This has been a set that has long been a dream of mine. Batman is my favorite single character in comics; the X-Men are my favorite team. I don't know how much of that is due to the fact that, when I first got into comics, X-Men, especially from the Bronze Age, were "out of reach" expensive. GS #1? X-Men #94? Yeah, ok. Not going to happen.
But, as I slowly filled out my collection, I tended to buy more and more copies of X-Men...starting with the "cheap" #150-ish to #260. I think my first Byrne X-Men was #141 that I paid $7 for from the Land of Nevawuz in 1990, I believe. Sadly, X-Men got really hot again in 1991, and stores jacked up their prices accordingly. I wish I had known then what I know now...the $3-$4 or so I spent for copies of #183, 178, 194, etc, still aren't worth that. Sigh.
In any event, I started to buy earlier and earlier, and by the time of eBay in the late 90s, I could finally afford "the big ones." And, by that time, the entire market took a dump, so it was a great time to be buying. I don't remember the first #94 I ever bought...I know I TRIED to buy one in a Scott's Valley comic store in 1995-1996, but that guy would not budge off of his mid-grade copy at $150 (more than OPG, for those wondering.)
But, somewhere in the early 2000s, I completed this run, and kept buying and buying and buying, focusing more on the Byrne and earlier run, and stopping buying the vastly overprinted #150-up....except, of course, the keys, which I can never get enough of. I probably have a long box just of Mutant Massacre (#210-213.)
In any event...in the last couple of years, I've wanted to translate that into a 9.8 set, signed, at least by Claremont, since Byrne won't sign, and Cockrum is no longer with us. Here, then, are the results of the last couple of years of effort:
So, I have a #127, #130, and #140 on their way back from CGC as we speak...so that makes 30 of the 50 different books.
#94 is going to be expensive, but not too difficult when I can gather the $$. Of course, I'm missing most of the big guns...#96-#101 especially. They are tough, tough books in 9.8, especially #97-#99.
And, of course, some of the more expensive, like #104, 107, 109, 120, 129 are also missing. I have a #141 that should have graded 9.8, but a grader saw something that wasn't there, and graded it 9.4. It will go back for review at some point.
But, hey...60% there. Of course, I also have a ton of 9.4s and 9.6s as a result, but hey..at least they're not worthless! And...I do have some of the most difficult books, like #114 and #116, which are a BEAR in 9.8. Just hideously difficult. They have some of the lowest 9.8 counts of the entire run, so...yay!
When I get the others, I'll post them.
Following my journal opener which covered The Walking Dead #1, this entry covers the issue with the second-most variant covers (20) in this series - #100.
The Walking Dead (TWD) issue #100 (July 2012) shipped with a total of 20 variant covers and had a total order of 379,000 copies. This made it the largest selling single comic of the 2010s decade, the #2 highest ordered comic of the 21st Century so far, and the #1 comic of the century for Image Comics. A special chromium wrap-around cover by Charlie Adlard priced at $9.99 had 31,000 copies out of the total order. This was the peak of TWD 'fever' before Season 3 of the TV show debuted.
Story summary:
The three Saviors seen in issue 99 are complaining about the plan to attack the Alexandria Safe-Zone at dawn. One of them says that he is going to head for an unknown man by the name of Paul, who's group is farthest away. The Safe-Zone citizens are seen praying for their lives. Spencer approaches Andrea while she is keeping watch on top of the wall. Andrea is reluctant to talk to him when he starts to mention her and Rick, possibly thinking he's going to act jealous, but he instead reveals that he's happy for her and Rick.
Eugene is seen mourning over Abraham's grave, while Father Gabriel is in the church praying. Aaron and Eric prepare for The Saviors, taking an inventory of the Safe-Zone's guns and ammunition.
While on the road, Michonne says that the group will not make it to the Hilltop community in time. Glenn is still optimistic about it but they stop the van for the night. As Michonne takes first watch, Rick thanks her for everything, and says they'll have to be on the road by dawn. Rick says goodbye to Glenn, and states that he is happy for him. Later, as Michonne kills a few roamers, Rick takes over her shift.
Rick sits on top of the van, barely awake, when suddenly a man catcher is put around his neck and he is pulled off the van. The perpetrator turns out to be the Savior that Rick spared on the road earlier to deliver a message to Negan. He taunts Rick, before ordering one of the three Saviors accompanying him to signal the rest. The Savior fires his gun in the air. The survivors rush out of the van only to find Rick being held hostage. Before they can even get their bearings, a truck pulls up carrying a massive group of Saviors. A man carrying a modified baseball bat asks for the leader, so the Savior that captured Rick identifies him as such. The man introduces himself as Negan.
