My Latest Acquisition: Daredevil #111 CGC 9.8 WP!!

[Professor Pecora]

Is this KEY Bronze Age book going to surge in value...? Well the answer is YES, because due to recent sales, it has already begun!

 

I just finished editing my official write-up for my newly acquired Daredevil #111 CGC 9.8 WP in my Registry Set, and I decided to share it with the collecting community, as this acquisition is a significant one! Therefore, please enjoy the following commentary and the high resolution front cover scan! :-)

 

-Professor Pecora

 

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Daredevil #111 showcases the 1st appearance of Kenuichio Harada, who is better known as the supervillain...the Silver Samurai!

 

Moreover, high-grade examples of this classic Bronze Age KEY are extremely scarce, due to the fact that it predates the 1st appearance of Wolverine (Incredible Hulk #180) by 3 months and contains a large portion of black and gray inks, which make super high-grade examples very difficult to acquire! For example, according to the CGC Census Report as of 5/25/13, there are only a total of six (6) copies (including my copy) graded as a Universal 9.8 and only sixteen (16) copies graded as a Universal 9.6! With that said, as of May 7, 2013, my copy was officially graded by the CGC as the "6th" Universal 9.8 in existence! Further, of all the CGC 9.8 and 9.6 examples, very few of them contain perfect "white page" quality, as this copy displays!

 

As a native New Yorker, I can also appreciate the cover art, as it displays the spectacular NYC skyline in the background, with the Empire State building featured as the central iconic structure! Moreover, the attention to detail by Mr. Bob Brown & Jim Mooney is superb, as the accuracy of the NYC landscape is impeccable! They drew the Hudson River with sailboats and ships in motion with the water, and if you look closely, they even included a portion of the Jersey City skyline located directly to the East of the Hudson! Suffice it to say, the imagery depicts a realistic view of a typical NYC day, while the Silver Samurai slashes his sword against Daredevil, while suspended on a rope ladder hanging from a cargo plane in midair!

 

Truly, this is a Bronze Age KEY that I will cherish for a LONG TIME to come! The Silver Samurai's popularity is going to increase exponentially in the near future, as he will be featured as the main villain in The Wolverine, which is scheduled to premiere at the box office on July 26, 2013! Therefore, considering the following books have the same CGC grade and page quality, I can easily see a copy of Daredevil #111 competing in overall market value with an Iron Fist #14 (1st appearance of Sabretooth)! Although Sabretooth will always remain Wolverine's arch enemy, this book might eventually exceed Iron Fist #14 in overall value, due to it being more rare and harder to obtain in high grade, as it was published a little over "5" years before Iron Fist #14 was initially published!

 

In closing, I am sending a HUGE shout-out to my fellow CGC Registry and Board member Chin, AKA "Manifesto," for selling me the original book prior to submitting it to the CGC for grading! THANK YOU my brother!!

 

For those interested in the history of the Silver Samurai's character development, please enjoy the following information retrieved from http://marvel.com/universe/Silver_Samurai:

 

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Keniuchio Harada is the mutant son of the former Japanese crime lord Shingen Harada. As a youth, Harada mastered the attendant disciplines of the medieval samurai and sought employment as a warrior for hire. He first worked for the criminal Mandrill and clashed with the blind hero Daredevil. Harada then served the Viper, an agent of the terrorist organization Hydra, as her bodyguard. In that capacity, Harada battled opponents such as the costumed crime fighter Spider-Man, the martial arts master Shang-Chi, and the team of mutant trainee heroes the New Mutants.

 

Following his father's death, Harada sought the leadership of Shingen's Clan Yashida from his half-sister Mariko Yashida, but was opposed by the ronin Yukio and Mariko's lover, the mutant adventurer Wolverine. Later, Harada worked with Wolverine to free American private investigator Jessica Drew from the influence of Black Blade of Muramasa, a sword mystically imbued with its creator's madness. Wolverine himself fell under the sword's spell, but managed to overcome his possession after which Harada took up the sword, finding himself worthy of its power.

