Still waiting for my McFarlane SS from the last Desert Wind Comics Opportunity

[kringle]

No sorry I should have been more clear. 70 books that I have sent them and I'm waiting for 6 books still to get back to me. 64 books have been signed and graded and all are back. 6 books are outstanding

[mikenyc]

Thank you for the welcome.

I have about 130 books that I have put together for Lee,Simon and Romita Sr signatures and Im looking for a facilitator. I was thinking about nycomics but have changed my mind after reading what happened with littlebill Wes on his modern books.

Again I will stress the fact that with Chandler I had only 3 books out of 70 drop from CGC 9.8 to CGC 9.6 SS books and find that acceptable.

Could anyone tell me of a good facilitator?

 

 

How did the grades hold up on the books that disappeared into the black hole after Toronto?

 

Give it a rest. He said only 3 of 70 had drops, and out of the 70, he's waiting on 6. What difference does it make if any of those 6 had a grade drop?

 

 

 

 

 

Give it a rest? I've made exactly one comment in this thread.

 

Also, it's a rhetorical question.

 

I'll spell it out in simpler terms. It doesn't matter if the grades all came back 10.0's if the books never get back to him at all, now does it?

 

You can't catch a break today. ::

[jonjesper]

I think an outline of the responsibilities of a Facilitator should be looked at closer? This is not aiming at anyone but maybe protecting all parties, the person subbing books, the facilitator and CGC.

In all honesty once the books are authenticated by CGC and shipped back to the facilitator it is essentially of no use to think CGC will get your books back any quicker. You as the submitter entered into an agreement with the facilitator who is using CGC as the third party authenticator/grader. There have been complaints about facilitators to CGC before and while they may listen it certainly doesn't appear to change a facilitators status.

If any facilitator is not following through then the best you can do is call CGC, talk to Joe or Paul and simply let them know your issues. This would be after you have tried to work it out with the facilitator. Then your only course of action it seems is to bring it to the attention of the boards. And that goes for good transactions also.

I do think that a facilitator needs to realize that people are paying a premium for the service they provide and taking care of existing customers or books is more important then working on the next show or offering.

Letting people know that the books have been completed by posting in the thread solicitating is also a smart idea. If individual books were not completed then contact those parties individually via pm or e-mail.

While I don't take on the volume anymore and dabble in the facilitator role now and again, I think a facilitator needs to also have a good working knowledge of what can and can't be done. GAcollectibles was not taking Frank Miller at NYCC. I am sure some people were hoping he would but he knew his limits and avoided the inevitable. I have a Doug Mahnke signing this weekend and it would have been great to take on every request possible but again not reasonable and common sense has to prevail.

I think the submitter also needs to realize that they have to help out a facilitator as much as possible by learning through the threads how to prepare books, how long to expect and understanding that because you sent a book or books to a signing does not mean it is a given that your book or books will retain grades nor will they 100% be signed. Things happen.

As Kevin Boyd has said numerous times, do your best to work it out behind the scenes. As JJ says...when that doesn't get you anywhere bring it here to make other potential submitters aware. You are paying for a service through a facilitator authorized by CGC and as a consumer you have the right to let people know your experience. The cream always rises to the top...

I just typed this on my iPhone and I can't feel my fingers anymore...

Keep a level head, do your best to work it out but know that others may share your same feelings.

 

[Ultra Ambient]

I'm in the same situation. I'm waiting for books I sent to DWC for the Pheonix Con this year. Who know's what is going on with them and why it takes them so long to return books?

[A-DONIS]

JJ,

 

Those little fat fingers must of the been working their butts off! lol

 

But I will agree with your post. Facilitators have a responsibility to make sure that once the books are done (meaning slabbed) that they get back to the customer in a timely manner.

 

Obsviously 16 months IS NOT timely by any means. Any delay, whether it be due to facilitators or creator's fault, should be addressed immediately.

[lscomics]

I have books out with DWC as well. I'm not concerned with how long they've been gone. Would I like to see them come back? Of course. I'll agree that getting books back to a customer in a timely manner is part of the responsibility of ANY facilitator, there's no argument to be made about that. DWC has always done right by me. I've never had what I would consider to be a problem with their services. They've offered a lot of good opps in the last couple of years as well. Is it sometimes difficult to get in touch with them either by email or phone? Yes. I'm sure with everything Chandler & Sharon have going it gets to be overwhelming sometimes. Having books out for 16 months is an extreme case to be sure but it happens. I subbed some books for the East Coast Legends op, some of them didn't get done until NYCC. It will be a while longer than I originally expected to get them back. So be it. These things happen. No one is perfect. Mistakes get made. We are all human. Come December 6th or 7th give DWC a call or drop them another email. I'm sure they will do whatever they can to take care of your concerns.

