ENVYotb73

Fingerprints?! So its been a loooong while since I've posted, but after a rather extensive break I got back to submitting more of my collection. I had rather good fortune originally but 2015 has been harsh as I just checked the grades on my recently shipped order. I've gotten 1 9.8 in the last 50 or so books. 1. This is particularly odd to me as on a whole my prior submissions were easily half or more 9.8 - 9.6 I cared for all my books equally, it just seems the grading has taken a marked turn more stringent. I keep getting a particular note on fingerprints, which I have personally NEVER seen on any of my books. Anyone else having similar experiences or is it just me? Any tips on a way to avoid the fingerprints issue? I look forward to hearing from others! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

After a year off, the grading begins anew.. To say 2014 was a bit of a rough year is an understatement, but alls well that ends well!! After starting the year with a skin cancer operation and losing my vehicle, among a death in the family and issue endangering the house, Im happy to say Im walking into to 2015 healthy, house secure and insured, a few negative friends lighter and a shiny red corvette stingray driving! So after the year of hell, its time to get back to business on my collection. I promptly renewed my cgc membership and evaluated my previous submissions from 2013. 2013 was a good start, as I graded a total of about 100 and some odd books. Some personal favorites, a couple key books as well as a few for selling. Of course I havent begun to scratch my collection, so a bit of direction is definately in order. 2015 1: A nice diversity should be maintained. I think a wide variety of titles versus just focusing on one is a bit more enjoyable. To this end my first batch of 2015 includes Alira #1, Razor Annual #1 amongst the regular batch of x-men and gi joe. 2: Diversity is nice, but a good focus on specific titles is important. X-men and GI Joe are my early year focus, as really getting through grading specific titles will allow me to define what I would like to add to those collections that I currently dont have. Need to define those collecting goals in my older (40s) age . 3: You cant keep it all. Im old enough now to realize you can only really display and enjoy so much of a collection (unless your a movie star, etc). Time to thin out some of the unnecesary and really define what has that sentimental gold with me. (This will also help PAY for grading ). 4: and finally...sometimes what it means to you is more important than what its worth. Comic books were a huge part of my childhood and certain books bring back the fondest memories. Slabbed books look wonderful on display and Im definately planning on some for sentimental purposes. So 2015 will see Atari Force, Camelot 300, and Crystar added to my registry. Value be damned!! Im looking forward to a great year. I love waiting for books to be graded, the excitement of seeing what the grades end up being is an added enjoyment to having a collection. May you all experience many 9.8s in your future! p.s. what exactly does it take to get a 9.9 or a 10?! Im seriously curious!! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

My quick IMYOP on the online community While Ive been a comic book, wrestling, toy,anime,sci fi,movie, gaming supergeek since I saw Star Wars at the age of 4, it often shocks people a) how long it took me to get into the internet originally and b) how very little I have interacted within any online communities. In the very short month or so that Ive explored the cgc community Ive already journaled more times than Ive probably posted on ANY online community EVER. SO...why here and why now? Simple really: The community here feels like a...well, actually a community for once. Reading others posts and reading responses to mine I feel like Ive finally found an example ofwhat the internet always promised me it was but never really delivered. People with a similiar passion to mine, the feeling of sharing love and appreciation for a common passion. As Ive begun to finally sort through my 30 long boxes of comics that have sat relatively untouched for 15+ years Ive been reliving every day old joys and fond memories, truly enjoying my collection for the first time in years, and having access to people I can share that experience with. Grading my books started as the logical thing to do for my collection sitting there gathering dust. Nothing was really going on with it other than taking up space. Logically I decided it was time to do something, ANYTHING with it...paring it down the first step. Grading amd adding valued was the obvious first step. Never did I imagine it would lead to me discovering a brand new enjoyment of my collection, or re ignition of my passion and enthusiasm of my long dormant comic hobby. I certainly did not expect to also discover the communal experience the internet purported to be but I had yet to actually experience. So from my seat atop 30 dusty long boxes in my garage, between an agonizing process of "what am I sending in to cgc next" with some pauses to glance at my registry and where I want it to grow next, I say to all here "WELL MET, IM SOO GLAD IM HERE, AND THANKS FOR BREATHING LIFE INTO A COMATOSE COLLECTOR AND HIS ALMOST EXTINCT HOBBY"! See you in the journals, same bat time, excelsior, 'nuff said from the bullpen and....you get the picture !! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

