| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 465 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #465 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
2052056011
|
Owner Comments
1st appearance of Hank Henshaw in cameo... very cool and the first/only 9.8!
And... Fabio on the back cover! It doesn't get any better than that!! Ha ha!
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 466 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #466 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
1624815001
|
Owner Comments
First full appearance of Hank Henshaw.
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| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 480 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #480 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
3698928002
|
Owner Comments
This is the first graded copy of this book and when I added it, it was still the ONLY graded copy.
When I added this book I had to request scores be created!
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| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 496 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #496 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
1300127009
|
Owner Comments
"Not Kltpzyxm! Mxyzptlk!! Now the first thing I'm gonna do... Oh, nuts!" Mr. Mxyztptlk
This cover is obviously one of the goofier of the four Doomsday cameo books. Mr. Mxyztptlk was never one of my favorite characters in the pages of the comics but I really enjoyed how he was done in Superman: The Animated Series in the '90's. I really love all of the episodes from that series!
This is one of the earliest books I had when I registered this set. I reholdered this book in December 2020.
I added an image of all four of the first printings of the Doomsday cameos in the second picture slot. I think it's interesting to see what was going on in each of the Superman titles when this storyline kicked off. I consider the four Doomsday cameos a set within this set and I enjoy showing them all together like this. I've since upgraded Superman: The Man of Steel 17 to a Signature Series 9.8 copy but wanted to leave this picture as they were when first brought together. I did this in all cases where I upgraded or reholdered a 9.8 and there was a group picture already included in my set. This helps me remember how much work it has been to not only first assemble, but then maybe even upgrade a book; not to mention the stress of sending a rare book away for reholder.
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| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 497 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #497 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
0164973025
|
Owner Comments
This is one of the earliest books I owned from this set and it stayed in my main set until it reached 100 complete. It was replaced by a Signature Series 9.8 signed by Jerry Ordway.
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| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 498 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #498 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
2120276016
|
Owner Comments
Finding a 9.8 copy of this book was very difficult (for me), especially for a first printing with a healthy census inventory! This was the last first printing from this entire set that I needed at 9.8 and it took me over two years of actively searching to get my hands on one. Its addition put my set at 92 of 98 books graded at least 9.8. Read on to learn how I ended up with FOUR copies of a book that was so difficult to find even one of.
This book replaced a 9.6 ss book that I had in this slot. When I originally added the 9.6, I had four empty slots and was trying to get my set to 100 percent completion. I had the books for the other empty slots submitted to CGC at the time and was waiting on grades.
I was trying to either buy a 9.8 of this book or find a raw copy worthy of submission before putting a book in this slot. It should have been relatively easy to find with 17 Universal and 5 Signature Series in the census at the time, but a 9.8 never came up for sale during the entire time I was building this set. This was also the last of the four printings of Adventures of Superman 498 that I needed 9.8!
I had bought multiple lots/copies of this book raw. I eventually had over 50 copies of this book, with no 9.8 candidates among them. I finally decided to buy the 9.6 ss in order to get a book in this slot to achieve 100 percent completion. All things considered, a 9.6 ss was nothing to be ashamed of either. I also figured that with my luck sometimes that if I went ahead and bought the 9.6 then a 9.8 would pop up for sale right away. This book did not make it that easy though!
During my search for this book, I met a CGC forum member through a WTB post I started; he had recently bought a large collection of 1990's raw books. He had a great looking copy of this book, as well as Action Comics 690 that I also had 9.6 at the time, and submitted them to CGC for me. I committed to buy both if they come back 9.8. The Adventures of Superman 498 ended up grading 9.2. On the bright side, the Action Comics 690 came back 9.8 which finished up all of my Reign of the Supermen books graded 9.8, and also made this book the last of the first printings I needed in 9.8 for this entire set.
I then met another member through the same WTB post and he sent in a copy of this book for me as well. His copy also looked great so I once again crossed my fingers. In the meantime, I finally found three nice raw copies that I thought all had 9.8 potential. I submitted them for pressing and grading in two different submissions due to the timing of finding them, while waiting on the other member’s copy to be graded.
At long last there was some success with this book… the second forum member’s book graded 9.8 and I quickly agreed to the purchase. I was finally able to include a picture of all four printings of this book graded 9.8; check out the second printing of this book to see it... this is the only set where this is possible!
Thank you sd2416 for your help finding this book.
The grade date of this book is 26 May 2020 and it is the 18th 9.8 Universal Label book to join the census.
