So, just got "reported to eBay"...

[slym2none]

Aw, shucks...

 

 

Do you want to block me as a bidder now?

 

::

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

This is the picture from the auction - yes, it is kinda fuzzy and I should know better. :: Do notice along the spine, there is a black line that runs all the way up it on the comic as printed - in this pic (the only one given) it gradually fades out of view on the FC and is almost totally gone by Angels' feet. Also note that in the "price box," there is absolutely no visible black line, and in the minute space above the price box, no black line.

 

 

Here is a scan of the front cover of the book I received. The black line is visible all the way up the spine, and to me, the most telling is that minute space above the price box - there is the black line, very visible. It actually gets thicker nearer the top of the book!

 

 

Back cover -

 

 

Definitely not a 9.0, and IMHO, not even the same book as advertised.

 

 

 

-slym

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

I know I can be a person_who_is_obnoxiously_self-impressed, but was this one of those times? Your opinions, please.

I think you need to take a break from your paper route and cool off.

 

[Hado]

There's a small nick in the top edge above the 'F' in "Factor"

 

Looks like its in the same spot.

[slym2none]

I know, it concerned me too, Hado... but look at the spine. I can see how the "fuzzy" pic might hide some things, but that spine is not the same.

 

 

 

-slym

[Hado]

I know, it concerned me too, Hado... but look at the spine. I can see how the "fuzzy" pic might hide some things, but that spine is not the same.

 

 

 

-slym

So if you take the your book and mimic the way the fuzzy picture's books pages are visible, does that change how the black line on the spine looks?

[maloney414]

No doubt. Not the same book.

[slym2none]

I know, it concerned me too, Hado... but look at the spine. I can see how the "fuzzy" pic might hide some things, but that spine is not the same.

So if you take the your book and mimic the way the fuzzy picture's books pages are visible, does that change how the black line on the spine looks?

 

If I do that, I create a wrinkle in the cover, and it still doesn't make the black line disappear. Plus, it doesn't lay like naturally, like in the eBay picture - I had to force a shift that reverted back to normal as soon as I let up on the pressure.

 

But good question, I had to pull the comic out and try.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym

[Hado]

I know, it concerned me too, Hado... but look at the spine. I can see how the "fuzzy" pic might hide some things, but that spine is not the same.

So if you take the your book and mimic the way the fuzzy picture's books pages are visible, does that change how the black line on the spine looks?

 

If I do that, I create a wrinkle in the cover, and it still doesn't make the black line disappear. But good question, I had to pull the comic out and try.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

 

-slym

Thanks Slym (thumbs u

 

The bottom staple looks really similar too.

 

If it is the same book or isn't, it is still overgraded.

[slym2none]

I have actually noticed a fair number of X-Factor 5's have a similar looking bottom staple. To cross-check, look at the top staple. It appears to stick out more from the book and is placed slightly higher on my scan.

 

 

 

-slym

[Buzzetta]

I was under the impression that X-Factor 6 was the book du jour of the moment. X-Factor 5 for the last page brief appearance?

[rjrjr]

No doubt. Not the same book.

 

It is the same book. Not only the nick, but the spine creases are in the same spots, the corners are rounded the same, etc. Whoever scanned it did a good job of turning up the brightness to hide the defects.

[slym2none]

I don't see it being the same book. The black line on the spine is all I need for proof. There is a black "box" around the Marvel 25th Anniversary logo, that isn't at all seen on the eBay picture. To make it disappear, I'd have to wrinkle the cover and it still doesn't completely disappear ; the open-side corners are much sharper in the eBay pic ; & the URHC doesn't lay the same way, either.

 

:shrug:

 

 

 

-slym

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

No doubt. Not the same book.

 

It is the same book. Not only the nick, but the spine creases are in the same spots, the corners are rounded the same, etc. Whoever scanned it did a good job of turning up the brightness to hide the defects.

[rjrjr]

I don't see it being the same book. The black line on the spine is all I need for proof. There is a black "box" around the Marvel 25th Anniversary logo, that isn't at all seen on the eBay picture. To make it disappear, I'd have to wrinkle the cover and it still doesn't completely disappear ; the open-side corners are much sharper in the eBay pic ; & the URHC doesn't lay the same way, either.

 

:shrug:

 

 

 

-slym

 

 

I see the same defects shown on the clear picture in the comic as in the blurry picture. Look at the heavy ticks on the clear picture and you can see them (slightly) on the blurry picture. As someone pointed out, the bump on the top is in both pictures. The cut of the cover is identical. The page fanning is identical. What are the odds he found a scan that looks exactly like his comic (defects, cut, page fanning) and sent another book? Seems unlikely to me.

 

On the other hand, playing with photo shop to lighten the spine and the rest of the book is easy enough to do to lessen the defects. And with the background, I can see some of the heavy black line disappearing while lightening the scan.

 

[rjrjr]

I don't see it being the same book. The black line on the spine is all I need for proof. There is a black "box" around the Marvel 25th Anniversary logo, that isn't at all seen on the eBay picture. To make it disappear, I'd have to wrinkle the cover and it still doesn't completely disappear ; the open-side corners are much sharper in the eBay pic ; & the URHC doesn't lay the same way, either.

 

:shrug:

 

 

 

-slym

 

 

I see the same defects shown on the clear picture in the comic as in the blurry picture. Look at the heavy ticks on the clear picture and you can see them (slightly) on the blurry picture. As someone pointed out, the bump on the top is in both pictures. The cut of the cover is identical. The page fanning is identical. What are the odds he found a scan that looks exactly like his comic (defects, cut, page fanning) and sent another book? Seems unlikely to me.

 

On the other hand, playing with photo shop to lighten the spine and the rest of the book is easy enough to do to lessen the defects. And with the background, I can see some of the heavy black line disappearing while lightening the scan.

 

 

And, with that said, since you have the book in hand, you would know better.

[slym2none]

The page fanning isn't identical. I guess you do have to have the book in hand.

 

 

No worries, either way. As Hado said, it was overgraded OWOTO, and I got my money back. I just wished it had gone down differently.

 

 

 

-slym

[slym2none]

Anyway, all's well that ends well. Really, I just wanted to get opinions on if I deserved to be "reported to eBay" over our emails. But yeah, I still think it isn't the same book.

 

::

 

 

 

-slym

[Jonesin4Comics]

Slym blocked (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

Wait, what?

[slym2none]

Awesome! I never knew having an actual problem with another eBayer would get me on so many peoples' blocked buyer list.

 

(thumbs u

 

 

 

-slym