Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading ... so here's this month's grading diary.

TOOK ME LONG ENOUGH ...
The Mag: Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce -- Mad No 36 (April 2024)
The Reason Graded: With the Grammys set for tonight (Feb. 1), I figured now would be the time to drop one here for the Swifties -- a magazine that I picked off long, long ago with absolute intent to grade but never got around to it until late last year. This duo sold a lot of magazines in the last couple of years but this one was one of few to present itself in a way that would fit in my collection of slabs -- it's one part sports (he's in uniform) and one part comics/satire, a category where I have a few slabs. These were popular -- so much so there was at least a second printing with a green logo -- but actually finding the long-running but off-and-on-title would be a challenge at arrival. Book stores/newsstands? Probably not. Comics shops? Maybe ... but probably not a big priority for many of them. The original Mad ran from 1952 to 2018 before DC Comics took over after a couple months off that year and it's largely been new covers wrapping mostly favorite reprinted stories from the past with occasional new content.
The Grade: CGC 9.6 (Universal)

Reality Check: These mags are super thin and the cover paper is, too. How skinny? The spines of new copies have texture all the way down from the folding -- I suspect they will be the huge problem spots if you find these un-graded with an eye for slabbing. Mine has that -- as do some 9.8s I looked at before slabbing -- so mine probably had one other small issue to kick it down a notch. That was a bummer -- and my latest mags submission didn't have a single 9.8 in it, which was odd -- but I was grading this no matter what as a time capsule kind of slab from the last few years.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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Buzz buys a lot of stuff these days and for a few reasons, really. In recent times, I've been picking off bulk lots of comic books -- new stuff and old stuff -- by the box and have decided to make it a monthly drop here. Why? Just for fun ... 

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ALL THAT ... AND SOME MYLARS, TOO
The Lot: 32 assorted modern Marvel Comics & DC Comics titles ... find Marvel & DC cards here
The Price: $46

Keep reading for more on this one ...

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For years now, autographed books coming direct from publishers -- or direct from the authors themselves -- have been an affordable way to collect ink from notable names in all realms of pop culture.

It's not a perfect system with stamped autos, fakes and autopens sometimes in the mix -- a problem for publishers to catch as they are not authenticators -- but thanks to dedicated collectors on the Blowout Cards Forum and elsewhere, those problems often get caught and fixed ... or at least become well-known enough to avoid if it's an issue that goes uncorrected. Getting ink in-person is always best -- book tours still happen, of course -- but landing autographed editions from publishers, online sellers or celebs themselves via their websites or other appearances are common.

Our latest subject and autograph in this ongoing series? Well, this time it's something totally different, actually, as nothing recently released in the books realm has grabbed my attention. Instead, I turned to something from the comics world -- a category with plenty of signed stuff out there regularly and ink flowing.

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Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block via for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions ... check 'em out.

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THE BIGGEST BATMAN
The Item: 1966 Topps Batman (Black Bat) No. 1 The Batman (PSA 9)
The Price: $90,000 after 61 bids (ends Dec. 11)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: Are non-sports "rookie cards" a thing? They are to many and this one fits the bill as this first card in the first set for the iconic character -- and it's already delivering big on the auction block where it will end this week. "Norman Saunders' bold brushwork captures the Caped Crusader in motion, surrounded by bursts of color that defined the campy, kinetic energy of 1960s pop culture," reads the Heritage listing. "This stunner is one of the highest-graded examples known, with none higher on the PSA population report ... it embodies the unmatched quality and care behind this legendary collection. Simply put, this is the Batman rookie every serious collector dreams of owning."

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block ... check 'em out.

It's going to be a busy end of the year for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions with a number of regularly scheduled events as well as some showcase auctions with high-profile stuff all on the calendar. This time, we look at a few things from a few active sales this month.

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AS SUPER AS IT GETS
The Item: Superman No. 1 (DC, 1939) -- CGC 9.0
The Price: $2,850,000 after 97 bids (ends Nov. 20)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This is one of those finds that makes headlines early on and then will make an even bigger one once it's sold -- and that's happening later this month. Only 209 copies of this iconic and massive first issue have been graded by CCG and only 93 of those are un-restored or without other grading caveats. Of the 93 graded, nothing tops this copy. It's the lone CGC 9 and there's only one 8.5, one 8.0, two 7.0s and everything else is single-digits until you get down to CGC 1.5 ... so this one is as elite as it gets. "This copy represents the pinnacle of comic collecting," reads the Heritage listing. "Not only is this the highest-graded unrestored copy Heritage has ever offered, but it also holds the top position on the CGC census, outranking the likes of several esteemed pedigreed copies including the Mile High and Davis Crippen copies." The 8.0 sold for $5.3 million in 2022 and Heritage sold a 7.0 copy for $2.34 million last year. It survived all these years in an attic of a California home and will easily set a new sales record before it finds a new home.

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The packs: 1992 Topps Batman Returns (two)
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for other Retro Rips

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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Auction Buzz is a monthly look at some of the variety found out there on the auction block ... check 'em out.

It's going to be a busy second half of the year for Dallas-based Heritage Auctions with a number of regularly scheduled events as well as some showcase auctions with high-profile stuff all on the calendar. This time, we look at a few things from a few active sales this month.

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DARK KNIGHT IN DEMAND
The Item: Batman tin robot with original English box (Nomura Toys, 1966)
The Price: $5,250 after 29 bids (ends July 11)
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This vintage Japanese toy is a foot-tall prime piece of pop culture with an obvious 1960s feel yet with some aspirations of something more for the future -- it's a battery operated tin toy and it's complete with its Adam West-styled box and fabric cape. This one is "an iconic fusion of superhero flair and vintage tin toy charm" per Heritage and it's one of two known styles -- this one has the serious face and one with the switch button in red. Heritage calls this "a standout from the golden age of Batman collectibles, blending Japanese craftsmanship with Gotham nostalgia."

Keep reading for more interesting pieces up for grabs right now.

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What: 2024 Kakawow Cosmos Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary All-Star trading cards
Arrives: Jan. 31, 2025
Box basics: Two to five "limited numbered" cards per 10-pack box (10 boxes per case)
Checklist: TBD
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The international card-maker turns its focus to everything Warner Bros. once again with a massive collection -- more than 3,200 cards across 31 sets this time -- as part of a release that adds to the mix of possible finds, too.

Keep reading for more info.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

STRONG SEASON ... WHAT'S NEXT?
The Card: Juan Soto 2018 Topps 582 Montgomery Club Set 1 -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: A big season that came up short of the goal ... but now it's time for a historic payday while still in his mid-20s. Soto's Rookie Cards (2018) aren't all that rare, really, but there's a lot of demand -- but they still might be good buys depending on where he goes next. (Mets? Watch out.) All those thoughts were in mind when I popped this one into a submission earlier this year along with other key names from this small set for Club members. It's not a traditional RC since it's from a small set, but it's still a good Soto to me ... so I slabbed it.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: Top grade of a small volume works for me. I'm sure there will be more and I'm sure the pops are higher elsewhere, but the range of the grades here shows it might not be the easiest kind of card to grade thanks to that retro stock.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to seeFa busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: 2024 Fantasy Super Costplay Wrestling Series 4 trading cards
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for WWE/AEW

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: Comic Book Super Value 5-pack (ND Comics)
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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Heroes, villains, iconic actors, illustrated legends and more ... much, much more.

There's so much to find in the just-arrived 2024 Kakawow Phantom Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary trading card set -- it's one that spans generations of entertainment all in one spot with heavy doses of icons from film and television. Ripping into a pack can mean landing icons as Superman, Batman and Willy Wonka in film or animated form as well as looks at past landmark releases and franchises such as The Wizard Of Oz, Friends, Tom & Jerry or The Matrix with a ton of modern-day flash and surprise. It's already is generating surprises on eBay early on after its formal arrival this week.

What are some of the variables creating those surprises? Well, for starters, this release is massive -- so big we'd be here all day detailing it but you can see all of the basics and a checklist here -- with literally more than 2,000 cards spread over tiers in a basic set, several numbered parallel versions and then some chase sets with parallels, too. And beyond the depth of who and what can be found here as it takes a look at 100 years of entertainment, it's also important to note that the distribution is global for this one, meaning those rarities are spread out. (There's no separate American Edition box with its own chases, for example, for this one -- the run is 10,000 cases of 500 cards apiece and that's it from Kakawow, which is a Chinese card company.)

Collect 'em all? That will be challenging ... heck, even picking what to collect within this one might be tough. Come with us as we take a look at some finds fresh from eBay via a gallery after the jump.

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Like many collectors, Buzz is a fan of grading and knows that there are many reasons that collectors choose to slab cards. Sometimes it's to enhance the appeal and protect them when selling. Other times it's to protect an investment for the long-term or to protect for sentimental reasons. Or, it might be just for fun or curiosity about a potential grade.

Here's this month's grading diary here on The Buzz ...

A MONSTER YEAR ...
The Card: Shohei Ohtani 2018 Topps Heritage High Number -- Rookie Card
The Reason Graded: Ohtani had a monster season without even pitching -- first 50-50 Club member for starters and just short of the National League Triple Crown -- and his big-time potential had me submitting some of my RCs for him earlier this year. Did people expect this kind of showing, though? Probably not -- I know I didn't -- but I know Heritage RCs are my preference, so this one made the cut. The bottom corners seem to be the most-common issue with these cards, but this one was clean and so it made my sub -- and I will have two more on the way to grading, too, so you'll see more of this card during the off-season or by next spring.
The Grade: CGC 10

Reality Check: The graded volume is high here but perhaps still modest vs. PSA volumes -- I'm good with that -- and this one has only been topped three times. I dig that. This mark isn't that rare but it is one that would be in demand with the two slots below also where many will look.

Keep reading for more of this month's pick-ups and new slabs for Buzz.

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What: 2024 Kakawow Phantom Warner Bros. 100th Anniversary Box trading cards
Arrives: Oct. 11
Box basics: Two to four "limited numbered" cards per 10-pack box (10 boxes per case)
Checklist: Click here
Order: Click here

What's buzz-worthy: The international card-maker turns its focus to everything Warner Bros. as it offers up a vast collection of pop culture, history and celebrity all in one spot for the 100th anniversary of the studio.

Keep reading for more info.

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Group breaks have been a game-changer for the card industry for several years now and from time to time Buzz will jump into a BlowoutTV break of some type and break down the results of what he landed by picking up a team. There are near-daily breaks right here with Matt on Blowout TV during weekday working hours and even more from Houdini and others over on the forum in the evening.

Now, it's time for this post's break breakdown -- a mystery box to introduce a new CFCoolectibles realm of breaks ... a Thank You Comic Mystery Box.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards
First Buzz preview: N/A

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics & IDW Publishing 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards
First Buzz preview: N/A

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards
First Buzz preview: N/A

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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Buzz buys and busts a lot of boxes right here for Buzz Breaks, but one of my goals is to rip a little less and talk more about cardboard that I -- and you -- might like. One way to do that? Simple show and tell -- present a few pick-ups and say why they captured my attention.

So, with all that said, here are a few Buzz Buys ... 

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DOGPOOL'S DEBUT
The Book: Prelude To Deadpool Corps No. 3 -- first Dogpool appearance
The Price: Under $8
Why it’s Buzz-worthy: This was an impulse/curiosity buy once I saw Dogpool -- a character that I'm admittedly not that familiar with -- on this cover of Empire in advance of the Deadpool & Wolverine movie to come as well as in a preview trailer. Why? Well, one reason I grabbed this was that the lone graded copy of this book on eBay at that time had an asking price of $400-plus. While I know that's high, you never know what people might grab if the that pup steals the show or at least picks up some headlines alongside Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds when this one hits. (Weird thing have happened with Baby Yoda and Star Wars' Porgs in recent years.) This comic cover isn't exactly the same as what we're getting on the big screen dog-wise, but with the movie figuring to generate a lot of buzz and perhaps include a lot of cameos I've been looking at stuff here and there ... and I really need to go find that magazine, too. It's actually got higher asking prices on eBay than this book and has sold for more than $20. (It's a UK mag ... so it's perhaps not as easily found just yet.) The comic has had CGC 9.8 sales of $85 and $299 in recent months, too, so there's definitely some speculating ... and there should be. This movie will be huge.
Grab a box right here: BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards

Keep reading for more interesting items ...

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: Giant-size Box of Mystery comics repack box
Where to buy: Check the story for the chain ... hit BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards
First Buzz preview: N/A

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards
First Buzz preview: N/A

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics & IDW Publishing 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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Update (Feb. 16) -- Pre-ordered copies of this one are shipping today.

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It's almost time for a ThunderCats reboot ... and it's one that will include BlowoutCards.com.

Set to arrive next week, Dynamite Entertainment's first issue of the legendary series is set to arrive with a number of variant covers in play (see some of the others here) as part of a launch that's already pre-sold more than 170,000 copies. That's the biggest-selling new arrival for the comics industry in years.

Blowout will be part of that array of arresting artistic odes to the heroes of the lair with a limited series of ThunderCats No. 1 exclusives that are an homage to not just one but two iconic and best-selling comic books from the early 1990s all rolled into one -- with exclusive artwork from an iconic creator of that era, too.

There will be four single covers and a fifth collecting them all -- and if you weren't around in 1991 to collect 'em all and to already know what that means, we'll reveal them all right here, right now.

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From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: DC Comics 10-pack comic bundle
Where to buy: Retail hunting for these ... BlowoutCards.com for non-sports cards
First Buzz preview: N/A

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

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