[Steve_Paulus]

Feeling your pain!!!!!

 

This posting has touched me and because of it I'm writing for the very first time on the CGC boards. I've submitted books with Chandler and Sharon back in the summer of 2010 for the Toronto comic con and I'm still waiting. Yes, that's about 16 months ago and I'm at a loss as to why it's really taking this long. I've emailed and called them more times than I can count.... only to get the run around or hear some fantastic excuses.

 

I sent them an email before writing this and received an auto reply saying they are away on vacation and will not return till Dec 5th.

 

On a good note thought, I did send them over 70 books and only had 3 books drop grade. I stopped sending them books for signatures and am now working with others to have my books signed. Since the Toronto comic con of 2010, I have been working with others to have over 180 books signed so this incident has cost them my business.

 

Welcome!!!

 

All the best on the safe return on your books!!!

[joeypost]

I think an outline of the responsibilities of a Facilitator should be looked at closer? This is not aiming at anyone but maybe protecting all parties, the person subbing books, the facilitator and CGC.

In all honesty once the books are authenticated by CGC and shipped back to the facilitator it is essentially of no use to think CGC will get your books back any quicker. You as the submitter entered into an agreement with the facilitator who is using CGC as the third party authenticator/grader. There have been complaints about facilitators to CGC before and while they may listen it certainly doesn't appear to change a facilitators status.

If any facilitator is not following through then the best you can do is call CGC, talk to Joe or Paul and simply let them know your issues. This would be after you have tried to work it out with the facilitator. Then your only course of action it seems is to bring it to the attention of the boards. And that goes for good transactions also.

I do think that a facilitator needs to realize that people are paying a premium for the service they provide and taking care of existing customers or books is more important then working on the next show or offering.

Letting people know that the books have been completed by posting in the thread solicitating is also a smart idea. If individual books were not completed then contact those parties individually via pm or e-mail.

While I don't take on the volume anymore and dabble in the facilitator role now and again, I think a facilitator needs to also have a good working knowledge of what can and can't be done. GAcollectibles was not taking Frank Miller at NYCC. I am sure some people were hoping he would but he knew his limits and avoided the inevitable. I have a Doug Mahnke signing this weekend and it would have been great to take on every request possible but again not reasonable and common sense has to prevail.

I think the submitter also needs to realize that they have to help out a facilitator as much as possible by learning through the threads how to prepare books, how long to expect and understanding that because you sent a book or books to a signing does not mean it is a given that your book or books will retain grades nor will they 100% be signed. Things happen.

As Kevin Boyd has said numerous times, do your best to work it out behind the scenes. As JJ says...when that doesn't get you anywhere bring it here to make other potential submitters aware. You are paying for a service through a facilitator authorized by CGC and as a consumer you have the right to let people know your experience. The cream always rises to the top...

I just typed this on my iPhone and I can't feel my fingers anymore...

Keep a level head, do your best to work it out but know that others may share your same feelings.

 

Good post JJ. I have a question for all the facilitators. I carry insurance for books when they are in my home, in transit to the owner and to CGC. Once at CGC they have coverage for the books. My customers are covered the whole time their book are in my posession and at CGC.

 

With facilitators are the books insured? What if they are damaged while prepping them, what if they are stolen, the artists ruins them? Who is left holding the bag?

[A-DONIS]

That an interesting point/question. I never deal with books themselves, only sketch covers. So if one gets damaged, I replaced it with another.

[Marvelfangirl]

I sent 6 books to DWC for NYCC.

 

He said that they were on route to CGC.

 

I hope I don't have to wait too long for my books

[Lebowski]

Give it a rest? I've made exactly one comment in this thread.

 

Also, it's a rhetorical question.

 

I'll spell it out in simpler terms. It doesn't matter if the grades all came back 10.0's if the books never get back to him at all, now does it?

 

One comment in this thread, yes. But you're one of the ones to always pile on Chandler when you smell blood in the water. Kringle01 said he's gotten 64 of the 70 books back. So your "rhetorical" question about grade drops on the books that "disappeared in the black hole" makes little sense since at most 3 of the 6 books that are still missing had grade drops, and I don't think it's an issue that the books have "disappeared in the black hole" because of grade drops.

 

Dude, you're totally barking up the wrong tree there. Certainly, there are people that pile on DWC whenever issues are brought up publicly, but Chris is not one of them. It's a shame that these threads seem to pop up with the frequency that they do. One would think that DWC would know the damage that repeated grievances aired on these boards will do to their business.

 

(In the interest of full disclosure, I have never used DWC for SS services.)

[Ziazmere]

I sent 6 books to DWC for NYCC.

 

He said that they were on route to CGC.

 

I hope I don't have to wait too long for my books

 

I would imagine/hope you should be receiving an invoice/s for your books, as I received 2 invoices via email (DWC) this week for books that went to Baltimore and then to NYCC. I would venture to guess that those books will not be back for another 3 months if you went the economy route. As I currently have 2 invoices from August (graded not slabbed) and September (not graded yet) that I am still waiting on from CGC.

[Marvelfangirl]

I sent 6 books to DWC for NYCC.

 

He said that they were on route to CGC.

 

I hope I don't have to wait too long for my books

 

I would imagine/hope you should be receiving an invoice/s for your books, as I received 2 invoices via email (DWC) this week for books that went to Baltimore and then to NYCC. I would venture to guess that those books will not be back for another 3 months if you went the economy route. As I currently have 2 invoices from August (graded not slabbed) and September (not graded yet) that I am still waiting on from CGC.

I went with Modern route on my books.

[naits]

No...they are slabbed since months....

 

I thought you said in your original post that one of the books was being re-graded because you were hoping it would get a bump back up to its original 9.8 after having been signed by McFarlane and Starlin.

 

Yes, but he told me, that he called CGC and it wouldn't change anything.

 

Feeling your pain!!!!!

 

This posting has touched me and because of it I'm writing for the very first time on the CGC boards. I've submitted books with Chandler and Sharon back in the summer of 2010 for the Toronto comic con and I'm still waiting. Yes, that's about 16 months ago and I'm at a loss as to why it's really taking this long. I've emailed and called them more times than I can count.... only to get the run around or hear some fantastic excuses.

 

I sent them an email before writing this and received an auto reply saying they are away on vacation and will not return till Dec 5th.

 

On a good note thought, I did send them over 70 books and only had 3 books drop grade. I stopped sending them books for signatures and am now working with others to have my books signed. Since the Toronto comic con of 2010, I have been working with others to have over 180 books signed so this incident has cost them my business.

 

All the best on the safe return on your books!!!

 

16 months is hard....hope I'll get it before 16 months. Can't really call from Austria, because that would be a little bit to expensive. Only thing I can do is PN and emails. Responses are rare...after 2-3 weeks.

 

I have books out with DWC as well. I'm not concerned with how long they've been gone. Would I like to see them come back? Of course. I'll agree that getting books back to a customer in a timely manner is part of the responsibility of ANY facilitator, there's no argument to be made about that. DWC has always done right by me. I've never had what I would consider to be a problem with their services. They've offered a lot of good opps in the last couple of years as well. Is it sometimes difficult to get in touch with them either by email or phone? Yes. I'm sure with everything Chandler & Sharon have going it gets to be overwhelming sometimes. Having books out for 16 months is an extreme case to be sure but it happens. I subbed some books for the East Coast Legends op, some of them didn't get done until NYCC. It will be a while longer than I originally expected to get them back. So be it. These things happen. No one is perfect. Mistakes get made. We are all human. Come December 6th or 7th give DWC a call or drop them another email. I'm sure they will do whatever they can to take care of your concerns.

 

For me it is equal if the books do 2 or 3 months. And if it is 6 months....let it be that way. But when I started this thread, I got responses maybe once a month, after a 2nd or 3rd email from my side. I asked for the invoice numbers, to check the grades. ok I got that...for a pic of my 2 sketched books...for a tracking number...never got these information. always told me, yes we'll send you a 2nd email with that information. I've paid more or less $750 and got in the moment nothing....

 

Like I said....this whole thread wouldn't be written...if I got a picture of my sketches they promised me...or if I got any tracking number....or it would have been sufficient, if they are responding regularly....I do not ask that lot...

[HuBu]

I sent 6 books to DWC for NYCC.

 

He said that they were on route to CGC.

 

I hope I don't have to wait too long for my books

 

I believe CGC received these books on Nov 2nd.

 

For those that received an invoice from DWC, did you have to email them for one or was it sent automatically?

[Ziazmere]

I sent 6 books to DWC for NYCC.

 

He said that they were on route to CGC.

 

I hope I don't have to wait too long for my books

 

I believe CGC received these books on Nov 2nd.

 

For those that received an invoice from DWC, did you have to email them for one or was it sent automatically?

