What comic should I get signed by Stan Lee? 1 1

[xXLordSidiousXx]

Hi. I am looking to get a comic signed by Stan Lee but I don't know which comic to have him sign. To me the most obvious choice seems to be Amazing Spider-Man 300. I know that it's a popular choice, and I love Venom and Spiderman so that's a comic I would like him to sign. With that said I understand that Stan Lee did not create Venom or have any involvement in the making of spiderman 300. So would it be a mistake to buy that comic for him to sign? I know the common response would be to have him sign something he worked on personally, but I can't see anything that interests me (that's in my price range). My budget is around $200 to spend on a comic for him to sign. The only comics I own that I would have him sign would be a 9.6 spiderman 361 and a 9.4 gold lethal protector. Does any of that seem like a good choice? Any recommendations on a comic to buy for him to sign? I don't intend on selling the comic he signs aaaaaaanyyyyy time soon but I will probably only meet Stan Lee this once so I want to make sure I get a comic that will go up in value with his signature over time. Thanks in advance for the help!

[AKA Rick]

The "obvious choice" seems less than obvious to many collectors in that, that comic book has pretty much nothing to do with Stan Lee other than the fact that he created the character, Spider-Man, so what seems like a no-brainer, to many may seem brainless.

 

So, you're right in your estimation.

 

I'd opt for him to sign a low grade silver age Marvel comic book that he actually wrote, none of this "editor in chief" status on the masthead.

 

There's a lot of books you can buy for under $200, if you like Spider-Man, any issue where you like the cover that he wrote would be nice.

 

If you're open to other characters, there's Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thor, X-Men, Journey Into Mystery, Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, and a lot others.

 

I think when you have him sign a modern book, you'll look at it in the future after he's long since passed away and say "What was I thinking?" about the opportunity and choosing a lame new book.

 

Stan Lee is a founding father and creator, I think having him sign any comic with a $0.12 or $0.15 cover price from the silver age looks most aesthetic.

 

If you don't plan on selling the book, have him sign whatever you like, but know, his signature on irrelevant or material he was only peripherally associated with is like having Michel Jordan autograph a football or Tom Brady sign a basketball.

 

Stan signs randomly and sloppy now, so try to pick a white background cover where the autograph will "pop" and you can see it clearly.

 

With Stan Lee autographs, the material itself isn't as important nor the grade, as the signature that adds value. So, in my opinion, having Stan sign a CGC 9.8 book ruins the book, as there's purists who hold autographs to disdain. If you have Stan sign a 3.5 or 7.0 book, it bumps the desirability of a mid-grade book to an upper echelon, improving the value.

[MK Ultra]

Silver Surfer would be my choice. After reading the book, "Marvel Comics, the Untold Story", I think he really enjoyed writing that. Some great covers there, issue four and the issue with Mephisto come to mind.

 

Regarding value and price appreciation, I'm not sure if I would pay (is it $100?) to have him sign something for appreciation. He's signed many books. I would check ebay and see what's going on with the pricing. You might be able to get a better book signed and not have to hassle with the certification, etc. I was just reading in the Desert Wind post someone got an ASM 50 double signed with Lee and Romita. That looked sweet.

 

 

[chromium]

Pick a pre-1965 Marvel comic, preferably one where he put his heart and soul into.

Something like this

 

[Tbone911t]

The "obvious choice" seems less than obvious to many collectors in that, that comic book has pretty much nothing to do with Stan Lee other than the fact that he created the character, Spider-Man, so what seems like a no-brainer, to many may seem brainless.

 

So, you're right in your estimation.

 

I'd opt for him to sign a low grade silver age Marvel comic book that he actually wrote, none of this "editor in chief" status on the masthead.

 

There's a lot of books you can buy for under $200, if you like Spider-Man, any issue where you like the cover that he wrote would be nice.

 

If you're open to other characters, there's Avengers, Fantastic Four, Thor, X-Men, Journey Into Mystery, Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, and a lot others.

 

I think when you have him sign a modern book, you'll look at it in the future after he's long since passed away and say "What was I thinking?" about the opportunity and choosing a lame new book.

