As I was saying in my last entry, I was longing for my first Alex Schomburg war cover. It came by way of the boards from a member who was willing to work with my on time payments in July of 2016. I present to you Captain America Comics #33!!
As you can see, this book has been restored (via a piece re-attached to cover with glue) and has a detached cover. These are two characteristics I said I was going to stay away from except for the more expensive issues. I would consider this one such issue. Since buying this book I have decided to "lower my standards" if you will, for the books I decide to bring into my collection. I still will strive for grades 2.0 - 4.0 but restoration and detached covers/centerfolds won't be an automatic denial for a given book. Of course the exact amount of restoration will play a part and I'm still avoiding trimmed or brittle books. This particular Cap #33 has very little restoration, presents wonderfully and has like new WHITE pages to boot! I don't see myself getting another copy of this book for under $1,000 anytime soon. There are two 1.0 graded books on the census but who knows if they present well at all. I am super happy to own this book as it is one of my top five Cap covers of the entire run. Issues #1-3 & #27 rounding out the top five.
Which issue next I asked myself. I needed just issues #72 & #78 to complete Cap #70 - #78 so I put my first WTB post up for a Captain America Comics #78 in September of 2016. I got three people offering a copy right away. I was pretty surprised! Then, a board member reached out to me offering a quadruple signed CGC 3.0!
The signatures were from Stan Lee, Ayers, Joe Simon and John Romita! I thought my triple signed Cap #73 was cool!
What was I going to have to give to this guy to make that comic mine? A kidney and promising my first born child???
Luckily he just wanted cash and a trade for my raw Cap #76 I had bought on eBay the year prior. After a couple weeks of messaging back and forth to meet at a price we were both comfortable with, it was mine!
I would go on to pick up Cap #72 off eBay in November of 2016. A CGC 1.8 which is the lowest graded copy on the census
That would be my last Cap issue purchased in 2016. I now had 13 GA Cap issues (33, 44, 53, 66, 68, 70-75, 77 & 78). The first issue I purchased in 2017 would be another Canadian copy off the boards...
Just won this in the Comic Link auction. My first 9.6 DC acquisition in quite some time. Neal Adams sharing artwork duties with Nick Cardy. Five more Adams books to go.
For reasons which will be kept private, this is the shop in which one can derive the greatest pleasure from a cheese squeezing attack. Richly deserved, every chuff is a further notch on the rung of flatulence pay back. Most gratifying indeed.
See you next time.
I wanted to get your thoughts on what do you consider to be slow shipping when you buy a comic online? I did a" Buy It now" from Metropolis on May 25 of a Turok 56. Nice 9.6 , good price but ultra slow shipping. I got an email from them on June 6 saying they were about to ship. That's 12 days after purchase. They then sent an email on June 13 saying it shipped. Seven more days. It arrived June 16 finally. Now to be fair it does state that they take 2 to 3 weeks to ship but I've never bought a comic from them that has taken more than 10 days to arrive.
On the same day at the same time I bought a Thor 131 9.4 from Worldwide Comics and had it 3 days later . I bought a Comic from Comiclink a few days after the Metropolis purchase and it beat the Turok here. So what do you think is slow?
On a brighter note I had a string of being second on online auctions come to an end with a win on Heritage the other night. Recently on the 9.8 and 9.6's I would come up just short but finally broke through with 40 bucks to spare from my high bid. Well today the images of those two books are not loading or any other picture or I would post them. Sorry about that. TRYING to load again, Hope it works.
OK, not a shop as such I grant you but boy have I pumped a few out here. You'd have to go some way to break the stranglehold of smell that other people's body odour creates of course, but you can eke out a rewarding one near some of the less likable dealers if you act quickly.
Well worth an air biscuit and easy to pass off as the fault of that guy with the dog (it is a dog isn't it? What? His wife? Jesus ).
See you next time.
I've lost track of the number of farts I've done here. Some of them would prise wallpaper off the wall if the owner could be bothered to put it up. Some very rewarding farting experiences here.
See you next time.
I've never farted in Silveracre Comics because the bloke won't let you in to that place of his in Chester. But I have farted many times whilst placing online orders and like to think that these made it through.
Feel free to share your own stories of farting in comic shops.
See you next time.
I have farted in Gosh Comics in both premises. The loudest one was in the old shop when it was near the museum. It really cracked off and I was proud of it.
See you next time.
Picked this one up today at the Niagara Falls Comic Con. An awesome 9.2 that looks more like a 9.4. And on top of that, Neal Adams, the artist of this cover, was there. Chatted him with a bit and bought a reprint book of Deadman stories from Strange Adventures, which he signed. This was my third meeting with him at a show. Also, for the first time, a finally met Jim Steranko here today. Very nice guy. Anyways, enjoy.
I was watching this movie called Ratatouille. There is this one particular character who is an older person, a food critic who is miserable and extremely unhappy. At the end of the movie a dish is prepared for him to eat. The smell and taste is oh so familiar. He is immediately intrigued. Something he has not experienced in decades. Like a flurry his memories come back. He is now a child at home in his kitchen. This was the dish his mother used to make for him. It was like a time machine shot him back there.
