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Lost in collecting- Om's Journal by oldmilwaukee6er
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403 posts in this topic

After the meet-up and more grinding, I plucked the following books for 50% off from Nationwide Comics / Terry’s Comics. The total was $325 and I paid $160. We d*ckered for like 10 seconds (one exchange- me suggesting a small stack discount, they stating the books are already half off) before I realized it was FOOLISH to argue over $10 and paid my money.

 

Radical Amerika Komiks Vol 3 #1 (1st); A publication of the Madison, WI, chapter of the Student Demographic Society, this represents Wisconsin’s first underground comix (precedes Mom’s Homemade #1 by a few months). Easy NM.

RadicalAm%20WWchi_zpsmvvmsvl1.jpg

 

 

Mom’s Homemade Comics #3 (1st). I see this book all the time. Happy to add this nice VFNM copy to my collection. Now I just need a lovely #2.

Moms3%20WWchi_zpsm6z6wagi.jpg

 

 

Mother’s Oats Comix #1 (2nd). Took a chance on this stunning early Rip Off Press book; red logo; stated 1st print on BC; but it has the black over blue word balloon that marks it a likely 2nd per the FUGG15. This is why one should always carrying an underground guide, even if it does take up precious real estate in the backpack! doh!

Mothers1%20WWchi_zpswtko1k3t.jpg

 

 

Zap Comix #3 (1st; heavy cover stock). Damn, another stunning NM or better book. If I had this one at the start of the day, it would be at CGC awaiting a plasti-tomb. This is my best book of the day!

Zap3%20WWchi_zpsajjijkes.jpg

 

 

ALSO, I found X-Men 102 & 121 for the chef. No pics because I went down to the corner spot last night and presented them myself. The 102 was VGFN and the 121 was VF or better. I was happy to pay $70 for the pair, having struggled to find both books in a lower, more affordable grade. I texted my buddy and he was ecstatic (though he now speaks of going after GSXM and 94-99 to round out his run).

 

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San Francisco Comix #1 (1st and only); A nice presenting VG copy w/ bongwater, resin stain on BC. Even though this is an undercopy for me, I just could not pass it up for $100.

SF1%20WWchi_zpsxh3j5dsh.jpg

 

I still need a copy of this book! I probably would have liked it priced a little lower with the condition, but that's probably why I still don't have a copy!

Edited by Brother J
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The final push

After finding a few comix and spreading some money throughout the room, my wife and I like to walk the floor together the last hour or so. She sees the con through a different lens and so I like to make sure I allow time to see the con through her eyes. Typically, this is also when we make any last minute purchases, such as Ts or hoodies or the like. I shopped T shirts, but really my heart is in finding a Spawn T shirt. With the exception of the Walking Dead, Image seems very poor at licensing. One example, go to spawn.com and try and find a T shirt. Ridiculous. I mean seriously, I get that ‘you’re a collection of artists’ and ‘you don’t do licensing well,’ but nut up, hire a lawyer, and put some swag out there for your properties. ANYways, one of these days I will hire a local airbrush / spraypaint artist and have them ‘Spawn me up’ a white T.

 

I believe my lady will cover it in her Con Supplement (I ask her to write her observations each year for the past 3-4 as a foil to my own), but we were hunting X-Men swag a little because we have a theory that X-Men stuff, with the exception of some small uptick around Age of Apocalypse, will be in short supply until Marvel returns the property to full ownership. We subscribe to the theory that Marvel is deliberately tanking X-Men & Fantastic Four in an attempt to fully re-secure the properties. Thankfully, this mutant hate does not seem to be translating to the comics or the back issue market. I only hope that trend continues.

 

After lookie-looing some the main T shirt vendors (and I wanted a new graphic hat), we did buy a few items from one of them (not sure, was not Stylin Online). My lady bought two shirts and some yoga pants, while I picked up a Black Panther T for a friend. They worked a deal for the three Ts and they threw in my Revenge of the Jedi for me. As I said before, I have wanted a knock-off for comparison sake for my original purchase. ALL THAT SAID, I did not buy a single T shirt this year, which diverges form years past. Eventually, I would go back to Stylin and pop on a simple Deadpool hat with a B&W graphic bill. Happy with that purchase, even if I do not collect Deadpool anymore. That’s just me funning as part of the zeitgeist.

 

After that, we perused Artist Alley. Actually, we made our second pass through. I brought a Garbage Pail Kids blank cover and a GPK variant by Dean Haspiel (Dino), in the hopes of securing a commission. However, as has CLEARLY been established, I got lost along the way. I did stop by his booth about 5pm and introduced myself, expressed a sincere fondness for his work, and learned that there were two commissions in front of me. We chatted cordially about his collaborations with Harvey Pekar, his work on American Splendor, The Fox (I buy for my nephew; and scored that $2 graphic novel), & his recent work on GPK (me explaining that the underground has a rich connection to the underground comix movement). He said check back in an hour ~6PM, and we did and saw that he was finalizing the first of the two commissions (and I knew that it would not happen for me). So after checking in with him, I purchased a lovely Fox con sketch ($50) and a round of drinks for us all. As we drank, I brought out my GPK Love Stinks variant cover by Dean and he began signing and throwing books at me! Amazing guy! I only wish I had planned better and had him sketch a “Disgusting Justin” GKP cover. I’ll hold that book for a future sketch opportunity. Here was my haul from Dino-

 

GPK Love Stinks Dino variant. He signed this book for me and explained to us how he initially drew Trish black but that IDW made him change her to white. True story.

GPK%20dino_zpsyhmfk1cl.jpg

 

 

Billy Dogma. This is his self-published book and he made certain I took home a copy. Excited to acquaint myself with his work here.

Billydogma_zpsndatrefe.jpg

 

 

TWD #1 Raleigh Con variant! The more we chatted, the more he put on the pile (even signed one of his trading cards) and this one was well received. He tossed it on the pile and stated “sell this one on eBay.” We laughed. This one is going to the nephew when he is of age (he is only 7 now).

TWD1%20dino_zpsuawi0d8i.jpg

 

 

After that, we were down to our last. My wife reminded me that a steampunk friend was in artist alley (James Lacroix) and so we sought him out and spent our last on prints to support his cause.

 

A great day capped with a glorious feast at Gibson’s- steak, a twice baked potato, and mushrooms – washed down with a double Jameson / coke back (with a free crème brule dessert with proof of con attendance). Awesome. After digesting and basking in the events of the day, we limped back to the Brew City by about 1030PM.

 

Next up I will share the GRRL’s CON SUPPLEMENT as a foil to my own perspective.

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The GRRL's SUPPLEMENT- WWChicago 2015 Con Report **unedited**

 

General complaints:

o 4.50$ for a bottle of soda at the small vending, but if you wait in line you can get it for 3.50$? Robbery!

o Strollers should be outlawed.

o Designating the atrium as the professional cosplayer area makes for some serious congestion. You either have to be rude and cut through photos or stop and wait. You can’t really go around because everyone’s getting pictures taken.

o On the first floor (I didn’t go to the second floor), more seating would be nice, especially since this year seemed more open floorspace-wise than in previous years. Sometimes you need to sit rearrange your stuff

o Having to raise your hand to show your band feels really lame. Someone commented it was like being in a cult.

 

General praises:

o Re-entry is a godsend when you have bought more stuff than you can carry

o Allowing us to bring in our own food/drink is awesome

o The increase in beverage vending spots this year was nice (both adult and the aforementioned $4.50 kiosks)

o Getting deals at nearby restaurants because you have a wristband is aces (the crème brulee at Gibson’s was divine)

o Putting the autograph area on its own floor was really nice because those lines really gum up the works

o Ditto with putting the arcade on the second floor. I don’t need any distractions when I’ve got my shopping agenda. Plus, it cuts down on the number of people on the first floor.

o The panels look good and if I was going for more than one day, I’d probably attend a few

 

Cosplay was light this year overall. But we were there on a Friday so it’s possible the good stuff was happening Saturday.

