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Socko
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Speculating is highly...speculative!
Face front troops! I hope you all had a great Labor Day. Now back to school and onward towards Christmas!
From time to time I am going to write something that I aim towards newer collectors. These pieces will concern things that the seasoned collector probably already knows, but for you veterans I hope you find something here of value as well.
Today I want to talk about the dangers of speculating on the value of comics and the danger of third party grading companies such as CGC.
Comic Book collecting as an organized activity, with specialty shops, preservation supplies, third party grading and independent price guides is actually not all that old. It was not until the late 1960’s that the first Comic Specialty shops appeared and it was not until the Marvel’s “Dazzler” sold 400,000 copies as a direct to specialty store title that the hobby began to take on the form we are familiar with today. Before the comic specialty shop you had to go to the local news stand to get your comic’s fix. Deliveries to the news stands were erratic and it was easy to miss issues or never even see certain titles.
Of course the advent of the comic shop did not come without some pain. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, because of the early success of the direct market shops, publishers began to flood stores with huge amounts of product that was solely produced to entice collectors to speculate.
Foil Covers, Photo Covers, Die Cut Covers, Double Covers, Comics with NO Covers (ok I made that last one up) all created a glut of product that would initially go up in value and then just as fast drop to almost no value. This occasionally still happens today. The recent Batman And Robin #10 that had obscenities not properly blacked out climbed to over $100 and has dropped to less than $10 in very short order. Imagine that happening in the comics hobby with several books each and every week and you get an idea about how things were during the speculator’s boom.
It very nearly killed the golden goose.
Happily the speculators dropped out and the true comic book lovers stayed with the hobby and we are back in a robust direct comics market once again. Is there still speculating? You bet. However it is now more of a fringe thing than the REASON people are in the hobby.
People who have been collectors for a long time already know this, but to newer collectors I will caution you against speculating in comic book collecting for profit. For one thing, newer comics are available in abundance, collectors preserve their copies and the price point of new books severely limits most collectors from investing in back issues. If you feel the pull to invest in comic books for profit, I would not touch anything after the Bronze Age and would in fact would focus on Silver and Golden Age books. The reason for that is comics from those earlier periods are actually tougher to come by in anything near a decent grade and THAT is what makes them collectible. The scarcity outstrips the demand and drives up the price. You just don’t have that, long term, with newer books. They may spike short term, but they almost always come back down to earth. In general, I would advise to collect for pleasure and not profit.
In the last several years there has been a new wrinkle in the valuation of comic books. That is the advent of the third party grading company (CGC being the biggest by far). This practice of “slabbing” has been both impactful and highly controversial.
First the collector submits his book to the company for grading. One or more graders at the company decide on a numeric grade for the comic and then pass it along for the preservation process. The comics are placed in an inner well - a sealed sleeve of Barex, a highly gas-impermeable plastic polymer. Then, the comics are sonically sealed in a hard plastic, tamper-evident holder. This process is often referred in slang as "slabbing". A label is affixed at the top indicating the title, date, grade, page quality, and any notes, such as notable creators. Books which would be damaged by encapsulation are returned without this process. Examples of this include books with cover overhang (i.e., the cover protrudes beyond the interior book), some European variants, and Museum Editions of modern comics.
After the grading and slabbing process CGC affixes a label that denotes certain characteristics about the book :
Universal (blue) a standard comic book
Restored (purple) a book that has evidence of restoration, either amateur (A) or professional (P), combined with the descriptors slight (S), moderate (M), or extensive (E)
Qualified (green) a book with a significant defect that needs specific description or one with an unauthenticated signature
For example, an otherwise "near mint" condition book with a 4-inch back cover tear would be given a Qualified grade of "9.0, back cover 4-inch tear."
Signature Series (yellow) an unrestored book signed by one of its creators, as witnessed by an employee of CGC
Signature Series Restored (yellow/purple) an authenticated signed book showing evidence of restoration
Modern (red) No longer in use, originally used to distinguish Modern Comics
All of this is all well and good as a preservation practice. However, comics that have been processed by third party grading services have driven prices up many times over similar quality books that have not been slabbed. In other words I can have two copies Fantastic Four #1 in near mint condition, one has been processed into a slab and graded, the other is in a mylar sleeve with a backing board. The one that has not been processed may fetch $5,000 while the VERY SAME BOOK IN THE VERY SAME CONDITION WILL GET OVER $20,000 simply because it has been processed through a third party grading service.
I have several problems with this.
First – Third Party Grading Services do not share their grading criteria. Unlike the Overstreet guide, we do not know how they come to their numeric grade. Thus their work cannot be verified. There are many instances of books getting a low grade and upon resubmission getting a much higher grade. There is a simple reason for this (perk up your ears for this newbies). Grading is ALWAYS subjective. I often look at some of my own older books that I have graded and wonder how I ever gave it that grade. It is not a science. That is why Overstreet puts forth a criteria that allows for interpretation, especially for grades ranging from Good to Fine/Very Fine. (The criteria tightens up at the VF level as it should.)
Second – Once the book has been slabbed there is no way, short of cracking the slab, to examine the book to even know if it is the same book that is described on the label. While I assume that all third party grading companies act in good faith, there is no way for the person who submitted the book or the person who later purchased it to ever really KNOW what they are getting. All you can actually see are the front and back covers.
Third – If we assume that the FF in the slab and the one outside the slab are the same grade, how could they have such a wide variance in value? If we were talking a 10% premium for the preservation techniques I would be ready to accept the difference but 200%,300% and even 500% differences just look like a sucker bet to me.
