I have to write this about Milehigh before i go crazy...

[Comicopolis]

By the way, Chuck's latest newsletter came out and he has discovered the Mile High IV collection (Mile High III were the books they forgot in the safe).

 

=========================

Yesterday was another of those days filled with pleasant surprises. It began with my discovery early in the day of two "lost" pieces of original comics artwork tucked inside a Lela Dowling fantasy art portfolio. This portfolio had been sitting on a shelf in our storage barn for the past five years, protected, but ignored....

 

Were these relatively insignificant pieces of artwork, I wouldn't be mentioning them today, but finding the original cover to WARLORD #46 is pretty cool, and remembering that we own page #11 from X-MEN (1963) #137 is truly stunning!

=========================

 

Must be nice to just forget about thousands of dollars in artwork out in your barn. Wait until they go to the outhouse and find the Action Comic 1 someone left after reading back in the early 70's. That will be big news!

 

I think he traded that Action Comic #1 for his soul many years ago.

[burntboy]

I agree. As a collector and not a dealer, I feel that they are trying to take advantage of me and push the prices as high as possible. They just put a CGC 7.5 x-men 1 on ebay for over $20k. Seeing them try to push prices so high takes some of the fun out of the hobby for me. It's probably good for other sellers and dealers, but I'm not sure what MH gets. There are certainly not going to sell the books for those prices, when other copies of the same book in higher grade are available for less all the time.

 

I can easily tell looking through ebay listings when I get to a Mile High BIN book. I like buying from the boards the best, although sometimes you see prices that are not very realistic.

 

And that's what stunned me on E-bay yesterday, as well.

 

Issue after Issue of raw Brave and the Bold's listed at anywhere from around 2.5 to 4x's guide for low grade issues. Who the hell would ever buy that stuff at those ridiculous prices?? and if nobody, than what's the purpose of even bothering??

[mysterymachine]

Straight from a Mile High eBay listing...

 

"The other great news about our eBay store is that you can not only shop through a huge selection of older issues at extremely low prices........"

 

[Comicopolis]

Still, keeps us all talking about them so that's some kind of advertising.

[comixcroz]

Straight from a Mile High eBay listing...

 

"The other great news about our eBay store is that you can not only shop through a huge selection of older issues at extremely low prices........"

 

yeah and they have 3 copies of FF1 and can't even be bothered to post a pic of the actual books. Who in the would buy a copy of FF1 without seeing a picture?

[Bosco685]

I think he traded that Action Comic #1 for his soul many years ago.

 

Wait a minute. I feel like Jim Carrey's character in "Dumb and Dumber" when he notices the Man Walks On Moon article.

 

"No way! That's great. Chuck Rozanski had a soul? Chuck Rozanski had a soul everyone!"

 

[PrismaticSmoke]

Mile Highs response to a request for scans.

 

Sorry but we can't do scans of each item. We have over 7,000,000 comics in stock at any one time and it is impractical to scan them all. The scan we show on e-bay is a representative image of the issue and can be of any grade. Please check our website www.milehighcomics.com for our grading standards. If you get the book and don't think the grading is right. You can send it back for a replacement or refund.

 

[DR.X]

Straight from a Mile High eBay listing...

 

"The other great news about our eBay store is that you can not only shop through a huge selection of older issues at extremely low prices........"

 

yeah and they have 3 copies of FF1 and can't even be bothered to post a pic of the actual books. Who in the would buy a copy of FF1 without seeing a picture?

 

 

Maybe someone who graduated from stupid school?

 

DRX

[Mac Man]

Well... to be fair, most of us here know about proper grading and proper pricing. We'd also consider buying at OS prices for many titles to be silly, but many LCSs get by doing just that. For example:

 

I was speaking to a student of mine who knows I'm a comic book fan, and he admitted that he uses Mile High Comics to buy his books, as do many of the other kids who live in his dorm who he has hooked onto comics. Now, I told him about the problems with Chuck's pricing scheme and pointed him to a few other online sites where he could get much better deals on vintage and modern books. I also told him he probably should get on some comic book message boards to brush up a little bit as well... though I can't say I told him about CGC as I like to have my own little social stomping grounds free from students

 

The bottomline is these kids didn't know better and it SOUNDED like a deal when you see how much they chop their prices (never mind the raise 'em up high enough so there is no real discount). I can only imagine that their advertising must work as it tricked them. :shrug:

[COI]

Yeah, but what are they buying?

 

Also, you can't have this place all to yourself. This is one of the best resources for learning about this hobby, and you would deprive your students of EDUCATION? For shame.

 

Please send the hotties you teach in this direction. Actually, just give them my email and phone # and I'll advise them from this point on.

[DR.X]

Hey, I think we all have to learn, and it isnt something that happens over night, grading especially. It takes time, and it takes sharing knowledge and learning from others. Learning to buy books at the right price is another thing too. I doubt if theres anyone on these boards that hasnt over paid for something at one time or another, maybe because their grading wasnt keen enough yet, or we were just to quick to jump at that nice looking book before someone else gets it, no matter what the price. You just had to have it. I see ridiculous prices on books all the time. But these sellers are patient, they have all the time in the world untill someone who doesnt know the ropes on buying and grading comes along and drops two to three times guide on a book cause he wants to start a collection or thinks its an investment, or its a hot book. This hurts the rest of us down the road because I believe it puts alot of books out of the range of most people. But you should try and set them in the right direction to get they're collection in line. I think they'd appreciate some one helping them in the long run.

 

 

DRX

[Tomega]

I've been saying it for years- Mile High Comics is the worst thing for the comic business. I've tried them and been dissappointed in nearly all my few purchases. One issue I sent back that was supposed to be in near mint that had the impression of the bottom of a soda bottle. Not only was the person on the phone rude, it got me on their infamous banned list ( something I wear with a badge of honor.) I actually have an email from him somewhere. Let's review this company -

 

- does not provide legitimate scans even on high ticket books.

 

- offers to buy at ridiculously low prices and then tries to sell them at gross over inflated prices that do not come close to reflecting market prices.

 

- spotty customer service with down right rude workers.

 

- poor grading. This is not just not due to us being "picky" as he once put it. It is due to not having qualified people.

 

- fake sales to try to justify obscene prices. Hey Chuck, do you really think anybody believes that you had X-Men #1 in 7.5 for $45,000 with the intention to sell it ? But look , now it is on sale for $15,300 - gee what a great deal. How about I go to C-Link and get it for less than half that. There is a non CGC X_men #1 in Good condition listed on MH for $3264 - only about 5 times market price. But look it used to be $9600............

 

And a few comments about Chuck

 

- Does anybody realize how bad he really hosed over Dallas Stevens. How many of the Dallas books got diluted with the regular stock? There is plenty more. If anybody wants to learn more , they should talk to a few New York big dealers for the full scoop.

 

- Give us a break with the Mile High 2, 3 , Dallas Stevens, Pottery Peyote Ponytail Pedigree or what ever snake oil you are peddling now Chuck. It is all hype. The fact is anybody in the top 50 in the registry has better collection than anything you are going to try to promote.

 

 

Do I think Chuck is an evil thief or bad person? No I do not. Occasionally he has even impressed me with some insights - particulary on the Danish cartoons of Muhammad. But I think the way his company run is pi_ss poor and bad for the comic industry. It will have to change to reflect the changing market.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

The only thing I can give him credit for was he called the market on AF 15 UK pence comics.He said these would command good dollar a few years before anyone else did. I think the biggest complaint is his prices are high.I wouldn`t be surprised if he could sell Mile High he would,he seems like he got bored with it.

[PrismaticSmoke]

The more I hear about this company, the more sick it makes me.

[Bosco685]

It is fun sometimes to read his Tales From The Database stories on the industry, but I wish you could get the details from an outsider's perspective what really went on with things like the Church Collection and his finding the Mile High II Collection that supposedly had some links to an organized crime scam.

 

The guy definitely was involved in many historic times in the industry, but it always sounds like his lesson learned from it was to charge higher prices than anyone else and you will make money. Go figure!

[moonlite]

You know what? There are businesses filling niche markets everyday. Chuck would not be in business if he weren't doing something right to keep the money flowing. Yeah, its fine to bash him but I know he truly loves comics and that he tries pretty darn hard to make a business successful. I won't fault him on that. I actually enjoy his writings and his narrative tales on his site. I liked reading the intense detail he put into some of his discoveries and his drama.

 

I think the money from the Mile High collection is long gone, he burned it up in operating expenses and in all that stock he has that he can't seem to move or doesn't want to move.

 

I do agree with you that his prices are many times unfathomably high. I do understand they get marked up in order to be discounted. I know he buys for pennies, like many dealers do. However, when I asked last year how he stays in business....there were many here that said "I buy from them" occasionally. So there is some value in his business.

 

Yes there are people out there who know no better when they buy and isn't that the case in point in any business. Look how many people buy NEW cars every year.

 

 

[toro]

The thing that I don't understand is his ebay store. He only charges $2.95 to ship an item USPS priority. Now if you sell some modern drek for $1.75 how do you make a profit?

[Bosco685]

I think the money from the Mile High collection is long gone, he burned it up in operating expenses and in all that stock he has that he can't seem to move or doesn't want to move.

 

Did you ever read the article in Tales From The Database on how he takes loans out on his inventory like any other business would to maintain business operations funds?

 

You just hit on something. So let's say he has to show value of the inventory to his banker so they then give you a portion of the value on the collateral provided. So if I am taking key books and marking them up and every once in a while landing a sale, isn't that an interesting way to drive value into your business?

 

Am I totally down on Chuck? He found a spot in the industry where he shines, and we could have had a Bill. Lee, or Warren to fill that spot but we got a "Chuck."

 

Is there a problem with his business? You better believe it when they miss the mark on grading so much for books that are highly priced. And it is an individual's choice to buy or not buy from him. But he has the ability to drive stronger practices in an industry where he is the 800-lb gorilla and instead his company takes the approach of fostering worst-case practices. That is NOT impressive at all.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

I think the money from the Mile High collection is long gone, he burned it up in operating expenses and in all that stock he has that he can't seem to move or doesn't want to move.

 

Did you ever read the article in Tales From The Database on how he takes loans out on his inventory like any other business would to maintain business operations funds?

 

You just hit on something. So let's say he has to show value of the inventory to his banker so they then give you a portion of the value on the collateral provided. So if I am taking key books and marking them up and every once in a while landing a sale, isn't that an interesting way to drive value into your business?

 

Am I totally down on Chuck? He found a spot in the industry where he shines, and we could have had a Bill. Lee, or Warren to fill that spot but we got a "Chuck."

 

Is there a problem with his business? You better believe it when they miss the mark on grading so much for books that are highly priced. And it is an individual's choice to buy or not buy from him. But he has the ability to drive stronger practices in an industry where he is the 800-lb gorilla and instead his company takes the approach of fostering worst-case practices. That is NOT impressive at all.

He does have to pay off a couple million to banks for a loan he took out.

[Bosco685]

He does have to pay off a couple million to banks for a loan he took out.

You're right. Sorry. We owe Chuck that much in having a fund raiser.