The Saviors line up the survivors from the van (Rick, Carl, Glenn, Maggie, Sophia, Michonne and Heath) on their knees. Negan informs the group that he wants revenge for the dead Saviors that Rick and his people killed. Negan then dictates the terms for the group's survival; everything in the Alexandria Safe-Zone now belongs to the Saviors. Negan further states that there is a new world order and that Rick and his people now follow Negan or they will die.
Negan then tells Rick that he is going to kill one of the group to show Rick's people that he is in charge. Negan introduces his weapon of choice for the execution: Lucille - a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire. After a long narrative from Negan about who should be killed with Lucille, Negan randomly picks Glenn as his victim by playing a game of "eeny, meeny, miny, moe". Maggie panics as Glenn begs Negan not to kill him. Rick tries to intervene, but Negan snaps at Rick, telling him that there are fifty men surrounding them and they will all die if they try to stop Glenn's execution. Rick and the others remain silent and watch in horror and cry with bowed heads as Negan smashes Glenn's head in with Lucille. The first blow fractures Glenn's skull and pops out an eye (consistent with the TV show 7.01). Everyone cries, looking horrified and angry at Negan. Negan then taunts the still conscious and now brain-damaged Glenn, who reaches out and calls for Maggie. Negan then repeatedly and brutally smashes Lucille into Glenn's head, leaving a mass of broken bone, smashed brains, and spattered blood.
Still crying for his friend, Rick angrily tells Negan "I'm going to kill you. (...) Not today, not tomorrow... but I WILL kill you". Negan gleefully tells him that he won't, as his best chance is right now. He challenges Rick to do so, though ensuring him that as soon as he does, the Saviors will kill the survivors on the spot. He also threatens to have his men gang rape Carl if Rick continues to act defiantly. After slapping Rick around, Negan once again reiterates that he's the one in charge now. He informs Rick and his group that The Saviors will be back in one week to collect half of everything in their community. He turns around, leaving the survivors with Glenn's mangled corpse.
Comic variants:
After #1, this is the TWD comic produced with the greatest number of variant covers - there are 20 variants as noted below in alphabetical order:
100 - Adlard and Rathburn, regular cover A
100 - Adlard variant cover
100 - Barnes & Noble Edition
100 - Chromium Edition (wraparound cover)
100 - Convention Edition
100 - Escape Edition
100 - Hero Initiative (LE105)
100 - Hitch variant cover
100 - Lucille Edition (a Retailer Initiative, LE500)
100 - McFarlane variant cover
100 - Ottley Sketch Cover (known as the 'Comixology' variant, LE500)
100 - Ottley Variant cover
100 - Phillips variant cover
100 - Quitely variant cover
100 - Red Foil Edition (LE250)
100 - Silvestri variant cover
100 - Sketch cover
100 - Skybound Megabox Edition (the most-recently produced #100, December 2016)
100 - Second Printing
100 - Third Printing (part of the six-part #97-#102 set showing Negan holding Lucille horizontally; the other five each present as Second Printings)
Rarity:
Of these 20 different covers, the Hero Initiative version is by far the rarest and most valuable with just 105 produced, each with a hand-drawn and signed cover. There are also a few, perhaps 10-15, blank covers which seem to have leaked into the market. CGC will not grade these as they are "unofficial". A separate book called the 100 Project was also produced showing each of the individually-drawn/signed covers.
The next most-rare, at just LE250, is the Red Foil Edition showing Negan's baseball bat Lucille on the cover.
The Lucille Edition and the Comixology variant (Ottley Sketch Cover) are equally rare and valuable, with just 500 of each produced.
I've been having a lot of health issues recently, which has slowed me down some. But I am still plugging away - just finished the linework for page 24, and am beginning the linework for page 25 (out of 30). My goal at this point is to have all the linework done, as well as all the (first draft) dialogue and word balloons done, by the end of the month. I am still aiming to have the whole thing complete for a May 1st kickstarter launch, but we will see.
Here's the latest blog entry:
https://crimebustercomics.com/2019/02/14/asking-for-trouble-part-3/
And a panel in progress from page 19:
Hello and welcome to my thirteenth entry under the 'Comic Shops I've Farted In' overarching journal heading. I do like my headings to overarch. They say that 13 is 'unlucky for some'. Well it was certainly unlucky for Incognito Comics because this is how many cheese chunders I counted on my last visit. That's the last time I take my Nan to a comic shop, I'll tell you that for nothing! I won't charge you.
