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Lee K

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Everything posted by Lee K

  1. which one will get me my news faster? at a better price? and be more accurate? I have to admit my experience with FOX is limited. I did run some news stories past them, when I first got into the news business and I did like how quickly they responded and the price. But I felt that maybe the news had only been glanced at and then reduced to an op-ed piece. I also have subscribed to a previously edited FOX news story which I felt deserved more. That story was gifted to a friend at ECCC in 2014 and after some massaging it was resubmitted as a 'new' news story to CBS, where it was treated two whole steps better. Admittedly that article was massaged. Now, I have significant experience working with CBS. They are established and typically I find that my news stories are treated well - but the volume of news that they handle appears to make responsiveness slow. I find that news articles previously reported on by FOX sometimes are better received at CBS and sometimes they are not - but I haven't had any personal experience with FOX articles actually being fraudulent. Overall, the news is treated better - although articles are poorly packaged for return to the original submitter and I have had many return in a damaged condition. Unfortunately it is more expensive and time consuming to submit news articles to CBS. Recently I have been experimenting with C-Span for my news. There is less fluff, but good communication on the phone-lines (callers are standing by now). My return on my news submissions have been timely (bonus) and excellently packaged for return of submission (the best) - and communication is excellent. But, I have had some disagreement with how my news articles were reviewed and edited. News that I had previously considered by CBS was later repackaged and submitted as 'new' news to C-Span, in once instance that news was one step better - but that story was massaged and CBS had reported on it a loooooong time ago. Two other news stories considered by CBS, were also submitted for consideration by C-Span and received a mixed review - one better one less well. I don't know what all this means - but probably it means that I'm going to kill my television and get all my future news from my Facebook feed - If it can't be reduced to a meme, it probably isn't important. Happy Hunting! Lee To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  2. Blame Fleas - he started it. I needed to jump quickly or I would have missed the bandwagon. Ten slabbed books that would survive if I had to get rid of nearly everything....I don't know - all of them *SPOON* it! So - instead - how about ten books I would like to focus on in 2015. Ten books that I would like to add to my CGC sets in the coming year, if I am so lucky as to secure them in the desired grade. #10 - Because everything doesn't have to be about me - Nyoka the Jungle Girl #15 (Charlton). Because I try really hard to find something each year for my buddy's shark cover collection, and someone turned me on to this excellent shark cover earlier this week. Since it is for my buddy - I think a well presented 7.0 or better with OW or better pages would be the thing. #9 - For the Go-Go Check collection - Wonder Woman (series 1) #167. For some reason, I love this cover. The colors, the tension in the bodies - it is one of the better WW covers from the era. #8 - For the Strange Adventures collection - Strange Adventures #50. I have some serious love for this cover, something about it really says "1950s Science Fiction" to me - and I will be keeping my eye out for this one. #7 - For the Strange Adventures collection - Strange Adventures #21. Wow - so SA has a lot of covers featuring fishing, and a couple of covers featuring either 'fish-men' or 'frog-men' - but this could very well be the best of both worlds - what a great fish-man fishing cover - excellent color, excellent draftsmanship. Just a real pleasure to look at. Honestly, I'll probably buy a POD and hang this one in my study. #6 - Go-Go Checks strike again - this time with Secret Hearts #115. The bloody romance books are the hardest to find in high grade - and I haven't secured any issues from the Secret Hearts run yet. This issue, if it becomes available and while I am at con, will be one of my priorities. #5 - Strange Adventures again - this time it's issue #51. For those familiar with the run - this is a great cover with some of that amazing DC pink, and a beautiful blue hue as the background and an excellent theme - 'gas' pump, air helmets, and period clothes, oh that white dress. Again with the excellent 50s Science Fiction images. #4 - Red heads - they mean trouble - and for the Go-Go Check collection, this means Young Romance #148, the last go-go check in the run, from the last book in the set (alphabetically). But it features a love triangle, a bad girl/good girl redhead, all on a beautiful white cover. This is going to be hard to find - but if it comes up, it'll certainly be a priority. #3 - Fish-men - my other favorite fish-men cover, Strange Adventures #105 - maybe not the best cover ever drafted, but this one holds a special place in my heart. I think this is the first 1950s science fiction back-issue I ever purchased, and I still have it. I could have it slabbed - but I think 2.0 is probably just a little bit below what I want for my set. #2 - Continuing with Strange Adventures - I give you an issue many people want #79 - Invaders from Ice World. I like this cover so much, that when a local artist asked me what comic cover I would like him to do a B&W copy of, this is the image I chose, and it still is hanging in my art studio. But I'd love to have a copy of the comic and I'm going to continue to try to buy one every time it comes up... And finally... #1 - The book I would most like to add to my collection in 2015 - for the Go-Go check collection: the Adventures of Bob Hope #102. The cover may be a little cluttered with words - but the go-go robot in the background is absolutely amazing. I don't have any Bob Hope issued in the Go-Go Check set yet - but I would love to add this one over the others as a priority. So much fun But it really is like hunting - I may go out looking for elk and come back with nothing, or I might just get a smaller elk than I was hoping for - but the joy is in the hunting, even if you never get to the eating. Happy Hunting and Happy 2015 Lee K P.S. - Image below is not my book - just an image from one I failed to win at auction before. But you can see the pretty... To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  3. it is my coupon submission, so it should be graded tomorrow- which means I should know my grades by Christmas. This is the only submission I have done this year since ECCC at the end of March, and I am excited to see my grades - too excited probably. There's nothing like a lot of anticipation to ruin a perfectly good day - by expecting too much. Ah well, we shall see...we shall see. And while we wait - Happy Yule to all, may your families support your hobby this season with appropriate additions to your collections. L To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  4. Lee K

