So the big news this week is that several new comics showed up “damaged” to retailers this week…and to be honest, this damage wasn’t immediately obvious to me, so I figured I lucked out and didn’t get any of those copies. However, a customer did later point out a couple of minor spine creases on Absolute Batman #20, which apparently affected the entire print run (along with Absolute Martian Manhunter #11 and Barbara Gordon: Breakout #1).
I mean, honestly, the “damage” I’ve seen so far on these books appear to be well within the acceptability of new sales. I just looked at my own copy of Absolute Batman #20 and there is one single little spine break…I’ve seen a lot worse on new comics I’ve received that didn’t get all this hubbub. I also examined my personal copy of the new Absolute Martian Manhunter and I don’t see anything I’d call damage.
The instigation for this is, of course, the people who want to get those “9.8” returns on the Absolute Batmans submitted to CGC, since those are Big Money right now. Had this same thing happened to, I don’t know, Aquaman, we wouldn’t be hearing a peep. I don’t know, maybe I did get lucky and only have minor issues with my copies. Maybe other stores’ copies were absolute (heh) disasters.
Anyway, DC is putting out free “2nd printing” replacements for all these, which…I don’t know, I suppose that’ll keep the comic-flippers happy since Absolute Batman reprints also still seem to be “hot” and “collectible.” And DC announced that they’ll be talking to the grading companies like CGC about the linewide damage on these books, to…I don’t know, make them consider these books “Near Mint” even with the spine ticks? Or call them “Qualified 9.8” which, as I’ve probably noted before here or on the socials, a meaningless grade?
Sigh. But still, it’s an ill wind that blows no one any good (as per this eBay listing sent to me by former employee Aaron):
So technically, still not Near Mint because it’s been repaired. Would’ve been better off just leaving the comic alone.
And frankly, given the printing, handling, and shipping processes comics go through to get to the local comic shop, folks should be glad they show up in one piece at all.
I’m not buying AbBats, but I did take a look at a copy and it seemed just fine to me. Apparently, it was a bend that went through the cover and first 3 or 4 pages? I guess?
Dumb question, I suppose. Is it that big a deal to have a copy of the creased AB issue, considering it is so far into its run? $150 on eBay?
And to automatically make the replacements second printings? Shouldn’t that be wrong, if the entire print run wasn’t affected? (The Batgirl book is the exception, being #1.) Half my comics smell like Ben-Gay and Icy Hot. The #1s that don’t aren’t worth more because they smell like parchment only.
I’m somewhat joking, but will this be the norm now, just making a screw-up turn into a second printing?
Some comic collectors are really obsessive. They demand to only buy perfect copies of their comics. If they find the slightest flaw, they’ll make complaints to the store owner. I don’t mean solely speculators either, some fans are simply very anal about keeping their comics in mint condition, even if they never plan to resell the books. The people at the comic shop I frequent love customers like me because I don’t really care about the condition of the comics I buy, as long as the book isn’t mangled or missing pages, I just buy it.
There’s no way that person is going to get $150 for a repaired issue. The comic is still available at cover price with the damage. Anyone who cares that much about condition won’t spend a crazy amount of money for a copy that has been repaired.
Also, isn’t Absolute Batman the highest selling superhero book in the market right now? So many copies of each issue exist that they can’t be worth much long-term, slabbed or un-slabbed. It’s like the comics speculation bubble of the ’90s except with just one series.
Maybe they should just be listed as “Absolute Battle-damaged Batman no. 20.”
Or maybe a company should release an anthology series called “Mangled Comics” –with every printed issue guaranteed to be damaged in one way or another so that no gem mint copies exist; come to think of it, that wouldn’t be a bad title for a new EC Comics series.
One thing that I used to appreciate back in the day was that Sterling Silver Comics was the only comic book shop in a forty mile radius that would get mint condition copies of various Dynamite Comics hot off the presses. There were three or four other ships I would also go to and the Dynamite Comics titles were always completely mangled for some reason. Of course, Dynamite Comics will probably always be virtually worthless, but nevertheless it made me happy to know that Mike Sterling stocked–and still stocks– the best high grade Dynamite Comics around; especially when they had beautiful covers by Carla Cohen or Lou Parrillo.
To honor the 85th Anniversary of Police Comics, DC should release a few facsimile editions of some of these issues of Police Comics with magnificent Jack Cole cover art.
POLICE COMICS: An 85th Anniversary Celebration in 13 COVERS | 13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture https://share.google/R5xkE1skfUUhn0x2U
So are people buying 2 copies of AbBat every month, one to read & one to slab at 9.8 to flip? Or is no one actually reading the book at all and just having their issues encased?