New Rankings for Dealers

[Rocketeer]

What is the point of trumpeting out a book like that? Jesus, man, have a bit more couth than that

 

What book did Foolkiller trumpet out?

 

I was talking to you. I should have replied directly to your post, but it's late and I am lazy to begin with

 

You forgot a period. Maybe Rocketeer can lend you one?

 

 

I've left off more periods than you've had dinner, hot or otherwise. Even so, Rocketeer's used enough to replace all of them a thousandfold, complete with superfluous commas as decoration

 

...why all the anger over some periods,...?

[VintageComics]

I think one of the gents is married and is assisted by his wife sometimes ?

 

Could be. I think it's Nick and Steve and I've never seen either of their wives. I thought you were mixing up CBA with Bruno/Sylvia. They are married and always travel together.

 

R.

 

[Shield]

What is the point of trumpeting out a book like that? Jesus, man, have a bit more couth than that

 

What book did Foolkiller trumpet out?

You know Shield, you come across as very angry. All the time.

 

 

It's clearly because of my "mood" icon. I'll change it to something happier!

[Shield]

What is the point of trumpeting out a book like that? Jesus, man, have a bit more couth than that

 

I'm uncouth just because I asked about the grade of a book? I've never bought from Bob Storms, and I thought it was strange that two Hangman's were overgraded considering the overwhelming consensus is that Bob is a great grader of raw books.

If you bought either one sight unseen as a VF/NM would you be happy? If someone here ordered that from Mile High Chuck there'd be 3 pages about how sloppy his grading is.

I guess I'm just angry and uncouth to post a scan of two books from a top 10 dealer's list...

 

Oh, and

[NewWorldOrder]

I know Bruno for years but frankly see him at one show and that's Chicago. My Canadian vote for a dealer would be Comic Book Addiction.

 

Agreed, massive HG books at half off prices!!

 

I bought a lot from them at NY Comic Con!

[Buck Biggins]

Motor City happens to fall on my wife's birthday. I also saw some of my better customers at the NY show. Now I stopped doing Detroit because it was a marginal show in the past and went back with basically 1/2 off stock and wall books.

 

Frankly, it doesn't matter what the economy is doing in Detroit if you think that's a barometer of how well you will do sales wise. I've been there when the car industry is booming and crying the blues - didn't impact sales one bit.

 

I will probably do the show next year and I'm also toying with doing the Mid-Ohio show this year since they moved the date from Thanksgiving.

 

MidOhio

[shadroch]

What is the point of trumpeting out a book like that? Jesus, man, have a bit more couth than that

 

I'm uncouth just because I asked about the grade of a book? I've never bought from Bob Storms, and I thought it was strange that two Hangman's were overgraded considering the overwhelming consensus is that Bob is a great grader of raw books.

If you bought either one sight unseen as a VF/NM would you be happy? If someone here ordered that from Mile High Chuck there'd be 3 pages about how sloppy his grading is.

I guess I'm just angry and uncouth to post a scan of two books from a top 10 dealer's list...

 

Oh, and

 

If I bought that sight unseen as a VF/NM I'd want my money back,and I imagine you did as well. I also imagine that refund was not all that hard to get. Was it? That is just as vital in determing who is a good dealer-the ease of getting your money back if not satisfied.

[tth2]

What is the point of trumpeting out a book like that? Jesus, man, have a bit more couth than that

Nothing to do with Bob specifically, whom I've had good dealings with pre- and post-CGC, but if a dealer has been lauded in this thread, I think it's totally fair to indicate disagreement, and providing supporting evidence is better than some generic statement about why you don't care for a particular dealer.

[whomerjay]

Haven't read everything in this and other thread, but to me the list represents dealers you'd like if you're after any book, especially HTF or HG quality, and don;t mind paying full retail. If I had the time and desire and wanted to become a BSD, I'd ahve no problem adopting the business model, practices, and pricing of any of those on your list, except Heritage, and maybe Mile High, the former becuase of outright dishonestly and the latter because it relies too much on people being chumps.

 

How I rank dealers is based heavily on honestly and price. Accordingly the only "dealer" I buy from on your list is CL because only there can I find bargains (I'm sure bargains are to be found with the others but I certainly can't find them and dont have the time needed to ever find one). The occasional book on the CL website and usually 5-10 books from a GA auction, when the price is sweet. For the price to be sweet, I have to be very selective. I am in no rush to get any comic book and can wait for what I want at the price I want.

 

So my list would have some much smaller dealers who are into turning over books for a quick but small profit. They have little impact on the hobby overall. They are what we are all looking for. They are the ones, when known, will not be discussed anyway.

 

 

 

[tth2]

I'm amazed at all the people who are dissing one auction house and then pledging their undying loyalty to another auction house. There is some serious denial going on here.

[Flaming_Telepath]

I know Bruno for years but frankly see him at one show and that's Chicago. My Canadian vote for a dealer would be Comic Book Addiction.

 

Are they still going?

 

Dealt with them a lot in the early 2000s...great grading and excellent service. They were very active on eBay for a time, but I think they probably amassed a client base that they could sell to direct.

[Flaming_Telepath]

Pickycollector - Patrick G.

 

Not 'picky' enough, in my experience.

[whomerjay]

I'm amazed at all the people who are dissing one auction house and then pledging their undying loyalty to another auction house. There is some serious denial going on here.

 

Not sure to whom you're referring, I don;t see anyone pledging undying loyalty to anyone.

 

And you can't see a difference between Heritage and CL? One gouges you with Buyers and sellers premiums, openly bids on their books, often overgrades (sometimes grossly) raw books, systematically recycles books until they reach their "maximum potential", and is owned or managed by people with a "history".

 

The other charges you a 3% buyer's premium if you pay by CC (OMG).

 

That's the facts Jack. I'm not in denial.

[alecholland]

Interesting list Brian. However, it does assume somewhat that everyone collects the same way you do. I'd really be interested in seeing a list of great local comic shops across the country. I guess I'm old school, but for me, there is still nothing like walking into a real brick & mortar comic shop and looking through long boxes. A website and/or online auction house can't recreate that experience in my opinion.

 

Personally, I also don't like the idea that on sites like CLink, I don't ever know who, if anyone, I'm actually bidding against. I've tried a few times to bid on books in their focused auctions and everytime, no matter what the book or grade, the bidding seems to go through the roof. It's left me scratching my head. I think I'd feel more comfortable with placing another bid, if I just had a few more assurances that I was bidding against an actual person.

 

Also, I think I'd compare Mile High to QuikTrip more than Walmart. Quiktrip is the place I go to when I'm too lazy to go anywhere else. QuikTrip has sales like two 16 oz. bottles of coke for $2.50, even though you can go to the grocery store and get an entire 2 liter bottle for $1.39. That's how I view Mile High.

 

On a side note, when are these websites going to join the year 2008?

I understand the idea that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but even old cars and houses need new paint from time to time. Most of these sites have the look & feel of websites from 10 years ago. For me, that's another turn off when visiting some of these online destinations. As successful as many of these sites are, I personally think they would find even more success with a 2008 makeover.

 

That's my

[Flaming_Telepath]

The other charges you a 3% buyer's premium if you pay by CC (OMG).

 

I think you might be in for a bit of a shock one of these days.

[G.A.tor]

my thoughts , from personal experience only:

10) Mile High.... bought a funny pages from them 2 years ago...pretty much nothing to offer me

9) Pedigree...doug actually found me 3 tough centaurs, (thumbs u

8) Dave Kapelka-never bought from him, does he sell GA

7) Bob Storms-might become my new fav. if he can find me some FF's I need

6) Harley Yee-love him like the brother I never had!...all around great guy

5) Steve Ritter/Matt Nelson... 2 (thumbs u (thumbs u

4) Doug Sulipa-never bought from him, does he sell GA

3) Heritage Comics-have found some great books from them

2) Metropolis Comics-a lot of my collection has come from them...need an impossible to find or even easy to find GA book, call Metro

1) Comiclink- one of my favorite sources as well, and like Metro, Josh has helped my collecting tremendously...

 

some of my personal favorites not on the above list:

Mr.Bedrock/Richard,Filter81/Adam, Marnin Rosenburg, Quality Comix/Brent, Jim Payette, Joe Veranault, Dale Roberts, Al Stoltz, John Haines, Redbeard/ Ron P, JKRK/Jay, to name a few !

 

 

[whomerjay]

The other charges you a 3% buyer's premium if you pay by CC (OMG).

 

I think you might be in for a bit of a shock one of these days.

 

Everyone has a story about how they were screwed by so and so, causing them to place that dealer in their sheet list forever.

 

I'm not naive re: the limitations and potential problems when buying from any auction house or exchange service. There are only so many things that can be controlled, and deceptive practices do and will occur for all of them. To me it's about limiting those risks.

 

 

[johnenock]

Dave Kapelka -- heard of him because of FK's recent purchases from him. How do I get in touch with him?

[Flee-Marquette]

 

 

On a side note, when are these websites going to join the year 2008?

I understand the idea that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but even old cars and houses need new paint from time to time. Most of these sites have the look & feel of websites from 10 years ago. For me, that's another turn off when visiting some of these online destinations. As successful as many of these sites are, I personally think they would find even more success with a 2008 makeover.

 

That's my

 

I agree.

 

[cloudofwit]

 

 

On a side note, when are these websites going to join the year 2008?

I understand the idea that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but even old cars and houses need new paint from time to time. Most of these sites have the look & feel of websites from 10 years ago. For me, that's another turn off when visiting some of these online destinations. As successful as many of these sites are, I personally think they would find even more success with a 2008 makeover.

 

That's my

 

I agree.

 

 

Pong and Starbucks--what a great juxtaposition! And, man, look at the ring on Mr. R.'s hand; what the heck is that? Is that the Edgar Church championship ring?