AngryMan

Well, it took a lot longer than I thought it would, but I've done it! I've bagged/boarded all my old Incredible Hulk books. I now have a clearer sense of my inventory... It took a lot longer than I thought it would. Given the fact that I physical limitations, the task probably took longer for me than it would for anyone else. Also, I was taking the time to scan the covers into my PC as I bagged/boarded, which slowed things down. This became too tedious, however. In the interest of finishing the job, I forwent the scanning step. I had told a few people (on the message boards here, for example) that I estimated that I had over 200 comics that needed to be properly bagged/boarded. Okay, I exaggerated. (At least I?m man enough to admit it!) I guess the number seemed a lot higher to me at first. Anyway, here?s the list of what I have... MARVEL COMICS Incredible Hulk: #109, #110, #115 #263, #279-308, #310-377*, #380-383, #385-391, #393-394 * Note: I have a number of duplicates issues within that sequence of issues Hulk Annuals: #11-13, #15, #16 Incredible Hulk vs. Wolverine: #1 (80s reprint) Secret Wars: #1, #2, #3 (2 copies), #4 (2 copies), #5, #6, #7, #8 (2 copies), #9, #10, #11 (2 copies), #12 DC COMICS: OMAC: #1 Dingbats: #6 Weird Mystery Tales: #23 PREZ- First Teen President: #1 Forever People: #7, #8 Total number of re-bagged/boarded books: 151 Although not boarded, all these issues were bagged. However, I guess as a kid I was lazy at times and did not tape shut some of the bags. It is surprising how much difference a little piece of tape means. For a few of the issues that were bagged but NOT taped shut, the covers are in fine shape but the pages had yellowed. It goes without saying that the later issues are in the best condition. Although I am a big time novice at grading, I would say, for the vast majority of books I went through, most are in FINE condition, with a few exceeding that and a few falling below that. I was quite surprised at times to find that some issues (#279, for example) had a clean crisp front and back covers as well as white pages! Others had decent pages (cream?) but the covers were worn. (I used to take some of the comics to HS. Hey, what did I know?) Overall, I was pleased with the majority of the condition of the books. I was happy to see I had the full set of McFarlane?s Hulk run, as well as all the Mr. Fixit issues. There are, as you can see, a few breaks in the numbers. I hope to (over time) fill in a few of the holes. I might be too big a job to try and collect all the issues that fall prior to #279. I will probably stick with filling in the small gaps in the numbers that come later. Funny thing ? I am probably still not done. I think I have more issues somewhere in the house. I have to go looking around. For now at least, I can claim I?ve reached at least one of my goals ? to transfer all my old (HULK) comics from old bags to new bags/boards. A few books (all of Secret Wars, for example) I put in mylar bags. They may not be in NM condition but I?d like to keep them in at least in the FINE condition they are in now. I?ve also been adding to my collection. I?ve purchased a few new comics. I?m up-to-date with the new (Red) Hulk issues. I?ve also purchased What If?Planet Hulk, Transformers Megatron ORIGIN (sketch cover) #1, SKAAR #1 (variant cover), and World War Hulk (variants) #1-5. I?m thinking about starting a collection of all #1?s. (Hey, it could be fun!) I realize (to some of you) my collection may seem modest at best. Hey, I had to start somewhere. Honestly, I think I'd like to keep it relatively small. I?d like to keep it at a level I can manage. Lastly, I want to thank all of you who help me get this far. Much THANKS!!! (Image of another one of my favorite Incredible Hulk issues: #279)

It's not mint, so it probably isn't worth a lot, but... Okay, it isn't in mint condition. There are some creases around the staples. The back cover shows wear, too. Also, I realize foil isn't popular. But the pages are off white, almost white and that cover...well, just look at it! I had to put this one in a mylar bag. Maybe I'll get it graded someday. It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite covers in my collection.

