Chuck Nearly Gets Burned On A Pot Howdy! I'm not sure what has happened during the past 72 hours, but turnover on our website has jumped from relatively slow, to red hot, almost overnight. Truthfully, there is no rhyme or reason to this sudden surge in our business, as the orders are spread out over innumerable niche genres and publishers, with no one overriding commonality. People just seem to have woken up to the fact that comics (and most especially our back issues) have become a great entertainment value, especially during a period of time when Will and Pam are intentionally downgrading thousand of choice back issues each and every week. Chuck with his real (!) 1880's Santa Clara jar. Whatever the case may be, if you placed an order with us over the past three days, please do allow us a little bit of extra time to get your order pulled and shipped. We do have the ability to redirect our staff's energies into fulfilling orders (as opposed to working on adding even more inventory), but those kinds of strategic shifts do take a little bit of time to implement. Thank you ever so much for your patience and understanding. On the bright side, one very positive outcome of this unexpected surge in orders is that it has helped to mitigate my beloved wife, Nanette's, perpetual state of financial anxiety. That is especially important right now, as Nanette caught that awful upper respiratory illness that I suffered through last week. She is feeling especially bad today, with an almost non-stop cough that is so deep that it is causing her ribs and spine to continually ache. I took her to see her holistic healer/chiropractor this morning, and he helped her quite a bit with her pain management. The one moment that I definitely saw her smile today, however, was when she saw that huge list of orders that I forwarded to her. Knowing that our company bills are being covered, even when she is out sick, tends to make her very, very happy. As for myself, I think that I would be completely well today, except for the fact that I drove 1,000 miles to Albuquerque and back over the weekend. Why? Because there was a gigantic blackware water jar at the trading post in Bernallio that suddenly came up for sale. The owner was steadfast up through Friday in refusing to accept any offers (it's a family heirloom...), but then suddenly changed her mind. That sudden availability put me in one helluva bind, as the world-famous Margaret Tafoya of Santa Clara Pueblo (and her mother, Sara Fina Tafoya) are the only ones known to have the technical skill to regularly fire pots over 20 inches in height and 20 inches diameter. The questions that thus bedeviled me on Friday were "could this really be a Margaret Tafoya jar?" And "How do I scrape up enough cash to make a reasonable offer?" The nicest one that sold prior was at Sotheby's in 1999. It brought $93,500.00. Huge Jar The most important question, however, was as to whether I had the stamina remaining to drive that 1,000 miles, especially after being sick and in bed all week. My first challenge was to successfully conduct our monthly no-minimum-bid comics and toys auction on Saturday morning. That first hurdle was surpassed with relative ease, with my only experiencing a couple of isolated coughing fits while generating a record level of bids for a January auction. Yay! After the auction ended, I quick (quick!) picked up another beautiful wooden display cabinet for our Jason St. Mega-Store from a trailer court in north Denver, and then drove like the proverbial bat-out-of-hell back north to Boulder to drop my awesome dog, Nicky, at our farm. That haste allowed me the time that I needed to cover 350 miles southward by 10 PM, finally stopping to rest in the high plains hamlet of Las Vegas (New Mexico). I was then up at 4:45 AM, and touching that huge jar in Bernallio the minute that the trading post opened at 9 AM. Woo! At this point, I have to preach a bit. I am a wild and crazy collector, and my passions make me do some very dumb things. Driving 500 miles southward in the vain hope of somehow securing possession of this rare gem of a pot made me ignore the profound risks to my own health, and to take on a risk that was (on many levels) idiotic. But, as anyone who shares my passions for collecting can readily attest, when you are on the hunt for something really BIG, reason (and restraint) easily fly right the window. Sooo, what happened? Well, I can only give you my personal opinion, but my first close examination of this huge jar set off all kinds of alarm bells. I know Margaret Tafoya's work quite well (I own over a dozen of her smaller works), and this jar had the right size, but otherwise was devoid of any other of her trademark characteristics. Truthfully, the more that I closely examined the surface polish, the more that I got