 

Stan Lee is a founding father and creator, I think having him sign any comic with a $0.12 or $0.15 cover price from the silver age looks most aesthetic.

 

If you don't plan on selling the book, have him sign whatever you like, but know, his signature on irrelevant or material he was only peripherally associated with is like having Michel Jordan autograph a football or Tom Brady sign a basketball.

 

Stan signs randomly and sloppy now, so try to pick a white background cover where the autograph will "pop" and you can see it clearly.

 

With Stan Lee autographs, the material itself isn't as important nor the grade, as the signature that adds value. So, in my opinion, having Stan sign a CGC 9.8 book ruins the book, as there's purists who hold autographs to disdain. If you have Stan sign a 3.5 or 7.0 book, it bumps the desirability of a mid-grade book to an upper echelon, improving the value.

 

Agreed

 

My only SS Book =

Edited September 21, 2016 by tbone911t

[paperheart]

Action #1

[FN-2199]

Sounds like you are looking for an NM Spider-Man book for him to sign.

 

Check out ASM 80-99. Most of those can be had for $200 in NM and he wrote those. He was particularly fond of ASM 90, Death of Captain Stacy. That also has some white background for him to sign. I just checked e-bay and there didn't seem to be a single one signed by Stan for sale or in recent sales.

 

Have him sign:

1) A book special to you

2) A book he wrote

3) Something everyone else isn't getting him to sign

4) All of the above

[jimjum12]

I don't know you, so it is hard to advise...... but I can tell you what I did. Judy and I saw him at Baltimore in 2011 and stood in line for over an hour for his sig. It was $ 55 back then. My choices were for books I loved, early SA, and were to keep. Out of the 3 that we got signed, the ASM 6 is my favorite, as we raise lizards as a hobby and that book is the first appearance of the Lizard. We were in awe and before we could react, he blasted his sig across the cover of Hulk 6..... we wanted it on the splash and forgot to request that. We did get splash signatures on the FF 11 and the ASM. I love the ASM 6 and since it was for the permanent collection, I didn't care about investment or slabbing....so the splash was where we wanted the sig. I'll always remember meeting him..... and thanked him for adding so much joy to my life. That was a great weekend GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

...If I were you, with the 200 dollar budget, an ASM 31 or 50 might be a good choice.

Edited September 21, 2016 by jimjum12

[mrwoogieman]

I'll be seeing Stan next month at the Javits. I have an awesome FOOM poster for him to sign, the Marvel Fumetti comic with him on the cover, and one or two other things.

 

This will probably be the last time I get some face to face with The Man!

[Black_Adam]

Sounds like you are looking for an NM Spider-Man book for him to sign.

 

Check out ASM 80-99. Most of those can be had for $200 in NM and he wrote those. He was particularly fond of ASM 90, Death of Captain Stacy. That also has some white background for him to sign. I just checked e-bay and there didn't seem to be a single one signed by Stan for sale or in recent sales.

 

Have him sign:

1) A book special to you

2) A book he wrote

3) Something everyone else isn't getting him to sign

4) All of the above

 

This might make me an outcast, but I've never been a fan of signed covers. The idea of anyone (including Stan Lee) writing anything on my comic books makes me cringe. I was the same way when I collected hockey cards. When I met Gordie Howe I had him sign a Red Wings puck, not a card.

 

Personally, I love the idea of having Stan sign (the inside cover of) any book he wrote. I have also seen comics where the signature has been at the bottom of the first page in ball point, and would be fine with that.

 

But having a signature on the front in big, black sharpie? Maybe if it was a reader copy. Otherwise, in my eyes, it just takes something away from what would otherwise be a beautiful book.

 

Anyways, that's my opinion. I know others love their signature series books and I'm sure whichever way you choose you will wind up with a book you treasure!

 

[cousin itt]

Spiderman 40 is a great cover, can be had for $200 in mid-grade, and is also a great candidate for a Romita sig at some point.

 

(Edit: 39 is good too.)

Edited September 21, 2016 by cousin itt

[FN-2199]

Spiderman 40 is a great cover, can be had for $200 in mid-grade, and is also a great candidate for a Romita sig at some point.

