• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

It's finally over. Dracula is smote.
2 2

Started by electricprune,

80 posts in this topic

Ken Aldred

Ken Aldred

Posted
Posted
On 7/6/2019 at 2:02 AM, NoMan said:

I got the trade paperbacks. Gonna be stuck for a week in a room, so need something to read? Story good?

Once you get to the Wolfman / Colan / Palmer years, it’s consistently excellent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Ken Aldred

Ken Aldred

Posted
Posted
Just now, NoMan said:

issue # the good stuff begins?

For me, the upwards trajectory starts with the introduction of Blade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
electricprune

electricprune

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 7/6/2019 at 2:49 PM, Drummy said:

Loved reading this!  Thanks for sharing the stories and the scans -- an amazing run and a labor of love.  But NOW what do you do??  :bigsmile:

I still have a couple of runs I’m working on as being CGC graded goes.

I made a half hearted attempt at doing Monster of Frankenstein in 9.8. Maybe I’ll pick that one back up too.(thumbsu

Link to comment
Share on other sites
FoggyNelson

FoggyNelson

Posted
Posted
On 7/5/2019 at 11:51 AM, electricprune said:

It took almost 12 years, but I have finally killed Dracula. The Tomb of Dracula, that is. I just received the last piece of my CGC 9.8 run. All issues from 1-70 and all 5 Giant -Size issues are in the set.

I know a Bronze series doesn't seem like it would be that hard to complete. However, the run had 7 issues, I believe, with no 9.8 copies when I started. In fact, there are still two issues with a lone CGC 9.8 out there. (More on those later.)

After completing this, I have to say there is no way I could have done it without these boards. It's possible that it couldn't have been done for many more years. Anyway, many boardies helped me along the way. I want to thank them here. @joeypost pressed a few books for me that ended up being the first or second 9.8 graded. Greggy sold me the first two books I entered into the set, and several after that. SharpComics found several raw 9.8 candidates for me. KingofRulers, ghostzapper, and Kramerica also sold me books that were either the first, second or third graded copies of books. Lastly, a fine English gentleman worked a cash and trade deal with me for a copy that is still one of the two issues with only one CGC 9.8. I will tag these guys as I post the books here. I hope I didn't forget anyone that I got a book from through the boards. Please let me know if I left you out.:download:

I know there have been a few other ToD threads over the years, but feel free to post your favorite issues and storylines as well.

Congrats on great hi grade run‼️‼️👍👏👏👏👏

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kramerica

Kramerica

Posted
Posted (edited)
On 7/5/2019 at 9:47 AM, electricprune said:

Issue 41. This is where @Kramerica makes his appearance. He graded this himself and sold it to me after some negotiating. To this day, it remains the only CGC 9.8 copy. Without the boards, I never would have been able to interact with him.

Scan_20190704 (32).jpg

Hot Damn! I remember searching hard through backstock trying to find one that was good enough to submit since there weren't any. I was in Ventura at Ralph's Comic Corner and had free reign of his inventory and he had a LOT of TOD's. I remember scouring through #41's trying to find a worthy one and this was it! Thanks for the blast from the past EP!

Footnote: props to @joeypost (thumbsu as he pressed this one too along with a double cover #9 that came back 9.6.

Edited by Kramerica
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Kramerica

Kramerica

Posted
Posted

Just an amazing achievement. Congratulations on amassing the most amazing set of one of my favorite Marvel books of all time. NOT an easy feat by any means.....most if not all would have given up but you did it. Just fantabulous. Love how you broke it down with pics and stories behind the books. Almost felt like I was watching one of the VH1 "Behind the Music" episodes.

(worship)(worship)(worship)

And I do think you should work on the Monster of Frankenstein series (thumbsu

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Brandon Shepherd

Brandon Shepherd

Posted
Posted

Wow, just wow! I really enjoyed reading through this thread, congratulations on accomplishing this fantastic feat. I also liked the spectrum of your stories, from finding books really cheap, to networking with boardies and all the way to fierce bidding wars. ToD #1 in 9.8 has been in the back of my mind for years now, but I know if I were to ever get one that I'd eventually part with it to get a special Action Comics piece for my run, it's still fun to fantasize about thou. Thank you for sharing your story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
RockMyAmadeus

RockMyAmadeus

Posted
Posted

Regardless, it's a magnificent set. The big dropoff in Bronze happens around 1975. This seems to be the year that comic buyers, collectors, and investors started to take preservation seriously. Books from 1976, 1977, 1978...? With some exception, not hard in 9.8. But 1972, 1973, 1974....? Monstrous difference in availability.

I imagine you would run into the same issues with a Ghost Rider set, or a Defenders set, or even an MTU set. 

Congrats!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
electricprune

electricprune

Posted
  • Author
Posted
12 hours ago, RockMyAmadeus said:

Regardless, it's a magnificent set. The big dropoff in Bronze happens around 1975. This seems to be the year that comic buyers, collectors, and investors started to take preservation seriously. Books from 1976, 1977, 1978...? With some exception, not hard in 9.8. But 1972, 1973, 1974....? Monstrous difference in availability.

I imagine you would run into the same issues with a Ghost Rider set, or a Defenders set, or even an MTU set. 

Congrats!

Funny you should mention that one...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
letsgrumble

letsgrumble

Posted
Posted

Wow, this is an achievement. The back stories in putting this set together really shows how difficult it is to complete something like this. And when you're almost there, you never really know if you'll ever finish it.

I've been chipping away at my TOD raw set in decent-enough grade for over 15 years and still haven't finished. :cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
2 2
Go to topic listing