John Romita Jr. @ Vegas Hard Rock Cafe - May 4-6, 2012

[Transplant]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator? I think that's what JJ is saying and saying those types of relationships are not allowed in the SS program. If so, kudos. I just seem to get confused with all the talk of DWC being the exclusive CGC option for Stan or Todd or whomever. Must be pretty nice to have these creators and others decide out of the blue to only use you for CGC stuff.

 

I guess since there are no exclusive contracts/deals between you and the creators, you wouldn't mind some other facilitators trying to set up these same types of signings, right?

 

To answer your question, I don't see it as you do it or it doesn't get done at all. I see it as either you agree to do it (for whatever special accommodations you've worked out with certain creators) or it doesn't get done, because, for whatever reason [$, choice, who knows] that creator now refuses to work with any of the other competent, professional, approved facilitators.

 

For the record, I'm a consumer of the SS product. I don't have to be a facilitator (and I'll let you guess whether I've been approved as one) to voice my opinion when I see, what appear to be, restrictive offerings that look like exclusives or monopolies on certain creators. Keep delivering the same level of service you always do for your clients. Eventually, the market will come to afford you the level of business that you deserve. (thumbs u

 

 

[Transplant]

I hope you can understand how I might get confused about whether a particular creator is exclusive to DWC or not:

 

[comix4fun]

I hope you can understand how I might get confused about whether a particular creator is exclusive to DWC or not:

 

 

 

 

Mike,

I think the problem is with some of the terminology and whether or not everyone is understanding the terms and just what they mean and perhaps using them in an overly broad way to the detriment of reality.

 

A CAW is a "Contract Witness" who is a CGC employee for the limited time that the contract terms dictate. That may be a day, an event, a weekend, etc. For that time period they are in the employ of CGC as their employee and representative to witness items for the signature series.

 

The CAW is not the employee of the facilitator and thus a facilitator cannot bar access to an employee of CGC for other authorized facilitators.

 

CAWs are only granted on an exclusive basis, working hand in hand with only one facilitator, when it is a show or signing that CGC is not attending and only when a guarantee of a certain (high) number of pieces is made to justify granting an exclusive CAW to that facilitator. Otherwise the CAW for that event if CGC's on site employee for the purposes of witnessing for the SS program, and NOT there only for a particular facilitator.

 

So in this case, unless DWC has guaranteed CGC their minimum for an exclusive CAW (I believe it's 200+ pieces), he would NOT have an exclusive CAW, and thus not be able to prevent his CAW from being a witness for any and all CGC authorized facilitators for this event.

 

That's how the rules are laid out at least. That's how they are supposed to be followed. I know several authorized facilitators that share CAWs at events regularly. This is CGC's way of having an employee, on hand, to work with all parties authorized to be submitting signed items from any given event.

 

The CAW program is meant to facilitate getting more items done properly and NOT as a means to exclude certain facilitators or provide any sort of exclusive to any one facilitator.

 

 

[Transplant]

So how does that translate to having to go through DWC for ANY Stan Lee signing? Not just the ones where they arrange a meet and greet or whatever.

[Transplant]

Or are you aware of any other facilitator that has managed to get a CAW for Stan Lee or Todd McFarlane in the last few years? I just get so confused when people say they have an exclusive signing.

[comix4fun]

Or are you aware of any other facilitator that has managed to get a CAW for Stan Lee or Todd McFarlane in the last few years? I just get so confused when people say they have an exclusive signing.

 

 

I am not aware of any, I just know that the CGC rules for the program prohibit exclusives. How that is semantically challenged seems to be the issue.

[Transplant]

So, there are rules against having exclusive arrangements. But having an exclusive arrangement at the request of the creator is okay? Maybe it was an exception for charity?

[Celestial Comics]

I hope you can understand how I might get confused about whether a particular creator is exclusive to DWC or not:

 

 

These signings are "private" signings and as such are not subject to the CGC rules that apply to public signings at conventions. If you ask CGC, they will tell you in the case of a private signing, the facilitator has the right to decide who they wish to do business with and who not to do business with. With that said, that would make such a signing an exclusive signing with that facilitator. If a facilitator has made arrangements with a creator to sign in private which may include paying a signing fee with the creator, it is under that circumstance that the signing can be controlled, "Exclusive", by that facilitator. You will notice that both of those signings note a mail-in submission deadline as they are private signings with those creators.

