I guess now is as good a time as any, to finish up this segment. Below I’ll be topping off the third of three pieces on some freshly received Graded Comics we had sent out some months back. But, if you are interested in seeing the full selection, check out the previous pieces here.
Part 1 -
@blewitt/the-art-of-comic-book-grading-part-1
Part 2 -
@blewitt/the-art-of-comic-book-grading-part-2
In this final piece on this, we are going to tackle the 4 remaining books. I hauled the grade on 2 of them, one was a coin toss, and the other was the second strikeout. Okay, let’s do it.
- The Joker #2 Hairsine Variant
The Trevor Hairsine variant for Joker #2 features a great shot of Batman baddie Bane’s daughter Vengeance…in which this is also her first appearance. This particular cover was given to retailers on a One Per Store basis, so there’s not a gazillion of them. This specific copy that my shop received, was pristine and I was 99% sure it would come back hitting the mark.
There have been 10 9.8’s that sold this year in which they ranged from $150-$250 for the most part. Although it looks like someone got a steal on one earlier this month for under a hundred. What a deal!
I expect this one to sit for a bit until DC gives this character a reason for people for people to give a shit. But when they do, a high grade first appearance in book and on a fairly limited variant cover that kicks ass…in the words of Jerry Maguire…
- Fearless Defenders #3
This particular book is also a long term play. It’s got a major strike against it being that nobody really gives a shit about this title. Buuuuut that also works in its favor as well, as not many retailers ordered heavily on it. That mixed with being a 1:50 variant makes it a friggin ghost.
Currently there are 0 raw copies available on eBay, there are however 4 graded copies. A 9.6 and 3 9.8’s with the lower having an asking price of $135, while the higher grades sitting with asking prices from $300, to $600, and then onto a completely unrealistic hopeful price of $1100.
Remember how I mentioned that nobody cares about this title? It’s ever so apparent when looking to see if there were any 9.8’s trading hands. You can see that only 2 9.8’s have sold, one in 2017 and the other in 2021. But the artist Jiminez has a consistent following. One of his fans might want to snag this ghostly gem for their collection. Either way, rare variants always have a base. Long term one again, but will sell for a nice sum when it finally moves.
- Edge of Spider-Verse #2
This one was the coin toss. A 9.8 candidate…but just as easily a 9.6 or on a bad day, a 9.4. Luckily this made me happy. While I’d have thanked the gods if a 9.8 greeted me, a 9.6 is a worthy grade on this super duper trophy of a book. Probably the most important 1st appearance in the past decade, this features the introduction of Spider-Gwen.
You probably have seen her in both of the amazing Spider-Verse films, she has assembled an arsenal of followers, fans, and yup…even cosplayers. She’s consistently spotted at all the comic conventions and I love that it’s brought out a larger chunk of female fans than any other character I can think of in recent memory.
A pristine 9.8 is currently commanding around a grand, but the 9.6 is holding its own currently as is rakes in $450-$650. This will sell quickly as it always does anytime we get a copy of this book in the shop.
- Deadpool #11 Hastings Variant
This was the grade I was most disappointed with. I genuinely thought and still do think that this is a 9.8 But, the grade is the grade…and this one was not even fortunate enough for the 9.6. (Heavy Sigh) Regardless, even a 9.4 is a yummy grade for a book that has a supply & demand problem.
This was an exclusive variant to a chain of now defunct shops called Hastings. It’s known as the Hastings or 8-Bit Variant for its obvious 8-Bit video game look. I am a big believer in checking off as many boxes as possible when creating a variant, as it gives you a much larger pool of potential suitors. Between Deadpool having a gigantic base, rare variant hunters will also hunt this, as well as some hardcore gamers.
Even though I’m bummed it didn’t score the 9.8 and came in at a 9.4, it’s still highly sight after. Kinda one of those books that the hunters are just happy to own. 2 9.8’s changed ownership this year at $575, and $600. 5 copies moved for 9.6’s between $250-$450. Here’s the interesting part, one 9.4 moved at $350 and a 9.2 at $300. So outside the coveted 9.8, the next several grades all play in the same sandbox. This will wait for the right buyer, but we will make someone’s day while also making a tasty return. Win win…
That about wraps up this selection. I’ll do another one of these when I receive the next batch back from CGC. That will be focused on lower grade Silver & Bronze Age keys like first Thanos, 1st Ghost Rider, and Death of Gwen Stacy.
My most genuine thanks for spending a little time with me. Hope you learned a little sone thing or two about my weird little world.
Blewitt