The Wheels Are In Motion 10 10

[blazingbob]

[BachelorOfComix]

Oh, please allow me to bow down to your greatness. Until this point I thought you were just a gruff, straight shooting kind of guy that spoke his mind and I respected that. I was wrong, you're just a self important [!@#%^&^]. Get over your self, you're not that important.

[ScarFace-migration]

I am continuously amazed at the amount of mental masturbation that goes on regarding people's reason for doing things.

[Rocketeer]

 

Colin: Because no one collects comics anymore you insufficiently_thoughtful_person............

 

 

I hope you weren't calling my son Logan an insufficiently_thoughtful_person

 

Don't worry Darth,...I understand that idiocy tends to skip a generation...

[dam60]

I am continuously amazed at the amount of mental masturbation that goes on regarding people's reason for doing things. Why am I selling my collection, If I told the truth it would be bad for business.

 

Here's something else to consider:

 

Let's talk a little bit about CONSUMPTION in the broadest sense.

 

BlazingBob needs a house. He needs it now. So what does he do? He sells his FFs.

 

Think of it like this - are his FFs or anything for that matter such a great investment that you wouldn't eat for a day? That you would forgo your need for food because the money could be better invested in a different endeavor? Of course you wouldn't.

 

Why would it be any different with Bob selling his books to raise $$$ for his downpayment? He needs the downpayment $$$ NOW and therefore needs to raise CASH. By selling his collection it isn't a trigger that the sky is falling and that as the all knowing dealer that Bob is he has to get out RIGHT NOW to a bunch of high end collectors who don't know anybetter but rather he needs to CONSUME. In this instance if we take the term broadly we can see how it would relate to him transfering his assets from his comic portfolio to a real estate asset.

 

Something to think about . . .

 

DAM

[buttock]

About 7-8 years ago there was 2 or 3 copies of Double Action 2 floating around for less than $3000 and NOONE was interested. One in particular was advertised for months in CBG with no takers ( I want to say it was about $1300).

 

Now we have a bunch of 2 year olds with no self-restraint fighting over a copy at 5-10X guide.

 

What a great hobby.

[Red Hook]

If this conversation were the equivalent of a bar fight I would be by Vinny's side slugging it out with many of you. I cannot believe the amount of energy and idle speculation going on about this transaction. Again, Ian started this post and started this [!@#%^&^] all over again. Vinny responded and the idle speculation on what is going on starts chiming in. I am continuously amazed at the amount of mental masturbation that goes on regarding people's reason for doing things. Why am I selling my collection, If I told the truth it would be bad for business. Vinny is buying this book strictly to F*** Ian. You should "ALL" take a step back and examine the need to comment when you have very little information to work on. And as I have stated quite frankly in many cases it's none of your business. You should be fortunate that any dealer (Myself Included) stays on this boards and listens to most of this dealer bull####. BlazingBob is mild compared to some of the flamethrowers on this board.

 

 

The "idle speculation" you refer to is again based on the threat that was made during the initial upheaval. I direct you to the title of this thread. I thought it was outrageous when it was originally presented, and I still think it's outrageous.

[garthgantu]

If this conversation were the equivalent of a bar fight I would be by Vinny's side slugging it out with many of you. I cannot believe the amount of energy and idle speculation going on about this transaction. Again, Ian started this post and started this [!@#%^&^] all over again.

What other recourse does Ian have, if an 800 lb. gorilla from our hobby starts putting "the wheels in motion" ? Should he just resign himself to not completing his goal? One of the good (and bad) aspects of the Web is that information flows freely. If Ian believes that Metro specifically purchased the book in question to thwart his efforts, I don't see why he can't speculate as to this possibility. A lot of what occurs on these boards is just that - speculating. Yes, Ian might be wrong about Metro's motives - but he has some pretty damning evidence, including an email from Vinny, that seems to support his contention.

 

Vinny responded and the idle speculation on what is going on starts chiming in. I am continuously amazed at the amount of mental masturbation that goes on regarding people's reason for doing things. Why am I selling my collection, If I told the truth it would be bad for business. Vinny is buying this book strictly to F*** Ian. You should "ALL" take a step back and examine the need to comment when you have very little information to work on. And as I have stated quite frankly in many cases it's none of your business. You should be fortunate that any dealer (Myself Included) stays on this boards and listens to most of this dealer bull####. BlazingBob is mild compared to some of the flamethrowers on this board.