Any way, she made the place uninhabitable for a good half an hour. No more cheesy quavers for you Nan I said on the bus home (on which she dropped a further four air biscuits I hasten to add. Come to think of it, has anyone ever added slowly? Why all the haste all the time?).
It's true what they say about the old ones. They smell of wee.
As this is my final entry (ooh missus!), I won't say 'see you next time' as that would make me a liar. And nobody likes A Liar! Except Barry Liar, who loves his wife Ann dearly.
So, that's that. Thanks for reading.
This thread will be about my journey to the million dollar comic and the struggles, failures and successes that come with it since many boardies requested it I will not longer post my transactions but try what revat said . I also have a bunch of inspirational people two of them being Walt Disney and Steve Jobs because I want to be the next rags to riches story not to the degree of Steve Jobs or Walt Disney but I want to make a million dollars buying and selling a comic and making enough money with this venture to never again say I can't afford something
Thoughts and plans
Sell my comics
Sell IH 180 CGC 5.0
Milestones I want to reach
Get my first four figure sale
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This time around, I talk about getting creative inspiration from others making art — and making comics.
https://crimebustercomics.com/2019/02/01/inspiration/
Starting my Warren Eerie run. Hopefully you guys enjoy my journey as I fill in this run.
For starters here's the famous Eerie 1 ashcan, this however is the bootleg one.
Here is Eerie #2 which in my opinion is a solid 9.6, just a perfect book.
Eerie #3 Manitoba pedigree , another perfect high grade beauty.
Eerie #5 signed by Al Williamson, and another NM beauty book.
You magazine collectors know how much harder it is to find NM magazines than their comic book cousins.
Here's a very hard book to find in NM in Eerie #7
DeadOne mentioned he had a few Eeries for me to look at, and he wasn't kidding. So without further ado.
Adventures and musings about Buying, Selling and setting up at Conventions and Shows
I participated in my first ever show last October. You can read about it here: http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=8903742#Post8903742
I was pleased with my sales, it was an excellent learning experience and most importantly, I had a great time. I must have did "ok" as I was invited back by the show organizers.
In my town, there use to be a larger two day Antique Show, but with the sale of the local Legion (where that event was held), the Antique Show organizers asked the organizers of the Collectibles Show to "take over"...I think this is a good thing, merging the two shows.
The first show under the new 'brand' is scheduled for Sunday, April 17th, 2016. Moving forward, the plan is to have a regular two day show in October.
For as long as there is some degree of interest I will share my experiences, good and bad. I also look forward to any new comments and tips from more seasoned sellers. Thanks for your interest!
Thanks for reading!
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I wanted to mention something and get your opinion on it. Recently I purchased a CGC Fantastic Four 2 from a trusted seller. I thought I would get this book while I could still afford to buy it. It's a nice looking 3.5 off white to white paged copy. I asked the seller to send FedEx with adult signature confirmation. Basically an adult 21 and over has to sign for it.
The seller did as I asked and I expected myself or my wife to be home to sign for it. The day it was due my wife had to leave for a doctors appointment which had been scheduled before I bought the book. She left at 2:30pm and the driver showed up at 2:53 pm. I got home from work at 3:15 pm and the package with the comic was sitting on my front porch. I was kind of disturbed that it was left without a signature as a neighbor had a package stolen off the front porch around Christmas. I called Fedex and asked how could it be left without a signature. I gave her the tracking number and she said it was signed for. I asked who did and the response I got was it was signed by me! I said I was still 15 miles from home at 2:53. So the driver signed my name and left it. He signed my first initial and last name . Not how I sign by the way. Another funny thing was the Fedex rep no longer responded to my questions about the package. It was live chat. I talked for about 10 minutes more with no response and then hung up. I got a transcript of the live chat but it had most of my questions edited out and the times changed. Interesting. What if the package had been stolen? It was signed for with my name but I wasn't there. Has this happened to anyone else? It was a pricey comic, I just wanted to ensure it's safe delivery.
On to my next subject. I often get beat on Comiclink auctions . Often the runner up bidder. I have been bidding since July of 2009 on their site. You can look at your past auction bids on the site. I decided to see what my actual record was. I added it up and I had 34 wins and 51 lost. I was feeling somewhat bad about that thinking if that were a baseball teams record I would be in last place. Then I started thinking as a player if I went 34 for 85. I figured it up and I'm batting .400. That would make me batting champ. Now I see my auction record in a different light.
