10 Comics I Got at the BEST Time (and 10 Worst) 

Appreciate the balance so we don't think it's all pie in the sky.

Even though I can feel your pain you still at least made it funny. I have several regrets but when you showed ams 361 newsstand I felt some pain. I bought 3 copies off the spinner rack and sent one in 2-3 years ago and got a 9.8 and foolishly sold it for $365. Now you said it sold for $1699. 🤣🤣🤣

I love the humility....cuz we all do it

"I shoulda kept that money and spent it on something cool from the bronze age!" Felt that in my soul

Thank you for your honesty. I feel your pain and am happy for your gains. My sad stories are selling comics that are blowing up WAY too early. Yeah, I hate Virus as well; got burned badly.

Specking is like gambling yo. Thats why i just collect and wait, then let time tell what becomes valuable.

Boy I can relate. I sold my ASM 129 8.0 CGC and my Daredevil 1 3.0 cgc for around $2k which what they were going for. 6 months later they sell for close to $4k EACH. ooooooffffff. Kicking myself every day.

_So i just got Iron Man __#128__ raw & definitely atleast a 9.4 (probably 9.8 😅😂) from a Facebook comics group. $50! How’d I do? lol_

Damnn I really like your RU-vid channel and Instagram posts. I will follow you even w/mistakes. That’s how you learn. Keep it up and I will keep watching and someday buy some of those 9.8 you have extras.

Hey I love your great buy on the carnage. Yes this is Bob in Connecticut good morning I basically gave up bartending years ago because of comic books I had to sell a lot of books so I never go back to work. Well I will give you two big stories but basically there is never a good time to sell your comic books because most of the time they only go up quite a bit.Well two great stories one is when I paid $4000 for amazing fantasy 15 6.0 about 10 years ago in New York City at the comic con. Well amazing fantasy 15 6.0 sold last week the middle of April for $96,000. Yes I have horror stories. Another great story is I have X-Men 17.0 I bought that not graded years ago in New York for $300. Well there were two 5.0 on eBay this week of course that’s a lot lower than my grade one of them sold for $28,000 another one was over $30,000. Yes I sold hulk 181 8.0 for about $1200 a few years ago that’s all I could get fantastic 448 9.4 I only got $3000. There is never a good time to sell anything but if you have an amazing fantasy 15 I don’t care what condition you should never sell it.🥳🥳🥳

I know how tempting it is with the modern hot books but much as you’ve learned I take a chill pill and tell myself that the older stuff is where the true value is

Excellent, well produced, thorough, and a personal experience touch to it. I’d probably make a wobbly camera Steven Bochco version if I tried.

Ayyye.i got a 9.8 of Detective Comics 583 signed by Wagner. It's one of my prized possessions lol.

SO humble James! Keep it up bud

Awesome video! Great comparison of wins and losses. Love hearing your stories on each. Sorry about your loss on the Batwing 19 copies.

"Momma always said that Collecting Comics is like playing the Stockmarket... You never know what it's gonna do." :D :D :D LOL!!! I wish you all the best in the future James!

Great video man really like your different approach on videos

Thanks for showing both sides.

Fun video. You should revisit those issues a year from now to see if any of them switched categories. Of those issues, I have raw copies, bought off the rack at the time they went on sale, of: Batman 567, X-Men Annual 14, Batman 436, Batman/Harley Quinn, Amazing Spider-Man 361 (2 copies of the direct edition), X-Men 244, and Green Lantern 25. I have a beaten copy of Avengers 196 that was the third issue from my first-ever subscription. I bought a copy of New Teen Titans 2 around 2000. It appears to still be in great shape, though I haven't inspected it closely yet. I think it could be a 9.0-9.4, or maybe a 9.6.

Sometimes you're the bug, sometimes you're the windscreen ;) I have some big wins losses, most notable win is paying for $450 6 months ago for a CGC 9.6 Uncanny X-men 129 which has soared to $2k recently! Biggest loss (most annoying at least) $125 for a CGC 9.8 Venom 25 2nd print on the back of Codex/Virus hype. I keep the book to remind myself not to be caught up in hype again

I found a Justice league 31 new 52 during my birthday LCS Road trip last week for $5 mint! If Jessica Cruz ends up being huge would you say that’s her ultimate fall out 4? Or is it one of the other two I keep seeing being called her “first cameo” or whatever? Definitely confusing and definitely on the hunt for those

I got ASM 300 CGC 9.2 about 10 yrs ago for $50

Excellent! I have a few examples of both. Through blind chance I have a dozen or so of the books going crazy. But - I don't hesitate to overpay for books that I really want that are low on the census - the kind of books most folk don't care about. Overall - #damn

On the dreaded FB recently I picked up both a Predator 1 and Aliens 1 (both first prints) for a total of $11.00...neither will be a 9.8, I would say a 9.2 each, I can't complain.

I feel for you mate! I passed on a Giant sized x-men 1 around a 6.0 for $200AUS and now, well you know. And a ASM101 dor $120! This was about 2 years ago, by the way. So, you are not the only dummy. We all have done dumb things like this.

That Harley Quinn is a slippery sob. I bought one then a coworker gave me his collection, and it was in there also. So now I got 2 of them. Went To look for them for grading and I could only find one. They both in my CLZ & Key collector app, real life is telling I only got one. That miss book is driving me crazy too.

I never get upset when I buy a book, because I buy what I like. The only time I get upset is when I sell a book. I can always make more money, but getting a rare comic back that I sold might take years if it happens at all.

I had Batman Adventures #12 for cheap, sold for $300, Now worth hundreds more! #Dammmm!

I think the moral I would impart is, don't buy a slab of any book unless it's a homerun. Buy raw, and only slab when it's a for sure winner. It's not worth it (to me) to pay for a Batwing #19 or Venom 25 and then watch as the market tanks it. I can't think of anything I bought that went down, because I only pay $$$ for keys. If I spent $30 raw on a flavor of a month one time, that's the biggest loss I'll take.

It's the fun and process of collecting and speculation. Great video mate.

#damn! Thanks for sharing! You're always ahead when you get comics you like! ;-)

not really into comic books, but love ur videos, keep up the great work.....

#damm only going for damm because you have no money 🤣 keep it up bro joys of collecting love your videos

Great video, make another one of those!

The Batwing spec was a loss but I think we all sell comics less than what we pay them because we get in a bind. We also pay more for books we want.

#DAMMMN. The successes out weigh the losses. I try not to spec on the current stuff. But, no risk, no gain.

I lost my batman Harley Quinn for 6 months! found it in a random box of my nearly worthless books a few days ago.

Love hearing the stories. I remember getting my newsstand New Mutants 98 from the rack, only to send it off for press,grade and slab after having Rob ‘pouches’ Liefeld sign it. Came back a 9.0 due to a slightly off center cut from printing. Hurts a bit to take a hit on something I had no control of but I love knowing it’s the book I picked up as a kid. Instant sub👍🏻

#Damnoof lol. Its always good to hit it big, but I feel ya on the other side too.

so, i just bought an edition of an edition of Christopher's Priest run on Black Panther number #50 which is the 1st app of Kevin ¨Kasper¨ Cole as the Black Panther, and since we will no longer have T'Challa as the Panther, there's a possibily that i have huge key issue in my hands on a 9.2/9.4 grade, so that's awesome, now let's just wait and see

Great stories! I only spec on NCD pre-order cover price books. No store variants.

yeah it's crazy how easily you can misstep in this hobby. I don't sell much of anything, although I sold a Something is Killing the Children #3, 2nd print to a Local shop for $203 in trade. Considering I spent $3.99 on it and they had a couple of books I wanted (New Teen Titans #2 that you were talking about) and Avengers #16 (from original series), and I was able to get both of those plus a few other books and not spend a dime, it worked out well for me, despite how much the book keeps going up. It's just interesting how much has changed lately, with all the speculation and trying to stay ahead of it if there is a book you're eyeing up. Right now, I'm tending to zag, while everyone else zigs, unless I see a nice deal on a hot book. I think the last "hot" book I bought that was a bit spec was the West Coast Avengers 45, but I did that 3 months before the show came out for $15.

I lost my first taskmaster appearance and I've looked for it a bunch of times. I bought it in the 80s or 90s because he was always one of my favorite villains. It wasnt in the best condition but it's so frustrating not knowing what happened.

