Jayzen, you may want to very carefully fix that comic yourself.
I have done this a few times myself, finding that the staple did not close right. If the staple has TORN through the comic paper, this can not be fixed.

Open the book up so you can see the staples inside. Carefully with a staple remover or letter opener(something flat-butter knife), pry up the folded staple teeth on the bad one.

Do not just squeeze it out with the staple remover, you just want to lift and bend the teeth straight so that you can push the staple out the same way it went in. Try not to leave any marks on the paper. Something flat can do this easily without damaging or effecting the paper.

THEN, Take it to KINKOS, or to the office, where they have staplers that can staple folded paper like is done in comics and magazines, newsletters etc. They can easily line up the staple head with the old holes, and put a fresh staple in there.

I made a Simplified Guide to grading comics. It took quit a bit of work but here it is

Very easy even if you know nothing about grading
Link to rival site removed by Moderator.

How about just use the Overstreet Grading Guide?

Except replacememt staples are considered a defect and detract from the grade. On the flip side, it might be hard to tell how new a staple is if the right one is used.

Yep, I just replied to a four year old comment.

Probably one of the more recent posts on these here Forums...

Well, since the topic has been bumped after 4 years, I might as well ask here instead of creating a new thread.

How much does the sticker that covers the digital code affect grading in Marvel comics if it's missing? (If at all)

And do you think someday down the road it will have an amplified impact on the grade (similar, but not as extreme to the Marvel Value Stamps of the early 70's).

After thinking about it, I would say a book with a missing code would be similar to a book like X-Force #1 without the polybag or trading card. The comic is still mint, but not complete with it's original contents. My opinion, anyway.

I think a better example would be a book like Amazing Spider-Man #238. The comic can still be called mint without the Tatooz, but you would get a premium if it was still intact.

Here is a thread from a few years ago on that topic: Selling Digital Comic Codes

It is an odd situation for sure. You're right, it's not quite like the Marvel Value Stamp or any of the other typical cut-outs that you see. I have found many Gold and Silver Age books with ads gone, order forms snipped and random stuff cut out. One time I bought an early Action Comics (can't remember the number) - it looked good from the outside but when I looked through it there were Superman shaped holes throughout the book. Someone had cut them all out, presumably to paste into a scrapbook.

If removed it doesn't really affect the comic as far as readability but the digital code is supposed to be in there so I think it should be noted at least. There have been a bunch of comics over the years that have had trading cards bound in or a poster maybe. A lot of 3D comics come with glasses and if they are missing I would mention that. I don't think you could say Mint or VF/NM because to me that would indicate that said "insert" would be intact.

Does anyone have any thoughts/criticisms on pressing their own books to improve the grade?

Pressing comics is the big question. Do they hold up? That is my question. If I press my Amazing Spider-man # 35 - 60, how will they look in 30 years.

I just purchased 1000 mylite 2 bags and half-back boards from E.Gerber. I also got their archive tape for sealing bag.

Nobody can tell how it will hold up... in 30 years is the smartest thing I ever did or is it the dumbest?

What do you all think?

I think you misspelled "Earp."

On the comic thing, I have no opinion.

Question: I have an otherwise NM comic with a factory defect in which a quarter inch of the top left corner has been cut clean off. How does this affect the grade?

TIA

When I see a single major defect on an otherwise NM book, I give "credit points" for it's overall condition. For example, a corner piece missing is normally found on a lower grade book (FR to VG depending on size), but because it overall is much like a NM, I'll give credit and split the difference and assign it a grade like a FN+.

Thanks for your input, Corey. I was thinking something along the same lines. I've seen different grading scales which state that printing errors affect comic grades, but it's somewhat harder to identify how much they affect them. The way most grading standards are worded, they seem so absolute, though. If 'X' defect is present, then 'Y' is the highest possible grade for the comic. Seems weird that a comic with only a single defect would be essentially the same grade as another comic that had the same defect plus multiple lesser defects as well, though, IMO. I know that the 'Good' spectrum ranges from 'G/VG' to 'G-', but still.......

I totally agree. I think the CGC mindset of grading comics has taken over to a fault. For example, in the old days, "eye appeal" held greater weight in grading than specific defects. This was always explained to me basically by how a book looks overall at arm's length (with the exception of clipped coupons or water damage, of course). Nowadays the opposite is true, where CGC and others whip out the magnifying glass and hold books under light to find nearly imperceptible defects, and then massively downgrade accordingly. I think that's the wrong approach.