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Marbleman3

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Everything posted by Marbleman3

  1. If it was printed that way by marvel (or some other comic publisher), why is it designated as a coverless book and not designated as either an (i) error print or (ii) a variant print? It’s not like a customer or store took the book and then removed the cover on purpose post-distribution or even as a fraud. This came from the publisher and they manufactured it that way. Let me know if I’m thinking about this wrong, but isn’t an NG an indication that something was altered after the printing and once it was in the public’s hands? Would CGC designate a blank sketch cover variant (wrapped over the same comic as a cover A) that came straight from marvel, as an added cover green label? If it applies one way shouldn’t it apply the other way? This reasoning is unusual to me.
  2. Another lurker here, long time collector - long time lurker too. I really do apologize for the lengthy post, I know everyone is busy and time is precious, so who needs another very long post, and there’s lots of jokes and fun repetition on this chain, which I think is fun to read and great to see honestly. I am just compelled to write something and share with you all my thoughts and experiences with this shameful controversy because this hobby is my passion and I have benefited immensely from this community and from CGC’s existence. I dabble in purchasing CGC slabs, but never actually directly submitted myself. My general view at the end of the day was that CGC and similar companies (even if not perfect) were doing a good thing pushing this hobby forward by creating something akin to a commodities market and providing stability to a hobby that sorely needed it post-Wizard and the ‘00s. I respected all of that and would support it silently with my wallet. I’m glad all of this is coming to light with a higher profile book, shop and artist, like Crain and newly-coined-in-my-mind “Trash Flag”. I’m a big Miracleman collector and have been annoyed and frustrated for years (!) at the inconsistency of grading those New Dimension stamped copies as blue label slabs. That had always seemed to me as having been swept under the rug and would only come up now and again in my Miracleman internet searches, but never as the focus of real anger from this community, more like a curiosity. Maybe I missed the boat when that first occurred, but it didn’t seem like anyone cared about much about New Dimension and CGC both ignoring the obvious before this, and maybe people still don’t. And it wasn’t worth getting too upset in my view at the time because it didn’t seem like it would become common practice in the grading industry. But I can’t be silent on this. This whole grading system isn’t complex math, it isn’t rocket science. These are simple and logical standards set forth by CGC and other grading companies with any brain power, essentially from day one. If anyone (ANYONE!) alters a comic after it’s initially published/produced, it receives a different label from generic blue (previously generic red) to indicate an alteration so consumers can spot the difference. This is just intuitive. You could put 10 children in a room for an hour to come up with basic rules about comic book grading and they would choose that as rule number one. I know there is more than one issue stemming from this convention, but this is the one at the forefront of my mind You have a company touting that it’s blue label slabs stand for one thing and customers and others rely on that to spend a significant amount of money for that label. If truly created in the way being reported, these blue slab acetates would be bootlegs produced PURPOSELY to deceive. There is no other way to describe it. None. It’s so sad it has come to this. It also a shame the Better Business Bureau has no teeth. People may start considering other resources apart from posting on social media and writing articles because if all of this is true, there is a level of deception here that no one should tolerate if they respect the truth. And this is a hobby that is focused on the details. Ebay is a for-profit company, as are the other grading companies, and they are, at the end of the day, only concerned with their own economic and shareholder interests, so they may not be the only ones in a position to resolve matters. This forum is incredible and you are all amazing for keeping the momentum going, but I think you need to primarily speak with your wallets as you continue to spread accurate information, as you have been doing. CGC has been bought and is managed by an investment firm. These entities are profit-oriented and major change is most likely going to occur by (1) keeping up the social media impact, because that is currently how the comic hobby thrives and shares information, and (2) stop feeding this company money if you disagree with current practices until real change occurs. I don’t know anything about @cgcMike other than he seems to be the point of contact at the moment, but I hope he continues to push this forum’s messaging over to his bosses to effect REAL CHANGE. Agreed on starting to contact others in the organization who have more or real control on policy change. This is pathetic customer service and none of you subscribers, investors or collectors deserve this after all of your time and investment in CGC, which up until now seems to have been a generally solid company all things considered. Honestly not even the private investors in CGC deserve this if they were not a part of this decision making - I would bet there are major concerns and talks going on at the moment, although that is speculation. What I am sure of is my social group will reconsider spending with CGC, even though no one else will blast this over social media because that is just not everyone’s way. Minimum next step from CGC should be an APOLOGY and AT LEAST an attempt to recall these slabs. To have these slabs on the CGC census (including the 20-30+ yr old Miracleman New Dimension stamped joke slabs) is an affront to the hobby and collecting community. As mentioned many times, this is what CGC chooses to take a stand on? Is nothing respected or sacred anymore? A true failure - would love to read their internal code of ethics policy, if there is one. Don’t get me started on black flag who I will not purchase from again until they get their heads straight. Just pathetic. I can’t speak to Crain, as I really enjoy his art and hope he was not involved in this, but I’m sure it’s not a great look for him. Influencers who planned this with CGC and black flag? Shame on you. Those who didn’t (and who did?), please donate any funds from any crap sales to LEGIT charities or orgs. LEGIT. Do your diligence please. These are my (very lengthy) two cents. It’s possible people here may take issue with some of the above. My intent is only to help the community I love. I love collecting comics and I want to make change and most times I feel powerless because I’m just one person with an internet connection, but I have a brain and I have a wallet. Happy to interact further. Let’s keep it civil if you disagree. I’m so, so disappointed in CGC - a place I once dreamed I could support one day maybe even by becoming a grader. Maybe some day when they get their heads straight. Thank you all for reading.
  3. Personally I think comicbookrealm.com has the most comprehensive database of comic lists and covers, including variant covers, and it’s easy to search.
  4. ...you really don’t let up. I do see your point of view and you’ve already called me out. Do I need to be an expert in the industry or a heavy board commenter to know when a conversation is veering off track? I sincerely apologize for inserting what I had thought was a helpful nudge for the thread and it’s clear it wasn’t taken that well. Lesson learned and I intend for my next posts to be more positive and add to the discussion. And you are right, this thread does always find its way back to the main topic. “Now is the time to pony up”? If I can’t contribute in a certain way, am I not allowed to read this thread? I am a collector (not a store owner, industry person or large online seller), and I don’t use this thread to make money as you implied. I just enjoy reading all of your thoughts on hot books (especially if it’s about a book I’ve recently picked up that’s picking up steam) and it’s a shame that my comment is having the opposite effect on the thread than I intended. Can we please move on?
  5. Take it easy guys, I tried to say it in the nicest way possible. I wasn’t whining. I don’t have a lot of time to do research and post hot items all the time, but I do like to read the boards once in a while and just noticed a recent trend. I already responded to the point made by Geeks, so consider the issue closed.
  6. Hi all - I don’t post much and I don’t mean to offend, but can we please stick to the title “Moderns Heating up on eBay”? I know this is all interesting sidebar, but I’m not so interested in following a discourse on the general trends of the modern market and whether a bubble is about to burst. I’m just looking to see what people think the “hot” latest issues are. I’m not saying we can’t make comments about this topic, but when it goes on for days/weeks at a time, this thread starts to lose relevance. I’m sure other followers of this thread would appreciate that too. Maybe take all of this to another new post?
  7. Great seller, pleasure to deal with!
  8. Are you positive that this poster actually exists? I can’t find any evidence of this online, could you link to something?
  9. So I recently came into possession of a copy of X-Force #1 (2nd print) that is in a polybag. The polybag does not seem to have been tampered with or re-sealed. Anyone have any idea what to make of this? Is this an error?
  10. Having issues uploading pics from my phone, but will do asap. I don't have any further backup unfortunately. I will consider sending it into be graded to see what comes back.
  11. Below is a link to another recent reference online to the silver print being a type of second print (scroll down a bit to find it, below the image of storm and senator Kelly). http://www.therealgentlemenofleisure.com/2016/04/x-amining-uncanny-x-men-281.html?m=1 It would be nice if there would be some way to confirm whether this is a fake or an actual second printing. Anyone have any ideas other than speculating that the covers were switched?
  12. Regarding the xmen 281 silver variant - someone mentioned that it could be a direct market version of the 2nd print, with the red logo a newsstand version. Could this be possible? For the stapling theory, since my issue's indicia says 281: do you think someone took the cover off of issue 282, reversed it, took the cover off of 281, and then stapled the 282 reversed cover to 281?
  13. Does anyone have any information on the X-Men 281 silver variant? I have a copy that has a silver logo and writing, and the cover and the indicia says xmen 281. The inside back cover of the comic is the gold cover of xmen 282. I can't find any information at all online other than people speculating that some people undid the cover and re stapled it. But then why would it say issue 281 on the indicia?
  14. I have a copy of this silver logo variant but the indicia says issue 281 - any idea how this may be?