HOW DOES JASON EWERT DO IT??!!

[Foolkiller]

First of all, I think it's entirely possible that ASM 129s are either from other dealers raw or simply from hunting them down. As you have noted in the past (and I agree) that book is everywhere.

 

Also, some of them may be from Brulato, others from consignment. It's not like he has one a week or anything.

 

As for other books, well I'll just use this example. Last year at Baltimore Jason poured over Zen Comics' stock. It was all raw. Zen has some of the tightest raw grading (on par with Bob's) and while his high grade is very, very expensive, it's still worth a gamble if you think it's going to come back with the right number. I've found many books in those long boxes that are certainly CGC worthy.

 

Digging through boxes is somewhat of a lost art sometimes as I feel many of us have lost patience with it. Many Spider Mans and the like are in fact out there if you are spending a living looking for them. They are in LCSs and all sorts of stores out there.

[jimm94]

I've swung both ways in the "resto or not resto" argument, and I've come to accept that pressing is a reality in our hobby. It is virtually unavoidable, especially since it is not always detectable. If opponents of pressing truly want to affect change in the way the industry does business regarding the disclosure and possible market value of pressed books, then they need to be asking the seller in every transaction if the comic being considered has been pressed. This goes for slabbed AND raw books. You'll get some "Yes" answers, plenty of "No", and a lot "I don't know". Some of the "No" answers might even be a lie. Dealers aren't going to volunteer this information until/unless the consumers start asking for it.

 

It's also a mistake to think that pressing only occurs when someone is trying squeeze another couple hundred or thousand dollars out of a high grade book, i.e. from 9.2 to 9.6 etc... I personally own books worth less than $50.00 that exhibit signs of having been pressed. I'm certain I also own pressed books that I can't tell have been pressed!

 

So, the point I'm trying to make is that collectors who are anti-pressing or anti-undisclosed pressing shouldn't only be questioning individual sellers when some uber books come up for sale, but should instead look at entire market.

 

I'll go on record by saying the books Jason has on auction right now are absolutely killer. I care very little if his or anyone else's books are pressed, so long as it is done properly and in a way that is not harmful to the structural longevity of the comic. ...and as Freud once said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

 

-Jim

[mrwoogieman]

I've swung both ways . . . . "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

 

-Jim

 

 

I get it now; please don't sit next to me at the dinner!

[joe_collector]

I don't think there's any "drooling fanboy" going on here. I think its jealousy. Hell, I'm jealous of the books Ewert and Lauterbach (and Blazingbob and Captain Tripps and others) have. At least I'm big enough to admit it.

 

Everytime I hear this utter BS, it makes me want to scream. Donut you're also smart enough to know it's BS, and fully understand that in the "real world" comics aren't exactly something that people are jealous of.

 

It's just your moronic way of saying "shut up and stop bugging EBay sellers!!"

 

Now, if he had a fleet of classic cars, or his own island in the South Pacific, then I'd certainly be man enough to admit a tinge of jealousy. But comics?

[joe_collector]

I care very little if his or anyone else's books are pressed, so long as it is done properly and in a way that is not harmful to the structural longevity of the comic.

 

I agree, but that's the rub... is there any 100% iron-clad guarantee that some of these Presto Books aren't going to suddenly warp again... as Comicwiz's did?

[supapimp]

welcome back clobby!

[joe_collector]

I have heard thru the grapevine that a good many of his high grade books are resubs and I just don't like paying 9.6 prices for 9.2 or 9.4 books.

 

Me neither, but once a Presto Book switches hands a few times, it gets a bit hazy.

[drbanner]

First of all, I think it's entirely possible that ASM 129s are either from other dealers raw or simply from hunting them down. As you have noted in the past (and I agree) that book is everywhere.

 

Is the book readily available in high grade and not scarce by any means, or is every high grade copy cleaned and pressed? I forget whether we're trying to argue that bronze age books are plentiful in high grade, or whether we're trying to argue that high grade bronze age books are all pressed...it's so confusing around here sometimes!!

[joe_collector]

Is the book readily available in high grade and not scarce by any means, or is every high grade copy cleaned and pressed? I forget whether we're trying to argue that bronze age books are plentiful in high grade, or whether we're trying to argue that high grade bronze age books are all pressed...it's so confusing around here sometimes!!

 

I'm stating that there is NO WAY a NM+ 9.8 copy of ASM 129 is just sitting in a dealer's box, waiting for Jason to pick it out. Also, if the book was that pristine to start with, the dealer would either CGC it, or have a price too high to make any real money off the book.

 

And seriously, if it was as easy as "get to the con using a dealer pass and pick all the NM+ 9.6 to 9.8 raw deals out of the boxes", why don't you have a CGC 9.8 ASM 129 every few weeks?

