Set Description:
After compiling and maintaining/upgrading a top level full run of Justice League of America throughout the 2010's, I started to switch my focus to a different title, the Brave and the Bold.
I chose this title because in my efforts to complete a JLA run, I also had acquired the first three appearances of the Justice League of America in Brave and the Bold #28, 29 & 30. This seemed like a good starting point and when it became harder and harder (and take longer and longer) to fill the holes in my JLA collection or upgrade issues I already had, I started to look at Brave and the Bold "on the side".
This led to me, at first, filling out a lot of the run on the later issues. But as time progressed, I started filling earlier issues and the run started to take shape.
As I write this in April 2021, I'm still SEVENTEEN issues from having a complete CGC certified Brave and the Bold run. I continue to look for upgrades on issues I already have and I continue to keep monitoring for those books I still have not acquired. I'm trying to be more patient in filling the holes in my collection - I know that there is no point in buying a 6.5 of any given issue I don't have because I'll just upgrade it given the chance anyway. The less upgrades one has to do, the lower the risk of spending more money than you need to. To date, I've managed to accumulate a current thirteen SINGLE HIGHEST GRADED issues and another one hundred and fifteen issues tied for HIGHEST GRADED.
Revision: May 2021 - After acquiring B&B#6 (and completing my B&B #1-24 mini run), I'm now left with SIXTEEN issues to complete the entire run in CGC certified copies. As this new acquisition was tied with two others for highest graded, that puts the tally at one hundred and sixteen books that I own that are tied for highest graded.
Revision: June 2021 - picked up six B&B's in the Heritage auction, five being upgrades (27,43,70,72 & 87) and one filling a hole in my collection (#56). I'm now FIFTEEN issues from a complete CGC Certified B&B Collection. Five of the books acquired are tied for highest graded and one is single highest graded, bring my new totals to 121 ISSUES TIED FOR HIGHEST GRADED and 14 ISSUES CERTIFIED AS SINGLE HIGHEST GRADED on the census.
Revision: August 2021 – picked up eight B&B’s in the Heritage auction, all eight of which being upgrades (41,58,65,66,68,77,82 & 84) on existing copies that I own. I remain FIFTEEN issues from a complete CGC Certified B&B collection. In this auction, I acquired 1 single highest graded book and 7 others tied for highest graded. My new totals as far as highest graded copies: 15 ISSUES CERTIFIED AS SINGLE HIGHEST GRADED and 126 ISSUES TIED FOR HIGHEST GRADED.
Revision: March 2022 – It has been like going up a hill in a snowstorm in trying to add/upgrade issues to my collection. Having been outbid at the last minute on a few books, or not willing to bid an astronomical, record-setting amount on another book, I finally was able to fill one hole in my CGC collection in the Comiclink March 2022 auction when I picked up B&B#35, which is tied for HIGHEST GRADED. Whew! These last holes in my collection are going to take some doing!
UPDATE: JUNE 2022 - As I predicted, filling the holes in my run is a HUGE challenge!!! In the past year, I've only managed to add two more copies, #35 and #57. It's not like I haven't been searching/trying...but it is really hard. I'm actually not as worried about the earlier issues than I am the later ones. It will likely be years before I get copies of the later ones in 9.8 grades. So, as of this writing, I'm still THIRTEEN issues away from the full CGC set (31,45,54,76,113,118,124,128,129,131,144,155,199).
As of June 2022, in the entire run I have 127 books tied for highest graded on the CGC Census and another 12 that are the single highest graded copies. Percentage-wise, I have the highest graded copies of 69% of the entire run.
Revision: March 2023 - Looking back since my last update in June 2022, I actually saw some movement on my collection as I managed to upgrade an early (<#10) issue and fill six other holes in my CGC collection. Two of the books came via a trade, one by purchase and four via auctions (across all 3 of the major auction houses, CL, HA and CC). I snagged a single highest graded and another two others tied for highest graded.
Update: Summer 2023
Fairly slow period for me as I only managed a couple of Heritage wins and an Ebay win, filling 1 hole (#31) and slightly upgrading issue #18 and issue #103. Still leaves me 6 issues to get the completed CGC certified set. I had sent in a bunch of books to be certified by CGC (and among them was a raw #144 which I felt was a strong 9.8 candidate), but unfortunately the US customs department lost my shipment and all 110 comics I was submitting. It is a little frustrating, but at least none of the books were high value items).
Update: January 2024
Well, unexpectedly it has been a fairly productive period of time since my last update. When last we spoke, I had six issues to go to complete my CGC set...this has now dwindled to two issues. Issue #'s 113,124,128 and 129 were all acquired through Ebay auctions in the past two months. On top of that, I managed to upgrade my existing copies of issues #56, 66 and 74. It is definitely feast or famine on a series like this one. I did have an opportunity to upgrade issue #28 from my current CGC 9.0 to the single highest graded 9.6 on a recently concluded Heritage auction, but I would've had a slight (LOL) issue in coming up with the winning amount of $810,000, so I'm settling with what I have.
If you are reading this and can help me in my quest to complete my B&B run, please pm me.
Thanks and enjoy the collection!
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