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Entries in this journal

Legitimate Grading Competition On The Way?

A new order? Let's face it, While we all love CGC and what they've done for the interest in our hobby, they have been woefully lacking in the modernization department. I'm sure each one of us could come up with at least one thing that CGC could do better. But until now, they have had no reason to do so. Since January, 2000 CGC has been revolutionizing our favorite hobby as the premier comic book grading company. There have been, and still are others out there, like PGX and the newer Vault
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ORDER! Order In The Court!!

First In, First Out? Well, first of all, let me give a disclosure statement up front. I LOVE CGC!!! I have no animosity towards them whatsoever. I know for a fact how busy and overrun they are from time to time in the process of attending cons and grading submissions, all of which has increased ten fold over the last year or so. So I understand the workload involved in their offices, and I know it's tough to keep up with the demand with the current staff they have. So I don't begrudge
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The Curious Case of Daredevil #238

I do so love a good mystery! I always have. It's like a puzzle just crying out to be solved. A lot of times, even when you can't find a factual reason, the mystery still yields surprising and often enlightening results. But there are also times when the mystery completely eludes you, leaving you at a loss to explain the results that stare you in the face. And sometimes, either way can bring you happiness, regardless of whether you come to a satisfactory result or not. This story starts w
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Silver Anniversary!!

For CGC comics, that is. It's been a couple of weeks since my last journal. I've been so busy with other things. So here is something totally new that I can do one on... I requested a set to be created months ago. I was actually surprised that no one had thought to ask for this set to be made a reality before now. So I did some research, gave Gemma the list, and made the official request. Nicole has taken over this duty since then and has done a fantastic job with keeping up with our nume
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Megacon Results - Photos and Art

Different sorts of OAKs!!! Ok, so I have always been one to do things that no one else has done before. I look for ways that I can apply things that exist for everyone, in new and unusual ways in order to create something special or extremely unique. Since CGC certifies not only comics but also photographs, I decided to start using this in a couple of different ways. Im having all of my photo op pictures with celebrities certified and encapsulated by CGC. They use the same Barax plastic t
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I guess I'm a hypocrite

Said I wouldn't, but I did. Ok, so a long while back, I made the comment that I would NEVER have an actor or actress put their signature on a comic unless the cover was a photo cover featuring them. I said that having people sign comics that weren't involved in their actual creation was silly to me. Well, I've gone and done exactly what I said would never do. I will preface what I'm about to reveal with this. I had James Marsters sign a 2nd print of Angel: After the Fall #2 at Megacon,
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CGC Archaeology 101

Searching through the trash of yesteryear in search of treasures, just like Indiana Jones. Perusing through boxes of old, dusty comics in pursuit of possible 9.8 candidates can be a lot like being an archaeologist. You sift through the dirt and dust of ancient artifacts and try to distinguish what's trash and what's treasure. In our case, you look through the boxes at comics one at a time and try to distinguish what's 9.8 worthy and what's not. Being able to physically hold and look over t
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Megacon Results - Booster Gold

A Boost to my collection! A couple of months ago I made a query to our resident Good Karma CGC native, Ronnylama. I was curious about finding a top notch copy of Booster Gold #20 for signing at Megacon, since Dan Jurgens and Arne Starr would both be there. It is one of 11 issues I still needed to complete my graded set. I was always sure I would never find a 9.8 copy of this issue, due to its jet black cover. As we all know, solid black covers prior to 1990 are always real toughies to find i
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Megacon Results - One Comic, Three Sets

Maximizing your point increase. One of the issues I took with me to Megacon was Daredevil #236. This issue is significant to me for a number of reasons. It is an original collection issue. One that my Father and I picked up right off the shelf back In 1986. It has been stored from that moment on, for decades now. This makes it a sentimental issue for me. When I looked it over about a year ago, to determine its grade, I put it at an easy 9.8 without a press! But I waited until now, so that
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Megacon Rsults - Bargain Basement

One Dollar Goodness! Who says you can't find 9.8s in bargain boxes anymore? I have been working on completing a graded set of both Marvel Fanfare and Vigilante for some time now. I've had far more success with the Marvel Fanfare set. While at least most of them have been submitted from time to time, Vigilante issues are extremely difficult to come by in graded form. In fact, outside of the first few issues, most have not ever been submitted for grading at this point. I understand that t
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Megacon Results - Pre 80's

My only Economy submissions. Everything I took to Megacon was modern tier with the exception of one invoice. On this invoice were three comics. Spider-Woman #14, Micronauts #1 and Howard the Duck #2. I picked up the Spider-Woman off of Ebay and figured it for 9.6, but felt it was worth it to get Sienkiewicz to sign it. I purchased the Micronauts raw, sight unseen from Mile High over six years ago. I knew it was a great copy even back then, before I knew what to look for when self-grading f
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Megacon Results - Marvel Graphic Novels

Here is my second Megacon update! I left Tallahassee early on Thursday morning to make my way down to Orlando. It is about a 4 hour drive, and it went really fast because I was stoked to see my big brother again and be able to spend some time with him. After meeting up and having breakfast together, we decided to go around and check out some LCS and see what we could find. The first store we went to was one that he had checked out the day before called Coliseum of Comics. We had perused thro
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Megacon Results - Dazzler

Let the journals begin! Now that Megacon 2014 is a thing of the past, I can sit down and do some journals on my experience. This was nearly impossible during the show because of the sheer volume of things I was wanting to get done. I was so busy getting signatures, organizing my items, getting photo ops done, filling out forms, looking for celebrities, shopping for various items and so forth, that I just didn't make myself stop and focus on anything much other than what I was doing. I woul
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Such A Rush!!

