Tom473

The pictures are with the case popped open.

Since the "O" indentation defect "ripples" the indentations (waves) face both inward (troughs) and outward (crests). The smaller more intense indentations clearly face inward, as evidenced by the photos posted earlier in the thread. My other 10 books arrived today, but missed them due to work. I'll pick them up from the PO tomorrow and update everyone on whether they exhibit any indentation defects.

I have 10 additional books on the way back, fingers crossed, I'll let everyone know how they turned out. I agree that CGC won't officially use the big "D" word on their website. At a minimum they should update the QC section with the little "D" word - as in disclaimer. Something along the lines of, "CGC makes every effort to ensure an attractive presentation. In some cases, an indentation known as "puddling" may occur on the back of the inner well as a result of the cooling process. While unsightly, CGC has decided that the irregularity is within our acceptable design parameters; however, we continue strive for improvements in our encapsulation process. To the best of our knowledge, these indentations will have no impact on the book itself."

I just checked the CGC website and noticed that they still are not disclosing to members/customers the defective inner wells. The process section on QC still reads: "CGC is careful to make certain that the comics it certifies are not only accurately graded, but attractively presented as well." I think they should at least be upfront and honest about the defects and status of the troubleshooting. It would be better for a customer to know upfront, rather than be surprised after the fact. This is especially important given that they refuse to make it right for customers that have already been impacted by the change in QC standards - without a fair warning. It may hurt business in the short term, but it is the honorable thing to do.

Just contacted CGC about my 19 books that arrived with the defect. Paraphrased, but I'm typing this right after the call, to be as accurate as possible with no attempt to mischaracterize the answers I received. Q: My 19 books have a wierd indentation defect on the back of the book, others have apparently been reporting the same issue, are you aware of this? A: Yes, it is a problem with the manufacturer of the inner wells, we have contacted them and we are awaiting a response. Q: What can be done for my books that already have the defect. A: Nothing, because the defect does not impact your books themselves. Q: Why are these cases making it through QC? A: Because the books themselves are not damaged. Q: Yes, but what if I sell one of these defective capsules and get a complaint, or hurt my feedback rating or buisiness in the process? (note I don't have a business, but it's a legit question) A: The buyer can contact CGC and we will tell the same thing. Well, there you have it. I'm taking a collector's strategic pause of sorts until CGC can restore quality standards to the pre-CGC case defect era. It would be good to nail down when the "O" defect manifested itself. Minor grammar edit to Q2

Very glad to see that they acknowledge it as an issue and are working on it. It will be interesting to see if they can determine the cause of the apparent increase in number of books that display the O indentations (materials, equipment, etc.).

Of my 19 that exhibit the indentations, the placement on the back are highly random, some centered, other closer to top or bottom. Generally they are radial patterns, but not neatly symmetric. Some display a rippling pattern, similar to dropping a pebble in still water. A few are more hour glass shaped. One is particularly smaller, but quite pronounced, being so indented I am left to wonder if it will impact the comic itself over the years. I guess the good news is that if it damages the book, I'll be able to use CGC's new pressing service to repair the damage caused by their new encapsulation process. Well played CGC, well played.

Well, I received my first submission back today. I set my pre-screen to 9.8 (modern books), of the 30 submitted 20 made grade, so I obviously need to calibrate my eyes. Of the 20 that were slabbed, 19 have major indentations. The diameters range from about 3 to 6 inches across. While the fronts are beautiful the backs really do take away from the presentation. While I have no intention of selling any of these books anytime soon, if I bought a book off Ebay with these problems I would be disappointed. I'll contact CGC Monday to see what they can (or cannot) do. It seems pretty clear that the defect in the encapsulation process is here to stay until enough members demand better. If the push to improve turnaround times is killing quality, I am seriously willing to wait longer for a higher standard.

Hey everyone, I'm new to the boards but started collecting CGC books a couple years ago. The biggest buying/submission motivation for me is preservation & the aesthetic presentation. The presentation importance cannot be overstated. I just did my first big (60 book) submission. I would hate if any came back with this defect. If CGC continues to ignore the issue, has anyone considered shining a light on it via the various comic media outlets? I think it's pretty big news that a known defect has entered in to the CGC production process and they are playing it off with an apparent "meant to do that" mentality. Are they really ignoring this and blowing off customers?