01/77 - by Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, vs Kraven, vs Tarantula - "Kraven Is the Hunter!"

A copy that still looks nice, flat with good shine and very smooth, it has apparently been read lightly before, but still maintains a mostly new look.  Light ticks along spine that are easily seen in the photos, a back that is still near-white but perhaps just a hair faded, and a razor-thin crease line just below the blue word "EVEL" on left edge -- so faint that it almost doesn't show in the photos.  Almost no surface build-up.  Pages are off-white, and they all looked good when I leafed through it, so all is good there.

Bottom line is that it's not a brand new copy, certainly not NM, but it's very nice nonetheless.  I thought I'd be on the conservative side and list it just below VF since it does appear to have been handled a bit -- might still be VF anyway, but I'll leave that call to you.  Still pretty darn impressive for a 45 year-old book!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

01/77 - (INCOMPLETE) by Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, vs Kraven the Hunter, vs Tarantula - "Kraven Is the Hunter!"

This is an obvious lower-grade copy with a rugged exterior (for example, the back has some ink bleed-through from the inner cover).  Several of the inner wraps are loose (see photo), and one, in fact, is missing, causing page 14 of the story to be gone.  I had another copy to compare it with and verified that is the only missing story page (all the rest contained ads), and I've provided a photo of that page from the other copy, so at least you'll have it.

But this is a gap-filler copy only.

02/77 - by Jim Shooter, Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, 1st app/origin Lightmaster, Tarantula app, Sister Sun app - "And There Was Lightmaster!"

A genuinely nice copy that still looks close to new.  It may have been lightly read before, but if so, it left very little evidence of it.  Still flat, shiny and wonderfully smooth, there's hardly any edge wear, corners are mostly sharp, spine is tight, and even under a magnifying glass, I really don't see any ticks.  Back cover is still white and has almost no detectable surface wear.  Inner pages off-white and all look good.

Bottom line is that it isn't pristine, so I won't call it NM, but unless you require absolute perfection, I don't think this fantastically-preserved copy will disapoint!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

02/77 - by Jim Shooter, Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, 1st app/origin Lightmaster, Tarantula app, Sister Sun app - "And There Was Lightmaster!"

A well-read copy that you can easily tell has been enjoyed a few times before (and someone added a bit of art even to the figure of Lightmaster on the cover -- at least they did a decent job, because I almost didn't even notice).  Is structurally solid, and actually still mostly smooth even, but has obvious wear and build-up.  Pages good, and overall better still than a straight-up reader, but not by much -- an obviously lower-grade, and thus lower-cost copy.

03/77 - by Archie Goodwin/Sal Buscema, vs Vulture, 1st app Hitman, 1st app Brother Power, Sister Sun app - "The Vulture is a Bird of Prey!"

A very average copy that's still structurally solid with good, off-white pages.  Has clearly been read a couple of times with a smooth surface that's still got a bit of shine left.  Spine wear is moderate.  Back cover has good coating of surface build-up, which you can easily see in the photos and is definitely the book's weakest point.  Everything looks good on the inside, making this a no-frills copy to be sure.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

05/77 - by Gerry Conway/Ross Andru, vs Morbius, Human Torch app - "The Power to Purge!"

Absolutely better than mid-grade, still with some shine, very flat and smooth to boot, with only a little wear, some very minor ticks, off-white pages, back with a little surface wear.  Not quite new-looking, as it just has that "I've been lightly read before" look to it -- probably overstating it a bit at VF, but not by much -- best to list it juuuust below that.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

07/77 - by Archie Goodwin/Sal Buscema, vs Morbius, Empathoid app, Sister Sun app - "And Only One Shall Survive!"

Really nice copy that still looks almost brand new.  Hardly any edge wear, lies flat, has wonderful shine, is about as smooth as any new copy (remarkable for a 45 year-old book), corners still sharp, spine barely looks worn at all with barely a tick mark to be found.  Back has only the tiniest hint of surface wear, and pages off-white and look great.