Fourth – This is just my personal feeling but once you slab a book, you can’t READ it anymore. You lose the simple pleasure of leafing through your beloved collectible. And that is my main reason for collecting.
Fifth – While the preservation of older comics that are truly rare and in danger of being lost makes perfect sense to me, the idea of slabbing a brand new and plentiful book for resale at a premium price smacks of price gauging. Take a look on Ebay and you will see slabbed copies of new books at anything lower than 9.8 very often sell for less than it cost to slab them in the first place. AND I defy anyone to show me the difference between even a 9.2 and a 9.8 comic. There comes a point where the differences are so slight as to be of no difference at all.
Sixth – If you really want to preserve your books in this manner, you can purchase your own slabs and do it yourself far more cheaply.
I am not denouncing third party grading services by any means. For older books it is an invaluable way to preserve items that might otherwise be lost. However for newer books that value is dubious at best. And until someone can come up with a truly unbiased method of grading I, for one would be much more comfortable being able to inspect a book and decide for MYSELF what I am willing to pay for it.
Which leads me to the point of this piece. Ultimately a comic book, or any other collectible is really only worth what YOU are willing to pay for it. Keep that in mind when you hit those comic shows. The BUYER (you dear reader) is in the driver’s seat.
How about it troops? I want to hear from you on this.
Comic book speculating good? bad? silly?
CGC - Does it serve a purpose? Is to a good thing or just another stunt to part you from your bucks?
Next – Back to stuff actually IN comics!
That’s 30!
Mitch
From time to time I am going to write something that I aim towards newer collectors. These pieces will concern things that the seasoned collector probably already knows, but for you veterans I hope you find something here of value as well.
Today I want to talk about the dangers of speculating on the value of comics and the danger of third party grading companies such as CGC.
Comic Book collecting as an organized activity, with specialty shops, preservation supplies, third party grading and independent price guides is actually not all that old. It was not until the late 1960’s that the first Comic Specialty shops appeared and it was not until the Marvel’s “Dazzler” sold 400,000 copies as a direct to specialty store title that the hobby began to take on the form we are familiar with today. Before the comic specialty shop you had to go to the local news stand to get your comic’s fix. Deliveries to the news stands were erratic and it was easy to miss issues or never even see certain titles.
Of course the advent of the comic shop did not come without some pain. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, because of the early success of the direct market shops, publishers began to flood stores with huge amounts of product that was solely produced to entice collectors to speculate.
Foil Covers, Photo Covers, Die Cut Covers, Double Covers, Comics with NO Covers (ok I made that last one up) all created a glut of product that would initially go up in value and then just as fast drop to almost no value. This occasionally still happens today. The recent Batman And Robin #10 that had obscenities not properly blacked out climbed to over $100 and has dropped to less than $10 in very short order. Imagine that happening in the comics hobby with several books each and every week and you get an idea about how things were during the speculator’s boom.
It very nearly killed the golden goose.
Happily the speculators dropped out and the true comic book lovers stayed with the hobby and we are back in a robust direct comics market once again. Is there still speculating? You bet. However it is now more of a fringe thing than the REASON people are in the hobby.
People who have been collectors for a long time already know this, but to newer collectors I will caution you against speculating in comic book collecting for profit. For one thing, newer comics are available in abundance, collectors preserve their copies and the price point of new books severely limits most collectors from investing in back issues. If you feel the pull to invest in comic books for profit, I would not touch anything after the Bronze Age and would in fact would focus on Silver and Golden Age books. The reason for that is comics from those earlier periods are actually tougher to come by in anything near a decent grade and THAT is what makes them collectible. The scarcity outstrips the demand and drives up the price. You just don’t have that, long term, with newer books. They may spike short term, but they almost always come back down to earth. In general, I would advise to collect for pleasure and not profit.
In the last several years there has been a new wrinkle in the valuation of comic books. That is the advent of the third party grading company (CGC being the biggest by far). This practice of “slabbing” has been both impactful and highly controversial.
First the collector submits his book to the company for grading. One or more graders at the company decide on a numeric grade for the comic and then pass it along for the preservation process. The comics are placed in an inner well - a sealed sleeve of Barex, a highly gas-impermeable plastic polymer. Then, the comics are sonically sealed in a hard plastic, tamper-evident holder. This process is often referred in slang as "slabbing". A label is affixed at the top indicating the title, date, grade, page quality, and any notes, such as notable creators. Books which would be damaged by encapsulation are returned without this process. Examples of this include books with cover overhang (i.e., the cover protrudes beyond the interior book), some European variants, and Museum Editions of modern comics.
After the grading and slabbing process CGC affixes a label that denotes certain characteristics about the book :
Universal (blue) a standard comic book
Restored (purple) a book that has evidence of restoration, either amateur (A) or professional (P), combined with the descriptors slight (S), moderate (M), or extensive (E)
Qualified (green) a book with a significant defect that needs specific description or one with an unauthenticated signature
For example, an otherwise "near mint" condition book with a 4-inch back cover tear would be given a Qualified grade of "9.0, back cover 4-inch tear."
Signature Series (yellow) an unrestored book signed by one of its creators, as witnessed by an employee of CGC
Signature Series Restored (yellow/purple) an authenticated signed book showing evidence of restoration
Modern (red) No longer in use, originally used to distinguish Modern Comics
All of this is all well and good as a preservation practice. However, comics that have been processed by third party grading services have driven prices up many times over similar quality books that have not been slabbed. In other words I can have two copies Fantastic Four #1 in near mint condition, one has been processed into a slab and graded, the other is in a mylar sleeve with a backing board. The one that has not been processed may fetch $5,000 while the VERY SAME BOOK IN THE VERY SAME CONDITION WILL GET OVER $20,000 simply because it has been processed through a third party grading service.