 

So in this case, unless DWC has guaranteed CGC their minimum for an exclusive CAW

 

DWC does in fact have signed facilitator agreements in place for every show that it facilitates. We do have the minimums in our agreements as well and as such have dedicated CAW's. But there are many times that DWC has shared those CAW's with other facilitators at shows.

 

So how does that translate to having to go through DWC for ANY Stan Lee signing? Not just the ones where they arrange a meet and greet or whatever.

Or are you aware of any other facilitator that has managed to get a CAW for Stan Lee or Todd McFarlane in the last few years? I just get so confused when people say they have an exclusive signing.

 

To begin, there are other facilitators who have had signings with Stan Lee. Facilitators like Peter Dixon, NYComics and Keegan Conrad in the last year. Todd has chosen not to have more then the 1 or 2 signings a year and as such wishes to utilize DWC to run and facilitate those signings. The term exclusive when used by DWC is in the form of a private signing with a creator.

 

As for Stan Lee signings at a convention. DWC works very closely with both Stan Lee and convention promoters to set up and run the Stan Lee public signings. It is on a case by case basis that Stan decides who will run his signing and who won't. DWC works very closely with the convention promoter for many months in advance to make sure that everything is set up and prepared for Stan to sign at their convention. DWC must pay (airfare, hotel and per dium) to bring staff members to a show to manage the signings. This costs money and as such DWC is granted the opportunity to recover the money spent by DWC. And in this case is why DWC is the one who is in charge of the public signings and as such can decide what circumstance they would allow another facilitator to participate in such a signing. As was the case this past weekend in Pittsburgh. There was another facilitator at the show and that facilitator was granted the opportunity to get books signed and submitted under that facilators own CGC account.

 

I hope that helps clear some of the misconceptions that exist with specific board members. And in conclusion I would like to note the following.

 

THANK YOU DESERTWIND COMICS for answering the questions

 

In defense of DWC, to subsequent negative sounding comments by others... I must say, they run a very organized and professional event, and take the chaos out of what can often times be a disorganized situation.

 

Their staff has always been professional and gracious, and do provide tangible value to events, as well as bring unique opportunities for fans as well as collectors and investors to meet celebrity creators.

 

In a world where many fans wait in lines for artists signatures, even toting a CGC witness, how many times has people waited and waited for hours only for that celebrity to suddenly leave and the line gets shut down and fans get shut out? Standing in long lines then getting cut in the front by friends of other fans? With DWC, from my experiences, the signings are coordinated to near guarantees (the "x-factor" being uncontrollable circumstances of course) and are very organized, fair and make for what can be described as a good system that is very orderly.

 

With that, I personally think DWC adds tremendous value to an event and creating events.

 

Thank you Rick and we continue to work hard to provide to you the signing opportunities that you enjoy.

[Transplant]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator?

I'll take your answer offline.

[Transplant]

As for Stan Lee signings at a convention. DWC works very closely with both Stan Lee and convention promoters to set up and run the Stan Lee public signings. It is on a case by case basis that Stan decides who will run his signing and who won't. DWC works very closely with the convention promoter for many months in advance to make sure that everything is set up and prepared for Stan to sign at their convention. DWC must pay (airfare, hotel and per dium) to bring staff members to a show to manage the signings. This costs money and as such DWC is granted the opportunity to recover the money spent by DWC. By Stan? By CGC?

 

And in this case is why DWC is the one who is in charge of the public signings and as such can decide what circumstance they would allow another facilitator to participate in such a signing. As was the case this past weekend in Pittsburgh. There was another facilitator at the show and that facilitator was granted the opportunity to get books signed and submitted under that facilators own CGC account. Did that facilitator have to pay any special fee to submit through their account instead of yours?

Wow. I almost breezed right by this. Am I reading this correctly? You are saying that DWC gets to decide which facilitator can participate in a Stan Lee signing?

 

And this differs from having an exclusive arrangement, how exactly?

[Celestial Comics]

As for Stan Lee signings at a convention. DWC works very closely with both Stan Lee and convention promoters to set up and run the Stan Lee public signings. It is on a case by case basis that Stan decides who will run his signing and who won't. DWC works very closely with the convention promoter for many months in advance to make sure that everything is set up and prepared for Stan to sign at their convention. DWC must pay (airfare, hotel and per dium) to bring staff members to a show to manage the signings. This costs money and as such DWC is granted the opportunity to recover the money spent by DWC. By Stan? By CGC?

