What is Your “Obtainable” Grail Book? 4 4

[Primetime]

5 hours ago, Wayne-Tec said:

Excluding books that are already part of your collection and excluding books that are realistically out of reach...if you could name 1 book/grade that is still somewhat obtainable for you, which one would it be and why?

 Tec 29 up to a 3.0 - Sometimes I miss that book, and would like to get a copy back one day. 

 OCT Marvel 1 - any grade; greatest comic book ever published 

[loboagain]

Marvel Mystery 4 up to 4.0.  I just love that cover.

[thunsicker]

As I keep telling @telerites, this specific book, a camp coded Okajima Schomburg cover:

[telerites]

2 minutes ago, thunsicker said:

As I keep telling @telerites, this specific book, a camp coded Okajima Schomburg cover:

 

Sorry, Tim, during the toilet paper shortage with COVID-19, I had to make some sacrifices.  Instead of CPR, it went the way of CWF (Crack, Wipe, Flush) 

Seriously though, you're first in line if I do part ways with it.

[Primetime]

1 hour ago, loboagain said:

Marvel Mystery 4 up to 4.0.  I just love that cover.

💀 Death Raider 

[OtherEric]

I'll actually pick a pulp as my right on the edge of possible grail:  The February 1928 Weird Tales, with the first appearance of "The Call of Cthulhu".  Given that it's a pulp, my only requirements are complete interiors, intact front cover, and- most importantly- decent paper quality.  It's the paper quality concern than makes it hard to give an exact grade.  It's definitely possible for me to get a copy, but it would require luck and good timing... they disappear fast when they show up, which isn't very often.

Now, having given my choice that meets the criteria in the first post, I'm going to go ahead and show an example that I actually got a couple months ago, but if you had asked the question on March 1 of this year, it would have been my answer instead:  Shock Suspenstories #6.  It's rapidly getting out of my range in a condition worth having, but a combination of ECCC being cancelled so I had a decent chunk of book cash handy, and @EC ed cutting me an amazing deal, I was able to get this copy.  It still cost me more than my next two priciest books combined, but worth every penny:

[piper]

Another book high on my list is All Select 1.

[Robot Man]

The word is appropriate, “obtainable”. I am into other things other than comics. So when a comic reaches the price of say a ‘40s era Harley knucklehead, nice real estate or a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, I really have to question the logic for me. I am in the very envious position of having collecting for about 50 years. I have hung on to most of my books. 

As a young collector, I was very hard working and dedicated. I looked every where and told everyone of my love for old comics. I was pretty obsessed.  Old used book stores, swap meets, garage sales, want ads, trading with other kids and even going door to door asking for them landed me a lot of books for very little money or even free. 

Fast forward to my late 20’s. I was now a husband with a baby daughter. The time came to buy a house and off went a lot of my big GA books for the down payment. I still miss my Cap #1 and especially my More Fun #52-53. But I know that ship has sailed.

Most of my big key SA books went for college educations, weddings and setting up my kids for good lives. A very worthy investment and a smart decision. Don’t miss them anymore. 

Being very realistic, there are a couple books I’ve never owned that given the right copy and right price, I think I could still obtain. Dynamic #8 and just maybe a low grade Suspense #3. 

I will probably die without them but if you  put the word “grail” in proper context, these would probably qualify...

[waaaghboss]

15 hours ago, catman76 said:

I am not going to say. It's very rare and not worth much and even though no one really wants it or cares about it, I don't want to risk anyone else knowing what it is so I don't possibly get someone else looking for it

Ditto, the couple books I'm actively looking for come up for sale once a year or less, no need for more competition

[KCOComics]

2 hours ago, Robot Man said:

The word is appropriate, “obtainable”. I am into other things other than comics. So when a comic reaches the price of say a ‘40s era Harley knucklehead, nice real estate or a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, I really have to question the logic for me. I am in the very envious position of having collecting for about 50 years. I have hung on to most of my books. 

As a young collector, I was very hard working and dedicated. I looked every where and told everyone of my love for old comics. I was pretty obsessed.  Old used book stores, swap meets, garage sales, want ads, trading with other kids and even going door to door asking for them landed me a lot of books for very little money or even free. 