Glad I bought my 10 copies of Amazing Spider-Man 361 directly off the newsstand when it came out. Just sent them off to CGC to get graded.

#daaamn.i think the sum of the books you got definalty out do your losses. You have really good luck with flea market finds and stuff. I feel you though on the debating spending 400-500$ on one slabbed book. I myself spent like 4 months debating and figuring out how to get/afford a slabbed book. What one me over is that it was a 1 in 3 on the cgc cencus, a varient con cover that was limited due to the pandemic, signed and never sold before. The only downside is that if I ever choose to sell it I'm gonna have a hard time cause it's super niche

Regarding the lost Harley Quinn book; who else might have had access to your comics? Hate to say it but I deduce it might have been stolen. I have a hard time believing you just completely lost a slabbed key issue.

#OOF due to the Batwing, but your Batman 357 is nice!

I thought you meant a raw Booster Gold #1 was going for $600 and was about to start making it rain because I have 5 copies. Lol! But, then I checked eBay and they are CGC 9.8s going in that range. Not sure what my copies would get because they’re in pretty good condition, but probably more in the 8.5 to 9.0 area. Might send them off to see though. I’m definitely holding a few until an eventual movie announcement because I’ve always loved him as a character, and it’s only a matter of time before WB brings him to the big screen. I could see a James Gunn type or maybe Phil Lord and Chris Miller writing a hilarious script for him. Here’s to hoping! Awesome video as always, my man!

what frames do you use to display graded comics?

As the saying goes “education is expensive.” Breaking even means that you’re in the win column.

Two purchases I'm proud of: 1 - Detective Comics #583 raw for $2 in 2014. Submitted it to CGC and they gave it back to me 8.5. 2 - Batman Adventures #12 newsstand raw for $500 in 2014. Submitted it to CGC and they gave it back 9.2.

winners: I bought Uncanny X-Men from #210 to #310 and Annual #14, New Mutants from Graffic Novel to #100 all from cover price to 20$ each from either when they came out to 2003 ... bought NYX 1 to 5 when they came out .... and I won Spawn #1 to #25 in a bet with a friend in the 90s hahaha loosers: I sold my entire Spider-Man collection in 2003 for 500$ which included Amazing Spider-Man #289 to #366 which I had bought from cover price when they came out to max 50$ for issues 298, 299 and 300 ... biggest mistake in retrospect

Batwing. #ooof! Great video though.

I enjoyed this video.... Nice to see the highs... And unfortunately the lows in comic collecting... I'd say u just edged out the lows with a #damn!

Investing in DC is always a bad idea, unless you just want yo collect them for your own sentimental vakue.

That Harley Quinn story is a real bummer!

WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE ASH CAN COMICS .

DC books, value always drop

one of the best find of last yr was fightin five with peacmaker 1st app. got that book for 40 bucks but is in low mid grade.

I have won so many books on waffles on Facebook.

Around 2011 I picked up two TMNT #1 second prints for $200 each. CGC graded them 8.0 and 9.4, I think I got a good deal there! LoL

I absolutely LOVE this video! So many times we hear about the wins and not the losses. This video seems a little truer to life as a collector lol. Venom also got us ☺. Thanks for making this video. Let the healing begin.

If. They. Are. Spending. That. Much. I’d. Buy. Silver. Age.

had to look up LCS. now feel dumb

I will say that i'm speculating on rwby/justice league run.

That Harley slab is under the table!

I got a raw 361 for $1.25 on the news stand. 😎 Sent it to cgc in 2021 and it came back 8.0. 😭

Win or lose, it’s still all great fun!

Ah the stresses and woes of comic and statue collecting, gotta “love” it. I actually relate more to these in statues than I do in comics

I've grabbed a few books at the right time but that's about it. I just buy them to actually read anyway.

I did buy first print vengence of bane 70 bucks

Wait you got a 1 for 30 in a prescreen? That’s awesome

Seems even to me I needed the laughs tho your frustration was classic

I got a copy of that Detective 583 for around $5 off ebay a year or two ago, I was the only bidder for whatever reason. I wanted that book because I bought a page of Breyfogle's original art from it 20 years ago----then I just happened to stumble upon the original color guide for that same page about 15 years later. So I own both parts of original art from that book. Pretty neat how that worked out. Should probably send that book out to CGC as it's a 9.8, it's a near flawless copy that I can see, I don't know or can spot the difference between a 9.8, 9.9 or 10.0, ha. Be nice to display with the original art.

#Damn overall it seems like you're ahead on these. #oof for the lost book though. That blows. I hope that it turns up. My saddest tale is that I had not one but two copies of New Mutants 98 in 9.8, one was with white pages and the other was not. I bought them already slabbed. This was several years ago and at that time I wasn't spending much on comics. I did so because I thought we'd see Deadpool in a movie and the values would take off. That was true of course but unfortunately I didn't wait long enough. I gave up too soon on them making a movie. I sold them both for around $300. They sell for around $2400 now. It makes me sick.

I’d say a good ole dayummmm

Very nice entertaining video. I think we can all relate to both ends of the spectrum. I think if you buy books (raw or graded) that you like (beyond just spec,) you can't lose because you either make money or have a book that you like....so either the collector side or investor side wins. 🤗😁😎

Great video

That lost book hurts the most. I have a few like that - either lost them in a move or magic comic bunnies ate them while I slept (don't skoff! magic comic bunnies do this all the time). But overall - your wins are better than your losses. Just remember to watch this video before you start to speculate on a modern "key" again. :)

Really slick and fun(!) video James, I’d like to think you even out with ups and downs over time but the bad decisions stay with you 🤬 #Damnnn #rollercoaster

Your Mongul is my She-Hulk my friend! Lmao! Just dropped 800 bucks on a 9.6 but it's a magical newstand copy. Lol

I just mailed my Vengeance of Bane #1 in to CGC today. 🤞🏻 Planning on eventually doing the same for my Detective Comics #583 and Batman #357. Thanks for sharing man, great stuff as usual.

Damn pretty cool video...

I'd say DAMMMN, personally the value gained is more than the value lost. Funny enough I found my copy of Predator #1 in the dollar bin

I dunno.. I think you balanced out. I'm not into the CGC movement. Not for me. Speculation was something I had to live thru with Joy and pain. Biggest flop for me ? X-Factor #1. But a perfect example of outside forces affecting a comic book i have, and it's price... FF # 52. 1st app. of Black Panther. I probably have a VF/NM (?) I paid $80 for back in 1994. After the 'Civil War' and 'Black Panther'.... WOW!

I have that Wolverine #1, I think I got a decent deal, got the 9.6 at $110, excellent video man, love seeing both sides of the coin!!

More youtube comic guys need to make videos like this! We all have tons of hits and misses and it's fun to hear the stories.

#Damn buddy I'm starting to feel like I'm onroute to the same path of mistakes. Haha

Before I watched I guessed anything Captain Marvel on the worst list as I have some regrets there

Appreciate the honesty in both categories. It's probably a wash in the end. I myself got caught up in spec on Virus and Codex with a few purchases. For the most part I try to buy stuff that I want to keep or buy into established books or characters.

Have to go with Dammmmmmn, and you are not alone on the pains and joys of collecting. Thanks for sharing.

#Opps

Yea I only get my fav cover and forget the others. Why be a completist when you can be a favortist

I really enjoyed your video, hearing both wins and losses makes for a great video I hope more of these video's happen. I got back into comics about 5 years ago, I've been luckey. My area seems to always be behind the 8 ball, so watching hot lists and huge spikes, I can usually find most of the best books at rock bottom prices. I was nervous last summer when I hummed and hawed over a raw Invincible #1. I pulled the trigger at 150 bucks (the most I ever spent on a comic) pretty happy on that one. Now I finally beat that when a buddy and I bought a xmen 109 cgc 9.6 just the other day for 450 bucks. Last ebay sale was 1450, were hoping that to flip that one quick.

That Lobo statue is sweet man!!!

Lol some of these stories, we all have em bud

Good vid. Nice to see the slings and arrows and not just hype driven material.

The Detective Comics is not just the first appearance of Scarface... it is also the first Batman cover ever drawn by Mike Mignola of Hellboy fame. Great stories! Thank you for sharing!

Great topic #OOF...

DAMNNNNN.... What did you learn overall from Modern Spec?