 

After Mariko's death, Harada claimed leadership of Clan Yashida and was briefly employed by the Japanese government as leader of their fledgling super-team Big Hero 6. Ultimately, his inability to lead Clan Yashida allowed the Mongolian crime lord Haan Kaishek to take control, and he allied with Wolverine to defeat the Kaishek's. However, the disgrace of losing leadership was too great for Harada, and he returned to his mercenary ways.

 

Eventually falling into the service of Hydra once more, Harada was dispatched to battle the female ninja Elektra and was seemingly killed. Revealed to have survived, the Silver Samurai resumed his criminal career following an encounter with the mutant Blindspot. Allied with known terrorist Lady Deathstrike, Harada attempted to establish himself as the "Silver Shogun," leader of the Yakuza. He was also briefly a prisoner in The Raft as part of a super-villain stockpiling conspiracy, but he escaped and returned to Japan. Harada subsequently became a member of the Japanese Prime Minister's security cadre. During the course of his duties, Harada faced Wolverine, who cut off his hand in search of information on the Muramasa Blade!

 

See more journals by Professor Pecora

[SW3D]

Dear Professor,

 

Thanks for sharing your extensive and in-depth knowledge of a seldom seen Super-Villain.

 

Like you, I can't wait to see the new Wolverine movie. Hopefully it does justice to the Claremont/ Miller Limited Series masterpiece.

 

And congrats on acquiring a very nice copy of a hard to find comic.

 

Looking forward to reading more journals about your collection.

 

SW3D

[Brandon Shepherd]

What an acquisition and well presented summary to go along! Thank you for sharing this, I knew very little of the Silver Samurai before, now I know a lot more thanks to your journal. Congratulations, I hope to read more from you.

[bagofleas]

My first introduction to this villain was, of course, his appearance in a few early issues of New Mutants. In them, he makes mention of Wolverine and his hatred of him.

 

I remember that being one of the main things that got me going back and collecting and reading the X-Men.

 

Thanks for the extensive backstory on this most interesting and under appreciated character.

[Professor Pecora]

Good Afternoon SW3D,

 

Thank you so much for reading my journal entry!

 

I appreciate your response and positive feedback!

 

I would actually like to write more often than I have in the past, to more accurately document the evolution of my entire CGC Collection! However, it is difficult to find the "quality" time to do so, but I will be working on that!

 

I am with you 100% in hopes of The Wolverine "confirming" the classic Wolverine Limited Series (1982) story to the entire world, for those who are not familiar with the original Chris Claremont storyline!

 

In addition, if the Silver Samurai plays a very strong and impressionable villain in this movie (as he should), prices for high grade copies of Daredevil #111 will skyrocket, as well as super high grade copies of Wolverine Limited Series (1982) books!

 

It's also important to note that The Wolverine will also include key elements from Wolverine (1988) #1 - #3! Therefore, these KEY early Wolverine (1988) issues should also increase with value after this movie takes place this July!

 

Thanks again for your response my brother!

 

Enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend!

 

-Professor Pecora

[Professor Pecora]

Thanks a lot Brandon!

 

It's always a blessing to know that somebody either learned something new from one of my Journal Posts or truly appreciated what I shared with the community!

 

Therefore, Thank You for the inspiration Brandon! (thumbs u

 

-Professor Pecora

[Professor Pecora]

Dear Bagofleas,

 

You raised a GREAT POINT! The Silver Samurai has been a very underappreciated character! However, I am hoping that this will change after The Wolverine premiers on July 26!

 

If you really think about it, next to Sabretooth, the Silver Samurai could very well be considered the 2nd arch nemesis to Wolverine! Hence, this is why the production team chose the Silver Samurai to be the main villain in the upcoming movie!

 

On that note, it is very difficult to swallow a total of 208 Registry Points for a Daredevil #111 CGC 9.8 WP! For a KEY Mutant 1st Appearance issue that pre-dates the 1st appearance of Wolverine in The Incredible Hulk #180, that is very difficult to acquire in high grade AND will feature the Silver Samurai on the BIG SCREEN this summer, AND with prices on a steady increase...the Registry Points for this Bronze Age Key need to be reexamined! However, that is another discussion in which I will have to present to Gemma in the near future! :-)

 

Well my brother, you have a GREAT weekend and I will be looking out for your posts as well!