 

DWC sent the invoices Automatically, and my books were received at CGC on NOV 29th

[Mr Mylar]

I think an outline of the responsibilities of a Facilitator should be looked at closer? This is not aiming at anyone but maybe protecting all parties, the person subbing books, the facilitator and CGC.

In all honesty once the books are authenticated by CGC and shipped back to the facilitator it is essentially of no use to think CGC will get your books back any quicker. You as the submitter entered into an agreement with the facilitator who is using CGC as the third party authenticator/grader. There have been complaints about facilitators to CGC before and while they may listen it certainly doesn't appear to change a facilitators status.

If any facilitator is not following through then the best you can do is call CGC, talk to Joe or Paul and simply let them know your issues. This would be after you have tried to work it out with the facilitator. Then your only course of action it seems is to bring it to the attention of the boards. And that goes for good transactions also.

I do think that a facilitator needs to realize that people are paying a premium for the service they provide and taking care of existing customers or books is more important then working on the next show or offering.

Letting people know that the books have been completed by posting in the thread solicitating is also a smart idea. If individual books were not completed then contact those parties individually via pm or e-mail.

While I don't take on the volume anymore and dabble in the facilitator role now and again, I think a facilitator needs to also have a good working knowledge of what can and can't be done. GAcollectibles was not taking Frank Miller at NYCC. I am sure some people were hoping he would but he knew his limits and avoided the inevitable. I have a Doug Mahnke signing this weekend and it would have been great to take on every request possible but again not reasonable and common sense has to prevail.

I think the submitter also needs to realize that they have to help out a facilitator as much as possible by learning through the threads how to prepare books, how long to expect and understanding that because you sent a book or books to a signing does not mean it is a given that your book or books will retain grades nor will they 100% be signed. Things happen.

As Kevin Boyd has said numerous times, do your best to work it out behind the scenes. As JJ says...when that doesn't get you anywhere bring it here to make other potential submitters aware. You are paying for a service through a facilitator authorized by CGC and as a consumer you have the right to let people know your experience. The cream always rises to the top...

I just typed this on my iPhone and I can't feel my fingers anymore...

Keep a level head, do your best to work it out but know that others may share your same feelings.

 

Good post JJ. I have a question for all the facilitators. I carry insurance for books when they are in my home, in transit to the owner and to CGC. Once at CGC they have coverage for the books. My customers are covered the whole time their book are in my posession and at CGC.

 

With facilitators are the books insured? What if they are damaged while prepping them, what if they are stolen, the artists ruins them? Who is left holding the bag?

 

This is a thread unto itself

 

With international artists, shipping is expensive. You get hit with tax duties if the pkg is valued at over $100. I ship blanks with an insurance of under $100. But when the books are shipped to CGC I pay both the shipping(insured) and the insurance myself. This is not in the customers fees

 

I am currently paying out of pocket for 2 sketchcovers

 

Both boardies were not satisfied, so I'm getting the artist to "redo" them. The artist has agreed to do the redo at a discount, but I'm paying for these myself, not the customers

 

I try my best to keep everyone satisfied, even if it's at my own expense. So to answer your question, for my opps some books are "insured". Not sure if I would cover costs again though, as I realize it's not really my responsibility to "make the artist draw a good sketch", as I'm not the artist

 

On that note, if anyone has any issues/concerns with me please PM me and we can work it out together

[sl4ppy]

I'm still waiting on 4 Rick Leonardi books from way back in like April/May..

[mschmidt]

I think most of us are ok with waiting on books - especially when it's a sketch opportunity where the artist has to juggle the commissions in-between his regular work. And I think everyone also knows that sometime it's impossible to get a certain signature at show due to reasons beyond the control of the facilitators - which can result in either a delay (because they'll have to wait to the next show to try again) or a book being returned unsigned.

 

What galls me, however, is not being updated when there's a significant delay - it doesn't matter how busy the facilitator is, how many shows they're doing, or how much they're in need of vacation time, not letting your customers know what the status is on their books is just lousy customer service.

[lscomics]

I sent 6 books to DWC for NYCC.

 

He said that they were on route to CGC.

 

I hope I don't have to wait too long for my books

 

I believe CGC received these books on Nov 2nd.

 

For those that received an invoice from DWC, did you have to email them for one or was it sent automatically?

 

DWC sent the invoices Automatically, and my books were received at CGC on NOV 29th

I usually have to contact them to get any info. That's not really a problem for me though, I've got patience enough to wait for mountains to be reduced to pebbles if need be.

 

Don't misunderstand, I'd love to see my books come back ASAP, we all would. I guess maybe for me it's not that big of a deal because with very few exceptions I'm not subbing stuff to resell.