n2wdw's Tales of the Comic Book Room 15 15

[n2wdw]

3 hours ago, Taxmick1 said:

Mike: I really envy this book, but isn't it a different book than the 10.0 book you were bidding on back in late-May?  The book above is a Rocketeer Adventures #1 Jetpack Comics Edition with a 05/11 publishing date whereras the 10.0 book in question was a Rocketeer Adventures #v2 #1 Jetpack Comics Edition with a 03/12 publishing date.  The covers are identical other than the book title and the publishing date.  I've never come across your book in the wild and I've searched for it ... I even contacted Jetpack Comics (who were selling the  Rocketeer Adventures #v2 #1 (03/12) for $5.00 each during their Black Friday sale last year) and they could not explain why a Rocketeer Adventures #1 Jetpack Comics Edition with a 05/11 publishing date even exists.  All of the books that Jetpack has in stock are Rocketeer Adventures #v2 #1 Jetpack Comics Edition with a 03/12 publishing date.  I'm not certain whether your book was a printing error?  Variant?   Who knows?

We are doing a bit better re: COVID-19 in Canada.  As of yesterday, we had gone 13 days in Nova Scotia without a new case, everyone MUST wear masks as of July 31 in public places, and social distancing is now becoming "normal".  

 

 

Hi Mike - I don't know for sure.  It seems like IDW published this cover multiple times -- I think I actually have 3 examples where it was used.  One time I spoke to someone at the IDW table at a con, and he said they did use the cover in more than one edition, but other than this general info, he didn't have any more information.  But like I said, I don't know for sure.

[Cobbledclam]

[Cobbledclam]

I saw the word wine somewhere.....

I was allowed to go to my wine storage to pull out a few things to sip on and grabbed the wrong box in my haste. I meant to grab some $20-30 stuff for rerun watching. Unfortunately these are a little too good for just me and Green Acre reruns. That is unless I have a 34 oz bone in aged rib-eye and a Sapphire up with a twist to start delivered accidentally. 

[n2wdw]

On 7/29/2020 at 8:34 PM, Cobbledclam said:

I saw the word wine somewhere.....

I was allowed to go to my wine storage to pull out a few things to sip on and grabbed the wrong box in my haste. I meant to grab some $20-30 stuff for rerun watching. Unfortunately these are a little too good for just me and Green Acre reruns. That is unless I have a 34 oz bone in aged rib-eye and a Sapphire up with a twist to start delivered accidentally. 

Those are some very nice wines, especially with a big rib eye.  Maybe start with seared foie gras to go with the Doisy.  Who is your wine storage (just curious) -- Zachys?

My wife and I built a cellar in our house.  Holds about 2800 bottles, and right now we've got about 2200.  Here are some of our babies.

Edited August 1, 2020 by n2wdw

[n2wdw]

Comic Link July 2020 Action

This has been a great auction for me.  I spent more than I would otherwise, since I haven't been to a con since January 2019 (Terry's), and I probably won't be going to another one until who knows.

This auction had a number of Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe CGC mags.  I was excited about these lots, as you don't see them often.  I thought bidding was soft, and this allowed me to win a few.  I'll post pics later.

Here's my big win of the auction, the Lost Valley copy of Fight 35.  I've been looking for a copy forever, so I decided to just go for this.  Bidding got to $2500.  I decided, what the heck, I'll put in one more bid at $2600.  It was the high bid about 2 hours before the close. I was surprised (and happy) my bid held.  Thanks for reading. 

Edited August 1, 2020 by n2wdw

[Robot Man]

4 hours ago, n2wdw said:

Those are some very nice wines, especially with a big rib eye.  Maybe start with seared foie gras to go with the Doisy.  Who is your wine storage (just curious) -- Zachys?

My wife and I built a cellar in our house.  Holds about 2800 bottles, and right now we've got about 2200.  Here are some of our babies.

That’s dedication! I’m a bourbon guy but these days, I just can’t seem to keep a bottle long enough to have a collection...

[Robot Man]

2 hours ago, n2wdw said:

Comic Link July 2020 Action

This has been a great auction for me.  I spent more than I would otherwise, since I haven't been to a con since January 2019 (Terry's), and I probably won't be going to another one until who knows.

This auction had a number of Bettie Page and Marilyn Monroe CGC mags.  I was excited about these lots, as you don't see them often.  I thought bidding was soft, and this allowed me to win a few.  I'll post pics later.

