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

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.

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.