By Terrence J. Brady
FEBRUARY 2004
RRP & the Bat-Scam.
"What is an RRP?" I was asked recently. "And why are they commanding
such attention and pricing?"
I'll answer the latter part of that question a bit later but first ...
RRP (Retailer Roundtable Program) started about ten years ago as an
invitation-only conference that DC sponsors. Its purpose was to assist
their marketing staff by giving selected retailers an "open mic" on what
they thought of DC's efforts in the prior year and what directions they
might explore in the future. The "private meeting" now involves 60+
retail organizations and invitation is determined by varying criteria -
so its not just the big boys but small shop owners are involved as well.
At these meetings, select "retail-incentive variant" editions are handed
out to the attendees. Yes, the RRP edition.
Last October this
column featured a slabbed BATMAN 608 (RRP) that sold for $2300. Last
month, I briefly mentioned a 2nd printing of the same issue (non-RRP)
that sold for $100. Since I'm on a roll, lets go for the good ol'
trifecta (and boy, its a dooooozie!).
I've heard of the Bat-Cave ... Bat-Phone ... Bat-Mobile, but this is
truly the ultimate Bat-Scam! A recent eBay auction featured the entire HUSH
storyline plus multiple variant editions (including our favorite
BATMAN 608 RRP). 18 copies (all slabbed 9.8) for the astonishing low
Buy-It-Now price of $5500.00!?! (Thanks to John S. for
submitting).
Oh, and if the whole HUSH thing is starting to get old, no problem,
because there's puh-lenty of other Bat-Scams out there. Example: Slabbed
RRP's of the recent SUPERMAN / BATMAN #1 team-up comic - some selling
upwards of $350.00. YEOUCHH!
Finally, why are these brand-spanking-new, still-wearing-their-huggies
comics selling for such astronomical prices? Is it because these RRP
gatherings are so damn mysterious to us outsiders that we'd be willing
to do anything to have a piece of this pie? That DC blesses these books
like some fanatical religious group would a sacred calf? Or is it
because those selling these variants love to boast of limited-runs and
so-called guaranteed profits from bloated CGC markups. I believe my man,
Gordon Gecko
(below), stated it best in 1987's Wall Street.
"Greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed
works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the
evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for
money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind."
Not to mention upward surges for RRPs and CGCs, right Gord?
Time to get it on. Let's pull aside the curtains and see what new
inductees we have for the CGC Hall of Shame.
ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP #9 - 9.9
Price: $99.95
Non-slab price: cover
I like the quote from the auction page: "Being that it is an important
first appearance of the ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR who knows what the value
really is on a book like this?"
Quite true. So new a book, its fairly hard to say where its true value
lie. Chuck Rozanski of Mile High Comics puts out a rather informative
and enjoyable column, Tales From the
Database, in which he comments on a variety of topics. One such
topic of discussion is called, "Pricing Recent Back Issues Is So
Difficult."
ULTIMATE MARVEL TEAM-UP #9 would certainly fall into that "what's the
real price?" realm but CGC or not, I doubt this puppy is ready for
triple digits. Ultimately (excuse the pun) this $100 comic will
backslide into the land of reality because there's nothing really
"ultimate" about the ULTIMATE FF. You want the "ultimate" FF, then pick
up the "Essential" FF, volumes 1-3. Thanks to Pat J. of Draper, UT for
submitting this issue.
X-MEN #316 - Mint 10.0
Price: $424.99
Non-slab price: $1.00
Let's clarify a few things first. The high bid was $109 but the reserve
was not met, so the auction ended without a sale. What was that reserve?
No idea, though the seller believed this book of some worth because
their Buy-It-Now price was $425. I'm wagering the reserve was somewhere
up in the $275 - $300 range.
Let's now take a closer look at this book. UNCANNY X-MEN #316 was the
first issue of the four-part The Phalanx Covenant: Generation Next story
arc. This 1994 comic was the beginning of what would eventually lead to
the mutant team called GEN X (another X-spin-off) but why would anyone
think this DOLLAR comic is worth over $400?? It truly boggles the mind.
Not that I condone violence but .... what I think needs to be done is
for someone to get hold of the seller's mama and have her give them a
*slap* upside the head. Maybe that'll knock some sense into him/her and
they'll realize their scam days are over. Thanks to Irving T. of South
Philly, PA for submitting this X-cessive auction.
TMNT #3 - NM 9.6
Price: $172.49
Non-slab price: $10 - $15
Go Ninja -- Go Ninja -- Go Ninja GO!
Go Ninja -- Go Ninja -- Go Ninja GO!
No, I haven't lost my mind (yet). I'm sure many of you will hate to
admit but you do recall these silly little lyrics from a silly little
film (by a silly little rapper), dontcha?
The TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES took the
indie-publishing scene by storm in 1984 when Eastman & Laird doused four
turtles and a rat in some toxic spillage (Matt - look out for that tru..
errr, never mind). From its initial 3000 print run, these Renaissance
Turtles seemed to be everywhere. Comic books. Action figures. Saturday
morning cartoons. Hollywood. Not since the Fab Four appeared on "The Ed
Sullivan Show" had this country witnessed the birth of overnight
pop-icons.
It is the initial b/w issues which had limited print runs (including
this particular issue) and are the most sought. TMNT #3 appeared in
March '85 and was aptly titled "The Great Chase" because that's what the
buyer of this auction is doing - chasing a dream!
While these early issues of TMNT had (in the past) experienced a nice
rise in their worth, the turtles lost some of their appeal and the
prices sank. TMNT #3 retails around 10 to 15 bucks - NOT $175. (A recent
NM copy sold for
$4.99). I should mention there's two other versions of issue #3 floating
around. The first is a second printing (worth even less) and then
there's a giveaway that featured misprints. While this latter version is
the most valuable of the three - it's still NOT $175!
Go Ninja -- Go Ninja -- Go Ninja GO!
Go Ninja -- Go Ninja -- Go Ninja GO!
C'mon now. You still haven't figured it out? Why this guy was HUGE. He
even had his very own comic book: Rock-n-Roll Comics #31. Yes, yes - now
you have seen the ice! Ice, Ice Bay-bee! (hahaha). Who could forget
Vanilla's Ice performance with the turtles in "TMNT II: The Secret of
the Ooze?" Now before you rush out to buy the DVD, there's a reason why
I bring up Mr. Ice aka Robert Van Winkle.
You see, Vanilla Ice started
out as a novelty. Something different. As the popularity of Vanilla Ice grew, this novelty blew
up - though the unsuspecting masses had yet to see this Frankenstein's
monster. Everywhere we turned, there was Vanilla
Ice. Then bad things occurred. We found out that
Vanilla Ice was not what we had
been led to believe. Words such as "swindler," "prevaricator," "sham"
began to go hand in hand with Vanilla Ice. Eventually, Vanilla Ice faded into the abyss and all those who had been part of
creating this monster washed their hands of it - though the damage was
done and the world would never be the same.
Now, here's where we have some fun. Re-read the above paragraph and
every time you see the word Vanilla Ice, substitute the word CGC. Sure, the last sentence is premature but you see where
this is headed? They say history repeats itself and I get the impression
what V-Ice did for the rap music industry, CGC will eventually do for
fandom.
And hey, if you ever wonder what Mr. Ice is up to these days, then check
out The Surreal Life. I
avoid reality TV if it were the plague but one night I was channel
surfing and stopped on this show. And you know what? I was laughing my
freakin' head off. Gary Coleman played a greasy-spoon manager and his
Napoleon Complex tantrums were quite the scene. Of course, our boy Ice
was no slouch either as he crossed out images of his former self and
ranted how he hated that past. Oh, puh-lease Van Winkle. You weren't
crying when all that dough was rolling in, were ya?
Go Ninja -- Go Ninja -- Go Ninja GO!
Go Ninja -- Go Ninja -- Go Ni.....
Enough of that already. Thanks to Lloyd D. of Jefferson City, MO for
submitting - who also happens to be a V-Ice fan. (Yes, they do still
exist).
Want to participate in the CGC Hall of Shame? Why its easier than
picking out a Valentine's Day gift for your significant other. Just
follow these simple rules: (1) The comic must be Modern Age - 1980 to
the present. No Gold or Silver Age books please. (2) The comic must be
from an on-line auction house; like eBay. (3) The comic must be CGC
graded and fetch a minimum winning bid of 10X Overstreet Guide. Include
your first name and last initial with your city/state (or city/country).
E-MAIL THE AUTHOR
| ARCHIVES