My wife and I were fortunate enough to see Engelbert Humperdinck in concert in January 2020. He was 83 years old at the time and put on an amazing show. For a long time, the 9.8 of this book reminded me of the lyrics from one of the songs he performed that evening. The song was originally an Italian pop song from 1962 and Engelbert first recorded it in English in 1968.
Tell me when will you be mine,
Tell me quando quando quando…
I no longer have to wonder quando I will have this book in this set, here it is!
Update #1 - two of the books I had already submitted when I got this one have since received 9.8's! It's crazy how things work out; I had the toughest time finding the first 9.8 copy of this book and now I have three! The grade date for the two I submitted is 2 July 2020.
Update #2 - the last copy of this book I had submitted also received 9.8, grade date 16 July 2020! This was the same submission that I also had two copies of Adventures of Superman 505 Collector's Edition also receive 9.8's so it was a really good one! Now I somehow have FOUR 9.8 copies of a book that I couldn't find for two years! When it rains it pours I guess! Just crazy!
I included a picture of all four of the 9.8 copies of this book in the second picture slot. After all the effort it took to find them, and the strange twists and turns resulting in a pretty crazy result, I decided they should all be on display in this set!
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 499 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #499 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
3731694015
|
Owner Comments
My first copy of this book was the Signature Series 9.8 in my main set. I bought this book on eBay for $51.00 in order to have a Universal 9.8. My Signature Series 9.8 is signed by both Tom Grummett and Jerry Ordway.
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| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 500 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #500 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.9 |
| Cert #: |
3789740015
|
Owner Comments
This is the second 9.9 to join this set!
I was able to add this book thanks to fellow CGC board member Dmac538… ROLL TIDE!
When I added this book there were a total of 317 graded; 146 were 9.8’s, and only two were 9.9.
The first 9.9 had been in the census forever and I had it included in my WTB post along with my last 9.8. I honestly didn’t think that the 9.9 of this book would ever show up but as long as it was out there, I had to keep trying. I did my weekly bump of the post on Friday, 28 May 2021… the next week was going to be the one year anniversary of starting it so I tried to be funny and made a comment about the upcoming anniversary; whaddya say we do something special, and find this book! It might have worked! Not long afterwards, onlyweaknesskryptonite tagged me in a post in the This Week Back From CGC topic where Dmac538 had posted a picture of this book with one word... BAM!!!... and yes, I think this grade on this book deserved every one of those THREE exclamation points! I immediately got a hold of Dmac538 and we were able to make a deal for the exact amount I had been offering in my WTB post for nearly a year... I was very happy; I think we both were.
The book’s grade date is 19 May 2021... that means it spent 28 years in the wild and still graded 9.9! Thank you Dmac538 for taking care of this book, submitting it, and accepting my offer! Thanks also to onlyweaknesskryptonite for wasting no time tagging me!
This is the third book to occupy this slot; the first was a Universal 9.8, followed by a Signature Series 9.8, and finally this 9.9. My original intent with this set was just to collect the Doomsday storyline (first printings) as well as the Platinum Editions and Adventures of Superman 500 (all editions). Of those books, this book was the toughest for me to find in 9.8 at the time. It seemed like there was a dry spell for a while. I watched eBay and several other sites and it just didn't seem like one was ever going to pop up for sale.
When I finally did find the Universal 9.8 copy it cost me $60.00. It was at that point that I added pictures and really started working on the descriptions in my set. The Universal copy stayed in my set until it reached 100 percent completion. When I only needed two more 9.8’s I started replacing some of my existing Universal 9.8’s with Signature Series 9.8’s as they became available (and to keep busy). I ended up replacing the Universal with a very nice Signature Series book signed by Jerry Ordway at that time! I had that book reholdered in February 2021, and it stayed here until being replaced by the beautiful 9.9 you see here now.
I’m so happy to have added this book graded 9.9 to this set...
Check out the second picture...
BAM!!! BAM!!!
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 500 Collector's Edition |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #500 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
0302814009
|
Owner Comments
This book was $129.99 on eBay and was in my main set all the way until it reached 100 percent complete. My Signature Series 9.8 is signed by Jerry Ordway.
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 500 Poly-Bagged Platinum |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #500 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
1034436005
|
Owner Comments
I have included pictures of two different versions of this book in this slot. I decided to include the Platinum Error here as well to show the difference in the colors. The difference is very subtle but you can see that the actual Platinum book is more silvery in color, while the Error is subdued and less silvery. To me, it is such a subtle difference that I am surprised that CGC was able to catch this difference in the first place. As of this writing, there are only three 9.8 copies of this Platinum Error in the census. The Error copy came from the 'NO ONE CAN KILL SUPERMAN!' collection and is also an official member of my addendum set.