 

-Professor Pecora

[surfer99]

That is a great looking copy you have there. Definitely a keeper. I picked up a 9.6 copy a year or so ago. Cool character, cover, and story. I am right there with you hoping the Silver Samurai gets the recognition he deserves. Looking forward to the film.

 

 

[Professor Pecora]

Thanks surfer99!

 

Now that you mentioned it, I do recall reading a journal you wrote when you acquired your 9.6 copy of this Bronze Age KEY issue! I believe I came across it after I conducted a Google search on any Daredevil CGC #111's for sale! :-)

 

Anyway, I am looking forward to extending this message thread after we both see the new Wolverine movie this July! Maybe we can both make our case to Gemma why the Registry points should be increased for DD #111? The movie should certainly help, and we should also start gathering all the recent sales data to support our argument!

 

-Professor Pecora

[surfer99]

A 9.6 copy just sold on eBay for $308.00!!! Crazy! I should have bought several more copies after picking up mine!

 

 

[Professor Pecora]

I know right!

 

I was "watching" the Daredevil #111 CGC 9.6 on eBay, just to see what the book would realize, and I was glad to see that it went over $300!

 

However, that book did not even contain "white" pages! I bet it would have sold for at least $400 or more if it did!

 

Furthermore, the movie comes out THIS Friday (7-26-13) and the fans have not even seen the Silver Samurai grace the BIG Screen!! Therefore, if the role is played correctly, then the prices on the DD #111's will surely rise again!!

 

There is also a CGC 9.8 with OW/WP currently listed on eBay with a BIN price at $2,999! The seller is joe_biles, and he has already had 3 offers in less than a day! I hope that he sells it for at least $1500, because then my prediction of this book sizing up to Iron Fist #14 in CGC 9.8 will be "confirmed!" If it sells for over $1600-$2000, then it be confirmation that DD #111 will generally demand more than an Iron Fist #14 in CGC 9.8!

 

You can check the listing out HERE --------> Daredevil #111 CGC 9.8 OW/WP eBay Listing

 

-Professor Pecora

[Icculus308win]

Such a great Journal entry Professor!

Not to mention one helleva book!!

[Professor Pecora]

Such a great Journal entry Professor!

Not to mention one helleva book!!

 

Thank You icculus308win!

 

I'm glad that you enjoyed it! :-)

 

-The Professor

 

 

[Icculus308win]

Btw, I never congratulated you after all your sales!

I see you are getting some of those BUTES we spoke about!

So happy for you my man glad to see your Set was a success.

Wish I won that Wolvie, but I'm sure it went to a happy very happy Wolvie home.

 

Oh and lastly thank-you so much again for finding me a STUNNER of a Limited Series TPB....I truly love it!

 

Best,

Eric

 

 

 

[Professor Pecora]

Dear Eric,

 

Thank You so much my brother!!!

 

It was my pleasure to scope out and hand-pick that beautiful Wolverine Limited Series TPB CGC 9.8 WP for you!

 

In regards to my new CGC gems acquired with the proceeds from my Grand Wolverine Auction - the best is still to come!!

 

If the book arrives on Monday, I will most-likely present it on Monday night or sometime on Tuesday! I can't wait!! It's the second round of HOLY GRAIL presenting!!

 

It's all good on the Wolverine #17 CGC SS 9.8 - my boy Matt is really happy with it, as he brought it home to his world-class Wolverine (1988) set entitled, "Wolverine for President!" He is currently ranked #2 in that set type.

 

Well my brother, it's always a pleasure to hear from you!

 

Chat with you soon!

 

"T"

[Icculus308win]

Can't wait to see the unveiling early next week my man!

I'm living through your acquisitions and loving it - fricken exciting!! !!

 

Sounds like the book definitely deserved to go Matt. I like that. Always nice when a book finds the way home. Good mess.

 

Take care happy collecting