    It has been months

    Since I made a journal entry But I finally chose my coupon books that I got from my free renewal/award for 'best presentation' and they are now verified. I am curious - two of the books are book purchased for the go-go check set and gifted to me by Ronnylama. He's just an all-around good human being, and I am proud to call him my friend. Another of the books is courtesy of Tnerb's sharp eyes at NYCC and my agreeing to make the purchase via cell phone - sight unseen - while riding by bicycle around the countryside. It can be tough to concentrate on comics while there are eagles overhead - fortunately for me Tnerb has an excellent eye for quality books, again a great human being that I am proud to call my friend. The last of the four is for my Strange Adventures set instead of the go-go checks - and I picked this one up raw myself. From the 50s, and I'm hoping for a strong VF on this one. Anyway - the books are now verified - so in just a couple of short weeks, we shall know. Thank you gentlemen. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  5. Or...How I learned to relax and love the bomb As we all know - the registry assigns a point value to every book that is in a competitive set ranging from single digits to thousands of points for individual issues. And - there is (or was - I haven't looked in some time) a fairly straightforward explanation of the point process which says that points are assigned based on the perceived value, desire by collectors, and how rare/scarce the book is - point value is then assigned for a particular universal grade and then an algorithm is applied to assign grades for all the other possible combinations of grades and restoration and signatures to arrive at a value for each particular book. This seems fair. If each of my readers don't know I have two primary collections - Strange Adventures, which I won't discuss here, and the go-go check collection. The go-go check collection has the advantage of being limited to a very specific time frame - 1966 & 1967 - so when I compare equal grades from books in this set, the point values should be reasonably similar, with the exception of key issues. But, well - let's look below. For NM books (9.4) in the go-go check collection that I currently have, point values range from 144 to 480 points. Since the single 480 book is a minor key (first SA Plastic Man) I will exclude it from this discussion. The next highest point value is 420. So the least valuable book (in points) is Young Love 57 at 144 points. Right - try to find romance books in high grade - the demand may be low, but the scarcity is through the roof and the final hammer price at auction is quite high - substantially more money was spent on this book than any of the four books that the set gets 420 points from, or even the single book that brings in 480. The next lowest point totals come from Strange Adventures 200 (150 points), Plastic Man 2, 4, & 5 (160 points) Challengers of the Unknown 54 (165), and Capt. Storm 14 & 18 (195)...hold on a moment, Capt. Storm? Really? Again - try to find any high grade issues of Capt. Storm. In the 200s - World's Finest 164, Strange Adventures 191, 192, & 198 (210), Tales of the Unexpected 94 (240), Teen Titans 9 (240 - really? Teen Titans? you can't give this away and it is readily avaiable for purchase). In the 300s - Adventure Comics 344, Brave & the Bold 70 (300), Sea Devils 34 (360 - ok, this makes sense - grey toned cover), Justice League of America 52 (360), Our Army at War 173 (375 - all the war books should be this high). 400s - Wonder Woman 164, 165, 170, and Flash 166 (420 points)...at least these books have demand - even if there are plenty of copies... So - where do the points really come from? Superheroes. But why? Superheroes are the most readily availble books in high grade... I don't know - but I feel better for having had my rant for the quarter. Happy Hunting! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  6. Lee K

    Holy Smite!

