OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD?!

Back for another session of my ranting and raving about what I thought was good and what I thought sucked this week in comics. Not a gigantic week so there isn't much to chat about and since my co-blogger Holmes aka Mitch wrote about "Superman #701", there's even less for me to say..so I figured since I have the time and the fam over at CBJ allow me to, I'd like to point out to everyone that my friends band STABBING EDEN is going on tour starting this Thursday 7/22, with their first date being on Staten Island. I'm filling in for their singer for this tour so you should really make it a point to come out and hang with me before we leave.
Here's the fliers for the shows.




if you've never heard them check them out on myspace.
myspace.com/stabbingedenduo
and while your at it go check out my band who are going to start recording 5 new songs while I'm away!!!
myspace.com/thegrievingprocess

alright enough shameless self promotion.



X-FILES / 30 DAYS OF NIGHT #1

After the horrible cinematic mess that was the last X-Files movie, Steve Niles and Adam Jones take everyone's favorite FBI agents and does them justice..and on top of that he throws in those damn pesky Vampires that keep showing up in Alaska.
As it always is with Mulder and Scully, a strange case is put in front of them and as always they have to pick apart the pieces and put everything together, only this time around they're going to be going head first against an ancient threat that will not back down and has the means to not only eradicate them but everyone involved to keep their existence secret.
In this first issue the dialogue between Mulder and Scully was nothing short of classic X-Files conversations. Mulder being the pessimist conspiracy theorist takes what he sees at the crime scene and already begins to make his assumptions about who or what they're up against as Scully being the level headed straight-woman, doesn't want to jump to conclusions but at the same time doesn't want to dismiss her partner's instincts because he's usually right.
Steve Niles and Adam Jones do an excellent job of creating a state of panic and intrigue as the story just kicks off and who knows what will happen. I'm just excited to see Niles writing a 30 Days of Night story again and to mix in two of the best non powered heroes just ups to ante.
Tom Mandrake is handling the art duties and this is one of his defining moments. His sequences of the arctic tundra and the bloody crime scene just sends chills up your spine to think that something is out in the blinding white snow hunting humans.
If you're a fan of either X-Files or 30 days, i strongly suggest you get this book ASAP because if not you're missing out on something big here.

5 out of 5!!



SECOND COMING REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND #3 (OF 3)

What a colossal waste of a mini-series and characters! I'm sorry but I really hated this last issue. Harvey Tolibao's artwork is awesome and Chris Yost is a great writer, I don't know what the hell happened but somewhere along the way things got jerked and the end of this story sucked!
The team consisting of Pixie, Gambit, Dazzler, Northstar, Anole, Cannonball and Trance travel to Limbo in search of Magik who was hit with some kind of magic bomb by Bastion that bound her and sent her headfirst into Limbo.
Gambit gets overcome by whatever evil Apocalypse infected him with almost 5 years ago and his Death persona takes over and infects Dazzler and Northstar. Magik is being held captive as Pixie is tempted to kill her by N'astirh who wants her soulsword and complete control over Limbo once again.
This story is like a left over from X-Infernus with Second Coming thrown in just to get people more interested in it. In all honesty, I think this should have been a short three issue story arc in New Mutants than making it a miniseries that really failed to have anything to do with the story it was being associated with.
The only thing I really liked about this mini was that Cannonball as a character has really stepped up to the plate and is finally being written like someone who's been training his whole life to become a leader. You can really see how Chris Yost is taking elements of Cyclops and Cable and instilling them in Cannonball's demeanor. Instead of failing to lead the team or not know what to do, when the going got tough, he stood up and fought and with some serious conviction. I really hope this carries over into New Mutants and we get to see more of him being a strong leader and not so much as an indecisive leader-to-be.

3 out of 5



SECOND COMING #2

The final chapter of this epic storyline finally comes to an end. Cable is dead, Hope saved the X-Men and destroyed Bastion. Where do you go from there, simple now you look back on everything that's happened and pass judgment on everyone's decisions while attending to the wounded.
Hope copes with the passing of Cable and must now find her place amongst a group of people she doesn't even know and somehow fit into this mold they've created for her being the Mutant Messiah. This story has really shaped her as a character because she has gone from a small child on the run from Bishop to a skilled soldier to a savior in such a short amount of time, she's yet to have a chance to find out who she is herself. She's been told since day one when to run, when to sleep, when to eat and more or less how to think. Now is the time she finally has the chance to grow on her own and she's scared because the only person she could turn to is gone.
With Cable gone and everyone feeling sorry for themselves, they all begin reflecting back on the past year or so. Wolverine is taking it the hardest out of everyone because not only did he lose two friends, he potentially corrupted other people into a world or espionage and murder that he sought to escape when he joined the X-Men. It's interesting to see this point of view from a character that for so long was a "kill first, ask questions later" kinda guy, who now in retrospect is not only trying to atone for his sins but trying not to make the same mistakes or put other people on the same path that he's once walked.
With all of that said and everyone looking at one another differently in lieu of recent events, Cyclops dismantles X-Force and has Wolverine tell everyone to move on and forget the things they were asked to do for the betterment of Mutant kind. Wolverine in typical fashion disbands the group only to create his own version of X-Force with just one rule "Tell no one."
Cyclops stepped up as the head of his species and really came through when the chips were down, albeit at a cost of friendships and trust, he made the decisions that no one else was capable of being convicted enough to make. In doing so, he alienated himself from Emma and a majority of the team but sometimes you can't please everyone with what you feel is right.
At the end, the biggest shocks were delivered. Emma bared witness to what could potentially become a serious problem in the future as Hope standing by a fire showed signs of THE PHOENIX FORCE!!
AND.....
Five new Mutant signatures showed on Cerebra. The Mutant species may not be on the verge of extinction after all. We'll have to wait and see what comes about in the next couple of months.

5 out of 5!!!!

How Do You Keep The Music Playing?

How do you not run out of new things to say about Superman? After all, the Man Of Steel has been with us since 1938. He has fought every sort of battle and always come out on top. Hell, even death didn’t kill him! Superman has become SO powerful and SO ingrained in our culture that we often take him for granted. Most of the collectors I know don’t even read Superman on a regular basis. He is just sort of…there like Mickey Mouse or Charlie Brown. Not forgotten but not relevant either.

That is about to change.

Following the events depicted in the New Krypton and War of the Superman Story Arcs, J. Michael Straczynski is taking Superman in a whole new direction with his “Grounded” storyline that will be running through Superman #712.

Superman’s greatest “power” has always been his Humanity. Yes, he can leap tall buildings in a single bound, bend steel in his bare hands, change the course of Mighty Rivers…all that jazz. So can a lot of other spandex clad heroes. What sets Clark apart is how HUMAN he is. He really cares about people. He is not driven by trauma to do what he does like Batman…or even Spider-Man. Superman is and has always been driven by his love of people. He just wants to help.

Following the New Krypton storyline, “Grounded” (which kicked off in issue #700) depicts Superman's return to Earth after residing on New Krypton. Exiting a congressional hearing about the "Hundred Minute War," he is confronted with the notion that he has grown disconnected from everyday Americans he has been committed to watching over, and doesn't truly know what his adopted people are like anymore. Feeling a responsibility to his adopted homeland, and wanting to reconnect to his greatest power he begins a long journey where he will walk across the United States to reconnect with the everyday people he is committed to protecting.

Issue #701 hit the stands this week and Straczynski has composed a touching and insightful first chapter on Superman’s walk about. The Man of Steel starts his cross country trek in Philadelphia, moving from the suburbs through the city and out on the road again. Along the way he speaks to reporters, stops at a diner, runs off some local drug runners and shares some candy with a child. He then comes across a police line in the city. A young woman is going to jump from the ledge of a tall building and commit suicide. The police think Superman is going to just leap in and grab her. Instead, Clark simply listens to her. He talks with her and STAYS with her. He uses his greatest power and ultimately saves the girl in one of the single most touching panels you will see in a comic book for years. (Eddy Barrows artwork is both grand and poignant at the same time). Everything that Superman does in Philly would seem somehow…smaller than what he normally does. No bullets bounce off his chest, there are no great displays of his strength or invulnerability. What he does in this story is HELP people…in a very personal way. You can see he is emotionally effected by the girl’s hopelessness, delighted by a small child offering him candy, earnest when the locals tell him about the drug dealers who have set up shop across the street. He is flexing his truest power, his humanity.

Straczynski is, in effect, taking Superman back to his roots. Kal-El may have been born on Krypton but CLARK is of this earth. He was “born” and raised in Smallville and is as human as you and I. Superman is also uniquely American and it is fitting that his walk about is across the United States. Yes, Superman helps all people, everywhere but his core values are American. Truth, justice and The American Way are, after all, the Superman Mantra. He represents the best of what it is to be American.

Superman #701 is a wonderful read and I am anxiously waiting for the next chapter. I hope you all come along on Superman’s journey as well.

I should stop right here to strongly suggest that, if you haven’t already read the afore mentioned New Krypton and War Of The Supermen issues, that you do so as soon as you can. While not necessary for you to enjoy the current Straczynski arc, they were grand, epic, and some of the very best Superman books in the last twenty years. They are well worth your time and will provide perspective on Superman’s motivations in the Grounded storyline. However, even if you don’t go back to those issues “Grounded’ is a perfect jumping in point for new readers, so if you have not read Superman or if you have left the books, now is a great time to start!

That’s 30!

Mitch

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD?!
Another amazing week in comics this past week and so much to talk about. I just want to jump right into it because...I've got something to say.



