Set Description:
When I started reading and collecting comic books as an 11-year-old in early 1994, my priority was on the four monthly Superman titles in publication at the time, and I was desperately trying to catch up on all of the Death and Return of Superman issues from 1992 and 93. As I made my way to the Batman books, the “Knightquest” storyline was concluding, I tried to get all the “KnightsEnd” issues as they were released but missed some of them. I had my work cut out for me in trying to catch up. Like the Death and Return of Superman, I missed “Knightfall” and only found a handful of those issues from sealed multipacks at Toys ‘R Us. It would be another 20 years before I was able to read the complete Kinghtfall saga (in the mid 2010s), including “Venom” from Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #s 16-20 (1991), the Sword of Azreal miniseries (1992), the Knightfall prelude issues in Batman and Detective Comics, “Knightquest: The Search”, and the epilogue, “Trioka”. This was all done through various trade paperbacks and back issues. DC finally collected everything in a nine volume set for the 25th anniversary of Knightfall - it’s a lot of reading.
I’ll be taking the scenic route with this set, focusing on self submissions for the first printings of the Knightfall and Knightquest issues (mostly the early issues). As of this writing, I’m in no hurry and I do not have any ambitions for a complete registry set. I’m also interested in the multiple printings, I’ll be keeping an eye out for CGC 9.8 examples, as these issues are more difficult (but not impossible) to find for raw grading candidates.
I had a Knightfall registry set previously, with several of the harder to find later printings. In 2020 when I found myself working from home, I decided to spend more time at Home Depot than at my LCS. As I got more into home improvement, landscaping and buying new furniture, I decided to sell off my graded Batman collection to make up for my 2020 spending.
In October of 2021, I found a raw copy of Batman: Vengeance of Bane Special #1 for only $4.00 at my LCS. I couldn’t believe the price, I scooped it up right away. The book was in decent shape but had a lot of non color breaking imprints on the front and back cover. I submitted the book to CCS for pressing, not really expecting much. After a year of waiting (CCS was ready backed up then), I got a pleasant surprise when the book received a 9.8. grade. Submitting the Bane book and the 30th Anniversary of “Knightfall” rekindled my desire to rebuild this registry set.
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| Slot: |
Batman 489 |
| Item: |
Batman 489 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4208502002
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Owner Comments
“Killer's Bane"
Cover Date: February 1993
Doug Moench story
Jim Aparo art
Travis Charest cover
Killer Croc & Bane appearance.
Azrael as Batman.
Purchased Raw: 11/06/2021
Grade Date: 03/08/2023
At my local comic shop, Escape Velocity Comics in Colorado Springs, CO, the first weekend of each month the back issues priced at $1.00, $2.00 and $5.00 are buy one get one free. Not only did I get this book for free, I had a grading credit with CGC from the 2021 Registry Awards for Best Set Presentation for my Action Comics (Complete) registry set, I only had to pay for shipping and pressing to get this book to a 9.8, and that ain’t bad!
This is a great early Bane appearance (second), I also enjoy the cover art, Killer Croc never looked so weak. I previously had another 9.8 example of this issue, it’s good to have another 9.8 example back in my collection, and even better that this one was a self submission.
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| Slot: |
Batman 490 Second Printing |
| Item: |
Batman 490 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4208806004
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Owner Comments
“Who Riddled the Riddler?"
Cover Date: March 1993
Second Printing
Doug Moench story
Jim Aparo art
Travis Charest & Ray McCarthy cover
Riddler & Bane appearance.
Azreal as Batman.
Grade Date: 02/23/2023
Acquired: 04/06/2023
This second printing example of Batman #490 is the first Universal 9.8 graded by CGC. I tried searching on and off for raw copies online previously but I never found any suitable candidates for grading. I was also the only bidder in the eBay auction for this book, most likely due to an opening bid of $99.99. When factoring in the costs of pressing, grading, shipping and time spent searching, paying $99.99 plus tax and shipping was only about $30 more than if I had found a raw example and paid to have it pressed and graded, not a bad in my book.
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| Slot: |
Batman 491 Third Printing |
| Item: |
Batman 491 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
1990462002
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Owner Comments
“The Freedom of Madness!"
Cover Date: April 1993
Third Printing
Doug Moench story
Jim Aparo art
Kelley Jones cover
Prelude to Knightfall.
Grade Date: 10/22/2018
Acquired: 01/12/2024 - 1 of 6 in Universal 9.8 when purchased.
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| Slot: |
Batman 492 Second Printing |
| Item: |
Batman 492 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4217370019
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Owner Comments
Knightfall Part 1: "Crossed Eyes and Dotty Teas"
Cover Date: May 1993
Second Printing
Doug Moench story
Norm Breyfogle art
Kelley Jones cover
“Knightfall" storyline begins.
Bane appearance.
Grade Date: 03/15/2023
Acquired: 10/18/2023 - 1 of 8 in Universal 9.8 when purchased.
I got really lucky with this piece, I won it on eBay for only $30. I also won Batman #497 Third Printing from the same seller.
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| Slot: |
Batman 493 Second Printing |
| Item: |
Batman 493 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4175788014
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Owner Comments
Knightfall Part 3: “Redslash”
Cover Date: Late May 1993
Second Printing
Doug Moench story
Norm Breyfogle art
Kelley Jones cover
Grade Date: 12/20/2022
Acquired: 01/16/2022 - 1 of 2 in Universal 9.8 when purchased.
My childhood copy of this issue was also a second printing, from a Toys ‘R Us two pack. I’ve always found this haunting Kelley Jones cover intriguing, I consider it one of the best in his Knightfall cover run, thanks to the magenta background and figure posing.
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| Slot: |
Batman 496 |
| Item: |
Batman 496 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4208502003
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Owner Comments
Knightfall Part 9: “Die Laughing"
Cover Date: Early July 1993
Doug Moench story
Jim Aparo & Joe Rubinstein art
Kelley Jones cover
Joker & Scarecrow appearance.
Purchased Raw: 06/24/2017 - $6.00
Grade Date: 03/08/2023
I purchased this book raw at Aamazing Fantasy Comics in Littleton, CO. This is my favorite Knightfall cover, I first found a copy in a dollar bin in 1994 or 1995, which I still have. That issue was a gateway to “A Death in the Family” (1988) and many other Batman storylines.
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| Slot: |
Batman 497 Third Printing |
| Item: |
Batman 497 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
3923232013
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Owner Comments
Knightfall Part 11: “The Broken Bat”
Cover Date: July 1993
Third Printing
Doug Moench story
Jim Aparo & Dick Giordano art
Kelley Jones cover
Bane breaks Batman's back.
Newsstand edition exists without black outer cover.
Grade Date: 04/01/2022
Acquired: 10/18/2023
I previously had another 9.8 example of Batman #497 Third Printing, but I found out a few years after selling it off that it was actually a mislabeled second printing. The second printing title has red letters over a yellow Batman symbol, the third has yellow letters over a red Batman symbol. The black outer cover hides the Roman numeral in the box art that indicates which printing the book is. Not long after purchasing this book I checked eBay and found several CGC examples of second printings mislabeled as third printings, I take the census numbers with a grain of salt on this one
I’ve heard this third printing was only available in sealed multipacks from places like Toys ‘R Us but I cannot confirm. I’ve also seen a few examples of the second printing without the black outer cover.
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| Slot: |
Batman 499 |
| Item: |
Batman 499 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4208502004
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Owner Comments
Knightfall Part 17: “The Venom Connection"
Cover Date: September 1993
Doug Moench story
Jim Aparo & Scott Hanna art
Kelley Jones cover
Bane appearance.
Purchased Raw: 06/24/2017 -$5.00
Grade Date: 03/08/2023
Purchased at Aamazing Fantasy Comics in Littleton. I sent this book to CGC not long after I purchased it, it came back in 9.6 grade. In 2023 I sent it to CCS for pressing, getting the desired 9.8. Needles to say, I’m very happy with the outcome. A beautiful cover for a beautiful book.
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| Slot: |
Batman: Vengeance of Bane Special (1993) #1 |
| Item: |
Batman: Vengeance of Bane Special 1 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
3970687001
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Owner Comments
Chuck Dixon story
Graham Nolan & Eduardo Barreto art
Glenn Fabry cover
Origin & 1st appearance of Bane.
Purchased Raw: 10/24/2021
Grade Date: 9/19/2022
Fortune smiled on me when I found this book raw at my local comic shop, Escape Velocity Comics, in Colorado Springs, CO for only $4.00. The book wasn’t even on the wall, I found it tucked away in the back issues. The book was very clean but had several non color breaking finger bends on the back, a wavy cover and what looked like a small vein on the spine edge. I figured the book to be in the very fine to near mint range. I thought with a press the book could get a 9.4 or possibly a 9.6. Later on when I put together a submission for pressing and grading, I decided to include this book, since I had gotten it so cheap. I also had grading credit from the 2021 Best Presentation award for my Action Comics (Complete) registry set, I only had pay for shipping and pressing. I was floored when I found out this book was graded 9.8, I also submitted a copy of Superman: The Man of Steel #18, the first full appearance of Doomsday, with this book. I get to say that I submitted 9.8s for the first appearances of the two biggest comic book villains of my childhood and both books were found at my local comic shop.
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| Slot: |
Detective Comics 664 |
| Item: |
Detective Comics 664 Modern |
| Grade: |
CGC |
| Cert #: |
4153375002
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Owner Comments
Knightfall Part 12: “Who Rules the Night”
Cover Date: July 1993
Chuck Dixon story
Graham Nolan & Scott Hanna art
Kelley Jones cover
Joker & Bane appearance.
Purchased Raw: 10/07/2022 - $2.85
Grade Date: 01/04/2023
I purchased this book at the Mile High Comics Mega Store in Denver, CO. The book looked really good but needed a slight press. I’m really happy with this book, the spine and corners are flawless - if only I could be so lucky on the other Knightfall books.
I had to drop my sister off at Denver International Airport (an hour car ride), I decided to go comic hunting in the area and visit the Mile High Mega store for the first time in seven years. I also checked out another comic shop on the way home, Aamazing Fantasy Comics, where I found the Death of Superman TPB (1993), that I also sent to CGC (unpressed) and got a 9.8 - I love the hunt.
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