ABOUT OUR BOOKS

Grading Process
Grading Chart of Defects
Restoration
Paper Quality Index
Grading Code
Symbol Code

When grading comic books, it's essential to remember that books in all grades, including near mint, will have defects. The determining factors are the number and/or severity of defects. The greater the number of defects, or the greater their severity, the lower their grade. This is also true for books within the same grade range. For example: A book that is Good+ will have fewer defects that a book that is only Good.

The grading of a book is a two-step process.

1] Objective science. [Identify ALL of the defects to the book.]
2] Subjective evaluation. [Evaluate the accumulated defects.]

An experienced, honest and judicial application of the above process will determine the books place in the grade range. While the final grade of any book is ultimately an individual determination, I strive for consistency while applying uniform grading standards.

All collectors are seeking value in their purchases. Value is determined by the accuracy, and consistency of the standards relied upon for grading. Within the 'mail order' segment of the comic market, [this includes ALL internet auction, web-site, and catalogue sales] there is a wide variation in grading standards that can be directly attributed to blind ignorance, obvious incompetence, and /or intentional fraud by overzealous sellers.

Short of personally inspecting the book before purchase, the best indicator of quality grading is the dealers "book acceptance rate". A high "book acceptance rate" is a good indication of customer satisfaction, and of the sellers' ability to provide consistently accurate value as demanded by the "market". In over 28 years of business, and with many thousands of books sold, I have compiled and maintained a book acceptance rate above 99%. My RETURN rate is LESS than 1%.

The following chart is a listing of common defects by severity. The presence of these defects will often determine the assignment of a grade. As an example, if a book has only a "small, very light crease" it could be graded as Near Mint. However, if it also has a taped spine it could be assigned a grade of Good. Furthermore, a book that has a "very small tear" can be Very Fine, but the presence of "many small tears" may lower the grade to Fine or lower.

Unlike some of the new, and strange OVERSTREET grading definitions, I DON'T allow tan pages on a VF, or TAPE on a book in a higher grade than a FR+/Good. A book missing ANY page is INCOMPLETE, and NOT a fair. If ½ the cover is missing, the book is NOT a FAIR; it is, again, INCOMPLETE. In short, ALL of my books, UNLESS otherwise stated, are "complete" in that they are not missing any essential TEXT, or ART necessary to the identification or understanding of the book. Finally, the absence of a higher grade than Near Mint reflects my opinion that a perfect book is beyond the scope of my resources to identify.

The increasing value, and diminishing supply peculiar to vintage comics of exceptional quality has elevated the need to preserve, prolong, and protect the life of existing low-grade specimens through restoration. A restored book can range from having a single tear repaired, or a minor color touch-up, to the complete rebuilding of large parts of the cover or interior.

It is my policy to identify ALL restored books where the restored defects are beyond the set of defects allowed for that grade. For example: A book is in Fine condition overall but has a small tear that has been sealed. This would be noted as FN (st) because the small tear is a defect outside the scope of a FN definition. A book graded a Fair+ would not be identified as a restored book if the defects that were restored (sealed tear, tape removal, color touch, etc.) are common to a book graded as Fair+.

The value of a restored book relative to an unrestored book depends on the degree of restoration. All of the books listed in this catalog that have been restored, (R) are graded below Fine. It is my belief that restoration will not enhance the overall value of a book more that a few levels within the grade range it occupies. A book with a ragged cover, graded in Good condition, subjected to extensive expert restoration may appear to be Very Fine, but in fact will usually have a value no greater than an unrestored Very Good.

There is no such thing as a "restored high grade" book. Only non-invasive [dry clean, pressing, etc.] techniques can enhance a high-grade book. ANY structural, or cosmetic addition [tape, rice paper, adhesive, ink, etc.] to a comic book is RESTORATION. The removal of dirt, or the pressing of a crease will not fundamentally alter the structure or surface appearance of a book and therefore, is NOT restoration any more than washing or pressing a suit. Take a needle and thread to the same suit and you have "restoration".

The vast majority of the books in this catalogue that have any restoration [SR, R], appear better than the restored grade assigned. However, the largely hidden structural and cosmetic repairs are factored together to arrive at a grade that is close in VALUE to an UN-RESTORED copy. For example: most of my VG[R] books will not only APPEAR better than an unrestored VG, but will also have SUPERIOR structural integrity. Therefore, MOST of my restored books have values SIMILAR to an un-restored copy.

I have many books that APPEAR to be FINE or BETTER, due to extensive expert restoration, but I have graded them no HIGHER than a FINE -[R]. Which would YOU choose at the SAME price, an UN-RESTORED Action #1 in FINE condition, or a "slabbed" "APPARENT VF/NM" copy of Action #1?

I have personally witnessed many 'horror' scenes like the following:

1] An "apparent VF" book with "moderate restoration" and a "VF" price tag that has in fact, obvious, and EXTENSIVE restoration, and a REAL value no GREATER than an unrestored VG copy.
2] A "slabbed" book labeled as a "VF/NM" with "moderate restoration" that was originally INCOMPLETE [coupon missing], with LARGE pieces MISSING, and in FAIR condition.
3] A "slabbed" book labeled as a "NEAR MINT" that has a slight color touch-up, AND a glue repair at the spine.

"UNRESTORED"? "NEAR MINT"? What IS going on?

The perspective of almost 30 years in the comic market, qualifies me to state unabashedly that this is a CALCULATED FRAUD on the part of greedy and unscrupulous speculators / dealers manipulating the market in order to make a FAST buck on the IGNORANCE of BIG MONEY "investors", and all those that follow meekly in their wake. BEWARE!