• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Will artist's signature on comic book detract from final grade

Started by BrianC,

39 posts in this topic

USArmyParatrooper

USArmyParatrooper

Posted
Posted

conditionfreak, that's the one aspect of the way they do CGC SS that I disagree with. Their subjective judgment calls. If they witnessed an artist, writer, etc. has touched ink, pencil, or paint to paper, that should be that and under the SS program they should only grade the integrity of the book itself.

 

Ordinarily that's how it's done but I don't like the exceptions.

 

If an artist is doing a sketch cover and accidentally gets ink on the back cover the comic gets downgrade. Well, who is CGC to say that is not art? That ink or paint was put there by the artist regardless. How do they know it's not abstract art? As the collector I have the knowledge that it's the artist who put the ink or paint there. It's up to me to decide whether or not it is a positive or negative, just like it's up to me to decide whether what I'm looking at is good art or bad art. Personally I don't mind it at all. It gives it more of an authentic feel indicative of actual art, and not some neatly printed comic book. It adds character.

 

It's the same thing with signatures as well. If a writer signs your comic the signature gets smudged, the comic gets a downgrade. That's ridiculous. CGC, should just authenticate that the signature was from that particular person. We can all see the signatures for ourselves and decide whether it's a nice signature and/or nicely placed, or it's not.

 

Grading already has an element of subjectivity and that's unavoidable. But CGC should avoid any sort of subjective judgments wherever it is possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
MR SigS

MR SigS

Posted
Posted

BTW :) back to the OP's question. I got this from CGC yesterday:

 

The 1st issue involves weather an unwitnessed written name is legible or not. If the name can be discerned, then the CGC label will usually include the actual name, (e.g. "JOHN ROMITA" WRITTEN ON COVER IN MARKER.) If the name cannot be discerned, even if the graders recognize who's signature it is, they will simply put "NAME WRITTEN ON COVER IN MARKER."

 

 

The 2nd issue is in regards to weather an unwitnessed signature is on the cover or on the 1st page (or any page for that matter.) If the signature is on the 1st page, the book will still get a blue label with a note stating that there is a name written on the 1st page, and it will be treated as a defect and factored into the grade. If the unwitnessed signature is on the cover, and the book is otherwise high grade, it will be qualified. If the book is mid or lower grade, it will get a blue label and be downgraded. In both cases, the name would still be mentioned on the label.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
namisgr

namisgr

Posted
Posted

"Will artist's signature on comic book detract from final grade?"

 

I wish the answer were 'yes' when the signature is placed on the front cover. Signing the splash page and not defacing the front cover is another matter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
foul_play-migration

foul_play-migration

Posted
Posted
I disagree because writing on any part of a comic book, is a flaw. Intential or otherwise. Witnessed or otherwise. How can a comic book with scribble on the front cover (or a sketch), receive that same grade of the exact same book without scribbling?

 

 

But it is all about the revenue. For CGC and "us".

 

Always, always, follow the money.

 

The Marvel # 1 Pay Copy should definitely be either in a Green label or grade much lower than 9.0.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
roscoPcoltrane

roscoPcoltrane

Posted
Posted

Been off a while..hope everyone is well...

 

what about having a book graded ...say ASM300 and it comes back a measly 9.2 in December. So I sell it to a friend and he has it signed and witnessed at his local convention. CGC handles the book the entire time except for sig. and it comes back a 8.5 ? I was under the assumption (barring any damage at signing booth ) that they would honor their grade from a few months earlier (which he submitted with the book).

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
revat

revat

Posted
Posted
Been off a while..hope everyone is well...

 

what about having a book graded ...say ASM300 and it comes back a measly 9.2 in December. So I sell it to a friend and he has it signed and witnessed at his local convention. CGC handles the book the entire time except for sig. and it comes back a 8.5 ? I was under the assumption (barring any damage at signing booth ) that they would honor their grade from a few months earlier (which he submitted with the book).

 

 

your assumption is wrong. they regarded it completely independent of the previous grade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
roscoPcoltrane

roscoPcoltrane

Posted
Posted

makes sense Revat...but doesnt that imply inconsistency ? I'd hate to dish out solid cash for a 181 9.2 Blue graded this past year thinking I'm paying a premium for the security of a CGC book . Then take it to get signed and witnessed and regraded (all for considerably more money)...only to have the same system send it back 6 months later worth 50% of my original investment.

 

It just gets discouraging for the small collector that saves up to buy a decent book and then the only variable that he counts on to keep him safe from scammers ends up sub par.

 

I know for a fact that this guy is hurting financially...recently divorced, lives with his daughter and hasn't bought a book in forever. She loves Spidey and he took her to the convention with my book to get it signed with her. It just takes away from such a cool trip with his daughter (well, when he looks back, not her).

 

Just venting a bit...I know its a numbers game and I've seen enough on here to recognize the flaws in grading anything. It's subjective , always will be ...and it should be used as a baseline , not the word of God :) ....I just hate seeing stuff like this. I mean, it had to be a 30 day window between my getting the book back and him submitting it (so maybe 120 days from grading room back to grading room and all 120 of those days it's either slabbed or in their possession). The only saving grace is that I charged him only the cost of my slabbing it and shipping , but it's the principle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joeypost

joeypost

Posted
Posted
makes sense Revat...but doesnt that imply inconsistency ? I'd hate to dish out solid cash for a 181 9.2 Blue graded this past year thinking I'm paying a premium for the security of a CGC book . Then take it to get signed and witnessed and regraded (all for considerably more money)...only to have the same system send it back 6 months later worth 50% of my original investment.

 

It just gets discouraging for the small collector that saves up to buy a decent book and then the only variable that he counts on to keep him safe from scammers ends up sub par.

 

I know for a fact that this guy is hurting financially...recently divorced, lives with his daughter and hasn't bought a book in forever. She loves Spidey and he took her to the convention with my book to get it signed with her. It just takes away from such a cool trip with his daughter (well, when he looks back, not her).

 

Just venting a bit...I know its a numbers game and I've seen enough on here to recognize the flaws in grading anything. It's subjective , always will be ...and it should be used as a baseline , not the word of God :) ....I just hate seeing stuff like this. I mean, it had to be a 30 day window between my getting the book back and him submitting it (so maybe 120 days from grading room back to grading room and all 120 of those days it's either slabbed or in their possession). The only saving grace is that I charged him only the cost of my slabbing it and shipping , but it's the principle.

 

It doesn't really imply anything. Damage happens during handling. Getting a book signed involves lots of handling. Add to that who is the facilitator and who is the one doing the signing and the odds go up that damage might happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
joeypost

joeypost

Posted
Posted
Which is why I think high grade and signature are mutually exclusive expectations.

 

I see plenty of 9.8 signed books, have many myself. The more you understand the SS process, the more likely you are to triple or quadruple the backing boards for each book with their respective window bag. This reduced the chance of books getting bent or damaged by rough handling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing