What comics did you buy today?

[philcom55]

Incidentally, I just bought a pile of 1960s Beanos, along with assorted TV Funs, TV Comics, etc. thrown in for free. I couldn't really afford them - but at just 75p each I couldn't really afford not to buy them either!

Also, if anyone's passing through Wolverhampton their branch of The Works is always worth looking into. Last weekend I noticed they had a pile of slipcased facsimile editions of the first Dandy Annual for just £3.99, as well as Paul Gravett's excellent books on 'Great British Comics' and 'Graphic Novels' for £4.99.

- Phil R.

[Peter Gray]

Thanks Phil for what to expect...sound great..
2 of the Beezers are 1960 so maybe I'll get a Jellymen one..

I'll use your artists names for a post on some of those artists mentioned..

Glad it looks like I'll get a Black Sapper one..

[chrissmillie]

My tuppence worth (taken from http://comicbooks.about.com/od/buyingco ... ograde.htm)

Good
(CGC: 3.0-1.5)
(Overstreet 14-5)
(Abbreviated as GD)
A below average comic book. For a comic book to be in this grade it may have major defects, but must still be readable. Most new comics in this condition will have little to no value.

For a comic book to be considered, “Good” it needs to meet the following criteria:

Outside:
The Cover
A detached cover is acceptable.
Creases, fading and major discoloration available.
Minor tears and folds.
Coupons may be cut from the cover.

The Spine
The staples may discolored, rusted, or even absent.
Creases and minor tears permitted.
Inside:
The Pages
May have some obvious types of repair such as tape.
The color of the pages may be brown.
The pages should not be brittle.
There may be small bits of the comic missing.
There may be stains and other defects of the pages.
Overall:
A below average comic book.

So, looks to be possibly GD condition. It can be frustrating when you accurately grade a comic, only for someone who hasn't done their homework to complain it's not in good condition, when really they mean FN or above.

[Lew Stringer]

The other annoying thing is when they write:

PLEASE NOTE: I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL COMICS GRADER.

Yes, because you have to be 'a professional comics grader' (I've never seen any job ads crop up for that position) to be able to notice things like dog-eared pages, huge tears, rusted staples, missing posters and pages ripped out.

Some people do apparently charge for grading comics (more in the USA than here). However, like you say, one doesn't need to be an expert to recognise a tatty comic.

Going by eBay it seems that some people's idea of "excellent" means that the comic is still hanging together and is complete. I don't think I'd want to buy a house from sellers like that.

Lew

[Raven]

... For a comic book to be considered, “Good” it needs to meet the following criteria:

Outside:
The Cover
A detached cover is acceptable.
Creases, fading and major discoloration available.
Minor tears and folds.
Coupons may be cut from the cover.

The Spine
The staples may discolored, rusted, or even absent.
Creases and minor tears permitted.
Inside:
The Pages
May have some obvious types of repair such as tape.
The color of the pages may be brown.
The pages should not be brittle.
There may be small bits of the comic missing.
There may be stains and other defects of the pages.
Overall:
A below average comic book.

So, looks to be possibly GD condition. It can be frustrating when you accurately grade a comic, only for someone who hasn't done their homework to complain it's not in good condition, when really they mean FN or above.

I totally disagree with you there. It's wrong to expect buyers - most of whom will not be hardcore collectors - on Ebay to be familiar with the gradings of the Overstreet Price Guide or similar specialist books. Buyers are under no obligation to 'do their homework' - the Ebay description should be clear, honest and fully self-contained, and for most, if a comic is listed as good condition, they will not unreasonably expect the comic to be in good condition. Good as in the standard dictionary definition of 'good,' which is the most likely and reasonable interpretation one would expect. They won't presume good condition to mean bad or indeed atrocious condition.

If those are the standards a seller is grading by, they need to put 'Comics are in good condition, as defined by (for example) The Overstreet Price Guide' and then fully explain *exactly* what that definition means within the description: 'looks like it's been used to wipe the bum of every elephant in Chester Zoo and then put through a lawnmower for good measure' or whatever. .

**

I won an annual from Ebay a few days ago described as 'excellent condition throughout' which had a back colour page clearly ripped out and missing, and bad water damage staining almost every page with up to six big black blots. I'm still trying to find out which official grading guide that seller was using.

[Peter Gray]

the exact quote
We are offering for sale these rare BEEZERS as shown.......we are far from experts but im told this is very hard to find



25 DATE FROM 1959 AND 2 FROM 1960


WE RATE CONDITION AS EITHER:

VERY FINE
FINE
EXCELLENT
VERY GOOD
GOOD
FAIR
POOR



THESE ARE a mix OF MAINLY GOOD WITH SOME VERY GOOD AND SOME FAIR-GOOD


THEY HAVE BEEN FOLDED ONCE


so he said they are everything on the list...just to cover his back..
oh well...glad I didn't pay any more for it..

[chrissmillie]

I totally disagree with you there. It's wrong to expect buyers - most of whom will not be hardcore collectors - on Ebay to be familiar with the gradings of the Overstreet Price Guide or similar specialist books. Buyers are under no obligation to 'do their homework' - the Ebay description should be clear, honest and fully self-contained, and for most, if a comic is listed as good condition, they will not unreasonably expect the comic to be in good condition. Good as in the standard dictionary definition of 'good,' which is the most likely and reasonable interpretation one would expect. They won't presume good condition to mean bad or indeed atrocious condition.

If someone is going to buy a collectable comic graded as 'Good' then buyer beware. The comic seller has graded according to international standards for the collectors market. The seller has NOTHING to apologise for as he has correctly graded the item.

Whether it's antiques, stamps, classic cars or comics, if you're going to delve into collecting (as opposed to just nostalgic buying where grading is less important), then know your subject or prepare to get burnt. I'll say again, the seller has used the correct grading terms (hopefully) and done nothing wrong.

[Raven]

The comic seller has graded according to international standards for the collectors market. The seller has NOTHING to apologise for as he has correctly graded the item.

Whether it's antiques, stamps, classic cars or comics, if you're going to delve into collecting (as opposed to just nostalgic buying where grading is less important), then know your subject or prepare to get burnt. I'll say again, the seller has used the correct grading terms (hopefully) and done nothing wrong.

He's correctly graded the item if he puts GOOD 'as defined by the ... ' followed by whatever grading guide he's using and what that actually means in real terms, as these guides will be, to most people, obscure and clearly do change the meanings of words to mean their exact opposite. Otherwise those 'international standards for the collectors market' would mean nothing in a court of law ('must be sold as described'), or to the buyer swiftly getting their money back via a Paypal claim.

But any honest seller will surely just give a fair and specific summing up of the individual issue in a few words, anyway - i.e. 'has slight browning on back page, a small tear on page 22 and a coupon cut out on page 25.'

It isn't difficult, it isn't misleading, it isn't cryptic, and it's what the good sellers who have nothing to hide do. Honest sellers with clear descriptions are so precious on Ebay that I think they're the ones buyers will keep going back to.

(Peter, you had the clear photo of the Beezers so you could see exactly what you were buying, so we're talking in general here rather than about your Beezer splurge itself!)

[Kashgar]

Hope you enjoy your purchases Peter and that none of them are missing pages which given the loose folded way most tabloid titles were put together is always a possibility. (There is also an irritating spin-off from this I'll term tabloid transplant surgery in which you'll quite frequently find an apparent complete issue of Beezer, Topper etc which on closer inspection of the footer dates printed at the base of the internal pages is actually an amalgamation of pages from several issues). I suppose the fact that you can actually see the comics, and always supposing that those on view are the worst rather than the best of the bunch, I think the optimistic 'good condition' rating is slightly less problemmatic than if you had been buying them on verbal description alone.
Speaking of ebay descriptive bugbears I also hate the liberal use of the word 'rare' in comics listings.

