Tell me a story about comic elitism

[oakman29]

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

When my butt hurts,it's a long painful one.

[Dr-Doom]

When I was about 21 or so, still in college working a part time job, I managed to save up $200 for a Green Lantern 76 CGC 3.5. I bought it at a comicon and was just browsing the comic books, and Jaime Graham asked if I was interested in a high grade comic. I said "no, I already bought a book,but thanks" and he asked which one? I told him and his response to me was...

 

"why would you even waste money on a book like that? If it's not high grade, its not even worth anything"

 

Will never buy anything from him again, and nor will anyone I know.

[COI]

I don't understand what possesses dealers when they act in that manner. I understand "because money" type behaviors like lying and restoring books, because the motivation is clear. But what possible reason is there to tell someone that they're buying ? What's in it for them? Is dealing with customers at cons so dreadful that these guys are just pushed to the limit of their patience?

[Speedy-D]

When I was about 21 or so, still in college working a part time job, I managed to save up $200 for a Green Lantern 76 CGC 3.5. I bought it at a comicon and was just browsing the comic books, and Jaime Graham asked if I was interested in a high grade comic. I said "no, I already bought a book,but thanks" and he asked which one? I told him and his response to me was...

 

"why would you even waste money on a book like that? If it's not high grade, its not even worth anything"

 

Will never buy anything from him again, and nor will anyone I know.

No way! I've talked to Jamie a bunch, and he's never said anything even remotely like that. Even though I haven't bought much from him, he remembers me at every show and says hi.

 

I am incredibly handsome though...maybe he just likes my wiggle.

[DeadpoolJr.]

When I was about 21 or so, still in college working a part time job, I managed to save up $200 for a Green Lantern 76 CGC 3.5. I bought it at a comicon and was just browsing the comic books, and Jaime Graham asked if I was interested in a high grade comic. I said "no, I already bought a book,but thanks" and he asked which one? I told him and his response to me was...

 

"why would you even waste money on a book like that? If it's not high grade, its not even worth anything"

 

Will never buy anything from him again, and nor will anyone I know.

That really sucks man.

[cheetah]

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.

 

Yeah, but I don't think any of us would ever say that. Between the three of us, at least one of us probably collects it, too.

 

CG has the reverse condescension thing going on. If you actually have a passion for collecting comics, you are seen as some sort of puppet for CGC or a patsy for dealers trying to steal other people's money. Heaven forbid you should actually enjoy the Registry and put any effort into it. Totally verboten on CG.

[DiceX]

Last year at WWChicago, I bought a hundred or a hundred and fifty in bargain bin books from Bob Storms. His 12 year old daughter/niece mocked me mercilessly, saying "maybe if you quit buying bargain bin books and save your bread, next year you can buy from the big boy side of the display."

 

I'm absolutely stunned!

Bob Storms has a "bargain bin?"

 

 

[DeadpoolJr.]

I've been lucky though i've never had a dealer at a show give me the cold shoulder or insult what I bought. Then again the only actual Con I ever went to was NYCC 08.

[COI]

Last year at WWChicago, I bought a hundred or a hundred and fifty in bargain bin books from Bob Storms. His 12 year old daughter/niece mocked me mercilessly, saying "maybe if you quit buying bargain bin books and save your bread, next year you can buy from the big boy side of the display."

 

I'm absolutely stunned!

Bob Storms has a "bargain bin?"

 

 

That's where he puts his DCs.

[seanfingh]

Last year at WWChicago, I bought a hundred or a hundred and fifty in bargain bin books from Bob Storms. His 12 year old daughter/niece mocked me mercilessly, saying "maybe if you quit buying bargain bin books and save your bread, next year you can buy from the big boy side of the display."

 

I'm absolutely stunned!

Bob Storms has a "bargain bin?"

 

 

It was all Copper and all spectacular. The 12 year old was charming and polite. It was Storms who mocked me.

