Classic Comic Exchange

[dan bailey]

And the first commandment reads
That human flesh and blood is sacred
Until there is no more food

-- The Stranglers, "Straighten Out," Live X Cert

[dupersuper]

It's ironic that you talk about the appeal of the comic and yet question why its condition should matter. For many collectors, a comic's condition is an inherent part of its appeal.

Tell me, when you buy a new comic from your LCS, do you take the copy that still looks presentable or the copy that looks dog-eared to hell? After all, where the latter is concerned, its charm is still there and it can still be read.

I can't speak for shaxper, but I certainly don't give a rats ass if it's bent, as long as none of the story has been ripped out/mangled. I've biked home with comics in my back pocket, and I haven't a clue what any of my comics would be "graded" as.

[Jezebel Bond]

I can't speak for shaxper, but I certainly don't give a rats ass if it's bent, as long as none of the story has been ripped out/mangled. I've biked home with comics in my back pocket, and I haven't a clue what any of my comics would be "graded" as.

I prefer Near Mint to Near Ass (which is where I think your back pocket is).

[The Confessor]

Originally Posted by Jolly Mon
Sort of like comparing the slabbed (or sealed in mylar) "frigid virgin" to the lower grade comic's "lusty tavern wench", eager to provide enjoyment to all.

Oops! Sorry Jolly Mon, I guess you and benday-dot share dibs on that particular analogy. My mistake.

I've often thought many in the world would be better off with the occasional encounter with a "lusty tavern wench"

Heh…I sure as hell would!

Far too many are way too tense (not looking at the British, because after all, didn't you folks invent the "lusty tavern wench"?).

Errr....yes, yes we did! I'm not 100% sure of the historical validity of that statement but what the heck, I'll claim "Lusty Tavern Wenches" for the honour of Her Majesty's British Empire. Now, where's my pith helmet?

Proud CGC whore here...I'm expecting a package of 6 slabbers in the near future....

Just to be absolutely clear, I'm using the term "whore" in the nicest possible sense.

[Jezebel Bond]

If I had the money, like Jez seems to, to buy both reader copies and high grade collectible copies of the comics I love, I might buy multiple copies of some issues, including slabbed ones.

Actually, I don't buy lower-grade copies. When I first got interested in comics (I was about 6, late 80s), my older brothers already had boxes and shelves full of older comics. So in many instances, when I get a high-grade copy of a book, there's already a mid-grade copy of the book in that collection.

[shaxper]

Actually, I don't buy lower-grade copies.

So how often do you actually read the comics you buy and, when you do, what do you do to make sure you don't damage them while reading?

[Jezebel Bond]

So how often do you actually read the comics you buy and, when you do, what do you do to make sure you don't damage them while reading?

I simply handle them very carefully. Like many others here, I still have a good bit to go through. I buy more than I can read at any single time and have a backlog but knowing I own them is still a rush!

All of my new books are NM/M...I'm expecting a boxload of about 50 this week, I should finish those sometime into next year Some good sets/runs too - Ultimate Comics Avengers 2, Superman Secret Origin 1-6, (adorable covers), JLA 20-29, Civil War 1-7 among others...

Some readers are fanatical...and there's a 99.9% I won't lend my copies out to just anyone...but if I know someone is careful, I make an exception. I always use the example of a friend of mine who reads his books before submitting them for grading...he's gotten 9.8s, which is excellent.

Also remember, even CGC 10.0 books are opened and examined by 3 graders who probably read them as a bonus.

[shaxper]

I don't know how you do it. I couldn't curl up with and enjoy a comic if I was worried about maintaining its condition.

Now, granted, I'm careful with my comics anyway and don't do anything to devalue them while reading them most of the time, but accidents happen. I think I'd be too nervous to properly lose myself in the comic if I cared about condition the way you do. I certainly wouldn't allow myself as much time to revisit intriguing and/or confusing panels and hover over vintage ads as much. I'd be too woried about getting the darn thing back in its sleeve.

Yesterday morning, I curled up in a blanket on the sofa and read the classic Batman Lazarus Affair storyline while sipping hot tea in the other hand. It was positively divine. Yet I was absolutely taking a chance that those books could end up getting wet, or even just a tad bit crinkled since I was handling them with one hand.

[Aaron King]

I'm sure reading comics while being careful of their condition is something that, if practiced enough, stops being a conscious action.

