HighVoltage

Apologies if this has been posted before - but here’s a letter from George RR Martin from the letters page in Avengers 12!

Newton did some sweet Phantom covers!

It was a bit of a shock to get used to, after the long Romita JR/Layton run. I like the artwork more now than I did at the time. Same with Romita JR when he went over to X-Men, after following Paul Smith. I loved Smith's run on the X-Men, but it took a few months to begin to like JRs work on the title.

This. Starting at #116 and up to #150 is one of the very best runs of Iron Man. You can’t go wrong with these. Action/espionage type stories with excellent guest stars & villains throughout!

Again - I get it. And having a 'dinged' book in a pull folder doesn't feel great when you are anticipating 9.4 or better, especially on a new item. I'm not a big fan of 'no-pricing' on a book. I don't like the surprise price at the cash register. I've had it frustrate me (and I've either made the purchase or said no thanks on a book), but I've had it work to my advantage as well, when a shop owner pulls out Overstreet to price something that has heated up beyond the OVST publication date.

And you have every right to vote with your wallet. So - what if the store put a copy in each pull list/subscriber folder at cover price, and then marked up the rest even on day of release? I understand the frustration as well, from the consumer side. If I ran a store, and I kept up on the trending/pricing, I'm not sure exactly what I'd do. EXCEPT, I would make darn sure I took care of my regular customers.

Cap #50 from 2009

There's at least one Benjamin in there! Tree-Fiddy?!

Wow - an Old Guy thread! He was my fave original 'No Effs Given' poster...

ASM is probably the most blue-chip title out there. I think I have put runs together 3 times & it always hurts to come back in! I understand what you're saying on the keys & first appearances in the run!

You have been killing it on the HOMs lately!!!

This is tough love, but solid advice. But to each their own. Some collectors are perfectly fine being in the chase of a bloody shark-attack on a book on the rise - some like to lead or forge their own collecting path. I truly believe in the 'buy what you love' philosophy, and you won't have regrets. Even if you're buying a book on the rise. (this isn't to say I don't speculate my own self, but I try to guess on the side of caution a bit) But be careful out there folks - use your wallets and bitcoins wisely!

I think this is the cover for the 2nd FF Marvel Omnibus (iirc)?

If you decide to keep the book, I would recommend storing it in a safe deposit box at a bank. Ask questions of the bank regarding the climate control. Usually they are pretty good, regarding humidity, temp., etc. An item at a bank SHOULD be pretty secure, but please note: "Remember that, by law, FDIC insurance covers only deposit accounts. Also, don't expect the bank to reimburse you for theft of or damage to the contents of your safe deposit box. If you want protection for the valuables in your safe deposit box or home safe, talk to your insurance agent." Regardless of where yo

While I like the drama on the cover of FF #48, I have always loved the colors and the black background on the upper half of #49. And that all the major players are on the cover here. If you saw this on the news stands at the time, I don't know how you could resist being drawn to it. I kind of wish this were the cover to FF #48!