    I earned an award! So, I've been unplugged since about mid-day on Friday to go enjoys some Scottish Highland Games and did't bother to log in this morning while I drank my coffee; so I was very surprised to find a best presentation award on my DC Go-Go Check Set. And since it is my birthday - I shall enjoy my birthday present. Although I have diligently worked on my primary set for several years - and finally had it added as a competitive set this year - I really didn't expect it to be award worthy yet. Maybe in another couple of years of construction and adjustment. I'm just overwhelmingly surprised. Thank you - Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  7. Thanks. Probably my absolute favorite cover of all time. The trouble is I have never owned a copy. That guy must have a 3 stage fogger ( nitrous ) system on that car. Those tires are really smoking. I suspect the smoke is a way for Gil to avoid having to show where exactly the giant hand is coming from... Here's my copy. Come to think about it, I don't remember the story, or what the deal with the hand is. I have a pic of my 110 in my set. I love the book. If I remember the giant hand comes and saves this guy over and over during his life, I don't remember why the aliens felt obligated to help him - bug I remember it was an obligation for something they were the cause of when he was a youth...maybe.
  8. because When I crack open a 9.4, create a signature window, get it signed and submit it, I'm OK with it coming back as anything between 9.0 and 9.6 - heck even 8.5 if the artist was hard on it. But when you pay 9.4 money and have your books signed and it comes back 6.5 - that is a complete lack of consistency in grading standards. Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  9. Lee K

    And it begins

    invoice shipped Four invoices of SS modern books and one invoice of SS bronze books were done at ECCC and have received dates of 4/2 & 4/1 - all five invoices are graded, but one of the modern ones has managed to sneak through QC and get shipped. The first invoice is mixture of modern books from Magnus #1 (Valiant - 1991) through Red Sonja V2#6 (2013) all came back 9.8/White. I am a happy camper. Now for the remaining books (including those sketch covers) to make their way through QC! Happy Hunting! Lee K The image below is now SS by Art Adams To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  10. Or: while I've been halfway around the world, my comics haven't moved... Travel is a blast and I really needed the vacation - but while my modern SS books were all 'scheduled for grading' on the 14th of May, they still aren't all 'graded' even now. And none of the invoices have shipped. And here I thought I'd come home to books and other packaged after my vacation. Yeah - nope. Instead I got nothin. The other 'materials' I ordered for my art studio didn't arrive either - and when I followed up online today I was told "sorry, backordered at the manufacturer until the 5th of June" Darn. So much to do - so nothing to get it done with. This evening I have to travel across the state - and when I return...maybe my grades will be available, but I know my other orders won't. So maybe, this time, I'll cut everyone some slack and go play outside. Happy Hunting! Lee K (Image from my studio - roughly 34"x26" ink & watercolor on paper) To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  11. Waiting for grading... Well, all my modern SS invoices are scheduled for grading and my bronze SS invoice is verified...now all I have to do is wait, patiently, for my books to be graded and encapsulated and QC'd and finally shipped and I'll know my grades. Do I think that they will all come back 9.8? Nah. It'd be nice - but too many people handle them and I'm not sure they were even all 9.8 candidates. But I am excited to see what my grades are, and even more, to see what they look like encapsulated so I can start considering how to display so many red-heads on my walls. We shall see...but well, not for another week or so, at best. In the mean time Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  12. Lee K

    It has come to pass

    That all of my modern SS submissions from ECCC have achieved 'verified' status. Not that any of those modern books will make any impact on my two primary sets - but they should be beautiful in their sword & sorcery - yellow label goodness and I look forward to the opportunity to display them. Now I get to wait - and check every day - to see if my books will ship before I leave for vacation; some Gulf Coast and sunshine or if I will be away from the interwebs and not know my grades for days until I return to land... In any instance, I await my red-headed, sword-weilding, bad- as well as the accompanying books with baited breath. In the mean time Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  13. Lee K

    Bored now...