The 2nd batch is on the way home and I learned to peak at the grades online!! Well, no sooner (relatively) had I journalled my first ..um..journal (+ interlude) and my second submission is on the way home! As my grading addiction grows daily at a heroin like rate I also discovered you can see the grades online once the books ship. So did I wait until they arrive for the surprise? But of course.. NOT!! I went fairly large this time, with a total of 21 books. Whereas my first batch was almost all marvel (save for my coupon books), this time I delved into multiple publishers. And the results? Surprisingly awesome! Where my first batch scored a single 9.8 followed by some 9.6 's, batch number 2 has six 9.8's alone! Which brings us to a crucial juncture: its time to upgrade to the top tier membership before I go further. I simply have too many books I want graded to not invest in the 15% off. Consequently I also realize the only way to really make this project doable is to suck it up and submit some under the modern tier sans fast track. I sincerely loathe the idea of waiting 3 months plus for my books, however I simply cannot justify fast tracking everything, considering many books are of a sentimental value more than anything. Atari Force is one of my all time favorites, but I cant rationalize a fast track there. Id love to hear anyone elses thoughts / experience with this particular dilemma. Is the wait tolerable? Please comment and hopefully you'll be back for my next journal where I receive batch 2! Ive barely begun my cgc experience and already Im starting to think about...shudder...signature series. One addiction at a time To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

A quick aside on the New Mutants cgc community As Ive been reading passed journals and acclimating to the CGC community Ive noticed a significant number of New Mutants fans! For my first submission I sent #87 and 98, 1sts apps of cable and deadpool natch, as I wanted to start with some money books. Despite a ludicrous amount of books to whittle down to 15 for my first submit, I couldnt help but also send NM #1 and #2. Not even remotely comparable value choices next to my many other options, but I thought they were good copies and their personal value to me was high. Just sent in my New Mutants graphic novel, cgc received it yesterday. I guess I was a little surprised to discover so many journals containing New Mutants mentions when the bulk of the series really is fairly low value. Correction: pleasantly surprised. Nice to see the community appears to truly be collectors focused on theyre personal loves vs simple prospectors. Ill wrap up this not so quick nor brief aside with a shout out to all the New Mutants lovers, its a pleasure to meet you and share in that particular passion! Excelsior! ps kinda makes me feel that the series may be a bit undervalued over all in general. Seems to carry a more ardent following than any current price guides suggest To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Finally, the grading begins! The cataloguing continues! My once proud collection resurrected!! Its been a long and treachorous journey fraught with daring do and dangers best recalled at a later date, suffice it to say Ive finally gotten into my 20,000 book collection and begun my cgc grading. As I anxiously await my second full submissions results (21 books) I thought it would be a great time to reflect on my first experience earlier this year. It feels like ive been talking about getting some grading started for ever and I must say after taking the plunge it's a most addicting adventure! Upon my initial approaching of my collection I was struck by a few instant revelations: A) I had pulled a plethora of choices in minutes B) this gets expensive real quick and C) 17 books doesnt even dent just the initial choices I pulled. My first submission consisted of 13 books, followed quickly by another for (my membership freebies). It should be noted I have only ever seen pictures of graded comics online. I was also massively curious to get them back so I could truly get a grasp of what actual grades look like. I couldnt even hazard a guess as to the grades, choosing instead to forego even thinking about that until I had some point of reference from my first shipment. First impressions: I was amazed how nice an actual graded book in hand looks and knew I was hooked pulling that first one out. I was pleasantly surprised as well to receive far more grades in the 9's than I intially thought. Admittedly there were a couple that graded far lower than I might have expected, but over all I was very happy. Top grade was Guardians of the Galaxy #1 (1990) at a 9.8 followed by GI Joe#1, New Mutants 98, and Incredible Hulk 340 all at 9.6! Next up were 5 9.4s : Wolverine ls #1, Punisher ls #1, New Mutants #1, Infinity Gauntlet #1, and GI Joe 11. There was no real method to what I chose to send as I have so many candidates justfrom a quick peek into boxes! Next journal I will cover the rest of the first batch, including my slight disappointments (they were all my oldest issues ) and my initial concluding sentiments on the entire process. Until then, may you all discover a 9.8 with every submission! ENVY To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.