Do dealers, or private sellers who are d**k's (w/attitude or price) prevent u...

[Koa]

You should have reenacted that scene from Pretty Woman where she asks the people working in the store if they worked on commission, after turning her away, then wave the artwork you bought in his face and just say "Big Mistake."

 

Believe me, he found out it was a big mistake within a day. He really regretted selling it to that other guy. Same dealer a year later was trying to sell a Ditko Dr Strange splash to a friend of mine (he didn't know we were friends). My friend wanted it but had to come get me to lend him the money for it because he didn't have it on him at that moment. You should have seen the dealers face when he saw it was me doling out the cash. Not to mention how many "big deals" he was only able to make because I advised the person he was selling to without the dealer knowing.

 

I wound up buying a bunch of art from him over the years after that and even helped him make a deal to buy someone's collection. Funny thing is I'd bet if I saw him at a show today and asked about a "big" piece he'd give me the same look and disregard me again. it's just in some people's personality to be that way.

 

Oh, and it's not Steve Donnelly or Rich for that matter. For those of you complaining about half stories, lets see you cough up some stories. Half or whole.

 

 

What made this guy insult you?

[theflashunc]

Um, duh.

 

Of course. Who wants to buy from someone who's going to treat you like dirt?

 

 

[Kevin76]

Not me, I have bulletproof emotions, so if the guy is being a jerk, it doesn't bother me. Goes in one ear and out the other, I'm not there to be his friend, I'm there to get what I want.

[comix4fun]

Not me, I have bulletproof emotions, so if the guy is being a jerk, it doesn't bother me. Goes in one ear and out the other, I'm not there to be his friend, I'm there to get what I want.

 

 

But the joy comes in denying him what HE wants.

[CollectingFool]

What made this guy insult you?

 

He's an elitist who thinks he's smarter than he actually is. Not a bad guy, just some bad personality traits.

 

 

[Terry Doyle]

Not me, I have bulletproof emotions, so if the guy is being a jerk, it doesn't bother me. Goes in one ear and out the other, I'm not there to be his friend, I'm there to get what I want.

 

 

But the joy comes in denying him what HE wants.

 

That's actually quite true.

 

Some years ago a dealer had a Sgt. Fury cover that I quite liked. I already owned a twice-up cover from the same title, but preferred the dealer's example. I asked if he might be interested in a trade (both Fury covers were of similar vintage) and, to make it worth his while, offered to include a few extras (one of which, if memory serves me right, was a 1970s Sienkiewicz Moon Knight cover).

 

The dealer said no, as he claimed his Sgt. Fury cover was already spoken for.

 

A few weeks later, I posted an 'Art Day' message on comicart-l, in which I talked about some John Romita ASM pages I'd just obtained (I was having a bit of fun, here, as the Romita pages were already promised to Mike Burkey - for whom I'd specifically acquired them).

 

A number of PMs quickly reached me, asking if I'd be willing to sell or trade the ASM pages.

 

Interestingly, one of the guys who contacted me was the dealer with the Sgt. Fury cover I'd tried to pursue. He now told me that he could do a trade against the Romita art. Can't remember my exact response, but the gist of it was that I found it surprising that he would now be ready and willing to trade me a cover that he'd recently told me was already spoken for!

 

I received some really tempting trade offers (including a Ditko ASM page with Spidey in costume), but as I'd promised the pages to Mike - I did the honourable thing.

 

Although the dealer in question appears to have a good reputation, this one experience with him made me cross him of my list of people I'd want to do business with

[kbmcvay]

Yes. There is one dealer I will not do business with anymore. I had a few bad dealings with him. I bought some Coipel Legion art from him and he sent me some, but not all of the pieces I had paid for. On another occasion I bought a Perez Avengers page from him and then after I paid he told me that page was no longer in his collection and it was a mistake, so I picked something else for the same price (I later got the original page I paid for from somebody else). I inquired about some Perez Brave & The Bold pages which hadn't gone on sale on his website yet. He told me he doesn't engage in discussions about art until they are listed on his website. A year or so later when Legion of Three Worlds came out I asked when the pages would go onsale. He said he had sold them all and they would never be listed (since this contradicted what he told me on the Brave & Bold pages I vowed never to do business with him again).

 

Every other dealer I've bought art from has always been a smooth process.

[crestofawavw-migration]

...from making a purchase you would have liked to? The answer for me is a loud yes. I did it once, and every time I looked at the art, the negative memories of the deal nullified the appreciation I had of the art. I got so disgusted I finally sold the piece.

