Blah Blah Blog – Trading Update #9

A post from my long-ago Marvel blog written during the period when I was trading with fans to eventually get to a copy of FANTASTIC FOUR #1. I know I said that I wouldn’t subject you to all of these posts, and I meant it–but this one is worth preserving due to Stan Lee’s involvement.

Trading Update #9

January 30, 2009 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General

Trying to keep this brief so I can go home and finally rest this week after my adventure with the Food Network, but I didn’t want to leave without giving everybody a Trading Update (especially since I continue to get offers for books that have already been traded away.)

Things have slowed down a little bit, due to the fact that one or two books that were traded for very early in this process haven’t shown up yet. I’ve reached out to the Tradees involved, to urge them to get their trades to me as quickly as possible. But especially THOR #156 remains elusive. Nonetheless, we?ve had some interesting activity these last few days.

For the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1, I swapped to receive DAREDEVIL #158 (1st Frank Miller!), NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD #2 (Steranko!) and ASTONISHING TALES #1! A kind soul offered me AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #361 (1st Carnage!) for the little-loved MICRONAUTS #53. I bartered both the MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #28 and the MOON KNIGHT #1 SKETCH VARIANT for the WOLVERINE #66 Dynamic Forces Herb Trimpe Variant, MARVEL TALES #19 & 21, MARVEL COLLECTORS’ ITEM CLASSICS #15 and MONSTERS ON THE PROWL #29. The FANTASTIC FOUR #43 brought in MACHINE MAN #18, SPECIAL MARVEL EDITION #16, STAR WARS #3 & 25, STRANGE TALES #141 & 146, TALES TO ASTONISH #89, ULTIMATE X-MEN #1/2 and MARVEL ZOMBIES #1. I swapped the STAN LEE MEETS Hardcover for a copy of the MARVEL ENCYCLOPEDIA coffee table book. Finally, the SILVER SURFER #2 was swapped for X-MEN #137 (Death of Phoenix!), FANTASTIC FOUR #100, SECRET WARS #8 (1st Spidey Black Costume!) and AVENGERS/JLA #2.

Most remarkably, artist Mike Perkins made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. In exchange for the NAMOR #1, the PUNISHER: THE END and the HUMAN FLY #1, he’s traded me a one-of-a-kind original Captain America sketch, which should be displayed at the bottom. I’m hoping that this extra-special piece can garner me some excellent material in trade, and carry me ever closer to that elusive FANTASTIC FOUR #1.

So to sum up, what’s presently in the Trading Stack is: DAREDEVIL #158, NICK FURY, AGENT OF SHIELD #2, ASTONISHING TALES #1, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #361, WOLVERINE #66 DF HERB TRIMPE VARIANT, MARVEL TALES #19, MARVEL TALES #21, MARVEL COLLECTORS’ ITEM CLASSICS #15, MONSTERS ON THE PROWL #29, MACHINE MAN #18, SPECIAL MARVEL EDITION #16, STAR WARS #3, STAR WARS #25, STRANGE TALES #141, STRANGE TALES #146, TALES TO ASTONISH #89, ULTIMATE X-MEN #1/2, MARVEL ZOMBIES #1, MARVEL ENCYCLOPEDIA HARDCOVER, X-MEN #137, FANTASTIC FOUR #100, SECRET WARS #8, AVENGERS/JLA #2, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #299, NFL SUPERPRO SPECIAL, RAVAGE 2099 #1, SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK #7, SPIDER-GIRL #3, 26, 43, WOLVERINE #1, UNCANNY X-MEN #210, PUNISHER WAR JOURNAL #1, 6, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #289, SPIDER-MAN #60 and PETER PARKER, SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #9, 10, 13 & 127.

Whew! That’s a ton of stuff to have grown from only five little books. But we’re not all the way home yet! So if you’ve got a trade you’d like to offer me (especially if FANTASTIC FOUR #1 is involved), simply drop me a line with your offer at tbrevoort@marvel.com.

Oh, and I almost forgot! Last time, I mentioned that I’d received a very interesting trading e-mail from Stan Lee! Here is that mighty missive, with its generous offer:

Hey, Tom!

I was perusing the usual iconic Interwebs when I stumbled across your blog with the super-sensational comic trading idea. The only thing wrong with it is that you thought of it before I did! It’s a terrific way for fans–and even normal people– to interact with the maniacal madmen of Marvel! In fact, it’s such a cataclysmically cool idea, I’ve gotta get in on the action myself!

So, after recklessly rummaging through my fabled files, I found the following mags which, due to my legendary generosity, I’ll be happy to make available for trade:

Astonishing Tales #9 (featuring Ka-Zar!)

Ka-Zar #1 (I’m nutty for that saber-toothed sensation, Zabu!)

Strange Tales #140 (by Jolly Jack and Yours Truly!)

Strange Tales #141 (More Yours Truly! More Jolly Jack Kirby!)

and a near-and-dear to my heart copy of the senses-shattering Not Brand Echh #2!

To sweeten the deal (or maybe poison it!) I’ll even scribble a “Stan Lee” signature on the books as well. Yep, if you want a copy personally defaced by Yours Truly, I’ll be glad to go that extra mile for you!

So what sayest thou? Sufficient trade bait? Let’s get this show on the road and see where the wonderment takes us!

I’ll be awaiting your reply with bated breath–and you know how hard it is to bate a breath, so drop everything and let’s give Fandom Assembled something to cheer about!

Stan Lee
(Whoops! Almost forgot— Excelsior!)


So that’s a whole other category that we’ve got going on here–books from Stan?s very own hands, signed by “El Hombre” himself, offered as a gigantic gesture to help take us to FF #1 and benefitting the Hero Initiative. Now, I don’t yet have Stan’s books in hand–Jim McLauchlin from Hero will be trekking over to Stan’s POW! Entertainment offices to pick them up shortly. But hopefully by the time of the next Trading Update, I?ll be in position to offer them up to all comers as well!

In the meantime, keep trading!

Tom B