 

Superheroes were noticeably far and few between. A few more supervillains (Scarecrow and Jokers were the most common)

o A few Harley Quinns (not as many as in the past) and Catwomen, 4 Banes (one Christopher Nolan, 1 Batman and Robin, 2 old school), quite a few Deadpools, Spider-Men, a lot of Jedi, a few Han Solos, 1 bikini Leia, far fewer Dr. Who (more Tardis/Dalek tank dresses, fewer corsets/steampunk), hardly any steampunk cosplayers at all, Ash Catchem was popular, especially with women cosplaying him (but not in a feminized/sexual way, just women dressing as Ash Catchem), a few Alice/Malice in Wonderland no Mad Hatters, Cheshire Cats, White Rabbits

o Firefly/Serenity cosplay was not present at all (last year there were a lot of Mal’s, Kaylee in the pink dress, Jaynes)

o A few Ash Williams (make sense since Bruce Campbell was there)

o Definite uptick in the number of Arrows

o No real surprise but Chromeboys were popular

o I saw at least two Zantannas

o Delightfully absent were zombies (are we done with that trend yet)

o Also missing were the super sexualized women costumes. Even ones that were sexy weren’t as tacky as years past. I didn’t even see any booth babes this year.

o Video game cosplay was scant with Mario and crew being the most common followed by Assassin’s Creed (Ezio, Altair, Connor in order of popularity) and Minecraft. No Fallout, No Bioshock, No Half Life, No Halo (all common in the past)

o Best crew was a tie to a Marioland group and a group of Chromeboys with a pregnant Immortan Joe bride

o My personal favorite was a woman Loki hanging out with a Maleficient (complete with wings and horns), and an Aurora

o Second best crew was an impromptu encounter between Venom, Carnage, and Spider-Man out in front of the convention center

o One crew was dressed as Inside Out (I think). Really they were just painted primary colors but one woman had a blue wig on and so I think that’s what they were dressed as

o More costumes this year seemed purchased (such as mine) and not as many homemade.

o Little kids were split between Spider-Men costumes and Wedge Antilles

 

X-Men were nearly non-existent in terms of merchandise and cosplay (I saw maybe three Wolverines—Hugh Jackman leather jacket and jeans version--and one Cyclops)

 

Star Wars t-shirts were hands down the most common t-shirts worn by those not in cosplay attire

 

Doctor Who and Harry Potter continue their decline in terms of merchandise and cosplay but suddenly Supernatural and Vampire Diaries are incredibly popular in terms of merch (hard to tell with cosplay since both shows are basically pretty people in regular clothes doing stuff)

 

LOTR and Games of Thrones were all but invisible in terms of merch

 

Elf ear cuffs are very popular with no fewer than 4 jewelry vendors selling them; alumninum link jewelry is in a boom phase as I counted no fewer than 6 vendors specializing in it; jewelry prices remain stable and pretty reasonable

 

There were more hardcore steampunk vendors this year which is odd since there were so few cosplayers; 2 designated corset dealers and another 3 that sold corsets along with hats, gauntlets, skirts, goggles, masks, et; 2 designated hat vendors

 

So many weapon dealers (even if not actual weapons). I counted 4 dedicated booths selling varieties of swords, knives, switchblades; there was also at least one guy selling what I hope were Air Soft guns and not real guns, but I could be wrong

 

Funko vinyl toys are the new beanie babies (my husband’s words, not mine). When I bought a Robot Devil a guy next to me wanted to know what I was going to do with it and when I said “Open it and put it on my desk” he went apoplectic. Probably the single most common merchandise after t-shirts are these little guys. I’m guilty of buying 3 myself: R2D2, the aforementioned Robot Devil, and Ezio

o I also think it’s hilarious that one booth has them at $10 and others have them as high as $25. They are not investment pieces, people!

 

The giant tattoo section with 20 artists was really interesting and had I known I may have partook of it, but it took up a huge amount of real estate which leads me to the following observation

 

There seemed to be even more vendors that have nothing to do with popular culture:

o two soda companies, the large designer nail booth, a booth selling eyeglasses, Ameriprise, Lasik surgery; a psychic; the exotic meat jerky guy

o A lot of booths were taken up with odd things like designer contacts, henna, facepainting, hairstyling, the lightup t-shirt/hat/tie/whatever booth

 

T-Shirt prices are getting ridiculous. When $20 is the cheapest you can find, that’s a problem. I didn’t see a single $10 or $5 place and those used to be so reliable

 

Maybe because they changed the layout again (there was a smaller vendor area that I called the Dead Zone that I don’t even think people knew existed) and because there were so many random vendors, it seemed like there was less to look at

o No Superheroes Stuff, Threadless, or Mighty Fine or at least not noticeable enough in the shadow of the juggernaut that is Stylin’

o Artists’ Alley felt like there fewer visual artists and there were more authors pimping out their books and jewelry makers.

o Felt like fewer indie writers/authors were offering comic books/graphic novels

o Artists’ Alley also had a number of empty booths, more than I’ve seen in the past

 

Never before have I heard so many vendors complain about being “cleaned out” on Thursday. Several were hoping for reups on Friday to get them through the weekend but they were sweating it.

 

Vendor complaints of not having enough merch, the sparse feel to the overall layout, the proliferation of non-pop culture vendors, and the continuing homogenizing of the vendors (something I pointed out last year) all begs the question: Is Wizard World’s aggressive con schedule (22 in 2015, 9 of which were new cities; 17 scheduled for 2016 so far with 7 of those being new cities) taking its toll?

o Additionally does Wizard World’s aggressive schedule actually improve the scene for smaller cons? I’m thinking of the success that Mighty Con in Milwaukee/Madison/N. Illinois has had in the past few years despite a WW being added to Madison, an Awesome Con added to Milwaukee, and a Fantasticon.

 

Do cosplayers go to spend money or go to be seen? Wizard World is not a con like Dragon Con or Gen Con or the Anime Cons where cosplayers go to spend money on their costumes, it’s predominantly a comic book con so are a lot of cosplayers a problem?

 

It’s clear that the celebrity/autograph component is what sells. I once again thank Wizard Chicago for separating that mess from the vendors/comic book dealers. Are we about to experience con fatigue where only the entertainment/celebrity portion thrives and the pop culture and comic books go back underground or more local?

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Hey Brother J, thanks for the comment! I usually see this book at WWChi and there were two copies again on FRI (the other being a CGC 7.0). Typically, this book is only found in FNVF or less and priced at $300+.

 

I suppose I justified the price as part of the package ($130 for all) and based on the above. In the end it is an undercopy & will be eye-candy for when I set up at local cons. Generally, I like SF1 as a long-term investment over others in the series.

 

FINALLY, you and I are alike in the sense that if it catches our eye, it is generally a pretty good deal (though your patience is commendable).

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Excellent report, Wizard World Chicago really seems to be the show to attend for comic collectors. We're planning on visiting Milwaukee next summer, maybe I can talk the wife into making it be around the time of next year's show.

 

That Zap #3 is awesome, I'd really like to see (and feel) what a 1st print of that book is like. I heard something about the cover thickness being easy to tell with that issue.

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San Francisco Comix #1 (1st and only); A nice presenting VG copy w/ bongwater, resin stain on BC.

 

:D

 

Awesome.

 

Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide abbreviation...BCBWRS.

 

PS - check the centerfold for seeds.

