Con War Stories, Dealer Perspective, Geekdom Chronicles

[HOTFLIPS]

crazyedscomics.com

[Jungle_Junkie]

crazyedscomics.com

 

(thumbs u thanks jeff.

[HOTFLIPS]

Sorry bout not putting it before. been a long day at the warehouse.

[aardvark88]

In the Seattle, WA area, we have Crazy Charlie.

 

greggy asks Charlie how much his 1960s Aurora superhero model kits are, but gets told, "They are expensive." None of the kits are priced and greggy has ca$h burning in his pocket but gets ignored. O, the humanity!

 

Most of Charlie's unread vintage comics and mags he has in quantity from speculation. He usually bulk grades them. This means using a pricing gun and slapping the same nm "retail" price on a collectable whether vg+ or strict nm. I pull out a 1950s mag I want and offer him say $200. He gives me the song and dance about how he has not paid for his table costs yet and must pay for car insurance on his rusting van, so must get at least $300.

 

I walk away from his table, but Crazy Charlie follows me around the comicon for 20 minutes trying to complete the sale at $300. I start walking faster trying to get away from this nutcase, but finally breakdown and toss my initial $200 at him. Every negotiation with him takes 20 minutes even if it is for an $8 comic. He has been annoying for at least 10 years at all the Seattle, WA or Portland, OR comicons.

 

While Charlie is away from his 3 tables, he orders his 8 year old grandson to stand guard like a robot and watch for shoplifters.

[TupennyConan]

I wish I could spend a year going to shows west of the Mississippi---out west. It seems to me like it is a whole other world of dealers and collectors.

 

Then there is the UK. And down under.

 

When I am in Europe, I don't even think about comics...

[Moondog]

I have so many stories that this thread could be a hundred pages, but I'll just recount this one.

 

It's the Chicago Comicon in the mid-80's and one of my store customers comes up to my table with his son. He said that another dealer had a book that his son wanted but it was WAY over priced (in relation to guide) and asked me if I could get him a deal or to see if the dealer would trade for some of his kid's books.

 

I walk over with the kid and it's a guy I've known for 5 or 6 years. We're not friends, but I see him every year at the show. I explain the situation and ask if maybe he'll take some of the kid's books in trade.

 

He leans over at the kid (about 9-10 years old) glares at him and growls, "Listen kid, I trade comic books for money!"

 

The little guy freaks out and runs away. I told the dealer he was an and turned around and walked away. I saw that dealer every year after that for probably the next 10 years and he never spoke to me or acknowledged me.

 

I will never forget that.

 

 

 

 

 

[the blob]

I hate it when dealers think those crazy prices they've slapped on the books are the prices they expect you to pay....

 

as for $15 for the $16 book...Well, I don't think that's much of a break at all, but then again, I would never try to haggle with someone if all I was spending was $15. I'm almost embarassed to even try when it's only like $50.

[Tatterdamillion]

I still have the imprint on the back of my head azzhole

Good!

Do you still have the JLA?

I got it pressed its now a 9.8. I asked Borock if he'd encapsulate the nickel with the book. He told me no but he would sell me his Vess Spectre cover. I said that sounds fair.

[Rich_Henn]

Okay...this one I may have told before somewhere on the boards.

 

Back in the mid 1980s, I started going to Mid Ohio con.

It was the one con and overall road trip that I looked forward to every year.

It was ritual.

This was before Roger moved it to turkey day weekend.

 

So back in 1987, it was in a airplane hanger, or warehouse...in the middle of a field in Ohio somewhere. And John Byrne was still hot, Todd McFarlane was just being discovered...Stan Lee still had all his hair.

 

Two things from this same show that was bizarre.

First, I have to say, this show was where I got to meet all my heroes at once.

Byrne, Wagner, Sim, Grell.

Now it was either the 1987 or 1988 show, where the following happened.

 

FIRST...waterboy.

And if Matt Wagner is reading this, he knows what I'm talking about.

It's a pretty funny running gag (not sure if it's so much between Wagner and myself, but I bring it up from time to time cuz it's a hoot).

 

There was this guy that used to go around to the shows and he was a little slow.

He had a fixation with water.

And he would walk around the floor asking artists to draw pictures of Kevin Matchstick and Edsel making out in the water.

 

So unbeknownst to me, I made myself a target for this guy because I was wearing the infamous MAGE shirt...black t- with white lightening bolt.

So he comes up to me and asks me if I like MAGE, and how cool it is, and he's been writing his own Mage story, and would I like to see his notebook.

And he pulls out this big black 3-ring binder with all these illustrations in it and lined paper with pencil scribbles of his notes. And there are countless images of Matchstick and Edsel going at it under water.

 

Skip ahead several years, Wagner comes out with Hero Defined.

And in issue one, there's a scene in a diner where Matchstick and his buddy are talking about that one trip to Ohio and that one dude who had a thing for water.

And I knew EXACTALLY who he was talking about.

I e-mailed him about it and asked if it was "that guy" and he confirmed it was.

Oddly enough...I happened to have a photo from that Mid Ohio con show with "that guy" in it. Quite by accident, my buddy wanted a picture of himself getting something signed by McFarlane. And in line right next to him is The Waterboy.

 

On my dvd documentary that I did a few years ago, Matt Wagner gives me a very cool and candid interview, and we discussed this kid.

Turns out that his fixation with water and black girls (Edsel) stems from the kid almost drowning as a small child, and a black girl on the beach saved his life.

 

(and yes, you can still purchase my dvd MAINSTREAM RAW at a forumitte discount...shameless plug!)

 

NOW...the really bizarre story.

I call this one "How Tom DeFalco EFFED me in the AZZ."

 

staring John Byrne.

 

Mid-Ohio Con, I THINK that same show.

Byrne is always (at the time) mobbed with people wanting sigs at his table.

So I almost literaly bumped into him during one of his breaks while he was walking the floor. I looked up and said "Oh, hey! Hello Mr. Byrne! Love your work!"

And he said thanks, and then proceeded to pitch his new book, NEXTMEN at Dark Horse. I told him that for as much as I liked his work, I was afraid to try a new title of his in fear that I would really get into it and then he'd quit the book.

 

IE: West Coast Avengers, Last Galactus Story, She-Hulk, etc.

And I cited those titles too.

He went on to say that that would never happen at Dark Horse, he was so happy with his creative freedom there and by gosh, he never had any intention on quiting NEXTMEN.

 

So I asked him why he left Marvel.

And he looked me dead in the eyes and said. "You wanna know why I really left Marvel? Because Tom DeFalco F--CKED me in the AZZ!"

 

And my jaw hit the floor.

I'm not expecting this response from a comic pro.

And it's like that victrola dog you see in the old record album label, with his Petey's head slightly cocked and that "RUHHH...?"

 

So he goes on to tell me about all the creative disputes that they were having and how the last straw came when DeFalco and he split hairs over She-Hulk shaving her legs or not. And he left.

 

Jump ahead 10 years, I'm at mid-ohio again, and Byrne is easier to approach now behind his table, as you're not having to stand in line for an hour. Only 10 seconds.

 

And I approach him and say "Hello Mr. Byrne! Hey...I've got a GREAT John Byrne story for you!"

And he says, "Really. Well, this I'd like to hear."

 

And then I recount to him the Tom DeFalco effed me in the A story.

And he smiles and says, "Yeah...that sounds like something I would say."

 

Oh...and yeah...I did get into NEXTMEN and yeah...he jumped ship on that too.

Thanks.

[Rich_Henn]

I'm constantly blown away at the VERY over inflated prices that dealers have on their books at NYC Con. The show in February at the Javitz Center.

 

I see books with NM+ prices and the books are Fine at best.

Or books with CGC prices on them and guess what...they're RAW and no, they certainly aren't NM+ books, either.

 

I always wondered how these guys make any money. It's as if they really don't want to sell the books.

 

I always enjoy shopping with Steve Wyatt, though. Really truly one of the best dealers. You get what you pay for.

And this other guy from Boston...I'm having a brain fart now, but he's the "undergrader."

Oh, yeah.

Gary Dolgoff. (sp?)

I droped $80 with him on books in NYC from his $1 bin or 50 cent bin, and his VG's are more Fine+ or better.

 

 

[seanfingh]

 

Dolgoff does not get a lot of love on here, but he should. I have several books slated to be graded from a massive Charlton buy I made when I was a kid. It was advertised as 20 Charlton #1's in VF or better for $50. The one that I have gotten graded is a War Wings #1. Came back 9.6. That should tell you everything you need to know about Dolgoffs grading.

[the blob]

dolgoff is a tight grader and an amusing guy

[seank]

 

I always enjoy shopping with Steve Wyatt, though. Really truly one of the best dealers. You get what you pay for.

 

I'm getting to the point with the Sacramento comic cons that if Steve isn't there, I feel the show is a waste of a morning.

[CKB]

We need to draft silverandbronze to write up his Rich Muchin story for this thread. He's just too busy right now but hopefully we can prod him into it. Definitely will give the "nickel to the back of the head" story a run for it's money...

 

 

[500Club]

Not a con story, just a general collecting memory...

 

My Dad used to take me to 7-11 every Tuesday when the new comics hit the spinner racks. One fine evening, I presented my Dad with the triple sized FF236 to pay for. A dollar!, he exclaimed. Then came the usual song and dance about 'when comics were 10c, etc etc'.

 

We go up to the till, my Dad pays, the middle aged male cashier rings it in, and asks if I want a bag. I say yes. With a rather contemptuous look, the cashier looks at my Dad and says 'the bag's probably worth more than the comic.' My Dad, never much a fan of my hobby, is silent.

 

I'm not. I've had enough.

 

I inform the cashier that if he's working for a living in 7-11 at 50 years old, he's not qualified to offer opinions on anything. Needless to say, my Dad was not amused, and gave me a pretty good lecture in the car. Underneath it all, though, I think he was somewhat amused by my retort....

[Monkeyman]

Dolgoff does not get a lot of love on here, but he should. I have several books slated to be graded from a massive Charlton buy I made when I was a kid. It was advertised as 20 Charlton #1's in VF or better for $50. The one that I have gotten graded is a War Wings #1. Came back 9.6. That should tell you everything you need to know about Dolgoffs grading.

 

I don't think that people here dispute his grading, it's more undisclosed restoration. I have never bought from Gary, but these are the stories I hear.

 

Mike

[Deucedriver]

Okay, here's a couple:

 

San Diego 1992 - Some older guy, back of the room, has several long boxes of expensive GA just out for the masses. Some youngster is fingering through the boxes next to me and has about $1500-$2000 worth of books in a small pile, and I see him doing the rapid "crook glance". As I'm watching him out of the corner of my eye, he takes off. I head out behind him and about an aisle away get a hold of his jacket and confront him. "Oh, I forgot I had these" was his excuse as I escort him back to the table. The old guy selling books tells me, "yeah, these kids have been trying to rob me today." I was surprised when I didn't get a "thanks". Even more suprised since I had just purchased a Katy Keene #1 about 5 minutes earlier for my wife.

 

Best story I didn't get to see: I was setting up at some of the old monthly Dallas Cons when I was short notice deployed (in my C-130 days). I wasn't too concerned about losing a few bucks (hazard of the job) and the promoter usually had mercy on me and gave me a credit. I call home on Sunday night and my wife tells me "So, I did that convention today." I was told by a few folks the next month she was merciless. I love her...

 

Unfortunately the move to N. California and the extended deployments in the U-2 from 1995-2001 put an end to setting up at cons for me (and my wife!). I just visit now and have more fun.

 

 

 

 

[shadroch]

Not a comic story,but I was selling cards and comics at the time.

It's Spring 1987 and the new BB sets were just out that week.I had taken the time to load two binders worth of stars. This guy comes over and starts pulling cards left and right out of them. Studying his list,pulling,studying,pulling. Never makes eye contact,doesn't say a word. Gathers about 50 cards and sez 'Whats the best you can do on these". I look,do a quick calculation and say $25. He pulls out his wallet,shoves a ten dollar bill in my face and says this is what I'll give you for them.

I tell him ,in no uncertain terms,that he is an and to take a hike.Guy at the next table,who wasn't overly friendly,laffs,picks up the stack and hands me $25. Says it was worth it just to see the look on the face.

[shadroch]

Dolgoff does not get a lot of love on here, but he should. I have several books slated to be graded from a massive Charlton buy I made when I was a kid. It was advertised as 20 Charlton #1's in VF or better for $50. The one that I have gotten graded is a War Wings #1. Came back 9.6. That should tell you everything you need to know about Dolgoffs grading.

 

I don't think that people here dispute his grading, it's more undisclosed restoration. I have never bought from Gary, but these are the stories I hear.

 

Mike

 

UNDISCLOSED RESTORATION? From Gary Dolgoff? Are you sure you are talking about the right guy here?

[langur88]

Dolgoff does not get a lot of love on here, but he should. I have several books slated to be graded from a massive Charlton buy I made when I was a kid. It was advertised as 20 Charlton #1's in VF or better for $50. The one that I have gotten graded is a War Wings #1. Came back 9.6. That should tell you everything you need to know about Dolgoffs grading.

 

I don't think that people here dispute his grading, it's more undisclosed restoration. I have never bought from Gary, but these are the stories I hear.

 

Mike

 

UNDISCLOSED RESTORATION? From Gary Dolgoff? Are you sure you are talking about the right guy here?

 

If Gary Dolgoff sold you a book with undisclosed it was an honest mistake.

I have dealt with him for a long time and he is one of the good guys.

No doubt about it.