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Classic Covers Question
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66 posts in this topic

3 hours ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

I know that. I’ve got 3 of them and just today purchased a 9.0. My point was it’s not on the list posted previously in this string. Overstreet doesn’t give it classic cover status. CGC has started to go around Overstreet by calling it a “classic flag cover”, but that,  to me anyway, doesn’t get it right. Does “classic flag cover” mean the cover isn’t good enough to be a true classic amongst all covers,  only meriting status amongst the sub genre of “flag” covers?  That is faint praise 

rantrant  2c

I’ve found the classic FLAG/BONDAGE/ETC.  note annoying, if it says classic it should be a classic cover, yet it seems the “classic cover” note is known as the true classic and more important.  Any classic cover has a reason why it’s classic but there’s no need to state bondage etc..  

 

grats on your 4 Cap #37s.  

I had 3 at one point, that was fun.  Great book, CLASSIC cover.  

2DAD5A6F-6AEC-4A9B-992E-CC989CD1983E.jpeg.9f0f5d4d667daa15f4723edd976b4e0a.jpeg

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15 hours ago, gino2paulus2 said:

I am curious as well don’t have an answer but to chime in I know CGC is open to changing labels a bit as OSPG had Classic Nazi Monster cover for Speed 28. CGCs label did not reflect that. I asked them to change it and they did which I though was cool 🤟

The label designation on Speed 28 is in fact “Classic Nazi Monster Cover” which is 1000x better than the generic “Classic Cover”...Thanks for your efforts to add this very specific/excellent label description.

We need a few more:

Classic Woman In Red Dress Cover

Classic Zombie Cover 

Classic Skeleton Cover

Classic Double Entendre Cover

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6 hours ago, GreatCaesarsGhost said:

I’ve got 3 of them and just today purchased a 9.0.

:whatthe:

It sounds as though your self-imposed break or vacation away from buying didn't last very long.  :takeit:

Welocme back to the hobby!!!  lol

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Five more GA/pre-code additions to the Classic Covers list...

Spoiler
     On 5/31/2008 at 5:50 PM,  Joseph Ragno said: 

Bump on this thread. I'm not sure if it's because this thread is old, but it's not letting me edit my very first post. So, I guess I'll just copy and paste here. I've added one.

 

Action Comics 36, 52, 63, 89, 108 (credit Durden08)

Adventure Comics 67, 79

Air Ace V2#2

Air Fighters Comics V1#7, V2#1

All-American Comics 21

All-American Western 113

All Select Comics 1, 2 (credit MrBedrock)

All Star Comics 33

All Winners 4, 8

Amazing-Man Comics 22

Amazing Mystery Funnies 5

American Air Forces 2

America’s Best Comics 10 (credit telerites), 18

America’s Greatest Comics 1

Astonishing 30

Atomic Comics 1

Baffling Mysteries 20

Batman 3, 11, 17, 23, 27, 156, 227, 251 (credits scheradon, prof66)

Betty and Me 16

Beware the Creeper 1

Big Shot Comics 24

Black Cat Mystery 30

Black Rider 20

Blue Beetle 54 (credit skybolt)

Blue Bolt V1#4, V9#5, 108 (credit telerites)

Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders 14

Boy Comics 10, 11

Boy Commandos 1

Brenda Starr V1#14

Camp Comics 12

Captain America 111, 113

Captain America Comics 2, 3, 7, 13, 18, 36, 46, 74

Captain Flight Comics 5, 11

Captain Marvel Adventures 4

Captain Marvel, Jr. 1, 4, 9, 13

Captain Midnight 3

Catman Comics 3, 19

Choice Comics 3

Creepy #15 (thank you credit to Blind Owl)

Crime Does Not Pay 24, 27, 33

Crimes by Women 6

Criminals on the Run 7

Cyclone Comics 3

Daredevil Comics 11

Dead by Hands of Kung Fu 14

Detective Comics 8, 31, 33, 35, 69, 371

Doc Savage Comics 2, 5

Don Winslow of the Navy 44

Dynamic Comics 8

Fantastic Comics 3

Fantastic Four 25

Fighting Yank 21, 23 (credit skybolt)

