For Your Eyes Only they said, but EVERYONE should read this! 3 3

[Guest]

you're read on me is completely off i'm sorry to say, I feel no pride with anything i've said, I thought it an interesting story considering the sources is all. No problem, I did say believe or not, I just felt like offering it up...

[Guest]

I just got confused since you jumped to defend it. You're a lawyer, right? I guess you just can't help yourself.

 

Whatever.

[Bluecollarjoe]

It's hearing about things like this, whether it was 5, 50, or 500 restored issues in this collection, that makes me wish there was some kind of training available to spot comics that have been worked on. I don't have deep pockets and if I got stung on an ungraded high dollar issue, I'd be feeling it for quite a while.

 

CGC has a presence at a more and more major comic conventions. It would be great if, while they were at a con, they could offer a seminar (you can charge more for a seminar than a "class" ), a few hours of training in how to spot restoration. Would I be able to spot professionaly trimmed pages, color touch, etc now? I kind of doubt it. I'd gladly invest the cash and time to learn, possibly save some big disappointment in the long run.

[Guest]

I'm sure that if you asked (and offered a pile of cash) around, one of the shining stars of the restoration field could be convinced to offer a seminar on the basics of restoration detection. It's actually something I've thought about for a long time.

[Bluecollarjoe]

Well, I don't have piles of cash, but if I rifle through the change jar I may be able to come up with a small mound... I was shooting the breeze with one of the guys at CGC a few weeks ago and mentioned the possibility of seminars like this. He seemed to be interested and said he'd pass the idea along. We'll see what happens.

 

 

[Guest]

What I meant was a collective pile of cash. 10/20/30 people pooling their money together could get you pretty hefty sum.

[Bluecollarjoe]

That'll work, brother! If you'd like to be the first to send some dinero (U.S. only please) my way so I can further my education and learn the art of catching restored issues, I'll gladly share any wisdom I obtain!

[BachelorOfComix]

Procrustean, I think you should clarify the numbers with your SOURCE because they make absolutely NO SENSE. If Mr.Cage bought about 70% of his collection from Metropolis Collectibles & "close to 75% of the books he bought from METROPOLIS were RESTORED", that would mean that ABOUT 52.5% of his WHOLE COLLECTION is RESTORED! Judging by the Heritage offerings, this CANNOT possibly be true. Don't take offence, I'm not shooting the MESSENGER. Just THE MESSAGE.

 

CHEERS,

 

Bachelor of Comics

 

 

 

[fantastic_four]

Yea, I've gotta agree, Cage should make a LARGE amount of money, even with all the restored comics.

 

Would I be pissed if I were him? Yep. But not about the money. More about the trust factor. It's the lack of disclosure and "f--- you" attitude of the guys who do all that slight restoration that has killed the prices on restored comics to begin with.

 

Once restoration detection becomes a skill that is widely available to collectors who wish to possess it, the market for restored comics should recover quite a bit. Bob Storms tells me that just a few years ago, a restorer was offering a class in restoration detection for like $2000; I think he said they would probably still teach for that amount. I could see paying this amount--or more--for performing restoration itself, but not restoration detection. Detection needs to be a common skill. I've talked this over with restorers Matt Nelson and Tracey Heft, and I think they both agree. I'm encouraged them to write about detection in detail about it in the upcoming Overstreet Grading Guide, and I'm hoping they did.

 

If Cage decides to sell ALL the books now, restored and unrestored, then the best long-term investment will probably be the restored books. This is the absolute WORST time in the history of comics to sell restored comics, and I'm betting that it will probably be looked back upon in the future that way as well.

 

I'm not sure how much of this story is true since Cage is also selling his car collection. I'm sure it played a part in his decision, but it sounds like he's got a lot more on his mind than feeling deceived by Metropolis.

[supapimp]

what? that's news to me, selling his car collection? f*#k the church of scientology! can you smell gold digger? sorry to you all on this board, im in a bad mood tonite and im venting! vincent, if your reading this, can you defend metropolis? i know you just became a partner over a year ago...but stephen fisher, i would question his ethics.

 

pimpsmash!

[fantastic_four]

I can't remember where I heard he was selling his cars, but I do distinctly remember hearing it. Looking for the source now.

[Joanna]

He said it on The Tonight Show. He talked about selling his comics and his cars due to a personal quest to simplify his life (or something like that).

 

One of my friends went to high school with him (he was Nick Coppola then, of course), and she considered him (in her words) "a great big drama geek. Total freak." She was mystified by his success.

 

-- Joanna

[chromium]

I wonder if he's so miffed by the comics industry now that together with getting rid of his collection, he'll also get rid of his screen-name ?

 

He did get the 'Cage' part of Nicholas Cage out of a comic book

[Guest]

Guys, look, this is the last post on this subject i'm going to make. I see that a few people are trying to suck me in to attack me on whatever they can so i'll say this.

 

I really think you're not focusing on the point here, a story and its details are ALWAYS interchangable because the only people that TRULY know are the main characters. Its not the math that's the important thing here, so maybe its 65% or 55% or 30%, whatever the actual percentage is the issue is the fact that its ANY percent. This is a MAJOR dealer, with an extensive clientele and they seemingly didn't even give a @#$% about screwing a big dog, and scamming him out of whatever the true math is. If dealers like THIS can do this and get away with it I personally feel VERY uncomfortable about that, I thought the "big dealers" were the most secure bet when purchasing "key" books but this story shows you that's a facade.

 

I KNOW the story is true because of who relayed it to me, if you decide to challenge that claim no problem, i'm NOT going to argue about it. I'm sorry to say once again you can needle me all you wish, I won't be frustrated into giving up the sources. I just wanted to post the thread and allow those who'd be interested to enjoy it, and those who don't believe it or want to challenge it is fine as well.

 

Cheers

[supapimp]

what's going on here with this auction, those who know will know:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2139842213

[Larryw7]

Looks to me like there's some shill bidding going on here.

 

[Bronty]

Does seem strange, why would guys with that kind of cash bother over a $20 item?

[Guest]

That's not savvy, it's downright stupid. Why would VZ take a chance like that?

[Larryw7]

Why would VZ take a chance like that?

 

 

They must think that no one watches what happens on eBay.

 

I know that others on these boards have had bad experiences with Metropolis, but I always found them to be courteous and professional, and the grading is pretty good too. This stuff about the restored Cage books and now this shill bidding thing are disappointing to me.

[Guest]

The restoration issue is unsubstantiated at this point, although I doubt crusty the lawyer would just toss that out without a source. That plus the apparent shilling raises the question - just how many corners will be cut? (pardon the pun)