Fast forward to my late 20’s. I was now a husband with a baby daughter. The time came to buy a house and off went a lot of my big GA books for the down payment. I still miss my Cap #1 and especially my More Fun #52-53. But I know that ship has sailed.

Most of my big key SA books went for college educations, weddings and setting up my kids for good lives. A very worthy investment and a smart decision. Don’t miss them anymore. 

Being very realistic, there are a couple books I’ve never owned that given the right copy and right price, I think I could still obtain. Dynamic #8 and just maybe a low grade Suspense #3. 

I will probably die without them but if you  put the word “grail” in proper context, these would probably qualify...

It's great when this fun hobby of ours can benefit your life and well being of your family in such a way.

[Kevin.J]

Showcase 4 is the only SA book that I dont own, I have almost had it a few times over the years, I think in the 90s I thought it was overpriced so bought others while I waited for the price to come down, it never did and never will, I know that now

I also have the feeling that it may end my collection if I ever did buy it as I will have nowhere else to go, sure I need a lot of GA but SC4 would feel like an end I think

[Cat-Man_America]

I’ve thought a lot about posting a sought after grail in this thread, but as a high grade collector my Spidey-sense starts tingling.  I get antsy about placing cross hairs on one particular book at the risk of driving the acquisition price astronomically high.  That said, there are a couple of dealers who seem to have a sixth sense about the type of books I seek and when they have something of interest in my wheelhouse they’re usually flexible in negotiating prices. Auction bidding is trickier.

Fortunately, I’m more of an art focused collector than a run collector, so it’s easy for me to shift gears ...and interest... to other books if I sense the ominous clouds of capitalistic opportunism looming on the horizon.

I can share this much: There are certain early HIT Comics with Lou Fine covers I’m actively seeking, not to mention classic Schomburg covers (Timely, Nedor and Harvey/Family) and several early Prize Comics, mostly with Jack Binder covers.  Also EC (GFC) of specific SF and horror titled books. Cat-Man Comics is always on a back burner too (it would be a tough title if a run were my goal, but on that score I have most of the toughest issues already).

That’s a fairly broad search pattern, and there are books I consider grail-worthy in each.  Note: I’m even leaving room for several specific DC titles with classic covers.

So, the short answer to the OP question is no, in all honesty I can’t focus interest on a single book, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t grails in a holding pattern that I’d like to land at some point in the future.  

[bpc3qh]

I think it would be Batman 1; for a Batman fan like myself, getting Detective 27 doesn't seem realistic, but a low grade Bat 1 does. If it isn't, Detective 66 is probably the backup, considering how big of a Two-Face fan I am.

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

I’ve decided against selling everything and living in a Quonset hut in order to buy a Tec 27 or Action 1, and instead satisfying myself with single pages on the rare occasion that they turn up

 

I actually visualize this as a course of future collecting action for even the more available books, such as Bat 1 and Cap 1, as the prices continue to rocket to the moon

Edited June 27, 2020 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

13 hours ago, Primetime said:

 Tec 29 up to a 3.0 - Sometimes I miss that book, and would like to get a copy back one day.

See post immediately above . . .

Edited June 27, 2020 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[Pat Calhoun]

pretty cool pages GCG - is not each one really 2? seeing more would be great if possible - thanks - Pat

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

2 minutes ago, Pat Calhoun said:

pretty cool pages GCG - is not each one really 2? seeing more would be great if possible - thanks - Pat

done

[ThothAmon]

Someday. 
 

[ender]

17 minutes ago, Pat Calhoun said:

pretty cool pages GCG - is not each one really 2? seeing more would be great if possible - thanks - Pat

I was just about to ask the same question.  Isn't it really pages 2 and 3 of Detective Comics?  I promise you if it was in my collection that is the way I would describe it to my envious friends.  

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

5 minutes ago, ender said:

I was just about to ask the same question.  Isn't it really pages 2 and 3 of Detective Comics?  I promise you if it was in my collection that is the way I would describe it to my envious friends.  

Actually the Bat page is from Tec 29, not 27. I’m on the lookout for 27!