Set Description:
Here’s another set we just found. Unfortunately, we don’t own many of them, but the ones we do own are goooooood.
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| Slot: |
Amazing Fantasy #15 |
| Item: |
Amazing Fantasy 15 A-5 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
3741650001
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Owner Comments
Amazing Fantasy #15 is the Holy Grail for SA comic collectors. For many, this would be the first book they buy. But we have always targeted putting together collections rather than keys, which is why we have settled for many high grade restored keys.
As a collector of antique furniture and rugs, I have always been amazed by how severely the comic book market punishes comic book restorations compared to well-done restorations of other collectibles. Perhaps with the passage of time, well restored examples will rise in value. But for now, at least CGC places a much higher value on these books than the market.
Our book is actually the single highest graded copy ever certified by CGC, but it has been expertly and extensively restored, as it’s A-5 grade confirms. As is, from an appearance standpoint, the book is absolutely perfect. And it costs us a small fraction of what even a 9.0 with a universal label would have set us back. Even then, it was still expensive, at least for what it is. We acquired it in the 12/15/2020 ComicConnect Auction.
2024 Update: Strangely enough, and I am sure this will surprise many of my collector friends, the book we get approached about selling the most is this one. It’s tempting I must admit to take a big profit on it, but the problem is I could never replace it.
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| Slot: |
Amazing Spider-Man #4 |
| Item: |
Amazing Spider-Man 4 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0013768007
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Owner Comments
Issue #4 features the Origin and first appearances of the Sandman, William Baker, alias Flint Marko, and Betty Brant. The Sandman has always been one of my favorite Marvel villains. While this issue marks his first appearance, he would reappear in Strange Tales #115, which is itself a great cover, along with ASM #18 and #19. Stan Lee continued to make use of the Sandman in several later Spidey issues, along with major appearances in the Incredible Hulk and the Fantastic Four. With respect to the FF, the Sandman was a founding member of the Frightful Four, who first appeared in FF #36. He was also a founding member of the Sinester Six and made his cinematic debut in Spider-Man 3, where he was played by Thomas Hayden Church.
I particularly like the four panel cover of ASM #4. Admittedly, the plot itself was a little weak, as Spidey captures the Sandman with a vacuum cleaner, but it nevertheless remains one of our favorite issues.
Our 9.4 is one of just eight copies trailing a trio of 9.6s in the census. We acquired the book from the October 3, 2015 ComicConnect Auction.
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| Slot: |
Amazing Spider-Man #25 |
| Item: |
Amazing Spider-Man 25 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
2087158002
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Owner Comments
Issue #25 features the first appearance of Professor Spencer Smythe and the Spider-Slayer. Our copy is one of six highest graded as of June 2020. We acquired it in the 10/16/2014 Pedigree Comics Auction.*
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| Slot: |
Amazing Spider-Man #31 |
| Item: |
Amazing Spider-Man 31 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
2105923001
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Owner Comments
Issue #31 features the first appearances of Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn and Professor Miles Warren. This has always been a coveted, and hence expensive issue. Our WP 9.6 is tied for second highest graded trailing three 9.8s. We acquired the book from the 5/12/2021 Pedigree Comics Auction.
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| Slot: |
Avengers #83 |
| Item: |
Avengers 83 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1245927001
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Owner Comments
The Liberators make their first appearance in Issue #83. The Black Widow, Enchantress, and Medua also make appearances.
In the story, Wasp witnesses the gathering a new all-female group called the Liberators (consisting of Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Medusa and newcomer Valkyrie)l who have banded together to battle male oppression. Valkyrie explains that she was a scientist at a male-dominated science lab, and when attempting to show up a chauvinist co-worker, she exposed herself to a chemical that gave her superhuman strength, and so she decided to form this hero group, and has convinced each of her recruits to join by feeding on an apparent double standard in being a super-hero. With all of them siding with her, Valkyrie takes them aboard her chariot and heads off to Rutland, Vermont.
In Rutland, are the male members of the Avengers, who are there attending the annual Halloween festivities where the townspeople all dress up as super-heroes. They are unaware that the Masters of Evil are also in attendance, seeking to capture a hostage in a plot to get revenge on the Avengers for their previous incarceration. While the initial plan fails, and a battle between the two groups starts, the Masters manage to get the upper hand, that is until the Liberators show up.
