Batman #608 for over $500! 3 3

[joe_collector]

Anyone who invests in this type of "manufactured collectible" does not understand the underlying economic principles behind comic collecting.

 

Low print runs harm an off-the-shelf comic's value in the long-term, as a Modern collector's memory is extremely short-term, the books was never for sale off the shelf, attrition is nil, and virtually no one will even remember it in 5-10 years. Just remember, rarity in itself does not translate into higher values.

 

The best equation is huge print runs + extreme attrition, which is why older comics are raking in the big bucks. It's not because they're rare, but because potentially millions of kids bought, read and tossed that Golden Age issue, thus creating a lucrative resale market for the few remaining copies.

 

The "limited" comics are a dealer premium and are intended to fleece the unwary and inexperienced collector out of their hard-earned cash. Always have been, always will be.

[FlyingDonut]

I disagree in that I don't think this is a "manufactured collectible". It is an incentive to get dealers to come to the summit, much like a stupid key ring you'd get at a trade show. What the dealer does with it is another thing entirely.

 

I would be VERY surprised if this book does not have legs, given that there are a very low supply of them and a broad base of Batman people who want them. The argument is enforced by the absolute dog sales of the third book given out at the RRP, the Global Frequency 1 cover variant, which has story by fanfave Warren Ellis. That book you can't give away.

 

The argument is also being reinforced because the number of these books that are being sold on eBay has steadily dropped - there were a bunch of them in January and February, but this is the first one I've seen in a while. They are going into BatPeople's private collections.

[Zonker]

Let's try to look at this without attaching the "manufactured collectible" label to it. (though, yes, we're agreed it is a manufactured collectible, with an artificially-low print run).

 

So there are only 200 copies, and assume all 200 are ultra high grade. Now look at a book like Detective 400. No one knows how many out of the original 200,000 or so printed copies survive in similar ultra high grade. 200 seems a not-unreasonable approximation, given that the census shows only 20 have been CGC graded so far as 9.0 or better.

 

Assume just for the sake of argument that only 200 of Detective 400 in 9.0 or better still exist.

 

Are you saying that you personally would not pay the same for a Batman 608 alternate cover as a 9.0+ Detective 400? That's a-ok, neither would I. But do you also agree that is only our personal collecting preference and nothing more? I ask because some on this thread seem to imply there no intrinsic worth in the alternate Batman 608, but there is such intrinsic worth in the surviving high-grade comics published 30+ years ago. My opinion is there is no such intrinsic worth in either case.

 

What I would say is:

Ya want a copy of Batman 608? Great, buy the common cover version!

Ya want a copy of Detective 400? Great, buy a copy in Very Good to Fine+!

 

But that's just me, and I realize others have very different collecting priorities.

Edited April 28, 2003 by Zonker

[joe_collector]

>>They are going into BatPeople's private collections.

 

Exactly, and in a year or so, when Lee is on Spider-man and Loeb is working FF, no one will care about those 200 issues of ......

[shadroch]

Back in the 80s, DC came out with the Limited Dark Knight S/N hardcover. My distributor gave one copy to each of his accounts. Back then there was no internet but I had no problem getting $500 for mine.Heard of copies selling for over 1K. This seems much more key than 608,yet Overstreet has it for much less today some 15 years later. I know its not an exact comparison but I think its in the ballpark. Bill

[joe_collector]

But that Hardcover is a totally different comic and is actually worth significantly more, just from an aesthetic point of view.

 

The Batman we're talking about is just a standard comic, but with a "special edition" cover limited to 200 geeks who'll foot the dealer tab.

[FlyingDonut]

But that Hardcover is a totally different comic and is actually worth significantly more, just from an aesthetic point of view.

 

The Batman we're talking about is just a standard comic, but with a "special edition" cover limited to 200 geeks who'll foot the dealer tab.

 

Why? Something is "worth" only what somebody will pay for it. The "limited" Dark Knight hardcover is exactly the same as both the hardcover trade edition and the soft cover trade edition, just with a different cover, had 4000 copies printed, and Overstreets for $250. (p 351). I think the much more cooler Dark Knight is the blue cover hardcover trade edition, which is tought to find in grade.

 

But on a different, and more meaningful discussion, Vince - please tell me what books are OK with you to buy? I like you, buddy, but every single book that is discussed on these boards you slam as being spec-fodder.

 

Perhaps, just perhaps, the Batman 608 RRP version is ("shudder") a legitimate book for investment? I don't know if its "worth" $600 - I don't know if it is "worth" $10. All I know is there has been a five month sales history with the price chart slowly and steadily moving upwards, there are only 200 copies of this book with this cover in existence, there are a zillion Batman collectors out there, and Jim Lee is the hottest artist on the planet. I don't know if I'd pay $500 for one, but I would (and have) paid $300 for one.