[VintageComics]

Last year at WWChicago, I bought a hundred or a hundred and fifty in bargain bin books from Bob Storms. His 12 year old daughter/niece mocked me mercilessly, saying "maybe if you quit buying bargain bin books and save your bread, next year you can buy from the big boy side of the display."

 

I'm absolutely stunned!

Bob Storms has a "bargain bin?"

 

 

It was all Copper and all spectacular. The 12 year old was charming and polite. It was Storms who mocked me.

 

That's Holly, Bob's daughter. Guaranteed she was busy twittering about the lifelike leprechaun standing across from her at the booth.

[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.

 

Yeah, but I don't think any of us would ever say that. Between the three of us, at least one of us probably collects it, too.

 

CG has the reverse condescension thing going on. If you actually have a passion for collecting comics, you are seen as some sort of puppet for CGC or a patsy for dealers trying to steal other people's money. Heaven forbid you should actually enjoy the Registry and put any effort into it. Totally verboten on CG.

 

I just made a registry joke like an hour ago.

 

I think for some people, the registry is associated, however loosely, with label chasing, which is related to certain buying and selling activities those people may be averse to (like pressing). Doesn't make it right, though. Joking aside, I recognize that collecting at least in part to build up one's registry isn't any less valid than any other reason to collect.

[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.

 

 

 

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

 

Yeah, but I don't think any of us would ever say that. Between the three of us, at least one of us probably collects it, too.

 

CG has the reverse condescension thing going on. If you actually have a passion for collecting comics, you are seen as some sort of puppet for CGC or a patsy for dealers trying to steal other people's money. Heaven forbid you should actually enjoy the Registry and put any effort into it. Totally verboten on CG.

 

I just made a registry joke like an hour ago.

 

I think for some people, the registry is associated, however loosely, with label chasing, which is related to certain buying and selling activities those people may be averse to (like pressing). Doesn't make it right, though. Joking aside, I recognize that collecting at least in part to build up one's registry isn't any less valid than any other reason to collect.

The Registry cracks me up! I love being an elitist anti-elitist.

[DiceX]

Last year at WWChicago, I bought a hundred or a hundred and fifty in bargain bin books from Bob Storms. His 12 year old daughter/niece mocked me mercilessly, saying "maybe if you quit buying bargain bin books and save your bread, next year you can buy from the big boy side of the display."

 

I'm absolutely stunned!

Bob Storms has a "bargain bin?"

 

 

It was all Copper and all spectacular. The 12 year old was charming and polite. It was Storms who mocked me.

 

That's Holly, Bob's daughter. Guaranteed she was busy twittering about the lifelike leprechaun at standing across from her at the booth.

 

Bob has...reproduced? Say it ain't so, man!

 

 

[DiceX]

Last year at WWChicago, I bought a hundred or a hundred and fifty in bargain bin books from Bob Storms. His 12 year old daughter/niece mocked me mercilessly, saying "maybe if you quit buying bargain bin books and save your bread, next year you can buy from the big boy side of the display."

 

I'm absolutely stunned!

Bob Storms has a "bargain bin?"

 

 

It was all Copper and all spectacular. The 12 year old was charming and polite. It was Storms who mocked me.

 

 

 

[Prince Namor]

I'm thankful there's nothing in this hobby I want bad enough to put up with somebody being a to me.

[DiceX]

I'm thankful there's nothing in this hobby I want bad enough to put up with somebody being a to me.

 

Nerd

 

 

[Duffman_Comics]

This is an interesting topic - and one that I have a story to contribute.

 

I have not related this tale before, and while I regret I cannot "Name Names" (the reasons will be clear) I think the outcome was a "teaching point" for the dealers involved.

 

My first San Diego Comic Convention was in 1989, at the Omni Hotel. I was attending with a friend who was quite "pally" with a lot of the regulars and we were attending the dealer set-up the eve of the Convention proper (I think it was a Thursday).