X-Men #1

Wow, it's really been 20 years since Jim Lee and Chris Claremont launched X-Men #1. Time flies when your a mutant. Anyways, this week saw the launch of a brand new series simply called "X-Men". Following the blockbuster "Second Coming" story and "The Death of Dracula one shot", This new book starts off with a literal bang as the Vampires of the Marvel Universe let everyone know they're still alive and kicking.
If you've never read the Blade series that came out a couple of years ago where Blade was on the verge of finally killing off all Vampires and was tricked into re-birthing them back into existence, I strongly suggest doing your homework before checking out this book and the massive story that's soon to follow it.
I'll be completely honest I really didn't care for the "Death of Dracula one shot" and I was really very annoyed with how all of a sudden these different sects and aspects of the Vampire world showed up without any prior history. Okay, I got over it and read this new issue of X-Men and actually really enjoyed it. The fact that it's a new X-men book aside, writer Victor Gischler (Deadpool Merc with a mouth) is comparing the dying Mutant species with The Vampire species makes a lot of sense. That and the fact that the X-Men have had a long history with the Vampire King and his kind just adds so much to the story. Dracula being gone leaves endless possibilities.
Without giving away too much, the delivery system in which The Vampires infect normal people with Vampire blood is genius. Have a big diesel Vampire walk into a crowded area and explode from exposure to sunlight, literally spilling his guts all over everyone and everything.
I highly recommend that you do your homework before jumping into this book and the "Curse of the mutants" story just so you know what's going on without questioning "what the hell happened before this?"

4 out of 5



X-FORCE #28

The 13th chapter of the 14 chapter blockbuster that is "Second Coming". So much happens in such a short amount of time it's almost unfair that Marvel didn't make this the last chapter and a double sized issue. After battling back the seemingly endless army of future Nimrod Sentinels and being trapped within Bastion's containment bubble, The X-Men finally have a fighting chance because of Cable and X-Force jumping into the future and stopping everything at the source.
Bastion stands by and watches as everything he's plotted and planned falls apart because of Hope and her adopted father Cable.
In a final effort to save his friends, Cable finally gives in to the Techno Organic Virus that's plagued him his whole life and lets it consume him so he can act like a buffer to allow X-Force to jump back through the time stream. Sadly, once everyone is through he explodes as the portal closes.
This fuels Bastion and Hope to have the final showdown that we've all been waiting for.
Hope finally displays her powers as she remembers everything Cable said to her about how and when she would know it was time to unleash what she's got inside her.
I think that since way back in "Messiah Complex" when Rogue touched Hope with bare skin, that Hope not only absorbed Rogue's inner voices of all the people she's come into contact with but also some of Rogue's mutant powers making her able to tap into Mutants around her and copy and use their abilities.
The final outcome is more or less what we all expected, Hope defeats Bastion and destroys him and his minions as well as piercing a hole in his containment bubble and freeing everyone. The mutant messiah has finally been exposed and helped her people from extinction.
What does this mean for Hope? What does this mean for the X-Men? What does this mean for the world outside that the X-Men have a member of biblical proportions? Only time will tell and there is still another chapter to the story to be told this week in "Second Coming #2".

5 out of 5



BRIGHTEST DAY #5

Let’s look at these stories one at a time. First off, the Hawks. Of the three stories that we touch on this issue, this is the one that seems most divorced from everything that’s going on. There’s some good battle scenes here, which make these scenes better, but the question of what’s going on with Hawkworld is not, at the moment, as compelling as the other two stories. In the Aquaman and Mera storyline, Aquaman goes nuts on an oil rig, bringing him into conflict with some new characters and bringing out a truly surprising revelation about Mera. This storyline is a good bit more interesting. Aquaman himself is clearly being affected by the fallout of Blackest Night, and those changes are actually a bit frightening. The Mera reveal comes out of nowhere, and considering how many fans the character picked up during Blackest Night, it’ll be very interesting to gauge the reaction to this one.

The Deadman stuff, though, is easily the strongest in the book. Hawk’s insistence that Boston Brand use his power to bring his brother back to life leads to a couple of interesting moments. The ring itself (or perhaps it’s the Lantern, or the Entity – whoever is talking to Boston) also starts to develop a bit of a personality of its own beyond just giving commands. This also seems to be the story that’s most directly connected with the Big Mystery of why these twelve characters came back from the dead, and with the news that this question will be answered very soon, this seems to be the channel we’re going to take to get there. Boston has always been a cool character, but watching this story through his eyes has made him a great one.

3 out of 5



AVENGERS: THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE #1 (OF 9)

YES! FINALLY AFTER SUCH A LONG WAIT ALLAN HEINBERG AND JIMMY CHEUNG ARE BACK AND WRITING ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS AGAIN!! Albeit, it's only a mini-series finally chronicling the search for the Scarlet Witch since her disappearance after "House of M", but it finally brings the pair back together and working on one of if not the best comic Marvel had/has to offer. Wiccan and Speed are the supposed children of the Scarlet Witch and Vision. The two boys show the same powers as their mother and uncle Quicksilver.
It now being "THE HEROIC AGE" and The Avengers being back to full strength, Captain America brings in Wiccan after a display of his powers, fearful that he may unknowingly cause a catastrophic event such as his "mother" did when saying "No More Mutants." This being a teen team book, of course the rest of the Young Avengers won't have their teammate Wiccan locked up and tested. They stage a jailbreak and free their friend from the non captive captivity that he was being held in. The team decides that the best course of action is to prove to the Avengers and the world that The Scarlet Witch was under someone's control and didn't willingly de-power 85% of the world's mutants.
This comic has it all, action, drama, laughs, love and of course ALLAN HEINBERG AND JIMMY CHEUNG working on the YOUNG AVENGERS!
I think this is going to be the next big book to read so if you passed it up for whatever reason, go back and get this comic NOW!!!!

