MachoGrande

It could be that proper authentication requires complete removal of the comic JSA employs the Video Spectral Comparator (VSC) to reinforce the expert's findings. This state-of-the-art authentication tool is a powerful workstation that uses sophisticated color and infrared imaging, magnification, coaxial lighting, side lighting, and on-screen, side-by-side or overlaid autograph comparisons. In doing so, the VSC can detect erasures, reveal masked and obliterated signatures, differences in ink types, and several other signs common in autograph forgeries which cannot be detected by the naked eye. I wish Kirby was around to draw the Video Spectral Comparator

Haha! I could have worded that better. I’m not implying CGC is the last word on grading, but rather, the collectors I sell to pay a premium for CGC when a similarly graded example is available. While the small sampling of collectors represented on this site are quick to call out CGC chicanery, I see far more collectors who simply buy the number on the slab and move on to the next purchase.

Hard to say in the short term. I’m confident that as time goes on the collecting community at-large won’t recognize much of a distinction between witnessed or authenticated—if any at all. Despite the black-stripe designation, I can envision a “a yellow label is a yellow label” mentality. (I realize I’m ignoring years of the autograph “verification” sales data. I don’t see them as comparable) Some long-time collectors will always prefer witnessed signatures. The market will decide. And I see collectors putting faith into CGC authentication the same way they accept CGC’s grading as gospel.

I'm aware, but CGC...and JSA...hold more weight than those guys. Plus, by keeping the yellow label for authenticated sigs, I believe that adds a certain psychological advantage. If authenticated sigs had been introduced with an orange label, I could see the natural ordering shaking out as Yellow>Orange>Blue.

I predict that the value differential between witnessed and authenticated signatures will eventually be negligible. I'm most interested in how this will affect the sales of raw signed books on ebay. And also how it will affect the prices creators charge for signatures. Will artists who charge a premium for witnessed signatures now raise prices across the board?

You can have as many signatures on the book verified as you want (at $25 per). It's only the optional signature grade itself that's limited to two per book.

It would be nice if the promoter would publish a list of exhibitors. It's in my hometown, but I'm not going unless there are a fair amount of comics dealers.

THANK...YOU...SO...MUCH!

And that is my biggest fear. While I don't remember owning many Charlton, Red Circle, etc., I did have a pretty decent collection of Atlas/Seaboard titles.

I agree with this. In all the Kirbys I've plowed through in the past week, I've never come across a panel layout of his that's reminiscent of the left hand page in the photo. Nope, just checked. Just checked. No go. Not Champions 18, but I appreciate all the suggestions!

This spread doesn't appear in New Gods, Mister Miracle, The Forever People, The Eternals or Kamandi. I've checked every page (I'm very unpopular with my wife this week). Believe me, I'm starting to second guess what I'm seeing as well. I figured my only chance was that this just happens to be someone's favorite comic of all time and sees this this thread.

It's a scan. The comic is such a tiny portion of the original photo, I had to blow it up quite a bit just to be able to make anything out at all. And, no. I don't think I'll ever get over Macho Grande. Those wounds run...pretty deep.

Yeah, it's a pretty lousy image. It's such a small portion of the original photo. My first thought was Uatu, as well. But after scouring all the Watcher appearances I could find, I don't think it is. However, I could be wrong.

Help identify this comic from an old photo I was recently gifted a box of family photos that included a photo of myself from February 1978. I'm in my room reading a comic that I can't remember or identify. Here's a scan: Any eagle-eyed bronze age fans recognize anything from these pages? It appears there's dude in the upper left corner of the left hand page wearing a high-collared...robe? Maybe? And in the middle panel on the right, another dude with arched eyebrows? I'm drawing a complete blank. I was reading everything Marvel and DC at this point, and had a pretty decent collection starting from 1973 onward. I did have a few silver age books that I picked up at garage sales, flea markets etc, so it's possible it's older. Any help would be appreciated.

Picked up mine a few minutes ago: