SDCC Books arrived

[meshuggah]

Not what I was expecting

 

As I sit here at work, my wife emailed me to tell me my books arrived. I know theres no way I can wait until I'm home to know, so I ask her to open the box and tell me the grades. Before I tell you I'll take a step back and give you some back story on this order.

 

I sent off 3 books to Desert Wind for SDCC. Those books were the Walking Dead 48, 100 Chromium cover and Avengers 500 Directors cut. To be signed by Kirkman and Bendis. I sent them in on fast track as well. So about 2 weeks after the con I call CGC to check the status of my books. At this time they don't have the order, which is a little weird to me. I try not to worry and wait a week or so more before inquiring again. Now they have my order but its only 2 books, Avengers and Walking Dead 48. Now I'm worried. I email the guys at DWC and have to wait a little while for a reply as they were at a show. They inform me that CGC ran the Kirkman signing and had all the books. They said a few orders were messed up, mine included. They've told me that CGC will send me a 9.8 copy signed by both Kirkman and Adlard at no charge. I'm still waiting to hear back about the timing and shipping details on this but it more than makes up for the gaff. I do believe the book I sent was an excellent 9.9 candidate but who knows, probably not.

 

Now after all that my 2 books that did make it to CGC have arrived home. My thoughts when sending these off was that WD 48 was an easy 9.8 if not higher. Its in even better condition than the 33 I sent in a while ago that is a 9.8. The Avengers I figure is a 9.6. Boy was I wrong. My wife wrote back with WD - 9.0 and Avengers 9.2. I wrote her back hoping that was a typo. Nope. My heart sank and now as I sit here writing this I just wonder what happened to my books.

 

I understand theres a lot of hands involved in making something like these signings go smooth. But I've sent things to DWC before and never had a problem. Same with CGC. I believe them to all be very professional and understanding of how to care for your books. I don't want to seem like I'm calling out someone, but this is frustrating. This has really crushed my mood for today, which is even new comic book day. My excitement for that is now at 0.

 

I know its not the end of the world. I just wish I had answers. I will be checking the graders notes later today to see what that may show. Thanks for letting me vent my frustration.

 

See more journals by meshuggah

[GamingEtc-migration]

Do you make signing templates for SS books? I have a specific way I do this similar but maybe slightly different than other boardies I've seen post. Basically I take a backing board and cut a signature slot in it and then put it inside a bagged and boarded comic so the book has a board in the front and back like a sandwich with a slot cut in the front board for the signing. I then cut a corresponding slot in the front of the bag around the slot cut in the board so the book can be signed without ever being taken out of the bag. I then put the whole thing inside another uncut bag to protect the exposed part of the book the slot creates. This way when I mail my book off it can be signed and never removed/handled until it gets to CGC for grading. I have done this with every signature submission I've sent and they have all gotten their exact prescreened grade except one time I had an Avengers #1 that was screened as a 6.0 that got a 5.5, so still pretty dang close.

[meshuggah]

I've done it before but not everytime including this one. I will definitely start doing this every time from now on.

[mzhammer]

My most recent order just tanked in the grades, as well. I'm wondering if there are new graders that are totally harsh?!?! Biggest disappointment was Thanos Rising #1 Variant, an easy 9.8 or better in perfect condition.... Received a 9.2. So Sad....

[meshuggah]

Wow! DId you get the notes on it?

[Lee K]

Grades are very much all over the place on moderns.

 

I have heard a consipiracy theory that they are being harsher on flaws that could be pressed out, partly to drum up more books for their own pressing service.

 

More likely I think, is that they are seeing so many books that have been pressed that books that haven't been pressed look substantially less flat and crisp - and unpressed moderns are paying the price in lowered grades.

 

Of course - I could be talking out my spoon too - but they are possibilities that are unrelated to your books being mishandled. Although I think that many creators are better about handling books if you came to see them in person than if you used a service, whether DW or whoever, to deliver them to the creator in a group..