5 out of 5!~!!!!!!!



SHADOWLAND #1 (OF 5)

When you find yourself quoting lines from a comic to friends and family, that's when you know you've got an awesome comic in your hands. Shadowland has been building up for months in the pages of Daredevil and finally after a long wait it's all come to fruition. Matt Murdock had been through so much in the past couple of months, from losing his wife, his life and now becoming the leader of the Hand, things have gone in a dramatically different direction that all of us thought it would.
Things are really looking like Matt is going the way of Anakin Skywalker by giving in to the dark side head first. The Avengers want him to know that they've got his back but if he steps out of line they'll be the first one's to put him down, so who better to send out to speak with him than his long time friends, Luke Cage and Iron Fist. They arrive as Matt and his fellow Hand ninja's are chasing after Bullseye, recently escaping transport on his way to the Vault Prison. Matt says the best line in the comic after being asked by his so-called friends if he needs help.."Do you pledge your undying allegiance to The Hand?"
Andy Diggle has really gone above and beyond with his recent run on Daredevil and with Shadowland really taking everything back to basics and making it a true battle for New York, everyone should be reading this comic and if you're not I think it's time you sat down and read the past 6 months of Daredevil, Daredevil: The List and then read Shadowland #1 and I think you might be hooked.

5 out of 5



SCARLET #1

Scarlet is a comic that bares its stylized choices on its sleeve. Above all else, plot, characterization, and subtext, style is what readers will notice first when flipping through the debut of this Bendis and Maleev creator owned series. Bendis' usage of breaking the fourth wall and actually having the character speak directly to the reader as she tells her tale of how she got to where she is at the end of the issue is what really makes this book pop!

First off is the art by Alex Maleev. Since first pairing with Bendis on Daredevil, Maleev’s visual power has been among the most distinctive in the industry. He sticks with that signature look here, delivering the same photorealism under an embossed image filter that we’ve all grown to know and love. It’s a look that remains largely unmatched when it comes to conveying emotive facial expressions and believable streetscapes.

Surprisingly is the different method Bendis uses for the narrative. This isn’t the typical rapid-fire dialogue that he's used in almost every book he's worked on. Instead, it’s the decision to explain the story through the use of some very direct first person narration. In the language of casual conversation, Scarlet explains her dislike for corrupt cops and shameless street crime, inviting the reader to grab a gun and join the fun if you will.

All in all, Scarlet is nothing short of fun and a great read. Anyone looking for a new book to get onto, this is the perfect opportunity.

5 out of 5

NEWS & EVENTS FOR WEEK OF 7/14/10

SHADOWLAND IS UNDERWAY, MTG RELEASE & PRE-RELEASE THIS WEEK!

WOW, Shadowland kicked off this past week (along with a ton of other great titles) and I'm happy to report that it will continue with Daredevil #508 being released this week, summer comic fun for all! If you still haven't picked up issue #1 and/or you haven't been following the recent Daredevil story arc, do yourself a favor and start picking it up. Scarlet #1 was another great title that I highly recommend to anybody who is a fan of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev, it's a fantastic original story and I can't wait for the next issue.

Anyway, a great big thank you to Dark Horse Comics for sending us a whole bunch of signed lithographs and posters in honor of us winning the "Best Comic Shop in NYC" contest they hosted on Facebook. There's some really cool stuff here so make sure you come and pick one up. They are completely free and it's on a first come first serve basis.

For all you Magic the Gathering fans don't forget that our 2011 Core Set Pre-Release Party is tomorrow, Saturday, July 10th and the Release Party will be held on Friday, July 16th. For more information on this and other stuff happening at the store, keep reading!



OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR THIS WEEK:




MTG 2011 CORE SET PRE-RELEASE & RELEASE



It's time again for a new set of Magic the Gathering to be released! Starting in mid-July, players will be able to try their hands at the new MTG 2011 Core Set and take part in some great events at Comic Book Jones to commemorate it's release.

First off is the 2011 Core Set Pre-Release Party which will start at Noon on Saturday, July 10th and feature a draft style tournament. Entry is $15 and this gets you 3 packs of the new set before it hits shelves the following week. We will have special pre-release only promos, giveaways, and door prizes, including the card pictured to the right so make sure you come down to check it out!

The very next week we have the official 2011 Core Set Release Party starting at 4:00pm on Friday, July 16th which includes a sealed tournament. The cost is $30 and each player will receive 6 packs. As with the pre-release there will be special day only promos and giveaways and door prizes. On this day we will have plenty of booster packs, fat packs, intro packs and booster boxes for sale so make sure you come down to take advantage of all the new set has to offer. As with our out MTG booster boxes, prices are locked in at $120 per box.

