n2wdw's comic book room 5 5

[Readcomix]

7 minutes ago, Bird said:

I don't get those guys either! I guess that I focused  on the part of the post by n2wdw that implied getting the money trumps being offended and went off on a related tangent to show that getting the money is not the  only motivation for a seller. But yes, set your auto-declines. (Even though I do not always do this. But if I get a very low offer on a lot without auto-decline I then add one typically.)

Gotcha! I'm with you there; like my live example today. Sometimes your gut tells you it's just miscommunication and conversation will clear it up. Other times, like me today, it just tells you someone is not someone you want to deal with due to aggravation potential.

[n2wdw]

12 hours ago, Bird said:

I block people quickly. I would rather not have the possibility of a headache than make a few more dollars. Any signs of trouble and the ban hammer comes out! I want no hassles and if someone bugs me on the list they go!

my ebay id is fedres420 if you want to block me for that! 

It's a free country, you can do what you want.  But does a low offer == possible headache?  Don't you at least look at their feedback rating? 

I buy a lot on eBay.  My feedback at this moment is below (my eBay ID is 25kcomics so you can check it out if you don't believe me).  The last 12 months, my feedback is 301 positive with no negatives or even neutrals.  For the seller I was originally talking about, in the last month alone he had 2 books that I would have bought at his BIN price.  To be clear, I was willing to pay his asking price, I'm not talking about making an offer.  The total for the 2 was about $600.  But since he banned me I couldn't buy the books. 

As a buyer, I'm disappointed with not being able to buy the books.  But, having actively collected for over 40 years, I know I'll eventually get the books from other people.  Moving forward, whenever I see a listing by this seller I'll just move on.

 

[Bird]

10 minutes ago, n2wdw said:

It's a free country, you can do what you want.  But does a low offer == possible headache?  Don't you at least look at their feedback rating? 

I buy a lot on eBay.  My feedback at this moment is below (my eBay ID is 25kcomics so you can check it out if you don't believe me).  The last 12 months, my feedback is 301 positive with no negatives or even neutrals.  For the seller I was originally talking about, in the last month alone he had 2 books that I would have bought at his BIN price.  To be clear, I was willing to pay his asking price, I'm not talking about making an offer.  The total for the 2 was about $600.  But since he banned me I couldn't buy the books. 

As a buyer, I'm disappointed with not being able to buy the books.  But, having actively collected for over 40 years, I know I'll eventually get the books from other people.  Moving forward, whenever I see a listing by this seller I'll just move on.

 

Multiple low offers can be signs of a headache and yes I look to see what is what if I can. Just as another seller will come along with the books eventually I feel that another buyer will come along eventually. I sell to maintain an interest in the hobby as I collect money for original comic art, it is not my business but a hobby. If someone offends me then I would rather block them than worry about their intentions. On the flip side, if he as a seller is so easily offended (if you believe that he acted rashly or irrationally) I would avoid him as well.

[n2wdw]

21 hours ago, Bird said:

Multiple low offers can be signs of a headache and yes I look to see what is what if I can. Just as another seller will come along with the books eventually I feel that another buyer will come along eventually. I sell to maintain an interest in the hobby as I collect money for original comic art, it is not my business but a hobby. If someone offends me then I would rather block them than worry about their intentions. On the flip side, if he as a seller is so easily offended (if you believe that he acted rashly or irrationally) I would avoid him as well.

I understand your point.  Probably if I sold on eBay, as a collector rather than a business, I'd be like you.  By the way, very cool Darwyn Cooke WW in your CAF.

[n2wdw]

Update On My Matt Baker Cover Collection and Lovers' Lane

In my goal to get a copy of every comic with a cover by Matt Baker, I won Love Confessions 54 on eBay a few weeks ago.  According to my count, there are 290 comics with covers by Baker.  With this one, I have 125 of them.  Still a long way to go, and a number are rare and all Bakers are getting more expensive (even this beat up, off-the-road Baker cost 58 bucks).  I probably have about 10 years left of active collecting in my life (as in 10 years I'll retire).  I wonder if I'll be able to complete this collection?

This comic is beat up, so I mostly bought it to check it off my list.  Still, whenever I'm considering buying a comic like this, I try to focus on the main art of the cover and isolate out the fraying edges.  If the main art is good, then I'm more willing to buy the book.  For this book, here's what I focused on when considering whether to bid for it.