The newly formed group makes short work of the Masters, and when the Avengers thank the women for saving them, they are attacked and easily defeated as well. Suddenly, Valkyrie knocks out all her comrades and reveals that she is really the Enchantress in disguise. She explains that after her last failed attempt at taking over Asgard failed (in Incredible Hulk #102) she and the Executioner were banished to a barren netherworld. There, the Executioner abandoned her for the a mysterious woman who appeared to offer the Executioner her love. Feeling betrayed, the Enchantress vowed revenge on all men and used the Valkyrie disguise and the formation of the Liberators to met this end.
The Scarlet Witch frees herself and battles the Enchantress, defeating her by using a hex bolt that redirected the Enchantress' magic back at her. She then frees her fellow Avengers and reveals to them that she realized they were really facing the Enchantress when earlier in the day (as Valkyrie) she called the Wasp a "wench" in a tone that as the Enchantress she used on the Scarlet Witch in a past battle.
This is another later Avengers where high grade books are rather common. Our 9.8 is one of 12 highest graded copies as of June 2020.
2024 Update: And then there were 18. Wow!
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| Slot: |
Captain America #110 |
| Item: |
Captain America 110 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1974062017
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Owner Comments
Issue #110 features a classic Cap and Hulk cover and is one of the most sought after issues in this title. Our WP 9.8 comes from the Oregon Coast Collection and is tied for highest graded. We acquired the book from the 1/2/2022 Heritage Auction.
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| Slot: |
Daredevil #1 |
| Item: |
Daredevil 1 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1056534001
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Owner Comments
This is a solid 9.4 of Daredevil’s entry into the Marvel universe. I would love a 9.6 and they are relatively plentiful, but there always seem to be higher priorities. This book was shipped to CGC, screened and pressed, but did not receive an upgrade and now has a new cert number.
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| Slot: |
Fantastic Four #1 |
| Item: |
Fantastic Four 1 Apparent SA |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0125053001
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Owner Comments
Fantastic Four #1, along with Amazing Fantasy #15, are the two biggest books of the Marvel Silver Age. The iconic cover features the Fan 4, before donning their uniforms in Issue #3, tangling with one of the Mole Man’s rock monsters.
In the first chapter of the book, in an effort to beat the Communists into space, scientist Reed Richards, sister and brother Sue and Johnny Storm, and pilot Ben Grimm sneak off into space in a rocket. In space, the four are bombarded by cosmic rays.The auto-pilot lands the ship back on Earth, where they find themselves physically transformed and possessing remarkable new abilities. Sue can turn invisible. Ben has transformed into an orange, muscular "thing" with super-strength. Reed's body became highly malleable, allowing him to stretch into any shape, while Johnny's body bursts into flame, and he can fly. They decide to use their abilities to become the super-team known as the Fantastic Four and assume the individual names of Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch, and the Thing.
The remainder of the books introduces us to Harvey Elder, alias the Mole Man. Elder, a short, fat, bizarre looking individual, having been ridiculed by humanity, went off alone in search of the legendary land at the center of the earth. Eventually, he washed ashore on Monster Isle. Making his way through a cavern, he was caught in an avalanche and rendered almost blind. However, due to his other heightened senses taking over, he mastered the subterranean creatures and built himself an underground empire.
In the final chapter, the FF manage to thwart the Mole Man’s plan to invade the surface, but he remains at large and will reappear again in FF #22.
Fantastic Four #1 is one of those books where, because of the high value, the population of restored books approaches that of unrestored ones. This book looks great, but it has been trimmed, which means I only spent a fraction of what I would have for an unrestored 9.4. I purchased this book on e-bay from another collector several years ago-unfortunately, e-bay records only go back so far.
Some day, finances permitting, I would like to buy one with a universal label: I can dream, can’t I LOL. But in the meantime, we also own a 9.8 signature series Golden Record Reprint, Western Penn Pedigree, which itself dates from 1966 and was signed by Stan Lee on 9/4/2010. Because I do not have a scan of the 9.4, I have posted a scan of the Golden Record Reprint.
On the 9.4, we purchased it off an E-Bay listing many years ago. Even restored, it seems to have basically quadrupled in value since that time.