I have several problems with this.
First – Third Party Grading Services do not share their grading criteria. Unlike the Overstreet guide, we do not know how they come to their numeric grade. Thus their work cannot be verified. There are many instances of books getting a low grade and upon resubmission getting a much higher grade. There is a simple reason for this (perk up your ears for this newbies). Grading is ALWAYS subjective. I often look at some of my own older books that I have graded and wonder how I ever gave it that grade. It is not a science. That is why Overstreet puts forth a criteria that allows for interpretation, especially for grades ranging from Good to Fine/Very Fine. (The criteria tightens up at the VF level as it should.)
Second – Once the book has been slabbed there is no way, short of cracking the slab, to examine the book to even know if it is the same book that is described on the label. While I assume that all third party grading companies act in good faith, there is no way for the person who submitted the book or the person who later purchased it to ever really KNOW what they are getting. All you can actually see are the front and back covers.
Third – If we assume that the FF in the slab and the one outside the slab are the same grade, how could they have such a wide variance in value? If we were talking a 10% premium for the preservation techniques I would be ready to accept the difference but 200%,300% and even 500% differences just look like a sucker bet to me.
Fourth – This is just my personal feeling but once you slab a book, you can’t READ it anymore. You lose the simple pleasure of leafing through your beloved collectible. And that is my main reason for collecting.
Fifth – While the preservation of older comics that are truly rare and in danger of being lost makes perfect sense to me, the idea of slabbing a brand new and plentiful book for resale at a premium price smacks of price gauging. Take a look on Ebay and you will see slabbed copies of new books at anything lower than 9.8 very often sell for less than it cost to slab them in the first place. AND I defy anyone to show me the difference between even a 9.2 and a 9.8 comic. There comes a point where the differences are so slight as to be of no difference at all.
Sixth – If you really want to preserve your books in this manner, you can purchase your own slabs and do it yourself far more cheaply.
I am not denouncing third party grading services by any means. For older books it is an invaluable way to preserve items that might otherwise be lost. However for newer books that value is dubious at best. And until someone can come up with a truly unbiased method of grading I, for one would be much more comfortable being able to inspect a book and decide for MYSELF what I am willing to pay for it.
Which leads me to the point of this piece. Ultimately a comic book, or any other collectible is really only worth what YOU are willing to pay for it. Keep that in mind when you hit those comic shows. The BUYER (you dear reader) is in the driver’s seat.
How about it troops? I want to hear from you on this.
Comic book speculating good? bad? silly?
CGC - Does it serve a purpose? Is to a good thing or just another stunt to part you from your bucks?
Next – Back to stuff actually IN comics!
That’s 30!
Mitch
Previews and Reviews with Gore Jones (hits 60 reviews!)
Whudup World!
Not a bad week in comics last week. Some good, some bad but hey, it happens.
This past week Marvel Comics was bought by The Disney Corporation...WoW...ok but seriously, Disney isn't going to waterdown anything Marvel does and they're not going to do anything really aside from thrive off them. Due to the current economic situation we're in, not very surprisingly has comic readership and sales gone UP!..simple fact that most people know, in times of crisis, the entertainment industry sees a big increase due to the fact that cheap entertainment helps people escape " their reality". Now that I feel like my H.S economics teacher lets get down to business.
Exiles #6 (of 6)
In an interview before the book came out author Jeff Parker said "that he wanted to return the mystery behind the exiles. To make readers wonder what the hell is going to happen next." Alright so did Jeff accomplish the job or not? Yes and no. Here's how I feel about it; The book should've been a mini series first off. Many people out there want to read Exiles stories. The Multiverse is unlimited in the possibilities of potential earths and the story could've gone on and on. The story told in 6 issues really could've been done in an Exiles Giant Sized or another Annual. The fact is, it took 6 issues that included 2 story arcs dealing with the typical Exiles adventures across different earths righting them (cocktease) and the last issue was basically what the whole series should've been about from the get go. You come to learn (if you didn't read it, cover your eyes!)The timebroker is actually an incarnation of Kang! At least one version who stumbled upon the reality outside space and time where he can view the multiverse and send in teams of other worldly heroes and villans to right wrongs or wrong rights..The Crystal Citadel and everything inside is all his doing and from the very begining has set into motion the many events that have spanned the series as a whole. I'm happy as an Exiles fan to have 2 new stories with an all new team and to finally know what the hell has been going on since Judd Winick wrote the book but I'm kinda pissed that it was only 6 issues and that the purpose of the book was swayed til the last issue. What the hell?!
3 out of 5 overall.
Magog #1
The acolyte of the now slain Gog gets his own book this week. I'll be honest, I really liked this book a lot and see a lot of potential as to where it can go. If the book is headed to where we all think it's headed then it's going to be sweet to see how he progresses from Vigilante-esque hero to villan. The stage is set fairly simple; everyone knows who he is, normal people don't bother him, he's got the JSA breathing down his back and he is a "hero" who kills, PERIOD! NO QUESTIONS ASKED. The dialogue in the book is really funny for anyone who likes Keith Giffen. The banter between Magog and his partner "Axel Baines" is almost laugh out loud funny. Overall this book is going to be great in about a year when Magog and his story are really fleshed out and we see him start to prepare for end.
