CGC Collectorverse: Collector Origin Stories – Iconic1s

For this issue of Collectorverse “Origin Stories,” we’re spotlighting CGC Comics Registry user Iconic1s and a collection built around one of the most seismic moments in modern comic history: The Death of Superman.

Packed with high-grade examples from the landmark storyline, the set captures the scale, emotion and cultural shockwave that followed DC’s bold decision to bring down its greatest icon. For Iconic1s, The Death of Superman carries weight because of what Superman represents — a character with immense power who chooses, again and again, to use it responsibly. Superman endures because he sets the standard for using our own abilities to serve others and strive to be better.

Q&A with Iconic1s

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Let’s go all the way back to the beginning. What was your first introduction to comics?

I grew up in the 70s and my first introduction to comics was through Treasury-Size books.  Mostly DC but also Marvel characters . My favorite superhero was Superman but as a kid I always tried to draw Hulk. I could usually get the angry face down well, and his muscles, but all my drawings had no hands because I just couldn’t get the perspective right on thumbs and fingers!

Take us through your journey as a collector. What does that path look like from where you started up to the present day?

Growing up, we lived in a sub-division surrounded by cornfields (which are gone now). The neighborhood had its own little strip mall with a Grocery Store, Drug Store, local Bank, and a few other businesses.  Whenever I’d earned a few dollars, my parents would let me walk or ride my bike down to Grimm’s Drug Store and that’s where I fell in love with the Treasury-Size books and Wacky Packages. Unfortunately, I usually either cut the book’s backs off (for pin-ups) or just basically beat them up reading them. Many of my Wacky Packages also ended up in the spokes of my bike.

I joined the Marine Corps in 1984 and spent most of 1985-1991 overseas. In 1992 my Mom sent me The Death of Superman TPB for Christmas. I remember reading it for the first time while sitting on the front step of the base housing where I lived at the time. Witnessing the reactions of those close to Superman while he fought Doomsday, and seeing the gatefold back cover with him lying dead with Lois crying was intense. Maybe it was my profession, but seeing Superman pay the ultimate sacrifice to save everyone was profound and tears welled up in my eyes… I suddenly missed my old friend!  I still have that TPB raw, and many years later I sent the Action Comics #1 reprint that came with it to CGC, and it received a 9.8! Nice!

From that point on I was hooked. Immediately I started looking for the individual books that I had read in that TPB, as well as everything Superman that was coming out. I was ecstatic when I finally got caught up.

My raw book collection continued through the 90s. Later, I got into statues and original art, old toys, and action figures. I have a few original pieces that I’m proud of, such as a Doomsday model sheet signed by Dan Jurgens with the project approval stamp and initials on the back, and an original of Christopher Reeve as Superman mixed media piece by John Alvin.

My collection has grown a lot since I left the Marines in 2014 but there was a point where what I had was stored for over 10 years, oceans, and continents away while I finished service and finally planted roots. That was a worrisome 10 years of thinking about all the things that could go wrong in that storage facility!

What part does the CGC Comics Registry play for you as a comic collector?

The Registry played a huge part in where my collection is today. When I first became aware of CGC I decided that I wanted to build only the Death of Superman part of the story in all CGC 9.8. When I finally achieved that, I decided to register a competitive set to keep track of them. When I did so, I completely lost my mind when I saw all the later printings I was not aware of! I started becoming familiar with the CGC Chat Boards forums and got caught up on all the later printings and DCU/Multi-Pack books. This was in 2018 and at that point some of these books did not have copies graded or were ghosts such as Man of Steel #20 Second Printing, at the time.

I started my hunt for raw books and spent a lot of time putting together submissions one after the other. I learned a lot from fellow Registry users collecting the same set. I’ve made some good friends through the Registry and am grateful for that!  I was at the right place at the right time to either submit first graded copies of a book, or to make the first 9.8 of a few…it was an incredibly fun time!

For me, my Registry Sets have become a historical archive of the effort I put into adding each book to my sets. I enjoy writing detailed descriptions and keeping them updated; pictures are a MUST.  I also enjoy keeping it interesting by adding images of my related collectibles that complement some of the books.

More recently I built a Custom Set where I can add all the books I’ve assembled related to my Death of Superman collection. In my Custom Set I display Signature Series and Universal copies of the same book side by side, and I can order them how I would like, as well as include tons of other books related to this story. The competitive Death of Superman set has 99 books while my Custom Set currently has 292 that relate to this story. I am also working on assembling all known Superman #75 cover homages from many different publishers and have been submitting later printings of the Death of Superman TPB and adding these to the Custom Set. I honestly thought I would be done when I finished my competitive set, but I’m always finding new things to keep me busy, and the Registry helps keep me motivated. Being able to add pictures and look through the gallery is extremely rewarding.

You’re a veteran CGC Comics Registry participant and two-time Awards winner for your incredible Death of Superman set. How do you think that storyline has influenced the Man of Steel’s evolution since then .

Oh man, this is a tough one to answer. This is only my opinion, but I do think that for a while it made people appreciate what they have in Superman and ponder a world without him. It just was not as awesome with Superman not in it. You can still see the influence in books today with the inclusion of characters from the Reign of the Supermen storyline.

The fact that the 30th Anniversary of the Death of Superman storyline was successful says that people still have a place in their heart for this story.  I hope we never have to go as far as to kill him again to get people to realize how great he is.  It’s kind of wild that we now have artists putting their own spin on drawing him who probably weren’t even born when Doomsday first crawled out of the ground with one arm tied behind his back.

Superman has a very special place in comics and culture. In your opinion, what is it about Superman that has allowed him to endure to this day?

I think that Superman is a universal symbol of hope and goodness. He’s the embodiment of accountability; he has so much power but never directs it in the wrong way. He may not always be perfect, but he strives to ensure his actions result in only positive consequences for us mere mortals.

In the movie Kill Bill, Bill said that there was no Clark Kent, only Superman. I think there’s only Clark Kent, who just happens to be from another planet and has incredible abilities. Clark Kent makes the decision to put on the suit and take the risk when he really doesn’t have to. Everyone has something to offer, and we all may play a certain role or take risks in our careers or whatever we do, but at the end of the day we are still Clark Kent, particularly to our loved ones.

I think Superman endures because he sets the example for what we should strive to be when we use our own skills and abilities. We should try to be our best and serve others well and that’s what Superman shows us. Hopefully that never gets old.

Last question: when it comes to depicting Superman, who is your favorite artist and writer?

I have always thought that Tom Grummet’s depiction of Superman’s strength and physique on the cover of The Adventures of Superman #500 regular edition is perfect. Having said that though, my favorite cover art overall is still Man of Steel #19 by Jon Bogdanove.

I really love Dan Jurgens ability to lay out panels and tell a story, and of course he had something to do with my favorite story!

When it comes to writers it’s also a tough call but I’m going with Roger Stern. It’s hard to beat all the work he’s done, not only on Superman but overall. If I could pick more than one, I’d throw in Mark Waid and Jeph Loeb.

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.

CGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, a global provider of expert and impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. Since 1987, the Certified Collectibles Group companies have certified more than 100 million collectibles, including coins, banknotes, comic books, cards, autographs and stamps.