Tell me a story about comic elitism

[VintageComics]

Tell me a story where someone, whether a dealer or fellow collector, treated you like spoon or really, genuinely condescended to you, made fun of you, or attempted to intimidate you, based on what you collect, don't collect, should collect, own, don't own, or should own. Using real names would be great, but it isn't required.

 

So whatcha got, sonny?

 

I heart COI threads.

 

I don't have any condescending stories from dealers or other collectors. I have been unusually lucky.

 

I can make some up if you would like?

 

Using real names of course.

 

I could go for a good "I got a pubic hair with my comic" story, but Dan isn't here.

 

Next time it comes up, just go straight to making up stories, but don't tell me they're made up. For reference, see Cal's posts.

 

My packaging hair stories are legend around these parts, and all true.

 

I hired a secret shopper to go to your booth at a con and report back his experience. He said that every time he reached for a book, you whipped at his forearm with your hair. When he asked you why you were doing that, you told him his chakras were out of alignment.

 

This totally happened.

 

It was actually an astral projection of me.

 

Totally true story.

[Icculus308win]

 

 

Interesting. Something similar happened to me in 2001. I had some money to spend and was really excited about CGC and building my Spidey collection. I also had thousands in my pocket and I wanted to buy. The first table I stopped at had an ASM Annual 1 in CGC 9.0; relatively expensive, but not some crazy mega-grail. I wanted to check it out closely, so I asked the dude to pull it down for me. He ignored me. Asked him again; he says "I don't think you want that one". I ask why; he says "it's expensive". I say "I'm willing to buy"; he says "it's not for sale".

 

Granted, I looked like a punk. I still look like a punk. I think he thought I was gonna take the book and run. Assumptions are bad for business.

 

It took a lot for me not to lose my temper. Looking back, I bought almost exclusively online after that, and I think this incident soured me on dealing with this stuff face to face.

 

 

Without a doubt the guy was a Doucher to you for ignoring you than, than telling you what you don't want.Your comment, "Assumptions are bad for business," obviously case in point - the guy lost out on a nice sale due to this.

BUT, first impressions and appearances truly can determine business and lack there of. Its just human nature for the majority of our society. Not saying its right but, it's what happens.

Not pertaining to comics but it was the exact scenario we are talking about -

 

A couple weeks ago my Wife and I and a friend and his Wife in town and went downtown Chicago on a weekday afternoon to try a new Pizza place that opened. Afterwards we did a little shopping. We ended up in Tiffany's.

Mind you we all had shorts on, t-shirts, flip flops etc. The staff were pretty nice to us granted, since the Wives have some lets say above average size jewelry on and my friend and I have recognizable watches. But the staff wasn't as remotely attentive to our party as an older couple also in there who were dressed to the nines very nicely and also had some very well known higher end accessories head to toe and the gentleman was talking to his Wife hurrying saying I need to call the hangar to make sure the plane was ready and the pilot knew where they were going tonight. They were catering to them very, very well needless to say compared to us, but were courteous.

 

Anyways......upon my friend paying for an item, the woman saw his first and last name on his CC and put two and two together with his out of state Driver's license, there was a huge possibility he was someone's son who has A LOT of zeroes attached to their family name. My Wife elbowed me, because she knew the woman had to ask him after whispering to another sales woman and blushing.

 

Well upon her asking and him nodding in a hole ridden Grateful Dead shirt - the red carpet treatmeant came faster than Clark changing into Supe. I kid you not the older couple got slightly pushed aside by the Manager who came running out of a back office with two other staff members saying, "why did you not call ahead of time so we could have a private showing and I could have whatever libations and and cuisine yada yada ready for your party."

It was comical. Seriously like a five alarm fire.

Sad but true.

 

Moral is appearance is a lot when pertaining to business/ sales and yes money does talk.

And no I won't say who it was, but its a name that is well known.

 

 

 

 

[seanfingh]

I support stories about pubes and anonymous epeen tales as well. This thread delivers.

[Icculus308win]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense right off the bat per say and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

[Artboy99]

25 yrs ago I was a bit dissed by a dealer on a Detective 35. I bought it anyway by being persistent. After being a real buyer I bought many more books from said dealer. Sometimes you have to persevere/suck it up when it comes to attitudes. Cash talks.

 

 

 

I've never felt the need to prove myself worthy to an individual_without_enough_empathy.

 

One of the biggest problems with the comic and comic art worlds is that people will deal with anyone, ANYONE, if they have the books or art they need.

 

I tend to do the opposite. There are certain dealers, that if they have a piece of art I had wanted, that piece is immediately stricken from my mind as an option as if it had burned in a fire.

 

agreed

[seanfingh]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

If Joe said that to me, I would make him spend the rest of the night checking my moles.

[Park]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

Interesting. If I were at the same dinner and were told the same thing, I would tell them to suck an egg.

[Speedy-D]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

Of course, if they were the type of people to say that, they probably wouldn't be on your list in the first place.

 

Plus, *spoon* anyone who says that!!

[COI]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

If Joe said that to me, I would make him spend the rest of the night checking my moles.

 

For a second I thought you said holes, so you got an unearned chuckle.

[Park]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

If Joe said that to me, I would make him spend the rest of the night checking my moles.

 

Like you wouldn't do that to him regardless.

[comix4fun]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

If Joe said that to me, I would make him spend the rest of the night checking my moles.

 

Sounds like more of a long weekend if that includes attempting to distinguish between moles and freckles.

[COI]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

Interesting. If I were at the same dinner and were told the same thing, I would tell them to suck an egg.

