| Slot: |
Brave and the Bold 28 |
| Item: |
Brave and the Bold 28 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1198548001
|
Owner Comments
One of the most important comics of the Silver Age - the introduction of the Justice League of America. This is an upgrade from an 8.5 I won in a ComicConnect auction in June 2013 (an important auction in my collecting history as it turns out). I had attempted to win a pair of 9.2's in a couple of comiclink auctions subsequently, but I just couldn't manage the prices. Then, out of the blue, a fellow boardie messages me and we get to talking. He has a 9.0 to sell. We are able to work out a trade/cash deal which included my 8.5. When I receive the comic, the upgrade enables me to proudly hold all three JLA B&B's in 9.0 or better!!!
In the years since my purchase, the census on HG copies of this book has grown a bit more - there is a single 9.6 standing atop the census, followed by a 9.4, three 9.2 and ten 9.0's, with a little over 1,100 copies certified. This book has seen its ups and downs in price. Compared to X-Men #1 (with close to 4,000 certified), it is much more rare and it's prices are half(ish) of what X-Men #1 goes for!?!?!!!
Besides being the first appearance of the Justice League of America, it also is the first appearance of Starro - a surprisingly durable villain for the JLA through the years. There is even a version of Starro in the Zack Snyder Justice League movie!
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| Slot: |
Brave and the Bold 29 |
| Item: |
Brave and the Bold 29 |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1198176009
|
Owner Comments
Originally, I had purchased a 7.0 back at the beginning of 2013, not having seen much in terms of high grade B&B#29's for over a year. Then, ten months later, this 9.0 comes up for auction. I was determined to win it and did so, spending a then-record amount(for me) for any one comic. Of course, this record was broken many times over. In 2014, this was one of 4 with a 9.0 grade and it trailed only one 9.4. The 9.4 came to auction in the November Heritage Auction. Unfortunately, the auction coincided with a seminar I was attending, one in which I didn't have access to the internet. I couldn't keep my eye on the proceedings and could only hope my $29K bid would suffice. Of course, it ultimately did not and since I was not able to live tabs on the happenings, I could up my bids and lost out. Oh well, the hammer price of $38,240 can be considered saved money!
Many years later, that 9.4 is still sitting out there as the single highest graded, but a couple more 9.0's have been added to the census. There must be uncertified copies out there to rival the highest graded copies currently on the census (it's hard to believe a 9.4 is the best copy of this issue!)
As with B&B#28, Superman and Batman were excluded from the cover - that made some sense with #28 as Superman and Batman were "busy" and couldn't respond to the crisis, but in this story they are as integral to the story as any of the others...and Superman extemely so as his involvement pretty much solved the problem.
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| Slot: |
Brave and the Bold 30 |
| Item: |
Brave and the Bold 30 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1127281006
|
Owner Comments
Once the highest graded (or at least tied for highest graded), my copy now trails one sole copy graded at 9.4 (argh!!). This issue would complete the Justice League of America 3 issue run in Brave and the Bold before transitioning to their own total (Justice League of America #1 in November 1960.
Features the first appearance of Amazo and Professor Ivo - both of which have endured in DC for decades.
Again, no Superman or Batman on the cover. In fact, neither one would appear on the cover of Justice League of America until issue 10!!! (And then not again until issue #19).
The 9.4 came up for auction in June 2021 through ComicConnect. It was a coin flip as to whether or not I was going to get aggressive in acquiring it, but, already owing a 9.2, it didn't seem reasonable to spend $34,500 on the book (the price would've been thousands of dollars higher had I decided to go after it, so either I would've paid $40K ish or someone else would've). At any rate, my decision came down to the current availability of many other Brave and the Bold issues that I would rather upgrade as opposed to this book.
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