    Waiting for my books to be verified. THe long (albeit, substantially shorter than last year) wait is in process - my modern SS books having been received now for a calendar month. Yes, a calendar month - that's how real people tell time, not in 'business days' when most of the nation can't agree what a business day is anyway... And I don't really have any extra funds at the moment - so no auction surfing is happening - anyway I have a vacation to go on in two weeks, followed by other responsibilities, like bills, that need to be addressed. So what is one to do? I don't really have time to go through my raw books and look for CGC possibilities - I've already re-read all my old copies of Man-Thing, and Dr. Strange, and Justice League and the Avengers.... The journals have been mostly quiet and the chat boards aren't my thing... Ah well - I guess I'll go paint something - once I'm done with the work day. Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  14. Lee K

    What to do...

    what to work on... Now that ECCC has come and passed and my competitive set request is up and amended, I've reached a bit of a lull in my comic-nerd-ness. All of my signature series books from ECCC are showing as 'received'...and there isn't going to be anything to do with them buy wait for the next couple months. Which is fine - it is what it is. And all of my books are uploaded into my DC Go-Go Check Set as well as photos & descriptions. And I believe it is beautiful, even if it is only at 26%...ah, goals. There isn't really anything for me to do with my Strange Adventures (1950)set as I don't have any books to add right now - and I only have one or two books at home to submit. Nothing that I submitted for signature series at ECCC applies to either set...so no sitting back and imagining the points that will come in when my books are 'shipped safe'... Right now, I guess there isn't anything to do but bask in the fading glow of a really great weekend at ECCC - time with friends, both new & old. Time with comics, also both new and old. I want to thank everyone - Tnerb for the books he brought me all the way from Philly; Shivabali for the excellent book he gifted me for my Tales of Suspense #39-#99 set; Surfer99 for being a great human being and enjoying those bronze Marvels as I once did; and Ronnylama for playing host - and being more crazed about comicbooks than the rest of us combined. I hope we all enjoy our year to come - and I hope that next year there can be even more of us to enjoy ECCC together and share our love of comics. Happy hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  15. Lee K

    ECCC

    Quick thoughts - before I take a nap Tnerb, Surfer99, Ronnylama & Shivabali are cool people and I am honored to call them my friends. Mark Buckingham is a beautiful human being, and those of you who get to see him later this year at SDCC or Baltimore are in for a treat. Don Rosa has an amazing signature - the signature is artwork. Todd Nauck is super cool. Next time he's here, I'm having him do a head sketch for me. Jose Delbo has a great sense of humor. Nathan Fairbairn had never signed a 3-D cover before. Tales of Suspense might be my next set...but it'll be special in how it is built. Until next time Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  16. Lee K

    My Neal Adams Grail

    Finally.. Ronnylama, this is for you. I know how hard you've been looking for a copy, and I agree, it could be Neal's best cover ever. Happy hunting! Happy (my 200th) journal Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  17. Lee K

    And so it begins

    Go-Go Checks After my long wait - the go-go check set is a live competitive set. I couldn't be happier. It feels good to have all my ducks in a row and to be able to visualize where I want/need to focus to improve my set. 500+ books is a big set, and there a many that I don't anticipate every acquiring in high grade - but with so many issues to chose from - that's ok. It'll be a long time before I am down to only 'hard to find' issues. Thank you everyone that has supported me along the way! Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  18. Lee K

    T minus 10

    or is it T minus 13? or 14?I just don't know what I'm counting down to...I'm now 10 entries away from my custom set coming online...and being able to get all my pretty go-go checks in a single place.andI'm 13 days away from taking the day off work to help my LCS load into ECCC, which will give me a feel for the layout.I'm guessing that my friends should be arriving from Philly & SE. Phoenix on Thursday the 27th...and such a party will be had at con & Ronnylama's....I cannot contain my excitement, gentlemen...Happy Hunting!Lee KTo see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  19. Lee K

