Hero for Hire #1 Over valued? 1 1

[shane1956]

So I've taken a real interest in this book ; so much so I just picked up a CGC 9.2 on eBay for $1350 U.S. plus shipping  ,exchange ,  Canadian taxes and duty.  Total cost to me was just above $ 2000 Canadian. It's hard being a Canadian collector bringing these books over with the fees and exchange but that's another topic. I'll start by saying I haven't seen the show but always liked the character and tend to collect covers to display. 

I'm wondering what others think. He was kind of an obvious B list character back when I collected as a kid around 1990. From what I've seen , he's always trailed many of the other characters in popularity by a good margin. Am I missing something? What is behind the big price tag? I'm very happy with the book but is this price tag a product of the limited numbers (only 229 in 9.2 and higher), t.v hype, a Luke Cage renaissance, a total product of a comic book bubble where even historically "B listers " are going for big money in higher grades? Sorry to all the Cage fans, myself included, for saying he's a " B lister" in terms on comparison to Spider-Man, hulk , wolverine, etc. This book was more than my 9.2 Hulk 181 bought in 2012. Looking forward to hearing what people think. 

Edited November 14, 2017 by shane1956

[Bomber-Bob]

I don't know but the book seems to have cooled off lately. I recently won a copy in auction with an early bid that I never thought would take. I also noticed in the Pedigreecomics auction last week a CGC 9.0 White didn't even get a bid ? Not one bid ! 

[namisgr]

3 minutes ago, Bomber-Bob said:

I don't know but the book seems to have cooled off lately. I recently won a copy in auction with an early bid that I never thought would take. I also noticed in the Pedigreecomics auction last week a CGC 9.0 White didn't even get a bid ? Not one bid ! 

Sometimes, when the minimum bid is $1000 this is the result.

[shane1956]

I hope I didn't overpay. I don't think but I find it was expensive and perhaps reflective of the hyped market as a whole. It seems every book is getting that way now . 

[Bomber-Bob]

1 minute ago, namisgr said:

Sometimes, when the minimum bid is $1000 this is the result.

Really, I thought the minimum bid in this auction was 100 . 1K would explain it.

[bronze johnny]

12 hours ago, shane1956 said:

So I've taken a real interest in this book ; so much so I just picked up a CGC 9.2 on eBay for $1350 U.S. plus shipping  ,exchange ,  Canadian taxes and duty.  Total cost to me was just above $ 2000 Canadian. It's hard being a Canadian collector bringing these books over with the fees and exchange but that's another topic. I'll start by saying I haven't seen the show but always liked the character and tend to collect covers to display. 

I'm wondering what others think. He was kind of an obvious B list character back when I collected as a kid around 1990. From what I've seen , he's always trailed many of the other characters in popularity by a good margin. Am I missing something? What is behind the big price tag? I'm very happy with the book but is this price tag a product of the limited numbers (only 229 in 9.2 and higher), t.v hype, a Luke Cage renaissance, a total product of a comic book bubble where even historically "B listers " are going for big money in higher grades? Sorry to all the Cage fans, myself included, for saying he's a " B lister" in terms on comparison to Spider-Man, hulk , wolverine, etc. This book was more than my 9.2 Hulk 181 bought in 2012. Looking forward to hearing what people think. 

The first Marvel black character to get his own book is historical. Also happens to be a Marvel first issue that starts a successful run that includes a great team-up. The black picture frame cover also makes this a great Bronze Age Marvel key. Congrats on adding this classic to your collection!

The Pedigree Comics reserve did start a $1000.

[oakman29]

One of the coolest origin stories ever,black picture frame key = should be worth more.

Edited November 14, 2017 by oakman29
By the way that's Hero for Hire, not higher.

[Ken Aldred]

15 hours ago, oakman29 said:

By the way that's Hero for Hire, not higher.

Yup. 

When I saw the thread title, at first I thought it was about an obscure Giant-Man mini-series in which he temporarily replaced Iron Fist.

Edited November 14, 2017 by Ken Aldred

[bronze johnny]

47 minutes ago, Ken Aldred said:

Yup. 

When I saw the thread title, at first I thought it was about an obscure Giant-Man mini-series in which he temporarily replaced Iron Fist.

The title of this thread initially had me thinking about whether there was a superhero who gets his power from smoking marijuana.

