to me simply put a flimsy piece of backer board on either side of it, and put the whole thing in a standard manilla envelope. Of course, the post office bend the thing, and the CGC case dug into the comic, putting a NCB crease at the top running on an angle from the top edge (near where the biggest chip is missing from the edge) down into the second "E" in AVENGERS. It also lightly bent the interior pages.

 

You can't see this crease in the scans, unfortunately.

 

I knew it was in a CGC case - without the outer case - when I bought it, so I was taking my chances that the seller didn't like the CGC grade it got, perhaps because it was restored or had some other fatal flaw. He claimed that he got the comic in the case from another seller, and that he didn't know anything about its pedigree.

 

Anyway, I took my chances on it.

 

What do you think based on these scans? I see what appears to be grease pencil in the logo, but it's fairly faint, so I wonder if its been cleaned.

 

I also wonder if I should just return the comic for a refund, given the shipping damage. I already emailed him to let him know it was damaged, and that his packaging was really inadequate. He wrote back to say he's never had problems with damage before, and he's sorry I'm unhappy.

 

 

[Ze-man]

Sorry to hear about your mailing problems. It always stinks to open a mailer with that ill feeling in your stomach as you open it.

 

They did not sell it slabbed with the label because as you suspected the book was dry cleaned , and probably trimmed on the right and bottom edge as well. While impossible to tell from just a scan you can see on the bottom edge how the FC bottom edge has a downward curve to it. And on the BC bottom edge you can see how it has an outward curl to it. Which suggest it was trimmed by using a downward pulling pressure. ( I may be way off but in books that I have seen, and trimmed myself, this is how they look when done incorrectly, but it might just be from mishandling the book too)

 

And the right edge FC is just too darn straight where normally it has some degree of ragged chipping present, not to mention that bottom part of the right edge looks iffy.

 

 

I would guess 4.5-5.0 as it presents itself.

 

Ze-

[drewincanada]

When I got the book in hand, the first reaction I had was that it had been trimmed. Nothing scientific - just a gut reaction.

 

Actually, the bottom edge doesn't curve at all, but the top edges - both front and back - curve inward. I thought it might be because of overhang.

 

I checked the right edge, and the interior pages are wider than the cover (the "V" test), and I compared the overall size of the book to my other books of similar vintage, and it's exactly the same. I know these aren't foolproof tests, but they're the best I can do right now.

 

Is it common (at least, common where trimming is concerned) to trim just the cover and leave the interior pages alone?

 

-----

 

I just emailed the seller to tell him that I plan to return the book for a refund, given the damage due to the poor packaging. He charged $15 for shipping, and the postage on his envelope is $2.13. For $15, I would have expected a bulletproof box!

[Ze-man]

The top edge has severe overhang so the downward curve to it is natural. What I was talking about on the BC bottom edge is how it appears that part of the BC looks like paper does when you cut it on a soft surface and the remaining paper embeds itself slightly into the cutting surface.

 

Like I said, it is really impossible to tell for sure from just a scan. But the right edge have a wavy look to it like it was cut incorrectly. And yes one can cut just the cover, especially if one wants to remove chipping so the V test does not always apply.

 

Too many variables to really say. Just thinking out loud to get some feedback to chew on.

 

Ze-

[Aces]

What was the grade before the damage?

 

Looks a it might have been a 6.0/6.5.

 

Now it looks 5.0/5.5 with the bend.

[october]

At the very least the book has been dry cleaned. You can see the color loss in the logo where someone tried to remove a grease pencil mark. Does not appear to be trimmed though. The top edge has overhang and the leading right interior edge of SA Marvels often stick out past the cover.

 

What did you pay for it?

[drewincanada]

Yup, it was supposed to be a 6.5.

 

Oy vey!

 

I bought this book about 3 weeks ago - prior to discovering this board, unfortunately. I just found these two threads on the seller. Hope I don't have the same problems with him.

 

Seller thread 1

 

Seller thread 2

[drewincanada]

$150 -- I'm sad to say.

[Aces]

Yup, it was supposed to be a 6.5.

 

The colors look great on this book.

If I were you I'd try for a discount due to damage and keep it.

 

You might be able to press it back up to a 6.0.

[eriqui]

Thats a great cover. IM looks like he's bustin out the kung foo

[drewincanada]

Quick follow-up: the seller agreed to do a refund, so I've shipped it back.

[Point Five]

Glad to hear!

[Primetime]

Sorry about the shipping damage...

 

I'd call it 5.0 VG/F