Metropolis Comics

[Foolkiller]

Where did they get their bankroll? What is their history?

 

Steve Fishler was the founder of Metropolis and came from a fairly wealthy background. As a child, Fishler supposedly wasn't showing a great deal of interest in anything specific, and his father took him to a comic show where he did show interest. He started working as a young teenager with Sparkle City under Jay Maybruck and Joe Verenault and showed an aptitude for comics, sales and the deals in the business.

 

Fishler eventually separated from Sparkle City to start his own company. I'm sure he learned a great deal by observing the Sparkle City methodology and their ability to dominate the market by owning the "best" material. In fact, many aspects of the way Metropolis does business certainly mimic the mindset that Sparkle City had at one time in terms of pricing. It's obvious that Steve also had foresight into original art as he's accumulated one of the most impressive collections in the world, and built Metropolis into a powerhouse. He accumulated an incredible inventory over the years, again, similar to the way Sparkle City in its heyday had built itself.

 

Of course, one of Fishler's known limitations was that his personality was not terribly "customer friendly" and I think Fishler in many ways never enjoyed interacting with the public at large. But Fishler's business acumen allowed him to recognize this limitation and so he needed to bring in a partner.

 

In 1999 Metropolis merged (or bought out you might say) Vincent Zurzolo and Vincent's collectibles (this left then Vinecent's employee Bob Storms to start his own company, highgradecomics.com) -- and Vinny became the personality and front man for the business. I have no idea if they were originally full partners, but I've always gotten the sense that Vinny was the junior partner and Steve the senior. I think that may still be very much the way it is, but Vinny is far more influential and powerful than at the beginning of their merger. I've always understood that Vinny's ambitions were to become the biggest and best dealer in the world, but capital would always be a limitation, whereby Fishler had capital, but not the people skills to continuously work that aspect of the business.

 

It was a very good match. Metropolis has expanded its scope and influence as the largest dealer in the world, and that continues today.

 

FYI: disclaimer, most of this information is cobbled together from various sources and my own observations.

[mrmyst]

[VintageComics]

I more or less knew all that but wasn't sure if it was my place to say or not.

 

(thumbs u

[Foolkiller]

I more or less knew all that but wasn't sure if it was my place to say or not.

 

(thumbs u

 

We're not in the CIA. This is pretty basic information about the background, and it certainly isn't a secret. In fact, I'm pretty sure they've given public interviews that has most of this information.

[Bomber-Bob]

I didn't realize Bob Storms was an employee of Vincent's collectibles. From my recollection Bob set up with them but seemed to have his own inventory. I assumed he was simply renting some table space. No biggie but news to me.

[mrmyst]

He's his own man.

[blazingbob]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

[mrmyst]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

[Foolkiller]

I didn't realize Bob Storms was an employee of Vincent's collectibles. From my recollection Bob set up with them but seemed to have his own inventory. I assumed he was simply renting some table space. No biggie but news to me.

 

Nope, he was an employee once upon a time.

[Foolkiller]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

 

I'll put my lamp shade on if you put yours on.

[Foolkiller]

I didn't realize Bob Storms was an employee of Vincent's collectibles. From my recollection Bob set up with them but seemed to have his own inventory. I assumed he was simply renting some table space. No biggie but news to me.

 

Nope, he was an employee once upon a time.

 

I should also amend this to note that Bob was allowed to sell his own materials at some point during the Bob/Vinny relationship, but Bob was also an employee of Vinny's.

 

These are all the stories that Storms gets tell Seeberger when John thinks a hard day's work was leaning on the boxes getting comic chicks' digits instead of scouring the floor for buys like Bob had to do for Vinny.

[mrmyst]

[VintageComics]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

 

I'll put my lamp shade on if you put yours on.

 

That's ghey.

 

 

[Primetime]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

chimps are pretty strong Bob.

[c-mack]

After the bad deal with metro, Bob took care of me with a great deal with an All Select..he is forsure one of the best

[chrisco37]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

 

Chimp? You'd really rank yourself that high?

 

You're a spider-monkey that flings poo at best.

 

(I kid, Bob..you know you're at the top of my list.)

[Anfield Fox]

What's always stood out for me with Metro is those guys wear suits to sell comicbooks. Their client base consists of celebrities, bankers, lawyers, doctors, etc. Their big sales make the international news. Their office is like a museum.

 

 

[Sqeggs]

It could be that I'm a dealer and when I have my eye on something they think it's undervalued or desirable and so they hold their ground.

 

The thing to remember with Metro, is that unlike any other dealer, they don't really need the money.

 

That's a hard one for most people to wrap their heads around.

 

 

Curious...Why don't they need the money? I gather since they are in business...they need the money.

 

 

I suppose almost everyone "needs the money" but it's well known that Metro has a large bankroll and is not hurting to sell. Oftentimes, they'd rather just sit on something until they get their price than sell cheap.

 

 

I dunno, seems like I run into a lot of dealers quite willing to hang onto over-priced books rather than accept an offer close to GPA. At least for the moderately priced books I'm usually looking for, Metro seems more, rather than less, willing to entertain offers. But maybe you are referring to how they handle big-dollar books.

[blazingbob]

Yes Metro is the 800 pound gorilla, I'm only a chimpanzee in this business.

 

Shhhh, comic intelligence agency may be reading this, we must use the comic cone of silence if we are to talk of such secrets.

 

Chimp? You'd really rank yourself that high?

 

You're a spider-monkey that flings poo at best.

 

(I kid, Bob..you know you're at the top of my list.)

 

[VintageComics]

It could be that I'm a dealer and when I have my eye on something they think it's undervalued or desirable and so they hold their ground.

 

The thing to remember with Metro, is that unlike any other dealer, they don't really need the money.

 

That's a hard one for most people to wrap their heads around.

 

 

Curious...Why don't they need the money? I gather since they are in business...they need the money.

 

 

I suppose almost everyone "needs the money" but it's well known that Metro has a large bankroll and is not hurting to sell. Oftentimes, they'd rather just sit on something until they get their price than sell cheap.

 

 

I dunno, seems like I run into a lot of dealers quite willing to hang onto over-priced books rather than accept an offer close to GPA. At least for the moderately priced books I'm usually looking for, Metro seems more, rather than less, willing to entertain offers. But maybe you are referring to how they handle big-dollar books.

 

Could very well be that it varies with the type of book or type of buyer.

 

(thumbs u