It was at this moment I realized what a significant sentimental bond I have had with comics over all these years, especially the last decade as i approach my late 40's. In particular I have such a deep bond with comics from my childhood because seeing them now takes me back to a place where I ache to go..........
It's been awhile since my last Journal post. My last post was made May 22, 2015. This is my first journal post under the new format, I haven't decided if I like it or not. It's alot easier to use that's for sure, It reminds of the dashboard in WordPress. I've been collecting on & off over the last 3 years, Meeting media guests on cons & still getting signatures from my favorite artists & writers. Everyone collects differently & I'm a signature kinda guy ( For the most part ). I've changed my screen name to something that made more sense for me. Going forward I've decided I want to be a more focused collector, Putting books into the collection that I "Really" like or love. I just recently started to put books into the CGC Registry again.
In May of 2015 I finally got to meet Neal Adams for the first time. He is probably one of my favorite artists of all time. The experience was education for the first time I felt he was kinda stand standoffish, But I got used to it since I've now met him on more than one occasion. I had him sign my copy of Green Lantern #87 that I bought at my LCS in the mid 90's.
Thanks for reading & Happy collecting & have a great 2018!!
Hello It's been a little while since I've done a journal. A lot has changed, also a lot has stayed the same First off I would like to say thank you to CGC for their part in providing one of the best convention experience I've ever had! As a comic collector, for me when books are graded it is the final step of the journey of my books. I love the signature series program, and getting yellow labels is the cherry on top. Blue labels are awesome too and I enjoy having them both. This convention was the culmination of many different factors. I have my first set of books on the way back from CGC so I thought now would be the perfect time to share my experience. My 2018 Wondercon experience actually began in 2017...
I have alway been a superhero kinda guy , that is until I was introduced to Warren Horror mags.
Now I have always appreciated Frank Frazetta, but I always thought this book was outta my reach.
I mean there's not a ton of these out there in high grade, but through crazy luck a board member told me about one for sale.
Board member October sold me this beauty, and I know I've shown it off before . Just wanted to get it in with my other Warren books.
Vampirella 1 to me is the Action 1 of horror mags , and I am proud to have this book in my collection.
Here is the very rare in any grade Vampirella U.K. 1-4
Just won this in the Comic Link auction. Probably the hardest one to find in high grade among the Kree/Skrull war issues, due to the black picture frame cover. Although here we take a detour from that storyline, as our heroes battle the mandroids. Surprised to see that my winning bid was under $250. Six more Adams books to go. Enjoy.
I submitted the form, and shipped the following 8 books to CGC today... Modern slow. Had to use my credits up for the year before membership expire/renewal.
Anyway I'm creating this journal so others can guess the grades from the scans, and will post them once they have been returned.. We will see
Just bought this one on ebay. Ten years of waiting to acquire this super tough book. Third times the charm I guess. On two previous listings of this book on ebay, over the last two and a half years, I did not have the funds to buy it now. Needless to say, on both occasions they were snatched up very fast. This marks the first work at Warren for Neal Adams. Only 18 of these on the CGC census. And with this acquisition, I have seven more Adams books to go. Enjoy.
I've been giving some serious thought lately to possibly selling off the run down to #300. For one, 544 books in one run is a space issue. I need to make the most out of what space I have for comics right now and these things keep piling up! While having a full run of #1 through #544 would be sweet, I think in the long run I'd be fine with 1- 300. At least until our living situation changes and there is more space for comics. I'd like to have the full Copper Age run as those are the books I mostly started on X-Men with. After 300, things just get a little silly for a long time sadly.
I might not do this, and I have no idea how I'd sell off 244 books if I do decide to change the focus of the run. I'm just thinking out loud.
Anyone else here who started off working on a full run of volume 1 and changed the goal like this? Any regrets?
I can't imagine it ever ever being difficult nor expensive to rebuild the run later if I decide to have a complete volume 1. And it'd be something fun to work on.
On the other hand, I already have the books which is a pretty big point in the "just hang on to them" column, even with the storage space issue.
What do you all think?
Alright, Alright, Alright! Managed to score a number 4 of New Gods at 9.0 for a good price, under $50.
I do not have a raw copy of this issue or even a beat up copy. Good thing I have the black and white trade copy from several years ago.
So far I have two slabbed New Gods issues from Jack Kirby's original run. Debating whether to get the "Return of" issues and in no rush.
I do have a couple of raw issues of the Forever People from the same time but no slabs. That will change soon.
Here is a question: why was there never a crossover with OMAC and the New Gods? This would have been an idea to see where it would go.
Update: 01/12/18
I am about half way with my New Gods Kirby run. Have decided to send in my raw books. Not sure about a third raw book but I love the series and will get it slabbed.
There are some readable copies I do have on hand somewhere. Did not realize there were at least three copies of #9 in my possession along with a #7. I will find more as I look back through my collection.
And my OMAC run is slowly closing on the gaps. May find my John Byrne OMACs and get them slabbed as well. That is for a later time.
Update: 04/12/18
I have a New Gods 1 graded at 8.0. I am pleased but hoping for a 9.0. 8.0 is good.I have a number 8 graded at 6.0. The seller I bought it from neglected to tell me about water stain on the back inside page. Live and learn. I a couple of issues of 7 that I will look over to see which on is the best to send. That is later this month.
