Congratulations, 2018 CGC Registry Award Winners!

The CGC Registry has grown to over 71,000 registered sets in the last year! There are now more than 4,200 competitive set types and we continue to receive new set type requests daily. The possibilities are endless and it is thrilling to see how the CGC Registry has evolved over time.

Our Mission was to choose three sets each in six competitive categories - Best Golden Age, Best Silver Age, Best Bronze Age, Best Modern Age, Best Copper Age and Best Presented. Additionally we had the task of choosing one winner for Best Magazine set, three outstanding message board contributors and just one collector for the John Verzyl Sr. Registry Masterpiece Award. Our team of judges reviewed all of the top sets across every category in the Comics Registry and after much deliberation, selected the following winners. Congratulations to all!

CGC 2018 John Verzyl Sr. Registry Masterpiece Award

The 2018 John Verzyl Sr. Registry Masterpiece Award goes to Ghost Town! In 2007, Ghost Town won the Overall Achievement Award in Collecting. Now, 10 years later he is the first recipient of the John Verzyl Sr. Registry Masterpiece Award! In ten years, fourteen of his beautiful sets are ranked #1. Nineteen of his sets are 100% complete. Ghost Town is currently ranked 4th overall with over 2.2 Million points! He has put together shockingly beautiful high ranking sets of Avengers, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, Silver Surfer, Thor, Tomb of Dracula and Werewolf By Night. His Amazing Spider-Man set, Avengers set and X-Men set are all ranked 1st and all 100% complete with images. All of Ghost Town’s sets show dedication to putting together a fantastic collection that anyone would be proud to own! Congratulations to Ghost Town on being the inaugural winner of the John Verzyl Sr. Registry Masterpiece Award and the first person to win the Overall Achievement Award twice!!! View all of these sets, their images and more at Ghost Town’s profile page. Also be on the lookout for our upcoming interview with Ghost Town about his registry collection and his love of comics.

Best Golden Age Sets

HemiGTX - BLAINE’S BEAUTIES - Kid Colt Outlaw
A run of Kid Colt can be completed with some tenacity, but what makes this group so amazing are the grades! Atlas and early Marvel issues are near impossible to find because of how poorly they were printed, and yet this run has a plethora of them. Over 80% are 8.0 or better, including many of the early issues. HemiGTX’s comment, “30 years+ in the making“ says it all. Here’s a clue; pay attention to the early issues in lower grade--these are the true gems. If this owner couldn’t find better ones in 30 years, you ain’t gonna either! HemiGTX, do us a favor and bang out those 35 cent price variants and put this run to bed!

Markgallo66 - Palz 4 life - Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen
Like the Kid Colt run which took the top spot, early Olsens are also super tough to find in high grade, developing an infamous reputation among Superman fans trying to nail down copies from the mid to late ’50s. Which is exactly where the prime issues of Jimmy Olsen fall. This run has a plethora of early 8.0’s and better, quickly ascending into 9.4, 9.6, and above #100, over 2/3 in 9.8! Markgallo66 looks to still be upgrading his issues, quite possibly making this the greatest Jimmy Olsen run in the world.

BarristerBaker - Green from Gold - Green Lantern (1941)
Completing a run of any Golden Age DC Superhero title can be daunting, especially in 6.0 or better. But after adding issue #29 in May of this year, BarristerBaker has done it! The run’s later issues are notoriously hard to find in decent shape, and this run even has a few 9.0’s and 9.2’s sprinkled throughout. No doubt he has fun busting this run out to show off!

Best Silver Age Sets

Colorado Comics - Scotty’s Spideys Complete Collection - Amazing Spider-Man (Complete)
Since winning 1st place 3 years ago (with a set of #1-100), 20% of those hundred issues have been upgraded! This year’s set also adds the next 50+ consecutive issues at 9.8 each! Due to these upgrades & valuation changes since 2015, this set has DOUBLED in point value to an astronomical 2,629,000! Starting with a 9.6 Amazing Fantasy #15, this set has only 2 lowly 9.4’s and a hand full of 9.6’s, leaving the overwhelming balance of 140+ books at 9.8! AND, each book has been scanned on both sides for our viewing pleasure. This set certainly belongs on the high pedestal we’ve placed it upon. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

wallstreetrebel - Sheldon’s Envy - Flash #105-#350
7 years on the registry and a lot of hard work has lifted this complete run of Flash #105-350 to one of, if not the best, in existence! Only 8 of the 354 issues rate below 9.4, and even those lower grade issues are still among the highest graded copies. And, all but one of the 1st 60 issues are available for viewing. Spanning the entire Silver-Age of comics, this set is a winner in every way! Way to go wallstreetrebel!!

colmoreman - Gorgeous Giants! - DC 80 Page Giant
This set is a real jaw dropper! All Silver-Age Square bound books! 75% of them are 9.8! Almost every one of the lesser graded copies (9.4-9.6) are still the highest graded on the census! (Did I mention that these are Silver-Age Square Bounds?) So there are none better to be had. Serious “WOW“ factor! And every copy has been scanned so that we can see what the best looks like. A tip of the hat to Colmoreman on this awesome achievement!

Best Bronze Age Sets

willybaum - Willy B’s DC Bicentennial Comics - DC Bicentennial Comics
A set like this sums up the joy of collecting comics. DC Comics celebrated the 1976 USA Bicentennial by adorning their books with a red, white & blue banner at the top of each title. 33 in all, they had a special offer for a mail away to receive a Superman belt buckle. A story shared by owner Willy Baum on collecting this set as a youth is classic in itself. He has put this run together through many different avenues. Buying graded copies as well as picking up raw copies to submit himself. Never finished like any true collector, he is still working at upgrading his collection.

AnastasiasCollect - Ms. Marvel Complete SS Run - Ms. Marvel (1977)
Everyone that collects comics knows how popular Ms. Marvel is right now. This set is unique though, in that it is a complete Signature Series run. All double signed by Stan “The Man“ Lee and Chris Claremont with the exception being issue 1 with Gerry Conway’s signature accompanying Mr Lee’s. All 23 issues are 9.8 except for one at 9.4. Impressive when you factor in the handling of each comic as they get signed. Congratulations on a great set and win!

Best2u - The LL&P Collection - Aurora Comic Scenes - Aurora Comic Scenes
The Aurora Comic Scenes were promotional comic books that doubled as instruction manuals. They were included with the Aurora superhero model kits made in 1974. They were drawn by a host of famous comic book artists. The set of ten features some of the biggest characters in comics! Best2u has put together an impressive set of these with multiple copies graded at 9.9 and 10.0! Congratulations!

Best Copper Age Sets

B-Neaux - Copper Classics - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Vol. 1 #1-#4)
B-Neaux’s “Copper Classics“ set of 9.8 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a real stunner. With just 3,000 first prints ever produced of #1, and only 29 in 9.8 Universal, it’s easy to see why this book alone would be a crown jewel in any collection. To get an entire set of 1-4 first prints in 9.8 - with three in Signature Series - B-Neaux is living the collecting dream. Congratulations on such a fantastic set of this truly classic and much loved Copper Age title!

Andrew Rathbun - 1980 Whitman Pre Pack Only Issues Sold Only In 8-12/1980 Editions - Whitman Pre-Pack and Scarce Issues
Andrew Rathbun’s “Whitman Pre Pack Only“ set is an exercise in collecting tenacity. Produced in very limited numbers for 3-pack sets, and distributed in selected chain retail stores in the US for a short period of time in 1980, these titles really are tough books. Tracking them down in higher grades takes real dedication to the hobby! Mr. Rathbun has been building this set since 2008, and it really shines. Congratulations on this wonderful collection of very rare books!

mschmidt - m’s sandman - Sandman (1989)
mschmidt’s “M’s Sandman“ is an enviable collection of Neil Gaiman’s “Sandman“ title, and has been assembled since 2009. Completed this year, these books are notoriously difficult in higher grades, and mschmidt has managed to get all of them in 9.8! This includes the impossible to find Error Edition of Issue 18 - of which only 21 are on the census and only 4 exist in 9.8! Ditto that for the Error Edition of Issue 19 - of which only 25 exist in 9.8 Yellow label. Congratulations to a remarkable set of absolutely beautiful books!

Best Modern Age Sets

mgmgx2 - Gillette Set - Batman (2011)
mgmgv2 has put together a very impressive complete collection of the Batman run of DC’s New 52. This set includes all variants and printings with the majority of the books coming in at 9.8 with only a couple of 9.6s. The set also includes 6 9.9s including issue #1 and issue 30 comes in at perfect 10. In addition many of the books are signed by the creators. The collection is presented with multiple pictures of each book and information on the various signatures. mgmgv2 has clearly put alot of time and effort in putting together such a complete run of Batman’s adventures in the New 52.

newshane - The Files of Mammon – Spawn
The Files of Mammon set by newshane is a great near complete run of the first 271 issues of Todd McFarlane’s Spawn. The majority of the set is in 9.8 with 12 9.9s including a copy of issue 1 in 9.9. The set also includes a number of signature series books signed by the various creators. Newshane has included detailed information and pictures for each book which really conveyed how much of a fan he is of the series. Spawn is being relaunched as movie franchise starring Jamie Foxx as Al Simmons/Spawn in 2019. This will make putting together a set this impressive even harder as the prices start to go up. Congrats newshane!

Blorgon scum - Chosen One - Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight
The Chosen One set by Blorgon Scum is a near complete run of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 from Dark Horse. All but one of the books submitted are 9.8 with only one coming in at 9.6. The set includes pictures of all books and some personal information regarding some of the signatures. Buffy is a character that has successfully crossed over from television to comics allowing fans to follow the story long after the show ended. Great job on putting together a great set Blorgon Scum.

Best Presented Sets

Lee K - My buddy, Buddy Baker - Strange Adventure s (1950)
Your passion and vast amount of research has not gone unnoticed, Lee K. Your Strange Adventures set is really turning into something special! We enjoyed reading your analysis of the cover art, taking in to consideration color, composition, use of positive and negative space, and so on. We also enjoyed your inclusion of the cover swipes, side-by-side, when they were applicable. Those little extra touches really made this set stand out in the crowd. Looking forward to see what the future holds for this fine collection.

Rune - Boris the Savage - Savage Sword of Conan (Boris Vallejo Covers Only)
Rune, we agree! Dr. Jones would say “This should be in a museum!“ Your dedication to consistently upgrading these works of art is truly commendable and has not gone unnoticed. We understand the struggle in trying to find these oversized gems in such amazing condition and applaud your tireless efforts. We have our fingers crossed for you to find that missing #15 in high grade to finish off this beautiful set.

MadGenius - Pride and Joy - Runaways (Complete )
We simply cannot “runaway“ from this Runaways set. Best in Set for 2015, 2016, and 2017. Winner of Best Modern Age Set in 2015. All that said and we can’t deny it’s not only fun, but beautiful in presentation. We loved the idea of the inclusion of interior pages versus the ads on the back cover and your “Fun Facts“ kept us reading your descriptions. “Pride and Joy“ is the perfect name for this set, as it is one of the Registry’s. Congrats!

Best Magazine Set

HMH - Ultimate Playboy Collection - Playboy (Complete)
On display here is a stunning set of Playboy magazines all in an impressive 9.0 or better, including the single highest graded Page 3 copy (a 9.6!) of the inaugural issue. As a matter of fact, there are several 9.6 representatives in the first two volumes alone. Finding attractive copies of these earlier issues is difficult enough, but to have amassed a collection of this caliber is quite impressive to say the least. And appearing to be still under construction, it may hold its title of Best in Set Type for a long time to come.

Best Custom Set

Superman 9.8 - Superman # 1 1974 - 2017 1938 Reprints / Swipes / Variant / 9.8
This custom set is a prime example of how the custom sets option can be used to their fullest potential by registry users. Superman_9.8 makes a strong effort to share his love of Action Comics #1 with this collection. The set description explains it all while clearly displaying this collector’s passion for this cover. Also, the gallery is impressive to view as it has an image for all 120 books in the collection. This set of Action #1 cover homages & reprints is a fun one to explore and enjoy. Keep up the great work Superman_9.8, we cheer you on your journey to achieve your set goals!

Best Forumites

Azkaban
Larryw7
ADAMANTIUM

Best in Set Type

We would also like to acknowledge the top set in each set type. See our 2018 Awards Archive page for the Best in Set Type winners. 2018 Awards Archive

Special note: In response to participant feedback, an opt-out feature has been added on the edit set page for users with a No. 1 set who wish to NOT receive a certificate in the mail. If your set is No. 1 at the award deadline and you choose to opt out of receiving the certificate, your set is still named No. 1 and gets the award icon online. Opting out only means you wouldn’t receive the paper certificate in the mail.