 

I always walk away when the deal starts going sour. Somehing else is always bound to come along.

[Crows]

There is an artist on ebay I have purchased several sketches from. Throughout this time I have sent him 3 messages asking a simple question, and he has never responded. To me it just proves that he makes enough money without me to care. So im done with him.

[Citizenvain]

There is an artist on ebay I have purchased several sketches from. Throughout this time I have sent him 3 messages asking a simple question, and he has never responded. To me it just proves that he makes enough money without me to care. So im done with him.

 

That sort of thing makes the creators who take the time to respond really stand out.

 

Matt Wagner and Mark Chiarello had the courtesy to tell me they didn’t have what I inquired about. Brian Wood was kind enough to respond and let me know the piece was digital and didn't exist.

 

If great creators like these can make an effort so can the rest.

[Pete Marino]

There is an artist on ebay I have purchased several sketches from. Throughout this time I have sent him 3 messages asking a simple question, and he has never responded. To me it just proves that he makes enough money without me to care. So im done with him.

 

That sort of thing makes the creators who take the time to respond really stand out.

 

Matt Wagner and Mark Chiarello had the courtesy to tell me they didn’t have what I inquired about. Brian Wood was kind enough to respond and let me know the piece was digital and didn't exist.

 

If great creators like these can make an effort so can the rest.

 

I'll just say IMO.

 

Creators are people too. They're not some sort of genetically engineered comic book generation machine with fully automated fanboy happiness response systems.

 

Some do go out of their way for the fans. Some are recluses that really hate any attention, much less unnecessary interaction. Some are arrogant bastards. Some like coke. Some like Mountain Dew.

 

Like the rest of the world, on average most are fairly nice people. It's the 1% that people complain about, and sometimes they're really talented, and because of that some people put up with very poor behavior.

[mister_not_so_nice]

Seller, buyer, fellow collector, dealer, it doesn't matter. If they're a *insert term here* I just won't bother with them.

 

There is an art rep for an artist I love, but for whatever reason I just get a bad vibe from the guy. Just the feeling I get after exchanging several emails with him and seeing how he does business. He's had a few pieces that in anyone else's hand I wold have been wracking my brain figuring out a way to get the cash. When I see he listed it I'm not as enthused. (no names since he seems to have a good reputation and I've never seen a bad word about him on the boards/ComicArt-L)

 

There are also other "collectors" that I won't buy a piece from if it's offered to me. I've seen their revolving door colection tactics long enough to know that the page I am being offered is at a premium price (these types typically overpay so they can say they own the piece and get the ego stroke) then they try to sell at an over-paid price plus a little extra. Waitig these guys out ussually finds the piece on eBay/CLink within a few months. At first with the standard high reserve, then later with no reserve.

 

Too many nice people in the hobby to give the dregs my support/business.

 

[Meeley Man]

Seller, buyer, fellow collector, dealer, it doesn't matter. If they're a *insert term here* I just won't bother with them.

 

There is an art rep for an artist I love, but for whatever reason I just get a bad vibe from the guy. Just the feeling I get after exchanging several emails with him and seeing how he does business. He's had a few pieces that in anyone else's hand I wold have been wracking my brain figuring out a way to get the cash. When I see he listed it I'm not as enthused. (no names since he seems to have a good reputation and I've never seen a bad word about him on the boards/ComicArt-L)

 

Well, if you can't say who it is, could you tell us the pieces they have that you'd otherwise get?

[jjonahjameson1]

Yes. There is one dealer I will not do business with anymore. I had a few bad dealings with him. I bought some Coipel Legion art from him and he sent me some, but not all of the pieces I had paid for. On another occasion I bought a Perez Avengers page from him and then after I paid he told me that page was no longer in his collection and it was a mistake, so I picked something else for the same price (I later got the original page I paid for from somebody else). I inquired about some Perez Brave & The Bold pages which hadn't gone on sale on his website yet. He told me he doesn't engage in discussions about art until they are listed on his website. A year or so later when Legion of Three Worlds came out I asked when the pages would go onsale. He said he had sold them all and they would never be listed (since this contradicted what he told me on the Brave & Bold pages I vowed never to do business with him again).

 

Every other dealer I've bought art from has always been a smooth process.

 

Reading your email made it very easy to identify the dealer so I made him aware of your post and asked him if he would be willing to respond. This is what he had to say ...

 

In response to Mr. McVay's post ... I will out myself. He is referring to me ... Spencer Beck / The Artist's Choice.