My latest production blog update includes Asking for Trouble part 2, the second part of my look at the process behind creating the series co-star Trixie Trouble.
crimebustercomics.com/2019/01/18/asking-for-trouble-part-2/
I've always liked the cover of this particular issue of Sub-Mariner. So when it turned up for auction on ebay a week ago, I decide to go for it. I put in a bid earlier today for $265, the auction ending at 9:30pm est. I figured the book was worth no more than that amount, my bid being the 23rd. Well, when it was all over, there had been 36 bids and the winning amount was...……$676.66!?!?! It happens to be a pedigree copy, but still. Is Tiger Shark going to appear in a movie or something? The last 9.2 CGC copy sold in a Comic Link auction a little over a year ago for $132.
In the latest entry of my production blog, I give a prgoress report and share some line work in progress for page 4, along with a discussion of some of my storytelling influences. Enjoy!
https://crimebustercomics.com/2019/01/10/progress-update-steranko-and-the-soviet-montage-theory/
Here's a look at page 4, in process, which you may notices has a Steranko influenced layout with the sequence of small panels (which will be dialogue free when I get to that point).
My days of collecting anything and everything are over. After accumulating almost 100,000 comics (most of them worthless), I decided to strip my collection down to 50 comics. The 1st 30 keepers were pretty easy, but it got much harder as I got toward #50. This journal will document my "One in /One out" strategy of collecting from this day forward. I added scans of all 50 comics, so I can sift through my comics without having to get them out of safe storage. I have new additions on the way, so I will share my thought process on each one I kick out. This is primairly for my amusement, but feel free to comment on the decisions that I make!
#1
January 2018
Frontline Combat #13 ($19.80) + Two-Fisted Tales #40 ($14.80) w/ shipping = $40.60
Star Spangled War Stories #25 ($7.95 + shipping = $11.90)
All-American Men of War #10 ($35.00)
March 2018
All-American Men of War #8 ($20.00)
All-American Men of War #16 ($23.50)
April 2018
All-American Men of War #13 ($11.99 + shipping = $16.44)
All-American Men of War #12 ($15.00)
May 2018
All-American Men of War #15 ($17.50 + shipping = $20.50)
All-American Men of War #14 ($20.00 + shipping = $24.88)
All-American Men of War #7 ($26.00 + shipping = $30.00)
June 2018
Two-Fisted Tales #27 ($75.00) + Battle Cry #8 (FREE)
October 2018
All-American Men of War #17 ($35.00)
November 2018
All-American Men of War #3 ($18.95)
December 2018
Battlefield #4 ($65.00)
Total amount spent on war comics in 2018 = $431.77
62.5% were eBay purchases
37.5% were bought locally
None are for sale!
On this day ... January the Fourth 2019, the Comicshop had finally went closed forever. After bit over 44 years in business since the first store opened in the 1970s, moved to its second location on 2089 West 4th Ave until 1999. Then went to move to its third location on 3518 West 4th Ave.
I went to pay my last visit on the last Saturday of December to get my last order. Walked around the store knowing this was my last time to see the classic yellow walls and wall racks. The credits goes to the employees who had kept the traditional look for many years. I made my first visit to the old Comicshop on 2089 West 4th. That happened after I saw their first TV commercial on one Saturday morning while I was watching my daily cartoons, I was a kid back then. I had to beg my dad to drive me to this store.
Upon my arrival, and walked to the store and saw the famous duck sign saying “Of Course We’re Open” outside by front door. Entered inside, I was high in my mind, eyes popped when I saw so much comics and stuff everywhere. I saw the second floor. On the first floor, the guy behind the counter ( the yellow counter which you saw in the photos below) greeted me with a smile. I went upstairs and saw even MORE comics in bins and on wall rack. I was so excited and started check out the comics. I told my dad I loved the store and wanted more visits here. He knew in signing and let me get my wishes. I had many good memories throughout the 1980s during my high school days.
I returned back to my old hometown, then to the new location and resumed my daily visits for the next 5 years to the end. I will miss the duck sign!
Below is a copy I found online. This article explains why I loved this store.