Both tournaments are swiss style and have a cap of 15 players. Players will be awarded a spot to play on a first come first serve basis, so get here early if you have to!

MONSTER MUSH SIGNING W/JOHN RUIZ



On Saturday, July 21st we will be welcoming back artist John Ruiz and his daughter, colorist Danielle Ruiz, for a signing in honor of the newest issue of Monster Mush! After a bit of a hiatus he's back to offer another installment of the fan favorite all ages title! We will have plenty copies of the newest issue on hand so come down, get your books signed and be sure to grab some sketches while you're at it!

BAND OF INNOCENCE SIGNING
W/LOU MANNA & ROBERT AGNELLO



On Wednesday, July 28th we are very pleased to welcome artist Lou Manna and writer Robert Agenllo to the store to promote their new graphic novel, Band of Innocence. Lou Manna has worked in the comic industry for years illustrating books such as Legion of Superheroes, Young All-Stars, Infinity Inc, and the Phantom as well as a handful of other great titles. This will be Robert Agnello's first graphic novel and we'd love nothing more than to give them both a very warm reception at the store. So come down to the store, check out a new book, get it signed and be sure to pick up some sketches as well. They will be here signing from 6pm - 9pm. More info to come!

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Here is a fairly common scenario for a collector who has decided to sell some or all of his treasured books.

You wake up one day and notice that the path between you and the bathroom is blocked by a full run of Punisher 2099 , The Golden Girls Vs. X-Men Mini Series, 7,000 copies of Superman #75, your autographed copy of One More Day The Next Generation and a complete run of EVERY COMIC BOOK HERO ACTION FIGURE EVER PRODUCED IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.
Your “hold box” at Comic Book Jones is so big that the USPS has assigned it a zip code and the FAA has declared it a “no fly” zone.

Your (pick one) mom, dad, girl friend, wife, dog, cat, bartender, guinea pig and the local fire inspector are all brandishing lit torches in your general direction. And to top it all off you don’t have the money for luxuries such as food, shelter, getting your stuff from that “hold box” or VIP Tickets to Comic Con.

Clearly something needs to be done.

With sweat on your brow and a lump in your throat you declare for all to hear…
“I’m gonna sell these $#$@# things!!” (lightning crackles and lights flicker as dramatic music swells)

Over the next several weeks you make sure everything you own is bagged, boarded and boxed. You painstakingly grade every book in your collection and take a full inventory. Next you plunk down $30 for the newest Overstreet Price Guide and ONE AT A TIME you value out your comics.

Finally you emerge from the cave that is your comic collection. A week’s worth of stubble on your chin, eyes glazed from lack of sleep…According to “The guide’ your collection is worth (cue lightning!)….

$145,675,987,422,899,555,417,365

and 33 cents!

Quickly you borrow your neighbor’s 54’ tractor trailer and with a hastily hired team of…ummm Teamsters shanghaied from Tibet, you load up your books and go in search of wealth beyond the dreams of avarice

Good luck with that.

You show up at your local comic shop or comic show and offer up your sure fire, million dollar making collection and one of two things happens:

1) You are offered between 10% and 30% of guide value or
2) They don’t want your comics at all.

You grumble loudly about “cheaters” and “know nothing dealers” and swear that some other “enlightened” dealer will JUMP to give you what your comics are worth!

Two weeks later you STILL have all of your books and all of the offers you have gotten fall within the low percentage to “take your comics and get lost range”.

Finally you throw your hands up in frustration and give up. The books are back, moldering, in your basement leaving you angry and disillusioned with the hobby in general.
What happened?

Simple. You went about trying to liquidate your collection with a whole BATCH of misconceptions.

Misconception #1 – Comic Book Price guides are accurate.

“But the comic book price guide says my copy of Beaver Boy #1 is worth $200”
Well that’s why they call them “guides” . Overstreet, CBG et al. are not meant to be a 100% accurate representations of what your comic books are worth. These guides are put together through a combination of retailer experience, statistics and a LOT of wishful thinking. This is especially true of comics after the Silver Age (1958-1970).

Most collectors believe that their comics have an intrinsic value like gold or silver.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Comics have NO intrinsic value beyond the cover price. Quite often they are worth less than that. You simply cannot expect to barter your comics like commodities such as oil or coal. As collectibles, the value of your comic books is highly subjective and unstable.

Comics are ONLY worth what collectors are willing to pay for them. In all the years that I have been buying (and sometimes) selling old comics I have never, and I mean NEVER paid “guide” value for a book. I have only very rarely SOLD at “guide”. As a buyer I have usually managed to acquire books at between 10 and 30% and as a seller I generally get 40-60%. Not exactly the sort of mark up that makes anyone rich! Sure, once in a while I pay closer to “guide” but that has been for truly rare books like FF Annual #1. Even then I only paid 50%. And I am FAR from the best at this game. Just check out Ebay and you will see real PROS getting books at LESS than 10% of guide.

