Why I PREFER Underrated Comics (And Why You Should Too)

[@johnnydropkicks]

9:59 Also the thing with these books is that it’s much harder to get a 9.8 grade on them from CGC because they have graded so many of them that they know exactly where to look for the tiniest imperfection. If a grader graded the best example they have ever seen of a certain book at a 9.8, they will state the grade of any copy that is slightly inferior as a 9.6, even if it should be a 9.8 according to their grading standards.

[@johnnydropkicks]

Along with all of this info, remember that you have to get a 9.8 on these overrated books to even make that little profit. And as far as CGC seems to operate, you have to get a grader in a good mood to get that 9.8.

[@Maz08]

I buy what I like whether it’s personal nostalgia or investment purposes. Recently, it’s been more investment purposes.

[@TheDAExperience]

This is the reason i look for a lot of second appearances.

[@SequentialGeek]

Great examples, love the run downs, man. It's like there are the books that mob the dollah hollah bins, but then when ya see those disappear, as well as in the regular back issue bins in better condition, then it's on ya gotta do research and see wtf, ...a book goes from $2 - $5, to $10-$12, dont know that is when experience and futurism plays in, why did I miss the bump? or what did I do that marked it on time, but then when it goes up to $16 or so, while the cap on hype is typically $20 - $25 its time to have bought in or skip it for a better spec depending on whether ya play long term or myopic rite oh!yeah! Do a livestream from a table at a local Knights of Columbus hall or Elks Club or somptn, man wtf do it up lol!! Nice job!

[@karlburkhardt9902]

Hunting for underrated books is a way of life for me except that I sometimes look for the indie books that some have forgotten about as well.

[@dradatzke]

Problem with this is that guys that have the raw copies are trying to sell them on what their grade looks like. Be very hard to find the raw copies that low of prices unless buying from someone who didn't do their homework

[@MintHunterComics]

The raw values I gave are the “highest” of the high they should possibly be

[@michaelslattery3736]

I have the same problem. If you have a lot of friends constantly selling/buying comics you can get deals (or are close friends with a shop owner). Almost all my local shops are trying to sell raw for graded values...one of them even sells for "future value". Something selling graded at $350 and they're selling the raw for $320. A graded 9.8 currently FMV at $250 and they're selling at $280 because "that's what it'll be next year so they rather is sit on a shelf then sell under next year's market". Buying online is a crap shoot without seeing the books upfront.

[@dradatzke]

@@michaelslattery3736 100%, impossible to find deals because of the crazy jacked up prices and forget ebay...

[@xavierloera1938]

Man i feel a whole lot smarter just from his explanations 😂 As always thanks for the info James! 👍🏻

[@claytoncarrollq5695]

So what’s Domino’s first appearance?

[@jimbomba4365]

Domino's first appearance is New Mutants # 98, and don't let anyone tell you different. ; )

[@bryanincognito3982]

I wish my local shop would sell those raw books for that low of a price. I think i might be getting screwed...😩

[@DavidClark-vu3dw]

Haggle.

[@michaelslattery3736]

I think James sometimes forgets that we peasants don't have the same connections, relationships, or history of spending literally thousands (10s of thousands?) at local shops willing to give him deals. It's a whole other world for run of the mill collector's. But that's why I love this channel, I don't feel like he's trying to rob me blind.

[@leeniren3706]

The other issue that you have to remember is getting 9.8 on some of those books I just never going to happen. Also, that was the third taskmaster. The first taskmaster is actually the avenger book before you get taskmaster on the cover.

[@latch78]

"This video is so under rated "

[@jarredsmith9187]

Nice books,I just don't care for graded books cause CGC is making millions off people although I will grade my really big books one day ,maybe but I look at it like this,the money you spent to get those books graded you could have got more books.

[@macorourke2222]

Excellent video Brother. Thanks for sharing Your passion and adventures from Toronto Ontario Canada 😎👍❤️🇺🇸🇨🇦❤️📚📚📚📚📚💯💯💯💯

[@arthurtripp6922]

Underrated item is Justice League Task Force Six this is the one to find the Doctor who will repair Bruce Wayne back to become Batman. It's

[@andresperez5430]

Where did you get those "Key Issue" stickers, they look great!

[@josephbuchowski1377]

What a captain carrot trying to fill my collection but got a omnibus with wonderland love it read it on airplanes

[@Acemonkey87]

I love comics no matter what it is ( sometimes lol)

[@davidrenfrew111]

Thanks for the info..just getting back into comics after 25 years.