Got bags! Got boards! The process begins... Okay, now keep in mind, I have really bad rheumatoid arthritis. I've had it for close to 30 yrs. (I was diagnosed w/ it as a kid. It happens.) So, if my progress seems slow, you'll know why. Bagging/boarding has begin. I have a box, too. I?d say, I probably have over a hundred possibly more) Incredible Hulk comics to go through. So far I?ve bagged/boarded about 20. ! I?m slow!! Well, I hit my first snag already. Since I am such a newbie, I didn't think my old Hulk books (#109 and #110) were Silver Age. So, the bags I got, best I could afford, were only for Modern Age. Needless to say, issues 109 and 110 don't fit. They'll have stay in their original bags until I can get Silver Age bags/boards. I guess I gotta spend some $$ for Silver Age bags/boards next. I would like to get the mylar bags because (I guess) they are better, but they seem a bit expensive to me. Besides, not sure my old comics are worth it. (IH #109 and #110 are listed as worth $50 N-Mint, but mine are not N-Mint copies.) Still, transferring my 80s and 90s comics, although a slow process for me, is actually quite fun. Seeing those covers again brings back GREAT memories! Pages are almost all white or near white. Who knows?maybe someday?? Ya never know. Thanks for reading! BTW - The cover shown is my copy of IH issue #109. If the image looks bad, a lot of it is do to the poor quality of the bag itself. (It?s turning yellow.)

Well, I'm stuck. With a limited budget, do I start properly bagging/boarding my really old comics or do I keep to my 80s Modern Age comics? I'm stuck... My problem is I don't know if the so called Silver Age comics I have are worth the effort. Some of them are showing their age. Creases near the staples, yellow pages, some yellowing on the covers. Does their age alone make them worth saving? Is a #23 "Weird Mystery Tales" w/ creases in the binding (around staples) worth the preserving? What about a #8 "Forever People" with a flattened binding? I wish I knew what to do. I decided to order boards and bags for my modern age comics first. I can also order bags/boards for these Silver Age issues, but it might have to wait a month. If anyone out there has some thoughtful advice, please pass it along. (note: in the image shown, the black mark in the upper right corner is on the plastic bag, and NOT on the issue itself.)

I'm moving so slow with this, it is amazing I can even consider it forward progress. Been looking through my comics. I had more than I thought. Some Silver Age stuff! But are they worth saving? When I was a kid, my dad would take me to a comic book store near my neighborhood. It was run by this big tattooed burly guy. (Thinking back, he now reminds me a little of the Comic Book Guy from ?The Simpsons.?) Although big and scary, he also seemed like a really nice person. I would come in once a week and buy whatever caught my eye (usually Hulk or X-Men). One weekend he told me he had a bunch of old comics that he just can't sell and asked me if I wanted them. I said sure. As time went by, I stopped going to his store. I think I heard later he had to close up. It was a little sad to hear. He seemed like a nice guy. Those old comics he gave me, along with my 80s comics I was collecting, have been collecting a thick layer of dust ever since. ?until yesterday? I took them out yesterday and now I can?t help but wonder if there might be a treasure in there. Although I am hopeful, I sort of doubt it. Although they were in plastic bags, the bags themselves are in worse shape than the comics themselves. Long story short, some of them are Silver Age comics (so Wikipedia tells me). I have a #1 ?OMAC? as well as a few issues of something called ?THE FOREVER PEOPLE?. Also in there are issues from a book called ?The Dingbats?, whatever that is. If these issues were in pristine condition, I?d probably have reason to be excited. Unfortunately, I am not sure if they are any good. I know NOTHING about collecting and grading, so I am not sure if what I have is good or not. The covers are without creases and all the pages are in good shape (no tears). Some of the books lack sharp corners, but most are pretty square. The bindings, however, are not in the best of shape. They look flattened. The binding itself is actually flush w/ the cover. The pages are not sharp, but let?s face it, the books are old! The covers are not super vibrant, but I am not entirely sure they ever were. There is some slight yellowing in the white areas of the covers. Since I am such a newbie, I was thinking of taking some snap shots of one or two covers and putting them on the message boards. Maybe the good folks here can give me some constructive feedback.

What am I doing? I have a number of comix that date back a decade, mostly all Incredible Hulk issues, stored in plastic bags, and would like to get them graded and stored properly before they lose their value. Problem is, although I have the comix, I have no idea how to even begin!