Updated: One Year Later: 2/22/17 Spec Review

What up CHUllectors!?! Shawn B., the One Year Later Investigator,  back with another One Year Later round up, where we take a look at some of the comics that Anthony, Mel, Terry and Poyo specced on one year ago. Their specs turn out to be quick flips, slow burns, straight up misses, straight up winners and on and on. Sometimes they spec with their hearts out of their passion for comics. Sometimes they spec based on data. And sometimes they spec based off the word on the street. Either way, all their specs appeal to a few or many collectors whether it is due to them having similar taste in writing or art, or just an opportunity for a collector to flip a book and make money to “support their habit”. So, this is our weekly chance to look back at how some of our buys from a year ago are doing today.
Shawn B sent over his so I have updated the post from last night. Sorry for jumping the gun Shawn, I know you put a lot of work into these.
Winners:

Jim Hensons Power of the Dark Crystal #1 Subscription Variant  (available on eBay) – Poyo Pick, Mel Pick – Original Price $3.99  Current Price $10.00-$14.00 – Hard to price this one out since sets of the A and B have sold for $20. No single issues have sold in a while. Someone got a steal on a CGC 9.8 for $26 though.

Street Fighter vs Darkstalkers #0 Cover C Incentive Joe Vriens Variant Cover  (available on eBay) – Mel Pick – Original Price $16.00 Current Price $20 –  A win is a win. This cool movie homage cover is still selling on eBay pretty well.

Wonder Woman #17 Jenny Frison Variant (available on eBay) – Anthony Pick via Spec Review Video
Original Value: $3 Current Value: $10
 
Quick Flip Winners:

Heathen #1  (available on eBay) –  Anthony and Poyo Pick – Orignal Price $3.99 Current Price $7.00  Quick Flip Price $19.99  – An indie spec darling that shot up quickly in price. Has cooled down since it first came out but a long lapse between issue 4 and 5 probably didn’t help this. Was a Wednesday winner last year. Was recently optioned for a movie.

The Old Guard #1 (available on eBay) – Anthony Pick – Original Price $3.99 Current Value: $4 Quick Flip Value: $8 – The book was optioned for a movie and the prices did go up. Still, good pick up if you got it. If you still have any it’s probably worth waiting to see what happens with it being optioned.
 
Near Misses:

Deadpool the Duck #4 Incentive Robson Variant Cover (available on eBay) – Mel Pick
Original Value: $20 Current Value: $10
Though sold out at on-line retailers, I guess the heat on these fizzled out by issue #4.

Savage #4 Cover E Incentive Lewis Larosa Sketch Cover (available on eBay) – Mel Pick – Original Value: $70 Current Value: $70
1 – 4 of these Larosa Sketch Covers have been on fire at one point or another. Hard to find ratio variant. Shot up pretty high along with the other Sketch variants and have leveled off.

Elektra Vol 4 #1 Cover F Incentive Bill Sienkiewicz Variant (available on eBay) – Mel Pick – Original Price $32.00 Current Price $15.00 – Bill S. has a great year, but not all of his covers were winners, this one for example.

Inhumans vs X-Men #5 Cover E Incentive Gabrielle Dell Otto Variant Cover (available on eBay) – Mel Pick – Original Price $50 Current Price $20 – Yikes. This was not one of Dell Otto’s best covers, but still, this one is a not a win.
Unspecced Winners

Spider-Gwen #17 Joe Jusko Corner Box Variant (available on eBay)
Original Value: $4 Current Value: $8
 

39 thoughts on “Updated: One Year Later: 2/22/17 Spec Review”

    1. I passed by this book on release day. I don’t bother with Rucka.. I think his writing sucks donkey balls! Yeah, I said that out loud.. Donkey Balls! 🙂

    1. I was so far behind I only really bought into issues 1 and 2 to flip. I skimmed issue 1 but if I do ever read this one, it’s likely gonna be via trade since yes, the delays are killing the books potential I think.

      1. One has to consider the mini-series seem to die off quicker as well since people move on and forget about such books.

  1. The Dell Otto book is exactly why I never buy high price for profit. I mentioned it before and you all jumped on me like I was some kind of an idiot, but whatever. Again, i will say this, if you can afford to buy these types of books solely for profit. Why? I know comics make money, I make money on comics, but I wouldn’t bother with the leg work that this hobby involves if I didn’t actually NEED the money. I only sell comics because I want MORE comics. I make actual profit most months and some I dont. I just keep a running tally like it’s my personal comic book bank, but by no means can I live on this hobby. So I guess I just want to know why people who already have money risk it on such a very risky business.

