It’s Gonna Be Tight

It’s down to the wire for the warehouse move: we have to be out by October 31st and it looks like we’ll just gonna make it. Here is a picture of the comics room at the new warehouse: there’s roughly 1,100 long boxes there. There’s a separate room for all the toys that’s almost as big as this room and then there’s a third storage area for cards; luckily it has an upstairs with plenty of office space. I’ll send pics as we settle in. I should probably take this same picture in late March; let’s hope it looks just as organized but with waaaay less boxes in it.

The 4th ICE Collectibles Canadiana Auction launched last night on eBay, some very scarce and amazing stuff is up open to bids, have a look at all the goodies right here. One remarkable piece is this CGC 9.8 copy of Batman #404, the Canadian Price Variant (CPV). I’m not an expert at CPVs but I believe this is one of the big grails of the CPV collecting strain.

I was going hard at the “heading to auction” pile trying to line up some lots for next week. I almost put up the whole Galactic Storm story arc but found I was missing 4 of the issues. I personally think these epic arcs that are told over 3 or 4 titles over 12 to 20 issues are worth way more than what the arcs realize on auction. Take Galactic Storm with its 19 issues (20 if you count the Aftermath Quasar issue), this set is almost impossible to put together on your own, I mean you have to hunt down Iron Man, Captain America, Avengers, West Coast Avengers and Quasar, the first 3 titles you might have a shot at but who collected Quasar!? Anyway, I like these sets, Maximum Carnage fits into this niche too. Do you have any tough arc you’re getting frustrated trying to complete?

Our splash of the week comes from Jim Starlin, this half splash from Strange Tales #181 caught my eye because of that grouping of damn clowns. I hate clowns.

From Daredevil #184 we get an ad for Cracker Jack popcorn. There are few older and more storied products to grace comic book ad pages that Cracker Jack. Introduced in 1986 Cracker Jack first started adding prices and novelties into the packages in 1912, the year the Titanic sailed and sank. That’s 111 years of cool prizes, some of which must be worth a fortune.

Last night another of our weekly ICE Collectibles eBay auction ended and I really liked the finish to the X-Men #266 CBCS 9.2 Signature Series signed by Chris Clairmont. The book closed at $160.50 USD with was a healthy result in line with current CGC expectations. I like to see CBCS holding their value in the marketplace, I think CBCS has the potential to play a larger role in the hobby, I think the hobby needs a strong second option for grading.

Walter Durajlija
Walter Durajlija

Walter Durajlija is an Overstreet Advisor and Shuster Award winner. He owns Big B Comics in Hamilton Ontario.

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3 Comments

  1. 1100 long boxes. I have total about ten short boxes and twenty graded boxes and I am overwhelmed. There are too many comics in the world. But I keep buying…

    It’s interesting about the price variants. Maybe the Canadian modern ones are in demand, but the same guy pitches the U.K. ones in the Guide commentary every year, seemingly to no avail. I had a chat with the comic guys for Goldin (late of sellmycomicbooks.com) about this in Baltimore. I think it is partly jingoism and partly a sense that the “real” version is the normal U.S. price variant. Similarly the thirty and thirty-five cent Marvel variants trade well below their scarcity-adjusted prices.

    I have a very nice copy of that Strange Tales. I am not looking at any many-title story arc, but I love Starlin Warlock and would like to get a very high grade set together – not terribly expensive as Warlock remains out of favor. Having trouble with Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 at a fair price.

    Agreed on CBCS. At least they keep trying. I think people trust their grading, but they have trouble getting submissions because people don’t want the discount on selling. I think they are a good alternative for ~$200 books given CGC’s prices etc. Maybe I will send them some modern X-Men that don’t make it through CGC’s screening.

  2. Yeah the CPVs from the 80s seem to have strong demand, that Batman 404 will be nuts on the auction. The Starlin Warlock set has some great covers, I seem to remember you like the Adams Strange Adventures run too, but those aren’t really arcs as they are artist runs (well maybe Starlin’s is both). CBCS need to hire us on as consultants.

  3. Tough arcs! Maaaate, have I got a tough arc for you!

    I think arcs are as tough as you make them, by keeping yourself to high standards and going for those really high grade raws it feels like a lot of arcs are difficult. You mention Adam’s Strange Adventure Deadman run, yes, agree, I can’t even finish mine let alone get it to a degree of quality that I like! Jungle Action (Panther’s Rage) thought I had it completed, yet one issue is a little sub-par…and even things like Iron Fist or Hero For Hire aren’t easy to knock over if you want to keep it to vf/nm….but perhaps that is the joy in it all? Technically we could hop onto eBay and buy em all in 9.0 and then break em open and read them, but where’s the fun in that?

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