    Countdown

    Trickling, trickling down goes the number...smaller and smaller... Until something happens. Thing is, I don't know what's happening first. I'm now less than 20 sets from getting my custom set up and deleting 60% of the sets I now have. Then again ECCC is only a few short days away - close enough that I need to worry about paring my budget down to what I can really afford to have signed/sketched and CGCd And finally, in the days leading up to ECCC people (you guys know who you are) are coming out to visit - and we're going to have one seriously good time out at Ronnylama's Really - it's going to be a good March. Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  20. Lee K

    two months

    no purchases... It feels weird not buying any books - but I really am saving up for Emerald City. So many books to be signed and slabbed. And a couple of blanks to see about getting sketches on. But - with no new books in the stable - I check the new registry set list on the chat boards daily. Watching and waiting for the process to catch up to my one request. Two journals ago, it was 90 plus sets off - now it is less than 40, and some of those look like short sets. Biding my time and keeping my fingers crossed and looking forward to seeing those of you that will be at ECCC. For now, Happy Hunting Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  21. Lee K

    A weekend in Phoenix

    Or...I need to get away up through 2009 I used to run away from the cold & the grey and hide in Phoenix for President's Day weekend; visiting friends, going to the Renaissance Faire; having lunch at Chompies and hanging out in Tempe & Scottsdale. I forgot how much I missed it, I'm looking forward to next weekend; but by closest friends have moved away - and their friends aren't really my friends...so what to do with my time? Is there a comic shop in the area anyone would suggest? I doubt I'll be able to convince my wife to make a long stop - but if I could drive by on 'accident' I might have to stop and see. If nothing else - at least my fingers will finally get warm. Happy Hunting Lee K (No, I don't own this comic - it's just an image I swiped, if it is yours, I thank you for the loan; on the other hand - I'd love to own a copy one day, it is one of my favorites) To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  22. 98 bottles of beer... Ok - not exactly but close enough. Some time ago I requested a custom set to reflect my go-go check collection, and about once a week I check the chat boards (the only reason I go to the chat boards any more...) to see how much closer I am to cleaning up my set lists. As of a moment ago, there are only 98 sets to be added before my request is up...that's not bad, seing as it was hundreds of sets to begin with. I am excited - I may even have a custom set for my focus before ECCC. Happy Hunting and Happy 2014 Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  23. Barring surprises on Christmas Day, that is... Two more books for my Strange Adventures run, setting me once again, solidly in third place. In the absence of really high grade copies of the very few keys in this run it is going to take me a long time to approach anything near first place. Once I am comfortably in second, I may rest for a while...or I may not, in any instance it's a long haul. Additionally, one of these represents the final book in the go-go check subset of Strange Adventures, and is the intro and origin of the Enchantress. I'm not sure which run of go-go checks I'll focus on next...but I will focus on completing another subset or two in 2014. For now Happy Hunting! Merry Christmas! And a Happy New Year to all. May the mice never find your collection. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  24. Lee K

    Shark-mas

    Or, I did say I was getting some shark covers slabbed for my buddy for the holiday For years neither of us received comics or comic related items as gifts on birthdays or over the holidays, so spontaneously one year we bought for each other what we REALLY wanted under the tree (based on our individual budgets). While he cannot afford to pursue CGC books at the level I do, he does want to preserve a portion of his collection and he concluded that it was his shark covers that he loved most. Now I, and Ronnylama, spend a portion of our free time checking for shark covers, both common and obscure. The five pictured below are what I picked up for him in the first half of 2013 and sent to CGC in August. Grades came in close to what I expected, and I'm certain he will be a happy collector when he unwraps these in just a couple weeks. Burgum! Happy Hunting! Lee K To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.
  25. Lee K

    57 points

    And 53 points for another Probably the most difficult books to obtain from the go-go check run in high grade are the romance books. They just were never collected, protected, and cared for like the war books and the superheroes... If it wasn't for the Savannah pedigree, I would have none as opposed to three. But as hard as they are to find, and for the amount of money they sell for in high grade, they just aren't anywhere near as valuable as their war & superhero counterparts in the registry. While I am excited that the book below just came back from CGC, I am more disappointed that it is worth about half the points of a hero book in equal grade. Ah well, it isn't the points, it's the books themselves, and this one is beautiful. Happy Hunting! Lee K P.S. The 53 point book is an issue of Girls' Romances that is also a 9.2 from '66 or '67 To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.