Fantastic Four Collecting Thread! 32 32

[Straw-Man]

[HighVoltage]

44 minutes ago, namisgr said:

12,33,36,51, and 55.  And I didn't pay the list prices, but rather 10% off.  I also bought a half dozen JIM issues and Thor 134 that were listed in May of '99.  Looking back, I was in a position to buy the entire FF and JIM SA runs.  But at the time the comic budget was modest, and I lacked the collector savvy to appreciate the singular opportunity in this pedigree collection and snap it up.

The word got out quickly about the collection.  When I saw titles like Amazing Spiderman, Avengers, and Tales of Suspense listed online in June and e-mailed about the availability of certain issues, the entire runs were sold out.

Oy - hindsight. Who knew!?

I've been in a few fortunate spots to find some nice books, but nothing on this scope.

Back on track, though - FF 12, 51 and 55 are favorites for sure. 55 is so very tough with white pages.
Thinking of my 1999 collector self - I would've keeled over paying $2K plus for the early FFs. I was looking for bargain keys more in the F/VF range.

[Dick Pontoon]

Gotta try to catch up again. I'll skip a few I missed. Do all you guys have all your FFs already scanned?

 

 

[Dick Pontoon]

Forgot my #33, just upgraded this one.

 

[KirbyJack]

I was looking for nice FFs at that time, but I was WAY too cheap to invest in that kind of real quality.

Still am, come to think of it. I would probably still pass on a similar opportunity in 2021 adjusted dollars. I might have reached on a personal fav or a value pick like the 51, if finances fell right.

[HighVoltage]

2 hours ago, KirbyJack said:

I was looking for nice FFs at that time, but I was WAY too cheap to invest in that kind of real quality.

Still am, come to think of it. I would probably still pass on a similar opportunity in 2021 adjusted dollars. I might have reached on a personal fav or a value pick like the 51, if finances fell right.

Pretty much the same!

Except at least now I have a better understanding of the opportunity and the quality of the book(s) that may be at hand.
It helps having a lot more buying power now too, but I would certainly look at any value pick book or anything that was a personal favorite!

[Gazoony]

I posted this in the Silver Age thread, but it may be more appropriate here to get some opinions. I appreciate any help.

-

Hi guys, I got a CBCS graded Fantastic Four 48 in a 9.0 white pages like 10 months ago. I got a decent deal on it that's why I bought it. 

I was hoping to get some input on what to do with it. I don't really wanna sell it, I'd prefer to trade for another book. What do you think a fair trade value would be? A 9.0 hasn't really sold recently and 9.2 sold recently for 21k. But FMV on GoCollect is 9k for 9.0. So I'm having a little bit of trouble coming to a reasonable price point.

 

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Straw-Man]

a fave cover.

[KirbyJack]

I want a better copy, but even this book is getting pricey.

[Westy Steve]

On 5/5/2021 at 11:50 AM, thehumantorch said:

While I love them I consider the first issues of FF as pretty bad.  Kirby's art was rough and the team characters were pretty pedestrian, a recycled Human Torch, Plastic Man, a orange monster, and a invisible woman.  There were glimmers of magic like the Mole Man, Skrulls and Dr Doom and clearly there was something there as the book sold well.  For me the title was consistently good from issue 38 on and I'd suggest that the run from there to issue 60 was the best run in the SA.

I'll give you a counter argument.  I'm in my mid-50's (probably like most of us), and I have teenage girls.  Once in a while I try I'll try to get them to watch some of the old fantasy/science fiction movies that I grew up with that are now classics and highly regarded.  Their response is that "they seem terrible and dated".  

My response to them is always the same:

"It's all we had".

Back in the day, there weren't a lot of outlets for the (sometimes closet) fantasy lover.  

While the early FF seems campy, they were pulling together the elements of science fiction and human drama, but it was up to the reader's imagination and desperation for something good to fill in the gaps.  It's all they had.

[Jasonmorris1000000]

[pickycollector]

[namisgr]

[thehumantorch]

3 hours ago, Westy Steve said:

I'll give you a counter argument.  I'm in my mid-50's (probably like most of us), and I have teenage girls.  Once in a while I try I'll try to get them to watch some of the old fantasy/science fiction movies that I grew up with that are now classics and highly regarded.  Their response is that "they seem terrible and dated".  

My response to them is always the same:

"It's all we had".

Back in the day, there weren't a lot of outlets for the (sometimes closet) fantasy lover.  

While the early FF seems campy, they were pulling together the elements of science fiction and human drama, but it was up to the reader's imagination and desperation for something good to fill in the gaps.  It's all they had.

Agreed, times have changed and FF's art and writing was probably pretty average comic for the time.  But if you look at the early issues of FF Kirby's art is pretty awful and I think we could all point to other comic runs where the art was better, eg precode ECs.   Clearly there was something there because the title sold well and led to a universe of characters that are still published 50 years later but when I look at the art of early issues I cringe.

[WernerVonDoom]

[KirbyJack]

A good deal of Kirby’s early art is excellent. 

But not all, of course.

[Albert Thurgood]

I was just going through my collection and re-bagging and boarding them, looking also at what current values may be.

Naturally I started with the FFs. I got up to issue 110 and found that I have a rare green Thing. (I meant in the comic, not a medical condition ;-) )

MCS lists this as a variant but have none in stock. They describe it as a printer error.

I checked on ebay. There are about 80 different copies of #110 for sale but none of this variant.

Unfortunately it looks like the printer's error has extended to a bindery error too. This must be the most off-centre book in my collection.

Does anyone know what this variant could be worth?

 

 

[WernerVonDoom]

47 minutes ago, Albert Thurgood said:

I was just going through my collection and re-bagging and boarding them, looking also at what current values may be.

Naturally I started with the FFs. I got up to issue 110 and found that I have a rare green Thing. (I meant in the comic, not a medical condition ;-) )

MCS lists this as a variant but have none in stock. They describe it as a printer error.

I checked on ebay. There are about 80 different copies of #110 for sale but none of this variant.

Unfortunately it looks like the printer's error has extended to a bindery error too. This must be the most off-centre book in my collection.

Does anyone know what this variant could be worth?

 

 

A graded 6.5 sold for about $400 in March.  This book has gone up a bit recently - like everything else I guess.

[WernerVonDoom]

I know this is technically bronze, but I never pass up a chance to post this book.

[pickycollector]