 

Anyway, things were going well and I was enjoying myself. Some pros were wandering around and I was just generally geeking out.

 

Well, one thing led to another and one of the dealers asked to see my "Want List".

 

As a rule, I loathe handing it over as it gives the seller too great an edge in any negotiations. S/he knows I need it and I am on the back foot immediately in any price discussions.

 

My reluctance was suddenly rendered moot, as the dealer grabbed the manila folder containing the want list and proceeded to peruse it. He then started laughing and brought a couple of other dealers over to have a good look at what I required. They also had a good giggle.

 

He handed the list back and ventured the opinion that I had a *spoon* collection.

 

Now the French have an expression "l'esprit de l'escalier". In English, the literal translation is "staircase wit", but as a French expression it derives its meaning from realising what one should have said at the time - but only realised it "on the stairs" i.e. way after the event.

 

This is what usually happens to me. Not this time though.

 

I quietly handed the list back to the dismissive dealer and asked him to look again.

 

This time, I said, look for the popular and collectible titles that are not listed.

 

It took a little while and a fair bit of leafing through "the list" until he realised that when a title didn't appear, it actually meant I had all of that run.

 

And I had a lot of runs.

 

All the colour drained from his face and he was suddenly stuck for words as he handed the list back.

 

Needless to say, he spent a lot of the next few days alternately sucking up and avoiding me.

 

Similarly, he got nothing from me.

 

Footnote:

 

I wish I could remember the names involved but, alas, I didn't take notes.

[seanfingh]

This is an interesting topic - and one that I have a story to contribute.

 

I have not related this tale before, and while I regret I cannot "Name Names" (the reasons will be clear) I think the outcome was a "teaching point" for the dealers involved.

 

My first San Diego Comic Convention was in 1989, at the Omni Hotel. I was attending with a friend who was quite "pally" with a lot of the regulars and we were attending the dealer set-up the eve of the Convention proper (I think it was a Thursday).

 

Anyway, things were going well and I was enjoying myself. Some pros were wandering around and I was just generally geeking out.

 

Well, one thing led to another and one of the dealers asked to see my "Want List".

 

As a rule, I loathe handing it over as it gives the seller too great an edge in any negotiations. S/he knows I need it and I am on the back foot immediately in any price discussions.

 

My reluctance was suddenly rendered moot, as the dealer grabbed the manila folder containing the want list and proceeded to peruse it. He then started laughing and brought a couple of other dealers over to have a good look at what I required. They also had a good giggle.

 

He handed the list back and ventured the opinion that I had a *spoon* collection.

 

Now the French have an expression "l'esprit de l'escalier". In English, the literal translation is "staircase wit", but as a French expression it derives its meaning from realising what one should have said at the time - but only realised it "on the stairs" i.e. way after the event.

 

This is what usually happens to me. Not this time though.

 

I quietly handed the list back to the dismissive dealer and asked him to look again.

 

This time, I said, look for the popular and collectible titles that are not listed.

 

It took a little while and a fair bit of leafing through "the list" until he realised that when a title didn't appear, it actually meant I had all of that run.

 

And I had a lot of runs.

 

All the colour drained from his face and he was suddenly stuck for words as he handed the list back.

 

Needless to say, he spent a lot of the next few days alternately sucking up and avoiding me.

 

Similarly, he got nothing from me.

 

Footnote:

 

I wish I could remember the names involved but, alas, I didn't take notes.

 

In his face!

[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.

 

Yeah, but I don't think any of us would ever say that. Between the three of us, at least one of us probably collects it, too.

 

CG has the reverse condescension thing going on. If you actually have a passion for collecting comics, you are seen as some sort of puppet for CGC or a patsy for dealers trying to steal other people's money. Heaven forbid you should actually enjoy the Registry and put any effort into it. Totally verboten on CG.

 

It was the sentiment involved and not the people.

 

CG has many, many issues. CG's motto should be bring me your unwashed, uncouth and unfunny.