Flash Comics 7 NM 9.4

Regarding the crease:

Perhaps most importantly, let me point out, though it should be clearer, that all Overstreet stipulations concerning creases (at least in the higher grades) are for the FRONT cover only.  

Also, even laying aside the confusion not clearly stating the above has created, I contend that Overstreet and subsequently the entire hobby have historically regarded creases over-critically.

For example, Overstreet's definition for VF in the Annual Guide says: "A 1/4" crease is acceptable if color is not broken", while at the same time a VF may have "surface wear beginning to show"; "moderate reflectivity"; and even may have tan pages.

How can a quarter-inch crease with color break be worse than slight surface wear and moderate reflectivity OVER THE ENTIRE FRONT COVER?  Or tan pages OVER THE ENTIRE BOOK?

Collector interest in a comic has never been driven by what back cover ad it had.  Collector interest in a comic would be no more or less even if it had blank back covers -- which bespeaks the insignificance of this defect and strongly questions the importance of color break here.

How is a small, thin line of color break to something nobody cares about anything but a very minor defect?

How might this back-cover stress crease not equate to the defects that are allowed in NM -- 1/4" bindery tears, light arrival dates and slight foxing -- all of which could be on the front cover?

(I  might also mention the separate edition of the "Overstreet Grading Guide" where on pages 69 to 96 a myriad of defects worse than this crease are allowed in NM, including  "book-length waviness" and "heavy object creases", as well as [on pages 86 & 88] fairly large cover creases.)

I have wondered if this book is more a NM-, but know that this is just a concession to a pervading confusion and over-emphasis on creases.  If someone wanted to call this book NM-, I guess I wouldn't quibble, but to want to call this book much lower (VF/NM or VF+) would be to say it is the same as comics that commonly have covers with slightly dull colors and discoloration, as well as interiors with yellowed paper quality.  It is not the same.  It is better.

VF's to VF/NM's (and sometimes higher grades) commonly do not have bright cover colors and strong gloss, the lack of which is a result of wear and improper storage, but because it's not a defect you can easily point a finger at, like a crease, it isn't regarded as critically, despite the fact that it is over the entirety of what is by far the most important part of the book.      

Super tightness, flatness and sharpness; brilliant cover colors and gloss; fresh, near-white paper quality; and a very small amount of very minor defects are what a NM is and what is present with this Flash 7 and why I believe it should grade NM.