 

 

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A lesson in FOLO or boys collect, men invest

After the rush of a major comic con, there is always the post con low, especially when it signifies the start of the academic year. SUN was another lovely day of cool weather, English Soccer, disc golf, and old fashioned Milwaukee beer gardens. I have been blessed to have a light summer with my lady, a rarity to be sure, a mini retirement of sorts. But that is coming to an end. As such, we are beginning to plan our last 1.5 weeks together and making out summer bucket list. At the top are the outdoor beer gardens that began to pop-up in Milwaukee about 2 years ago. Nothing like crushing a nice round of disc golf and quaffing a 1.0L of fine dark German beer- all in a climate poised to win in just about any global climate change scenario.

 

There are other things on the list- today we walked to the Milwaukee Art Museum and down to the public market for a lobster roll and then along the Riverwalk back to the apartment. Just under 20k steps and lovely all day. Tomorrow I am pulling a double with in-service all day and then my shift at the corner spot (last shift!).

 

I suppose now is the time to discuss why I desire an ASM1, but I listed my previous goal as a Amazing Fantasy 15. For a while, I have wanted an AF15 like book, and I remember the moment when that thought started to weigh on me. It was c. 2002 or so, living in Louisiana, and I had just launched back into comics full bore. I saw a small Maxim or Men’s Health article that stated something akin to BOYS COLLECT, MEN INVEST. And it had a small pic of AF15 and the brief article prompted one to ‘sell your collection and buy the best copy of AF15 you can afford.’ WOW… sage advice. At the time, and for some time after, an AF15 was within reach of many comic collectors. However, that has changed (at least for me). And I lost out.

 

Now, as I age, I want to make certain that IF something PREMATURE should happen, I do not leave a burden behind for my lady. After 3 cross-country moves and slowly selling, donating, and discarding long boxes, I want to curate, specialize, and diversify into some ‘more liquid books’ than my specialist, genre-specific books. And AF15 represented a move in that direction, a move toward blue chip books. But I lost out, and so my focus shifted toward ASM1.

 

In reality, it is the fear of losing out (FOLO) that pushes me toward ASM1. I missed out on AF15 before the geek-Con boom, and if I am not careful I may well miss out on ASM1 too, i.e. get priced out.

 

However, I believe I have an ASM1 in my collection(!!), I just have to ‘find it’ (meaning grind my doubles, drek, etc. & reinvest that money). In fact, most of us have an ASM1 in our collection, OR WHATEVER GRAIL WE WANT, if we take the time to find it- i.e. curate, specialize, and downsize.

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The Wednesday One (8/26)

 

This week was all about the usual pulls, and my WED bled to THURS before I made the local comic store (LCS). My pulls last week were Spawn #255, which is now the highest legacy numbered title in publication. Make no mistake, Todd McFarlane is definitely eyeing #300, the mark for independent titles set by Sim’s Cerebus (300 issues). The other pull last week was Munchkin #8, the lady’s favorite and she took it and was running off giggling and reading it on the bed (a scene in itself). FINALLY, I pulled Fight Club #4, a spec book of sorts, but also one that we are run collecting together. I ALSO picked up a new magazine box, as I had some organizing to do.

 

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Fight Club is one of my monthly titles, as well. So far I'm really not impressed with it, hoping it will get better, as I really enjoy Palahniuk's books.

 

I know you were interested in Hip Hop Family Tree as some kind of spec. The only problem I see is that the monthly comic is a reprinting of the larger trades.

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More curation

The other night I had a blast closing out the weekend pulling books out of my file cabinet (depleted after several raidings, the latest being the 23 or so books to Sarasota) and into a ‘freshie’ magazine box. I do love the curation process most of all, the review of the books and finding treasures forgotten or lost. Re-bagging and boarding. I am also eyeing another 20 or so Freak Brothers 1st printing books for CGC sometime just after the holidays (perhaps January). It is always so much fun discovering new / old items, e.g. I found a vintage “Dirty Disney” (Wally Wood) handbill of poster as well as a vintage Robert Williams marijuana baggie “header card.” Just cool, cool mess you do not see every day.