weirded out. All Santa Clara potters stone polish the slip (exterior surfacing material) on their pots. The big ones (like this jar), reportedly require three people simultaneously applying slip, and polishing together. It is all hand work with ultra-smooth stones, many of which have passed through several generations in the same family. The thing about stone polishing is that it is never perfect. Even the very best of polishers end up leaving some very small linear indentations in the base clay, ones that a trained eye can spot relatively easily. In this instance, there were none. The second problem is one that also plagues the comics world. I cannot begin to relate to you how many people that I know who have submitted a seemingly beautiful rare issue to CGC for grading, only to have it come back with the dreaded purple label that warns the world of "amateur restoration." Within that context, color touch-ups are the #1 problem, with black marker (or even colored pencils) inevitably used to cover up fold lines. I knew one dealer on the East Coast who had an entire studio/laboratory in his basement specifically to surreptitiously touch up Golden Age comics. When CGC began utilizing UV lights on his books, all of his illicit restorations were revealed, and he was forced out of business. To this day, however, thousands of his bogus books are still floating around out there, waiting to lure in yet another cadre of unsuspecting victims. Grrr... Huge Jar with all black surfaces As regards my giant pot, it had innumerable apparent surface flaws, but not a single one allowed the typically tan-colored Tewa (Santa Clara) clay to peek through. How is that even possible? An abrasion or scratch on any black pot should reveal the underlying paste beneath the slip. This jar was jet black, even in its roughest areas. Hmmm... Finally, another problem that plagues the comics world is enterprising crooks passing off modern pieces as incredibly valuable ancient editions. I cannot begin to relate to you how many ACTION COMICS #1's that have been brought to us by gullible sellers who don't realize that all they own is a copy of the 1974 Famous First Edition reprint with the cover torn off. When we try to explain to them that the actual original #1 was comics size, not tabloid, they have been known to call us all kinds of liars and thieves who are "out to rip them off." Nope, sorry. You got suckered... 1974 Famous First Edition reprint In the case of this giant jar, I gently thumped its surface with the nail of my middle finger. Santa Clara pots are fired in backyard pits at an average temperature of about 1,400 degrees. This is far, far less than high quality ceramics (such as Japanese teacups) that sometimes are fired in kilns at temperatures well over 2,000 degrees. The easiest way to tell the difference in firing temperatures is by listening to the sound your fingernail makes. Real deal Santa Clara goes "thunk," while ceramics go "ping." The minute that I heard "ping," I headed for the exit. Long story a bit shorter, in my humble opinion this huge jar is a modern replica, probably made by a professional ceramics company to sell to hotels in the southwest for exhibit in their lobby. It looks great, unless you lift the veil and really examine the manufacture. Then you realize that it is all kinds of pretty, but nowhere near the real deal. Sigh.... So, I drove home last night (almost) empty-handed from New Mexico. I did learn a valuable lesson, however, which is to more closely examine a potential purchase, even if the seller claims that they are keeping it as a family heirloom. Had I been more cautious, I could have saved myself 1,000 mile of driving, and a lot of wear-n-tear on my body. Such is life... Nanette and Chuck Well, that's it for today. I'm going to go home now and take care of Nanette. If you want to help me keep her spirits up, all you need to do is to place some sort of a small order through our website. I immediately forward all of our orders to her from the e-mails that I get from our server, and I can attest that each one helps her to feel like everything is going to be OK, even when she is too sick to go in to the office. Our 60% off WOODCHUCK! codeword remains in effect for you through next Monday, with only new issues, a few variants and restored comics, and our professionally-graded items being exempt. Have a great week, and do try to stay healthy. Chuck Rozanski/Bettie Pages, President - Mile High Comics, Inc. January 29, 2024 MARVEL ABSOLUTE CARNAGE (2019) #1 UNKNOWNVIR Near Mint/Mint AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2022) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #25 COMICCORNE Near Mint/Mint CLASSIC X-MEN (1986) #35 CLASSIC X-MEN (1986) #35 Very Good CLASSIC X-MEN (1986) #95 NEWSSTAND Very Fine DOROTHY & THE WIZARD IN OZ (2011) #7 Fine DOROTHY & THE WIZARD IN OZ (2011) #8 Fine DRAX (2015) #4 Very Fine EXCALIBUR (2019) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #21 UNKNOWNVAR Very Fine FANTASTIC FOUR (1961) (#1-416) (MARVEL) #352 NEWSSTAND Very Good GI JOE (1982) (#1-155) (MARVEL) #86 NEWSSTAND Good HOUSE OF X (2019) #6 2ND PRINT Very Good IMMORTAL HULK (2018) #1 Very Fine INCREDIBLE HERCULES (2008) (#113-141) #133 Near Mint/Mint INCREDIBLE HERCULES (2008) (#113-141) #133 Fine INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK (2012) #1 YOUNG BABY Near Mint/Mint INFINITY (2013) #6 Near Mint/Mint INFINITY CRUSADE (1993) #5 NEWSSTAND INFINITY CRUSADE (1993) #5 NEWSSTAND Near Mint/Mint INFINITY GAUNTLET (1991) #2 Fine INFINITY WAR (1992) #1 Very Good INFINITY WAR (1992) #2 NEWSSTAND Very Good INFINITY WAR (1992) #2 NEWSSTAND Good INFINITY WAR (1992) #2 NEWSSTAND Fair INFINITY WAR (1992) #3 NEWSSTAND Very Good INFINITY WAR (1992) #3 NEWSSTAND Fair INFINITY WAR (1992) #4 NEWSSTAND Very Fine INFINITY WAR (1992) #4 NEWSSTAND Fair INFINITY WAR (1992) #5 NEWSSTAND Very Good INHUMANS VOL. 3 (2000) (#1-4) (MARVEL) #2 Near Mint/Mint INHUMANS VOL. 3 (2000) (#1-4) (MARVEL) #3 Fine INHUMANS VOL. 3 (2000) (#1-4) (MARVEL) #4 Fine IRON MAN (1968) (#1-332) (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN)(MARVEL) #132 NEWSSTAND Good IRON MAN (1968) (#1-332) (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN)(MARVEL) #147 NEWS JEWEL Very Good IRON MAN (1968) (#1-332) (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN)(MARVEL) #150 Very Good IRON MAN (1968) (#1-332) (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN)(MARVEL) #151 Very Good IRON MAN (1968) (#1-332) (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN)(MARVEL) #265 NEWSSTAND Good IVX (INHUMANS VS. X-MEN) (2016) #1 HIP HOP Near Mint/Mint KING IN BLACK (2020) #1 KIRKHAM B Near Mint/Mint KING IN BLACK (2020) #2 KIRKHAM B Near Mint/Mint KING IN BLACK (2020) #3 KIRKHAM B Near Mint/Mint KING IN BLACK (2020) #4 KIRKHAM B Near Mint/Mint KING IN BLACK (2020) #5 KIRKHAM B Near Mint/Mint MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) (#1-150) (MARVEL) #141 NEWS JEWEL MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) (#1-150) (MARVEL) #141 NEWS JEWEL Near Mint/Mint MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN (2023) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #4 UNKNOWNVIR Near Mint/Mint NEW MUTANTS (2019) (#1-UP) (MARVEL) #30 UNKNOWNVAR Near Mint/Mint REALM OF KINGS: INHUMANS (2009) #1 Good REALM OF KINGS: INHUMANS (2009) #1 Very Good REALM OF KINGS: INHUMANS (2009) #3 Good STAR WARS: DARTH VADER (2020) #25 MAYHEVIRSN Near Mint/Mint STAR WARS: VISIONS (2022) #1 UNKNOWNVIR Near Mint/Mint STRANGE ACADEMY: FINALS (2022) #4 UNKNOWNVAR Very Fine VENOMIZED (2018) #1 UNKNOWN Near Mint/Mint WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #17 Very Fine WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #27 Very Fine WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #54 NEWSSTAND Very Good WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #85 DELUXENEWS Very Good WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #90 DELUXE W/O Fine WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #98 NEWSSTAND Very Good WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #100 NEWSSTAND Good WOLVERINE (1988) (#1/2-189) (MARVEL) #106 NEWSSTAND Very Good X-BABIES (2009) #1 Near Mint/Mint X-MEN (2013) (#1-26) (ALL FEMALE TEAM) (MARVEL) #6 NEWSSTAND X-MEN (2013) (#1-26) (ALL FEMALE TEAM) (MARVEL) #6 NEWSSTAND Near Mint/Mint X-MEN 2099 (1993) #1 NEWSSTAND Very Good X-MEN GOLD (2017) #1 FRIED B&W Very Fine X-MEN GOLD (2017) #1 FRIED PIE Very Good X-MEN GOLD (2017) #23 PEARSON Very Fine X-MEN MOVIE: MAGNETO (2000) #1 PHOTO NEWS Very Good X-MEN MOVIE: WOLVERINE (2000) #1 PHOTO NEWS Very Good DC ACTION COMICS (1938) (#0-600, 643-904) (DC) #698 NEWSSTAND Good BATMAN (1940) (#0-713) (DC) #491 NEWSSTAND Good BATMAN (2016) (#1-UP) (DC REBIRTH) #112 MOLINA Fine BATMAN RETURNS MOVIE ADAPTATION (DIRECT) (1992) #1 NEWSSTAND Good BATMAN: REPTILIAN (2021) #4 Fine BATMAN: URBAN LEGENDS (2021) #4 RODRIGUEZ Near Mint/Mint DETECTIVE COMICS MILLENNIUM EDITION (2000) #327 NEWSSTAND Very Fine FUTURE STATE: DARK DETECTIVE (2021) #4 Very Fine FUTURE STATE: THE NEXT BATMAN (2021) #4 FUTURE STATE: THE NEXT BATMAN (2021) #4 Fine IDENTITY CRISIS (2004) #1 FINAL PRNT Very Fine IDENTITY CRISIS (2004) #4 FINAL PRNT Near Mint/Mint IDENTITY CRISIS (2004) #6 FINAL PRNT Very Fine IDENTITY CRISIS (2004) #7 FINAL PRNT Very Fine IMPULSE (1995) #5 Fine IMPULSE (1995) #17 Fine IMPULSE (1995) #21 Fine IMPULSE (1995) #44 Very Fine IMPULSE (1995) #45 Very Fine IMPULSE (1995) #54 Near Mint/Mint IMPULSE (1995) #72 Fine IMPULSE (1995) #73 Near Mint/Mint IMPULSE (1995) #75 Fine IMPULSE (1995) #77 Very Fine INFINITE CRISIS (2005) #4 JIM LEE Near Mint/Mint INFINITE CRISIS (2005) #6 LEE Fine INFINITY INC. (1984) (#1-53) (DC) #48 Very Good JUSTICE LEAGUE EUROPE (INTERNATIONAL #51-UP) (1989) #60 NEWSSTAND Very Good KNIGHT TERRORS: BATMAN (2023) #1 NGU Near Mint/Mint NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE (2021) #6 NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE (2021) #6 Very Fine NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE (2021) #7 Very Fine STEEL (1993) (#0-52) (DC) #6 NEWSSTAND Very Good IMAGE COMICS DARK REALM (2000) #2 Very Fine RAT QUEENS (2013) (#1-16) (IMAGE/SHADOWLINE) #1 Fine INDEPENDENTS ASYLUM (1989) (#1-2) (NEW COMICS) (BERNI WRIGHTSON) #1 (New Comics Group) Fine DRAGON BALL (1998) #3 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL (1998) #4 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL (1998) #5 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL (1998) #6 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL (1998) #7 (Viz Comics) Good DRAGON BALL (1998) #9 (Viz Comics) Good DRAGON BALL (1998) #10 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL PART 2 (1999) #1 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL PART 2 (1999) #9 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 2 (1999) #14 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #6 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #7 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #9 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #10 DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #10 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #11 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL PART 3 (2000) #13 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 4 (2001) #1 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL PART 4 (2001) #2 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 4 (2001) #8 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL PART 4 (2001) #10 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL PART 5 (2002) #1 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z (1998) #1 7TH PRINT (Viz Comics) Good DRAGON BALL Z (1998) #3 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z (1998) #4 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z (1998) #5 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z (1998) #6 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z (1998) #7 (Viz Comics) Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #1 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #2 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #3 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #4 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #5 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #6 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #7 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #8 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #9 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #10 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #11 DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #11 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #12 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 2 (1999) #14 (Viz Comics) Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 3 (2000) #1 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #1 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #2 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #4 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #5 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #8 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #9 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #11 (Viz Comics) Very Good DRAGON BALL Z PART 4 (2001) #12 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #2 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #3 (Viz Comics) Near Mint/Mint DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #4 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #5 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #6 (Viz Comics) Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #7 (Viz Comics) Very Fine DRAGON BALL Z PART 5 (2002) #8 (Viz Comics) Fine DYNAMO (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENT) (1966) #1 DYNAMO (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. AGENT) (1966) #1 (Tower Comics) Fair FAUST (#1-13) (NORTHSTAR & REBEL PUBLISHING) (1988) #1 2ND PRINT (Northstar Publications) Very Good FAUST (#1-13) (NORTHSTAR & REBEL PUBLISHING) (1988) #2 2ND PRINT (Northstar Publications) Very Good TIGGOMVERSE (2020) #1 SALTLAKESN (Counterpoint Inc.) Near Mint/Mint WALKING DEAD (1989) (#1-4) (AIRCEL) #1 (Aircel Publications) Very Good Special Bonus Book - X-MEN: AGE OF APOCALYPSE PRELUDE TPB (2011) #1 *Sale $5.00* Current Newsletter