Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Interesting book that I would like to know more about.

This pretty neat Marvel Spotlight first edition featuring a neat Captain Marvel cover was recently auctioned at a Comiclink auction as a number variant.  Anybody know the backstory behind these?

Friday, November 19, 2010

Tales from the variant hunt - Iron Fist 14

I have been asked several times how I find variants.  I don't pretend to be the best variant hunter out there.  Frank (ebay seller comichunters), Terry (cosmic spider-man), Harry (horkorp) and a few others in the Variant Mafia would get that award.  Searching for them is a blast and can be addicting.  Here is the story of one successful hunt.

A couple of years ago an ebay seller listed a lot titled "Iron Fist 14 variant and others" with a high starting bid of $1000 or so.  Here is the picture of the Iron Fist book that was included in the auction.  There were no bidders.
Since the auction had no bidders, I emailed the seller and asked him if he would send me more pictures of the Iron Fist and information on the other books in the lot.  Here are the additional pictures that he sent and he said that he would throw in a Silver Surfer 3 and a Silver Surfer 4 if we could agree on a price.  I offered $600 for the lot.  He countered at $700.  We split the difference at $650.


So was this a good deal or not, you ask.  It is always difficult to grade from scans or pictures on ebay.  At the time, Iron Fist 14 price variants sold for around $350 in CGC 3.5, $700 in CGC 6.0 and $1700 in 8.0.  Is that a tape pull on the T on the cover or is it a fingerprint?  Tape pulls are a grade killer, fingerprints or smudges keep a book from being NM but this book obviously isn't NM anyway.


I submitted the book to CGC and it was my registry set book until I was able to get a higher graded one from Jon McClure.  I gave the Avengers 4 to Shieldagent because it was one of his grails and I have a nice one already.  The rest of the books are in a box somewhere. 

Here is the book back from CGC.  After I received the McClure Iron Fist 14, I sold this one so I was able to buy more high-grade variants.



   

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Incredible Hulk 199 joins Incredible Hulk 200 as a four figure book.

The final 30 cent price variant auctioned in the November 2010 ComicLink auction was a stunning 9.8 white paged copy of Incredible Hulk 199.  When the dust cleared, the book brought $1433.  The only other 9.8 30 cent Hulk sold was Issue 200 in a Heritage auction in April 2009 for an almost identical $1434.  This book is the single highest graded copy of the issue followed by two 9.6s and three 9.4s.  It is a rare event when a 9.8 30 cent price variant comes up for sale, and this auction proves the tremendous interest in these books.

Defenders 35 (30 cent variant) joins the 1000 Dollar club

In the ComicLink November 2010 Featured Aution, another marvel price variant joined the $1000 club.  Defenders 35, graded, in CGC 9.8 with white pages sold for $1440.  This book is the single highest graded of the series ahead of one 9.6, two 9.4s, and five 9.2s.  I suspect that this beauty will end up in a registry set of one of the big Defenders collectors of which there are several.  Here is the ComicLink write-up and the scan of the book.

Price Comparison between 30 cent Variant Issues and Regular Issues

For buyers and sellers of high-grade certified comic books, I highly recommend a subcription to GPAnalysis.  GPAnalysis tracks and records the sales of CGC certified books and publishes them in an online-searchable database.  GPAnalysis also provides some useful monthly summary reports including a very useful report each month which details the sale of certified price variants.  (For the only comprehensive sales report that includes "raw" price variants, check this blog monthly.)  One of the interesting things that this report does is compare the sales price of variants to their regular edition issues.

Here are some high grade examples.

Amazing Spider-Man 171 9.2  $800  (40x the last regular edition sale of $20)
Iron Fist 15                       8.0  $785  (37x the last regular edition sale of $21)
Amazing Spider-Man 173 8.5  $612  (23x the last regular edition sale of $26)
Star Wars 3                       8.5  $600  (30x the last regular edition sale of $15)
Daredevil 146                   9.2  $375  (22x the last regular edition sale of $17)
X-Men 106                        7.5  $375  (22x the last regular edition sale of $17)
Spectacular Spider-Man 9 9.0 $220   (27x the last regular edition sale of $8)
Tarzan 1                             9.2 $205   (29x the last regular edition sales of $7)


I have written several times about what might happen if a high-grade Spidey or X-Men price variant book ever showed up at auction.  Consider this recent book in the November 2010 ComicLink Feature Auction.


Yes, that is correct.  One of the eight current CGC 9.8 copies of Amazing Spider-Man issue 156 brought a hammer price of $650 in the auction.  In case you think that price is unusual, there was only one sale of a 9.8 issue 156 last year and it was for $550.  Highest graded Spider-Man issues are always in demand.  Figure this.  20 times $650 is $13,000 and 30 times $650 is $19,500.  I am not saying that if a 9.8 Spider-Man 156 30 cent price variant shows up at an auction that it will bring $13,000 to $19,500.  We may never know since one has not been graded yet (there are only two price variant 9.6s and two price variant 9.4s on the census.)  I never thought I would see a 9.6 Star Wars 1 price variant sell for over $25,000 either.  Interesting to think about, yes?

ComicLink Auction Brings Strong Prices for 30 Cent Variants

On the first day of the ComicLink November Feature Auction (it is nice that variants are in the Feature Auction where typically ComicLink accepts higher value books), a couple of 30 cent variant brought strong hammer prices.

The first 30 cent variant book auctioned was a beautiful copy of Astonishing Tales 35 in CGC 9.6 with White Pages.  This is one of only three 9.6s in the census with none graded higher.  Issue 35 is the next to last book in the series and is part of the great Deathlok story arc.  GPAnalysis has records of only two sales of 9.2 graded books so this is by far the highest graded book to be auctioned to date.  The final hammer price?  $210.  Here is the auction write-up and the book.


Captain Marvel 44 was the next 30 cent price variant to be auctioned off.  It is a sizzling 9.4 White Paged beauty.  It is the only 9.4 on the census and there is no other book on the census higher than 9.2.  In fact there is only one other 9.0 on the census so this book is extremely hard to find in grade.  I am always interested in watching how highest graded variants do in a no-reserve auction.  In the interest of full disclosure, I was very interested in this book and put in what I thought was a bullet-proof bid of over $300 but was blown out of the water.  The final hammer price was $444.  Here is the auction write-up and the book.  You will probably never see one nicer.  This book also sold for over 13 times as much as the last regular issue CGC 9.4 sold for.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Be Very, Very, Very Careful - Ebay listing warning

In an earlier blog, I spelled out some keys to getting the prices for your variant books if you wish to list them on ebay.  Unfortunately, there are ebay sellers who are hitting paydirt by listing books as 35 cent variants when, in fact, they are not.

Ebay seller jordanbay listed this Daredevil 153 as a 35 cent variant.  There is just one major problem.  There is no 35 cent variant of this issue.  The listing quickly sold for $12 which must be a record for a mid-grade copy of this issue.  The 35 cent variant issues of Daredevil are 146, 147, and 148.


Ebay seller mmbuff listed these copies of Eternals 17 and 18 as 35 cent price variants.  They are not price variants.  They are regular issues, but the incorrect listing helped the books quickly sell at $14.99 each.  There are five 35 cent variant issues of the Eternals - 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16.



The moral of the story?  While it would certainly be a great deal to find a nice 35 cent variant for fifteen bucks or so, check to make sure that the issue is actually a variant before hitting the BIN.  Caveat Emptor...

High-Grade Amazing Spider-Man 35 centers - Updated Price Information

There is nothing like a well-followed auction with fresh, never-seen material to check the real price levels on great 35 cent variant books.  Long-time variant collector Darthdiesel auctioned off several top-census 35 cent books on ebay recently, including two very high grade Amazing Spider-Man 35 cent books.

Spider-Man 173 in CGC 8.5 Off-White to White (tied for highest graded, and only six books on the census) brought a hammer price of $612.  Eight bidders were recorded with fifteen bids and three bidders registered bids in excess of $500.  There was definately at least one additional bidder as I really wanted that book (my copy is a 4.5) but didn't snipe high enough and my bid was never entered.  I suspect that there were other bidders/snipers as well.  This result is now the only recorded sale of this issue in GPA.  By the way, assuming that you could sell a CGC 8.5 regular issue 173 for the cost of the slab, this price is forty times the price of the regular issue.


The other high grade Spidey 35 center that Darth auctioned was a beautiful CGC 9.2 Off-White to White 171.  This auction registered five bidders and 10 bids before the Buy It Now option was utilized for $800.  Since the 8.5 173 went for over $600, this might have been a smart move, but until another comes up for auction, we will never know.  The problem is that currently there is just one additional 9.2 and a lone 9.6 that are locked up in collections, so it may be awhile before we find out.  The BIN price of $800 is about twenty-five times the price of a regular issue CGC 9.2 171.  Twenty-five times the price of of a regular issue 9.6 would value the CGC 9.6 35 center at over $2000.


Sunday, September 19, 2010

Avengers 150

This is it, a special sesquicentennial issue. 

The Wasp and YellowJacket arrive at the Avengers mansion to find a crowd of reporters outside the door and learn that the Avengers are picking new members.  Jarvis lets them in the door, where Thor calls the meeting to order.  Thor announces that he must take a leave of absence.  Thor feels that he is a "big fish in a small pond."

Outside, Sam Reuther is reporting on the history of the Avengers.  Loki tried to trap Thor and made it look like the Hulk was on a rampage.  Instead he bought Iron Man, Wasp and Ant-Man into the battle.  Thor brought Loki to the Avengers where Loki had one last trick which was to turn himself radioactive.  Ant-Man foiled Loki by trapping him in a lead lined tank and the Avengers decided to become a team.

Thor appoints Iron Man Interim Chairman.  In the meantime we learn the history of the Avengers including short stints by Hulk and Wonder Man.  Iron Man, GiantMan and Wasp were joined by Hawkeye, turned down by Sub-Mariner and then joined by the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver.

This is a great read because the book covers the history of the Avengers but we will have to wait until issue 151 to find out what the line-up of the new Avengers will be.

GPA records a sale of a 9.2 in October 2008 for $165.  There is also a single sale of a 9.0 in July 2008 for $76. 

The CGC census has one 9.6, one 9.4, three 9.2s, and one 9.0 among the nine total certified.  I believe that CGC boardmember Cheetah has the single 9.6.  Of course, the black cover makes this issue very difficult to find in high grade.

Avengers 149

Titled "The Gods and the Gang", Avengers 149 begins with Thor and Moondragon (the Gods) joining the rest of the Avengers (the Gang).  Moondragon is trying to convince Thor that he is "slumming" by hanging with the Avengers.  The rest of the Avengers are attacked by troopers from the Roxxon Oil army. 

The evil Hugh Jones uses the serpent lords power to go across the dimension to the other Earth and communicate with the exposed President Rockefeller who tells him that the Avengers had defeated his world's Squadron Supreme (last two issues).  He then decides that he must use the "Final Weapon" which the Serpent Crown provided.

The Avengers are mopping up the troopers when all of a sudden a giant blue arm P-VAMMs all six Avengers in one blow.  Captain Baxter plans to kill the Avengers in the most painful way when Thor BLAMs down the wall with his hammer.  Baxter calls in Weapon One who turns out to be ORKA - the human killer whale.  No, I am no making this up.  Thor throws his hammer at Orka which just FOOMs off and Thor discovers that Orka has been changed and made more powerful.  Moondragon attacks Orka's mind and talks some smack which Thor finds insufferable and lets Moondragon know that he will blackball her if she tries to become an Avenger.  Orka realizes that since he has very little brain, the pain from Moondragon's brain blast is not so bad and he whacks her with his blue arm.  Thor gets really angry and K-RAMs Orka through the building.

In the meantime, Baxter has the rest of the Avengers hooked up to an "Electro-Incinerogram" which with "one flick of a switch, and these...people...won't even leave any ashes."

Thor's hammer blows are having little impact on Orka other than to knock him out of the building.  Once Thor joins him outside he summons a huge thunderstorm and ZOTs a lighting bolt at Orka which knocks Orka out.

We rejoin Baxter and the other Avengers where Baxter is ready to incinerate them especially his ex-wife Hellcat.  At that moment Hellcat escapes her bond and attacks Baxter.

Thor turns to find that Moondragon was not completely unconscious and is happy that Thor has proved that he is more powerful than the rest of the Avengers combined.

Hugh Jones figures that this is the time to fry the rest of the Avengers and he calls Baxter to do it.  Baxter, of course, has met his match with Hellcat and when Hugh goes to find out why Baxter is not responding, he runs into all the freed Avengers.

There is no record of a NM- or higher sale of this issue.  There are three sales recorded - an 8.5 sold in 2009 for $25, a 7.5 sold in 2004 for $16, and a 3.5 sold in 2003 for $10.  You will have to use sales of other high grade Avengers as a guide if one ever shows up at auction.

The CGC census shows a total of eleven graded with four 9.4s, a single 9.2, and two 8.5s as the highest graded.

July and August 2010 Variant Sales

Here are the latest variant Sales for correctly listed auctions for July and August 2010.  The highlights include a Ringo Kid 34 in CGC 9.4 White which is the highest graded copy of an incredibly tough Western and a Tomb of Darkness 21 in CGC 9.2.  CGC sales are bolded.  The usual caveats apply towards ebay grading.




30 Centers
Adventures on the Planet of the Apes 5 F $11.07
Amazing Spider-Man 155 P $19.95
Amazing Spider-Man 155 G $15.89
Amazing Spider-Man 155 NG $32.91
Amazing Spider-Man 155 VG $29.99
Amazing Spider-Man 155 VF $26.50
Amazing Spider-Man 155 F/F+ $62.00
Amazing Spider-Man 156 VG/F $38.06
Amazing Spider-Man 156 VF $79.99
Amazing Spider-Man 157 F-/F $42.26
Amazing Spider-Man 157 CGC 9.0 $169.95
Amazing Spider-Man 157 CGC 9.4 185.75
Amazing Spider-Man 158 F-/F $42.26
Amazing Spider-Man 159 VF+ $51.20
Amazing Spider-Man 159 F-/F $46.71
Astonishing Tales 35 VG+ $3.99
Astonishing Tales 35 CGC 9.2 White $49.99 (BIN)
Avengers 146 VG Tan-OW $9.59
Avengers 149 5.0 $11 (part of lot of three)
Avengers 149 F- $26.03
Avengers 150 VG $9.51
Avengers 150 VG/VG+ $5.50
Avengers 150 VG+/F $9.99
Black Goliath 2 F+/VF- $22.50
Black Goliath 3 4.0 $2.99
Black Goliath 3 VG $21.48
Black Goliath 4 F+/VF- $21.48
Captain America 196 NG $29.95
Captain America 197 NG $99.99
Captain America 198 VG+/F $14.49
Captain America 198 NG $99.99
Captain America 199 NG $99.99
Captain Marvel 45 VF $18.29
Champions 1-17 with 5 variant $20.50
Champions 5 VF+ $39.99
Champions 6 VG/F $8.27
Champions 6 VG/F $5.50
Conan the Barbarian 61 CGC 8.0 $11
Conan the Barbarian 63 CGC 9.0 $59
Conan the Barbariant 64 CGC 5.5 $11
Daredevil 132 VG/F $15.51
Daredevil 133 CGC 9.0 White $50 (BIN)
Daredevil 135 VG/F $15.50
Defenders 35 F/F+ $35.99
Defenders 38 CGC 3.5 $11
Doctor Strange 13 G/VG $6.99
Doctor Strange 15 VG/F $16.49
Doctor Strange 16 F+/VF $21.51
Eternals 1 F+/VF- $21 (part of lot of four)
Eternals 1 NM $19.99
Eternals 1 CGC 8.5 Off-White to White $30.53
Fantastic Four 169 F/VF $25 (part of lot of four)
Fantastic Four 169 7.0 $7.06
Ghost Rider 18 CGC 9.0 $46.88
Ghost Rider 19 CGC 8.0 White $39.88
Howard the Duck 3 CGC 8.5 $9.16
Howard the Duck 3 CGC 9.2 Off-White to White $29.50
Howard the Duck 3 CGC 9.4 White $33.00
Howard the Duck 3 CGC 9.6 White $96
Howard the Duck 3 PGX 9.4 $30.89
Howard the Duck 3 VF $4.99
Howard the Duck 3 VF/NM $14.99
Howard the Duck 3 F/VF $13.50
Howard the Duck 4 VF/NM $19.99
Howard the Duck 4 CGC 9.0 Off-White to White $24.50
Howard the Duck 4 CGC 9.0 White $31
Incredible Hulk 198 F+ $32.97
Incredible Hulk 199 G/VG $1.95
Incredible Hulk 199 F- $21.50
Incredible Hulk 200 VG- $19.99
Incredible Hulk 200 F- $40
Incredible Hulk 201 F+ $21.50
Incredible Hulk 202 G $1.94
Incredible Hulk 202 VG+ $8.39
Inhumans 6 G+ $2.24
Inhumans 4 & 6 5.0 $31.02
Iron Fist 5 VG+ $6.99
Iron Man 86 F $45
Iron Man 88 CGC 9.0 White $102.50
Iron Man 89 VG $15.50
Iron Man 89 VF $3.58
Invaders 6 G/VG $8.99
Jungle Action 22 VG+/F- $39.00
Ka-Zar 15 VF $24.99
Ka-Zar 17 VF $24.99
Marvel Adventures 4 VG $4.99
Marvel Chillers 4 VG- $9.59
Marvel Chillers 4 CGC 9.4 White $135.83
Marvel Double Feature 16 VG+ $15.99
Marvel Double Feature 16 F/F+ $39.99
Marvel Double Feature 16 CGC 6.0 Off-White to White $27.96
Marvel Double Feature 17 F/F+ $50
Marvel Premiere 30 F-/F $24.99
Marvel Presents 5 CGC 9.4 White $88.50
Marvel Presents 5 VG/F $7.50
Marvel Spotlight 29 5.0 $11 (part of lot of three)
Marvel Spotlight 30 5.0 $11 (part of lot of three)
Marvel Tales 67 VF $10.52
Marvel Team-Up 44 VG+/F- $29.00
Marvel Team-Up 45 VG/F $7.49
Marvel Team-Up 46 VG/F $7.49
Marvel Team-Up 46 F $9.08
Marvel Team-Up 46 PGX 8.0 $28.00
Marvel Team-Up 48 VG+ $20.50
Marvel Team-Up 48 F/VF $22.50
Marvel Triple Action 30 F $45
Marvel Two-In-One 15 & 18 5.0 $16.39
Marvel Two-In-One 16 F $14.96
Marvel Two-In-One 16 F $21.60
Marvel Two-In-One 17 VG $6.06
Marvel Two-In-One 17 NG $7.50
Marvel Two-In-One 17 F+ $15.51
Marvel Two-In-One 17 F/VF $25 (part of lot of four)
Marvel Super-Heroes 58 F/VF  $19.09
Master of Kung Fu 40 & 42 F,F $16.59
Master of Kung Fu 40 F/VF $25 (part of lot of four)
Power Man 30, 32, 33 F/F+ $31.09
Power Man 30 F- $9.59
Power Man 31 F $8.50
Power Man 33 VF $22.50
Power Man 34 VG+ $8.50
Power Man 31 CGC 9.2 White $49.99 (BIN)
Ringo Kid 34 CGC 9.4 Off-White to White $450.00 (BIN)
Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos NG $35.00
Skull the Slayer 5 F+/VF- $21 (part of lot of four)
Skull the Slayer 6 CGC 9.4 White $62.00
Skull the Slayer 1-8 including variants $24.99
Son of Satan 3 VG/F $8.59
Son of Satan 3 F+/VF- (part of lot of four)
Strange Tales 186 PGX 6.5 $12.95
Super-Villain Team-Up 5 G/VG $7.99
Super-Villain Team-Up 5 VG- $3.00
Super-Villain Team-Up 5 VG/F- $9.99
Super-Villain Team-Up 5 VG/F $13.57
Super-Villain Team-Up 5 VF+ $49.99
Super-Villain Team-Up 6 VF $16.51
Super-Villain Team-Up 6 CGC 9.6 $74
Super-Villain Team-Up 7 F/F+ $10.51
Thor 247 6.0 $14.67
Thor 247 VG $25.19
Thor 248 No MVS $1.75
Tomb of Darkness 21 CGC 9.2 Off-White to White $125 (BIN)
Tomb of Dracula 44 F/VF $25 (part of lot of four)
Tomb of Dracula 46 F+/VF- $21 (part of lot of four)
Warlock 14 F+ $19.99
Weird Wonder Tales 16 CGC 9.0 White $49.99 (BIN)
Weird Wonder Tales 17 G $18.59
X-Men 98 VG $29.00
X-Men 99 F+ $95
X-Men 100 NG $45

35 Centers

Amazing Spider-Man 170 CGC 6.5 $202.51
Amazing Spider-Man 171 CGC 6.5 Off-White $172.55
Amazing Spider-Man 172 CGC 6.0 $172.55
Amazing Spider-Man 173 6.5 $319.99
Captain Marvel 51 VF $74.95
Daredevil 147 CGC 8.0 White $185
Godzilla 1 CGC 9.0 White $200
Godzilla 1 NG $139.99
Invaders 18 F/VF $97.51
Invaders 21 P $3.81
Howard the Duck 13 CGC 9.4 White $1150
John Carter, Warlord of Mars 1 NG $175
John Carter, Warlord of Mars 2 NG $125
John Carter, Warlord of Mars 3 NG $125
John Carter, Warlord of Mars 3 CGC 8.5 $74.99
Marvel Super Action F+ $69.29
Marvel Super Action 3 VF $59
Marvel Super Action 3 VF $99.99
Marvel Two-In-One 30 NG $110
Marvel Two-In-One 32 NG $69.99
Marvel Team-Up 59 CGC 8.5 $184.99
Marvel Team-Up 60 NG $74.99
Nova 10 G $35.00
Nova 13 F $58
Spectacular Spider-Man 7 F/VF $61.89
Spectacular Spider-Man 8 F/VF $61.89
Spectacular Spider-Man 9 VF $83.00
Spectacular Spider-Man 11 VF $113.39
Star Wars 1 CGC 8.5 $1802.78
Star Wars 3 NG $225
Super-Villain Team-Up 13 G $35.00

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Amazing Spider-Man Mid-Grades Part 2

The third CGC certified Amazing Spider-Man 35 cent mid-grade has sold in an ebay auction this month.   Issue 171 in CGC 6.5 Off-White closed at $172.55.  It is hard to believe but there are still only 12 examples of this book certified by CGC.  This sale along with the sale of a similarly graded 170 and 172 for slightly over $200 each gives a good idea of the current price point for FN to FN+ Amazing Spider-Man 35 centers.

Here is something to think about (yes, hypothetical as they rarely, if ever, come up for sale).  Typically Overstreet values FN+ (6.5) books at 1/3 of the value of NM- (9.2) books.  I am thinking that if a set of NM- Spidey books hit ebay, they would easily fetch $600 a copy.  9.4 and higher books would bring even higher multiples.

Amazing Spider-Man 129 (first appearance of the Punisher) is an easily tracked and similarly priced book in FN+ 6.5 at around $225.   In the last 12 months, there have been 33 sales of CGC 9.2 graded copies at an average selling price of $701 each.  In the last 12 months there have been 7 sales of CGC 9.8 copies at an average selling price of $8464 each.  WOW.  Unfortunately, as of yet, there is not a single certified 9.8 35 cent Amazing Spider-Man issue.  A single 9.6 171 and a single 9.4 169 are the only NM or better issues certified so far.  In fact, two 8.5s are tied as the highest graded 35 cent variant of issue 173.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Spidey 35 cent Mid-grades

Two recent ebay auction sales of Amazing Spider-Man mid-grades eclipsed the $200 mark.  This CGC 6.5 copy of Spidey 170 closed at 202.51 in an ebay auction.  What is amazing is that this is the only sale of certified copy of this issue in the GPA database (which goes back over eight years), so it is nice to get a price point on the book.



This copy of Amazing Spider-Man 172 brought a hammer price of $202.50 in an ebay auction.  It is the sixth sale noted in GPA of a certified copy of this book but the first in over two years.

Howard the Duck Joins the $1000 club

I had to take a month long hiatus but am glad to be back in action. 

Right off the bat, Howard the Duck 13 in 9.4 white joins the growing list of price variants that have sold for over four figures.  Ebay seller Silver_Age_Comics listed this beauty which sold for $1150.  Highest Graded, naturally.  Go Howie.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Listing Correctly is Important Redux

One additional listing tip is in order.  Here is a very nice example of one of the very hard to find Marvel Reprint Issues - Marvel Super-Heroes 57.  There are only three of these certified by CGC with the nicest being a CGC 8.5. 


This book was listed as "MARVEL SUPER-HEROES # 57 PRICE VARIANT ISH LOOK FN+."  Putting "LOOK" in the title may seem like a good idea, after all who doesn't want their listing looked at by as many interested parties as possible.  On ebay, unless you think that all of your potential variant collector/buyers are looking at all TWO MILLION current listings of comic books to find your price variants, you should put "30 CENT VARIANT" in your listing rather than "ISH or LOOK."  Unless of course, you want to continue selling a really neat rare book for $3.25.

Spelling is Important, and Putting the Important Information in the Header is Important too!

Like the Inhumans 35 center in the previous post, this nifty 30 cent variant was well researched and the seller knew that they were listing the 30 cent varint rather than the standard issue.  Her spelling was correct.

Unfortunately for the seller, her header was simply "MARVEL TEAM-UP #44 VG+ SPIDER-MAN & MOONDRAGON!"  There are more comic collectors who collect Spider-Man than any other character.  However, I am certain that Moondragon does not crack the top 100 list.  If you are selling a Bronze-Age Marvel Variant, put 30 Cent Variant or 35 Cent Variant in the title.  Putting Moondragon in the title instead of 30 Cent Variant is like inviting friends over to your house for dinner to talk NASCAR when in reality Danica Patrick is doing the cooking.  The book sold for $3.54.  I guess Moondragon isn't really that popular...

Spelling is Important

This really nice Inhumans 12 35 cent variant was recently listed on ebay.  The listing was well researched and the seller knew that she was selling the very rare 35 cent version of the book. 

Unfortunately, she made one mistake, and it was a big one.  She listed the book as a 35 cent variEnt. Your elementary school teacher was correct, spelling is important.  Guess what? This book sold for $1.86 since it was the equivalent of a hidden listing.  "Varient" does not show up when you do an ebay search for "variant."  Likewise, "Double CVR" does not show up when you do a search for "Double Cover." 

The moral of the story?  I search for "Scoobie" and "Scooby."

Sunday, July 11, 2010

X-Men Double Cover Books

As the title description says, this blog is all about Bronze Age Marvel Variants AND Double Cover Comics Books.  There are even a few books that fit both definitions, Double Cover Bronze Age Marvel Variants.

Most of the folks that know me and my collecting, know that I have been collecting Double Cover Comic Books for years, particularly X-Men and a few other of my favorite titles.  Double Cover Comic Books are created as a result of a manufacturing error in the production of the books.  At the moment, when the cover is added to interior pages, an extra cover was attached and stapled to the book.  As you might expect, this production error is very unusual and it is extremely challenging and expensive to put together runs of these books. This post is an opportunity to show a pretty significant run of X-Men double cover comic books.  If you can help me with any issues that I am missing, please contact me.  Thanks.

X-Men Double Covers

X-Men 1 (No not really, I wish.  It is X-Men: Children of the Atom nn#.  It does reprint the cover of X-Men 1 which is as close as I will ever get to a double cover of #1.
X-Men 4 This is the earliest double cover that I own in the mainline X-Men series.  I believe that there is an actual X-Men 1 double cover that is very high grade that would go well with this collection.
X-Men 5 Magneto/Evil Mutants cvr/story.
X-Men 12 First Juggernaut
X-Men 31 Multiple Errors: double cover and inner cover miswrapped 1" to left
X-Men 34
X-Men 35  Spider-Man crossover
X-Men 38 Origins of the X-Men begin.
X-Men 40
X-Men 41
X-Men 48
X-Men 59  This is a truly unique book.  The second cover is attached at the centerfold.
X-Men 71
X-Men 80 Pence Version but still Issue 80.
X-Men 81
X-Men 94  This is one of three copies that I have seen.  The first copy I bought on ebay but it was lost by the post office.  I will have to tell the whole story in another blog.  The third copy is a lower grade copy with a torn inner cover.  The first copy also contains a Mark Jewelers insert so it is quite possibly the heaviest X-Men 94 ever manufactured.  The second picture is of the one with the torn inner cover.  The last picture is the book back from CGC.
X-Men 95
X-Men 99  This is a book from ebay seller Oregonglassman.  It points out the dangers of buying raw double covers on ebay.  Married cover.
X-Men 100  This is a truly spectacular book.  It is a high-grade double cover of the 30 cent price variant.
X-Men 102  Origin Storm
X-Men 105  Firelord
X-Men 106  Old vs. New X-Men
X-Men 108
X-Men 113
X-Men 117
X-Men 118
X-Men 127  This old-label CGC-holdered X-Men book is as perfect as you can get a double cover.  Both covers are 9.8 and the Page Quality is White.
X-Men 129 signed by John Byrne
X-Men 139  Kitty Pryde joins the X-Men
X-Men 141  This is a Pence Double Cover
X-Men 142  There is also a CGC 9.6 of this one, but the price has never been right for me.  Double covers are so rare, I am very happy with this key Days of Future Past issue.
X-Men 142  This is truly a phenomenal book.  The interior cover is severely miswrapped and miscut and extends past the top of the book.  It is a wonder that it made it to a shop.
X-Men 143
X-Men 148
X-Men 149
X-Men 150  Yes, this is a double-sized anniversary issue with a double cover.
X-Men 158
X-Men 169 This one turned out really nice.
X-Men 174
X-Men 188
X-Men 193
X-Men 199
X-Men 202  Issue 202 is easily the most common double cover in the entire series.  Here are a couple of high grade copies.
X-Men 205
X-Men 207
X-Men 208
X-Men 212
X-Men 227
X-Men 234
X-Men 238
X-Men 249 This book was manufactured with two interiors.  It is a double interior book, not a double cover book.  Manufacturing Error.
X-Men 250  I have had two of these books - both with "Mark's Jewelers" Inserts
X-Men 251   I have also had two of these books - both also with "Mark's Jewelers" Inserts
X-Men 257
X-Men 258
X-men 262
X-Men 271 This is a severely miswrapped book.  Where is the quality control?
X-Men 272  This is a manufacturing error.  This book has the cover of Issue 272 but the interior of the second printing of issue of 270.  Quality Control?
X-Men 279
X-Men 283  First full Bishop.
X-Men 284  TRIPLE COVER!!!
X-Men 295 Multiple errors:  Interior is bound at an angle and 1 inch to left of a normal spine.  The staples are attached on the front and not on the spine.  The book is folded 1 inch away from normal.
X-Men 299 This is a strange double cover book with the inner cover miswrapped and miscut and severely rotated 15 degrees.
X-Men 440  The outtter cover is attached 1" higher with the bottom margin visible.
X-Men 447  The cover and first four wraps are bound too high, leaving margins and color bars visible; center four wraps not properly trimmed at top, comic not properly trimmed overall, leaving book approximately 1/4" inch taller than normal.
Giant-Size X-Men 2  This is a fantastic book and is manufactured with double interior and signed by Neal Adams.
X-Men Annual 9
X-Men Annual 14
X-Men 10
X-Men 11 Pressman  This is a stunning example of the rare Pressman variant.
X-Men (2nd Series) 160
X-Men Alpha 1  Wraparound chromium cover: the outer cover is not attached.
New X-Men 150
X-Men Unlimited 41
X-Men Unlimited 46
Ultimate X-Man 34  Ultimate is correct as this is the only CGC 9.9 double cover in the collection.
Ultimate X-Men 61
X-Factor 10
X-Factor 78