 

 

NSFW Dirty Disney by Wally Wood (but >45yrs old)

 

 

wally_wood_dirty_disney_zpsk2lqbnkv.jpeg

 

 

 

Robert Williams MJ baggie 'header card' c. 1970

headshighgradewilliams_zpseuqnfrpe.jpg

 

On Crumb

Found a lot of Crumb, and yet some big gaps too. My Crumb collection at this point represents some 10+ years of grinding eBay and local cons to put together first print books. It is tough, classic eBay grind, one can buy a book 4 times before you ACTUALLY get the book and grade. Plus NOT A LOT of Crumb stuff, quality Crumb stuff has been surfacing on eBay and for a spell CGC underground books were beat down. Local cons sell Crumb and so the best prices can be yielded locally and shipping overseas. Other countries buy Crumb, to be sure. Some Crumb I will always hold on to- Zap, Mr. Natural #1, Motor City 1-2- these books are just too difficult to find over time. I NEVER found a single copy of BIG #1 1st print, not in the wild and not one that I could afford on eBay. I pretty much abandoned that search. In the past I have written that, I think pre Mr. Natural #1 Crumb books will outpace those 1972 or after, as 1971-2 seems to be the year that underground comix hit mainstream and Crumb BLEW UP (multiple printings, or caches of books like Don Donahue). Although the modern Crumb books (he published a lot in the 1990s) will increase, the VALUE proposition is in pre-1971 Crumb work (before his mess was reprinted so quickly it became indistinguishable, e.g. Uneeda Comix).

 

Edited by oldmilwaukee6er
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Strategy is constant

Last THURS we were in an all-day meeting for work. Mostly I took journal notes (avid note taker, being a visual learner), but I did jot down the following that I will be applying to my own collecting philosophy for 2016. Strategy is constant; it is not something that you look at once per year or even once per Quarter. Because the situation and inputs are always changing, so one’s strategy should be a CONTINUOUS PROCESS and one’s GOALS should align to the strategy.

 

Basically STRATEGY informs GOALS determines PROJECTS that consist of ACTIVITIES.

 

That gives one a way to break down larger goals into daily activities. I suspect the most focused of you readers out there already do this inherently. I will have to start doing this stuff deliberately for 2015-2016.

 

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Fight Club is one of my monthly titles, as well. So far I'm really not impressed with it, hoping it will get better, as I really enjoy Palahniuk's books.

 

I know you were interested in Hip Hop Family Tree as some kind of spec. The only problem I see is that the monthly comic is a reprinting of the larger trades.

 

Good thoughts... in the end I did not spec on HHFT and I am kinda glad. Good book, but I missed at every level and to buy in now is not my style.

 

I dig Fight Club 2 so far but definitely hear you on the story lagging a little- there are other books I read first by far (FC is pretty much a spec books for me).

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Two Spawn Ts

Last FRI I had a blast taking the rest of my corner spot money and hitting up two comic book stores to scour for dollar books. I hit Vortex ($1 boxes) and Lost World (50c). I bought 7 Usagi books, including 4 1st print copies of #10 (xover with TMNT). I also picked ANOTHER Outliers #1 (2012) for 50c! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!? I drooled over one and now I own 2 for $1.50. This new copy does have a UPC style sticker on the back and so perhaps this was sold to retailers as well as KICKSTARTER. It is a little nicer condition sans the sticker on the dustcover. Still, cool book.

 

ALSO stopped by an air brushed T shirt place round about 56th and North Ave. I showed them some images of Spawn and ordered up a T ($60) with a design akin to issue #1. For that price, I also asked for some detailing on the sleeve, something in acid green. Spawn is not really merchandised (for example, one cannot buy a T-shirt at www.spawn.com **Ed there is no spawn.com anymore try http://mcfarlane.com/) and so Spawn shirts, outside of fan art Red Bubble, have been tough to come across, or so I thought. I posted the following on Facebook

 

Commissioned an airbrushed Spawn comic T-shirt from Air It Up on North Ave with the last of my Allium tip money. The guys were positive about it and I am excited, because Spawn.com does not sell shirts or license them. ‪#‎spawn‬ ‪#‎comicTshirt‬

 

And our own BrotherJ came right back with a response:

Did you not check eBay?

 

I was floored! Of course, eBay for perhaps some bootlegged stuff. Super sweet Spawn shirts. However, there is one catch… they all appear to be Asian styling and so very small. I tried an XL allover Deadpool shirt at WWChicago, just like the ones sold here, and it was tight. In addition, to get the larger sizes it costs more- as they come from Poland, UK & Taiwan (the Polish ones are the coolest, but cost around $50USD shipped). And so… double down? Or gamble on my airbrushed one?

 

Well, I doubled down. I bought the $18 Taiwanese shirt in 3XL (just in case; normally I wear XL). Haha SPOON it can always sleep in it if it comes too large (which I doubt). It should be here by 9/23 and my new airbrush will be done tomorrow WED, in time for new comic book day!

spawnT_zpstmfwcb8i.jpg

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Lichtenstein’s Head, Red & Yellow

IMG_20150901_062649_zpsnhfvwfvv.jpg

This painting is on display at the Milwaukee Art Museum as part of a modern rebel’s installation. Pretty solid slice of modern art for $14. We hit it on a walk along Lake Michigan last week (part of capturing summer thing). Hard to believe that it is September already, though I do love the changing of the seasons. I liked seeing this Lichtenstein up close, see the pencil marks, see the mock zip a tone dots. Good stuff. There was a big Warhol there too, we studied it up close at times- all the repair work; all the overpainting, into the museum early on a WED- like 1030AM just after they opened and we floated around the large elderly groups so as to get up close and personal with many works. Van Gogh to Pollack, including a sweet comic booky Miro. CHECK IT http://mam.org/van-gogh-to-pollock/gallery.php

 

Blanked on Haight Ashbury pedigree

So not two weeks after I blow my nut on WWChicago, one of the nicest batch of underground books this side of the countercultural revolution surfaced for sale on Heritage. I suppose I could have paid more attention in retrospect, though I am glad things are working out the way they did. IN SHORT- I subbed my high grade Zap Comix first prints to CGC, thereby locking up some funds but also assuring me back slabbed books back (and high grade u-comix are turning around). ALSO, if I hadn’t subbed the books, I may have gone bigger on pre-slabbed books potentially postponing my own plans further. I think it worked out. BUT I GOT SKUNKED.

 

With BP, I spread around $2400 worth of bids AND LOST EVERYTHING. Some stuff I was interested in, other stuff ‘punish bidding’ a little to protect my own stake in a book (e.g. I paid Metropolis ~$240 for my CGC 9.8 Freak Brothers #5, so I tried to push 9.8s I do not need to 200+ and 9.6s to 150+). ANYways… it was a funny moment with the lady- Me ”So I spread around 2k worth of bids on Haight Ashbury books, but I don’t intend on winning any“ Her ”Really!? You bid 2k and you expect to come home with nothing?” SHE LAUGHED. On FRI when we were bopping around town to two stores (and Recordhead for video games), I was lamenting the losses- recounting how I was slammed at the corner spot and all the while my phone is pinging me with OUT BID notices. I really did think I would bottom feed 1-2 books. Ooooo boy, she loved that, ate it up. Poor me. No money spent. “Don’t you have a bunch of high grade stuff coming back from CGC?” She reminds.

