The CGC census report had been out for 3 weeks and I had finally found time to see what all the excitement was about. A data base of 70,000 CGC comics was brought online and anyone could go to CGC comics.com and look up the grades on any comic. Navigating a data base was going to be first experience for myself as I seldom really needed or wanted this kind of info.

I quickly discovered was that it was incredibly easy to hunt up information. All I needed to do was type in a title , like Spider-Man , and a list of titles popped up and from there I could find any comic in seconds. I liked the idea that a listing appeared with 30 issues per page so I could easily check on Spider-man 300-330. This was a good place to start as these represented many of the copies Back Issue Comix had submitted .

After reviewing just a few issues, a trend became apparent that seemed pretty COOL. Our company was consistently receiving the high grades, AND NO ONE ELSE WAS HITTING THE MARK!  For example, issue ASM #305 had 2,  9.8 listings. Both were our comics, one was on stock and one had been sold a few weeks prior. Some of the 9.6's were ours too. The 2 CGC 9.8's were the best ever submitted.

Spider-Man 305

Mint 10.0      0

Mint 9.9        0

NM/M 9.8     2

NM+ 9.6       10

NM 9.4         2

We had submitted 6 Amazing Spider-man 307's and had received 3 9.9's and 3 9.8's. Sure enough, the pattern again was clear.

Spider-Man 307

Mint 10.0    0

Mint 9.9      3

NM/M 9.8   5

NM+ 9.6     7

NM 9.4       4

We recently made a decision to submit Issues 1-10 of Battlestar Galactica. Issue. Our 7 issues topped the list with the outstanding 9.9 and 5 of the 9.8's. A 9.6 rounded out our submissions.

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #1

Mint 10.0    0

Mint 9.9      1

NM/M 9.8   5

NM+ 9.6     7

NM 9.4       6

Next stop was to check in on the Galactica #5 which went uncontested as the best issue ever and the only issue ever submitted. It was a tough act to follow. This is a historic issue in that it is the 2nd oldest 10.0 on record with only a Thor 156 beating this. If we had we submitted this a month earlier, this issue would have been the record holder for a short period.

Another 10.0 Vanguard #2 with Dave Stevens art is currently the 3rd oldest 10.0 on record and resides in the Bargain Bin. 

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #5

Mint 10.0   1

Mint 9.9     0

NM/M 9.8 0

NM+ 9.6   0

NM 9.4     0

The checking of more issues simply revealed the same pattern. Our issues were at the top of every list and in many instances , we were the only company building various runs of comics. The facts were there for all to see. Our claim that our comics were the, "Best In The World, " was not an exaggeration.

Why are they better than all the others? These comics are from our NM+ un-circulated 1,000,000 collection that RJ had been building for a quarter of a century. Each comic was carefully stored away until now. Issues stored flat and not on end was a big part of the success. No warehouse close-outs were ever purchased. No comic was ever offered for sale or taken to a convention. Every issue was purchased directly from a distributor or publisher. Untouched... Virgin. It's difficult to match that kind of care and the consistent 9.8's and up grades confirm it.

We expect more 10.0's regularly and will soon have the distinction of having the oldest 10.0 graded comics available on a consistent basis. Virtually all of the 10's to date are fairly recent 90's comics with high production values. Spawn and Wildcats are the oldest of the pack reaching all the way back to 1992. Most of 10.0's like Witch Blade, Mars Attacks, Fathom, and Dawn date back a brief 5 years or less.

No big deal for us with Venom. We submitted 7 issues and all received a 9.9 and 1 received the grand prize with 10.0. We could  do the same with Spawn, Fathom, Batman etc, except it really isn't much of a challenge and the marketplace with be awash with 10.0 nineties comics.

We calculate that our comic grades will go somewhat unchallenged in the marketplace. To date no other company has offered these older books on a regular basis in these upper conditions. We expect discriminating collectors who wish to build world-class collections to be our best customers.

In conclusion. the CGC data base is a wonderful tool , and can only assist our sales efforts here as more and more customers will become aware of where the best 70's and 80's comics can be found.

Reynold Jay