I don't really see how this ties into your decision to sell your FFs, nor do I recall anyway slamming you for selling them..?

Ian posted his opinions/beliefs re: the situation at hand. Vinny responded with his own account. The natural progression on these boards is to dissect every aspect of the situation, and generally the board regulars end up debating the merits of "the case," sometimes heatedly. Does it remain "none of our business" once it's out there on the board for all to read? Would you still feel the same if everyone had rallied to Metro's/Vinny's defense?

Frankly, I don't know what you're so pissed about - I think dealers in general get a pretty fair shake on these boards. Some, like Church Rozanski (freudian slip sponsored by Mile High Comics - if you're high, we've got yer comics!) get slammed a lot more than others. You, for instance, are pretty universally respected on these boards, IMO. I can understand why you would feel defensive about a fellow dealer getting dragged through the mud - can you understand why I might side with a fellow collector who offered 10x for a book that no one else wants as badly, only to be thwarted by a BSD who from all appearances bought the book to set "the wheels in motion" ?

[garthgantu]

Further, there have been some posts refuting the notion that Ian wants this Double Action 2 more, or is willing to pay more for it, than anyone else. I still contend that, to the extent that this may be true, it's only true in the context of people knowing Ian wants it badly.

 

Yes, there are certainly other "DC completionists" in the world - but we don't know of any who are actively looking for this particular book. We DO know Ian is looking for it. He himself stated that his final offer was in the vicinity of 10x guide. I still refuse to believe that Metro paid that much or more for it, but if they did, you really, really have to ask yourself "why?" The only person willing to pay 10x for the book, other than (perhaps) Metro, is Ian. If Ian just made it clear that the CGC 3.0 copy of Double Action 2 was of no interest to him at more than 3x guide, Metro would be hard pressed to sell it for 4x guide.

[ScarFace-migration]

The only person willing to pay 10x for the book, other than (perhaps) Metro, is Ian. If Ian just made it clear that the CGC 3.0 copy of Double Action 2 was of no interest to him at more than 3x guide, Metro would be hard pressed to sell it for 4x guide.

How in da hell do you know any of dat for a fact?

[garthgantu]

I don't. Let's see someone refute it. Better yet, let's see what Metro sells the copy in question for... if they disclose that info at this point. But if Buttock's post is accurate, you have to ask yourself why this book is so 'hot' all of a sudden... all it takes is one deep-pocketed collector with a jones to bump the 'value' of a scarce book up by an order of magnitude. Did anyone even TALK about this book before Ian mentioned it?

[ScarFace-migration]

I don't. Let's see someone refute it.

Why should anyone be obligated ta refute idle speculation you decide ta pull out of your [!@#%^&^] ?

 

You stated dis information like you know it ta be true...and I'm asking you why we should believe it.

 

Did anyone even TALK about this book before Ian mentioned it?

Who knows? Believe it or not, these boards aren't da center of the comic collecting universe. Just because it wasn't talked about on dis board doesn't mean there haven't been others out there looking for it besides Ian.

[chrisco37]

Ian says he offered 10x guide for the book. It sounds as though Metro offered less, but offered some other form of 'compensation' in addition to $, to snag the book.

 

I apologize if someone has hit this topic already (I just got home nd haven't been able to read the last 30+ posts), but on a book like this, you can throw the guide out the window. From what I gathered from Ian's posts, Metro offered more $$$ (I think Ian said, and I'm paraphrasing, "I can't compete with the what they offered.").

 

Also, besides Ian and Metro's side, Foolkiller weighed in w/ his "involvement" in the whole situation. I don't know Ian or Vince/Steve, but I have met Brian on two occassions. He is 100% a nice, honest guy. A true fan of the medium and the hobby. And, as such, I will take what his version (as not one of the "main characters" in this drama but more than a casual obeserver, like the rest of us) as "closest to the truth". He has nothing to gain or lose by telling the whole story.

 

And, if Metro was contacted by Joe C. about a possible purchase of the book, then they can't be held responsible for setting "the wheels in motion"; it was purely a business decision. One of THE top dealers in the world acquiring one of the rarest books in the world; it makes sense, doesn't it (from a business stand-point)? I am not absolving Metro of total wrong-doing in this.

 

IMO, the "Right Thing to Do" was to defer to Ian; let him up his purchase price. He is so very close to completing his run, and this book is going to be one of the (if not THE) hardest book for him to track down. Metro would have done themselves a great favor in the PR dep't. passing and letting Ian purchase it.

 

This situation has gotten way out of control. You guys need to resolve it. Ian, you're going to have to pay more for the book than you initially intended. Metro, you do not have to rake Ian over the coals selling it to him. You need to come to an acceptable median. Swallow your pride (both of you!), and get this [!@#%^&^] book sold!

 

Chris

[Joanna]

all it takes is one deep-pocketed collector with a jones to bump the 'value' of a scarce book up by an order of magnitude.

 

No, it takes at least two. Sell a book on ebay and if you have one buyer, you get the minimum. If you have two, and they both want it badly, the price can keep going up.

 

Several people have spoken about other buyers for the book. There are at least three now, Ian, another guy, and a new other guy. Ian is simply the only guy who has talked about wanting it on this message board. This board is not the only game in town.

 

 

[chrisco37]

OK....I finally got thru all the posts. The best idea, so far, is an aution of the book. Metro. get in touch with the other 2(?) parties interested. Hold a silent auction - 1 bid each. Top dollar wins. Simple as that.

 

Chris

[ScarFace-migration]

Edited after reading Ians post below.

[Ian_Levine]

This situation has gotten way out of control. You guys need to resolve it. Ian, you're going to have to pay more for the book than you initially intended. Metro, you do not have to rake Ian over the coals selling it to him. You need to come to an acceptable median. Swallow your pride (both of you!), and get this [!@#%^&^] book sold!

 

Every one of these words is true.

Vincent has agreed to sell it to me for the price I offered Joe Conzolo.

He has risen in my opinion to a level that now makes me feel guilty for criticising him.

I have promised to offer no more criticism of Metropolis on these boards.

And the fact that he could indeed have sold it to someone else for more money means that I will not allow myself any ill feelings towards them after this.

The price is more than I originally offered, but a price I can live with.

But I never offered ten times guide. Nearly six times guide yes, but not ten.

And yes I believe if I hadn't posted up my list so publicly then no-one would have cared about this book. But posting that list earned the chance to get help from people like Metarog and Timely and Allan Chao and Greggy and lots of others who have caused me to now only need 26 DCs hopefully.

So I say a public and sincere thankyou to Vincent for selling me the Double Action 2 when he could have refused.

I shut my mouth yesterday the second he said that if I said anything else I'd lose the chance of obtaining that copy, and I'm glad I did.

Hopefully Vincent's actions will cast him in a good light with everyone.

 

Thankyou.

[kryptonitecomics]

Love fest time .....I love everyone.....Ian....BlazingBob...Vincent....Steve......Dam60......Darth......

[ScarFace-migration]

Now that dis controversy has been settled...let's talk about Ian's phone call to Christine again.

[FFB]

Congrats to the both of you, Ian and Vincent, for resolving this. Congrats to Ian for being one (very rare) book closer to completion of one of the all-time great collections. Congrats to Vincent for helping a desperate collector get one book closer to his dream (which I am sure he does a lot, in his position). I won't go so far as to say that either of you has restored my faith in humanity, but it's good for the hobby that, at the end of the day, a comic book fan was able to get the book he wanted and the dealer was able to get the price he wanted and make the customer happy. That's what it's supposed to be all about.

 

This situation has gotten way out of control. You guys need to resolve it. Ian, you're going to have to pay more for the book than you initially intended. Metro, you do not have to rake Ian over the coals selling it to him. You need to come to an acceptable median. Swallow your pride (both of you!), and get this [!@#%^&^] book sold!

 

Every one of these words is true.

Vincent has agreed to sell it to me for the price I offered Joe Conzolo.

He has risen in my opinion to a level that now makes me feel guilty for criticising him.

I have promised to offer no more criticism of Metropolis on these boards.

And the fact that he could indeed have sold it to someone else for more money means that I will not allow myself any ill feelings towards them after this.

The price is more than I originally offered, but a price I can live with.

But I never offered ten times guide. Nearly six times guide yes, but not ten.

And yes I believe if I hadn't posted up my list so publicly then no-one would have cared about this book. But posting that list earned the chance to get help from people like Metarog and Timely and Allan Chao and Greggy and lots of others who have caused me to now only need 26 DCs hopefully.

So I say a public and sincere thankyou to Vincent for selling me the Double Action 2 when he could have refused.

I shut my mouth yesterday the second he said that if I said anything else I'd lose the chance of obtaining that copy, and I'm glad I did.

Hopefully Vincent's actions will cast him in a good light with everyone.

 

Thankyou.