The Oldest Comics Specialty Store in Western Canada
In 2014, The Comicshop was the only store in British Columbia to be shortlisted for the Joe Shuster Award for Best Retailer in Canada, a highly esteemed honour within the industry. Original owners Ron Norton and Ken Witcher, both avid comic collectors, opened the doors of The Comicshop in 1974 to serve the city’s comics fans. Ron later bought out Ken to become sole owner in 1989. From its convenient 4th Avenue West location, the team at The Comicshop has helped Vancouverites with their comic collections for decades (and furthered its own, of course!).
The service is friendly and the selection is vast. Stepping into the shop, you’ll be greeted with a smile by The Comicshop’s manager Keith Bickford and his colleague Brent Stratichuk, who have been bringing in new titles every week and keeping the stock updated since the mid-1980s.
A comic collector’s dream, with new stock arriving every Wednesday, The Comicshop draws loyal customers who drop by on a weekly basis to pick up new issues and chat with Keith, Brent and the team. At The Comicshop, you’ll discover a wide selection of new and collectible comics, graphic novels, art books, toys, posters, t-shirts and all sorts of great stuff.
Over the years, comics sort of grew up and these days the majority of our customers are adults who have been reading comics since they were kids.- Keith Bickford, manager
Living the Comic Collector’s Dream
An avid collector himself, Keith joined the team part-time in high school and never looked back. “It was a great way to make some money during high school and university, do something I enjoy, and help other comic fans. And now I’ve been working here forever!” laughs Keith.
“I still read a lot of comics like when I first started and it’s nice because so do our customers. We have customers who have been coming here since the store opened, so even longer than I’ve been here!”
Comics for All
The highlight of running the shop for Keith is meeting and helping comic fans from all walks of life. “Back when I started working here, it was really for nerds and geeks. These days, with shows like Big Bang Theory, nerd is the new cool,” says Keith.
“It’s really evolved over the years, the industry as a whole has become much more mainstream. Over the years, comics sort of grew up and these days the majority of our customers are adults who have been reading comics since they were kids. Our customers come from all walks of life – we have doctors, lawyers, white-collar workers, people working all around the world coming in, everyone really, so it’s really interesting that way.”
Well, here's the first purchase for 2019. Just got this on ebay, where my best offer was accepted. One of the more difficult WWs to find in high grade. Happy New Year!
I am going to have to live with that thread title, but whatever!
I have decided the correct term for me, besides original comic art collector, is comic reader. I don't collect comics so much as store the ones I read. I bought some Moebius comics the other day off ebay and when I opened the package I realized these were now the nicest comics in my collection, almost without a doubt. So collecting high grade comics was never my thing. Yes, I grabbed some comics second hand along the way, including a Strange Tales 169 and Daredevil 9 and 10 but not much else unless I bought it to read off the rack. But along the way about 25 years ago I started collecting original art due to a chance encounter with Paul Ryan or Sam de la Rosa at a convention. [i recall thinking "artists draw at cons?" with Paul Ryan and "they sell the art used to make comic pages?" with Samuel de la Rosa (who was one of a few Latino inkers credited as "Manuel Labor" on the issue and who told me that he did not like that one bit) but am not sure which happened first.]
Comic art led me to these boards a few years ago. I had resisted the siren call until recently. But Doc McCoy (I think it was) came over to the OA parts of the boards advertising (his?) free David Petersen art in some thread called Pay it Forward. As I was in the process of trading art regularly with a local dealer, I promptly went and claimed said art. Sadly I traded it away almost immediately to the dealer. I apologize; I was single-minded and unthinking at the time but understand my mistake now. So please forgive me.
But PIF sucked me in right from the start. Especially when I jumped on another piece of OA quickly (still have that one, don't worry). Then a strange thing occurred. I watched as some really cool slabs were given away to fellow boardies. When a nice X-Men slab came up I decided to take the plunge and claim it. (Thanks Griff!) I was quickly offered another slab gratis from a boardie (looking forward to getting that one! ). Now this weekend I took the plunge and decided to have some fun and get a few for myself. I figured it really doesn't matter so much if they are comics I have read and admired so much as fun things to look at on the shelf. So I put out the call for cheap slabs and that thread inspired me to start this one and chronicle the rise through the ranks of my first rate collection. NOT! I am not trying to start a new collection, but have some cool comics displayed that will make me smile.
So without further eloquence...
Bird's Top Shelf Slabs!
#1 in the closet and in your hearts, courtesy of Griff...not the crime dog just a slab hound...she a beauty with white pages...it's X-Men 248 9.4
Done worry folks, she won't be lonely for long. Join us later this week, same slab time,same slab channel...it's a race against time between Amazing Spider-Man and The Defenders! See you here!
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02/20/2019