Here's my big win of the auction, the Lost Valley copy of Fight 35.  I've been looking for a copy forever, so I decided to just go for this.  Bidding got to $2500.  I decided, what the heck, I'll put in one more bid at $2600.  It was the high bid about 2 hours before the close. I was surprised (and happy) my bid held.  Thanks for reading. 

Wow!!! Score!  I think that is my favorite FH book. I have upgraded my copy due to color several times. The color on that one is superb. Funny story about that one. I was at the SDCC when that collection debuted. A guy next to me pulled that exact copy out of a box. I remember hoping he would put it back. He looked at it for a minute, started to put it back then put it in his keeper pile. Glad it ended up in your collection Mike! 

[n2wdw]

23 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Wow!!! Score!  I think that is my favorite FH book. I have upgraded my copy due to color several times. The color on that one is superb. Funny story about that one. I was at the SDCC when that collection debuted. A guy next to me pulled that exact copy out of a box. I remember hoping he would put it back. He looked at it for a minute, started to put it back then put it in his keeper pile. Glad it ended up in your collection Mike! 

Love hearing stories like this.  Shows how small a world it is, especially in our hobby.

Edited August 2, 2020 by n2wdw

[Robot Man]

Yes it is in this hobby. Just for the heck of it, I went and looked at my catalog and found they graded it raw at vf-nm and priced it at $480. Maybe a little stiff even back then...

[n2wdw]

On 8/1/2020 at 10:28 AM, Robot Man said:

That’s dedication! I’m a bourbon guy but these days, I just can’t seem to keep a bottle long enough to have a collection...

I'm a big bourbon fan too.  Here's my bar at the moment. 

 

I actually have a comic related story about bourbon.  It was at the Wizard World Chicago con in 2013.  I've been to that con 3 times, and each time I went to Gibson's steakhouse for dinner.  I always ate at the bar, and this time I was just starting to get into bourbon.  I asked the bartender for his recommendation, and he told me to focus on the Bs.  Basil Hayden, Bookers, Blantons, and Bakers.  So that's what I did, and 7 years later those are still my favorites.  In addition to those, I focus on Jefferson (because I went to UVA), Hudson (because one of my favorite steak places -- Bourbon Steak in SF -- has a smoked bourbon flight that I've had many times), and Whistle Pig (because over the years I've developed an appreciation for ryes).  Anyway, those are the bourbons I focus on, and like comics, I collect as many of the variants that I can find.  Basil Hayden, which is my #1 bourbon, has a lot of versions. 

I also have a few other bottles -- like Tin Cup -- that I buy on sale, so I'm not always drinking the expensive stuff.  I also make sure to always have Maker's Mark, which is delicious and the best bourbon (IMHO) for bourbon novices.

Anyway, here's my drink from that night at Gibson's, as I still have the pics from that con.  It was a Basil Hayden Manhattan.  For food, I got the wedge (love all the blue cheese) and the roast chicken with spicy peppers (not sure what I was thinking, not getting a steak; probably my selection was based on the side dish -- spicy peppers).

 

And this con was one of my best ever for getting comics.  Here are the main ones I got.  Thanks for reading.

 

Edited August 2, 2020 by n2wdw

[Cobbledclam]

On 8/1/2020 at 2:39 AM, n2wdw said:

Those are some very nice wines, especially with a big rib eye.  Maybe start with seared foie gras to go with the Doisy.  Who is your wine storage (just curious) -- Zachys?

My wife and I built a cellar in our house.  Holds about 2800 bottles, and right now we've got about 2200.  Here are some of our babies.

A 

[Cobbledclam]

What a great looking collection. Great discipline! Pulling corks is sometimes is like wanting to crack books out of slabs. The process, the smell,  the feel, the taste 🤷‍♂️🐿the joy....🙈

 

[n2wdw]

5 hours ago, Cobbledclam said:

A 

This looks delicious!  The bottom pic looks like roasted chicken and -- suckling pig?

[n2wdw]

San Diego Comic Con

So Comicon was last week, and even though I have issues with it, I very much miss it.  Here are some pics from my last SD comicon, in 2018, when I went for 1 day with my daughter.

 

Edited August 3, 2020 by n2wdw

[Robot Man]

I haven’t been to SDCC in maybe 5 years. I first went to the 3rd one and all but two up until I gave up. It just year by year became to expensive, too much hassle and to far away from the con I loved so much. First year I missed was a little sad but I’m way over it now. 

Now, going with one of my kids, that would be awsome. I’ll bet you had a lot of special moments with your daughter. 

[Cobbledclam]

9 hours ago, n2wdw said:

This looks delicious!  The bottom pic looks like roasted chicken and -- suckling pig?

The roasted Duck with the fois gras and duck fat gravy at the Duck Inn Chicago. I miss Gibson's already. Blue cheese olives with lots of Sapphire surrounding them. The Rosemont show is my favorite. 

[n2wdw]

Comic Link July 2020 Action - Marilyn Monroe

Lately I've been collecting some Marilyn Monroe items.  Not a lot, just like a toe in the water.  This CL auction had a number of CGC graded MM mags.  I managed to win 3.

I managed to win these for (IMHO) lower than market prices.  As I mentioned before, I thought the bidding was kind of soft this month.  I wonder if prices were hurt because so many Marilyn lots were offered.  And of course there's the economy.  When Covid first hit, I didn't see any weakening of prices.  But lately I have, not a lot, but incrementally. 

I'm just noting what I've seen.  Personally, I'd rather have a working vaccine even if that meant higher prices.  I'd welcome higher prices in that case!  I really miss traveling, or just the simple pleasure of shaking hands, giving a friend a hug, and going to a steak restaurant and getting a vodka martini while deciding the steak you're going to get (actually, I typically get the ribeye so there's no choice there; the fun part is ordering the sides.)

 

 

[n2wdw]

Comic Link July 2020 Action - Bettie Page

Here are the Bettie Page mags I won at this month's CL auction.  I was able to win all the Bettie lots, which surprised me as my bids weren't that high.  The only one I really went for was the Art Photography with the classic Bettie pose.  Again, I thought bidding was soft this month. 

[n2wdw]

Minor Tweaks To My Comic Book Room

I haven't posted in a while.  I just haven't felt like it, given the state of our country.  So I've been mostly a lurker lately.

Still, I've made a few tweaks to the Comic Room lately.  I'm always looking to make more space.  I installed this pull out metal shelf.  When it's pushed in, it holds my GOT Iron Throne lamp and -- one of the pearls of my collection -- the complete original art for Cerebus #6, which is the first appearance of Jaka. 

 

Below's a picture when the shelf is pulled out.  Now I can get access to the comics and books stored behind the shelf. 

 

And below's a picture of when I shift the Cerebus #6 OA, to show and get access to what's behind the OA on the shelf.  Here's where I store some of my favorite movies.  I mostly stream nowadays, but I like having DVDs when the Internet is down, or when I want to watch Ultra High Def.

 

Moving to something else, below's another tweak.  I'm always trying to find ways to display more comics, both CGC and raws.  The below is a pic where I display some of my statues. 

 

Now though, I've installed this clear plastic shelf just above the statues.  I can still see the statues, but now I have this extra shelf to display comics.

 

Below's a picture where I've placed a Dogface comic, as an example to illustrate how I can display comics on the shelf.

 

Moving on again, here's a corner of my Comic Room where I display some Bettie Page CGCs and autographs.  Thanks for reading.

[n2wdw]

Some Recent Buys and a Trade

Recently I picked up fairly nice copies of Rangers 6 and Junie 4, for sending to CGC.  I'm working on a complete run of Junie.  For Rangers, I'm working on a run of my favorite GGA covers, which all appear before the title turns to a western.

 

I also bought this signed poster of Say Anything, which is one of my favorite all time movies.  It's signed by John Cusack.

 

The only registry set I'm actively competing in is the Dave Stevens Covers Set.  Me and @Taxmick1 are pretty much the only people active in this set.  Taxmick1 has an amazing ability to find copies of obscure Stevens' books.  One example is the 2nd printing of 3-D Zone 16 (Space Vixens).  Below's the 1st printing, which is common.  The 2nd printing doesn't have the writing along the top, and also doesn't have the Canadian price.

 

I've been looking for a copy of the 2nd printing for years.  Then a couple months ago, I'm looking at TaxMick's set, and I see he has a copy.  I wrote him a message, asking where he found it (hoping I might be able to find one there too).  He told me he actually had TWO copies!  So I traded for his undercopy (thanks TaxMick!), which was still 8.5 (qualified due to Dave's signature).

 

In exchange, I sent to TaxMick this Sirens of Cinema, which is my undercopy.  There are only 4 graded copies:  one 9.8, two 9.6s and a 7.5.  A few years ago, I wrote to the publisher to see if he had any copies.  He said he had one box left.  I asked him to pick the best 3 for me, and he did.  One came back 9.8 (the one in my collection), and the other came back 9.6 (the one I sent to TaxMick).  The last copy I bought from the publisher is still ungraded in my collection.  So these are probably the highest graded copies, unless there are some nice copies out in the wild.  Thanks for reading.