In fact your BEST “guide” to comic values can be found in online auction sites. (Funny that the Overstreet people don’t take this data into consideration) . On sites like Ebay you will see what collectors are REALLY paying for your Beaver Boy #1. A good example for me was a 1st printing of “Dark Knight Returns” . This book is valued at about $50 in the Overstreet Guide in NM condition. I was able to get FIVE copies for that price from one Ebay auction. I use this book as a baseline for relative values so I check on it from time to time and it almost never goes at auction for more than $25 which is still HALF Overstreet.

Bottom line. Comic Book Price Guides are NOT an accurate reflection of your current comic values.

Misconception #2 – All Comic Eras are created equal.

It is easy to be deceived into believing that Modern Age comics are as likely to go up and retain collectible value as Golden, Silver or Bronze Age Comics. We all saw the Obama issue of Spiderman climb to over $100 and the obscenity error issue of All Star Batman do the same. Take a peek on Ebay. BOTH books can be had for $20 or less and the price is dropping as I write this.

YES new books can temporarily rise dramatically in value because supplies run low. However it is now common practice to produce multiple printings of sell outs as well as reprinting them in trade paperback form. Plus there is always the next “big thing” coming along. So there is a dramatic a fall as there is a rise in the value of modern comics.

Here is a great case in point. In the months leading up to the release of the film version of Watchmen, prices for the mini series ran to the hundreds of dollars. They were flying out at shows and online at high prices. No sooner did the movie come out to mixed reviews than the prices dropped right back to about $50 for the run.

Why do modern comics generally fail to hold collectible value?

There are several reasons:

1) Modern comics are plentiful. As I mentioned earlier, there are reprints, trade paperbacks etc. To fill the demand. Modern comics simply are not rare enough to hang on to long term collectors value.

2) Modern comics are durable. Unlike comics printed in early eras, modern comics are printed on high quality stock and are less vulnerable to damage than older books that were produced on fragile newsprint.

3) Most retailers have a (too) large back stock of modern comics and simply do not need YOURS. Comics take up space and retail space is very expensive. Any good retailer understands that the longer he has to store back issues, the more they wind up costing him. Say you sell your books to a store owner at ten cents a book. That store will likely sell less than 50% of those books and will have to put them on sale at a fraction of guide value in order to liquidate the rest. If it costs them only an additional ten cents a month to store them, the price to the retailer DOUBLES every month. At some point the cost of storing those books exceeds any profit the retailer may have hoped to make on your books.

So you see, the dealer/retailer is not out to cheat you. Most of these guys are on the up and up. BUT they are in the business of making money and taking your Modern Age comics usually makes no business sense.

Generally speaking the back issue market for Modern Age comics is limited and capricious. What is highly sought after one week is forgotten the next week.

If you want to sell Modern Age Comics at a profit you have to move very quickly! Got that new cover variant of X-Men #1? You had better pop it on Ebay within no more than 60 days if you want to make a few (and I stress the word FEW) bucks on your books. Remember, the next “big thing” is coming. After Blackest Night comes Brightest Day.

Comics produced in earlier eras are less plentiful (especially in high grades) and fetch higher prices from collectors. In the Golden Age millions of comics were destroyed in WWII paper drives, making many titles nearly impossible to find. During the period before direct market comics and the advent of the Comic Shop, candy stores and news stands got credit for their unsold comics. They would have to strip of the top part of the cover and give it to the distributor to prove the books had not been sold. This practice destroyed millions MORE comics.

And we ALL had to deal with our comic hating MOMS who would go to any lengths to throw away our beloved comic books!

Now if your collection is heavily loaded with Gold, Silver or Bronze Age books in mid to high grades, you will have an easier time selling them. You will still only get a fraction of value from the dealer for the same reasons we have already discussed but the dollars you can make will be higher.

At the end of the day, though, the only way you will get the MOST money is to sell your books directly to other collectors. There are several ways that you can do this:

1) Take a table at a comic show or flea market. You can wheel and deal just like the…ummm DEALERS. Just remember that you have to factor in the cost of the table(s) and YOUR TIME. If you take this approach don’t expect to sell everything at one time AND be prepared to give good deals. There is a lot of competition out there!

2) Sell your books online suing Craig’s List, Ebay, Atomic Avenue etc. Online selling brings your books to your target audience in a very efficient manner. Bear in mind that there are insertion and commission fees to take into account. Also when you post online it is up to you to make sure your pictures are sharp and truthfully represent the condition of the book. BE CONSERVATIVE IN YOUR GRADING! YOU should be the worst critic of any book you are selling. Better to sell it a half grade LOW than a half grade high. Your description should list all flaws that you see. Most sites have customer feedback that your prospective buyers see when they look at your items. It is VERY easy to get a bad reputation selling on line. Go the extra mile to give good customer service!

3) If you have tons of books (and who doesn’t?) that you can’t sell at any price and you MUST get them out of the house you can often get a tax write off by donating them to an accredited not for profit organization or thrift shop.

