It's an age old dilemma for collectors and investors, to keep sealed or to open.  The extreme scenario exists with a CGC slabbed comic.  Open your graded comics at your own peril and expense!  But there are other times when collectible contents are sealed but maybe there is a reasonable risk-reward to open the seal and remove contents.  That is the question I will pose to you related to my purchase of a sealed Commodore 64 Dr. Doom's Revenge computer game.  Inside the seal, a potential 9.8 candidate of the giveaway comic book "Amazing Spider-Man and Captain America in Dr. Doom's Revenge".

Examples of the Dilemma - ThunderCats

Thundercats 3 PackI assume you don't have my exact problem, but let's look at some other examples where the seal/open dilemma arises.  I searched eBay for "three pack".  These comic 3-Packs, often with a mystery book in the middle, have been around a long time.  I found two sets interesting, particularly because they present the open/stay sealed dilemma.

The first is ThunderCats, where in 1984 someone could have picked up the first three issues for 1.99 or less at the discount stores.  Recently, the ThunderCats was on the Hot List; they may have cooled lately.  Many of the ThunderCats three-packs are currently offered on eBay for Buy It Now prices ranging from $350 to $699.  One thing we don't know is the exact condition of the contents of these sealed packs.  And we can't be sure that issue 1 is a first printing.  From the cover, it could be a first or 3rd printing.  In this case, it doesn't seem to matter too much because the CGC 9.8 FMW is $800 and a 3rd printing sold in April 2021 for $1,500.  With those types of prices for #1, and good demand for issues 2 and 3, would it be advantageous to break the seal?  After slabbing, it appears the value of the individuals should exceed the value of the set.  Especially for those sellers asking less than $500.  What would you do if you owned this sealed 3-pack?

Sealed or Sold Separate - Dune

Dune 3 PackI reviewed Dune art after the movie came out.  I didn't expect to talk about Dune again BEFORE seeing the blockbuster.  The movie adaptation in Marvel Super Special 36 was re-packaged as a three issue mini-series with new covers.  The reprint set found its way to stores for a $1.69 (or 69 cents here).  As a sealed set, a seller is asking $400 OBO.  Sealed like this, possibly they are all 9.8 candidates.  The ungraded raw set sells much cheaper, CGC 9.8s sell much higher.  GoCollect FMV: $325, $220, and $170 for issues 1 to 3 in CGC 9.8.  If you owned this, would you take a chance on breaking the seal?  There's NO going back!  Personally, I would pick up a high-grade Marvel Super Special 36 since it was the first printing.

Opening the Seal: Dr. Doom's Revenge

Dr. Doom's Revenge Sealed Commodore 64 game

I fell on the horns of this dilemma while writing my preview of video game box art.  There I noticed some preliminary cover art by John Romita, Sr. of Spider-Man fame.  The sketch laid the foundation for Paragon Software's Dr. Doom's Revenge box art.  This is an OLD game (1989).  Apparently, game play wasn't that great, but graphics weren't bad for the time.  Now, this game is compatible with a Commodore 64, which I don't own.  So, I'm definitely not breaking the seal to load the game.  But is there something inside that might be worth more than the $77 I paid for the sealed game?

The Mysterious Comic Inside

Opening the Seal on Dr Doom's Revenge Giveaway Comic

The answer to my previous question is, I hope so.  Paragon Software packed an original giveaway comic inside each of these 8" x 10" boxes.  With cover art by John Romita and interior art by Rich Buckler, it's a cherish-worthy story.  Plus, it doesn't appear to have ever been reprinted.  Given that, what do you think it's worth?  Overstreet lists it at $50 in NM 9.2.  GoCollect calls out 25 comics in the CGC census, with the most recent 9.8 sale in 2018 for $289.  That sounds promising.  Might a comic sitting in the box for thirty+ years potentially grade CGC 9.8?  If so, my $77+tax could easily net a couple hundred percent return after expenses.

Deal or No Deal on the Revenge Seal?

Preliminary art by John Romita for Opening Seal on Dr. Doom's Revenge by Patrick BainWe still haven't concluded on whether it Deal or No Deal on breaking the seal.  One other piece of information: a sealed VGA 80+ NM IBM PC compatible version of the game just auctioned through Heritage.  As best I can tell, this game was marketed at the same time as the Commodore game.  I don't think there is any difference in the comic book inside.  It sold for $660 including the buyer's premium.  At that price, the dilemma of whether to keep sealed or break open the box to market the comic is REAL!  Also, I did read Grading Your Video Games by Sarah Thomas.  Based on her article it would run around $100 to get my sealed game graded.  So, what would you do?

Dr Doom's Revenge art by Rich Buckler and Tony DeZunigaIn case you are curious, the Romita preliminary art sold for $526 in 2015; the Rich Buckler giveaway comic art above sold for $42 in 2009.  Given the scenario I described, would you open the seal on Dr. Doom's Revenge?  And why not chime in to share YOUR seal/open dilemmas!

*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.