The grade date on the Platinum Edition is 1 April 2011 and the grade date on the Platinum Error is 10 August 2012. I had the regular Platinum Edition reholdered in February 2021. Both of these books are the same as far as the CGC Registry is concerned.
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 501 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #501 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
2041066001
|
Owner Comments
From my original raw collection.
I really enjoyed this version of Superboy and I thought it was great how he was included as one of the four possible Supermen.
I remember that there was a rumored Superboy/King Shark action figure two pack in the '90's. There was a prototype carded (on a different figure's card) figure made but the two pack never went into production. They later did make a Superboy/King Shark two pack but it was in a box rather than on a card. I've included a picture of that boxed two pack in the second picture slot here. I would still love for that prototype carded two pack to pop up for sale someday!
I'm really glad this came back 9.8 as there was one on eBay at the same time listed for $120.00 BIN. Aside from saving some money, it is very satisfying to have books from my original collection come back 9.8!
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 501 Collector's Edition |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #501 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
0715141064
|
Owner Comments
I always knew Superboy wasn't the one true Superman but I got a kick out of him anyways. I collected the Superboy series for awhile after this.
Most collecting experiences are good, but once in awhile something happens that is really irritating. I got this book off of eBay for $24.95, which I understand is a great deal, but the seller mailed it in an unpadded envelope... the edges of the slab were crushed and the book was barely in the holder. It was so bad that I was worried CGC wouldn't reholder it. When I told the seller what happened and sent pictures he said to 'let him get with the Post Office and see what the Post Office could do about it.' I explained that this was not the Post Office's fault but he never accepted any responsibility. The book didn't come up very often at the time so returning it wasn't really something I considered. Luckily, CGC did reholder it, at my expense of course.
I'm glad this book is in a much better home now and part of this set, it almost didn't survive at all!
I included a picture of Superboy from The Return of Superman toy line from around the early 2000's. I show the rest of the figures from the line with various books in this set, so if you want to see the rest just keep browsing.
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 502 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #502 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
2041066006
|
Owner Comments
From my original raw collection.
I really love the layout of this cover; the way the characters are positioned relative to one another is very appealing to me. I am not sure if it was intentional but if you tip the cover slightly to the left Supergirl's pose is reminiscent of the Superman 1 comic book cover. I included a side by side comparison with my Superman Masterpiece Edition 1 in the second picture to illustrate what I am talking about. It seems that the only difference is that Supergirl's left arm is slightly lowered compared to Superman's. Perhaps this was to avoid having to say after Joe or something like that?
This book was also one from my original collection which I submitted myself. I'm really glad it came back 9.8 because, although there are 11 9.8's in the census, I had personally never seen one come up for sale. Maybe I'm not the only one that likes it!
The Masterpiece Edition is also from my original collection. My wife and I bought the boxed set from the WB Store at the Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego and the book stayed in the box until I sent it in. It had a slight non-color breaking bend on the back due to the way it was in the pocket inside the box but CCS took care of that for me! The grade date is 19 November 2018, the same as my original Action Comics 1 reprint from The Death of Superman TPB that started it all.
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| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 503 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #503 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
2041066009
|
Owner Comments
This book is from my original raw collection and I submitted it myself. I was really happy that this came back 9.8, not just because it is from my original collection, but also because I wasn’t crazy about the signature placement on my Signature Series 9.8 in my main set (you can read about that there). My Signature Series 9.8 is signed by Tom Grummett and Karl Kesel. This book never actually made it into my main set due to the timing of buying the ss book and this one coming back from CGC... I'm glad to be able to add it here!
|
| Slot: |
Adventures of Superman 504 |
| Item: |
Adventures of Superman #504 Universal |
| Grade: |
CGC 9.8 |
| Cert #: |
2041066011
|
Owner Comments
From my original raw collection.
There it is again, that very cool Black Suit! It's great that our heroes are all fighting together! This was one of my original books from my collection and I'm glad to have had it come back 9.8! There were only three 9.8's in the census when I added this book!
I included the Kryptonian Life Suit (Black Suit) Superman figure from The Return of Superman toy line with this book in the second picture slot. I think it fits well here because the silver S on both the book and the figure really stand out. The quality of these figures was really great.
|