Comics that cost a lot, but have no reason to

[Rollo Tomassi]

You know me, I buy a lot of comics. My mantra is, if it's a buck, I'll give it a shot. I went on ComicBookDB and also bought an Overstreet Price Guide (not to check prices, because those guys are out of whack on anything less than 15 years old.) but as a checklist of just about any book I might be interested in, whether its an obscure Iron Man oneshot, or a Hulk mini series, or a short lived DC ongoing. Whatever. And I made this huge list on my blackberry, so that when I'm rifling thru the dollar bins, I can look and see if I "need" that issue to fill a gap in my collection. I'm not a grading prude. If a book is Fine or VeryFine, grading wise, I can't hardly tell the difference between that and supposedly NearMint shit fresh off the Diamond Truck. And lately, I've been perusing ebay quite a bit finding stuff thats only a few months old, being sold for a buck. Most of my current DC stuff I paid a dollar for it, rather than 2.99-3.99.

But sometimes I come across a hole in my collection, and when I go to look for a bargain online, I discover people are asking CRAZY prices for them. And to me, the reasoning behind the price is whack out of date reasoning. So I'm gonna start posting these frustrations here ranty tanty style. As I discover more books like this, I'll post them.

First up. A few years ago, I bought pretty much the entire run of Birds of Prey from issue 18 on. Since then, I've tried hunting down those first 16 issues, as well as the earlier limited series and one shots before it became an ongoing. Funnily enough, I found there VERY First oneshot for a quarter last year on FCBD. And most of the other issues I've come across for a buck or less. I'm down to the last four issues I need. 4, 8, 16, and 17. (and three issues of the Manhunt mini, but I think those'll turn up eventually for cheap).
4 and 17, I'm thinking won't be HTF if I'm patient. But Birds of Prey 8 is ridiculously goddamn high on ebay. Why? Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon go on a fucking date. Its part of a story that's a minor hiccup in both characters relationships from over a decade ago. Dick alone has since dated and shagged a half dozen chicks, including Huntress. And Babs sorta dated Ted Kord and Jason Bard. But this book was "hot" when the story happened, and has perpetuated that faux sense of value ever since. The other issue Birds of Prey 16 is a Barbara confronts the Joker story. oooooh. yeah. But its not the only time its happened. And its not even the first time its happened. They did it first in the Suicide Squad series from the 80s when Babs debuted as the mysterious Oracle. So, again, probably was a big deal back in 1999 when the book came out, but 12 years later? It's like asking $50 for the 4th appearance of Gambit instead of the first. Fuck, I bet you could find a copy of the Killing Joke where she actually got shot for less than what this book goes for.

Next up, Black Panther had a really great series written by Chris Priest back in 2000 that ran for 60 issues. I mean, its a great read, and is the best BP series to date, you should really check it out and be impressed at how badass T'Challa can be in the right writers hands. But you can pretty much find every issue for 50 cents if you wanted to. And I did. Except one.Black Panther 23 is singled out because it has a goddamn Deadpool appearance in it. Fucking fuck. Seriously, do a search on ebay and prepare to shit yourself that some guys are asking $75 for this fucking thing.

There are more. Many many more.

[anarky]

Wow. I think I have that BOP issue, strangely enough.

GIJoe #'s 153-4. Sure, the end of the series had one of the smallest print runs in Marvel history. But there's the story arc that ends (sorta) in #151, where Cobra Commander hypnotizes all the reformed former Cobras (Destro, Baroness, Storm Shadow, and Zartan, as well as Billy), then beats the shit out of Snake Eyes with his battle armor. Issue #152 is about the original Joe. Issue #155 should've been the continuation of the story, but wound up being the final issue.

Issues #153-4 are two fill-in issues. They're by no one notable. And, truthfully, they both really suck, and nothing of consequence happens. (To be honest, it makes no sense that the team is being shut down because Cobra's no longer seen as a threat, when Cobra invades the fucking Pit in #153.) But they go for insane prices.

Like I said, I know the print run is low, but do people really want shit because they didn't print too many?

While we're on the subject, how about the opposite? I've always wondered why Transformers #53 and #67 don't go for more than they do (the same relatively low values as the issues around them). True, #53 is utter shit, and I think both are penciled by Jose Delbo. But the covers are by Jim Lee. Really. And he wasn't some unknown at the time, either. I got #67 when it came out, but started collecting in earnest around the release of #56, and it took me two years to track down #53, which was only three months old when I started!

[Rollo Tomassi]

Ahhh yes... several of my HTF issues are that very same problem. The "second to last" issue syndrome. When I quit collecting back in '95 I leftoff on a bunch of series like Guardians of The Galaxy, War Machine, Warlock and The Infinity Watch, Night Thrasher, Nova, Secret Defenders and Silver Sable. Now obviously, its not worth paying very much to fill out the ends of these series. They weren't very good books. But I've gone to look at prices for them, and while not in the staggering double digits, they still ask for waaaay more than what the laws of supply and demand would warrant. I mean, back in the 90s books were getting CANCELLED if they ONLY had a 150,000 sales. Compared to todays circulation these issues are plentiful, and yet people are asking $5-10 for some of them. Crazy. I'm patient and finished off Silver Sable for a couple bucks last month. But the rest of them, I'll just be patient until some guy unloads a run of them for .99 cents.

Seriously? Secret Defenders? Somebody has a sense of humor.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Heres a few more

Green Lantern Corps 32 and 33. These are prelude issues to Blackest Night. Other than that I can't think of why people would be charging $5 for these.

Superboy 62. From his 1994-2002 series. I cannot fathom why this book is $7+ and the rest are 50cent fodder. It's one of the three issues I'm missing for a full run.

Black Panther 9. From the 2005 series. I found the three other issues I was missing for a buck, leaving only ths one. But the guy wanted $7 for this one. Strange.

[anarky]

That Superboy is part 3 of a story that runs at least 4 parts. (Didn't bother looking at all the covers.) Part 4 has Doomsday. Part 3 has some dude called Black Zero who's a Superboy clone, and looks like it might feature other versions of Superboy. Maybe a Final Crisis tie-in character of some sort?

[Rollo Tomassi]

I have the other three issues and I found them for super cheap. And from reading the other issues I can't fathom why the first part would be so much.

[Rollo Tomassi]

Green Lantern vol 2 81 and 100. 81 features the "funeral" of Hal Jordan with a spiffy die-cut or embossed or whatever cover of a headstone. Apparently after the "Final Night" Event Hal sacrificed himself to save Earth and in his "final" moments was a good guy again. So they threw him one of those big sloppy comic funerals. And issue 100 was, aside from being a milestone issues, Hal (Ithink it's a time-travelling Hal from the past) returns and teams up with Kyle for the first time. Or something. Now, back then I can see how these would be slightly bigger deals than usual issues. But in light of the recent 8 years or so of continuity, these books have completely lost their significance. So they should't be fetching what people are asking. I suppose the film might be a contributing factor, but one would assume that an across the board surge of GL popularity would account for earlier GL books and thats just not happening. I cleaned up a couple weeks ago on more than half of what was left of the series I'm trying to fill out. For like 30 cents a book. So its just these two books.

[Tom Foolery]

Going thru my master list I keep on my phone of all the books I don’t have/still want(need) and I started looking at series that I’ve almost completed, but are still missing one or two or four issues. So I started looking those issues up on comicbookrealm.
Turns out there’s reasons I can’t find them in the discount bins. Here are a few I’ve found out are going to be HTF and expensive to complete my runs.

Batman:Shadow of the Bat 83. Current “Value” $12. Part of the No Man’s Land mega crossover, it’s the first appearance of Helena Bertinelli in the new Batgirl costume that would eventually be given to Cassandra Cain. It’s also the only issue I’m missing for a complete run of SOTB.

Flash:SecretFiles & Origins 3 CV $25. I keep all my SF&O issues in the “S” box and on my phone list. This and Legion SF 3003 are the only two I’m missing. This one is because it’s the first appearance of Hunter Zolomon, who would go on to become Zoom aka the second Reverse Flash.

Superman/Batman Annual 4 CV $20. The final issue I’m missing for a complete S/B run. This is the first appearance ‘in DC continuity’ of Terry McGinnis as Batman Beyond. If that makes any kind of nerd sense to you.

Wonder Woman 72 CV $40. From WW’s 1987 series, I’m only missing 4 issues and an Annual. The other three issues 73, 79, 86 aren’t crazy expensive so I feel like I’ll find them eventually. But this one, issue 72, just spikes up from the books around it. Near as I can tell, it’s just a very cool iconic Brian Boland cover.

Zatanna:Everyday Magic CV $40. This was a Prestige oneshot released under the Vertigo imprint in 2003. It’s got a nice Boland cover, but other than that I think it’s just a low print run making it more expensive.


I may start going thru my entire list a do a more complete run down and see what else I can’t find and why.

[Tom Foolery]

Here’s another one.

Spectre 54. CV $40. From the 1992 series. I’m missing 54, 57, and 62. 57 and 62 aren’t expensive(62 was the final issue of the series). But 54 is the first appearance of Michael Holt, aka Mr Terrific II and is therefore expensive af.
But on the bright side, I looked up the ‘87 Spectre series, which I thought was 32 issues and it’s only 31, so I removed issue 32 from my list and only need the first issue of that series.

[jjreason]

I was looking at completing my Spectacular Spider-Man run & #90 has a Black Cat appearance - someone was asking $70 for it. To me Spec & Web are filler series, for which I only want to pay filler prices.

[anarky]

Spectacular had the long-running Green Goblin 2 arc, including the criminally underrated "The Child Within." Bite your tongue!

[Tom Foolery]

I was looking at completing my Spectacular Spider-Man run & #90 has a Black Cat appearance - someone was asking $70 for it. To me Spec & Web are filler series, for which I only want to pay filler prices.

That is one of the three disputed issues that has claim to being the 1st Appearance of the Black Suit Spider-Man, along side ASM 252 and some issue of Marvel Team Up. Not because it has Black Cat in it. Still, $70 is way too high an asking price. Fuck that guy.

I’m missing 16 issues of Spec and the first Annual. But the only egregiously priced one is the 1st issue which goes for $90. What extra sucks is that my best friend whom I’ve known for close to 25 years(he briefly posted here as DrMcdiddlepants) has had a copy all these years and refuses to give it to me sell it to me at a reasonable price of $5.

I’ll get it off him eventually

[jjreason]

Team Up is 141 with Daredevil. Luckily I'm in possession of my brother's complete Team Up run & we all know that possession is 9 tenths of something or other.

[Tom Foolery]

Continuing on the subject of Amazing Spider-Man from the other topic.
As I stated, I have a full run from 268 on. From 200 on, I’m only missing 32 issues. Most are in the $10-15 range based on their age.

Here are the notable issues.

200 features the death of the Burglar that killed Uncle Ben. It goes for $45. I have it.
201-202 are early Punisher appearances. They go for $24 each. I have 201, but not 202.
Missing 204 thru 210. The only notable issue is 209 which is the first appearance of Calypso and goes for $20.
Missing 212, 213, 215 thru 219. Nothing of note in them.
Missing 221, 223, 225, 227. Nothing of note.
229 and 230 are the 2 part Juggernaut arc. Goes for $22 each. I have both of them.
Missing 231, 232, 237. Nothing going on there.
238 and 239 are the first and second appearances of Hobgoblin. $140 and $60. Missing both of them.
Missing 244, 245, 249, 250, 251 Nothing of note, but 249 and 250 are slightly more expensive, maybe because of it being issue 250?
252 is the first black costume. Goes for $85. I have TWO copies. I have to thank 13 year old me, for having the foresight of getting two of these.
Missing 254, 266, and 267. Nothing of note.
265 is the first appearance of Silver Sable. $28. Have it.
275 is a retelling of Spidey’s origin. $25. Have it.
289 is the first appearance of Jason Macendale, the (umpteenth) Hobgoblin and future Jack O’lantern. $25. Have it.
298-300 are McFarlane’s first ASM issues and Venom’s debut. $80, $60, $400. I have two copies of each. Again, THANK YOU 13 year old me. I’d time travel and high five you if I could.

[jjreason]

Awesome! My "new" #1 is Roger Stern's first issue (which I believe is 224 without checking). So I need a few between 224 & 238. I still have a few issues from before that, which is nice, including a 135 (2nd Punisher) which I got a good deal on back when ebay was still kinda new. Yes, it still has the Marvel Value Stamp! I also have 161 which features Nightcrawler AND the Punisher & might be his 3rd appearance. Missing 162 which finishes that story though & it's likely pricey. Poop.

From there I'm good up through the end of V1. I broke down & got my 300 graded thinking for sure it would catch a high number & might be able to sell it for an absurd sum then buy a slightly worse one.... but it "only" got a 9.2. It would sell, but not for the fortune a 9.6 would have.

Volume 2 I only have issue 1, then break until 24 or 25. You want to high five your 13 yr old self, I want to bitch slap my 23 year old one.

I'm good from that point on until Superior Spider-Man, of which I believe I'm missing only the last issue & possibly 1 or 2 of the annuals. After that I'm solid through 801. Starting to contemplate letting the last 2 volumes go (Alex Ross covers) just to clear some space. I enjoyed Slott's grand finale, but not much of what he did with "Parker Industries".