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| Slot: |
Fantastic Four #8 |
| Item: |
Fantastic Four 8 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1198175015
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| Slot: |
Fantastic Four #36 |
| Item: |
Fantastic Four 36 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1075719001
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Owner Comments
The Frightful Four, a frequent FF foe, makes their first appearance in issue #36. It also marks the first appearance of Medusa, who would go on to appear in numerous future issues. Unfortunately our copy is not a 9.8, there is only one of this issue as of 1/2020, but it is a Pacific Coast 9.6. This issue marks our fourth Pacific Coast copy in a row and our seventh between #22-36. We acquired the book in a trade with a friend and fellow collector in 2018.
We sent the book to CGC, which screened it and chose it for pressing, but it failed to obtain an upgrade and now has a new cert number.
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| Slot: |
Fantastic Four #45 |
| Item: |
Fantastic Four 45 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1486003002
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Owner Comments
Issue #45 marks the first appearance of the Inhumans and was incredibly hot when a movie was rumored a few years ago. Unfortunately, I bought the first one to come on the market during that age of speculation and paid far too much for this book in the 9/13/2017 ComicConnect Auction. This 9.8 with white pages is one of six highest graded. Subsequent 9.8s have gone for much less.
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| Slot: |
Fantastic Four #129 |
| Item: |
Fantastic Four 129 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
0960806010
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Owner Comments
From the Federal Hill Collection, purchased in the Match 2020 CL auction.
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| Slot: |
Giant-Size X-Men #1 |
| Item: |
Giant-Size X-Men 1 Signature |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1039399001
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Owner Comments
Giant Size X-men #1 probably represents the Holy Grail of the Bronze Age. It features the first appearance of the new X-Men, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus & Thunderbird, as well as the second full appearance of Wolverine. Our copy is tied with eight others for highest graded in the Signature Series, and will forever hold that distinction with Stan’s recent passing.
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| Slot: |
Journey Into Mystery #84 |
| Item: |
Journey Into Mystery 84 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1101074001
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Owner Comments
This is the 84th issue of a breakthrough title that began in June of 1952. More importantly, it is the second issue of the title's change to half super-hero format, as the Mighty Thor makes his second ever appearance herein. This issue also features the first appearance of Jane Foster, who was played by Natalie Portman in the Thor movies and may be the subject of a future Marvel movie.
To say this issue is hard to find would be accurate. To say it is difficult to obtain in high grade would be an understatement. There are only 9 copies of this Jack Kirby/Stan Lee masterpiece to grade as high as 9.0, with 4 in VF/NM, one in Near Mint Minus and only 3 blue label 9.4's. This gem has them all beat and is the only CGC Signature SERIES copy above an 8.5!
Issue #84 is one of the absolute toughest early Marvels to come by in high grade as per the CGC census report. It’s no doubt due to the dark brown cover borders and background which easily show wear. Our copy has no such problems. The spine is gorgeous, the centering is exact, the edges are straight and narrow and the corners are sharp. The book has vibrant colors and a fresh, meticulously well-stored look plus hard to beat off-white to white pages. It hails from the ultra high grade Cole Schave early Silver Age Marvel collection out of Green Bay, Wisconsin. I first saw this comic at the 2012 Comic Com convention in NYC. I later was fortunate enough to acquire it in the 2/11/2014 Pedigree Comics Auction.
9/2019: There are now four blue label 9.4s in this census, but this is still the single highest graded signature series, and, with Stan’s recent demise, it likely always will be. It remains to be seen how Stan’s death will affect the value of Signature Series books. After all, he has probably signed thousands of books at shows through the years. An author’s signature with a first edition novel can multiply the value of a book. But with comics, some regard the signature as a disqualifying defect. I am somewhat on the fence on signature books and generally don’t pay a premium for them, but also do not avoid signed copies.
2024 Update: I am not sure when it happened, but our book is no longer tied for highest graded as there is now a 9.6 in the census.
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| Slot: |
Journey Into Mystery #102 |
| Item: |
Journey Into Mystery 102 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
3718199012
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Owner Comments
Issue #102 features the first appearance of Balder, Hela and Sif, as well as an appearance by Zarko. Thor also gains full use of his hammer in this issue. This book has proven to me to be an extremely difficult issue to find above 9.4, as there are just two 9.6s and a lone 9.8 atop the census. We were fortunate enough to finally acquire a 9.6 from a Canadian collector and dealer in January 2021. It wasn’t cheap.
2022 Update: Wow, I probably made an unwise purchase on this one, as now there are four 9.6s in the Census. So this one went from top three to top five in a matter of months.Ugh!
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