 

(Edit: 39 is good too.)

 

Had that one signed in Orlando this year.

 

Pulling that out in line was a conversation starter because everyone else is getting moderns signed.

[jimjum12]

I would like to make one suggestion to the OP........ I'm sure you already have plenty of books that you've accumulated with investment as a factor. Maybe it would be simpler to approach this with pure sentiment in mind..... choose a book you love or have always wanted, with the goal of NEVER selling it .... I think you'll end up with something where the happiness it provides over time will more than cover the 200 bucks you spend. He's not going to be doing this forever, so you need to make it count. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

Edited September 21, 2016 by jimjum12

[Chillax23]

While I agree that getting a book signed by Stan Lee that he wrote is great (and preferable) I also think getting a book from a series that means a lot to you that Stan Lee helped create is also great - i.e., getting Stan Lee to sign a Spider-Man or X-Men book for example that he didn't necessarily write but means a lot to you (after all neither of those characters/teams would be what they are without Stan Lee).

 

I personally went this route and got Stan Lee to sign my copies of X-Men 141 and 142 - not because he wrote them, but because of the role he played in the creation of the X-Men and the personal importance of both of those books to me (they were my first big comic book purchase when I was a kid in the 90's and I remember having to save for them and seeing them on the shelf of my LCS).

 

So I guess what I am trying to say is having an ASM 300 signed by Stan Lee is not a bad idea as he was instrumental in the creation of Spider-Man and it is a big key Spider-Man book.

[chrisco37]

I'm not an SS fan in general, and I'm definitely not a fan of having someone that didn't work on the book sign it. So I wouldn't have him sign any of the books the OP listed. But, I know a lot of people like it. To each their own.

 

[revat]

if you insist on getting a 'modern' comic and care about appreciation, make sure its a 9.8. Except in the case of ASM 300, anything 9.4 and up I think will go up in value. Otherwise, like many have said, find an early low/midgrade ASM that presents well, and has a nice space for a signature.

[grebal]

I think as recently as July I might have posted a comment to the effect that I think sigs on the cover is defacement, except for maybe artist's work but only if unobtrusive.

 

Then I came across this in my box. Not even a spectacular book or anything, but I've seen the light - I like my sig book.

 

Anyway, good luck getting Stan to sign where you want to, I heard great idea: tape a template over the cover so that only space for sig is exactly where you want it (then only need worry about orientation and mishandling, etc.).

 

 

[KPR Comics]

I would like to make one suggestion to the OP........ I'm sure you already have plenty of books that you've accumulated with investment as a factor. Maybe it would be simpler to approach this with pure sentiment in mind..... choose a book you love or have always wanted, with the goal of NEVER selling it .... I think you'll end up with something where the happiness it provides over time will more than cover the 200 bucks you spend. He's not going to be doing this forever, so you need to make it count. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

+1 and get it signed on the splash (in the gutter), personalized. It will mean that much more.

[romanheart]

While I agree that getting a book signed by Stan Lee that he wrote is great (and preferable) I also think getting a book from a series that means a lot to you that Stan Lee helped create is also great - i.e., getting Stan Lee to sign a Spider-Man or X-Men book for example that he didn't necessarily write but means a lot to you (after all neither of those characters/teams would be what they are without Stan Lee).

 

I personally went this route and got Stan Lee to sign my copies of X-Men 141 and 142 - not because he wrote them, but because of the role he played in the creation of the X-Men and the personal importance of both of those books to me (they were my first big comic book purchase when I was a kid in the 90's and I remember having to save for them and seeing them on the shelf of my LCS).

 

So I guess what I am trying to say is having an ASM 300 signed by Stan Lee is not a bad idea as he was instrumental in the creation of Spider-Man and it is a big key Spider-Man book.

 

This is what I did. Since he pioneered the ASM characters, I had him sign a modern ASM Variant with those characters on it.

 

Though the $ value says otherwise I don't particularly feel the signature should increase the value of a book unless the signature is truly rare. For me it is a personal thing to have a signed item of his because his collective work has affected my life so much.

[Forbush-Man]

Action #1