    1. And I do agree with you that the reason I buy a Comics is only because of the amount of Comics I sell. It is Luxury item that I don’t need, however I do sell enough that I make a nice little living off of it

      1. I just met a guy this past Wednesday who bought 2 of the oblivion song sets, He is spending $400 and that’s not including tax. Nothing against him being a collector, but he mentioned Kirkman and how these are going to be worth $1000s when the TV show drops. I tried to advise him otherwise, but he said it’s ONLY 4 bills. It’s that attitude that upsets me. I’m counting out what cash I have to score a few ASM books and try and make 4 bills this week.

      2. Kirkman has one book non variant that goes for over $1000 out of all his work every issue. To think Oblivion song will do the same is not worth spending $400.

    2. Comics have always been a crap shoot .. that’s what supports dollar bins .. spec books are also much like a Pyramid Scheme .. you don’t want to be the Last One In Line That Paid The Highest Price ..

  2. No way…it was a great week. Made a killing on Heathen and I don’t think the spec is dead just yet. Did well on Old Guard and still have all of the WW and Spider-Gwens….didn’t get around to selling them yet.

    1. Unless Heathen gets an option or makes it to our screens, I think the heat is certainly gone for that one. I still have a set of the Comic Mint Heathen set I need to dump and sell which still seem to sell pretty well.. last color variant went for almost $50.. No recent raw BW sketch ones though..

      1. I think it will make it to another media format of some kind…..the story is very good. Just like God Country, I have zero problem sitting on sets for the long term. Did I sell them all at the height? No. But I had 40 copies of God Country #1 and 30 copies of Heathen #1 (yes first prints)….and yes, I am serious.

      2. I sure did….I probably have maybe 15 left, but about 10 of those go with the complete sets I still have. I have zero compunctions about holding them…..I will sell these high grade sets locally though as you would be surprised how many people are turned off of eBay and the shitty grading of most sellers.
        I don’t give a shit what anyone says….when have you EVER seen a hugely successful series not carry on through a sequel or related event. Please name one…..because I can’t.

        1. When I sell my books on eBay I dont list any grade with them. But I do point out any actual issues if there are any… Spine creases, indents, etc. I never try to mislead any book or its actual grade.
          But very cool, I did well selling both God Country and Heathen myself. Paid for the books and some nice profit on top of it.

          1. Yeah… Only way we see God Country rebound with more heat would be media option and it makes it to our screens.

      3. This is not to flame sellers who don’t grade their books, but in this day and age, I am surprised that they can actually can sell books online. I think everyone would agree that there are a lot of readers out there who don’t care that much about the differences between 9.2 and 9.4, but really, there are tremendous value differences. I personally have never bought a book with no grading and just a photo….that makes zero sense to me.

        1. For some, they might have limited options locally so buying online is their only option. As for me, I’ve bought online but I tend to avoid sellers who use stock photos. Try to buy from those with decent size pictures I can zoom in on.

      4. ….I think I might simply be jealous of sellers that have a large following with established standards….as a result, you (and others) have earned their reputation before the grading frenzy set in.

    2. I didn’t say spec is dead. Just a year out, some weeks are better than others. I killed it with Heathen 1 and the variant for Heathen. But I kept meaning to list ones I never got to.

      1. I say to anyone with Heathen #1 they havent sold… If you’ve already broke even and or made profit by selling a few, just hold the issues you got. If this book heats up its only if there’s a media option.

          1. I bank mine too. Selling crap not only buys more books but pays for vacations. Paid for the 16 day RV trip last summer. Paying for upcoming RV/Camping/Ski trip and our big Hawaii (should be, haven’t booked yet but it’s already paid for) trip this summer.

          2. And flipping stuff at NYCC pays for NYCC. Last years trip pretty much cost me nothing out of pocket since I paid for the airline tickets with points. Can’t wait until next year..

      2. That’s pretty much what I do….sell books to make money so I can go out and buy more books. I should try to bank more though….
        I know what Cates said about being one and done. Lots of creators say that….then they start cashing cheques from royalties and advances and end up buying lots of nice shit. The only way to care for, maintain and even buy more shit is with more money. I personally think this series or components of it will be revisited later. Hugely popular series are always revisited in some way—and are usually never as good as the original, but they are always revisited because a truck load of cash has the loudest voice.

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