Yes you CAN make a few bucks from your beloved comic collection. If you happen to have a Fantastic Four #1 or Superman #1, you can make LOTS of money. But for the vast majority of collectors who have more modest collections the returns are more…modest. I actually do a lot of buying and selling myself and though the returns ARE modest , that profit allows me to buy…MORE COMICS!!

YUP my whole reason to ever sell comics is to enhance and deepen my collection! The gretest value comics have for me is Collecting and enjoying them!

That’s 30!
Mitch

OFF WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD!!

WHAT UP WORLD!
HAPPY 4th of July. I hope everyone had an awesome holiday eating food, swimming and blow up fireworks, celebrating our independence.
I'm celebrating my independence by putting my two cents on what came out this week in comics. Let's face it this week was awesome. So much good stuff it's ridiculous. So on with the show cause I've got something to say.


JESUS HATES ZOMBIES "YEA THOUGH I WALK" VOL. 4.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!

Jesus hates zombies vol.4, I hate to love you.
After waiting two weeks since it hit shelves, I finally got a copy of the last installment of the hit indie book and my good friend Stephen Lindsay's masterpiece. So the story goes, the world is surrounded by Zombies. Jesus Christ gets sent to earth to figure out a way to get things back to normal and Zombie free and manages to befriend a goofy Zombie named Laz. Oddly enough President Abraham Lincoln gets sent from the past to somehow help out and battle Werewolves from his own time.
Volume four picks up with the cast in Las Vegas trying to find the last vestige of humanity. They meet up and make friends with the main survivors and the little girl who leads them...awesome!.. haha.
The Zombie angel Gabriel and his horde of Zombie, Werewolf and Zombified Werewolves come closer to the final battle in Las Vegas with Jesus. The battle in the street is fast and fierce. We find out that the hooded man that caused Abraham to come to the future and has some bizarre link to him is the Grand Duke of Hell Haborym. The two battle and Abraham turns into a Werebear. King the gay black stripper takes down Gabriel's WereZombie. Absolutely fantastic.
This part really twisted me up because over the course of this book, I loved this character and happily imitated him when I would talk about him to other people just because he's so funny. Laz was the rare comic character that you looked forward to reading in the book. Alas all great things must come to an end. In the battle between Jesus and Grabriel after Gabriel kills Heidi one of the survivors that Jesus began to have a crush on, Laz jumps in to save "Jee Joo" and GETS HIS DAMN HEAD CUT OFF AND DIES!!
R.I.P LAZ THE ZOMBIE BUDDY.
Jesus then proceeds to kick Gabriel's ass and smashes his head with the baseball bat.
Just then Haborym shows up and gets shot to death but not before zapping Jesus and Abe back to the Age of the Dinosaurs.
This comic was awesome and I highly suggest everyone gets the entire "Jesus Hates Zombies" series. There going fast and the only place you can find them now is on Amazon. Fantastic job Stephen!

5 out of 5


THE DEATH OF DRACULA (ONE SHOT)

I understand this comic was the set up story for the new story arc involving the X-men and Vampires but really this is how you decided to do it? I've been a big Marvel Comics Dracula fan for a very long time and I really didn't enjoy this book at all. First off the last time we saw Dracula was in Captain Britain and MI-13. He got his ass kicked and sent out of Britain. Now at the gathering of the Vampires that only happens once every century, Janus, Dracula's son and all the sects of different Vampires come together to hear what Dracula has planned for the Vampire race and to play king to their problems. Dracula's other son Xarus shows up but the real question is WHO THE HELL IS HE?? I don't remember him from anything and just to make sure, I looked him up and he's no where to be found.
My big problem is the way Dracula looks. He looks like a Shi'ar guardsman as opposed to The King of the friggin Vampires! Where's the black suit and tie? where's the cheezy mustache?
Anyways, all the heads of the different sects meet to speak with the Lord Dracula. At the meeting Xarus jumps up and strikes his father with a stake to the heart. In complete disbelief, Janus stands back and watches as the heads of the different sects all strike at Dracula and then behead him! Now that there is no one to lead the Vampires, Xarus makes a plan that in 24 hours they will decide who will be the next king. Janus treks off on his own to figure out what to do. Xarus reveals to him that his company has developed a technology that bends the suns rays and that Vampires can now walk in the light when wear these medallions.
In the end after a twisted coup, Janus runs and escapes with one of the medallions leading into the new X-Men series that debuts this week.
I really didn't care for this book and I don't know how I feel about this upcoming story.

2 out of 5


BATMAN BEYOND #1

Yes! I've been a huge fan of Batman Beyond since it came out. When I heard Adam Beechen and Ryan Benjamin were doing it I got even happier.
Terry McGuiness is flying around as Batman with Bruce Wayne still in his ear, together as they still defend Gotham City now named Neo-Gotham.
An unfrozen prisoner escapes and begins a killing spree across Neo-Gotham. The pieces lead the duo around Neo-Gotham as they piece together this new mystery and figure out who or what is killing all these people and find the connection before it's too late when they figure out it's one of Bruce Wayne's greatest enemies..Hush.
This issue was awesome and I wish it was an ongoing. This is just the first issue of a mini series and I'm already chomping at the bit. The really cool thing is that recently, we've been seeing a lot more of Terry McGuiness being Batman in the future, so who knows maybe this will give us some clues as to what the hell is going on in Batman in the present.
Maybe if all goes well with this DC will bring the book back and give it more of an edgier style.

