Hellmouth

Hey everybody, name is Brian. From Rochester NY. Been collecting comics for 25+ years. A few breaks, a few sold collections but this hobby of ours keeps dragging me back in. Got my first CGC book in 2010. Been slabbing ever since. Had some good conversations so far, glad I joined finally. Cheers! Brian

Ladies and gents an evening with Mr. Don Rosa It was cheap and I've always wanted a pedigree book. So now I get to add Marvel Spotlight #21 9.4 from the Don Rosa collection to my collection. It's always astounded me that people can keep so many books in such good condition for so many years. Good thing for us, bad for our wallets! Anyone here in journal land collect pedigree books? Any benefits from collecting said books? I'll post a pic when it arrives. Cheers! Brian To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Let the battle begin Well after being bumped from my number 2 spot in the Monsters Unleashed category I've decided this is the set I'm going to try and complete. The Marvel/Curtis monster mags have been a passion of mine for years. Finding them in high grade has been a problem. I just got MU #1-3 in the 9.2-9.6 range if my grading is correct. I'll be submitting them after my trip to the Pittsburgh comic con this year. Issue 3 will be a sig with Herb Trimpe. I'll have to crack it later as I want a Neal Adams sig also. Hopefully by November I'll be back in the #2 spot. Going for the top spot eventually. This is for my love of the books and the quest of finding them in high grade. Stay tuned ill keep you all updated! Cheers! Brian To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Here is a pic of the HTD price variant Sorry, all I have is an old yahoo account or I would have posted this in the other thread. The photo is from the eBay auction. I'll try and post more when I get the book. Cheers! Brian To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

The duck obsession Just won a nice upgrade on eBay. A 9.6 WP Howard the Duck #3 30 cent variant to replace my 8.5 with the old label. I was originally bidding on a 9.6 #4 price variant but was outbid. With 40 seconds left I figured what the heck and bid on #3. I paid a bit more than I would have liked but feel like I made out in the long run. I was going to submit the 8.5 for pressing and reslabbing. I'd be shocked if the 8.5 went higher than a 9.0 after pressing so I feel like this upgrade is worth the price. My obsession with all things Howard. That dirty duck! Cheers! Brian To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

9.8 frustration I've submitted many a book at this point. Many different grades but never a 9.9. What am I missing? What should I look for? Pointers? Hints? Secret handshakes? I'd preferably like the book to be one I collect or have interest in. But honestly at this point it could be an issue of Top Dog and I'd be happy . Cheers! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Would you like some Sienkiewicz with that? Just bought a ss 9.8 of Ten Grand #1 variant signed by Straczynski for under 40 bucks. Even better I will be getting it signed by Bill Sienkiewicz at the Pittsburgh comic con in September! This will be my first slab I'll be resubmitting with a sig on it already and one ill be having signed at the show. Anything I should know besides opening the slab in front of a CGC witness? Cheers! Brian To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Comments on.... Just wondering why I'm seeing more and more modern age books with low grades? I can understand submitting a hard to find golden/silver age book in low grade, but books from the 2000's? Seems like a waste of time and money IMO. Comments? To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Green label questions Just curious if anyone has ever submitted books knowing they will come back with a qualified label? I have a few key high grade books I would like to submit but haven't knowing they will come back green label. Do they downgrade for sigs? Is this frowned upon in the community? Will this affect the value of the book? Any comments would be appreciated! To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

WAAAUGH! Love this piece by Humberto Ramos. It was done Sept 29th 2012 at Wizard world Mid-Ohio. I tend to enjoy his fantasy work a bit more than his recent Marvel work. It was an absolute thrill to get this back and it looks pretty sharp in the CGC holder. Thought I would share! Enjoy! Brian P.s. does anyone know a site where I can get an email to join the message boards? I have a really old yahoo one. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Another SS from the Pittsburgh con. Another book I thought might grade lower, but my surprise was higher. My Godzilla #1 signed by Herb Trimpe came in at a 9.2. I was expecting a 9.0 or even an 8.5. I wouldn't minded either as I love me some Godzilla! But a 9.2 was an unexpected surprise. Can't wait to get the big green guy with the yellow label back in the collection! Cheers! Brian To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.

Make Mine CGC! First Journal entry so please bear with me. My Amazing Spider-Man 252 had been graded by another company as a 9.4 with ow/w pages. Now while this isn't a bad grade in some eyes others would agree we know our books. What they look like, the feel, any blemishes, etc etc. I know this book. I've owned it for longer than I remember. I could tell you where I bought it. What shirt I had on. The store, what the weather was that day. I also knew that book was no 9.4 with ow/w pages. Frankly the grade disgusted me. So the book sat for almost a year and a half at the 9.4. Until last month. Ron Frenz was appearing at the Pittsburgh comic con. Of course the cracking of the (IMO) poorly graded ASM 252 was a no brainer. Had the book signed by Mr Frenz and submitted to CGC. And I'd also like to add while I can, the young ladies at the CGC booth were incredibly kind, patient (Herb Trimpe kept us waiting for a few minutes) and helpful. Anywho, checked my graded today and saw the book was graded a 9.6 with WHITE pages. I knew in my heart this book was a better grade and page quality and CGC has proven it to be a fact. Reliable and consistent grading. The reasons I will be using CGC from this day forward. Thank you all at CGC for the fantastic work you do. To see old comments for this Journal entry, click here. New comments can be added below.