Humidity at the CGC Offices

[Buzzetta]

I can only imagine what the humidity must be like at http://www.thehouseofcomics.com

[comicwiz]

I've had some books reveal this defect years after buying them. None of the other books where they were stored showed any signs of warping, so I arrived at the conclusion that it was likely a bad press job which reverted.

 

I have also unfortunately had a batch of CGC books damaged by exposure to heat/humidity. I never would have imagined the CGC slab becoming a thick laminate when exposed to the average summer temperature in our area, which is anywhere from 10-20 degrees cooler than the average temperatures in Florida or CT.

 

Without knowing for sure what happened, at what point from the time the book was slabbed to the time it was delivered to your door, I would have to think if these books were left anywhere in an enclosed area (like the back of a postal truck or in a non air-conditioned zone during the time the item was being processed for delivery) then that might explain the damage you're referring to,

 

Just think how hot it can get in your car on a warm sunny day - and then (borrowing Sean's theory) imagine how that heat turns the slab into a convection oven. The other thing that crossed my mind is if there was any day where the book was left for a prolonged period of time, where temperature shifted even as much as 10-15 degrees from the low to high, that could have caused the holder to trap humidity and produce warping.

[The Kaptain]

Here are the pics. The waviness is not too bad, but all of my other books are completely flat. These were re-holders and I can tell you that they were completely flat before the re-holder. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

[The Kaptain]

Yes, the books themselves. It's not terrible, but if you look down at the tops of the books themselves, they are wavy, as if they were left in a high humidity environment.

 

These were all from the same submission, and all of them are like this.

 

CGC is in Florida and this is the summer. Hot and humid is the norm. If they sat for a while - before or after slabbing - in a non air conditioned environment I suppose it's possible. Could even be the exposure was during shipping?

 

Did you have the books pressed? What "era" are the books (when were they printed)? I've seen some moderns that had a bit of waviness or roll the day they arrived from the printers. Both books printed on deluxe paper and books like say the Simpsons that are printed on newsprint the weight of tissue paper.

 

 

They were mostly late bronze, early copper Marvels. I will try to get a pic up soon.

 

It could have happened in shipping, but there is no way of knowing.

 

How long were they down at CGC - what was the tier/ service - economy, standard - something else?

 

They were re-holders, so they were only there about 2 weeks!

[Buzzetta]

September isn't all that cool down here either, Buzz.

 

 

 

 

-slym

 

It has to be better than July and August...

 

Not worse, but really no better...

 

the only thing I am worried about is Hurricane Season...

 

 

 

December, then?

 

 

 

 

-slym ( )

 

Coupon expires October 12... going to bite the bullet and submit in August/September.

 

 

 

[dgarthwaite-migration]

I just got a batch of books back from CGC and all of them are "wavy" from humidity (most visible at the top of the book).

 

This has never happened to me before.

 

Did the air conditioners at CGC break down or something?

 

Has anyone else had this happen before?

 

Thanks.

 

Were they ever pressed?

 

DG

 

No, but they probably need to be now...

 

It has been theorized that waviness can occur over time if a comic was pressed.

 

DG

[comicwiz]

 

 

[comicwiz]

Here are the pics. The waviness is not too bad, but all of my other books are completely flat. These were re-holders and I can tell you that they were completely flat before the re-holder. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My slabs which revealed waviness after a few years of owning them were also Bronze X-Men

[joeypost]

I have seen this on a few books I get in, and have seen it on poorly pressed books. Since you did not have them pressed it may be a result of uneven pressure from the inner well. I would think a book subjected to high humidity would show waves evenly, not just on one end. I live in Central Florida and a book left out for a day or two swells and plumps evenly, not just one edge.

 

How close is the seal on the top edge of the inner well to the top edge of the comic? From the scans it looks pretty close. My experiences with this is the book will still lay flat once it is cut out of the inner well. I would try that with the worst book you have and see what happens. If it is still wavy then it is not the well and other avenues would need to be explored.

 

Additionally, I have been to CGC's Facilities and they are state of the art. Even the lobby is climate controlled and comfortable.

[dgarthwaite-migration]

Clearly there needs to be a grade for the comic and a grade for the comic in the slab. I realized the first time a collector was boasting about a CGC comic. He pointed to a scan where the case was severely scratched. Now we are seeing crooked comics in cases and ... .... wavy comics. I don't know if I'm going to be able to eat dinner tonight. Those comics made me sea sick.

 

DG

[comicwiz]

Here is the old thread (pics now gone)

[comicwiz]

I have seen this on a few books I get in, and have seen it on poorly pressed books. Since you did not have them pressed it may be a result of uneven pressure from the inner well. I would think a book subjected to high humidity would show waves evenly, not just on one end. I live in Central Florida and a book left out for a day or two swells and plumps evenly, not just one edge.

 

How close is the seal on the top edge of the inner well to the top edge of the comic? From the scans it looks pretty close. My experiences with this is the book will still lay flat once it is cut out of the inner well. I would try that with the worst book you have and see what happens. If it is still wavy then it is not the well and other avenues would need to be explored.

 

Additionally, I have been to CGC's Facilities and they are state of the art. Even the lobby is climate controlled and comfortable.

 

I was thinking the same thing - the referring heat form the sonic sealing of the inner well. Would make more sense if it's only happening at the top too, especially if the books top edge is closer to the seam of the inner well than it is at the bottom.

[Jonesin4Comics]

I have seen this on a few books I get in, and have seen it on poorly pressed books. Since you did not have them pressed it may be a result of uneven pressure from the inner well. I would think a book subjected to high humidity would show waves evenly, not just on one end. I live in Central Florida and a book left out for a day or two swells and plumps evenly, not just one edge.

 

How close is the seal on the top edge of the inner well to the top edge of the comic? From the scans it looks pretty close. My experiences with this is the book will still lay flat once it is cut out of the inner well. I would try that with the worst book you have and see what happens. If it is still wavy then it is not the well and other avenues would need to be explored.

 

Additionally, I have been to CGC's Facilities and they are state of the art. Even the lobby is climate controlled and comfortable.

 

I think a time-lapse video would be awesome

[mintcollector]

I have seen this on a few books I get in, and have seen it on poorly pressed books. Since you did not have them pressed it may be a result of uneven pressure from the inner well. I would think a book subjected to high humidity would show waves evenly, not just on one end. I live in Central Florida and a book left out for a day or two swells and plumps evenly, not just one edge.

 

How close is the seal on the top edge of the inner well to the top edge of the comic? From the scans it looks pretty close. My experiences with this is the book will still lay flat once it is cut out of the inner well. I would try that with the worst book you have and see what happens. If it is still wavy then it is not the well and other avenues would need to be explored.

 

Additionally, I have been to CGC's Facilities and they are state of the art. Even the lobby is climate controlled and comfortable.

 

I was thinking the same thing - the referring heat form the sonic sealing of the inner well. Would make more sense if it's only happening at the top too, especially if the books top edge is closer to the seam of the inner well than it is at the bottom.

 

 

Until I have reason to believe otherwise, I think this would be very plausible. I would caution anyone however, who receives books in the mail at their house. Your best bet is to use a PO box if at all possible, if only for the reason that your books are not sitting in a non-climate controlled postal truck driving around half the town before arriving in the hot and humid temperatures of summer.

[Tony S]

I have seen this on a few books I get in, and have seen it on poorly pressed books. Since you did not have them pressed it may be a result of uneven pressure from the inner well. I would think a book subjected to high humidity would show waves evenly, not just on one end. I live in Central Florida and a book left out for a day or two swells and plumps evenly, not just one edge.

 

How close is the seal on the top edge of the inner well to the top edge of the comic? From the scans it looks pretty close. My experiences with this is the book will still lay flat once it is cut out of the inner well. I would try that with the worst book you have and see what happens. If it is still wavy then it is not the well and other avenues would need to be explored.

 

Additionally, I have been to CGC's Facilities and they are state of the art. Even the lobby is climate controlled and comfortable.

 

I was thinking the same thing - the referring heat form the sonic sealing of the inner well. Would make more sense if it's only happening at the top too, especially if the books top edge is closer to the seam of the inner well than it is at the bottom.

 

 

Until I have reason to believe otherwise, I think this would be very plausible. I would caution anyone however, who receives books in the mail at their house. Your best bet is to use a PO box if at all possible, if only for the reason that your books are not sitting in a non-climate controlled postal truck driving around half the town before arriving in the hot and humid temperatures of summer.

 

Since these were reholders, the barex inner holder being snug seems most likely the culprit. It looks no different thant what you see if you place a comic in a plastic bag that is just a tiny bit to tight.

 

+1 on the PO Box. One of many reasons to get one.

[Mark 1]

Personally, I think CGC is having encapsulation issues and big problems with their QC.

 

I'm not making a big deal about it but the recent weird shapes in the back of my slabs (indentation inner well on my last submission)...and these threads about warped slabs...something is not looking good.

 

I have 3 books at CGC being graded right now and I hope they don't come back like these recent issues.

 

 

[Bill1]

Only ship overnight both ways and you eliminate this possible problem and you are practically guaranteed your package arriving undamaged. Nothing large or heavy is shipped overnight, so the possibility of a crushed box is slim, and the less time the delivery people have it the better. Of course, no UPS overnight to PO Boxes.

[dgarthwaite-migration]

Personally, I think CGC is having encapsulation issues and big problems with their QC.

 

I'm not making a big deal about it but the recent weird shapes in the back of my slabs (indentation inner well on my last submission)...and these threads about warped slabs...something is not looking good.

 

I have 3 books at CGC being graded right now and I hope they don't come back like these recent issues.

 

 

Their machine is getting some age on it. Things wear out.

 

DG

[Bio-Rupp]

I noticed this warping on a recent purchase here on the boards. This is in no way the seller's fault... this is a CGC QC problem that could be doing permanent damage to the book.

 

[Bio-Rupp]

I noticed this warping on a recent purchase here on the boards. This is in no way the seller's fault... this is a CGC QC problem that could be doing permanent damage to the book.

 

 

Also noticed broken plastic "pin" free floating in the case... plus the book is moving up and down and is now showing a blunted lower right corner.

 

Its almost like the inner well isn't wide enough... but made with too much room on the top and bottom.