Can Even Experienced Collectors See It?
You need better glasses
Heritage Auctions sold a .5 graded book on September 17 that drew collectors' attention. When you look at just the comic book that was sold, even the most experienced collectors and investors would be hard-pressed to identify it. The storyline is a hint, but that plot could have appeared in a myriad of books.
"I seen this in a garbage can."
The book looks like a candidate for the landfill. Most mothers would have seen this in their grown-up son's old room and thrown it out. They would only realize later that those pages were from Batman #1 and Mom basically threw away $27,600 in cash.
That may seem a crazy sum until one sees that on June 25 another .5 copy sold at Heritage for $72,000. The book was incomplete, the cover was detached and there was a small amount of tape on the interior. This book should not be prized until one realizes that the writing on the cover is indicative of a Harold Curtis Pedigree comic.
Outsiders must think the comic book hobby is weird in that a book that is on comic book life support could be classified as a pedigree book.
Not a Fly on the Wall
Regrets, I've had a few
Many comic book collectors put off purchasing their holy grail and instead accumulate every other book they can purchase. The crown jewel is the last piece they seek out. The reason is because this is the book that is usually the most costly. There is always time to add it later. If any readers are thinking that is true, please please please do not read any further.
Calling Doc Brown
Years ago, an unknown comic book collector, let's just call him Joe, wanted to put together a complete run of Spider-Man books up to Amazing Spider-Man #50. At that time, a medium-grade raw Amazing Fantasy #15 could be picked up for the bank that poor fool had saved.
Instead, he used it to buy some books including holograms, bullet holes, and other variant covers along with food and movie tickets. The funds were also used to impress girls long since forgotten. Oh, WHY did he have to super-size that order of fries??
Next time, go on a diet!!!!
Nowadays, Joe always checks the prices of this book to see the error of his ways. On August 20, a .5 copy was sold for only $11,801. Bet that guy who stopped at $11,800 is kicking himself. That does not seem that high until one looks at a September 17 6.0 sale for $75,000.
Fans who had planned years ago to pick up this book for a little over $10k now must settle for those lower-grade issues and not the higher-grade issues they could have afforded at the time.
I'll bet Joe is puking, realizing that instead of trading a book for a good-sized downpayment on the cottage of his dreams, he instead got more fries and a big Coke. Today, paying $11k for a beat-up first appearance of Spider-Man may be a steal when reviewed years later.
Up, Up and Hooray
Who says Superman is boring?
Superman never gets his due from collectors or investors. He may be important, but fans view him as a boy scout. This can make the character uncool to own for some. Fans would much rather admit that they own a collection of used gum rather than that they own anything involving a hero who wears underwear on the outside of his pants. That is, unless you look at the sales data.
Is it too late to be adopted?
On September 17, a beat-up back coverless comic sold at Heritage Auction. The book looks as if someone also used it to clean up a coffee spill. This book has no curb appeal, but (as in real estate) it is all about the location. The location in this case is the title page where the issue number and date the comic was published are important.
This book actually had major curb appeal. Think run-down-bungalow-but-the-Trekker-from-Bostons-next-door-neighbors-turn-out-to-be-William-Stater-and-Tom-Brady. THAT is the type of book sold that day.
Leaping bank accounts in a single gavel pound
This day, an 0.5 Action Comics #1 sold for $408,000. That is almost half a million dollars for a child's book that looks like it was run through a washing machine after someone slept on it for a week. The first appearance of Superman is the first .5 CGC book to sell for six figures. This is a steal for such an iconic book with only 78 copies in the CGC census.
Books like these rarely see the light of day, so when they do come up at auctions potential buyers are given very few options but to bid. A few years from now, this copy could be the first .5 CGC book to sell for seven figures. It is not "if" but rather "when".
Wait...What...No!!!
A tale told on New Comic Day
All of the books so far reviewed were in very poor shape because of improper handling. That is not always the case. There is a common misconception that comic book guys are afraid to talk to members of the opposite sex. That is pure hogwash. There was never fear of talking to them, but rather what they could do if provoked.
On Wednesdays, many a time the tale was told on New Comic Day of a comic book guy who broke the cardinal rule of not watching one's prized books. The result of his failure to protect his book is very sad; the tale is truly not for the faint of heart.
Warning. GoCollect will not be responsible for any trauma that reading this story will cause the reader. It should also be pointed out that the author of this article had to self medicate with a beer and a Twinkie before he could write it. Stop here if you do not want to be so scared you may wet your pants out of fear.
A famous copy of Amazing Spider-Man #14 is discussed in hushed tones in local comic book stores and conventions. It is not mentioned in the presence of outsiders for fear that the act could be repeated. Amazing Spider-Man #14 is a major key because it contains the first appearance of the Green Goblin. Spider-Man fans know how important this book is and it is considered a holy grail to many collectors.
The book's significance, along with the tragedy that befell this one issue, has been known to make even the strongest comic book collector cry. Even NEWSWEEK magazine covered the story of this issue. It is truly a tragic tale.
It was why many comic book guys didn't date.
(That's our story and we're stickin' to it.)
This issue is known as THE ANGRY GIRLFRIEND ISSUE. The girlfriend revealed her own assessment of the relationship in a place where she knew he would get the message. She knew what that issue meant to the owner and used that affection for her own nefarious means.
She defaced the issue with a nice black Sharpie on the front and back of the comic. She basically told him to go to hell, using the front and back cover to memorialize this tale of true hate.
Years later...
The comic was talked about among those in the comic book hobby because of the intentional defacing of such an iconic book. Years later, the owner sent the book to be graded by CBCS. The owner has since told the story of what happened and his views now on the whole incident on both comic boards and on Youtube (viewer discretion advised).
These two links are very important because they actually document that the comic that was once thought to be like a picture of Bigfoot was, in fact, real. I am still shocked that he could forgive the offender.
Rumored Interest
Rumor is that people have offered $5,000 for this 1.8-graded book because of the tale behind it. That is roughly the FMV for a 7.5 CGC blue label book at the time this article was written. The visual appeal of this book is thus not the intended comic book imagery, but rather the notoriety of the individual comic. The defacing of the book is the true asset of the book. That is something that is rarely heard of in the hobby and probably will never happen again.
Bringing it home
What comic fans know
Comics are unique collectibles. They were never truly intended to be preserved. They suffer damage as a result of their inexpensive production materials. Those flaws are not important to comic book fans for a couple of reasons. Some books are so important that merely owning a copy makes the grade unimportant.
Other issues are so rare that merely seeing a copy is an infrequent occurrence. Other times, the price of an issue requires one to follow the rule of buying the highest-grade copy that one can afford. Those defects do not matter to the fans of those issues because the owners see the strengths of the book and not the warts.
Final note
The final thing comic fans should realize is never ever tick off a person to the point that they would deface prized issues. Be nice. Say you are sorry even if you are not. Accept blame even when one is blameless. Groveling is but a small price to pay to protect one's comics. In the long run, it will protect your comics more than bags and boards ever will.
Remember, love may be fleeting but that prized Golden Age Superman #1 value could last a lifetime. Now if you excuse me, I must conduct some preemptive apologies right now for something I never did but I am being blamed for again. They may not be worth a lot, but my comics mean something to me. Oh, and does anyone know if CCG will grade a pile of ashes that once was a major key comic? Asking for a friend.
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."
- Confucius
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.