5 out of 5
Solomon Grundy #7
Starting the first of many tie-ins dealing with Blackest Night, Solomon Grundy wraps up the mini series explaining how Cyrus Gold eventually became Solomon Grundy. The series itself was pretty cool because we're finally given an explaination as to the hows and whys of Cyrus Gold's eventual transformation into Solomon Grundy. Sadly the only part of this issue that has to deal with Blackest Night is the last 4 pages when the black ring comes for the newly dead Grundy. The only cool thing I got out of it was what I was told and now see first hand. The simple fact that you can only become a Black Lantern if you die with some kind of weight or tragedy on your soul almost like the Crow, which is cool in a sense but the fact that I can reference something like that so easily kinda sucks. Needless to say Black Lantern Solomon Grundy will continue on in Superman/Batman tie-in.
3 out of 5
GHOST RIDERS HEAVENS ON FIRE #2
OH MY GOD!!! I love Jason Aaron and his run on Ghost Rider. Amazing! If you're not reading this book, bang your head into a wall a couple of times and then get your ass down to the store and read one of the most amazing books Marvel puts out. Aaron's handling of Ghost Rider and his supporting cast has just gone above and beyond all expectations and "oh shit" moments. Between Daimon Hellstorm (Son of Satan) going after the new Son of Satan, Danny Ketch making a deal with the devil to somehow save the world and Johnny Blaze looking for a way into Heaven so he can ride his bike up Zadikiel's ass the hits just keep coming and this is just a mini series leading to something even bigger in the PROPER TITLE!
5 out of 5!
Marvel Zombies The Return #1
I'm Gore Jones you knew I was going to review this comic this week come on! Needless to say I am, was and will be a fan of the Marvel Zombies characters and concept, not for the fact that they're just zombies or marvel characters but the fact that they're very well written characters put in extraordinary situations dealing with some serious problems. So lets recap real quick.
Alien virus infects The Sentry.............Check
He then spreads it and in turn infects the entire world.......check
Reed Richards creates a gateway to other realities....check
The Marvel Zombies are born and eat Galactus...................check
They in turn eat the entire galaxy except for the remaining survivors who escaped....check
The remaining survivors then send them through Richards restored gateway putting them.....well now they didn't say since MZ3 and MZ4 had nothing to do with Wolverine, Spider-man, The Hulk, Giant Man or Iron Man. (We saw Luke Cage in "The Black Panther" not too long ago)So now, where did they end up?
Issue one gives us a look where Spider-Man went and damn the shit has hit the fan. I don't want to spoil this because it's better for you to read and enjoy than for me to tell you what happens. All I'm going to say is The Sinister Six never looked so good...covered in blood and entrails.. haha...
5 out of 5
Them's my reviews for the week...This is what I'm Jonesin' for this upcoming week!
AND REMEMBER BOOKS COME OUT ON THURSDAY DUE TO THE HOLIDAY ON MONDAY!
ADVENTURE COMICS #2
BLACKEST NIGHT BATMAN #2
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #40
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN EXODUS DAX
DARK REIGN THE LIST: AVENGERS 1-SHOT
Not a bad week in comics last week. Some good, some bad but hey, it happens.
This past week Marvel Comics was bought by The Disney Corporation...WoW...ok but seriously, Disney isn't going to waterdown anything Marvel does and they're not going to do anything really aside from thrive off them. Due to the current economic situation we're in, not very surprisingly has comic readership and sales gone UP!..simple fact that most people know, in times of crisis, the entertainment industry sees a big increase due to the fact that cheap entertainment helps people escape " their reality". Now that I feel like my H.S economics teacher lets get down to business.
Exiles #6 (of 6)
In an interview before the book came out author Jeff Parker said "that he wanted to return the mystery behind the exiles. To make readers wonder what the hell is going to happen next." Alright so did Jeff accomplish the job or not? Yes and no. Here's how I feel about it; The book should've been a mini series first off. Many people out there want to read Exiles stories. The Multiverse is unlimited in the possibilities of potential earths and the story could've gone on and on. The story told in 6 issues really could've been done in an Exiles Giant Sized or another Annual. The fact is, it took 6 issues that included 2 story arcs dealing with the typical Exiles adventures across different earths righting them (cocktease) and the last issue was basically what the whole series should've been about from the get go. You come to learn (if you didn't read it, cover your eyes!)The timebroker is actually an incarnation of Kang! At least one version who stumbled upon the reality outside space and time where he can view the multiverse and send in teams of other worldly heroes and villans to right wrongs or wrong rights..The Crystal Citadel and everything inside is all his doing and from the very begining has set into motion the many events that have spanned the series as a whole. I'm happy as an Exiles fan to have 2 new stories with an all new team and to finally know what the hell has been going on since Judd Winick wrote the book but I'm kinda pissed that it was only 6 issues and that the purpose of the book was swayed til the last issue. What the hell?!
3 out of 5 overall.
Magog #1
The acolyte of the now slain Gog gets his own book this week. I'll be honest, I really liked this book a lot and see a lot of potential as to where it can go. If the book is headed to where we all think it's headed then it's going to be sweet to see how he progresses from Vigilante-esque hero to villan. The stage is set fairly simple; everyone knows who he is, normal people don't bother him, he's got the JSA breathing down his back and he is a "hero" who kills, PERIOD! NO QUESTIONS ASKED. The dialogue in the book is really funny for anyone who likes Keith Giffen. The banter between Magog and his partner "Axel Baines" is almost laugh out loud funny. Overall this book is going to be great in about a year when Magog and his story are really fleshed out and we see him start to prepare for end.
5 out of 5
Solomon Grundy #7
Starting the first of many tie-ins dealing with Blackest Night, Solomon Grundy wraps up the mini series explaining how Cyrus Gold eventually became Solomon Grundy. The series itself was pretty cool because we're finally given an explaination as to the hows and whys of Cyrus Gold's eventual transformation into Solomon Grundy. Sadly the only part of this issue that has to deal with Blackest Night is the last 4 pages when the black ring comes for the newly dead Grundy. The only cool thing I got out of it was what I was told and now see first hand. The simple fact that you can only become a Black Lantern if you die with some kind of weight or tragedy on your soul almost like the Crow, which is cool in a sense but the fact that I can reference something like that so easily kinda sucks. Needless to say Black Lantern Solomon Grundy will continue on in Superman/Batman tie-in.
3 out of 5
GHOST RIDERS HEAVENS ON FIRE #2
OH MY GOD!!! I love Jason Aaron and his run on Ghost Rider. Amazing! If you're not reading this book, bang your head into a wall a couple of times and then get your ass down to the store and read one of the most amazing books Marvel puts out. Aaron's handling of Ghost Rider and his supporting cast has just gone above and beyond all expectations and "oh shit" moments. Between Daimon Hellstorm (Son of Satan) going after the new Son of Satan, Danny Ketch making a deal with the devil to somehow save the world and Johnny Blaze looking for a way into Heaven so he can ride his bike up Zadikiel's ass the hits just keep coming and this is just a mini series leading to something even bigger in the PROPER TITLE!
5 out of 5!
Marvel Zombies The Return #1
I'm Gore Jones you knew I was going to review this comic this week come on! Needless to say I am, was and will be a fan of the Marvel Zombies characters and concept, not for the fact that they're just zombies or marvel characters but the fact that they're very well written characters put in extraordinary situations dealing with some serious problems. So lets recap real quick.
Alien virus infects The Sentry.............Check
He then spreads it and in turn infects the entire world.......check
Reed Richards creates a gateway to other realities....check
The Marvel Zombies are born and eat Galactus...................check
They in turn eat the entire galaxy except for the remaining survivors who escaped....check
The remaining survivors then send them through Richards restored gateway putting them.....well now they didn't say since MZ3 and MZ4 had nothing to do with Wolverine, Spider-man, The Hulk, Giant Man or Iron Man. (We saw Luke Cage in "The Black Panther" not too long ago)So now, where did they end up?
Issue one gives us a look where Spider-Man went and damn the shit has hit the fan. I don't want to spoil this because it's better for you to read and enjoy than for me to tell you what happens. All I'm going to say is The Sinister Six never looked so good...covered in blood and entrails.. haha...
5 out of 5
Them's my reviews for the week...This is what I'm Jonesin' for this upcoming week!
AND REMEMBER BOOKS COME OUT ON THURSDAY DUE TO THE HOLIDAY ON MONDAY!
ADVENTURE COMICS #2
BLACKEST NIGHT BATMAN #2
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #40
DARK AVENGERS/UNCANNY X-MEN EXODUS DAX
DARK REIGN THE LIST: AVENGERS 1-SHOT
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Retro Review - Marvel Comics #1
Summer is coming to an end. Where did it go? Did we really even have it? Seems like by the time it stopped raining and got hot that it was nearly September. Well the weather may not have been too bright but one of the bright parts of my comic reading summer was Marvel celebrating their 70th anniversary by giving us lots of Golden Age goodness. For the past several months Marvel has been giving us one shots of titles that they published when they were Timely Comics back in the 30’s and 40’s. They have given us Captain America, All Winners, Marvel Mystery, and Mystic just to name a few. Each issue has a story created by a contemporary team in the Golden Age style and a reprint of at least one actual GA story. It is great stuff and I highly recommend grabbing a few next time you are at CBJ! They are well worth your time.
One thing that seems to be common to most comic collectors is a curiosity about the history of comics. It seems that you can’t read comics for more than a short time before you begin to ask questions about the history of this wonderful hobby. Of course the first thing new readers ask about are the various origins of their favorite characters. How did Batman become Batman? How did Spidey get his powers. That sort of thing. But in short order neophite readers become familiar with the fictional histories of their favorite books. Soon they begin to hear phrases like Golden Age, Silver Age, and Bronze Age. They become aware that some comics are worth near a million dollars and want to know why. They hear names like Jack Kirby and Bob Kane and want to know more about them. They hear that Marvel was Timely and then Atlas and THEN Marvel but Timely published Marvel Comics #1. Which just makes them scratch their heads!
I have been collecting comics since 1961 and I am STILL fascenated by all of those things!
So with all this in mind I am going to focus some attention, from time to time, on the history of comics and retro reviews. Today I am going to talk a bit about Marvel Comics #1 which was published in 1939.
Do you happen to have $460,000 sitting in a draw somewhere? Neither do I but that is what a mint copy of Marvel Comics #1 would cost you today. That is if one actually even came up for auction in that condition. I suspect that if one did become available in a higher grade that it might actually top ONE MILLION DOLLARS! Fortunately for me, since I don’t have ane extra mil laying around, Marvel did a lovely hard cover reprint of Marvel Comics #1 back in 1990. It was about the best twenty bucks I ever spent on a hard cover. Instead of just giving us the lead stories, Marvel actually reprinted the entire book!
And what a book it was!
That first issue of Marvel Comics (later retitled to Marvel Mystery Comics) from Timely gave us not one but TWO brand new characters who would be major additions to the pantheon of Superheroes. Heroes who resonate in the Marvel Universe to this day.
I am speaking, of course about The Human Torch and Namor, The Submariner! Imagine two characters of such stature, of such power, of such rollickin charisma getting their start in the same book!!! And Subby didn’t even have a costume, just a bathing suit!
So come back with me now to those halycon days of a Depression riddled America when children ( and a few adults I am sure) plunked down their hard earned dimes for this comic and with trembling hands began to read history!