 

ANYways… cannot wait to order up a month of GPAnalysis and see all the new highs, here are the results for what I was losing:

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #1 First Printing - Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Rip Off Press, 1971) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white to w... $900($1,075.50 w/BP)

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #2 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Rip Off Press, 1972) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages.... $550($657.25 w/BP)

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #4 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Rip Off Press, 1975) CGC NM/MT 9.8 Off-white to white pages.... $280($334.60 w/BP)

Motor City Comics #2 First Printing - Haight Ashbury pedigree (Rip Off Press, 1970) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages.... $600($717.00 w/BP)

Zap Comix #8 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Print Mint, 1975) CGC MT 9.9 Off-white to white pages.... $650($776.75 w/BP)

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #5 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Rip Off Press, 1977) CGC NM/MT 9.8 Off-white to white pages.... $220($262.90 w/BP)

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #6 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Rip Off Press, 1980) CGC NM+ 9.6 White pages.... $260 ($310.70 w/BP)

Zap Comix #4 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Apex Novelties, 1969) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages.... $380 ($454.10 w/BP)

Zam Zap Jam #1 (Print Mint, 1974) CGC NM 9.4 White pages.... $110($131.45 w/BP)

Zap Comix #8 (Apex Novelties, 1975) CGC NM/MT 9.8 Off-white to white pages.... $150($179.25 w/BP)

The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers #4 (Rip Off Press, 1975) CGC NM/MT 9.8 Off-white to white pages.... $130 ($155.35 w/BP)

Snarf #1 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Kitchen Sink, 1972) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white pages.... $90($107.55 w/BP)

Zap Comix #3 Haight-Ashbury pedigree (Apex Novelties, 1968) CGC NM- 9.2 Off-white to white pages....$440($525.80 w/BP)

 

ASIDE- Crazy that Spawn.com is dead

I mean I was complaining about not being able to buy a shirt and now see that the website has been killed. That just seems crazy to me. Of course, I have liked Spawn since the start, but SERIOUSLY Image (as a whole) needs to step up its merchandising plan for its creators (beyond The Walking Dead).

RANT- I despise the new McFarlane website design so hard.

 

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On the Haight Ashbury books, I was surprised at how much the Death Rattle book went for. I was going to bid but it quickly went out of my price range

 

I'm assuming you're talking Death Rattle Vol. 1 #1. I didn't see what books were up for auction as I knew I wouldn't be bidding.

 

I think Death Rattle #1 is hard to get in high grade mainly because I don't remember Donahue ever having them in stock for his catalog. If he did, I would guess he didn't have a lot of them, as that book was never one of the ones he repeatedly listed on eBay.

 

One of the reasons a high grade copy of Funny Aminals should never be that tough to get is that Donahue had a ton of them, all in high grade.

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Plutona #1 (Lemire/Lenox)

Plutona1_zpsbftidfgt.jpg

 

A little something for the modern spec box... Plutona came on recommendation from my LCS. I have owned Sweet Tooth books in the past, and most recently enjoyed the dark Sweet Tooth tale (“Black”) that was including in Vertigo Quarterly CYMK #4. My LCS guy likes Lemire and I even said “I thought you might recommend this book.” And so paid my $3 and change and on my way.

 

This is the story of five suburban kids who find the body of Plutona, the world's greatest superhero, in the woods one day. ALSO pulled We Stand on Guard #3.

 

Off reg work today, just doing the online bit and so I am cleaning the apt before walking downtown to connect with the lady for the afternoon. ALSO, last night I scored some more ‘corner spot comix’ and I will have them to sort through later tonight.

 

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On the Haight Ashbury books, I was surprised at how much the Death Rattle book went for. I was going to bid but it quickly went out of my price range

 

Wow, the book in question CGC 9.8 Death Rattle #1 sold for $1195 with BP. Damn. There are some big results for books that I was not following too... $1700 for CGC 9.6 Cheech Wizard

 

Makes my 9.0 straight from Eggs look mighty tasty

CheechWizardCGC90OW001.jpg

 

Coincidentally, my lady loves this book ("that's mine" she says everytime she sees it).

She will be pleased to read of a 9.6 selling for $1700

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