Also on eBay recently, I won a few BakerFan auctions.  It appears BakerFan has sold all the Bakers he intends to sell and now is going through the rest of his romance collection.  I bought 3 Lovers' Lane comics with sweet covers, especially #13.  I also like #9, with the imagery of the church in the background.

Edited May 24, 2017 by n2wdw

[n2wdw]

Wizard World Philadelphia 2017

WW Philly is this coming week and I'll be going.  This will be my third year in a row.  The first was the most fun, as many Walking Dead cast members attended.  I can't remember who attended last year.  This year there's Billie Piper ($60) and Jon Cusack ($80).  It's not a great con, and last year I told myself I wouldn't return.  But the timing is right for me, it's only a few hours drive, and walking around even a so-so con is still a fun way to spend a couple days.  Also, the con is right across from the Reading Terminal, and I'm already salivating for the Peking Duck at Sang Kee.

This'll be an interesting con for me because I'm really coming to grips with how much space I have (or don't have) in my new comic room.  I don't have room for everything.  In the past, I might buy something if it caught my eye, but now I have to be more selective.  I actually like that enforced discipline, because it helps me focus on my current collecting goals and projects.   I bought some pulps the other day because they were cheap and I thought they were cool, but this morning as I tried to find a place to put them in my comic room, I asked myself "exactly why did I buy this?"  They're cool, but they don't fit my collection, or what I'm trying to accomplish at the moment.  I'll have to keep that in mind as I walk the con floor.

[n2wdw]

Richie Rich #1

Speaking about last year's WW Philadelphia con, this was the only Richie Rich #1 on sale at the con as far as I could tell.  RR #1 has been on my want list for a long time, but the list price of $2000 was too high to even consider an offer.

Over the last year though, I managed to check off RR #1 from my want list.  Restored, but then that made it way less than $2000.  Also, the flaws (color touch, tear seals) are among those that don't bother me. 

[n2wdw]

It's Amazing What You Can Find In a Picked Through Long Box

As I prepare my want lists for WW Philly later this week, let me show you this book I recently got back from CGC.  I found it at that Annandale VA Firehouse con I've been going to this year.  It's amazing the condition of comics you can find sometimes flipping through long boxes at cons.

Recently too, I got an autograph of the model, Cathy Christian.

 

[n2wdw]

On 5/13/2017 at 11:53 PM, n2wdw said:

The Mother of Dragons

Okay, this is cool.  I just won this on eBay.  The Funko Daenerys Targaryen, Mother of Dragons.  And signed by Emilia Clarke!  New season starts July 16, can't wait.

Well it appears the eBay seller wasn't happy I won his auction for $48.  He probably thought he could get more with the new season of GOT starting soon.  So he never shipped it, without even a single message to me.  eBay made him refund my money, but in doing so I can't give him feedback to warn other buyers.  So I'll at least give a warning here.  The eBay seller is g_c_c_s.  Bid on his auctions at your own risk.  For me, I'm going to block him and drink some bourbon to get the bad taste out of my mouth.

[n2wdw]

Wizard World Philadelphia Con Report - Part 1 (Matt Baker pickups)

I spent Thursday and part of Friday of this week at this con.  Each year this con becomes more and more pop culture rather than comics.  It was amazing the number of dealers selling Pop dolls.  For the most part, they all sell the same ones and are competing strictly on price.  How can they possibly be making money?

The dealer who sells discount statues and 50% off trades had 3 or 4 tables.  He seemed to have constant flow of people at his tables.

There weren't a lot of comic dealers.  By the end of Thursday, I was reconsidering whether to go back to the con on Friday.  The con didn't seem worth it for another night away from the family, especially since I have to travel for work next week.  I decided to compromise -- I'd go for a couple hours on Friday, then drive home rather than spend another night in the hotel.  Boy, I'm glad I did.

It's amazing how just one deal can completely change your opinion of a con.  It was around 1:30pm yesterday (Friday) when I was taking one more swing through the floor before going home.  I decided to quickly walk through artist alley and then head out.  Then I saw Harley's booth.  I didn't even know he was attending, and I'd missed his booth before then because he was located on the celebrity side of the floor rather than with most of the other comic dealers on the other side.

Flipping through Harley's boxes, I found a Baker I didn't have, for a fair price.  Harley saw me pull the comic and told he he just got new Bakers in last week.  He pulled them out. It was a stack of about 20 Bakers (2 graded, the others raw).