I don't necessarily care about the condition of things when I buy them, but once I have them, I don't put them through much. To wit, whenever I bring things to the library to donate, I'm asked whether I've even read/viewed the things in question. Usually, if it's something I want to get rid of, I've read it at least twice (once upon purchase, once to make sure it's something I don't want to keep).

It's not because I feel like I need to keep things pristine or whatever; I loan them out freely, and they often come back in a noticeably worse shape, at least to the extent that dings and bent dust jackets are worse. I don't see anything wrong with that; it just makes me wonder if I'm always walking/reading/watching on eggshells.

[benday-dot]

Yesterday morning, I curled up in a blanket on the sofa and read the classic Batman Lazarus Affair storyline while sipping hot tea in the other hand. It was positively divine. Yet I was absolutely taking a chance that those books could end up getting wet, or even just a tad bit crinkled since I was handling them with one hand.

And what was divine for you is a little bit of grace for the rest of us, as we get to read your on-going Batman reading journal. Many thanks for cracking those books open!

[Jezebel Bond]

I'm sure reading comics while being careful of their condition is something that, if practiced enough, stops being a conscious action.

Yep. I'm careful with mine and can still turn the pages with long fingernails that have just been polished. But I don't let tea or coffee near my new or valuable books...having once spilt a coke by a book I could afford to throw away after.

I think those who spend too much time fussing over mishaps help make them happen. Comics might be fragile but they can still be opened and carefully read without hurting a NM or NM+ grade.

CGC Mint 10.0 is also a misnomer. 'Mint' means never opened, but the book still has to be opened to be examined, and three graders do it. And I know of one guy who read his comic in the loo before submitting it for grading and getting a highly-ranked 9.8 in return.

[shaxper]

And what was divine for you is a little bit of grace for the rest of us, as we get to read your on-going Batman reading journal. Many thanks for cracking those books open!

My absolute pleasure, good sir. Thanks for the kind words.

[shaxper]

And I know of one guy who read his comic in the loo before submitting it for grading and getting a highly-ranked 9.8 in return.

I'm a tad bit embarrassed to admit that I have a system for doing this. Sometimes you're in the middle of a really amazing story when nature calls...

[Scott Harris]

Another successful Classic Comic Exchange has been completed (at my end, that is) as I have received another batch of epic comics from Mr. Dan Bailey himself. These do not come with a Pedigree Certificate, but they are indeed from the Person Collection of Dan Bailey, so if you do like your pedigree comics, I suggest you get in on the action by joining our exchange.

In today's batch:

Phantom Stranger #32
Doomsday +1 #7
Micronauts #10
Astonishing Tales featuring Ka-Zar #19, which I'm sure he sent me due to my recent anti-Ka-Zar comments
Rawhide Kid #116
Secret Society of Super-Villains #3
Marvel Premiere featuring Woodgod #31
Showcase #103
Vengeance Squad #1
Morlock 2001 #1
Strange Sports Stories #1

Now that's a winning batch of Classic Comics! I did already have Strange Sports Stories #1, as I have a full run of that excellent series, but the rest are new to me (well, I owed a couple of them in a long-ago collecting life but don't remember a thing about them, like Morlock 2001 #1) so this will be some interesting reading. I'm especially chuffed at the chance to read Phantom Stranger #32 and Showcase #103.

Dan, your comics are on the way, I sent them out today. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but you'll be finding a comic with a Jim Steranko cover, a comic with Thor working for Hitler and a vintage appearance by Binky, among other things. Just a tease. Hope you enjoy the reading.


By the way, Dan, what's your secret in terms of reasonable shipping? The guys up here are soaking me, it's crazy. I keep telling them to ship it as cheaply as possible and I explained how much you are being charged at your end but they keep ramming me with their postage ovipositor. Anything special I need to do to get a cheaper rate on these?

[shaxper]

Morlock 2001 #1
Strange Sports Stories #1

Man, I'm intrigued by those titles...

By the way, Dan, what's your secret in terms of reasonable shipping? The guys up here are soaking me, it's crazy. I keep telling them to ship it as cheaply as possible and I explained how much you are being charged at your end but they keep ramming me with their postage ovipositor. Anything special I need to do to get a cheaper rate on these?

Are you using media mail? Some postal workers won't offer it and will even tell you its not for comics, but my understanding is that media mail rate is perfectly legal so long as its not used for comics containing current advertisements. You'd be amazed how much cheaper shipping comics gets when you use it.