Highest Grade Action Comics #1 – The Rest of the Story
The last few weeks have been abuzz about the highest graded copy of Action Comics #1, a 9.0 copy with white pages and a final sales price of $3.2 million. But there is more to the story, and it involves a comic book secret little know outside the advanced hobbyist.
Most serious comic book collectors and investors are aware of the widespread use of pressing comic books. Using a combination of moisture, heat and pressure, a legal way of pushing a comic book’s grade up a few notches is becoming commonplace. There is just way too much money on the line for this not to be used. If you are interested in learning a little more about comic book pressing, you can check out one of my previous articles listed at the end of this post.
What does this have to do with the latest high grade copy of Action #1? There are allegations that this copy has been pressed. This story has been reported on Steve Duin’s blog at Oregon Live and has also been discussed in this thread on the CGC Boards.
This is from Steve Duin’s article:
Somewhere along the line, the Action #1 was, apparently, twice resubmitted to the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) and upgraded from 8.0 to 8.5 and, finally, to its 9.0 status.
Does it matter? It depends who you ask. The opinions about comic book pressing are varied and heated. The one thing pressing can’t do is make the pages white, and that is where this particular copy really shines. There is some evidence that pressing actually helps conservation, adding strength to the time weakened pages (discussed on the CBCA forums in a detailed article).
So everything may not be what it seems with this copy of Action #1, or for thousands of investment comic books. What do you think? Should comic books be pressed and if so should it be disclosed? I’d love to hear your opinions.
More on Comic Book Pressing:
The Comic Book Money Printing Machine – Legally Cheating CGC
Pressing Your Comic Books to a Better Grade – Example
Comic Book Pressing Before and After Video
CGC Acquires Classics Incorporated – One Stop Pressing
Greg Finley Joins Flash as “Girder”
The CW announced actor Greg Finley has joined “The Flash” as Girder, who first appeared in Flash:Iron Heights #1. The character Tony Woodward fell into a vat of treated S.T.A.R. steel and emerged as a scrapyard looking character.
Netflix Daredevil Dark and Gritty – Defenders on the Horizon
In an interview with Empire, Netflix CCO Ted Sarando acknowledged the strategy to launch a Daredevil, next up Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist and finally a team-up with The Defenders.
Sarando also said a big screen/Defenders crossover had been talked about.
In an interview for IGN, the Netflix CCO said the Daredevil series will reflect the dark, gritty nature of the comic book series. The Frank Miller take on Daredevil may be a good place to begin.
Daredevil is currently filming as Netflix exclusive.