 

However, Although I do not like to respond to posts on message boards as you can never tell inflection nor can you have a discussion that won't takes hours which I do not have to spare ... every once in a while I see one that makes me laugh and I feel the record needs to be set straight.

I am going to break down his email one point at a time. My response will be in all caps NOT to be Internet yelling, but simply to separate his comments from mine

 

1) Yes. There is one dealer I will not do business with anymore. I had a few bad dealings with him. THAT WOULD BE ME

 

2) I bought some Coipel Legion art from him and he sent me some, but not all of the pieces I had paid for. On another occasion I bought a Perez Avengers page from him and then after I paid he told me that page was no longer in his collection and it was a mistake, ALTHOUGH I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF THESE SPECIFIC TRANSACTIONS ... WHAT HE IS SAYING IS THAT I MADE AN ERROR, TWICE. THE REAL QUESTION IS, WAS I NOTIFIED & DID I ATTEMPT TO MAKE IT RIGHT? LAST TIME I CHECKED I WAS HUMAN AND SUBJECT TO MAKING MISTAKES JUST LIKE ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS ... IF I TRIED TO MAKE IT RIGHT AS BEST AS I COULD, THAT IS WHAT MATTERS MOST. THERE IS NOT A COLLECTOR, DEALER OR PERSON AMONG US THAT HAS NOT MADE AN ERROR AT THEIR JOB ON AT LEAST ONE OR MORE OCCASIONS. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT A RELIGIOUS PERSON, I BELIEVE THERE IS A STATEMENT IN THE BIBLE SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF "LET ANY ONE OF YOU WHO IS WITHOUT SIN BE THE FIRST TO THROW A STONE" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. YES, I MADE AN ERROR. ONE THAT I AM SURE WAS QUITE ANNOYING. I AM HUMAN AND ALL I CAN DO IS MY BEST TO CORRECT IT AS EFFECTIVELY AS I CAN.

SINCE THESE ARE ONE OF A KIND ITEMS, THERE IS NO WAY TO MAKE IT PERFECT. I MUST AT LEAST TRY TO MAKE THE CUSTOMER HAPPY WHICH I AM SURE I DID. I AM SURE I APOLOGIZED. IF I DID NOT, LET ME APOLOGIZE HERE AND NOW ... I AM SORRY IF MY ERROR CAUSED ANY UNDO DISAPPOINTMENT OR HARDSHIP. CLEARLY THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION.

 

3) I inquired about some Perez Brave & The Bold pages which hadn't gone on sale on his website yet. He told me he doesn't engage in discussions about art until they are listed on his website. I AM SURE WHAT I SAID IS THAT I DO NOT GIVE OUT PRICES FOR ARTWORK BEFORE I LIST THEM AS THAT IS MY USUAL AND COMMON RESPONSE TO THAT QUESTION. THE ONLY WAY I EVER SELL SOMETHING BEFORE IT IS LISTED IS IF THE POTENTIAL CUSTOMER MAKES THE ARTIST(S) AN OFFER THAT IS SO RIDICULOUS, THAT THE ARTIST SAYS SELL THEM THE DAMN ARTWORK BEFORE HE OR SHE CHANGES THEIR MIND. IN THOSE CASES I DO SELL THE ARTWORK AND WOULD BE A FOOLISH BUSINESS PERSON NOT TO.

 

4) A year or so later when Legion of Three Worlds came out I asked when the pages would go onsale. He said he had sold them all and they would never be listed - I AM SURE THIS IS A MISCOMMUNICATION OF SOME SORT AS THIS IS NOT TRUE AT ALL. EVERY SINGLE PAGE AND THE COVER TO ISSUE ONE WAS LISTED ON THE WEBSITE TO BE SOLD FIRST COME FIRST SERVE. I SOLD ABOUT 8 OR 9 PAGES TO VARIOUS BUYERS BEFORE ONE BUYER CAME IN AND BOUGHT ALL OF THE REST OF THE PAGES AND THE COVER. THIS SAME BUYER CAME BACK TO ME AND MADE ME A RIDICULOUS OFFER, SIGHT UNSEEN, TO BUY ALL OF THE REST OF THE ARTWORK ( ANY COVERS, INTERIORS AND/OR PROMOTIONAL ARTWORK ) AND OFFERED TO PREPAY FOR ALL OF IT EVEN BEFORE IT WAS DRAWN. AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ARTIST AND AS A BUSINESSMAN ... AM I SUPPOSED TO TURN DOWN A GUARANTEED, NO CHANCE OF LOSING OFFER OF RIDICULOUS PROPORTION SO THAT MAYBE I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SELL MOST OR ALL OF THE REST OF THE PAGES ONE PAGE AT A TIME FOR NOT FOR AS MUCH MONEY AS I WAS OFFERED? I WOULD HAVE BEEN REMISS IN MY REPRESENTATION OF MR. PEREZ IF I DID NOT ACCEPT SUCH A LARGE OFFER WITH THE PREPAYMENT GUARANTEES.

 

I HOPE THIS CLEARS THINGS UP A BIT.

I AM NOT THE MONSTER I AM ALWAYS MADE OUT TO BE.

I WOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS FOR 27 YEARS WITH THE LARGEST CLIENT BASE IN THE INDUSTRY IF I WAS.

AS THE OLD SAYING GOES, THERE ARE THREE SIDES TO EVERY STORY, YOURS, THEIRS AND THE TRUTH.

 

YES, I ADMIT, I AM NOT PERFECT.

NEVER SAID I WAS.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN PERFECTION, NOR HEARD OF IT.

I GUESS I AM JUST LEFT BEING A FAULTY HUMAN BEING WHO OCCASIONALLY MAKES MISTAKES LIKE EVERYONE ELSE DOES.

 

REGARDLESS OF WHAT RESPONSES THIS POST INCITES, I WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO ANY OF THEM. SORRY

 

RESPECTFULLY,

Spencer R. Beck

The Artist's Choice

www.theartistschoice.com

[dgarthwaite-migration]

 

DG

[CGCboy]

Review I wrote for EarthWorld Comics in Albany, NY on Yelp.com

 

Full Review Here;

http://therealhustruck.wordpress.com/

 

WORST STORE EVER

EarthWolrd OWNER JC is RUDE & DISRESPECTFUL

SOLD ME A KEY BOOK WITH MISSING PAGES

JUST GO ONLINE ITS CHEAPER

 

I went into EarthWorld Comics on multiple occasions from 10/14/2013 - 11/1/2013, and spent over $2000. On one visit I spent $1400, and on the second I spent $650. I purchased ANY Silver Age Key issue he had.

 

Thinking there was nothing wrong with the Comic Books, I left EarthWorld Comics and started reading the Amazing Spiderman issue #11. Working my way up through all the titles I purchased.

 

About 3 weeks after I was cataloging my entire collection, not just Comic Books, for insurance purposes. I decided to make a PDF file and organize all my books in Alpha-Numeric order with grades as well.

 

On 11/14/2013, Since I do not consider myself an expert grader, I brought in 12 of the books to EarthWorld Comics that I purchased from Owner JC personally so he could help me grade them. HE FLAT OUT REFUSED ME and insisted I do it myself.

 

Upon grading them myself, I finally reached the Amazing Spiderman issue #47, after days, since I had to give my self a crash course in grading. I have a very busy life so I dont sit and read Comic Books all day, otherwise I would have noticed issue #47 of the Amazing Spiderman had missing pages and loose pages. When I reached issue #47, I noticed pages 3 and 4 were missing, also pages 14 and 15 were not attached to the book. I was sure if I brought it back to EarthWorld Comics the Owner JC woukd just let me take another book that had a $35.00 price tag on it. Honest mistake, people make them all the time I thought to myself.

 

On 11/20/2013, I went to EarthWorld Comics with the Incomplete Issue #47 of the Amazing Spiderman. Immediately, Owner JC denied it was ever his book. "That's not my book!", Was his reply without even a pause after I said it was incomplete. I assured him it was his book as I have not purchased any comic books from anywhere else since then. He was obstinate and continued saying "Once you buy it it's yours. It's been 3 weeks, how do I know?". He then walked away from the counter and started digging through books. I stood there for about 15 seconds in confusion.

 

I then looked over at him and said "Are you calling me a liar? Because I can assure you that this is your book. You sold it to me. If I was trying to pull something here, I would have come with a price tag of $250, not $35." He walked back to the counter and actually took a look at the book he was so sure wasn't his.

 

After seeing the missing pages and loose pages he said, "I would never sell something like this. I would have noticed something like this". After arguing with him for about 10 mins, he finally said "Fine, I'll give you $15 store credit that's it.".

 

I replied "Your not being fair, you could easily exchange this out for me because you know I am not lying to you. This has a $35 price tag on it, I should get something of equal value. I think that is fair."

