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My nominees for the coolest single copies in the hobby
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101 posts in this topic

38 minutes ago, Moondog said:

It's hard for me to sit on the sidelines (after all just check out my avatar).  I believe these were posted earlier. 

Action Comics Ashcan.jpg

Action Funnies Ashcan.jpg

:whatthe:.   Definitely gorgeous examples.  :cloud9:

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12 hours ago, Moondog said:

It's hard for me to sit on the sidelines (after all just check out my avatar).  I believe these were posted earlier. 

 

Action Funnies Ashcan.jpg

As an O'Mealia fan, this Action Funnies gets my vote.  Although, the Radio Funnies Flanagan cover can stand right next to it.

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13 hours ago, Moondog said:

It's hard for me to sit on the sidelines (after all just check out my avatar).  I believe these were posted earlier. 

Action Comics Ashcan.jpg

Action Funnies Ashcan.jpg

You were a man with vision Gary. That and you were lucky enough to have the opportunity to grab these. Such historical artifacts. Must have been quite a thrill to obtain them!

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14 hours ago, jimbo_7071 said:

Hmmm,,,,

My thoughts on the Allentown Cap 1 are that it is only a 9.8 because of the absurd way CGC ignores page quality. A book with Off-white pages should never be given a 9.8 grade. A 9.8 book should have white pages—period. There are several copies of Cap 1 out there that I would consider more desirable.

I also hate bound copies and have never understood why there's even a market for them. They consist of comic books that have been ruined.

Most of the books you listed are very cool copies, though. (I do wish MPFW #1 had a better cover!)

I think age quality is very important also, however it could be a 9.9 with a downgrade for paper quality to 9.8

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2 hours ago, Mmehdy said:

I think age quality is very important also, however it could be a 9.9 with a downgrade for paper quality to 9.8

That wouldn't be nearly enough of a downgrade. Maybe I'm alone on this, but I would always rather have a VF book with white pages than a 9.8 with off-white pages. I would like to see a ten-point numerical scale for page quality (like the OWL scale but perhaps based on suppleness rather then color) with a rule that the grade of the book could not exceed the page quality. If a book scored 8 out of 10 for page quality, than the highest grade the book could get would be 8.0. If only I ran CGC! :insane:

Edited by jimbo_7071
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5 hours ago, Robot Man said:

You were a man with vision Gary. That and you were lucky enough to have the opportunity to grab these. Such historical artifacts. Must have been quite a thrill to obtain them!

I'll never forget the moment I first saw the Superman ashcan (fall 1985).  I really didn't know what it was, but it was the coolest book I ever held in my hands. 

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3 hours ago, jimbo_7071 said:

That wouldn't be nearly enough of a downgrade. Maybe I'm alone on this, but I would always rather have a VF book with white pages than a 9.8 with off-white pages. I would like to see a ten-point numerical scale for page quality (like the OWL scale but perhaps based on suppleness rather then color) with a rule that the grade of the book could not exceed the page quality. If a book scored 8 out of 10 for page quality, than the highest grade the book could get would be 8.0. If only I ran CGC! :insane:

Such an old-school approach to collecting GA!  Most of us felt this way back in the 70s, 80s and 90s.  Unfortunately since CGC PQ just isn't as important...

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On 2/18/2021 at 5:07 AM, sfcityduck said:

Just killing some time, and got to thinking about this topic:  What are the coolest single GA copies in the hobby? 

To be clear, I mean actual single books (like the MH Action 1), not issues (like Action 1).  And by "coolest," I mean a confluence of comic history, collecting history, importance, significance, rarity, storytelling value, etc.,  but NOT necessarily grade.  I do NOT assume the "best" or most valuable copy of a comic is the "coolest" copy.  

Having said that, here are books that make my Top 10 (in no particular order):

  • Mile High / Edgar Church Action 1 - C'mon, its the most important comic, from the most important OO collection, with the most important impact on comic pricing, and it is shrouded in mystery.  Even if it turns out NOT to be the highest graded Action 1, it will still be the MH copy I think is "coolest."  
  • Pay Copy Marvel Comics 1 - Not the best copy, but the history! We've all  talked a lot about this book. Hard to top.
  • Gaines file copy of Vault of Horror 12 -The very first "New Trend" EC Comic.  The only "Gaines file copy" of it.  Is that cool or what?  Talk about boasting rights!  All the other guys chasing Gaines file copies will envy you forever.
  • Gardner Fox's bound volumes of All-Star Comics - I hate bound copies and maybe they don't belong on a list of "single copies" because they are two volumes.  But, Gardner Fox, the man and legend who wrote the JSA stories, had bound copies of the All-Star run.  He sold them to Jerry Bails, the legendary fan and promoter of comic collecting, for $75 in 1959!  The coolest bound volumes ever.  They belong on the list.
  • Double Action 1 (ashcan) - Another book shrouded in mystery.  The Bigfoot of comics, but it turned out it exists!  And its got a great cover.  Double Action 2 is also a cool book, but the rarity makes DA 1 even cooler.  The fact that someone got both DA 1 and the best DA 2 for only $80K tells you that even on the deep end of the pool, the highest price does not equal the coolest books!  What a great pairing to own.
  • Fawcett Flash Comics 1 / Thrill Comics 1 - Speaking of ashcans, here's the only ashcan to feature the actual first appearance of a major character - Captain Thunder!  ... er Marvel.  Super cool.  If you want to own one ashcan, this has to be the one that will give you the best story to tell.  For this one title, I think all the copies are equally cool (I know, it's an exception to the rule above).
  • Pay Copy MPFW 1 - BUT, there is a cooler first appearance of a major character that may actually have made it to the public!  First appearance of the first major Marvel character.  And super rare.  And shrouded in mystery and discussion points.  That sounds cool to me.  AND there is a PAY COPY - which hits my list of the coolest copies in the hobby.
  • Allentown Captain America 1 - CA 1 is a cool book.  While grade is not a weighty criteria for me, I'll make an exception here as this CA 1 is the only really major GA key that exists in CGC 9.8.  And it was owned by a storied dealer for many many years, and was one of a handful of books that shaped the high end collecting economy.  
  • Dong Kingman's personal copy of The Nightingale - Also on the pre-Code theme, Frederick Wertham said there was only one "good" comic book ever made: The Nightingale.  Super rare, limited distribution in NYC and Westchester county - only two copies are known to exist in private collections.  One of those copies was purchased directly from the artist, the famed fine artist Dong Kingman.  Artist's personal copy and you can't complete a collection of all comics mentioned in SOTI without it (SOTIcollector has the other copy and the only complete SOTI collection), and it is historically important and a great story to tell.  Makes my list!
  • Review Copy of Wonder Woman 1(?) - Someone's got to help me with this one.  I recall seeing an auction for a review copy of either Sensation 1 or Wonder Woman 1 (I think the latter) with a letter either written by or to the editor of a respected women's magazine.  It included a photo of the woman supposedly holding a copy of the book, but the cover of the comic was a preview version.  It was a super cool group of items.  Unique, historical, and great storytelling value!  Really impressed me, but I can't find any info on line.  Help!

I'm sure folks have their own thoughts on this one.  Light discussion for a slow day.


Amazing list. 

 

Given that Mad had such an impact on satire and comedy in general I would think either Kurtzman or Gaines copies of Mad 1 should make the list.
 

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On 2/17/2021 at 7:40 PM, onlyweaknesskryptonite said:

If I remember correctly the issue with verification of which was actually first graded is when the first started they did "sample" books that didn't have all of the information on the labels and do not show any or incorrect information in the registry.  

The first book that technically has the correct information so it  is called the first book is 20210217_193705.jpg.d2489dc88efed26747b6126f5729ca4c.jpg

Probably due for a reholder.

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10 hours ago, roccojoco said:

Funny Aminals #1 CGC 9.9

Comic books are so prevalent in today's society, but in 1972, a quirky titled Robert Crumb book featured the first iteration of Art Spiegelman's Maus

Twenty years later, Maus became the first (and is still the only) graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize.  This is truly a remarkable moment for the industry. A nearly 50-year old comic book in CGC 9.9 is incredibly rare, but featuring the first appearance of such a noteworthy event is beyond cool.

funny-aminals-cgc-9-1972-crumb-art_1_70a7e616983b0ee18996dfdab86357ff.jpg

Not golden age, but I am glad you posted this because I completely agree on the significance of Maus.  This book is the first step he took took towards Maus by publishing this prototype.  Coincidentally I submitted my high grade copy of Funny Aminals for grading in January along with Short Order Comix 1 which is the first time any part of the Maus graphic novel was published.  Not golden age, but the GA of underground’s.  

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On 3/2/2021 at 3:41 PM, roccojoco said:

Funny Aminals #1 CGC 9.9

Comic books are so prevalent in today's society, but in 1972, a quirky titled Robert Crumb book featured the first iteration of Art Spiegelman's Maus

Twenty years later, Maus became the first (and is still the only) graphic novel to win a Pulitzer Prize.  This is truly a remarkable moment for the industry. A nearly 50-year old comic book in CGC 9.9 is incredibly rare, but featuring the first appearance of such a noteworthy event is beyond cool.

funny-aminals-cgc-9-1972-crumb-art_1_70a7e616983b0ee18996dfdab86357ff.jpg

Very cool book!

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