 

And in this case is why DWC is the one who is in charge of the public signings and as such can decide what circumstance they would allow another facilitator to participate in such a signing. As was the case this past weekend in Pittsburgh. There was another facilitator at the show and that facilitator was granted the opportunity to get books signed and submitted under that facilators own CGC account. Did that facilitator have to pay any special fee to submit through their account instead of yours?

Wow. I almost breezed right by this. Am I reading this correctly? You are saying that DWC gets to decide which facilitator can participate in a Stan Lee signing?

 

And this differs from having an exclusive arrangement, how exactly?

 

NO what that meant was DWC can decide if a facilitator can submit under their own account hence "allow another facilitator to participate". DWC has never turned away or denied a facilitator from getting their books signed by Stan. Only Stan or Stan's handler or the con promoter can do that. But DWC has the right to ask for a fee from a facilitator to help offset the money spent by DWC to set up, organize and run the signing. Allow me to repeat myself DWC pays to bring its staff to the show to run the signing for Stan. Those expenses need to be recovered and they are recovered through a fee paid to DWC. In short when DWC allows another facilitator to submit under their own account DWC losses that submission income and as such needs to recover it somehow. Do you criticize a con promoter for charging a fee to come into the show? I would say you probably would say NO. If that is the case why is it any different with DWC when it comes to hosting a Stan Lee signing? I hope this clears up your misunderstanding.

[Celestial Comics]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator?

I'll take your answer offline.

 

Of course we compensate the creator for signing with us. As does CGC and anyone else who signs with a ton of creators that charge for their signature. Even your buddy JJ pays Tony Moore to sign books. So why aren't you asking JJ about his signings? JJ has announced his exclusive arrangement with Tony Moore or did you forget about that? And we don't compensate creators for the right to be a CGC facilitator, we compensate them for the cost of their signature. CGC grants us the right to be the facilitator.

[Transplant]

So it's not exclusive to you, any facilitator can submit. They just have to pay you a fee to do so? I got it.

 

It's not exclusive b/c the other facilitators can simply choose not to have a book CGC'd at the PUBLIC signing at a con. It's not exclusive b/c the other facilitators can CHOOSE to pay you a fee to have books signed by Stan, on top of the normal autograph fee.

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Looks like sparkles and kittens from here.

 

So, since you've ignored my other direct questions. How about this? Do you have a contract with Stan to be the only people to "set up, organize and run the signing?" Somehow, most every other creator manages to have signings without your involvement in "setting up, organizing or running the signing."

[Transplant]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator?

I'll take your answer offline.

 

Of course we compensate the creator for signing with us. As does CGC and anyone else who signs with a ton of creators that charge for their signature. Even your buddy JJ pays Tony Moore to sign books. So why aren't you asking JJ about his signings? JJ has announced his exclusive arrangement with Tony Moore or did you forget about that?

I was worried I poorly worded my question. I was right. How about this.

 

Do you have an arrangement with any creators where you compensate them for the right to be the exclusive CGC facilitator at a public signing? I'm guessing the answer is no and that you've circumvented the ban on exclusivity by having an agreement to be the only ones allowed to "set up, organize and run the signing."

[comix4fun]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator?

I'll take your answer offline.

 

Of course we compensate the creator for signing with us. As does CGC and anyone else who signs with a ton of creators that charge for their signature. Even your buddy JJ pays Tony Moore to sign books. So why aren't you asking JJ about his signings? JJ has announced his exclusive arrangement with Tony Moore or did you forget about that? And we don't compensate creators for the right to be a CGC facilitator, we compensate them for the cost of their signature. CGC grants us the right to be the facilitator.

 

 

 

Does JJ charge a service fee on every book that goes in his pocket and/or force people to sub on his account? Doesn't he simply collect $5 a book on behalf of Moore and give all the money to the creator?

 

Doesn't tony Moore simply want one person to collect the cash and give it to him so that people don't try to shortchange him as some other facilitators have done with other creators?

 

 

I had 10 books signed by Moore at c2e2 and I was able to sub them on my account with no fees paid to JJ at all.

