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Superman: The Man of Steel #17 & 18 (Doomsday)
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I have noticed on eBay over the last two or three weeks several sales for CGC 9.8 copies of Superman: The Man of Steel #17 & 18, the first appearance of Doomsday, cameo (#17) and full (#18). These prices have gone over $100, I thought these prices seemed high, I picked up my copies of 17 and 18 last year well under these recent prices. The last few copies for #18 went a little over $130, a nice increase for books that usually go for $40 to $60.

 

I have noticed all these copies had one thing in common, they were all newsstand versions. I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the recent price surge, or if I've missed word of Doomsday appearing in an upcoming movie, or if this is just a time where the demand has picked up.

 

I would like to know what others think.

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Newsstand UPC copies are generally in worse shape than the direct editions from the 1990s.

 

It's likely that higher prices for MOS 17 & 18 in the past few months have drawn more copies out of longboxes and into CGC for slabbing.

 

The "surge" in the number on Ebay is probably a result of people wanting to cash in... but they're competing with others doing the same.

 

Personally, I prefer the UPC copies because I picture them the way I saw them... bent up with magazines or in spinner racks.

Unsold copies were often pulped.

 

Direct edition books from the same time were sitting carefully on comic shop shelves... and into bags with boards.

 

Check CGC slabs for Amazing Spider-man #300 for UPC vs. Spidey-head on Ebay (frequency and grades) and see what I mean.

www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_mPrRngCbx=1&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=CGC+Spider+300+-700+-chromium+-spawn+-hulk+-falls+-dvd+-mini&_sacat=63

 

I'd rather have Newsstand UPC books from the late 1980s to present... but I know others have said they think barcodes are ugly and prefer Direct with art/text in the box.

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Newsstand UPC copies are generally in worse shape than the direct editions from the 1990s.

 

It's likely that higher prices for MOS 17 & 18 in the past few months have drawn more copies out of longboxes and into CGC for slabbing.

 

The "surge" in the number on Ebay is probably a result of people wanting to cash in... but they're competing with others doing the same.

 

Personally, I prefer the UPC copies because I picture them the way I saw them... bent up with magazines or in spinner racks.

Unsold copies were often pulped.

 

Direct edition books from the same time were sitting carefully on comic shop shelves... and into bags with boards.

 

Check CGC slabs for Amazing Spider-man #300 for UPC vs. Spidey-head on Ebay (frequency and grades) and see what I mean.

www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_mPrRngCbx=1&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=CGC+Spider+300+-700+-chromium+-spawn+-hulk+-falls+-dvd+-mini&_sacat=63

 

I'd rather have Newsstand UPC books from the late 1980s to present... but I know others have said they think barcodes are ugly and prefer Direct with art/text in the box.

 

I'm partial to the direct editions with art work in the UPC box myself. To be honest, I used to look down on newsstand examples but I've changed my mind set a bit on this one. After taking into consideration the points you mentioned about the journey a newsstand books takes, I've come to respect the accomplishment that it really is to get a 9.8 newsstand version, a 9.9 is nothing short of a miracle.

 

I have also noticed the the difference in sales on certain Spawn issue where the newsstand version brings a premium over the direct edition. Also, good point on the Amazing Spider-Man #300 frequency.

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I have also noticed the the difference in sales on certain Spawn issue where the newsstand version brings a premium over the direct edition.

Newsstand early Image books may be a "sleeper" ...

I don't think newsstand Image books were as common as Marvel or DC... they were too new... just breaking into the market.

Compare that to the millions of copies of Image direct editions and the ratios could easily be 1:20+.

 

I have a little stack of WildCATS #2 newsstand pulled from $1 bins. I like them because they were plain white instead of the holo-prism.

The holo-prism was everywhere... but I don't think I saw more than 1 plain white at the time (1992).

For $1 each... they make me happy. lol

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The Spawn #9 newsstand version has taken off.

 

However, that may be partially due to the fact that it uses a different paper stock than the direct edition and also does not have the poster included.

 

I'm not sure if Spawn #1 newsstand has these attributes too... or if the only difference is the UPC on the cover.

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went to a local flea market today and found a Man of Steel #18 newstand edition for $4 :cool:

 

Me too!

 

20130908_184954_zps7cf6b323.jpg

 

nice haul! :applause:

 

Very nice! I saw a newly listed MOS 17 newsstand edition recently listed on eBay, starting bid is only $400...

 

Hope you guys can get some high grades and profits from your scores! :wishluck:

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So everybody loves MOS 17 & 18 now, huh? :eyeroll:

 

I always have (shrug)

 

was buying and reading back in '92 when it was all happening, I liked the "death of" and the "funeral for a friend" story-lines, didn't care for the 4 separate replacement Supes story-lines all at, felt really dragged out. And I know that in hindsight it seemed very gimmicky and helped lead the way to the 90s implosion, BUT, it was probably the biggest event in comics history, I remember people who had never stepped into a comic store coming in requesting the Superman #75 only to be told it had sold out and that they would have to wait for later printings.

 

I've always had a few copies of MOS 18 laying around, but have just recently decided to hunt down some more.

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was buying and reading back in '92 when it was all happening, I liked the "death of" and the "funeral for a friend" story-lines, didn't care for the 4 separate replacement Supes story-lines all at, felt really dragged out. And I know that in hindsight it seemed very gimmicky and helped lead the way to the 90s implosion, BUT, it was probably the biggest event in comics history, I remember people who had never stepped into a comic store coming in requesting the Superman #75 only to be told it had sold out and that they would have to wait for later printings.

 

Nice, I've written before, and will probably continue to do so for many years to come, about how this storyline started me on comics. It was a few years afterwards in '94, when I was 11, going on 12. I may have missed the initial release, but I spent some time catching up and pursuing these issues. As I started collecting more, I came to look down on later printings and newsstand versions of these comics, I thought they were not worth the paper they were printed on. Now I know that these are the editions that are more challenging to find in high grade, but I'm still partial to the direct editions, so I won't be spending the big bucks for a newsstand edition anytime soon. It's good to read posts from those who were going to comic shops at the time, I also agree with you about this leading to the 90s implosion, but it is what it is and I like it.

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