The first thing that stands out about this book is the marvellous cover. Marvel Comics #1 features a blazing Human Torch melting through what looks like a vault door in pursuit of a rather collegiate looking bad guy. How do I know he is a bad guy? Well he is shooting at the guy who is on fire, that’s how! AND the bullet merely melts away. What a hook! If that was not enough the cover blurb says:
This Month:
“The Human Torch”
“The Angel”
“Submariner”
“Masked Raider”
But that’t not all, because in the lower left corner, as if it were a throw in, we see:
“Ka-zar The Great” 12 Pages of Jungle Adventure.
WOW five big stories for a dime!
The lead story was Carl Burgos great creation, the Human Torch.
The story opens with Professor Horton is holding a conference with the press, ready to reveal his creation to the world - the first android. He reveals that there is just a “little” bug in the mechanical man. Leading the press into the lab, Horton points to a man in an air-tight, glass cage whom he calls The Human Torch. When air is let into the chamber, the man's entire body catches fire. The press in the room demand him to destroy his creation.
The Human Torch is sealed within a steal tube which is then sealed in a block of concrete. Horton vows to find the secret to controlling the flame.
Some time later there is an explosion outside Horton's bedroom window. He finds the Torch gone. It is revealed that there was a slow oxygen leak in the steel tube. The Torch runs through the streets of the city, confused as to why everything he touches catches on fire. Some firemen douse him with water, but it just turns into steam. Realizing he is causing damage, the Torch dives into a pool in an effort to put out the flame.
Inside the house with the pool, there are two men who realize the Torch could be worth a lot of money, if used correctly. They try to con the innocent Human Torch int a life od crime. Of course he quickly discovers that his benefactors are “bad men” and burns down their house before flying off.
By this time The Torch learns to control his flame but explains that humans will always fear him and so he cannot stay with his creator who now only sees him as a way to make money. He flies away to freedom and an uncertain future.
This is a great origin story with all of the elements that would make the Torch such an enduring character. It is important to note, however that after this story the Torch is rarely referred to as an Android or robot. In fact the writers at the time seem to have all dismissed that part of his origin and treat him as if he really were “Human”.
After an adventure of The Angel, who seems to be based loosley on Errol Flynn in a rather silly looking costume, comes the next seismic event in Marvel Comics #1, the introduction of Bill Everett’s Submariner.
A salvage diver is the S.S. Salvage vessel are working a wreck for treasure when he finds an ancient knife and brings down another diver. They search the wreckage and then they are attacked by Namor, the Sub-Mariner! He savagely attacks both men, stabbing one and crushing the diving helmet of the other. Namor then turns his attention to the ship, wrecking the propeller and running it aground. He heads back to his underwater home, where he is greeted by the "Holy One" who commends him on his attack against the humans. Namor brings the bodies of the two divers as trophies. His mother, Fen, congratulates him on beginning his war of revenge in such a decisive manner. Namor asks her to tell him the story of their past once again, and why their people hate the white earth men so much.
She explains that in the year 1920, a research vessel called the Oracle had journeyed to Antarctica and was doing "experiments" with explosives that killed many of their fellow citizens. Since Fen looked most like a human, she was sent to find out more about what was going on. She fell in love with Capt. Leonard McKenzie, and she became pregnant by him. The sailors could not understand how she was able to swim in the freezing water. She learned their language and sent back messages to the undersea army that the white men were too strong for them, but they sent an army to fight them anyway. The white men annihilated the attack force, and now, 20 years later, they are ready once again to press an attack against them, and Namor will begin this war.
Later, he takes his cousin Dorma with him to make an attack on the Cape Anna Lighthouse. Once there, they attack the guards who stand watch on the lighthouse and wreak havoc on the controls and equipment hoping to destroy some of the ships that use it's beacon for safety. Some naval men come on the scene, and in order to escape, Namor and Dorma commandeer a bi-plane which flies nearby, killing the pilot. Dorma wrecks the plane as Namor swims back home in the ocean.
Everett’s art is nothing short of brilliant. Even with the limitations of a four color process and the coarse paper that comics were printed on, Bill is able to make great use of shading, shadows and lighting. His characters show a wide range of facial expression. This sort of output was of uncommon quality at the time. In fact it is STILL wonderful to look at Bill Everett’s art. Bill would actually continue to draw his creation, on and off, well into the 70’s!
Another note on The Submariner is that he was originally created for a book called Motion Pictures Funnies Weekly #1 as a give away at local theaters. However the book never came to press and Bill later used the story here in MC #1. Only a few advance copies of Motion Picture Funnies #1 were ever know to have existed at all.
The rest of the book rounds out with a westerrn story featuring Masked Raider (and we all know what THAT is about), Jungle Terror featuring an Indiana Jones type named Ken Masters who flies off to…the Jungle with sidekick Tim Roberts in order to rescue Roberts’ uncle, Professor…errr…Roberts. Finally we are given a Kazar (Tarzan knock off) story. Ka-Zar was quite popular and still appears in comics from time to time in the modern era.
There is also a TEXT only story called Burning Rubber in this issue. Back in the early days of comics, in order to get the bulk mailing rates given to periodicals the publishers had to include at least one prose only story. Later this requirement would be met by the inclusion of a letters page, but these early stories gave such writers as Mickey Spillane their start.
Well there you have it. Marvel Comics #1. Loaded with high adventure stories, all in color and all original. Even today, MC #1 is great funa and I often flip through my beloved reprint to reacquaint myself with all it’s glory. It was the start for a company that would later dominate comics as Marvel.
For those of you who may be interested, there is an Omnibus edition in print that includes a plethora of early Marvel Mystery comics and of course Marvel Comics #1. Ask our pals at CBJ about cost and availability!
And that is, once again…30!
SMALLVILLE – September 25th! Be there!
Mitch
The MAIN MAN Comes To The Screen
Hey there Lobo fans (remember him…the MAIN man?)
Well Variety is reporting that Guy Ritchie, fresh of his directorial stint on the forthcoming “Sherlock Holmes”, will helm the live action pic featruing DC’s wise cracking, bike riding, blue skinned bounty hunter. The film is due to go into production sometime in early 2010. I am posting the Variety article below. Frnkly I am really looking forward to “The Losers” and “Jonah Hex” but Lobo should be lots of fun!
Next - My retro review of Marvel Comics #1 (1939) !
Enjoy your Labor Day, otherwise known as "Take A Comic FAn To Lunch Day"
That’s 30!
Mitch
Variety - September 3,2009
Warner Bros. has locked Guy Ritchie to direct "Lobo," the live-action adaptation of the DC Comics drama about an alien bounty hunter.
Don Payne wrote the most recent script draft, and Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona will produce the co-production of Silver Pictures and Weed Road.
Ritchie will make the film his follow-up to "Sherlock Holmes," the Silver-produced pic that stars Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams. Warner Bros. opens it Christmas Day.
Production on "Lobo" begins early next year. The character originated in 1983 in "Omega Men," written by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen. Lobo has had several comicbook incarnations. In the film, he will be an indestructible, blue-skinned, 7-foot-tall and heavily muscled antihero who drives a pimped-out motorcycle and lands on Earth in search of four fugitives bent on wreaking havoc. Lobo teams with a small-town teenaged girl to stop the creatures.
WB is aiming for a PG-13 rating. Pic will be strong on visual effects, and Ritchie is expected to bring the irreverent, gruff tone of his past films such as "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels."
Steve Richards and Kerry Foster will be executive producers.
With all the attention on Disney's Marvel deal, the Ritchie pact gives WB yet another production start through its DC Comics banner. Silver and Goldsman are producers on "The Losers," while Goldsman is a producer on "Jonah Hex." WB recently set Ryan Reynolds to play the title character in the Martin Campbell-directed "Green Lantern." DC Comics is a WB-owned entity, and Gregory Noveck steers the film adaptations for DC.
Well Variety is reporting that Guy Ritchie, fresh of his directorial stint on the forthcoming “Sherlock Holmes”, will helm the live action pic featruing DC’s wise cracking, bike riding, blue skinned bounty hunter. The film is due to go into production sometime in early 2010. I am posting the Variety article below. Frnkly I am really looking forward to “The Losers” and “Jonah Hex” but Lobo should be lots of fun!
Next - My retro review of Marvel Comics #1 (1939) !
Enjoy your Labor Day, otherwise known as "Take A Comic FAn To Lunch Day"
That’s 30!
Mitch
Variety - September 3,2009
Warner Bros. has locked Guy Ritchie to direct "Lobo," the live-action adaptation of the DC Comics drama about an alien bounty hunter.
Don Payne wrote the most recent script draft, and Joel Silver, Akiva Goldsman and Andrew Rona will produce the co-production of Silver Pictures and Weed Road.
Ritchie will make the film his follow-up to "Sherlock Holmes," the Silver-produced pic that stars Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel McAdams. Warner Bros. opens it Christmas Day.
Production on "Lobo" begins early next year. The character originated in 1983 in "Omega Men," written by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen. Lobo has had several comicbook incarnations. In the film, he will be an indestructible, blue-skinned, 7-foot-tall and heavily muscled antihero who drives a pimped-out motorcycle and lands on Earth in search of four fugitives bent on wreaking havoc. Lobo teams with a small-town teenaged girl to stop the creatures.
WB is aiming for a PG-13 rating. Pic will be strong on visual effects, and Ritchie is expected to bring the irreverent, gruff tone of his past films such as "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels."
Steve Richards and Kerry Foster will be executive producers.
With all the attention on Disney's Marvel deal, the Ritchie pact gives WB yet another production start through its DC Comics banner. Silver and Goldsman are producers on "The Losers," while Goldsman is a producer on "Jonah Hex." WB recently set Ryan Reynolds to play the title character in the Martin Campbell-directed "Green Lantern." DC Comics is a WB-owned entity, and Gregory Noveck steers the film adaptations for DC.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER!/ TAILGATE UPDATE
Attention all you tweeters! You can now follow us for up to the minute store and industry updates as well as special tweet deal and sales you can only find out about if you follow us on twitter.
So FOLLOW US!!! http://twitter.com/ComicBookJones
One more item regarding a possible Surrogates movie tailgate party. We are not sure yet if there is a midnight showing but if there is we will have a tailgate party on September 24th so stay tuned!
Socko
So FOLLOW US!!! http://twitter.com/ComicBookJones
One more item regarding a possible Surrogates movie tailgate party. We are not sure yet if there is a midnight showing but if there is we will have a tailgate party on September 24th so stay tuned!
Socko
Friday, September 4, 2009
NEWS & EVENTS FOR THE WEEK OF 9/10/09
Summer is coming to a close but don't worry because comics will never die! This week will bring us another solid helping of new books, toys and other assorted goodies all of which can be found in the new books section of the website. But keep in mind that because of Labor Day our shipment of new stuff will be coming in on Thursday, September 10th, NOT Wednesday, September 9th. Our hours for Labor Day will also change, for all the latest info on all that as well as other events in the store, keep reading!