 

You actually consider THAT to be an exclusive?

 

 

[Celestial Comics]

So it's not exclusive to you, any facilitator can submit. They just have to pay you a fee to do so? I got it.

 

It's not exclusive b/c the other facilitators can simply choose not to have a book CGC'd at the PUBLIC signing at a con. It's not exclusive b/c the other facilitators can CHOOSE to pay you a fee to have books signed by Stan, on top of the normal autograph fee.

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me. Looks like sparkles and kittens from here.

 

So, since you've ignored my other direct questions. How about this? Do you have a contract with Stan to be the only people to "set up, organize and run the signing?" Somehow, most every other creator manages to have signings without your involvement in "setting up, organizing or running the signing."

 

What direct question did I ignore? And no we do not have a contract with Stan. As I stated before, each show is on a case by case basis and Stan decides who he wants to work with him. If you have such a problem with this why don't you take it up with Stan or with CGC. They both seem to be supportive of this arrangement. So it seems your problem is really with CGC and not DWC.

[Celestial Comics]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator?

I'll take your answer offline.

 

Of course we compensate the creator for signing with us. As does CGC and anyone else who signs with a ton of creators that charge for their signature. Even your buddy JJ pays Tony Moore to sign books. So why aren't you asking JJ about his signings? JJ has announced his exclusive arrangement with Tony Moore or did you forget about that?

I was worried I poorly worded my question. I was right. How about this.

 

Do you have an arrangement with any creators where you compensate them for the right to be the exclusive CGC facilitator at a public signing? I'm guessing the answer is no and that you've circumvented the ban on exclusivity by having an agreement to be the only ones allowed to "set up, organize and run the signing."

 

It seems your issue is with CGC. Talk to them.

[Celestial Comics]

So am I correct that you don't have any exclusive arrangements with any creators whereby you compensate them for the right to be the CGC facilitator?

I'll take your answer offline.

 

Of course we compensate the creator for signing with us. As does CGC and anyone else who signs with a ton of creators that charge for their signature. Even your buddy JJ pays Tony Moore to sign books. So why aren't you asking JJ about his signings? JJ has announced his exclusive arrangement with Tony Moore or did you forget about that? And we don't compensate creators for the right to be a CGC facilitator, we compensate them for the cost of their signature. CGC grants us the right to be the facilitator.

 

 

 

Does JJ charge a service fee on every book that goes in his pocket and/or force people to sub on his account? Doesn't he simply collect $5 a book on behalf of Moore and give all the money to the creator?

 

Doesn't tony Moore simply want one person to collect the cash and give it to him so that people don't try to shortchange him as some other facilitators have done with other creators?

 

 

I had 10 books signed by Moore at c2e2 and I was able to sub them on my account with no fees paid to JJ at all.

 

You actually consider THAT to be an exclusive?

 

 

The arrangement that JJ has with Tony More is between them. I am simply saying that JJ announced that HE has an exclusive arrangement with Tony Moore. This whole issue has to do with the word "Exclusive". So I am stating that JJ himself has his own "Exclusive" agreement in place and has made it public.

[Transplant]

I was worried I poorly worded my question. I was right. How about this.

 

Do you have an arrangement with any creators where you compensate them for the right to be the exclusive CGC facilitator at a public signing? I'm guessing the answer is no and that you've circumvented the ban on exclusivity by having an agreement to be the only ones allowed to "set up, organize and run the signing."

 

It seems your issue is with CGC. Talk to them.

You're correct. If CGC is telling some people they CAN'T have an exclusive arrangement and supporting your apparent monopoly on Stan Lee, I do have a problem with that.

[jonjesper]

I think I have clarified this several times and in fact made sure to clarify the last time it was brought up. Tony has gone to CGC and asked that I handle their books, as we have been family friends since before I worked with SS (big difference starting as a non professional relationship to one strictly professional from the outset). I have done that and if I am not at a show I have Joe handle everything.

All people have been welcome to come and bring books, no extra fee for this and I also make sure that your books are done Chandler and Sharon with no additional fee added, although that is still up in the air using the Stan Lee model of $20 per book to put on another facilitators account. Of course, feel free to pm to make another arrangement for future Tony Moore books.

Nothing snide in this post, just clarification and making sure we are on the same page.