Comic Book Grading Guide
At Not From This Earth, we take grading seriously. Every comic we list has been evaluated by us against the criteria below. Unless a listing explicitly states that a book is certified (CGC, CBCS, or another recognized third-party grading service), all grades represent our own assessment of the book's condition at the time of listing. We stand behind every grade with our 100% money-back guarantee.
Raw vs. Certified Comics
Raw comics are ungraded by a third party. The condition described in the listing is our professional assessment. Raw books are priced accordingly and represent a great value for readers and budget-conscious collectors.
Certified comics have been submitted to and graded by an independent, professional grading service such as CGC (Comics Guaranty LLC) or CBCS (Comic Book Certification Service). The numeric grade assigned by the certifier is noted explicitly in the listing title and description. Certified grades supersede and replace our own assessment — we do not re-grade certified books.
Our Numeric Grading Scale
We use the standard 10-point comic book grading scale. Below is a plain-language guide to what each grade range means in terms of the key condition factors we evaluate: cover, spine, staples, page color, and overall eye appeal.
10.0 — Gem Mint
Essentially perfect in every way. No handling flaws of any kind. Covers are flat with no surface wear. Spine is tight and shows no rolling or stress. Staples are original, rust-free, and centered. Pages are white and supple. Eye appeal is exceptional. Extremely rare.
9.8 — Near Mint / Mint
Nearly perfect. Covers are bright and flat with only the slightest, almost imperceptible imperfections. Spine is tight with minimal or no stress lines. Staples are original and clean. Pages are off-white to white. An outstanding copy that commands top-tier collector interest.
9.6 — Near Mint+
A very sharp, well-centered copy. Covers show no significant flaws; minor printing defects may be present. Spine has minimal stress. Staples are secure and show no rust. Pages are off-white to white. Eye appeal is very high.
9.4 — Near Mint
A bright, clean copy with minimal wear. Cover may have one or two very small, inconspicuous flaws. Spine shows slight stress but is well-centered. Staples are tight with at most minimal discoloration. Pages are off-white to white. Highly desirable for serious collectors.
9.2 — Near Mint-
Above average copy with only minor flaws. Cover may show a small crease or light surface wear. Spine is tight with minor stress marks. Staples are secure with light oxidation possible. Pages are off-white to white. Strong eye appeal with minimal distraction.
9.0 — Very Fine / Near Mint
An above-average copy showing minor signs of handling. Cover may have a few small creases or corner blunts. Spine may show a few stress lines. Staples may have slight oxidation. Pages are off-white. Still a very presentable, high-grade copy.
8.0 — Very Fine
A well-preserved copy with some moderate wear. Cover may have a light crease or two, slightly blunted corners, or minor surface wear. Spine may have a few more noticeable stress lines. Staples are intact with moderate tanning possible. Pages are off-white to slightly cream. Eye appeal remains high.
7.0 — Fine / Very Fine
An above-average reading copy with clear but modest wear. Cover may have visible creases, slightly rolled spine, or minor soiling. Staples may show rust migration beginnings. Pages are cream to light tan. Still a solid copy for collectors seeking mid-grade examples.
6.0 — Fine
A used but well-maintained copy. Cover shows noticeable wear — creases, minor soiling, or light fading possible. Spine may be slightly rolled. Staples may have rust beginning to show. Pages are cream to tan. Solid reading copy; presentable for general collectors.
5.0 — Very Good / Fine
Showing considerable wear with multiple creases and surface wear on the cover. Spine may be noticeably rolled or creased. Staples may have rust staining. Pages are tan. Still a complete, structurally sound copy.
4.0 — Very Good
An average used copy. Cover has significant wear, creases, and possible small tears at staples or spine. Spine is rolled or creased. Staples may be rusty. Pages are brown to tan. All pages and cover present. Good reading copy.
2.0 — Good
Heavy wear throughout. Cover shows multiple tears, creases, staining, or fading. Spine may be split partway. Staples may be replaced or heavily rusted. Pages are brown and may be brittle. Complete copies are valued primarily for their content.
1.0 — Fair / Poor
Extremely heavy wear. The comic may be incomplete, heavily soiled, or badly damaged. Cover and pages may be detached. Held primarily for reading or filler purposes.
Key Condition Factors Explained
Cover
We assess surface gloss, color vibrancy, presence of creases, tears, writing, stamps, price stamps, and stickers. Spine stress lines visible on the cover are also noted.
Spine
A tight, flat spine is the hallmark of a high-grade copy. We note rolling, splitting, creasing, and any color-breaking stress lines along the spine.
Staples
Original staples are preferred. We note rust, migration staining, replacement staples, and whether staple holes are reinforced or have tears.
Page Color
Pages naturally yellow and brown over time. We use standard descriptors: White (best), Off-White to White, Off-White, Cream to Off-White, Cream, Light Tan, Tan, and Brown (most aged).
Eye Appeal
Sometimes called "presentation," eye appeal is our holistic impression of the book as a collectible object. Two books with identical technical grades can differ meaningfully in how they look — centering, color brightness, and the absence of distracting flaws all contribute to overall eye appeal.
A Note on Grading Subjectivity
Comic book grading involves professional judgment. Reasonable collectors and graders may disagree by half a grade to a full grade on the same book. Our grades represent our honest assessment at the time of listing. If a book arrives and you feel the grade does not match the description, please contact us — we stand behind every sale with our 100% money-back guarantee.