Are high grade Alan Moore Swamp Thing's really rare? 1 1

[Mr 9.8]

Or are there just a few that are graded?

Being Some of Alan's earliest & many would argue ''best'' work I'm surprised how few of the Swamp books are graded 9.8 compared to Watchmen and even Miracleman. So what's the history of this book? Was it a low print run series? Low quality paper? Or are there a bunch of these issues simply being hoarded by a few? And yes I know Alan only did #20-64 (I believe Rick Veitch did one or two of the latter issues in that run)

[mschmidt]

What do you mean? There are almost 300 slabbed copies of Swamp Thing #37 (including two 9.9's) :shrug:

 

Pretty much all of Moore's Swamp Thing issues had print runs well over 100,000 copies - just like so many other 80s series, if there's any ever serious demand for CGC 9.8 copies (ie. they start fetching high prices), the market will be flooded with high-grade copies.

[the blob]

What do you mean? There are almost 300 slabbed copies of Swamp Thing #37 (including two 9.9's) :shrug:

 

Pretty much all of Moore's Swamp Thing issues had print runs well over 100,000 copies - just like so many other 80s series, if there's any ever serious demand for CGC 9.8 copies (ie. they start fetching high prices), the market will be flooded with high-grade copies.

 

the money isn't there. other than for the earlier issues, you might be lucky to get your slabbing fees back or maybe a premium of $5-$7. not worth it for a lot of folks.

[seanfingh]

 

First off, I completely agree, if prices ever kick up, there will be plenty to absorb the demand and send prices back down where they should be. That being said, a lot of Swamp Things were read multiple times. My OO copies are all 7.5-8.5. As opposed to some of my OO X-Men from the same time period that have gotten 9.8s. Those I read bagged and boarded. ST's I piled up for multiple re-readings every couple of months.

[jimjum12]

I think another factor is that many collectors just don't want to sell. I picked up a sweet 24 at the LCS awhile back...maybe a 9.6. It's a beaut and kind of tough in grade, as is the 34. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[MedicAR]

I love these books and want to put together a 9.8 run up to at least #50. I generally won't go nuts for them, though. I'm still hoping to pick up the stray #37 on the cheap.

 

What is considered too high for these? I generally get them in the $40 range, but paid around $125 (hell, it's been too long to be certain) for #34. I had seen #34 go crazy before and thought I got a fair deal.

 

I'm like Sean, I think there are still many HG copies of later issues, but the first dozen or so may have been read and re-read enough times to knock the grades out of the 9.6+ range. When I was pulling my collection together in the 90's, VF was a pretty nice grade for any of them.

[jimjum12]

I started buying them with issue 30 and it took a while to find the earlier ones back then. The 21 set me back 20 bucks, which was a LOT back in the mid 80's....you could still pick up real nice Ditko Spideys for $ 20 then. I think I looked forward to each new issue of Swamp Thing more than any other comic I can remember....although Byrne FF's and McFarland ASM's were close. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[Jasonmorris1000000]

Raw 9.8’s (as well as graded) for some of the issues in this run have been giving me fits to find.  Good luck trying to find #26, 31, and 40.  I put a bid of $300 for a copy of #40 thinking I’d win it, but it ended up selling for over $400.  I’ve been in bidding wars for other ones as well.

[divad]

1 hour ago, Jasonmorris1000000 said:

Raw 9.8’s (as well as graded) for some of the issues in this run have been giving me fits to find.  Good luck trying to find #26, 31, and 40.  I put a bid of $300 for a copy of #40 thinking I’d win it, but it ended up selling for over $400.  I’ve been in bidding wars for other ones as well.

You're just looking in the wrong places . . . 

[Jasonmorris1000000]

Any suggestions on where to find them?  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[shiverbones]

I graded a nice chunk of the Moore swampies In 9.8 about 9 years ago. I did get a fair amount of people asking about them, but they weren’t selling for very much

[Jasonmorris1000000]

I’m not sure if it’s worth it for dealers to get them graded.  I’ve noticed that some that I already have sit around on eBay forever.  There might be only two of us out there who are willing to pay for them.  I’m hoping the new Absolute collection coming out in October will drive demand up.