Leaderboard

I officially became a member of these boards. Life has not been the same since.

Hi folks, I produced/hosted this video feature on John Byrne's studio, which is PACKED with great original comic art and other amazing collectibles. John was very gracious with his time, as usual, and his fandom is apparent. The guy loves comics. Hope you guys enjoy it ...and please excuse my S**t-eating grin on the screen grab -- I was giddy being surrounded by John's absurd collection.

I don't think anyone really wants to see this but I will post it here for posterity. If you would have told me a few years back I would have One, let alone SIX Church Planet Comics, I would have politely said that was not possible. This is probably my 2nd favorite mail call of all-time (don't ask what was first- but you can assume it had something to do with Charles Schulz) and I just couldn't help but ask someone in my office to take the pic. Please don't note the Five Guys cup or various boxes behind me.

...and all you see in a comic is "how much is this worth?", you're depriving yourself of universes of wonder, joy, and lifetimes of excitement and fun. Short background: I got into comics at the age of 17, not having read them as a child. I found some comics at a used book store for 50 cents, comics that had cover prices of $2.50 and $2.95...including this one: I thought I had stumbled on a get-rich-quick scheme: buying these comics for 50 cents, then selling them for cover price to others. Who wouldn't want to pay cover price for old comics, after all...? Oops. But, in the process, I discovered something about comics: they're actually not half bad. In fact, some of them are pretty great. I developed an eye for artists, and an ear for writers, and learned to follow their work. I learned about what motivated Magneto, why Batman needed a Robin, why Wolverine was so angry all of the time, and how Guy Gardner got taken out with just one punch. One punch! And unlike Black Canary, I didn't miss it. And while I appreciate (no pun intended) the fact that comics can become more valuable (sometimes rather quickly), and I like owning those books...because then I can buy more books!...that's not the reason I collect them. There are entire universes out there to be explored, and there is literally something for everyone, whether you like super heroes, melodrama, price variants, Disney, mini-series, first appearances, artwork, heck, even letters of comment...comics has it all, and then some. But if you have no interest in the artform, when the crashes come, and they always come, there will be nothing to keep you. And the less interest in the artform there is, the harder the crashes will be, because there will be nothing to keep others like you. I understand where you're coming from: we're in a period right now, with all the movie excitement, that is unprecedented. Comics are worth more than they ever have been, and since 2009, it doesn't look like anything has really lost its value; indeed, prices today are setting records over and over again. Just when you think "this CAN'T go higher!" it does, and then double that, and then triple that. Eventually, however, the culture will move on, as it always does, and when that happens, it's going to be bloody. This is not an anti-speculation screed. Speculation is not necessarily bad, in an appropriate context. Speculation is exciting...I get it...but if all comics are to you is a vehicle to make $$$, if you care nothing about the book in your hand other than "how much is this worth?"...you're cheating yourself of one of the greatest artforms ever created. It's an amazing artform. An American classic, just as rich and diverse as any film, TV production, or novel. There are worlds to discover, right at your fingertips. PS. I still have that copy of Alien Nation #1, that I bought 30 years ago this summer, in a used book store in a little town called Willits, CA. Never did manage to get rich with it.

I can think of a few reasons. 1. Paper stock. I just read Marvel's latest release of Conan the Barbarian and the cover stock felt flimsy and cheap and I felt the comic would fall apart at any moment. 2. Changes of characters to satisfy social justice warriors. Keep characters the same, I don't want to see a popular character in a new version. Invent a new character instead of ruining the old guard thanks. 1. Number 1! Number 1. New all new #1. Etc. 4. Variant of the variant of the variant. I go to a comic store and see a book on the shelf and I have no idea if I own it or not because there are so many covers to the same book. 5. Superman, Supergirl, Superdog, Supergrandma, SuperTransvestite. Why cant we have originality!

