joe_collector Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 Now that's more like it!! Reading all these CGC labels is nothing compared to actually seeing inside a double-cover in action. Slabbing it almost defeats the purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleCovaBrotha Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Just a warning from gijoed: "March 17, 2008 Hi, This email is being sent to the double cover and comic book error collectors I have met through eBay. My apologies that it is not more personal, but it is faster to send the same thing to everyone. For brevity, I will use the term 2X to describe double cover. Main point of this: I won and paid for 2X examples of X-Men 133 and 211 on ebay from seller thanos*titans (Eric Birmingham) and they are fakes. I bid and won six other X-Men 2X but refused to pay for them after receiving the 133 and 211. The X-Men 133 and 211 look pretty good at first glance, but are not the "Double cover errors" or "Manufacturing error" he described, and do not hold up after examination. It did not bother me that Eric B had a small group of 2X, including two X-Men, but it DID bother me that after I won these two books, he offered four more, and then another four, and then a GI Joe 3X. It is possible that out of all the 2X he has sold and offered in the last month, these are the only two fakes. However his behavior and purchases might indicate otherwise to some. He has refused to send a refund so far, and in fact has stated that I must first leave positive feedback and pay his ebay fees and then he will think about whether or not I get a refund. He also wrote that bad feedback means no refund. He refused to accept PayPal which would offer $200.00 worth of Buyer Protection. I mailed a check as payment. If Eric had offered an easy refund with few hassles, I would not be doing all this. But I have found him so difficult, and his actions have so ticked me off, that he has now earned the Wrath of Khan for his behavior. I detailed some of the problems with the X-Men 133 and 211 for another collector, so if you want to read my notes or compare things with 2X you may have purchased, let me know. This does not mean we should throw up our hands and give up collecting 2X. Just as you would count pages to see if a book is complete, check for tears on interior pages, examine paper quality, and see if the book you bought is properly graded, it is quite easy (I think) to verify if a book is a genuine 2X. From what I have seen in 30 years of chasing 2X books, you CANNOT fake a double cover and hide the work. There are many things that have to perfectly match in order to have a genuine 2X, and once the staples are pulled apart and removed, evidence is being left behind about what has been done. As you know, creases, wear and damage must match up, along with all kinds of other things. I do not think everyone realizes this, particularly those very, very few who try to fake 2X books. Comics before 1970 are probably nearly immune from fakes as 2X, maybe even up to 1975 or so. They are more difficult to find in higher grades, more expensive to acquire in general, not found in quantities, etc. But it is wise for all of us to be observant about books after 1980 since that material can be found more easily, in better condition and in larger quantities. Examine the following and draw your own conclusions. Notice that he bought this: 320222705426 STAR WARS #68 FEB. 1983 MARVEL COMICS GROUP, end 3/5/08 And now has this for sale: 330220457685 Star Wars 68 Boba Fett Double Cover!! (9.2 or above)NM Does the 320222705426 Star Wars 68 provide the outer cover of his Star Wars 68 2X? Notice on his scans how the outer cover does not sit correctly; up at the bottom of book, interior sticks out at top. You decide. Some of his other recent purchases: 200206293263 Uncanny X-Men #136 4 copies! NM Byrne Claremont 200070881428 GI Joe #53 1st print FN/VF Marvel Comics 6529944965 GI Joe #53 VF/NM Marvel Comics 1st print 300204679437 HULK #340 WOLVERINE BIN $12.00 190204161645 Incredible Hulk #340 VG McFarlane Wolverine FREE SHIP 230229215074 Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars 8 Origin Black Costume 160214771568 SECRET WARS #8 (SPIDEY'S FIRST BLACK COSTUME) I generally do not participate in the CGC message boards or any of the double cover-related groups that are out there, so if you do, you may want to warn others about this seller. Of course he may change his ebay ID, but the important thing is the faked merchandise being offered, no matter who is selling it or where it comes from. Sincerely, Joe Desris" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I got the same email from him - was going to start a new thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosmic-spider-man Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Yea I just got that message from Joe too, has anyone else bought from that Seller? Just glad he did not List a bunch of ASM Double Covers on ebay first or I would have been right in the middle of it, Thanks Joe you probably saved us all a bunch of money and trouble. (thumbs u Maybe this thread will put a hold on his sales. Edited March 18, 2008 by cosmic-spider-man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggy Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Hell, even I got the email. I must be special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moondog Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Joe knows what he's talking about. I would never buy from this scammer again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashrael Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Wow, I almost bought a double cover Wolverine #50 (w/ a signature) from thanos*titans. I am glad I chickened out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggy Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Wow, I almost bought a double cover Wolverine #50 (w/ a signature) from him. I am glad I chickened out! Isn't he a board member? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashrael Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Wow, I almost bought a double cover Wolverine #50 (w/ a signature) from him. I am glad I chickened out! Isn't he a board member? Oh, do tell! I searched, but haven't been able to find any other references to him (stupid "*" in his name; had to use "+thanos +titan" and most posts were by me anyway ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Wow, I almost bought a double cover Wolverine #50 (w/ a signature) from him. I am glad I chickened out! Isn't he a board member? Oh, do tell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greggy Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Wow, I almost bought a double cover Wolverine #50 (w/ a signature) from him. I am glad I chickened out! Isn't he a board member? Oh, do tell! I searched, but haven't been able to find any other references to him (stupid "*" in his name; had to use "+thanos +titan" and most posts were by me anyway ). Ooops...wrong guy. My apologies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleCovaBrotha Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Maybe I should send out e-mails like that for auctions I really want to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Maybe I should send out e-mails like that for auctions I really want to win. Joe could really be conning us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canickus Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 I need some advice on this. I bought three books from this dude, fortunately not ones that GIJoed wanted, total $50. I have mailed him a check. Should I 1. Stop payment on the check immediately and write the knucklehead that I have done so? 2. Send him a message that he has been exposed and ask him not to cash the check or send the books if they are not legit? 3. Or something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlowUpTheMoon Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 If it were me, I would stop payment on the check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashrael Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 If it were me, I would stop payment on the check. Doesn't that cost $20 at a lot of banks? If your total is only $50, it may be better to contact him first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleCovaBrotha Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Depending on the bank, type of account you have, and the relationship you have with your branch, the bank may be willing to waive the fees on stop payment. Otherwise, it does cost a bit to stop the check. Then again, as a matter of principle, I would stop it anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canickus Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Update: The bank charges on the stop payment check are more than $20and stop payment is only guaranteed if three days in advance. I sent him a note to thanos*titans asking him to destroy the check if the books are not legit as it will save us both a lot of aggravation. My assumption is that the books are fakes like Joes. I will keep you posted. So far I have not heard back and the check has not been cashed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canickus Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Now that's more like it!! Reading all these CGC labels is nothing compared to actually seeing inside a double-cover in action. Slabbing it almost defeats the purpose. While I agree with Joe that a double-cover is pretty cool "in action". The whole deal with the thanos*titans fakes should answer the question of purpose, in regards to a CGC label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAP Freak Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Wow, I almost bought a double cover Wolverine #50 (w/ a signature) from him. I am glad I chickened out! Isn't he a board member? thats thanos of titan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
