The BIGGEST problems in the hobby right now

[Dale Roberts]

You can suggest your own "problems", but there is one area which I don't ever hear anyone dispute. And in my opinion, it is the biggest problem right now.

 

 

It is tape.

 

When you can take a 1.0/1.5/1.8/2.0 copy of a book with a spine split, completely tape up the split, and the book improves in grade to somewhere around a 4.0, you have a serious problem.

 

Tape damages the book. There is no question about that. In many/most cases, it can't be removed without further damaging the book. Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

 

"New" tape should be classified as restoration. What do I mean by new tape?? Tape that has obviously been added recently with the only purpose being to restore the book's appearance to a better condition. I am not talking about the old brown tape that was put on books 50 years ago. That tape should be counted as a defect only.

 

The problem is that this would take judgement on the part of CGC. They will have to judge each book on its own merits and defects. They will have to alter their stance, but they should do it. More books (I am talking about books like Superman #1) are being damaged everyday, by people taping up the spines. Rice paper is removable, tape is not, but rice paper is considered restoration, while tape actually raises the grade?? That doesn't even make any sense.

 

The problem is what do you do with all of the books which are already out there.

 

[fantastic_four]

Are the people doing it the most not using archival-quality tape? I thought that could be safely removed.

[chrisco37]

Are the people doing it the most not using archival-quality tape? I thought that could be safely removed.

 

I think that type of tape will get you a PLOD, while the destructive type (that Dale is referring to) gets you a bump + blue label.

[koollectablz]

As I understood it, if you use archival tape it's counted as restoration.

 

If its just Sellotape it's a defect but not one as serious as a totally split spine and will still count as a blue label.

 

So in effect there is a huge incentive to tape up split spines with tape that knacker up the comic.

 

I agree - its crazy.

[The Troll King]

Is this another thread about Tomorrows Treasures?

[fantastic_four]

Are the people doing it the most not using archival-quality tape? I thought that could be safely removed.

 

I think that type of tape will get you a PLOD, while the destructive type (that Dale is referring to) gets you a bump + blue label.

 

I don't get why they don't just define all tape as restoration. Do they not count standard, acidic tape as restoration simply because it's so basic and amateurish? That seems like a mistake...it'd be like not calling magic marker color touch because it's so easy.

[chrisco37]

Are the people doing it the most not using archival-quality tape? I thought that could be safely removed.

 

I think that type of tape will get you a PLOD, while the destructive type (that Dale is referring to) gets you a bump + blue label.

 

I don't get why they don't just define all tape as restoration. Do they not count standard, acidic tape as restoration simply because it's so basic and amateurish? That seems like a mistake...it'd be like not calling magic marker color touch because it's so easy.

 

I have no idea, but I agree with you. Tape is tape. All of it should be resto.

[DWL]

Are the people doing it the most not using archival-quality tape? I thought that could be safely removed.

 

I think that type of tape will get you a PLOD, while the destructive type (that Dale is referring to) gets you a bump + blue label.

 

I don't get why they don't just define all tape as restoration. Do they not count standard, acidic tape as restoration simply because it's so basic and amateurish? That seems like a mistake...it'd be like not calling magic marker color touch because it's so easy.

 

Agreed. Making a distinction between type of tape, especially a distinction which appears to be azz backwards, seems to be just plain wrong.

[Timmay]

The problem is what do you do with all of the books which are already out there.

 

[Hado]

A bump in grade and a blue label on an obvious restoration? @___@ that makes no sense at all, especially because the tape will continue to eat away at the book.

[Dale Roberts]

Are the people doing it the most not using archival-quality tape? I thought that could be safely removed.

 

I think that type of tape will get you a PLOD, while the destructive type (that Dale is referring to) gets you a bump + blue label.

 

I don't get why they don't just define all tape as restoration. Do they not count standard, acidic tape as restoration simply because it's so basic and amateurish? That seems like a mistake...it'd be like not calling magic marker color touch because it's so easy.

 

I have no idea, but I agree with you. Tape is tape. All of it should be resto.

 

I think it comes down to intent. The intent of books being taped today is purely monetary. The intent of books taped by a 10 year old kid 50 years ago was to keep his comic together, whether it was taped tears, or tape over the staple, or tape to the corners for support. It is easy to tell one from the other.

 

Like the magic marker, if someone marks on a cover with a magic marker, but it is not even close to the same color as the surrounding color, it should be obvious that there was not intent to restore, but count the marker as a defect.

[koollectablz]

Just as why you can have some pedigreed comics with CT and glue still get blue, normal tape stuck onto a comic is counted the same.

 

Shouldn't be like it - but it is and it's too late to change it now.

 

In the future all comics pre 50s will be pressed and have tape stuck on them, stands to reason.

[comicwiz]

Outside of the discrepancy where a book improves in grade (which I agree is ridiculous), wouldn't the unsightliness of tape on a book itself be a deterrent? I'm thinking far worse than a date stamp or writing on a cover. It can go from a 1.5 to 4.0, but I'm not having it regardless of what CGC thinks.

[nearmint]

I've been railing against tape here on the boards for a few years now, and sent a lengthy email to Mark Haspel about it when he was still at CGC. As far as I'm concerned, a cover or centerfold attached with tape is still detached. Tape only adds to the injury. CGC's stance encouraged the taping up of books, to the detriment of the books themselves, and the hobby as a whole.

[Davenport]

Yet there is a loophole in CGC's grading that allows for this procedure to happen, and its happening on some of the biggest books in the hobby, all for the sake of money.

Team Derail®, clean up on isle 3.

 

[fantastic_four]

When I've seen taped-up books to get a grade bump, it was always done in the interior leaving the presentation of the book through the slab unaffected. Is anyone seeing exterior tape for grade bumps?

[Buzzetta]

Simple answer, I avoid them. I do not buy books with tape. It is my understanding that the tape degrades and eventually bleeds into the paper further staining the book.

 

 

[The Troll King]

Seems with all this talk, and the talk in the new NOD thread that people are speaking about undermining CGC's reputation as being viable in the marketplace yet at the same time the most vocal are still the ones benefiting from the product.

 

They can't go back and change previously graded books, it would never happen. They can't change their practices moving forward either as it would cause widespread confusion with the past books and their credibility would be lost.

 

Buy the damn book and not the label.

 

If a dealer is offering you a book that you must have and it has a "tape grade bump" then tell the dealer how you disagree with the grade. The best that could happen is they'd agree with you, the worst would be that they'd laugh at you.

[fantastic_four]

They can't go back and change previously graded books, it would never happen. They can't change their practices moving forward either as it would cause widespread confusion with the past books and their credibility would be lost.

 

Yea that's CGC's problem with changing standards, existing product.

[Bronty]

Outside of the discrepancy where a book improves in grade (which I agree is ridiculous), wouldn't the unsightliness of tape on a book itself be a deterrent? I'm thinking far worse than a date stamp or writing on a cover. It can go from a 1.5 to 4.0, but I'm not having it regardless of what CGC thinks.

 

well I am seeing some label notes that say "tape on interior of spine"

 

So the smart ones are putting the tape where you can't see it