[joe_collector]

>>But on a different, and more meaningful discussion, Vince - please tell me what books are OK with you to buy? I like you, buddy, but every single book that is discussed on these boards you slam as being spec-fodder.

 

That's not true, and in one thread, I even offered some "fun money" comics that aren't too expensive and have some upward potential

 

You may feel the Batman books is "special", but you know the track record of this kind of dealer premium. Not good, and due to the low print runs and artificial scarcity, they seem to forgotten in a year or two.

 

I've heard the same thing many times before, and values have always fallen after the initial hype. Maybe you're right and this will be a $1K comic in a few years, but I highly doubt it.

[joe_collector]

Although I'd rather have a CGC 9.6, here's a book that I think is undervalued. Whether it's worth the $40 BIN is another question entirely.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2172517427&category=33810

[THE_BEYONDER]

The 200 copies of the book will "trade" for a while, each time selling for a little more than the last time. Eventually, "investors" will pay too much for these copies, and the "mark-up" will end. It is at this point(or shortly therafter) that they will begin to "dump" these books for a price far less then they paid. Then, and only then, the books will end up where they BELONG(no JC, not the garbage), in the collections of TRUE Batman fans.............

 

Oh, and as far as the CA #180, I was seriously thinking about buying it the 1st time it listed. I think it's a pretty cool book....

Edited April 29, 2003 by THE_BEYONDER

[joe_collector]

>>Oh, and as far as the CA #180, I was seriously thinking about buying it the 1st time it listed. I think it's a pretty cool book....

 

It's a seriously cool book, and one of the Bronze Age high-points where Cap gets sick of Nixon and tosses away his shield, assuming the mantle of Nomad in all his bare-chested glory.

 

If that book came out today, it would be an instant collector's item fetching thousands in CGC 9.8.

[THE_BEYONDER]

So are you going to buy it.....or should I?

[joe_collector]

I don't think I'll go $40, but if it hangs around for awhile, I may take a stab at a bid. If you want teh BIN, nab it.

[COI]

I was seriously thinking about buying it the 1st time it listed. I think it's a pretty cool book....

 

Same here....but the centering(horizontally) bothers me. With these 70's books that have the "Marvel comics group" banner, I'm pretty fickle about having the banner run straight across the book. I'm especially picky on inexpensive books like this where I can afford to be picky.

 

I think I'll wait for a 9.6.

[the_changing_man]

That is currently pretty cheap for a copy of that book....

 

I'd say its worth a pitch ( and as people have already said, its worth what you would pay )

 

its very likely to be the highest graded CGC copy of that variant worldwide ever as I’m sure it wasn’t handled with kid gloves by most to get as high as a 9.6 on submission...

 

with regards to it being a 608 variant, 608 is definitely a modern key, I’m surprised they didn’t print a 3rd edition as its been all but impossible to get hold off.... ( bar eBay and hoarded copies appearing at conventions I’ll assume )

 

When was the last time you saw a modern batman so sought after?

 

Personally i love variants...manufactured or not....although I’m still trying to work out what a non-manufactured variant is

 

Cheers,

 

[joe_collector]

>>Personally i love variants...manufactured or not....although I’m still trying to work out what a non-manufactured variant is

 

A comic that was different from the standard run (price variant, misprint, error, etc.) that was on the shelf at the same time and at the base cover price.

 

If it's a manufactered variant, it's intended for higher valuation right off the presses, and goes straight to the dealer for resale, or is sold retail at a premium (DF).

[Bonds25]

What is this Crime Suspenstories variant you talk about??

[FlyingDonut]

Crime Suspenstories "15" is identical to #1. #15 is printed on the cover and blackened out on the inside front cover with Vol. 1, No.1 printed over it. Crime Suspenstories was going to take Vault of Horror's place, but "Evidently several of the No. 15 were printed before a decision was made not to drop the Vault of Horror and Haunt of Fear series. The print run was stopped on No. 15 and continued on No. 1. All of No. 15 were changed as described above." (courtesy Overstreet, p. 420)

[Bonds25]

The "skeleton" cover of Adventurers #1 is a "manufactured collectable, and highly in demand now.

[blowout]

with regards to it being a 608 variant, 608 is definitely a modern key

 

It is a hot, hype driven book. This is very different from being a 'key'. A book attains key issue status by being the subject of collector demand/ interest for a prolonged period. This book may well become a 'key' in years to come, but certainly cannot be classed as one while riding the hype machine.