While my collection of 750+ comic books, purchased by me off the newsstand between the years of 1942 to 1954 doesn't qualify for a Pedigree, I would like to know if it is indeed the "Oldest Original Owner Collection" on the boards. If anyone is aware of another Golden Age collection I would truly like to know. Thank you. Marty Mann THE PARK AVENUE COLLECTION

Hey guys and girls, For a while, I've had a youtube channel. Up to now, it's been predominately statue reviews, many of which I've shared in the statue thread here on the boards. It occurred to me recently that comics are a much bigger part of my life than statues are, so why not produce videos about comics? Last night I recorded the first Comic Book Spotlight. The content will vary between Golden Age, Silver Age, Bronze Age, and Copper Age. The videos will be short, and will each cover a single book from my collection, sometimes a recent acquisition, other times a book that's been in my collection for years. One of the points of these videos is to discuss topics to a broader audience that might not know the ins and outs of comic collecting, so if you hear me explaining something that feels like common knowledge to veteran collectors, that's the reason why. I thought I'd use this thread to share each video as they're produced. So here's the first Comic Book Spotlight on my Superman #16, purchased last week on Comiclink. I hope you enjoy it...

Reeled this one in the other night. Aside for being a Hitler cover it boasts the baddie the Hun, monsters, bondage, and 2 separate axis powers about to get thwomped by the Wizard and Shield. Great first splash imo and the Reiman Wizard splash is also very cool. This book also on a side note contains an add for Archie Comics #1. All around neat-o if I do say so myself...

This picture

From the collection of Ruben Blades book has Off White pages $4995 shipped

I've been slowly picking up this run over the past 10-12 years. I got my start with a copy of #7 that I got from Jason Ewert back in the mid-90s when he picked up a set of bound volumes and had them separated. Over the years I started to appreciate them not only for the great Lou Fine covers of the earlier issues, but then how as much as any run it took the WWII era patriotism to another level with Uncle Sam, etc,. Starting around the mid-teens I think it finally developed it's identity, and one befitting the title. For the next 3 years the WWII theme continued until a shift in mid-44 to a more bland theme took over similar to Quality's other titles. But enough talking, more sharing. Feel free to chip in with what you have! I'll start with my copy of 16 with the classic Lou Fine skeleton cover that pairs nicely with Hit comics 17.

This is the 2nd highest graded copy (highest is CGC 8.5), new to the market and just back from CGC. Strange Mysteries #12 CGC 7.5 SOLD!! Back Cover

I'll take it

I won the Planet #14 Church copy, and what an amazing book it is. The next highest grade is a 6.0, which is just nuts. I also own the 6.0 Restored copy (small amount of glue on spine). I'm hoping that can be removed.

Haven't posted here in awhile, I'm mostly just a lurker around these parks, but here's a update on my comic room this past year!

May be beat up, but still glad I was able to get one of my first big comics!

I am pleased to report that today the Court of Common Pleas for the First Judicial District in Philadelphia granted the Motion for Summary Judgment filed by CGC et al. and dismissed the Meyers' lawsuit in its entirety. A copy of the decision is available to read here: https://docdro.id/h3MHM4Y The Meyers have 30 days to appeal. As the Court noted, "truth is an absolute defense...."

I guess this is kind of cheating, since I have a collectibles room and a surplus room (dining room), but it's not like I'm going to cut back on collecting :-)

I didn't have anything else to do today, so I took myself off into town to visit a comic shop in Putney. I spent a good hour or so in there, rooting around, and came away with four comics. Two pence Charltons, a 9d pence Archie that was misfiled (but I still found it) and a Strange Tales #76 that I bought so I could see what type the indicia was. I forgot about everything for that hour or so, lost in the wonderful world of old smelling paper. On the way home I watched the families, parents battling with their kids, the young lovers gazing into each others eyes and the football crowd, talking loudly and rowdily in happy groups on the train. I thought of my Dad, who I lost last year to cancer and pondered life in general. I posted the books here when I got home in their respective threads. Comics, it seems, are my friends. They have been for as long as I can remember. And I do love them.

Added another Frazetta!

One shelf done. The move in is going to take longer than I thought once complete i will will do some better pics

Pep comics 20 CGC 6.0, arguably the best WW2 cover of the Golden Age. Nothing better represented the danger Europe and the rest of the world faced under the Third Reich. $6700