A stray couple of specks on surface led me to list this below NM, but dang, it's a nice copy, even if not absolutely pristine.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

10/77 - by Chris Claremont/Jim Mooney, vs Medusa, Black Bolt, Inhumans app - "A Life Too Far"

Book is flat enough, still with some shine left and mostly smooth to the touch (not much in the way of any wrinkling here).  Has moderate edge wear, which is plain enough to see in the photos.  A couple of spine ticks/dimples.  Back has faded a bit and has a coating of surface build-up.  Pages off-white and look fine.  But no one would argue that this one has any shot of elevating upwards of mid-grade.  An average and mostly unspectacular copy.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

11/77 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, vs Brother Power, Sister Sun, Hate-Monger app - "Brother Power, Sister Sun!"

Mostly flat, still with good shine, only faint wrinkling (i.e. not perfectly smooth), light to moderate edge and spine wear (some visible ticks in photos), good off-white pages still.  Back has that "15 cents" store mark and a bit of surface build-up, but the book is solidly mid-grade or slightly better, making it a good, solid, if otherwise unspectacular copy.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

12/77 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, 1st app Razorback, Brother Power, Sister Sun app, Hatemonger app - "The Coming of Razorback!"

The book is nearly 45 years old, and at first glance still looks almost new, but a closer inspection reveals the light bits of wear you see in the close-up photos that push this below NM.  Spine is certainly NM- quality, with only minimal wear/spine ticks, pages are off-white, book is flat, shiny and incredibly smooth, and back has got only a light touch of surface wear.  This is no longer NM, but it is still very nice, so we'll put it in the next tier down -- still a high-quality copy!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

02/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, Razorback app, vs Hatemonger/Man-Beast, Death of Brother Power - "The Final Rage!"

Very nice, shiny and wonderfully smooth copy that seems only to have been lightly read before.  Only minimal edge wear and spine ticks.  Inner pages are off-white and look good; back has only light surface build-up from prior handling.  Still upper-mid-grade, but I didn't think quite up to full VF standard.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

03/78 - by Elliot S. Maggin/Sal Buscema, vs Beetle - "The Beetle and the Badge!"

It's a splendid copy that seems to have been lightly read through, but remains flat, very shiny and still about as smooth as when brand new.  The handful of spine ticks and a dimple you see in the side photos also show that the book was opened.  Back is still white and almost completely free of surface build-up, though you can see a couple of spots where the edges of the pages didn't get cut precisely smooth.  Pages off-white, and they all looked good when I carefully leafed through it.

If you're looking for a perfect copy, don't buy this one, but if a high-grade, even if no longer pristine copy will do, then this one is very nice and might work for you.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

04/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, Angel app, Iceman app, Aftermath of Champions break-up, continued from their final issue 17 - "Whatever Happened to the Iceman?"

A solid upper-mid-grade copy that seems to have been lightly read and handled before but remains nearly flat, with a good amount of shine, and almost as smooth to the touch as any new copy (meaning you won't find much at all in the way of any cover wrinkling).  Spine has minimal tick, as you can see in the close-up photos I provided.  Back cover not completely white anymore and has picked up some light surface build-up.  Inner pages still look great and are off-white.

Not a perfect specimen by any means, and I thought it just didn't quite make it to VF, but still in very nice shape for a 40+ year-old book.  Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

05/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema/Gil Kane cover art, Angel app, Iceman app, 1st app Holly Gillis - "My Friend, My Foe!"

Copy is flat, still shiny as ever and wonderfully smooth, has the light wear and some ticks on spine you'd expect to find after a light reading (all plain enough in the photos), with off-white pages.  Top-right corner of front cover has a fold remnant that juuuust breaks the color, which dropped this one below full VF.  Back is still white and has almost no build-up.

Bottom line is that it's a very nice copy but not quite VF.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

06/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, vs Enforcers - "Again, the Enforcers!"

Side Note: this has one of my all-time favorite Spidey remarks in it too, with the Ox saying "Dis is da day da Ox makes a name for hisself!" -- with Spidey coming right back with "What was wrong with the old one? Too hard to spell?" snif -- I still chuckle at that!

An obviously well-read copy that has lost a good bit of shine, but is actually quite smooth.  Nevertheless, the edge and spine wear is pretty evident here, and the back is coated with a layer of surface build-up.  Pages all seem good and off-white, but no doubt it's on the lower end of the spectrum.

07/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, vs Lightmaster - "Where Were You When the Lights Went Out?"

Looks much better than mid-grade from the front, flat, shiny and smooth with only light edge and spine wear and good off-white pages, but the back has picked up a coating of surface build-up that is plain enough in the photos, preventing a higher grade.  A good solid copy nonetheless.

08/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Sporpion - "Still crazy after all these years"

The bit of Bronze Age spillover ink notwithstanding (cause that's a common printing anomaly of its day), this copy essentially looks brand new with only a touch of surface build-up on the back side that hints that it ever sat in a stack of other books before being stored away for almost 45 years.

This is an outstanding copy that's not going to get you any 9.6 grade or anything, but for a four-decade old book to look like it's almost new -- flat, shiny as ever, almost as smooth as glass, no folds, no creases, no spine ticks, off-white pages.  An impressive copy!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

09/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Mike Zeck, early Moon Knight app, first meeting w/ Spider-Man, Cyclone app, White Tiger app - "By the Light of the Silvery Moon Knight!"

What a fantastic copy, that's flat, shiny as ever, and almost as smooth as glass with off-white pages.  Take a look at those photos, and you'll see that there's almost no wear, and the NM- grade comes because of a couple of spine dimples/ticks that are plain enough in the photos and a touch of surface build-up on back.  Otherwise, this one looks almost brand new! And with the Moon Knight character now in the MCU, a nice pick-up!

Compare to other copies out there of about the same price (and make sure to look at the backs and edges), and you'll see that this copy stacks up well against all of them (and most of them give you only one or two photos, which is ridiculous), so this price is very competitve!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

09/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Mike Zeck, early Moon Knight app, first meeting w/ Spider-Man, Cyclone app, White Tiger app - "By the Light of the Silvery Moon Knight!"

Looks better at first glance than the assigned grade, with a flat, shiny and smooth surface and only light edge and spine wear (which has a few visible ticks -- see photos).  Inner pages are off-white and look good.

But the back, even though the white has hardly faded, has picked up a light coating of surface build-up that is plain enough in the photos, preventing a higher grade.

A very solidly right-around-mid-grade copy nonetheless, so if you're looking for a more affordable alternative to this early Moon Knight appearance, this might work for you.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

10/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, early Moon Knight app, vs Cyclone, White Tiger app - "Guess Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb!"

Looks fabulous and almost brand new with a wonderfully glossy surface and off-white pages that all looked good, but some stress lines near upper staple, a bit of surface build-up on back, and some of that common Bronze Age spillover ink on bottom, I thought took a bit of the luster off this copy, enough to drop it below NM.  Still a great copy, and with the Moon Knight character now in the MCU, a nice pick-up, but I imagine there are better copies out there, so I'm discounting this one a bit to get the sale.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

12/78 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, 1st app Carrion (Miles Warren) - "Carrion, My Wayward Son!"

What a great copy -- not perfect, mind you -- that upper edge isn't quite smooth as the rest of of the book (which you can kind of see in the photos), and running a magnifying glass down the spine reveals some light ticks and faint wear as well, but it's flat, about as shiny as any new comic book, and smooth.  Back is white and clean.  Pages are easily off-white, even hinting at white here or there.

If you require absolute perfection, I can't help you here, but if you're looking a for a high-grade copy of a 40+ year-old book that doesn't have to be perfect, this certainly qualifies! (And what a clever title to boot! Now I have to go dig out my copy of the old Kansas hit, cause that tune has now burned itself into my brain....ah, my high school days!)

Plenty of photos, so take a good look! And make sure to check out the prices (and PHOTOS) of other copies out there that claim VF to NM grades, and you'll find this one stacks up against just about all of them.  Price is competitive, even if a bit eye-opening at first.

01/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, Daredevil app, Masked Marauder app, Carrion app - "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory"

Collectors know to go after issues 27 and 28, which feature the first Daredevil work by Frank Miller but forget that the part of the story with DD really begins here.

This is a wonderfully preserved copy that's flat, shiny and almost perfectly smooth still that's clean with off-white pages.  Only the faintest hint of a stress line can barely be made out near the upper staple in that side photo.  We're talking really subtle here, but I dropped it to NM- anyway to be extra sure.

It's not pristine, but boy does it look nice and without a doubt a high-grade copy!
Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

03/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Frank Miller -- Frank Miller does his second-ever work on Daredevil, the character that would make him famous.  This pre-dates Daredevil issue 158; vs Carrion - "Ashes to Ashes!"

This is clearly a lower-grade copy that's obviously been read and handled before.  It isn't entirely flat, still has some nice shine to it, and those lines near the lower-edge of the back side notwithstanding, it actually is still fairly smooth, though not entirely -- I run my finger along those lines on the back, and I don't feel much in the way of any wrinkling, so it's actually not bad in that department.

Spine has a slight upward curl -- I'd hardly call it a roll (see side photos), but it definitely has been read.  Back cover has that layer of surface build-up you can easily see in the photos.  Inner pages all see fine, with everything attached.  Definitely better still than a beat-up old reader copy, but just as definitely lower than mid-grade.

Bottom line is that it won't be winning any awards, but if you're looking for a lower-cost alternative to this KEY ISSUE that you can still read through, and the NM prices are making you gag, then perhaps this one will do.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

04/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Carrion, 1st app Darter, White Tiger app, Masked Marauder app - "Dust to Dust!"

A well-preserved copy that seems like it has been gently read before that has weathered the decades nicely and is still flat and shiny and mostly smooth.  Gentle stress lines at upper staple on front and lower staple on back push this down below NM.  Also, see the left and bottom edges for some printing anomalies involving loss of color.  The NM- 9.2 grading guide says that "A limited number of minor bindery/printing defects are allowed," but I suspect this might be a bit more than "limited" -- those spots are perfectly smooth to the touch, so there's no abrasions there -- it seems to have rolled off the presses like that, but we'll still take points off anyway to push this one below NM.

Not a perfect copy for sure, but it is still in high-grade territory. 
Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

05/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Carrion, White Tiger app, Darter app, also flashback appearances of Green Goblin, Jackal and Gwen Stacy - "Secret as the Grave!"

A beautifully, even if not perfectly-preserved book with a flat, shiny and remarkably smooth surface with sharp corners and off-white to white pages.  Only a couple of faint spine ticks (see side photos) reveal that this book was ever opened, and I note a tiny break in the edge of the left-edge of the paper on the back cover, right about in the middle of the coupon (you'll have to zoom in and squint to see it).

So again, a wonderful and high-grade copy, but don't expect a full NM rating. 
Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

05/79 - scarce WHITMAN VARIANT (empty UPC box) - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Carrion, White Tiger app, Darter app, also flashback appearances of Green Goblin, Jackal and Gwen Stacy - "Secret as the Grave!"

Book seems to have only the most minor handling wear from an apparently very gentle reading.  Flat, shiny and smooth, with a spine that you can see for yourself has next to nothing in terms of color-breaks or ticks.  No folds or creases, corners look good, pages off-white, and back still white also, with a faint touch of surface build-up, which is the only reason I didn't go with full NM here.  A great copy of a harder-to-find variant issue from the 1970s!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

06/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, Origin/Death of Carrion (Miles Warren) - "Till Death Do Us Part!"

Very nice copy, even if not pristine, that's flat, with great shine, and about as smooth to the touch as you'd expect a new copy to be.  Edge wear virtually non-existent, corners still sharp, no folds or creases, spine flat and tight with only the faintest hint of a tick and a dimple.  Back cover still white, and pages off-white and look great.  If it was ever read before (and I do think perhaps it was -- hard to tell), it was done very gently.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

07/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, 1st app Iguana; 1st app Marcy Kane (later Ice Queen) - "A Zoo story"

Looks almost new; flat shiny and still incredibly smooth, but a couple of little spine dimples (small enough that they're hardly noticeable in side photo), and a couple of minor printing anomalies drop this one below NM.  The bottom edges of both front and back covers came off the rollers with tiny little perforation marks (see photos of both inner covers, and you'll spot it), and one bit of stray printing ink on upper-left corner of back.  The NM- 9.2 grading guide says "A limited number of minor bindery/printing defects are allowed," so it doesn't drop it any lower than that.  The spine ticks/dimples are what drop it below NM.  Great copy still, and plenty of photos, so take a good look!

08/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, Origin of Iguana - "Night of the Iguana!"

Wonderful copy, flat, shiny and smooth as anything with off-white pages.  But a couple of spine ticks (visible in photos), a not-perfect bottom-right corner, and a touch of surface build-up, mainly along back spine, prevent this from being a NM copy.  Looks like this one got gently paged through before being stored away for the decades ahead.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

09/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Lizard, Iguana app - "Lizards on a Hot Tin Roof!"

Looks just about brand new (amazing for a book over 40 years old).  You can tell it's been picked up and moved around here or there, as is hinted at on an edge or two (see upper-right corner for about the only possible thing of note) and a slight touch of surface build-up (see bottom of back cover), but that has left very little that takes away from the flat, shiny and remarkably smooth copy this is.  While it isn't pristine and won't be getting a 9.6 grade or anything, it's a wonderful copy nonetheless and without a doubt a high-grade copy, even if not perfect.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

10/79 - by Tony Isabella/Lee Elias, vs Mindworm - "Labyrinth"

Has every appearance of a book that was bought and gently read before being stored away.  Not quite perfect with a touch of edge wear here and there, most notably the bottom back edge (visible in photo). Pages off-white, and it still has a mostly new appearance, just not NM anymore.  Smooth copy!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

10/79 - by Tony Isabella/Lee Elias, vs Mindworm - "Labyrinth"

Book still very nice with wonderful shine and mostly smooth to the touch.  A couple of little spine dimples and a tick or two, together with some very light surface wrinkling block a full VF grade, but pages still near white.  A solid upper-mid-grade copy.

11/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Swarm, 1st app Schizoid Man (Chip Martin) - "Enter:  Swarm!"

Wow, not much more than a spine dimple or two around upper staple separates this from a full NM grade.  Really nice copy, particularly one over 40 years old.  Might have been lightly paged through.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

12/79 - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Swarm - "Into the Hive!"

Good grief, this book looks just about new, and I really can't even tell if it was ever paged through.  I even ran a magnifying lens down the spine and see no color breaks; only faint traces that the book was handled before.  Nothing more than a hint of any surface build-up on back.  Certainly no 9.8 or even 9.6 copy, but the near-white pages and almost, but not quite perfect exterior argue strongly for a NM grade.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

01/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, vs Morbius - "Curse of the Living Vampire!"

Has the look of a copy that was bought and read through, perhaps shuffled about a bit before finally being stored away.  Looks mostly new but shows signs of handling, a bit of surface build-up on back, and that upper back edge has a slight ding (very small, but just visible in photo).  Some spine ticks as well, but still overall a nice copy, but no way is NM anymore.  Off-white pages, which all looked good.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

01/80 - by Bill Mantlo/Sal Buscema, vs Morbius - "Curse of the Living Vampire!"

Book is flat, still with good shine and smooth to the touch with good pages.  Couple of small spine ticks reveals that it was gently read before.  A speck here or there on surface can also be seen if held up to the light.  Might still be VF, but I went a hair lower.

02/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Bill Mantlo/John Romita Jr, vs Schizoid Man, 1st app Spider-Lizard - "Scourge of the Schizoid Man!"

A nice book, but you can tell it was read before with some edge wear (particularly the top edge, both exterior and interior -- easily seen in photos) and spine ticks, and a touch of surface build-up on back.  Still flat and shiny with no creases or folds and has off-white pages.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

03/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT(MARK JEWELERS VARIANT) - by Bill Mantlo/Frank Springer, vs Lizard - "The Terrible Turnabout!"

Book appears only to have been lightly handled, with no one obvious defect to point out.  Just has the look of a book that was bought, perhaps paged gently through once and immediately thereafter stored away.  Not quiiiiite perfectly new-looking, but gee, what a great copy regardless for a book over 40 years old.

Pretty good for a newsstand copy, not to mention the rarer Mark Jeweler variant on top of that.  And what a memorable cover to top it all off!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

04/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Tom DeFalco/Jim Mooney, vs Meteor Man, Giant-Man app - "Meteor Madness!"

Book has been lightly read and is no longer NM, but has only minor wear and still looks great.

08/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/Marie Severin, vs Vulture - "Wings of Fire, Wings of Fear"

A mostly new-looking copy that you can see was gently read before, leaving it just below NM.  Don't get me wrong -- this is a good copy; just not NM anymore.

10/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/Marie Severin, vs Prowler - "A Night on the Prowl!"

A pretty run-of-the-mill average, previously-read copy with some surface wear, still with a bit of shine, solid enough, but nothing spectacular to be sure.

11/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/Marie Severin, Frank Miller cover, Belladonna app, Rodrick Kingsley (the original Hobgoblin) appears, complete with his first-ever cover appearance) - "Double Defeat!"

Clearly been read and handled before, with some light spine wear you can see -- I had to go way below VF here because that bottom right edge of the back cover looked like it might have very briefly been touched by moisture -- does not appear to have even gone thru cover, with no evidence on inner back cover.  This leaves it solidly at around average, still with a nice shiny overall appearance.

12/80 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/Jim Mooney/Denys Cowan, White Tiger app/origin, vs Smuggler - "Enter:  The Smuggler!; The White Tiger"

This copy has been read and handled before and no longer looks as crisp and clean as I require from a VF copy.  Probably not too far below that, but I just put it at FN/VF be safe.  Solid newsstand copy, yes -- but not high-grade anymore.

01/81 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/John Romita Jr./Denys Cowan, Frank Miller cover - "Dilemma!; White Tiger solo-story:  A Killer Elite!"

A classic case of a book that has been lightly read before, so no longer NM.  Pages still white!

02/81 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/Marie Severin/Denys Cowan, Frank Miller cover, vs Mysterio - "Aliens and Illusions!; White Tiger:  The Menace of Gideon Mace!"

Has been handled before, with light spine wear.  Scuff/smudge in back upper-right corner knocks this one below VF.

04/81 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Bill Mantlo/Jim Mooney, vs Tinkerer - "Toys of the Terrible Tinkerer"

Minor wear from prior light reading, but left a couple of dimples in spine near upper staple.  But a nice overall copy, even if no longer NM.

05/81 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern/Marie Severin, Frank Miller cover - "To Save the Smuggler!"

An average middle-of-the-road copy that's clearly been enjoyed before with moderate handling wear.

07/81 - by Roger Stern/Jim Shooter with Frank Miller cover, 2nd app Jack O'Lantern (Jason Macendale) - "The Periland the Pumpkin?"

Looks almost brand new, like a book that was bought 40 years ago, brought home and almost immediately stored away.  Only the faintest traces of any wear at all, which is pretty dang good for a book that old.  Pages easily off-white and even hint toward white in places.  Not absolutely pristine, but if you're in the market for a high-grade copy that doesn't have to be perfect, you'll hardly find one better than this.

Do a search for VF copies even, and you'll find copies marked up higher than this one!

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

09/81 - by Roger Stern/John Byrne, vs Ringer, Beetle app - "Ring Out The Old, Ring In The New!"

Seems only slightly below NM, perhaps having been lightly read before -- you can see a visible spine tick in photo.  Pages look good.

12/81 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Roger Stern, Bill Mantlo/Ed Hannigan, vs Moonstone - "By the Light Of The Silvery Moonstone!"

A solid enough copy that appears to have been read and handled before, leaving behind some spine ticks and light wear.  The faint impression of the number "75" written on the outside of its original bag as a price from years ago can just be made out under the NBC icon on the upper-right front cover.

02/82 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Bill Mantlo/Greg Larocque, vs Molten Man - "Firebug"

Still a nice shiny copy, but it's been read and handled a bit too much to still call it "high" grade -- a solidly upper-mid-grade copy that still won't disappoint.

07/82 - by Bill Mantlo/Luke McDonnell, vs Robot Master - "Hell Hath No Fury Like a Robot Scorned!"

Has obviously been handled, probably read, leaving enough wear to prevent a NM rating.

08/82 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Bill Mantlo/Ed Hannigan, 2nd app Cloak and Dagger, Kingpin app, Silvermane app - "In Darkness Seldom Seen!"

This book looks just about brand new from the front -- flat, shiny, about as smooth as you could ever hope for in a copy that's nearly 40 years old -- almost no edge wear, only a couple of tiny razor-thin ticks present on the spine (so tiny that they barely show in the photos; you have to get out a magnifying lens to spot them) -- really top-notch.

Back is still white, bright, shiny and has no discernable surface build-up.  Holding the book up to the light reveals a slight imperfection on the top edge, which is so faint, I can't make it out in the photos, but hey, that's why I describe things, right? A solid, if not absolutely pristine back.

Inner pages look great -- easily off-white, even leaning toward white in places.  Everything ship-shape inside with everything attached.

Bottom line is that, while close, this doesn't quite qualify as NM, but it is still a high-grade, top-notch copy that just doesn't happen to be perfect anymore.  Presents fabulously in its bag and board.  A high-quality , even if not pristine newsstand copy.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

09/82 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Bill Mantlo/Ed Hannigan, 3rd app Cloak and Dagger, Silvermane app - "The Great Cloak and Dagger Hunt!"

A previously-read copy that still is flat, shiny and smooth to the touch, with only minimal edge wear.  It presents initially around FN/VF with only minor spine wear, some ticks and a dimple.  Pages off-white and look good, it nevertheless has picked up some surface build-up, which is hard to spot in the photos, but easily seen when you hold the book up to the light, so it had to be adjusted down.  A solid newsstand copy but certainly not even VF.

Plenty of photos, so take a good look!

02/83 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - (Double-Size) by Bill Mantlo/Al Milgrom, Black Cat app, Doctor Octopus, Owl app, Kingpin app - "Ferae Naturae (Wild Beasts)"

Appears to have been lightly read before.  This still shiny and smooth copy shows only light handling wear.  A hint of some surface build-up from that handling can be spotted near upper back edge.

03/83 - by Bill Mantlo/Al Milgrom, Black Cat app, Doctor Octopus app - "At Death's Door!"

Looks like it was lightly read before, and the upper-left edge of back isn't perfect (see photo).  Also, if you hold the book up to the light, I detect a faint "75" impression in upper-right, like a price written over its original bag from years ago.

07/83 - by Bill Mantlo/Ron Frenz, J. Jonah Jameson solo story - "I Cover the Waterfront!"

(Seller's Note -- gosh, I loved this issue and kept a copy for myself!)

Seems to have been lightly handled, but perhaps never read because I note that there's a faint impression of the number "75" in the upper right area, like a price from years ago written on the outside of its original bag -- still an excellent copy, even it not perfect.

08/83 - by Bill Mantlo/Al Milgrom, Punisher app, Cloak and Dagger app, Black Cat app - "Stalkers In The Shadows"

Looks just about brand new, which is pretty dang good for a book almost 40 years old

03/84 - by Bill Mantlo/Al Milgrom, Black Cat app, vs Cobra; vs Mr. Hyde - "Hyde and Seek!"

Looks almost new

07/84 - by Al Milgrom, 1st app of The Answer, Black Cat app - "And the Answer Is"

The top edge not being perfect is all that holds this otherwise beautiful copy from being NM (I tried to capture the slight bend so that it would be visible in the light for you -- it's pretty minimal)

10/84 - by Al Milgrom, vs Silvermane, Black Cat app, Kingpin app, Cloak and Dagger app - "The Dagger at the End of the Tunnel!"

Only some light handling wear prevents this otherwise new-looking copy from being NM.

11/84 - by Al Milgrom/Al Milgrom, vs Silvermane, Black Cat app, Kingpin app, Cloak and Dagger app, Alien Symbiote app - "The Final Answer!"

Light handling wear shows that this one has been read before -- no longer NM.

05/85 - UNOPENED - by Cary Burkett/Larry Lieber, vs Killer Shrike - "A Life for a Life!"

Some light handling wear on spine keeps this one below NM.

02/85 - UNOPENED - by James Owsley/Rich Buckler, Beyonder app, Puma app, Secret Wars II tie-in - "Secret Wars II, Part 1; And Then the Gods Cried!"

04/85 - UNOPENED - by Peter David/Bob McLeod, Black Cat app - "Mayhem!"

It may not be pristine, but still looks pretty new.

05/86 - by Len Kaminski/Joe Brozowski - "The Key"

It may not be pristine, but still looks pretty new.

06/86 - UNOPENED - by Peter David/Mark Beachum - Black Cat app, Dr. Strange app, Foreigner app - "Things Fall Apart"

Looks just about brand new, perhaps with some faint trace of handling, but essentially the way it looked when originally purchased.

08/86 - by Peter David/Rich Buckler/Dwayne Turner, Black Cat app, Dr. Strange app, Foreigner app - "Dinner Hour"

A mostly new-looking copy, but a minor fold and a couple of visible blemishes on back cover clearly drop this one below high grade.

09/86 - UNOPENED - by Peter David/Mike Zeck - vs Agents of SHIELD - "Ashes to Ashes"

Looks mostly new with slight storage wear preventing full NM grade.

01/86 - by Peter David/Rich Buckler, Malcolm Davis - "Father's Night Out"

08/87 - UNOPENED - by Peter David/Alan Kupperberg, vs Foreigner, Black Cat app - "Foreign Affairs"

Only the faintest of spine wear prevents full NM

12/87 - by Ann Nocenti/Cindy Martin - "I am Spider, Part 3"

Looks just about brand new

07/88 - by Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, Punisher cameo, Tombstone app - "Kill Zone"

Looks brand new

09/88 - by Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, Punisher app, Tombstone app, Persuader app - "Will"

Looks brand new

11/88 - by Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, vs Boomerang, In San Diego - "An Ill Wind"

Extremely minimal signs of handling

01/90 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - by Gerry Conway/Sal Buscema, Cosmic Spidey, Dr. Doom, Kingpin, Loki, Rhino, Shocker, Hydro-Man, TESS-One robot, Acts of Vengeance tie-in - "The Fear and the Fury"

What a fantastic copy! Flat as can be, shiny as ever, almost as smooth as glass with pages that are still near-white even after more than 30 years.  About the only thing I can find to mark off points for are the faint spine ticks you can see in the close-up, in-your-face side photos.  While not perfectly pristine, are you likely to find a better looking newsstand copy than this one?

Plenty of photos, so look for yourself!

05/92 - by J.M. DeMatteis/Sal Buscema, vs Vulture - "Funeral Arrangements, Part 3; Final Judgment"

Light handling wear

06/92 - NEWSSTAND VARIANT - (Silver Hologram Double-size 30th Anniversary Issue $2.95 cover price) UNOPENED - by J.M. DeMatteis/Sal Buscema, Charles Vess, Bob McLeod, Origin of Spider-Man; Gatefold painted poster - "The Osborn Legacy; The Night The World Died"

Good looking newsstand copy with only some edge wear right along spine on both sides.

07/92 - by J.M. DeMatteis/Sal Buscema, 1st app Angela Cairn (later Nocturne) - "The Horns Of A Dilemma!"

A bit of storage wear keeps this otherwise mostly nice copy below NM.

06/94 - (Double-size $2.95 cover price, includes transparent TV preview animation cel and bonus comic insert) by Ann Nocenti/James W. Fry III, vs Typhoid Mary - "Hail Mary, Part 1"

Only a light spine dimple present; cel and insert included.

10/94 - (Flipbook $2.95 cover price) by Tom DeFalco, J.M. DeMatteis/Sal Buscema, Liam Sharp, Flipbook with back-up story - "Power and Responsibility, Part 4; Higher Ground; The Double, Part 4; The Burial"

Cover not perfectly clean

12/94 - by Tom DeFalco, Todd Dezago/Sal Buscema - "Back from the Edge, Part 4"

The slightly dinged upper-left corner and some stress lines drop this otherwise new-looking copy down to merely upper-mid-grde.

02/95 - by Tom DeFalco/Sal Buscema, Death of Doctor Octopus - "Web of Death, Part 4"

Looks brand new, but spine not quite perfect.