Comics And Bad Weather Don't Mix Howdy! Denver finally broke the 100 degree (39 C) barrier this afternoon, after a couple of months of cooler (and much wetter) weather. I think that we are now going to settle into a more seasonal pattern, consisting of a few very hot days, interspersed with ones that are much more moderate. That would be fine by me, except for the fact that I still have to resolve a 6' tall (1.7 meter) blanket of invasive weeds that is smothering goodly portions of my beloved Jay Hill Farm. I've never seen so much teasel, thistle, and burdock in our entire thirty-three year span of owning our farm. Denver Temperature today To get rid of those nasty weeds (before they dry out and become a dangerous fire hazard), I am getting up at dawn every day, and then working until 11 AM, by which point it simply becomes too hot for me to work outside. I once suffered through the aftereffects of a heat stroke, so I now know enough to quit working when I get overheated. Slowly, I am making progress toward getting all the crazy vegetative growth that resulted from our unprecedented 20+ inches of rain during May/June under control. I'll probably be completely caught up right about the time our first snowfall occurs. Sigh... The good news (at least so far) is that the ghastly 110+ degree "heat dome" that has been lingering across the entire southern sections of the USA (from Los Angeles all the way east to Miami) has never drifted northward into Colorado. Nor have we been afflicted with tornados like Chicago, or deluges of rain like New York, Vermont, and Sotheastern Pennsylvania. Those natural disasters have created enormous misery for millions of people, but to this point, we've escaped their worst impacts. We are very grateful. Blanket of invasive weeds Segueing into news from Mile High Comics, we had our highest-grossing four-day non-holiday weekend this past Thursday-Sunday, as several very serious out-of-town collectors visited our Mega-Store, and ended up scooping up tens of thousands of dollars in comics and collectibles. We sold several very costly "key" back issues, which is certainly proof positive to us that the market for collectible comic books is remarkably robust right now. In a nutshell, that is why I was so excited and happy that Will Moulton purchased two more major collections (3,000 back issues) before the clock even hit noon today. We never stop buying! A couple of other quick notes about weather and collecting back issue comics. First, please do pay attention to all of the news reports about our sudden rise in severe weather occurrences. I have visited the beautiful suburban area north of Philadelphia many times in order to purchase comics collections, and I can assure you that no one living there could ever have imagined seven inches of rain falling in that bucolic area in a span of just forty-five minutes. Simply put, you cannot ever plan for these kinds of highly localized cloudbursts, as they can materialize out of nowhere, and create flash floods that destroy everything in their path. I know this on a personal level, as my own house (on a hill!) in Boulder flooded after we received 14 inches of rain in a 36-hour period back in 2013. No one is immune from Mother Nature's wrath right now, regardless of where you live. Nikki cooling off in one of the ponds Even if you don't get flooded, hailed out, burned by suddenly wildfires, or have the ocean inexorable rise destroy your beachfront home, you are still going to have to bear a significant cost burden. Not only are everyone's insurance rates going to go through the proverbial roof (ask anyone living in Florida how much their homeowner's rates have risen...), but food costs are also going to rise even further as "smaller" disasters (like the huge Derecho windstorm that just flattened grain fields in a huge swath across the upper Midwest) eat away at available supplies. My second point as regards old comic books is that this crazy weather is causing them to become increasingly scarce. I have been dealing in back issue comics since 1968 (right after the release of Silver Surfer #1), and I have always been very attuned to the macroeconomic factors impacting comics demand, and most importantly (for me) their prices. What I am seeing right now is a constancy of destruction, as natural disasters multiply, and as an ever-increasing number of people have their homes damaged and/or destroyed. Weather and other disasters have always been a factor in the decline of available antiques and collectibles, but today's vast increase in weather volatility is fueling an unprecedented wave of destruction. As available supplies go down, prices rise. It is just that simple. LOIS LANE (1958) (#1-137) (SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND) (DC) #70 While my second observation may seem exceptionally downbeat, bear in mind that I am trying to help you become one of the survivors of all this collectibles turmoil. First, and foremost, THINK about how you have your comics stored. Fire is obviously hard to beat, but smoke and water damage can be greatly mitigated by carefully lining the inside of your long boxes with black trash bags, and never (ever!) storing your comics below ground level. Hauling a large collection of comics to a relatively safe 2nd floor (if you have one) is a real pain-in-the-butters, but may also be one of the only ways to keep your treasures safe. I cannot begin to list all the horror stories that I have heard of flooded basements leading to the total destruction of beautiful collections painstakingly built over 30-50 years. By my best estimates, Superstorm Sandy, alone, destroyed over one million comic books in just a single night. Need I say more? Anyhoo, you now should have insight into why I purchased a concrete warehouse that sits on a 36-inch (one meter) elevated concrete slab. We have had gawdawful rainstorms hit our building (including one containing golfball-sized hail that destroyed all 70 of our skylights), but through even the worst events, we have only sustained minor damage. Even when our street in front of the Mega-Store floods a foot deep (which it now does at least once a year), we experience only minimal impacts. Why? Because all of our comics, books, and collectibles are stored with those storms in the forefront of our minds. No one can mitigate all risk, but we do try to take into account the fact that what were weather abnormalities in the past, are now our "new normal." We hope that you are thinking along those same lines, and can keep your collection safe. A pasture at Jay Hill Farm That's it for today. I have to get back to Boulder, and get ready to weed-whack until dark. Then I am going to chill out by reading a graphic novel in front of my little window air conditioner. To paraphrase Freewheelin' Franklin: "Great comics will get you through periods of bad weather, better than good weather will get you through periods of bad comics..." Happy collecting! Chuck Rozanski/Bettie Pages, President - Mile High Comics, Inc. July 17, 2023 P.S. If you would like to order a few comics from us right now don't forget to utilize our 50% off AWESOME! codeword. Entering the codeword into the line provided at checkout will drop your net cost by half (!) for all qualifying items. As per usual, our codeword applies to the over ten million back issue comics and magazines listed on our website, excepting only new issues, a few variants and restored comics, and our professionally-graded items. Enjoy! MARVEL IMMORTAL HULK (2018) #35 IMMORTAL HULK (2018) #35 Near Mint/Mint IMMORTAL HULK (2018) #35 Very Good IMMORTAL HULK (2018) #35 Very Fine NEW MUTANTS (1983) (#1-100) (MARVEL) #31 Very Fine SPIDER-WOMAN (2020) (#1-21) (JESSICA DREW) #1 YOON NEW Near Mint/Mint SPIDER-WOMAN (2020) (#1-21) (JESSICA DREW) #2 Near Mint/Mint SPIDER-WOMAN (2020) (#1-21) (JESSICA DREW) #2 Fine SPIDER-WOMAN (2020) (#1-21) (JESSICA DREW) #2 OLIVER Near Mint/Mint SPIDER-WOMAN (2020) (#1-21) (JESSICA DREW) #2 Very Fine SPIDER-WOMAN (2020) (#1-21) (JESSICA DREW) #2 YOON Near Mint/Mint STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS (2020) #1 3RD PRINT Near Mint/Mint STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 Fine STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 SPROUSE Near Mint/Mint STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 SPROUSE Very Fine STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 SPROUSE Fine STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 2ND PRINT Very Fine STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 SPROUSE Very Good STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #3 Very Good STORM (2014) (#1-11) (MARVEL) #1 YOUNG BABY STORM (2014) (#1-11) (MARVEL) #1 YOUNG BABY Near Mint/Mint SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN: ALIEN REALITY (2019) #4 Fine SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN: ALIEN REALITY (2019) #5 Very Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #1 3RD PRINT Very Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #2 5TH PRINT Very Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #3 4TH PRINT Very Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #4 3RD PRINT Very Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #4 3RD PRINT Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #5 4TH PRINT Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #6 Good THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #6 Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #6 2ND PRINT Very Fine THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #6 2ND PRINT Very Good THOR (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #6 Very Fine VENOM (2018) (#1-35) (MARVEL) #26 3RD PRINT Near Mint/Mint WOLVERINE (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #1 KIDD Very Fine WOLVERINE (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #2 PAREL Near Mint/Mint WOLVERINE (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #3 RANEY Near Mint/Mint WOLVERINE (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #4 Good WOLVERINE (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #4 2ND PRINT Near Mint/Mint WOLVERINE (2020) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #4 Very Good X-MEN: GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS EXTENDED CUT (2020) #1 CAMUNCOLI X-MEN: GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS EXTENDED CUT (2020) #1 CAMUNCOLI Very Fine DC AMERICAN VAMPIRE HC (DC VERTIGO) (2010) #2 ALBUQUESGN Good AMERICAN VAMPIRE VOL. 1 TPB (DC VERTIGO) (2011) #1 3RD PRINT (DC: Vertigo Press) Very Fine AMERICAN VAMPIRE VOL. 3 TPB (DC VERTIGO) (2012) #1 2ND PRINT (DC: Vertigo Press) Fine BATMAN: HUSH COMPLETE TPB (JIM LEE) (JEPH LOEB) (2009) #1 8TH PRINT Near Mint/Mint BIG BOOK OF THE '70S #1 Fine BIG BOOK OF THE UNEXPLAINED (1997) #1 2ND PRINT (DC: Paradox Press) Fine BIG BOOK OF URBAN LEGENDS (1994) #1 (DC: Paradox Press) Very Fine DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE (2015) #6 HC Very Good PLANETARY OMNIBUS HC (2013) #1 Fine SANDMAN OMNIBUS HC (2013) #1 Very Good SANDMAN OMNIBUS HC (2013) #2 Fine SWAMP THING, SAGA OF (1982) #6 NEWSSTAND SWAMP THING, SAGA OF (1982) #6 NEWSSTAND (DC: Vertigo Press) Fine DARK HORSE COMICS CREEPY ARCHIVES HC (2008) #21 Very Good CREEPY ARCHIVES HC (2008) #26 Very Good EC ARCHIVES: CRIME ILLUSTRATED HC (2021) #1 Very Good EC ARCHIVES: PANIC HC (2016) #1 Very Good EC ARCHIVES: WEIRD SCIENCE TPB (2022) #1 Very Good EERIE ARCHIVES HC (2008) #24 Fine MOEBIUS LIBRARY: WORLD OF EDENA HC (2016) #1 Fair ROCCO VARGAS: WALKING WITH MONSTERS HC (2005) #1 Near Mint/Mint IMAGE COMICS FIREBREATHER VOL. 1 TPB #1 2ND 2XSIGN Very Fine INDEPENDENTS CLASSIC ROCK COVERS SC (2001) #1 (Icon Creations) Fine EC ARCHIVES: WEIRD SCIENCE HC (2006) #1 EC ARCHIVES: WEIRD SCIENCE HC (2006) #1 (Gemstone) Fine HAUNT OF FEAR ANNUAL TPB (1992) #1 (EC Comics) Very Good HAUNT OF FEAR ANNUAL TPB (1992) #2 (EC Comics) Very Good HAUNT OF FEAR ANNUAL TPB (1992) #3 (EC Comics) Very Good HAUNT OF FEAR ANNUAL TPB (1992) #5 (EC Comics) Very Fine HAUNT OF FEAR ANNUAL TPB (1992) #6 (EC Comics) Very Fine INCAL CLASSIC COLLECTION DELUXE HC (2010) #1 5TH PRINT (Humanoids Publishing) Very Fine LUSCIOUS: COLLECTED ART OF AL RIO (2001) #1 (Avatar Comics) Fine NAMESAKE TPB (2017) #1 3RD PRINT (Boom Studios Publishing) Very Fine NAMESAKE TPB (2017) #2 2ND PRINT (Boom Studios Publishing) Very Fine NAMESAKE TPB (2017) #3 (Boom Studios Publishing) Near Mint/Mint ROBOTS & SPACESHIPS SC (2001) #1 (Icon Creations) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #1 15TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #2 12TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #2 12TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #2 19TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #3 10TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #3 5TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #3 8TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #4 18TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #4 2ND PRINT SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #4 2ND PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #4 3RD PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #4 6TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #5 6TH PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #5 (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #6 (Oni Press Inc.) Fine SCOTT PILGRIM TPB (2004) #6 2ND PRINT (Oni Press Inc.) Very Good TALES FROM THE CRYPT ANNUAL TPB (1992) #2 (EC Comics) Near Mint/Mint TALES FROM THE CRYPT ANNUAL TPB (1992) #3 (EC Comics) Fine TALES FROM THE CRYPT ANNUAL TPB (1992) #4 (EC Comics) Near Mint/Mint TALES FROM THE CRYPT ANNUAL TPB (1992) #5 (EC Comics) Fine TALES FROM THE CRYPT ANNUAL TPB (1992) #6 (EC Comics) Near Mint/Mint VAULT OF HORROR ANNUAL TPB #1 (Gemstone) Very Good VAULT OF HORROR ANNUAL TPB #2 (Gemstone) Very Fine VAULT OF HORROR ANNUAL TPB #3 (Gemstone) Very Fine VAULT OF HORROR ANNUAL TPB #4 (Gemstone) Near Mint/Mint VAULT OF HORROR ANNUAL TPB #5 (Gemstone) Very Fine VAULT OF HORROR ANNUAL TPB #6 (Gemstone) Very Fine WEIRD FANTASY ANNUAL #1 (EC Comics) Good WEIRD FANTASY ANNUAL #5 (EC Comics) Very Fine WEIRD SCIENCE ANNUAL TPB #2 WEIRD SCIENCE ANNUAL TPB #2 (Gemstone) Very Fine WEIRD SCIENCE ANNUAL TPB #3 (Gemstone) Near Mint/Mint WEIRD SCIENCE ANNUAL TPB #4 (Gemstone) Very Fine WEIRD SCIENCE ANNUAL TPB #5 (Gemstone) Near Mint/Mint WEIRD SCIENCE FANTASY ANNUAL TPB (1992) #1 (Gemstone) Very Good WEIRD SCIENCE FANTASY ANNUAL TPB (1992) #2 (Gemstone) Very Fine Current Newsletter