[FFB]

I don't think there's any "drooling fanboy" going on here. I think its jealousy. Hell, I'm jealous of the books Ewert and Lauterbach (and Blazingbob and Captain Tripps and others) have. At least I'm big enough to admit it.

 

Everytime I hear this utter BS, it makes me want to scream. Donut you're also smart enough to know it's BS, and fully understand that in the "real world" comics aren't exactly something that people are jealous of.

 

It's just your moronic way of saying "shut up and stop bugging EBay sellers!!"

 

Now, if he had a fleet of classic cars, or his own island in the South Pacific, then I'd certainly be man enough to admit a tinge of jealousy. But comics?

 

I agree with Donut and I think you are in denial. The only other explanation for your devotion of megawatts of energy into these threads is that you are a paragon of virtue who is so concerned for the safety of the hobby that your conscience won't allow you to stop railing against the evil might-be-pressers. And what are the chances of that?

[Red Hook]

Donut, just for the record, let me assure you, this isn't about "jealousy" of any kind. There isn't one of those auctions I am the least bit interested in. I'm not a competing dealer, or a flipper. I don't know him at all. But if it makes you feel better, go ahead and believe whatever you want.

 

And the next time I see (inevitably) another thread asking the question, "HOW DOES JASON EWERT DO IT??!!" I will be right back here raising this debate again. If it offends you...or you can't deal with it...don't read the thread.

[supapimp]

blame drdonaldblake for continuing to start these jason ewert threads.

[Foolkiller]

I think you're oversimplifying the scenario JC. I'm not saying that there tons of 9.8 ASM 129s just sitting out there. But is it also plausible that Jason has hoarded tons of 9.2 and 9.4 ASM 129s and is just pressing them to get 9.6s and 9.8s? If it is, then why not that Jason in the 90s started hoarding other books, on Brulato for that matter, and already has multiple high grade 9.6s and 9.8s they're slowly submitting?

 

The bottom line, as I was just saying to someone in an email, is that conjecture, reasoned conjecture even, is just that: guesswork. In the absence of evidence, I just don't think it's fair to publicly rip someone UNLESS somebody out there has had personal experience with the issue and has gotten a book from Jason and looks at it and says hey -- this book looks like it's been pressed.

 

I'm just looking for evidence beyond -- the guy keeps coming up with crazy nice books.

[joe_collector]

I agree with Donut and I think you are in denial.

 

FANBOY ALERT

 

Weren't you required to take an ETHICS course, or did you skip that class?

[drbanner]

Is the book readily available in high grade and not scarce by any means, or is every high grade copy cleaned and pressed? I forget whether we're trying to argue that bronze age books are plentiful in high grade, or whether we're trying to argue that high grade bronze age books are all pressed...it's so confusing around here sometimes!!

 

I'm stating that there is NO WAY a NM+ 9.8 copy of ASM 129 is just sitting in a dealer's box, waiting for Jason to pick it out. Also, if the book was that pristine to start with, the dealer would either CGC it, or have a price too high to make any real money off the book.

 

And seriously, if it was as easy as "get to the con using a dealer pass and pick all the NM+ 9.6 to 9.8 raw deals out of the boxes", why don't you have a CGC 9.8 ASM 129 every few weeks?

 

Let me repeat my first sentence in this thread for you - "I would venture a guess that the majority of Jason's books are consignment items, and not raw gems he finds and slabs, nor 9.2's pressed into 9.8's." I agree that the chances of finding a raw 9.8 Spidey 129 in a dealer's box at a big show is pretty slim...

[joe_collector]

Donut, just for the record, let me assure you, this isn't about "jealousy" of any kind.

 

Don't worry, he knows that.

 

His "you're just jealous" comment is similar to the knuckleheads who scream "you're a big fagg" in order to stop a conversation they don't like.

[supapimp]

well here's an arguement that states jason doesn't press books. this ASM 50 CGC NM+ 9.6 is in the old blue label.

 

old skool blue label

[joe_collector]

["I would venture a guess that the majority of Jason's books are consignment items, and not raw gems he finds and slabs, nor 9.2's pressed into 9.8's." I agree that the chances of finding a raw 9.8 Spidey 129 in a dealer's box at a big show is pretty slim...

 

So again, which landfill does Ewert dump his stacks and stacks of Con buys at? You drive, I'll bring the shovel.

[FFB]

I agree with Donut and I think you are in denial.

 

FANBOY ALERT

 

Weren't you required to take an ETHICS course, or did you skip that class?

 

Yes. Lesson #1 was "don't repeatedly accuse people of engaging in shady practices without proof."

 

Shall I send you the Cliff's Notes version of the textbook, Mr. Cynical?

 

P.S. Lesson #2 was "Smile and think happy thoughts once in a while; your face won't actually crack and fall off if you do."

[joe_collector]

Yes. Lesson #1 was "don't repeatedly accuse people of engaging in shady practices without proof."

 

Yep, now back to the Pressing Thread...