When Peter David was announced as a guest at NYComicCon, I felt it was a perfect opportunity to get these issues signed by the writer.

I will admit, I did a terrible job of getting my comics ready for signings. Many on the journals and boards prep each comic the right way by cutting out windows in their protective plastic sheets, color taping the borders of the windows, and adding notes to direct signature locations, even going as far as suggesting which color inks to use.

I did none of that and found myself often juggling several comics out in the open, praying that none of them would get abused by the crowds which swelled around me or by the signers themselves. So it comes as no surprise, that out of 32 Modern Comics which I submitted for grading with signatures, only 10 came back 9.8's. The rest were graded anywhere between 9.0 to 9.6... and I didn't get many 9.6's back either... so I will look at this as a lesson learned for next time.

But these two came back 9.8's. Why?

During the speculator boom of the 90's, I bought these issues solely thinking anything with the words "Spider-Man" stamped all over it would be a worthwhile investment. I am quite certain I didn't bother to read any of them at all, which is the biggest reason I believe the pair received 9.8 grades. Most certainly, back in the day, I plucked each issue from the newwstand rack, got home, slipped them into a plastic storage bag, and filed them away never to see the light of day, until last October.

The high grades also have to do with the quality of the publications, as Spider-Man 2099 #1's red foil cover is printed on hard coverstock. And I recall, in the 80's and 90's, as the average cover price of comics soared, so too did the improvement in page quality, with cleaner and thicker Mondo and Baxter paper used in favor of cheap newspaper pulp.

Anyway... whatever the reasons for the high grades, I'm grateful they scored high.

Of late, I've become a big fan of the yellow labels. Take a look at each comic in their slabs; the yellow label seems to broadcast the indigos, magentas, and crimsons... the cover colors really pop with luster! And the CGC has done a fine job with their encapsulations. These beauties are picture perfect!

BTW: According to the census, issue two, as seen here, currently ranks as the highest grade with a yellow label. Yeehaw!

Thanks for reading!

SW3D

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