Flash Comics 8, 10, 21, 31, 33

Forbidden Love 1, 2

Four Favorites 10

Foxhole 1

Frisky Animals 45

Funny Pages 35

G.I. Combat 87

Great Comics 3 (credit MrBedrock)

Green Hornet Comics 20

Green Lantern 1, 3, 8, 16, 29

Haunt of Fear 8, 11, 12, 14, 17

Headline Comics 8

Heart Throbs 1

Hit Comics 5, 11

Holiday Comics 2

House of Mystery 231

House of Secrets 92, 100

Howdy Doody 6

Human Torch 12, 23, 33 (credit MrBedrock)

Incredible Science Fiction 33

Iron Man 128

Jet Powers 2

Jo-Jo Comics 25 (credit skybolt)

Journey Into Mystery 89

Jumbo Comics 10

Jungle Comics 5

Justice Traps the Guilty 56

Lars of Mars 10, 11

Leading Comics 13

Liberty Comics 12

Living Bible 3

Lone Ranger 76

Mad 166

Magic Comics 19

Marvel Mystery Comics 5, 9, 12, 28, 29, 37, 40, 44, 46, 63 (credit MrBedrock)

Marvel Super Action 12, 13

Mask Comics 1, 2

Master Comics 32

Mickey Mouse Magazine V4#7, 10

Military Comics 10

Mister Mystery 12

More Fun Comics 54, 56, 61, 65, 71

Murder Incorporated 4

Mysterious Adventures 13

Mystery Men Comics 3

Mystic Comics 7

National Comics 7, 21

Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. 5 (credit Moondog)

Our Army at War #112

Peter Panda 5

Phantom 74

Phantom Lady 17, 23 (credit skybolt)

Power Comics 3

Prize Comics 4

Punch Comics 12

Racket Squad In Action 12

Rangers Comics 26 (credit telerites)

Red Dragon Comics 6, 7

Roly Poly Comic Book 14

Romantic Adventures 50

Science Comics 2, 3

Scoop Comics 2

Seven Seas Comics 4

Shadow Comics V2#11, V3#6

Shock Suspenstories 1, 6, 7, 12

Silver Streak Comics 6

Slam Bang Comics 3

Slave Girl Comics 1 (credit skybolt)

Smash Comics 38

Space Adventures 12

Spirit 22

Star Comics V1#3

Startling Comics 46, 49

Strange Tales 167

Strange Worlds 4, 167 (credit skybolt)

Sub-Mariner Comics 11

Superman 14, 23, 24, 26, 53, 146, 233

Super-Mystery Comics 4

Supersnipe Comics V2#2

Suspense Comics 3, 8, 11

Tales of Suspense 58, 59, 80

Tales to Astonish 59

Target Comics V1#8, V2#10, V4#5, V9#12

Terrific Comics (Cont. Mag.) 4, 5

Terrific Comics (Myst Pub) 14

Terrifying Tales 13

Thrilling Comics 7, 41, 52

Thrilling Crime Comics 49

Tomb of Terror 15

Top-Notch Comics 5

True Crime Comics 3

United States Marines 2

USA Comics 7, 9

Vault of Horror 17

Weird Mysteries 4, 5

Weird Science 12 (#1)

Weird Science-Fantasy 29

Weird Tales of the Future 7

Weird Thrillers 3

Werewolf By Night 15

Wings Comics 89, 91, 94 (credit skybolt)

Witching Hour 13 (credit scheradon)

Wonder Woman 10, 179, 199 (credit scheradon)

Worlds of Fear 10

Yellowjacket Comics 7

Young Allies 4, 8

Zip Comics 9, 15, 22, 32

Zoo Funnies 2

CatMan #32

Detective Comics #18

Hit Comics #3

Plastic Man nn (#1)

Weird Fantasy #15

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3 hours ago, lou_fine said:

:whatthe:

It sounds as though your self-imposed break or vacation away from buying didn't last very long.  :takeit:

Welocme back to the hobby!!!  lol

Busted. You’re so right.