 

Tom Brulato did something very similar, and even this forum full of SA Marvel zombies collectively told him to suck an egg. Still my favorite thread of all time, or at least top 3.

[Ogami]

Tell me a story where someone, whether a dealer or fellow collector, treated you like spoon or really, genuinely condescended to you, made fun of you, or attempted to intimidate you, based on what you collect, don't collect, should collect, own, don't own, or should own. Using real names would be great, but it isn't required.

 

So whatcha got, sonny?

 

I heart COI threads.

 

I don't have any condescending stories from dealers or other collectors. I have been unusually lucky.

 

I can make some up if you would like?

 

Using real names of course.

 

I could go for a good "I got a pubic hair with my comic" story, but Dan isn't here.

 

Next time it comes up, just go straight to making up stories, but don't tell me they're made up. For reference, see Cal's posts.

 

My packaging hair stories are legend around these parts, and all true.

 

I hired a secret shopper to go to your booth at a con and report back his experience. He said that every time he reached for a book, you whipped at his forearm with your hair. When he asked you why you were doing that, you told him his chakras were out of alignment.

 

This totally happened.

 

[seanfingh]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

Interesting. If I were at the same dinner and were told the same thing, I would tell them to suck an egg.

 

Tom Brulato did something very similar, and even this forum full of SA Marvel zombies collectively told him to suck an egg. Still my favorite thread of all time, or at least top 3.

 

How big is your epeen, sonny.

[Icculus308win]

Ok perhaps I should have said, if they said something to the effect of "what I collect is pretty cool let me tell you why and you should give it a shot."

 

Moral is, collectors who bring more to the table than a collector with a lot of big HG books but nothing after that.

[Park]

Tell me a story where someone, whether a dealer or fellow collector, treated you like spoon or really, genuinely condescended to you, made fun of you, or attempted to intimidate you, based on what you collect, don't collect, should collect, own, don't own, or should own. Using real names would be great, but it isn't required.

 

So whatcha got, sonny?

 

I heart COI threads.

 

I don't have any condescending stories from dealers or other collectors. I have been unusually lucky.

 

I can make some up if you would like?

 

Using real names of course.

 

I could go for a good "I got a pubic hair with my comic" story, but Dan isn't here.

 

Next time it comes up, just go straight to making up stories, but don't tell me they're made up. For reference, see Cal's posts.

 

My packaging hair stories are legend around these parts, and all true.

 

I hired a secret shopper to go to your booth at a con and report back his experience. He said that every time he reached for a book, you whipped at his forearm with your hair. When he asked you why you were doing that, you told him his chakras were out of alignment.

 

This totally happened.

 

 

Can you hurry up and join the dogpile on Fingh?

[COI]

As for your original question, or second question technically.

 

Someone like Ghostown, Cheetah and Doc Joe would have definite influence on me.

Not solely because of all their books or or the quality of their books - but also their passion for the hobby and their books they individually collect.

If one of them said to me at a forum dinner or hanging at the bar, "what I collect rocks, what you collect sucks," yeah I would personally not take offense off the bat and hear what they had to say.

 

 

 

Interesting. If I were at the same dinner and were told the same thing, I would tell them to suck an egg.

 

Tom Brulato did something very similar, and even this forum full of SA Marvel zombies collectively told him to suck an egg. Still my favorite thread of all time, or at least top 3.

 

How big is your epeen, sonny.

 

My epeen is as big as my collection. So it's more of a microepeen, or teenyepeeny if you will.

[Arkham]

Tell me a story where someone, whether a dealer or fellow collector, treated you like spoon or really, genuinely condescended to you, made fun of you, or attempted to intimidate you, based on what you collect, don't collect, should collect, own, don't own, or should own. Using real names would be great, but it isn't required.

 

So whatcha got, sonny?

 

You mean aside from these boards?

 

There definitely is A LOT of that on these boards, but it's subtle.

 

I would love to hear boardie stories.

 

I've met some absolute champions on these boards. Some people I now count as friends and others who I'm a bit unsure of but whose opinion I hold in high regard.

 

That said, it is very apparent that there is an "in crowd" on the boards and associated cliques. I know that a few of us feel like an outsider looking in more often than not. And, in one case after harassing someone I know to sign up here - who is a maaaaassive comic collector for over forty years, he read CG and opted not to sign up based on the general tone of discussion between members. The "shoot downs" etc.

 

I know that this is just how it is when so many boardies have been members here for years... have met at cons and built long-lasting friendships.... plus inter-dealer relationships etc... I've learned a lot reading these boards and I can't fault it.

 

Yet despite often being hilarious, it can (at times) have a bit of an air about it that is feels... it's hard to describe, but maybe part exclusionary and part elitist.

 

My gut is that it's often not intended that way. But as a new face around these parts and, in comparison to 99% of people here - a small time collector, I thought I'd share that this is the vibe of the place.

 

It doesn't put me off. I read more interesting posts and learn a lot from them more than I vomit in my mouth at other posts, but it felt relevant to the thread to share.

 

 

[oakman29]

I was at Terry O'Neil's 1st Yorba Linda show,and was in the market for a Hulk #1,and he had one on the wall right behind him.I was very patient waiting for him to finish talking to a guy for 20 minutes,yes 20 minutes! Once he was finished I said hi Terry can I.....and he just looked away from me,so I motioned to him again.Hi Terry is there a chance I could........ and then he left the table.I got very upset,and he made me feel like I didn't matter.Maybe I wasn't a big enough fish for him,but I did have enough cash for the Hulk #1 that was on his wall.Too bad Terry you missed out on that sale,and any future sales from me.

[seanfingh]

I like the years-festering butthurt, Oakland. Good one!