[@rohn-zc5sx]

thanks for the tips when I buy comics rather it will be ASM or Cap and DD I always go for the higher grade books

[@jonathanparker3974]

Great production quality on this one James!

[@robertmoreau2818]

Great video...might be your best one yet.

[@ampersand085]

Very insightful. Thank you. On the financial side, It might be worth considering that for underrated keys, along with lower prices raw they are also face a lower demand. Alot would depend on the salesmanship of the book to get them moving. Leaving it on a platform like ebay might not see quick movement of the book. Another thing worth pointing out would be that with overrated books, they tend to move faster and would be more sensitive to the market in terms of prices. Hence on a down market, the returns seldom make sense. I do of course agree it's more fun hunting them, and there's more enjoyment holding a well written book.

[@robertt9342]

I prefer comics I want vs comics that other people don’t.

[@MintHunterComics]

Sure! makes sense!

[@watchurheadrc721]

Hi were do you get the key issue sticker you put on your books

[@lionofjudah1445]

I was wondering if you post a weekly list of comics you'll be selling at your claims sales somewhere on the interwebs? Thanks so much for the awesome content!

[@2002warlord]

Definitely makes a lot of sense. I like to hunt unique books myself.

[@backissuebin73]

I have had this way of thinking a lot throughout my time collecting. But admittedly I have gotten caught up in hype and fomo at times. This is a great reminder for me on one of the ways to maximize my personal collecting and also profits. Thank you. Great value in your video. 👍

[@ryanriley6082]

I'm a new sub, and I really enjoyed the show, very educational, thanks for the content 🤘

[@cnote729]

Great episode, so Taskmaster, why is the character so popular, he is badass, got a unique power, but still. Spawn 1 and Venom lethal protector 1, as popular as they are, you can still get raw good condition for $20 - $30? Hmmmmm

[@avengerman1]

What is the best way to find these that sell for big multipliers in a 9.8? I’ve manually looked at cgc 9.8 sales on eBay and made notes…but does anyone know of an easier way?

[@kitescuriosities7717]

1:44……Brother! I just bought that bad boy for just $7 last week at one of my LCSs. I knew it was a key, but didn’t know it was that hard to find. Glad I snagged it up.

[@CharlesThomas-vs8ir]

Thanks for the awesome video bro it's really informative. I need to stop looking for what's hot and start to look for more underrated books. 🤔

[@stevencosta3148]

So I was wondering, where you sell your books? Ebay, etsy, or do you have a website? Would love to browse your store if I can find it. 😆

[@MintHunterComics]

Antique shop, weekend claim sales on YT, flea markets, and eBay!

[@sixftrabbit13]

Hey James. Shot you an email about this topic. How do you value books that have no cgc data? I found a dollar bin copy of Blue Beetle #13 - Conrad Carapax turns into Indestructible Man in a Newsstand pretty mint copy. No data to base the value on.

[@MintHunterComics]

I should really do a video on that. That is for the idea!

[@mattmellish5078]

I love the B,C,D tier batman keys in 9.8. Could i buy some low grade silver batman books like 251? Yea, but i could also get a 9.8 Tec441 and get that high grade 1st Bullock lol less copies graded, very few in high grade and is not a copy paste collection of every other batman collection...still want those big overrated keys though 😅

[@shawnmccann9762]

Couldn't agree more, Great vid 👍🏻

[@PunguinYoga]

interesting and a little surprising. Thanks for the info.

[@Vp-jt3vl]

I agree dude and nice little topic.

[@donaldmiller9648]

You must have been bored at antique mall....:-)...have a good week...

[@leveragecomics5067]

Ok so what is the first real domino? I always thought new mutants 98 was first then all the sudden everyone was saying the first real was x-force 11, is it something different?

[@MintHunterComics]

Number 8

[@jimbomba4365]

There was a storyline in X-Force at the time where it was revealed that Tolliver (the weapons merchant who hired Deadpool to kill Cable) had been holding Domino prisoner, and the Domino that had been on the team since New Mutants # 98 was a shapeshifting mutant named Copycat who had assumed Domino's identity in order to infiltrate the group. Copycat was eventually discovered and the real Domino was rescued, and nobody gave the matter a second thought for the next several decades. As many of us are aware, speculators LOVE to assign key significance to issues that are plentiful and cheap, so they can then take stock that's been languishing in discount bins and then flip them once they hype up the market for many times their actual worth and make a killing. At the time, they had just done this with Uncanny X-Men Annual # 14 ("See, it's the actually first appearance of Gambit, since it hit the stands before Uncanny # 266 even though in continuity it's supposed to be the 3rd appearance) and were looking to pull the same trick with another book, and suddenly some greedy little devil remembered that old storyline. "Hey! If Domino was an imposter the whole time, then that means New Mutants # 98 was actually the first appearance of the imposter! The "real" first appearance of Domino was the final page of X-Force # 11 where we see Domino trapped in Tolliver's prison!" And BOOM, a book that had never been worth more than it's cover price and previously couldn't be given away was now selling for $20 for a Near Mint Raw copy and over $100 for a 9.8 slabbed! Suckers took the bait and paid the over-inflated prices in the hopes that they could then find a bigger sucker to flip the book to for their own imagined profit. Fast forward to the present day, and some other comic book "mythbuster" goes further down the rabbit hole and takes things to their next logical conclusion. "Wait a second! X-Force # 8 is a flashback story featuring Cable's time with the Six Pack. Domino was in that flashback, and since she hadn't been kidnapped at that point she wouldn't be the imposter. That means X-Force # 8 is the "actual" first appearance of the "real" Domino!" So now that issue is slowly starting to spike now that the influencers are spreading the news (it's currently trended up from $4 to $6 for a NM Raw), while speculators can still keep unloading X-Force # 11 to collectors who aren't aware of the busted myth while they're also pushing # 8 to the new suckers who want to cash in. And if you're just a regular comic fan who just wants to complete a full run of X-Force it's now become harder and will cost you a lot more because the speculators have assigned "key issue" status to two books that never were keys before now. All the while, you've got dealers and retailers selling THREE different books with claims to being Domino's first appearance. Long story short (too late), this is why we can't have nice things, because if you try to explain this whole scenario to someone who doesn't collect comic books, they will look at you like you're a raving lunatic. I know because I've tried. ; )

[@leveragecomics5067]

@@jimbomba4365 brilliant!

[@leveragecomics5067]

@@jimbomba4365 how am I just finding out about this?

[@jimbomba4365]

@@leveragecomics5067 If it makes you feel any better, I didn't find out until last year. I was at resale store called The Exchange and they had a slabbed copy of X-Force # 11 in a display case for $100, and it wasn't even a 9.8. At first, I couldn't understand why this random back issue that I was used to seeing in fifty cent bins was commanding such a high price tag. Then I read the notes on the label and went "Oh no. Please tell me they're not serious about this."

[@soldjer21]

should probably be more realistic and do 9.0 not 9.8 very difficult to find those in 9.8

[@EricTeske]

That’s why I’m having so much fun collecting every Hulkling cover and keys, try and stop me lol no competition

[@Coffee_And_Comics]

Good comparisons.

[@michaeladkins8750]

Dude don’t tell people about Taskmaster 😂😂😂 I’m just kidding, but seriously an underrated character with a couple great issues to be had at bargains with great resale.

[@RealTimePogo]

I try to watch all your videos

[@l.greenemachine66]

Very cool. 😊

[@DoughnutJunkie]

😱😱😱😱😱😱

[@ernienicholson7464]

I would not grade 90 percent of modern books.

[@MintHunterComics]

Ok!

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

REAL non woke Frank Castle.🤘

[@johnnydropkicks]

???

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@johnnydropkicks You are not aware of the Punishers recent history at Marvel?

[@johnnydropkicks]

@@stevenfunderburg1623 I am somewhat aware, and it appears to be like what all comic books do when a character has a 50 year history and a new writer who wants to write their own somewhat original story for that character. This is nothing new or shocking. Telling the same story over and over again is boring. Remember, these are just stories that don’t affect your life in any way. Also, how does your comment pertain to the video? How is it relevant? Is the Punisher even mentioned?

[@stevenfunderburg1623]

@@johnnydropkicks Look at the thumbnail Sonny boy, and I don't need your arrogant, elitist ass (incapable of physically of playing a vinyl record on a turn table and would only play auto tuned hip hop on it anyway) lecturing me about what is relevant or how I should respond to jarring (which are meant to appear fresh or arbitrary) legacy character changes , you woke little metro. "Somewhat aware" 🤣🤣 You know who is FULLY aware? Chuck Dixon! Try to guess which one of our narratives HE says is the correct one? PS I almost certainly know more about Night of the Living Dead than you do, plus I have the integrity born of toxic masculinity to actually use MY name and pic.

[@theobsessedcollector]

Thanks James for the mini tour 🚌 inside your mind. So many grey matter goodies in there. Well worth the price of admission 🎟 to see how your ganglias work. 🧠