My rationale: It’s an upgrade, and I’ll be throwing my undercopies back into the sea.

My reality: I’m weak. 

Edited by GreatCaesarsGhost
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I think the designation of "Classic Cover" is being used a bit too liberally.  When everything is special nothing is special. 

Classic = judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind....

Maybe we need some new labels for books that are special but not quite classic?...exemplary, superb, outstanding, masterwork, noteworthy, iconic ...or maybe its time to go back and put "Classic 'Classic Cover'" on the original classics...

 

 

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My intent for starting this thread was to get insight on who and how a classic decided.  Is it anecdotal over time to label a cover classic.  Like I said earlier as only example, I think National 16 classic while Blue Bolt 106 is not.  I have copies of both and actually posted the 106 in the Gold Connections thread.  Don't get me wrong, I love the cover of Blue Bolt 106 and am an ardent Cole lover.

I wouldn't doubt someone will come on and tell me opinion is wrong and hence the question.  I realize, too, there isn't an answer but it does make interesting discussion (at least for me to read).

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The term “classic” only applies if you think it is. Or now days, as a marketing tool to squeeze a few extra bucks out of a book. There seem to be so many fish swimming to any book that the rest of the fish are swarming. Do they really think it is “classic” or are they simply following the school?

Case in point for me. Cap #74. In no way do I think it is “classic”. In my opinion, it is poorly drawn and not striking in any way. There are many WAY better Red Skull covers out there than that. I love and collect GA Cap books. I once had a sharp copy and sold it for something else I wanted a lot more with zero regrets. Just my 10 cents...(shrug)

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5 minutes ago, telerites said:

My intent for starting this thread was to get insight on who and how a classic decided.  Is it anecdotal over time to label a cover classic.  Like I said earlier as only example, I think National 16 classic while Blue Bolt 106 is not.  I have copies of both and actually posted the 106 in the Gold Connections thread.  Don't get me wrong, I love the cover of Blue Bolt 106 and am an ardent Cole lover.

I wouldn't doubt someone will come on and tell me opinion is wrong and hence the question.  I realize, too, there isn't an answer but it does make interesting discussion (at least for me to read).

No inside info but my guess would be OPG started using the designation as a means to explain high values in books that were otherwise unremarkable, in other words not first appearances, origin stories etc.

Would be interesting to see someone parse the old OPGs to see when the term classic cover was first used and which books got the tag and how it evolved for sure.

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8 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

 

Case in point for me. Cap #74. In no way do I think it is “classic”. In my opinion, it is poorly drawn and not striking in any way. There are many WAY better Red Skull covers out there than that. I love and collect GA Cap books. I once had a sharp copy and sold it for something else I wanted a lot more with zero regrets. Just my 10 cents...(shrug)

Perfect book to put my new “Noteworthy Oddball Cover” Label note on... or how about “Not Quite Classic Cover”...

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5 minutes ago, Robot Man said:

The term “classic” only applies if you think it is. Or now days, as a marketing tool to squeeze a few extra bucks out of a book. There seem to be so many fish swimming to any book that the rest of the fish are swarming. Do they really think it is “classic” or are they simply following the school?

Case in point for me. Cap #74. In no way do I think it is “classic”. In my opinion, it is poorly drawn and not striking in any way. There are many WAY better Red Skull covers out there than that. I love and collect GA Cap books. I once had a sharp copy and sold it for something else I wanted a lot more with zero regrets. Just my 10 cents...(shrug)

If deciding whether a work of art were entirely dependent on the subjective view of an individual then how would the works of da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Renior, Monet, Picasso, Pollack, Eakins, Homer, Whistler, and Rembrandt be defined? There are true classics that meet a universal threshold that includes the works of artists that I personally don't like. The same standard applies to this art form we all love ❤️ (thumbsu

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17 hours ago, szav said:

I think the designation of "Classic Cover" is being used a bit too liberally.  When everything is special nothing is special. 

Classic = judged over a period of time to be of the highest quality and outstanding of its kind....

Maybe we need some new labels for books that are special but not quite classic?...exemplary, superb, outstanding, masterwork, noteworthy, iconic ...or maybe its time to go back and put "Classic 'Classic Cover'" on the original classics...

 

 

I hope this doesn’t mean every book gets awarded a special classification just for showing up.  In fact, I’m not sure where this idea fits in with “highest quality and outstanding of it’s kind” as that sounds like it’s being groomed for CVC sticker.   With classic covers the primary concern is art, judged on style, cleverness, anatomical detail, perspective and execution.  I also think when lesser categories are added to bolster collect they’ll muddy the water and subject to evaluation on merit it risks weakening the whole..

Maybe it's just me, but I’m not persuaded that there is an overuse of the classic cover designation, at least in respect to GA.  I can think of at least a dozen more books deserving of classic cover status, and most would be easily defensible..  Truth is, we probably all have personal faves that we fell have been overlooked.

17 hours ago, Robot Man said:

The term “classic” only applies if you think it is. Or now days, as a marketing tool to squeeze a few extra bucks out of a book. There seem to be so many fish swimming to any book that the rest of the fish are swarming. Do they really think it is “classic” or are they simply following the school?

Case in point for me. Cap #74. In no way do I think it is “classic”. In my opinion, it is poorly drawn and not striking in any way. There are many WAY better Red Skull covers out there than that. I love and collect GA Cap books. I once had a sharp copy and sold it for something else I wanted a lot more with zero regrets. Just my 10 cents...(shrug)

What’s not to love?  Definitely a classic cover from my perspective, ...warped viewpoint notwithstanding! Capt. America battling the Red Skull in purgatory is a pretty heady stuff.

7b6d3408-d256-4ba9-be9d-db624242580f_zps

This is a book I’d upgrade if the opportunity presented itself.

 

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1 hour ago, Cat-Man_America said:

I hope this doesn’t mean every book gets awarded a special classification just for showing up.  In fact, I’m not sure where this idea fits in with “highest quality and outstanding of it’s kind” as that sounds like it’s being groomed for CVC sticker.   With classic covers the primary concern is art, judged on style, cleverness, anatomical detail, perspective and execution.  I also think when lesser categories are added to bolster collect they’ll muddy the water and subject to evaluation on merit it risks weakening the whole..

Maybe it's just me, but I’m not persuaded that there is an overuse of the classic cover designation, at least in respect to GA.  I can think of at least a dozen more books deserving of classic cover status, and most would be easily defensible..  Truth is, we probably all have personal faves that we fell have been overlooked.

What’s not to love?  Definitely a classic cover from my perspective, ...warped viewpoint notwithstanding! Capt. America battling the Red Skull in purgatory is a pretty heady stuff.

7b6d3408-d256-4ba9-be9d-db624242580f_zps

This is a book I’d upgrade if the opportunity presented itself.

 

Now if comic books were cars, they'd all be designated classics after 25 years.

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19 hours ago, Robot Man said:

The term “classic” only applies if you think it is. Or now days, as a marketing tool to squeeze a few extra bucks out of a book. There seem to be so many fish swimming to any book that the rest of the fish are swarming. Do they really think it is “classic” or are they simply following the school?

Case in point for me. Cap #74. In no way do I think it is “classic”. In my opinion, it is poorly drawn and not striking in any way. There are many WAY better Red Skull covers out there than that. I love and collect GA Cap books. I once had a sharp copy and sold it for something else I wanted a lot more with zero regrets. Just my 10 cents...(shrug)

Someone who shares my opinion about Cap 74. I don't ged it, it isn't rare and the art is so so. 

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