 

He replied "Fine, I'll give you $15 cash, final offer. Take it or leave it! Why should I give you anything more?" While he said take it or leave it, he slammed his hand down on the counter. I didn't think much of it. But I did not think he would get violent either!

 

I said to him "JC, it's not about the money, it's about the principal. I am not trying to pull any funny business, I just want something of equal value because that is fair! ITS ABOUT GOOD BUSINESS!". He barely let me talk, talking over me so I had to repeat every word multiple times. Openly being rude, aggressive, and disrespectful.

 

He then reached over the counter and grabbed the Comic Book, that I was holding in my hand! He gave a tug and said "Give me the book!". Then he gave a second pulled so hard the comic ripped right out of my hands while he said loudly "GIVE ME THE DAMN BOOK!". He took the comic and threw it very hard on the floor behind him, making a big rattle in the process.

 

I said "What the hell are you doing?!? Give me my book back!". He reached in his pocket and put $35 on the table. I said "It's not about the money, I dont even want to do business with someone who would treat me like that! Just give me my book back, I don't want your money!"

 

He replied "I don't EVER want to see you in my store EVER again! Get out of my store NOW or I will call the cops on you!". He said this to me, for trying to exchange an incomplete book that he sold me worth only $35! What kind of person does that.

 

I did not want anything more to do with Earthworld Comics or the Owner JC, so I took the $35 he put on the table and said while I walked out "WOW, I can't believe thst just happened!" I really wanted to leave the money on the table, but giving that man another penny would not sit right with me.

 

I finally understand why everyone told me to not shop there. Honestly just go online its MUCH CHEAPER.

There are also many local dealers without store fronts with much better prices.

 

[kbmcvay]

Spencer,

 

Your response was hilarious. Thanks for the laughs. The bottom line is as a paying customer I expect consistency in procedures and policies. Your response about Legion of Three Worlds is a flat out lie. I visited your website daily and the entire issue 1 never showed up. The only pages you ever had were up there from that issue were the first 3 pages that didn't contain any Legion characters at all. The saddest thing is I honestly think you believe what you wrote. Also, when a person buys something they expect to receive the items they bought correctly and promptly. In the business world "I'm human," doesn't cut the mustard, at least to me. The bottom line is I wouldn't buy anything from you again even if somebody held a gun to my head.

[comix4fun]

Spencer,

 

Your response was hilarious. Thanks for the laughs. The bottom line is as a paying customer I expect consistency in procedures and policies. Your response about Legion of Three Worlds is a flat out lie. I visited your website daily and the entire issue 1 never showed up. The only pages you ever had were up there from that issue were the first 3 pages that didn't contain any Legion characters at all. The saddest thing is I honestly think you believe what you wrote. Also, when a person buys something they expect to receive the items they bought correctly and promptly. In the business world "I'm human," doesn't cut the mustard, at least to me. The bottom line is I wouldn't buy anything from you again even if somebody held a gun to my head.

 

 

I think you're probably doing Spencer a favor.

[kbmcvay]

Spencer,

 

Your response was hilarious. Thanks for the laughs. The bottom line is as a paying customer I expect consistency in procedures and policies. Your response about Legion of Three Worlds is a flat out lie. I visited your website daily and the entire issue 1 never showed up. The only pages you ever had were up there from that issue were the first 3 pages that didn't contain any Legion characters at all. The saddest thing is I honestly think you believe what you wrote. Also, when a person buys something they expect to receive the items they bought correctly and promptly. In the business world "I'm human," doesn't cut the mustard, at least to me. The bottom line is I wouldn't buy anything from you again even if somebody held a gun to my head.

 

 

I think you're probably doing Spencer a favor.

 

Great. Everybody wins then.

[comix4fun]

Spencer,

 

Your response was hilarious. Thanks for the laughs. The bottom line is as a paying customer I expect consistency in procedures and policies. Your response about Legion of Three Worlds is a flat out lie. I visited your website daily and the entire issue 1 never showed up. The only pages you ever had were up there from that issue were the first 3 pages that didn't contain any Legion characters at all. The saddest thing is I honestly think you believe what you wrote. Also, when a person buys something they expect to receive the items they bought correctly and promptly. In the business world "I'm human," doesn't cut the mustard, at least to me. The bottom line is I wouldn't buy anything from you again even if somebody held a gun to my head.

 

 

I think you're probably doing Spencer a favor.

 

Great. Everybody wins then.

 

 

It's better when people who can't agree don't continue to try.