 

LeeK

[meshuggah]

Well I'm home now and can check out everything. First, theres no graders notes available for either book. Second, I see why they got the grades they did. Someone beat the c r a p out of these books. Both have huge dents on the bottom right corner that bends on both covers and the books. The WD also has about 10 spine creases including a couple that break color. The Avengers has a couple but I do know that some where there before. I seriously doubt this happened when I shipped them. I ship all my books the same. They are secured inbetween cardboard and in bags and boards themselves. I pack them in so that they cannot move. I'm not sure if pressing will save these either. But I will think about it. Now I will continue to work on finding out when I get this replacement book for the one they lost.

[seanfingh]

Well I'm home now and can check out everything. First, theres no graders notes available for either book. Second, I see why they got the grades they did. Someone beat the c r a p out of these books. Both have huge dents on the bottom right corner that bends on both covers and the books. The WD also has about 10 spine creases including a couple that break color. The Avengers has a couple but I do know that some where there before. I seriously doubt this happened when I shipped them. I ship all my books the same. They are secured inbetween cardboard and in bags and boards themselves. I pack them in so that they cannot move. I'm not sure if pressing will save these either. But I will think about it. Now I will continue to work on finding out when I get this replacement book for the one they lost.

 

Meshuggah,

 

First off, I am sorry that there was some damage to your books. The way that you need to prep and ship books for SS is different than the way you prep books for long term storage in your collection. One board and a polybag may work great for storage at home, but you have to assume that there is going to be a lot of shuffling around of the books and a lot of different people handling them at different times. Here is a link that shows good methods for window bag prep.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=5482767#Post5482767

 

I hope that you don't let this sour you on SS. Just remember - your book can never be too secure. The little extra that you spend on a couple of extra boards and an outer mylar can be the difference in keeping a 9.8.

 

--S.

[meshuggah]

Thanks Sean. I've done a window prep before and actually used the guide you linked to. Using it this time probably would've been smart. I haven't soured on DWC or CGC SS. It just seems like Murphy's Law got a hold of this order.

[kaholo1256]

That really does suck. On my three most recent submissions I have gotten punched in the gut pretty hard as far as grades. Right now I'm actually worried about my final submission as it has a group of comics that I really did think at the time were easy 9.8's or higher and each were the sketch variants which meant more money invested. After this one though I I'm going to go the route of pre-screenings for 9.8's. I don't know if it is because of the large amount of pressings being done or new graders being added but I will probably hold off on sending anything that isn't pre-screened or pressed from now on.

 

K

[newshane]

I'm very sorry to hear about your disappointing experience. I've been there.

 

I'm very new to the signature series process. I understand that the more people who handle my comics, the less chance I have of getting the desired grade. To take away the potential disappointment, I vowed to never send a comic off for signing unless I already own a CGC 9.8 blue label of the same comic. I don't have any comics signed unless they are "duplicates" in my collection. That way, if the yellow label comes back low, the disappointment is offset by the confidence that I already own an acceptable copy of the book in question.

 

At least you know the grades of your SDCC books. I can't get my facilitator to respond to my PMs and he seems to stay gone for weeks at a time.

 

Oh well...patience is a virtue.

 

Good luck in the future.

[meshuggah]

Shane - That is an excellent idea that I think I will adopt.

[surfer99]

The first signature I ever got was handing my 9.6 X-men 112 over to George Perez after CGC was kind enough to take it out of the slab. George grabbed it and folded it up a little as he was signing/sketching it...it came back a 9.4. So for that to happen to my book and only lose one grade tells me that your books must have been seriously manhandled. I learned my lesson after the first time and also prep all my books for sigs with double bags/boards and cutouts now. Glad to hear CGC agreed to at least give you a 9.8 copy of the one book.

 

As far as pressing goes, I just got back a Hulk 340 in 9.6SS after pressing that I thought for sure would be 9.2-9.4 so it paid off there. I also got back a Hulk 337 and 338 in 9.8SS that I did NOT have pressed so I guess it's just hit and miss.

 

 

[SW3D]

Dear M,

 

I feel your pain... and I am so sorry this experience did not go well for you.

 

Perhaps you should ask for a refund or something?

 

Whatever you do... keep your spirits up... better days are ahead!

 

SW3D