noelbeast

Again, thank you. Will update on here when I learn more.

Yup, by all means, very much appreciative that they’re doing that for me. I would’ve liked to know sooner that the books were damaged in the first place, but that wouldn’t have prevented any of the damage in the first place. Now just hoping they’ll take it one step further and send me some clear cut evidence to support my claim.

Appreciate it, thanks. I believe that CGC and CCS will do all that’s possible to keep the books at 9.8’s. But if it doesn’t play out that the grades stay the same and my window of filing a claim with USPS passes, any inaction on my part would literally equate to throwing money away. Guess I’ll just stay in communication with CGC and keep asking for evidence from them of the original damage they encountered as received. Was hoping they have a precedent for this sort of thing. I can’t be the first person to ever have this happen, can I?

That’s the plan, just wondering if anyone has experience getting said evidence from CGC to help their with their case.

Hopefully this is in the right place. I tried posting a variation of this yesterday in Ask CGC, but still pending approval, and I posted another time there before about something else and never got a response. Looking for some advice based on experience someone might've had with a similar situation: Anyone here ever have to file a USPS insurance claim for books damaged on way to CGC? On April 17, CGC received from me 2 CGC 9.8 books I sent in for re-holders. I sent them because of some bad Newton Rings, slabs themselves were in fine condition when sent (documented with pictures). I also used a lot of bubble wrap on each, so I’d consider the box well-packaged, and insured for $600 with USPS. Submission status of the books on CGC’s website stated “Modern”, so I contacted to check if there was a mistake made. Found out yesterday from the person that got in touch with me that the books arrived to CGC with “impact damage”—first news I heard of this. CGC is now pressing for free, and regrading at no additional charge. Issue for me, though: if both regrades even drop to 9.6, I’m losing value of at least $350 based on current FMV. I have 34 days left to submit a claim to USPS, and don’t think I can wait for the pressings and re-gradings to see final outcome, based on current turnaround times. I’ve asked the CGC rep I was emailing for help with evidence to submit a claim with USPS, and they said they’d get back to me. Has anyone run into a problem like this before/received help from CGC to help resolve? I couldn't find mention of a case searching a bit through the forums. Basically, I’m looking for any reassurances that I’m not potentially about to lose a few hundred dollars or more for reasons beyond my control. Any advice beyond what I'm already doing? Thanks!

Got gutted with submission news today: I recently made 2 submissions, all of which were sent in the same package. One was a floppy comic to be graded, the other two were previously GCG graded 9.8's to be reslabbed (slabs in good condition but significant Newton Rings, which I now kick myself over for being so picky). I documented everything up to the point of drop off at my local USPS, and used a good amount of bubble wrap to boot. The shipment was sent priority mail, and insured up to $600. CGC received April 17th, and no mention of any damage. Floppy was separated from the slabs, 2 submissions created. Floppy was graded and set back to me within a week despite that I ordered a CCS pressing. In trying to pursue what happened with this submission and why it likely wasn't pressed, I learned about the other submission today (May 8th) that: My CGC slabbed 9.8's "arrived with impact damage" and "as courtesy they are receiving pressing services in an attempt to repair the damage. The books will be graded following the pressing to determine the outcome." If the grades of both books slips at all, for example down to 9.6's, I stand to lose at least $350 based on current FMVs. I've asked the CGC customer service rep for any pictures of the damage when CGC received them, as well as an estimate for when they new grade will be determined, and was told they'd get back to me. Anyone have any experience with this? I understand the steps for filing a claim with USPS, but really it's about working with CGC and gathering the evidence for the claim. I have 60 days as well to file the claim, so time is a factor, and pressing takes a while...

Wow man. Where to start, or better yet: should I even bother? Someone private messaged me last night, a member of this community, and explained that you make a habit of doing things like this and that I should just let it go. Of course I can't, though, because...seriously...this is how you treat people? Also, you state that you're not triggered or riled up, but you try to systematically pick apart what I say AND insinuate alternative meanings? Are you for real? I'm not gonna lie, I'm triggered, so here we go, playing your game now: You're really assuming implications and forcing them upon me? Please tell me how my use of anecdotal up there implies the meaning "untrue"? Better yet, please tell me what I was truly thinking when I wrote that, because apparently you know my thoughts better than I do. "How many of the negative stories are anecdotal", i.e. how many of those stories are (in your words): unconfirmed? It's something I wondered. Because as I sat there sweating it out, possibly having just made a big mistake by submitting to DW, I searched this forum extensively and saw multiple negative stories, and yet, as a student of history, I had to keep in mind that they were anecdotal since I couldn't see hard evidence. I never said that anyone was a liar, nor would I be that rude to assume so. As more and more negative experiences are expressed by others, you see the patterns and you make assumptions that are more likely correct than not. That's a textbook first step towards research of a topic without a lot of readily available hard evidence to analyze. Still, when doing so you're obviously making assumptions on anecdotal evidence; you shouldn't put all your eggs into one basket, but it's a step in the right direction towards making an informed decision. At the time, I couldn't do much else; I had already dumbly submitted my comics to them. So I pondered things, again, "to try to convince myself that everything would be ok". Let's recap since I wrote so much: never called anyone a liar, never thought "untrue." Oh wait, unless, I dunno…you THINK I THOUGHT THAT THOUGHT??? I mean...let's get real here: clearly you're the expert on me. I asked you because I wanted to clearly understand what you meant. Anecdotal doesn't mean necessarily true, but it also doesn't mean necessarily false, either. It's a neutral word, but the manner in which you used it implied "untrue", rather than simply "unconfirmed."  Here's your original quote: ....except they're all anecdotal. That's the nature of anecdote. Anecdotal doesn't mean "untrue." It simply means "unconfirmed." I literally defined anecdotal at the top of this quote, and you tell me at the bottom that "It simply means 'unconfirmed', as if I hadn't already defined it ("based on personal accounts rather than facts or research"...so unconfirmed). We're both saying the same thing, although according to you, I implied different meaning. Cool. If I hadn't already said it, thanks for being the expert on me. That's correct...because it's an anecdote. That's what anecdote means. Why would anyone be "triggered" by a plain statement of fact, unless you mean something that is different...? Ummm. Ok, more of this. I literally just said that. You're quoting me saying that your experience is anecdotal...to explain to me that it's an anecdote? How is your statement here not some way to try to undermine and imply a different meaning than what I said? No one is triggered, in the sense that that word is used today. Do you have clean motives in using it...? Yes. Can you please not imply that I don't with the use of the ellipsis & question mark? I'm precisely trying to preface what I'm about to say because I genuinely am trying to make sure you understand that I'm using "anecdotal" correctly. Apparently that's an issue between us That's correct...because it's an anecdote. That's what anecdote means. Why would anyone be "triggered" by a plain statement of fact, unless you mean something that is different...? Back to this. No. Can you please not imply that I do with the use of the ellipsis & question mark? Finally my anecdote, as I stated previously, was to share a positive experience, not try to "undo any of that"...what Desert Wind/Celestial Comics has done to people in the past. Thanks, yet again, for implying a meaning I wasn't out to make. @RockMyAmadeus I feel like I've tried to be as respectful as possible to you. I genuinely meant it when I said that I'm sorry they've cost you thousands of dollars. Frankly, though, the way you've treated me is BS. This interaction is just toxic, and I for one at least feel that the toxicity is coming mostly from your direction. But I guess you're the experienced member on the board, I'm just some newbie, so don't worry about taking any of this to heart and thanks for putting me in my place. Mods: this is f-ed up, but I'm sure in most other people's eyes I'm the instigator here. I guess delete my posts, ban me? Doesn't really matter at this point. I was excited to try to be more active in this community, share some more of my slabbed comics, original artwork collected, etc., but not really after this. Clearly I made the mistake of thinking it would be acceptable to post a positive experience that generally goes against the grain--how silly of me to think that people would just accept its existence and not ram implied meaning down my throat. So fun saying something and watching someone else twist its meaning. If I don't get banned, I'll just continue to lurk and not talk about things that certain people don't like to see. I wish you all a happy experience in your collecting. Even you @RockMyAmadeus

In the grand scheme of things, was it a little frustrating/unprofessional that I had to call them to move things along, when I'm paying them for my items? Sure. I wouldn't call it a little f'd up based on my experiences personally: I was new to paying someone to collect signatures for me, I didn't know the average turn-around time, and I didn't need my items instantly. I also work in an industry that requires a lot of patience, and so I'm a very patient person and try to be understanding. I included those details in the story of my experience so people can use that information as well to make a judgment call on whether or not to submit to them. If you're not that type of person like me, no offense taken, don't use them. But again, I got my books the way I wanted them, they were in as good of shape as they were when I sent them out, so I'm not going to over-scrutinize. Did not know that about them: never saw them in action. If I ever have anything else I want to get signed and I can avoid them, of course I'd choose a company that has a better reputation.

First of all, I'm sorry that you've lost thousands of dollars to them. I simply wanted to share my positive experiences. I don't know your specific stories, again my bad, but I feel like your sort of attacking me for wanting to give a personal account that maybe shows another side of things? Fine then. Ignore my quasi-"maybe DW/Celestial Comics isn't all bad"-experience. Also, why are we suddenly in the realm of semantics here? No, I don't mean unfair or inaccurate, or overstated. I mean anecdotal: "(of an account) not necessarily true or reliable, because based on personal accounts rather than facts or research." I'm not trying to put anyone's negative experiences down here, especially yours. Don't get triggered by this, but your story of them costing you several thousand dollars right here and now is anecdotal to me. Like I said, I don't know your specific story and I have only your word at this moment to support what you say. I choose to believe you, if it helps in any way, but I'm also a student of history and so me personally: I'm pretty reliant on facts. Same reason why I posted all those pictures with my story above: my story is also anecdotal to others in some way or another, so I tried to supply as much fact then and there (the pictures) to support my claim. Again, sorry to hear about your experiences. I come in peace. If I had known posting something like this that I was happy about would get someone riled up like this, I wouldn't have bothered.

Hey, not saying they're perfect. When I found reviews on them after I submitted my first two comics, I felt like such an insufficiently_thoughtful_person for not checking them out beforehand, but I was and still am relatively new to the whole submission/certification process. Also, back while I was sweating it out and waiting for my first books to come back, possibly to try to convince myself that everything would be ok, I did start to wonder how many of the poor reviews are from several years ago/how many of the negatives stories are anecdotal? I think it's worth considering if someone is weighing whether or not to use DW/Celestial Comics. Someone posted earlier in this thread that you don't really see any positive stories about DW/Celestial, so I thought I'd add mine since I walked away this year with two positive experiences. Ultimately, everyone makes their own decisions on who to go with if they don't want to or can't collect a signature in person.

I know this is an older thread, but I'd like to weigh in: I've been collecting X-Men omnibuses and collected editions for the last 5 years or so. About a year ago the signature bug bit hard, and eventually I decided that I had to have something signed by John Romita Sr. That went from buying a random book being signed by him that I found on Ebay (a DF copy of UXM #500) to Wolverine related materials since he's my favorite character. Eventually I decided to seek out Romita Sr.'s signature on two books, raw, no certification: Astonishing X-Men #25 variant edition and Wolverine Origins #28, which I had a copy already signed by Deodato, Thomas, and Trimpe. I didn't know where to start, but a google search led me to DW/Celestial Comics and an upcoming Romita Sr. signing. I submitted the books to them pretty quickly to meet their submission deadline, waited a couple of months without any kind of communication, and started getting nervous. It was only then that I googled reviews for DW/Celestial Comics and broke into a sweat: not the most popular with folks on forums like this. After 3 months, I started contacting the company and eventually spoke with someone. They did a search and found my books signed, and explained about how their priority is CGC graded comics; my comics were technically ready to return to me, but if I wanted them sooner, I was advised to do exactly what I did: contact (not badger) until they get sent. I stayed as polite as possible, used a lot of pleases and thank yous, and my books were returned to me in a few weeks with no incidents. A few weeks after this, I finally got my act together and went for something much bigger. I had a CGC 9.4 sketch cover of Wolverine #300 with a signed sketch of Wolverine by Trimpe and also signed by Wein. This past April I submitted the comic, plus a cover reprint of The Incredible Hulk #181 also already signed by Trimpe and Wein, both to be signed by Romita Sr. and Thomas (the cover reprint would remain raw). I paid a little extra for the CGC comic to be fast-tracked and it got back sometime mid June as a 9.6 and absolutely beautiful. The Hulk cover reprint: again I had to contact DW/Celestial and ask them for an update. I reached out to them after July 4th and the cover just showed up today. Long story short: I know people have posted negative stories about dealing with DW/Celestial Comics. I've had two positive experiences with them so far. Sure, I've had to call both times to get 3 of 4 items back sooner, but it really wasn't that much extra work for me, and I don't mind having a humane conversation to (hopefully) get things moving. Take it for what it is.

Hmm. Guess I'm not getting email notifications about new messages. I'm excited about Power of X and House of X, love Hickman's work, but to be honest I haven't read any of the newer X-Men stuff. When I was a kid in the 80's and 90's, I read X-Men comics periodically when I got the chance to go to the local comic shop and had money to buy an issue. Always frustrated with missing parts of certain stories. Flash forward a couple of decades and doing the whole adulting thing, I discovered the joys of Marvel omnibuses and collected editions since I now had money to spend on things I enjoyed. First book was the Dark Phoenix omnibus and I never looked back... Anyway, look forward to seeing people's reactions to the new books when they drop, and hope they give the X-Men the boost in the arm they need!

Hi all, Newish...I guess a lurker? I've been collecting signatures, artwork, and collected editions of Marvel comics for about 5 years now. Mostly an X-Men fan, but I'm game to read any critically acclaimed story/series. Happy to be here!