I pulled out 2 from the stack.  Then I found another one on his wall.  In total, I got 4 Bakers from him for a fair price.  It completely changed my view of the con, going from a dud to one of the best cons in memory.  And that was before I studied Harley's wall and found 2 major grails.  I have to go to my Uncle's 90th birthday party so I'll write about that when I get back.

Edited June 3, 2017 by n2wdw

[Ricksneatstuff]

Wow! Congrats on that haul! 

[Brandon Shepherd]

Great story about Harley and the unexpected finds. Congratulations!

[1Cool]

That is a first.  Harley and fair price said together

[n2wdw]

Wizard World Philadelphia Con Report - Part 2 (Grails)

After picking out the Bakers, I went through Harley's golden age boxes.  I picked out a low grade but nice presenting Jungle 71 for $20.

Then I focused on Harley's wall books.  I was surprised to find 2 major grails, Rangers Comics 14 and 21!  Both were in solid condition, particularly the 21.  On top of that, Harley had a very nice Junie Prom 7.  You never see Junie's.  I worked out a deal for the Bakers and these comics, and then I headed over to the CGC booth to submit these 3 comics (I didn't submit any of the Bakers, as I've decided moving forward to keep my Bakers raw unless in higher grade). 

[Ricksneatstuff]

Those are some nice books. Both those Rangers look pretty sharp.  

14 is a keeper for me.  

Edited June 3, 2017 by Ricksneatstuff

[n2wdw]

33 minutes ago, Ricksneatstuff said:

Those are some nice books. Both those Rangers look pretty sharp.  

14 is a keeper for me.  

Definitely, all 3 will be going into the vault.  And that's a very impressive 14.

Edited June 3, 2017 by n2wdw

[n2wdw]

Wizard World Philadelphia Con Report - Part 3

I'll close out this con report with some pictures of dealers walls.

Here's a grail I didn't buy.  It was offered at $3000 and out of my price range.

Here's another thing I wanted but again the asking price was too high for me.

Here's one of the many Pop booths.

I bought one of these very cool Night Watch banners.

The last thing I did before leaving was to get John Cusack's autograph.  Pricey at $80, but Say Anything was one of my favorite movies growing up.  This was the best picture I could get of John.  Wizard World charges for pictures (same price as autographs) so I had to sneak a picture.  Thanks for reading.

 

Edited June 4, 2017 by n2wdw

[1950's war comics]

Great con report , like the wall shots as they make me drool ... nice that got some sweet 
Bakers and some grails what an awesome con for you !!!

[n2wdw]

Dave Stevens Registry Set

A goal this year for me was getting to the top of the Dave Stevens Covers registry set.  For a few months I've been going back and forth between #1 and #2, and then suddenly the person I was competing with deleted his set.  That was kind of a "fall of the chair" moment for me.  Anyway, recently I've been able to add these books to my set.  Hard to believe these books are over 30 years old.  Seems just yesterday I was reading Dave's original Rocketeer comics.

[n2wdw]

Major Grail Alert -- TTA 13 -- First Groot

Last month my wife and I took our 2 oldest daughters on a swing through California.  SF then LA with a side trip to Napa.  We went to give our kids a taste of CA, as they are thinking about moving there when they graduate from college (my oldest is a rising college senior).

In Napa we did a barrel tasting at our favorite winery, Del Dotto.  It included lunch with matching wines, including a waygu slider.  Let me tell you, it was REALLY GOOD!

Right before going to Del Dotto, I was checking the CGC market (of course) and I saw @Ricksneatstuff was having a sale of his Tales To Astonish 13.  Of course, this is the first appearance of Groot.  A couple of days before I saw Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and was charmed by baby Groot.  I knew this was a terrible time to buy TTA 13 as Groot was hot, but Rick's sale price helped to ease the pain somewhat.  My plan was to go to the Del Dotto tasting and think about it, but I was concerned someone might buy it.  So just before heading off to the tasting, I dropped a flag on Rick's sale.

Whenever I make a big purchase, I have some buyer's remorse.  After Napa, we spent a couple days in LA.  We went on a bike tour that included the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The main thing I made a point to see was the autographs of the original Star Trek cast in cement.

After taking the pictures of Star Trek, I looked up.  And guess what I saw?  This poster of baby Groot.  So then I knew I made the right decision buying Rick's TTA 13.

Edited June 9, 2017 by n2wdw