LABOR DAY SHIPPING UPDATE
Just a quick note so that you're all in the know, this week the delivery will be coming in on Thursday, September 10th instead of Wednesday, September 9th because of Labor Day. Also, on Labor Day, Monday, September 7th we will have shortened hours and be open from 10AM - 3PM.
BEASTS OF BURDEN SIGNING FEAT. EVAN DORKIN & JILL THOMPSON
In celebration of their new book, Beasts of Burden, Evan Dorkin (writer) and Jill Thompson (artist) will be appearing at Comic Book Jones for a signing on Wednesday, September 16th from 6PM - 9PM! This also happens to be the day that Beasts of Burden #1 is released so you can pick up your copy and get it signed! We will also have plenty of copies of their other works including Milk & Cheese, Sandman, Magic Trixie, etc. Here's a look into what they've worked on over the years:
Evan Dorkin
-Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
-Bizzaro World
-Dork Comics
-Milk & Cheese
-Occasionally writes and does animation for the hit TV show Yo Gabba Gabba! (Super Martian Robot Girl) on Nickelodeon.
Jill Thompson
-Dark Horse Book of Hauntings, Witchcraft, Dead, Monsters
-Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall
-Magic Trixie
-Sandman
CARNAGE STATUE RAFFLE
A new week, a new raffle. An item many of you have asked about still does not have a home. This item, if you haven't read the heading for some reason, is the Carnage statue we proudly have displayed. This is a beautiful statue limited to 1200 pieces worldwide and has a retail price of $189.99. It can all be yours with some luck and at least one $1 raffle ticket! Feel free to buy as many as you like to increase your chances of winning! Carnage statues don't come around all that often so make sure you pick up some tickets. This raffle will begin on Saturday, September 5th and end on Wednesday, September 16th. Good luck!
BIRTHDAY COUPON!
E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."
SHIPPING UPDATES
Amazing Spider-Man #609 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
Amazing Spider-Man #610 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Amazing Spider-Man Pres Anti Venom #1 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Amazing Spider-Man Pres Anti Venom #2 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)
Captain America Reborn #3 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Dark Reign List: Daredevil - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Dark Reign List: X-Men - 9/23/09 (Old Date 9/16/09)
Dark Reign Zodiac #3 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Gears of War #10 - 9/30/09 (Old Date 9/16/09)
New Mutants #5 - 9/30/09 (Old Date 9/23/09)
Secret Warriors #8 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)
Uncanny X-Men #515 - 9/23/09 (Old Date 9/16/09)
Vengeance of Moon Knight #1 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
War Machine #11 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Web of Spider-Man #1 - 10/14/09 (Old Date 10/17/09)
Web of Spider-Man #2 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/14/09)
LABOR DAY SHIPPING UPDATE
Just a quick note so that you're all in the know, this week the delivery will be coming in on Thursday, September 10th instead of Wednesday, September 9th because of Labor Day. Also, on Labor Day, Monday, September 7th we will have shortened hours and be open from 10AM - 3PM.
BEASTS OF BURDEN SIGNING FEAT. EVAN DORKIN & JILL THOMPSON
In celebration of their new book, Beasts of Burden, Evan Dorkin (writer) and Jill Thompson (artist) will be appearing at Comic Book Jones for a signing on Wednesday, September 16th from 6PM - 9PM! This also happens to be the day that Beasts of Burden #1 is released so you can pick up your copy and get it signed! We will also have plenty of copies of their other works including Milk & Cheese, Sandman, Magic Trixie, etc. Here's a look into what they've worked on over the years:
Evan Dorkin
-Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
-Bizzaro World
-Dork Comics
-Milk & Cheese
-Occasionally writes and does animation for the hit TV show Yo Gabba Gabba! (Super Martian Robot Girl) on Nickelodeon.
Jill Thompson
-Dark Horse Book of Hauntings, Witchcraft, Dead, Monsters
-Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall
-Magic Trixie
-Sandman
CARNAGE STATUE RAFFLE
A new week, a new raffle. An item many of you have asked about still does not have a home. This item, if you haven't read the heading for some reason, is the Carnage statue we proudly have displayed. This is a beautiful statue limited to 1200 pieces worldwide and has a retail price of $189.99. It can all be yours with some luck and at least one $1 raffle ticket! Feel free to buy as many as you like to increase your chances of winning! Carnage statues don't come around all that often so make sure you pick up some tickets. This raffle will begin on Saturday, September 5th and end on Wednesday, September 16th. Good luck!
BIRTHDAY COUPON!
E-mail us your full name and birthday and receive a special gift from us when your special day arrives! Send your e-mail to comicbookjones@gmail.com with the subject line "Birthday."
SHIPPING UPDATES
Amazing Spider-Man #609 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/14/09)
Amazing Spider-Man #610 - 10/28/09 (Old Date 10/21/09)
Amazing Spider-Man Pres Anti Venom #1 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Amazing Spider-Man Pres Anti Venom #2 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)
Captain America Reborn #3 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Dark Reign List: Daredevil - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Dark Reign List: X-Men - 9/23/09 (Old Date 9/16/09)
Dark Reign Zodiac #3 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
Gears of War #10 - 9/30/09 (Old Date 9/16/09)
New Mutants #5 - 9/30/09 (Old Date 9/23/09)
Secret Warriors #8 - 10/21/09 (Old Date 10/7/09)
Uncanny X-Men #515 - 9/23/09 (Old Date 9/16/09)
Vengeance of Moon Knight #1 - 9/16/09 (Old Date 9/9/09)
War Machine #11 - 11/4/09 (Old Date 10/28/09)
Web of Spider-Man #1 - 10/14/09 (Old Date 10/17/09)
Web of Spider-Man #2 - 11/11/09 (Old Date 11/14/09)
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