alexanderjk

The same ones who sell comics worth a few hundred dollars and ship via Media Mail. (Happens A LOT.)

I was in Golden Apple in February and was pleased with the SA Daredevil selection, at least. Decent selection of mid-grade issues #30 and up in the long boxes (prices ranged from $4 to $10 per issue), and the proprietor was kind enough to grab a stack of about 100 SA issues from the back. Unpriced, but he used the guide to give me a fair deal on the few I wanted. Picked up a high grade GA Classics Illustrated, too. TnT in Tustin, my local go-to, has enough back-issue stock to keep me picking through their long boxes every now and then. Picked up an Iron Man 182 and a Red Sonja 1 for $4 apiece during a recent visit. A few slabs on display, but very few keys, and their DD selection begins around issue 125. Giant selection of new issues.

This.

I wonder if the value or the era of the books has anything to do with it. I mean, it shouldn’t, but there’s gotta be SOME reason for the inconsistencies.

Which tier?

TAT for two-comic Standard submission (no press): rec’d 5/12 SFG 5/16 G/E/I 5/17 QC 5/20 shipped 5/23 So if I receive by end of this week, total TAT from when I dropped books off at USPS is about 22 days (or 17 from when received at CGC). Paid for it though!

I figured it would be faster with my last FT submission, but never again. Neither comic looked like it had even been pressed, and one of them came back with a bonus corner crunch. Way faster than an independent shop, but quality of “press” was abysmal.

The Golden Apple in L.A. is a must-visit, but that’s an hour drive from Anaheim, even on a weekend. But if the OP has a full day to spare, I really recommend a day trip into a L.A. — the Farmer’s Market, the Fairfax District, Melrose, Golden Apple…absolutely worth the drive. (I live in OC, not far from Disneyland, and spend quite a bit of time in L.A.) A1 is a great suggestion too, but it’s about two to three hours from SF.

That entire neighborhood is fantastic — so many great food options, and it’s a short drive to the Farmer’s Market and some of the best food in L.A.

Just two — DD #2 and 7.

QC 5/20

Obviously a way for CGC to make a few extra bucks. But in my option, the custom labels on the books that inspired the artwork are FIRE, like Wolverine #2, JiM #83, GSX, etc.

My son is 19 and caught the collecting bug during a visit to L.A.’s Golden Apple Comics. I spent YEARS trying to interest him in the hobby, but it was that visit to that landmark shop that ignited the interest. His interests are affordable modern age titles like Spawn, and runs of modern JLA and Tec. His only interest in SA is my 1-300 DD run, which he’ll inherit when I pass away. Sadly, it’s REALLY rare that I encounter teens interested in comics, despite their love of the MCU films. I teach high school English, and my kids know of my love of comics from the many DD Funko Pops I have displayed on my desk, and the imagery I use on my presentations (I teach theme and symbolism using imagery from the MCU). But in the last decade, I’ve had exactly one kid who actively collected comics.

Standard.

Figures that my DD7 — first red costume — would be in G/E/I the day these labels drop. Sigh. For what it’s worth, the DD image is from issue 13.

My current submission is standard. Just went to G/E/I yesterday, in fact. Rec’d 5/12 SFG 5/16 G/E/I 5/17

Definitely the OP.

I’m sure this recent sale of a Terminator VHS tape was a motivator: https://screenrant.com/terminator-vhs-first-tape-auction-sold-price-details/

Imagine thinking that the woman in the third pic is scantily-clad. OP doesn’t like it when women sell comics, I guess. (“I’m no prude,” he says.)

🤦🏻‍♂️

You knew what he meant.

A few years ago I sold off most of my collection, but for some reason I held onto most of my DD. So when I started collecting again last year, I decided to focus on completing a 1-300 run of DD. Currently, I’m only missing 1, 26, 31, and 90, but should have all four by the end of summer. Complete: TMNT 1-10. (1 is a low-grade third print that I bought off the rack, then thoroughly abused in the ensuing three+ decades.) Almost complete: Strange Adventures 205-215. What motivated this run: I picked up 205 (first appearance of Deadman) at an antique shop in New Mexico about 35 years ago for a buck. Held onto it, then three years ago had it slabbed by CGC. It was a low grade — 3.5 — and I ended up selling it, with aims to upgrade. Kicking myself for letting it go.

I’m a month or two away from wrapping up my DD 1-300 run. “Just” need 1 (sigh), 26 and 31. Sent 131 for a clean, press and grade, and will eventually upgrade my low-grade 16, and my 9.0 168 (to a 9.6, which I sold three years ago…double sigh). Side goal: 9.6 slabs of Miller’s runs. Then Strange Adventures 205 to complete the Deadman run.

When I finish my Daredevil Silver Age run (just missing 1, 26, and 31), I’ll collect his other appearances, which means having to drop some serious coin on ASM 16.

Disclosure: Absolutely my bad for not submitting to another presser who’s done great work for me in the past. But I expected to CCS to actually press my books. None of the non-color breaking finger bends or spine ticks were pressed out, and there’s actually a corner bend now that wasn’t there when I submitted. Absolutely needed a cleaning, so I wasn’t expecting 9.4+, but an 8.5 for the 131 is pretty bad considering the flaws in the notes are why I submitted the books to CCS in the first place. Behold the pics (more later) and the notes: