Color touch on a Cerebus 1 - what to do?

[localshop]

Folks, need your help here. I bought a copy of Cerebus #1 which arrived today. I immediately noticed that something was wrong in that while there are spine stresses on the cover in the red portion which should break color, they appear black. I think that the very top of the right hand corner may also have been touched up - there is a tiny black dot on the upper most part of the inside first page. On the inside of the cover, there is NO discoloration along the white section of the spine. The effect is almost as if a black wash was applied to the spine, but this did not cause any reduction in surface wear to the outside cover, and didn't seep through to the inside cover.

 

My questions:

 

1/ Is there anything natural that could have caused the darkening of the white stresses? Could something have rubbed against it to cause this?

2/ What would the affect be on value? Without this effect, the rest of the book is REALLY nice. There are no color breaking creases in the corners, which are sharp, and there is a great page quality too. It would grade out at a healthy F+ to F/VF, but...

 

I'm never going to get an issue #1!

[MonumentalCo]

I know that some restoration can be easily removed. I would contact someone who does restoration and ask them. Matt Nelson is one person who does restoration work. He has done some great work on a few books for me in the past.

 

Tom

[aardvark88]

Black printers ink may have been applied to the spine. Won't seep thru to inside spine.

U probably have an AUTHENTIC Cerebus #1. Don't think some one would take the trouble to color-touch a counterfeit, but u never know.

[localshop]

I don't think that it's a counterfeit - the inside surface is matte finish. I'm going to ask for a return on this issue I think.

 

As I said, VERY frustrating. I have tried in vain to get a decent #1 for ages now, and just don't seem to be able to get hold of one.

[hammer-migration]

I recall holding a real and a fake Cerebus #1 at the same time about 10 years ago. If I remember correctly, one of them had 2 different hues of black used on the cover. One hue was a flat, dull black and the other was a shiny black that was somewhat highlighted by maroon or reddish irridescense. It was pointed out to me which was the counterfeit and why, but I've long forgotten exactly which one was and why. Try comparing it to someone you know, or at a shop or show where you can find a genuine #1 or a counterfeit.

[localshop]

Further level of frustration: this one is signed by Dave Sim. As you all know he doesn't sign counterfeit #1s as Sim, he signs them as somebody else. I know that it's signature, because I have other examples of it.

 

I never see one at online comic stores, and they are like hen's teeth on ebay. I would wait until the inevitable 'flood' which will happen when the series finishes (and people try to capitalize on the values before they go south), or when CGC actually starts to slab the #1s. In the latter case, I don't see it happening any time soon!

[FlyingDonut]

PM me.

[aardvark88]

Sim may sign the counterfeit C #1 as Neal Adams or J Byrne.

[Guest]

I know MotorCity comics has 2 copies of #1 that are legit. One is a VF and the other more like a VG. You might want to contact them because they have A LOT of knowledge of Cerebus.

[comicwiz]

Run those suspicious areas under a UV light; this is the only way to know for certain that its CT outside of getting it analysed by a restoration expert. I've got two copies of Cerebus 1 (just finished off my second complete run) and those anomalies that you are indicating in your post sound a bit suspect, but you don't want to be too quick to dismiss them as signs of tampering. As you already know very well, the Cerebus 1 is a fairly difficult book to locate -- so returning it may not be the wisest thing unless you are absolutely certain that it's been tampered with.

[Bronty]

He also used to sign #1s as Barry Smith.