5 out of 5


THE LIGHT #1 (OF 5)

Sifting through the shelves of comics, I came across this little gem that I think everyone should really check out. It's an interesting story about a man named Coyle who gets fired from his job and comes home to his mother and his daughter. He has bad relationships with everyone. His daughter doesn't want to see or talk to him and they live in the same house. His mother just tolerates him because he's her son. Coyle wakes up to his friend Ray blathering on about not to look at the light or any technology. He witnesses the man look at a street light and suddenly become emerged in light and burst into flames. Coyle puts on his work goggles and runs back into his home where he witnesses his mother burst into flames as well. He runs into his Daughter Avery's room and forces her to wear a blindfold to cover her eyes. The two make their way through town as they wake everyone burst into flames as this light destroys everything. They make it to one of Coyle's friends house as they try to get a car to get out of town when Avery takes off her blindfold and ..... To be continued!

Awesome story. It's a nice twist on the apocalyptic scenarios. If you're looking for something new and cool to read I really think you should check this out because for a first issue it was really good.

5 out of 5

NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 7/8/10

NEW BOOKS TO BE RELEASED ON THURSDAY, JULY 8TH!

Hello all! We'd like to kick off the newsletter in a friendly and personal fashion by wishing each and every one of you a happy and safe Fourth of July weekend. Eat lots of food, go swimming, light fireworks, get silly, have a good time! With that said we will be doing the same so don't bother stopping by on Sunday, July 4th because we will be CLOSED! We love you guys but we don't have to see you EVERY day, do we? Also, because of July 4th, all new books for this week will be released on Thursday, July 8th instead of Wednesday. If you still want to stop by we'd be glad to have you, besides there's always something good to read in stock.

The extra day we have to wait for books will be worth it though because there are a ton of great things coming our way on Thursday including the kick-off of the Shadowland event and the release of X-Men #1! In addition to these, the hardcover collection of the eight issue mini-series Blackest Night will finally be available for purchase! And for those that need everything, the hardcover collections of the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps tie-ins will also be for sale! For the complete list of releases this week, look no further then the right side of the newsletter.

This week aside, we have some fantastic events coming up for the rest of the month so be sure to read the whole newsletter to find out about each and every one of them. Right off the bat, there are two great Magic the Gathering events happening back to back in the next couple of weeks and we also will be having a couple of signings towards the end of the month featuring John Ruiz and Lou Manna.

For the rest of the news including our top picks, ways you can save additional money, and some other cool incentives we offer, keep reading!



OUR TOP 5 PICKS FOR THIS WEEK:




MTG 2011 CORE SET PRE-RELEASE & RELEASE



It's time again for a new set of Magic the Gathering to be released! Starting in mid-July, players will be able to try their hands at the new MTG 2011 Core Set and take part in some great events at Comic Book Jones to commemorate it's release.

First off is the 2011 Core Set Pre-Release Party which will start at Noon on Saturday, July 10th and feature a draft style tournament. Entry is $15 and this gets you 3 packs of the new set before it hits shelves the following week. We will have special pre-release only promos, giveaways, and door prizes, including the card pictured to the right so make sure you come down to check it out!

The very next week we have the official 2011 Core Set Release Party starting at 4:00pm on Friday, July 16th which includes a sealed tournament. The cost is $30 and each player will receive 6 packs. As with the pre-release there will be special day only promos and giveaways and door prizes. On this day we will have plenty of booster packs, fat packs, intro packs and booster boxes for sale so make sure you come down to take advantage of all the new set has to offer. As with our out MTG booster boxes, prices are locked in at $120 per box.

Both tournaments are swiss style and have a cap of 15 players. Players will be awarded a spot to play on a first come first serve basis, so get here early if you have to!

MONSTER MUSH SIGNING W/JOHN RUIZ

On Saturday, July 21st we will be welcoming back artist John Ruiz and his daughter, colorist Danielle Ruiz, for a signing in honor of the newest issue of Monster Mush! After a bit of a hiatus he's back to offer another installment of the fan favorite all ages title! We will have plenty copies of the newest issue on hand so come down, get your books signed and be sure to grab some sketches while you're at it!

BAND OF INNOCENCE SIGNING
W/LOU MANNA & ROBERT AGNELLO

On Wednesday, July 28th we are very pleased to welcome artist Lou Manna and writer Robert Agenllo to the store to promote their new graphic novel, Band of Innocence. Lou Manna has worked in the comic industry for years illustrating books such as Legion of Superheroes, Young All-Stars, Infinity Inc, and the Phantom as well as a handful of other great titles. This will be Robert Agnello's first graphic novel and we'd love nothing more than to give them both a very warm reception at the store. So come down to the store, check out a new book, get it signed and be sure to pick up some sketches as well. They will be here signing from 6pm - 9pm. More info to come!