my SDCC review

[PeasOfCrap]

Other highlights…. Getting 20 George R.R. Martin books signed… Special thanks to Mollie for doing some CAW work for me, w/o much notice. You are the best.

 

You wouldn't happen to be planning on selling any of those RR Martin SS books would you???

 

yup! (thumbs u

 

What are the grades?

[Steve_Paulus]

Other highlights…. Getting 20 George R.R. Martin books signed… Special thanks to Mollie for doing some CAW work for me, w/o much notice. You are the best.

 

You wouldn't happen to be planning on selling any of those RR Martin SS books would you???

 

yup! (thumbs u

 

What are the grades?

 

Thats up to CGC... They just got submitted at the end of the show...

 

Shoot me a PM if you are interested

 

thanks

[HighRadArt]

I can understand limiting the number of books but singling out exhibitors or any group for that matter doesn't make much sense. Also, ECCC isn't that small anymore. I've been the past few years and last years show was crazy (still had a great time).

[J DUB]

Glad you had a great time Steve! (thumbs u

[NIGHTCRAWLER]

I'm not sure what's going on behind the scenes and I will happily remain in the dark with that. Lines are a given with SDCC, but the Hall H lines were ridiculous this year.

[chainnball]

It's a shame the actions of one person ruin it for the rest of us. Hopefully this will be rectified soon enough..

[NYComics]

In my opinion there should be some sort of punishment for someone who messes stuff up for everyone else to this extreme that DC comics gets pi$$ed at the program.

 

 

THANKS

[A-DONIS]

This is why there needs to be a good rapport between creators, facilitators, and CAws alike.

 

Throwing a stack of and expecting such creator to sign them really isn't the best approach IMHO.

 

 

[PeasOfCrap]

In the end, should the CAW program be shut down and CGC handle all creator relationships and witnessing? Can they realistically handle it?

 

There seems to be a misrepresentation of CGC and I am sure CGC does not want to blackballed from creators or the industry itself.

 

Are there rehhab actions taken if a CAW misrepresents CGC? I understand mistakes happen and they can be corrected and everyone can move forward stronger as a team.

 

This is for conversational purposes and I am an occasional CAW so do not think I am trying to burn CAWs.

 

 

[MedicAR]

In the end, should the CAW program be shut down and CGC handle all creator relationships and witnessing? Can they realistically handle it?

 

There seems to be a misrepresentation of CGC and I am sure CGC does not want to blackballed from creators or the industry itself.

 

Are there rehhab actions taken if a CAW misrepresents CGC? I understand mistakes happen and they can be corrected and everyone can move forward stronger as a team.

 

This is for conversational purposes and I am an occasional CAW so do not think I am trying to burn CAWs.

 

 

You make some good points. Tighter self policing by CGC would be a great start. I also think that CGC outing the offending party is a good thing since it demonstrates that something is done when these breaches occur and it makes an example of the offender.

 

I can see both sides of the problem. I simply can't go to shows for a variety of reasons. Thankfully, the CGC program allows me to continue to build my collection in spite of my homebound status with complete faith that I am getting authentic signatures. On the other side of the fence, if I were a creator, I wouldn't want my willingness to meet and greet my fans exploited so that others can make money through my generosity.

 

The situation with Jim Lee and DC is deeply disturbing to me. My concern is that Mr. Lee and DC are giants and so influential in the industry and it is not out of the question that they could be just the tip of the spear and many others will follow their lead.

[A-DONIS]

I think there's a huge misunderstanding of what the difference between a CAW and a facilitator.

 

CAW is a cgc employee who witnesses.

 

 

Facilitators are the ones carrying the books, and provide the services.

 

Instead of thinking who did what, why not focus on what cn be done to make the SS program better?

[seanfingh]

 

It is quite a complex issue. CGC has made it clear that it is very comfortable not controlling the Yellow label. It has also made it clear that volume of subs is the overarching goal. Neither of those things are bad in the abstract, but it does bring to mind the story of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs (or the golden label in this case).

 

Pushing volume to the point where facilitators need to be more and more aggressive, just to get the job done is counter productive. Frankly, I am tired of having creators see window bags and immediately become Angry Cat. The window bag has become the universal sign of the "bad Ebay flipper, non-fan."

 

If we can't create some kind of detente between facilitators that need to get people's books done and creators who, many times, have the worst possible impression of the program, it is going to get more and more difficult to get Yellow label books. And more expensive.

 

I have been banging my shoe about this for years, admittedly not in the most productive fashion. But it is the most urgent issue in the program right now, and it behooves us all to work on a mutually satisfactory solution post haste!

[devilsrain]

Passing on suggestions/solutions is great, will CGC ever use those suggestions is another story.

 

Ive made suggestions on how to improve the SS program but they fall on deaf ears.

[Mayor006]

I can agree with that and even relate to a current situation. I am contemplating sending books to a facilitator to have him get an artist's sig on multiple books even though I will see said artist in just about a month or so and could get a CAW from CGC to accompany me at the show and do them myself. Why would I do this? Because CGC rubs him the wrong way and I want to keep things friendly. There really is a reputation out there.

[A-DONIS]

I have to agree with Sean.

 

Working together will not only strengthen the program, but it would also allow creators to see that not everyone is out against one another.

 

One suggestion, if you do have mutilple books to get signed by a creator, offer to pay him/her for the signatures or offer to make a donation to the Hero Initiative in their name (AND ACTUALLY DO IT). I've never had an issue when doing one or the other.

 

 

[seanfingh]

Passing on suggestions/solutions is great, will CGC ever use those suggestions is another story.

 

Ive made suggestions on how to improve the SS program but they fall on deaf ears.

 

Installing a kegerator at NYCC does not qualify as an "suggestion for improvement."

[devilsrain]

Passing on suggestions/solutions is great, will CGC ever use those suggestions is another story.

 

Ive made suggestions on how to improve the SS program but they fall on deaf ears.

 

Installing a kegerator at NYCC does not qualify as an "suggestion for improvement."

 

you make a good point

[A-DONIS]

There's always this

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3914110#Post3914110

 

 

 

 

A Kegerator at the CGC Booth? I'm in.

[MedicAR]

It is quite a complex issue. CGC has made it clear that it is very comfortable not controlling the Yellow label. It has also made it clear that volume of subs is the overarching goal. Neither of those things are bad in the abstract, but it does bring to mind the story of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs (or the golden label in this case).

 

Pushing volume to the point where facilitators need to be more and more aggressive, just to get the job done is counter productive. Frankly, I am tired of having creators see window bags and immediately become Angry Cat. The window bag has become the universal sign of the "bad Ebay flipper, non-fan."

 

If we can't create some kind of detente between facilitators that need to get people's books done and creators who, many times, have the worst possible impression of the program, it is going to get more and more difficult to get Yellow label books. And more expensive.

 

I have been banging my shoe about this for years, admittedly not in the most productive fashion. But it is the most urgent issue in the program right now, and it behooves us all to work on a mutually satisfactory solution post haste!

 

Like you, I have seen this coming for awhile. I don't think either of us have been counter productive at all, but then again, we're on the same side.

 

It occurred to me that there is another obvious entity that I failed to address in my previous post. Publishers. Publishers are out a huge expense to set up at a show like SDCC. There is the floor space, the staff to man the booth, the cost of the physical booth itself (surprisingly expensive to make those things), shipping the booth and its contents and then the talent that draws people into that booth. Publishers are the business side of the equation and they have a huge investment in a show like SDCC. Is it really fair to expect them to allow another business to make money from their investment when the only money the publisher sees is from the purchase of the books?

 

I am not defending publishers, I just want to put out as many sides of this as possible. Put yourself in their position, would you want someone else making money from your work? This is different from the back issue market or even the third party grading market in that those two simply require the publisher to do what they do and put the books out. Once sold, the books are out there and far beyond the control of the publisher. With the autograph business, though, the publishers may have a hand in the supply line farther down than they ever have in the past, particularly at big shows. They can bring in talent that promoters may have a hard time attracting. When they do that, it benefits us in our little world.

 

In the short term, the solution to me is that we make an example of the offenders. It will hopefully prevent them from repeating and serve as a warning to keep others, that consider doing something similar, in line. In the long term, we have to work much more closely with publishers and creators. Unfortunately, "working closely" equals "more money." If publishers were to make the talents available, it certainly won't be without compensation and creators will see it as a new revenue flow, too. It's business, plain and simple.

[Pirate]

It is quite a complex issue. CGC has made it clear that it is very comfortable not controlling the Yellow label. It has also made it clear that volume of subs is the overarching goal. Neither of those things are bad in the abstract, but it does bring to mind the story of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs (or the golden label in this case).

 

Pushing volume to the point where facilitators need to be more and more aggressive, just to get the job done is counter productive. Frankly, I am tired of having creators see window bags and immediately become Angry Cat. The window bag has become the universal sign of the "bad Ebay flipper, non-fan."

 

If we can't create some kind of detente between facilitators that need to get people's books done and creators who, many times, have the worst possible impression of the program, it is going to get more and more difficult to get Yellow label books. And more expensive.

 

I have been banging my shoe about this for years, admittedly not in the most productive fashion. But it is the most urgent issue in the program right now, and it behooves us all to work on a mutually satisfactory solution post haste!

 

How many strikes have I gotten pounding points about this home. They won't do anything to DWC, it will be the comic companies that ultimately shut down the SS program. I will always treasure my celebrity signed books.