[LauraH]

Also, if anyone's passing through Wolverhampton their branch of The Works is always worth looking into. Last weekend I noticed they had a pile of slipcased facsimile editions of the first Dandy Annual for just £3.99, as well as Paul Gravett's excellent books on 'Great British Comics' and 'Graphic Novels' for £4.99.

Shhh Phil that's one of the Midlands' best comic secrets! When I used to work in Wolverhampton and could visit The Works there regularly (sadly no longer the case), I managed to buy, over a period of a year or two, an almost complete run of Fables, Watchmen, most of Lucifer, The Art of Alex Ross (HB), pretty much every volume of the Sandman, Swamp Thing, Preacher, Hellboy, and a pile of other GNs I bought out of curiosity and still haven't got round to reading... all for between £2.99 and £4.99 each. And that doesn't even touch on the stuff they had that didn't interest me, such as loads of superhero titles, Modesty Blaise compilations etc etc...

They ought to set up a mailing list for comics fans so we can all have a daytrip out to Wolves when they get their piles of GNs in

[chrissmillie]

He's correctly graded the item if he puts GOOD 'as defined by the ... ' followed by whatever grading guide he's using and what that actually means in real terms, as these guides will be, to most people, obscure and clearly do change the meanings of words to mean their exact opposite. Otherwise those 'international standards for the collectors market' would mean nothing in a court of law ('must be sold as described'), or to the buyer swiftly getting their money back via a Paypal claim.

This is my fundamental disagreement. They are sold EXACTLY as described. These are the grading terms used to sell comics. The seller can easily back himself up in a court of law. The seller is using the correct procedure for grading and selling. He has multiple standard books, websites, experts etc to back him up. All the buyer can do is plead ignorance about buying a graded comic but not taking the trouble to find out what a grading means.

[colcool007]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch!

Today, I got what can only be described as a comic collectors Lucky Bag. A box about 2 - 4 kg stuffed full of comics and what a treat for me. These include:

25 Commandos from 800's to 4100's
38 Assorted War, Battle and Air Ace Pocket Libraries including Battle Picture Library issue 21 from 1961!
6 Assorted Summer Specials of the same ilk including the Top Secret Pocket Library Summer Special as shown in Crikey! issue 9.
One Action Pocket Library (issue 4 from 1969)
2 Western and 2 Detective Pocket Libraries
3 Chiller Libraries.
17 Mini Digests of the DC ilk and
15 Astounding/Uncanny Tales

All in a variety of conditions from JPA (Just Plain Awful) to VG and described as such by the seller. But it was a grab bag as I could see what was in there title wise but not issue wise. Here is a link that I hope works. All in all a worthwhile purchase as I got 100 plus comics for £25. And to get them only 8 days later especially when I am almost as far away as Chris is a double bonus!!

Goodie Bag

[stevezodiac]

Whenever I buy a pile of comics quite cheaply i'm fairly phlegmatic. The way I see it if a third of them are very good i figure its still a good deal as you've paid less than a third of their guide price for them anyway. Beezers and Toppers are rarely very good due to their size and the fact no-one has ever made a comic bag that fits them. Once you've straightened them out - unfolded the dog-ears and applied a bit of magic tape here and there you'll find them a bit easier on the eye. After 44 years of collecting comics being a bit of a restoration expert is second nature.

[Raven]

Speaking of ebay descriptive bugbears I also hate the liberal use of the word 'rare' in comics listings.

There's one seller's descriptions that amuse me. For the old Valiant and Lion-type comics he sells, he puts THESE COMICS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR ONE DAY!

I love the idea that IPC had them all swiftly withdrawn after that first day of sale.

[Lew Stringer]

Speaking of ebay descriptive bugbears I also hate the liberal use of the word 'rare' in comics listings.

There's one seller's descriptions that amuse me. For the old Valiant and Lion-type comics he sells, he puts THESE COMICS WERE ONLY AVAILABLE FOR ONE DAY!

I love the idea that IPC had them all swiftly withdrawn after that first day of sale.

Perhaps he took the cover line "Every Monday" too literally.

Lew