[Jayman]

On 11/13/2017 at 7:06 AM, bronze johnny said:

The first Marvel black character to get his own book is historical. Also happens to be a Marvel first issue that starts a successful run that includes a great team-up. The black picture frame cover also makes this a great Bronze Age Marvel key. Congrats on adding this classic to your collection!

The Pedigree Comics reserve did start a $1000.

Also interesting to note that the title refrained from adding the word "Black". i.e. Black Panther, Black Goliath and Black Lightning.

[bronze johnny]

52 minutes ago, Jayman said:

Also interesting to note that the title refrained from adding the word "Black". i.e. Black Panther, Black Goliath and Black Lightning.

Perhaps Shaft had something to do with this?

[Ken Aldred]

7 hours ago, bronze johnny said:

The title of this thread initially had me thinking about whether there was a superhero who gets his power from smoking marijuana.

I forgot about the non-Code approved, relevance storyline. 

 

[WoWitHurts]

I think it is overvalued. Few people cared about it until the word dropped of there being a TV show. Yeah, Marvels first Black character created by two white guys. Wait a sec so was Black Panther.  At least Black Lightning was co-created by a non Caucasian. Those early Black heroes were just goofy IMO. It wasn't until Dwayne McDuffie and company created Milestone did the stories get more authentic again IMO.

I think the black cover and few high grade copies helped create a supply/demand imbalance. It is a cool cover that looks great in high grade. I think the very high grade copies will stay somewhat high but if you paid 24k for a 9.8 your not going to make a profit on it.

 

[Ken Aldred]

1 hour ago, WoWitHurts said:

.  At least Black Lightning was co-created by a non Caucasian

Yup.  Trevor Von Eeden.   Talented artist.

 

[FineCollector]

On 11/12/2017 at 6:43 PM, shane1956 said:

So I've taken a real interest in this book ; so much so I just picked up a CGC 9.2 on eBay for $1350 U.S. plus shipping  ,exchange ,  Canadian taxes and duty.  Total cost to me was just above $ 2000 Canadian. It's hard being a Canadian collector bringing these books over with the fees and exchange but that's another topic. I'll start by saying I haven't seen the show but always liked the character and tend to collect covers to display.

I remember this book being a first appearance that you'd pass over because Cage was a nobody outside of PMIF.  Iron Fist was always more appealing because the Byrne run was great, and you have the first Sabretooth, a Captain America appearance, and an X-Men appearance drawing further attention to it.  There was never anything going on in Hero For Hire, so I never felt the need to own it.  Bendis used him heavily in the mid-2000's, but prices didn't really move until the tv news.  I can't fathom paying what you paid for that issue, so yes, overvalued.

Edited November 24, 2017 by FineCollector

[oakman29]

I think all key picture frame books are under valued. MS 5 for instanse is such a big bronze key( at least to me), and how hard it is to find in high grade with the black spine.

[paul747]

Really hard to get a 9.8 ! great book

[oakman29]

1 minute ago, paul747 said:

Really hard to get a 9.8 ! great book

Fuggetaboutit. 

[jimjum12]

I miss my raw 8.5.............. luckily it's in the display at my friend's LCS and he'll trade it back for the right stuff.... provided it doesn't sell first. He has had a lot of tire kickers on it for $ 800 .... but it's a DavidtheDavid 8.5, so anyone who's bought from him knows it's an 8.5 and then some. It's a classic BA cover in my book. GOD BLESS....

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[fastballspecial]

On ‎11‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 2:39 PM, WoWitHurts said:

I think it is overvalued. Few people cared about it until the word dropped of there being a TV show. Yeah, Marvels first Black character created by two white guys. Wait a sec so was Black Panther.  At least Black Lightning was co-created by a non Caucasian. Those early Black heroes were just goofy IMO. It wasn't until Dwayne McDuffie and company created Milestone did the stories get more authentic again IMO.

I think the black cover and few high grade copies helped create a supply/demand imbalance. It is a cool cover that looks great in high grade. I think the very high grade copies will stay somewhat high but if you paid 24k for a 9.8 your not going to make a profit on it.

Agreed, but if you run across a high grade raw copy I wouldn't hesitate to buy it. Thing is I have personally never seen over a 7.0 of this book.