Dushku delirium! Ok, I haven't done any journals like my big brother up until now during Megacon because I've just been too busy getting everything signed and done. I had a lot of stuff to do for this show. WAY more than I originally planned. Not only has Tnerb been a huge help to me here at Megacon, but so has his friend. She is a blessing I cannot possibly describe in mere words. A real trooper and very helpful and patient. We would not have accomplished everything we did so far without h
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Being the First!!

Setting the mark. There is a distinct thrill to being the first person to do something. Whether it is the first to have an idea or the first to create a new product or the first to win a challenge or any number of other scenarios. In the hobby of CGC collecting, you can accomplish this thrill in a number of ways. First to complete a run. First to complete a set. First to get top grade on an issue. First to get a signed copy of an issue. There are other ways as well, but you get th
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RIP Harold Ramis!!!

The first Ghostbuster to become a ghost... I was in Pensacola this past weekend talking with Ernie Hudson about the other Ghostbusters guys. So it feels ironic to me that two days later, one of them passes away. Harold Ramis,69, died this morning from complications of Autoimmune inflammatory vasculitis, which is an inflamation and swelling of the veins. He was diagnosed in 2010 and it got so bad at one point that he had to relearn to walk! Rest in peace Harold. You gave much joy to a
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Cons of a new Con

And a few pros too! I found out by sheer chance last Monday about a Con in Pensacola this weekend. Its called Pensacon and this is the first year of the show. Which of course means that they dont exactly have their act together on organization. Most shows can be frustrating to one degree or another with their coordination, but a first time con can be a big headache. CGC was not there but they did send one employee for witnessing for just me and a couple of others. It was like getting the r
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Helloooo Sienkiewicz Cover Set!!!!

Finally!!! After about five months, the Bill Sienkiewicz Covers set is finally a reality!!! Sienkiewicz is without a doubt, my favorite comic artist. Many of his covers were among my first forays into comic collecting and reading. At first I hated his art, but over time I have come to not only appreciate it, but love it! One of the nice things about this set is the fact that many of the issues in it are not available for listing in the registry on any other set!! So definitely check it out
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A Pair of Jacks!

No, I am not talking about poker, though I DO play poker. Six years ago, I bought a group of Near Mint Comics from Mile High. Among those was a copy of Machine Man #19. This is the low print run last issue of the series. After a few years, I decided to include it in my first raw submission to CGC for grading. I felt it would get a 9.6. I was astonished to find it had recieved 9.8 WP! This issue is a triple whammy! It is difficult to find in 9.8. It is the last issue of the series. And
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CPR

Everyone should know CPR, right? I know what you are thinking. What does breathing life back into a human being have to do with comics, right? Well I am not talking about CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). I am talking about my new term for attempting to improve on the condition of an already graded comic. CPR... Cracking, Pressing, Regrading. This can be done when you have an old labeled CGC issue that you want to try to improve by giving it CPR and a new label. Or it can apply to a C
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90s Flash TV Series

Remember this? Who remembers the Flash TV series that ran for one season in 1990 and 1991? I have a DVD set of the season and it is really neat to revisit it! I was 17 when this show aired and absolutely loved it. It is dated to some degree by the effects and the clothing and hairstyles and such, but this was probably the very height of live action comic book TV series up until 2000. The only other TV show I would put ahead of it is the Hulk series from the 70s. This show was a little go
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Selling, Buying And Breaking The 100K Barrier!!

Give and take and victory! One of my resolutions for the new year was to work on consolidating and streamlining my CGC collection. By selling off issues that are not really key issues or part of any of my sets that I strive to complete, I figure I can make my collection more focused and as a side result, raise my total registry points and points per comic average as well. For the last four weeks, I have removed from my registry a number of issues and even entire set categories and begun sell
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Prices! What Is Up With The 80s?

My oh my! Ok, I have payed close attention to prices on graded comics. Lately, like in the last two months, I have seen a definite uptake in the prices 80s issues are selling for. I am not completely sure why this is. In some cases, I can only say its because of the Copper Age 1st appearances issues, which have skyrocketed in selling price lately. I saw a Captain America #354 from 1989 in 9.8 sell for $161!! I can only assume that this was because the issue was the 1st appearance of US Agent
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Signed. Bronze. OAK!!

What a rush!! I have written in past journals about the risk and rewards that can come from cracking graded comics for signature purposes. If they fall in grade you have to find another copy in the higher grade to either try again or simply live with it as is. As referred to in a recent journal by Kaholo1256, we as CGC collectors have been conditioned to strive for 9.8s or better. There is nothing wrong with that. It is just the way it is. This means however, that if a cracked issue falls
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Purchase And Trivia! Can You Guess?

Do you know? I just purchased a copy of The Hulk! Magazine #13 on ebay yesterday in NM condition(see pic below). It should get at least a 9.4 from my estimation of the pic, hopefully higher. I purchased this issue for a number of reasons: One - I have never owned one before now. Two - It is a really neat Hilk cover. Three - I love 70s magazine size comics. Four - ? While the first three are all good enough for me to want a copy to submit to CGC, it is the fourth one that is the big
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