2014 March Madness Comic Grading Tournament - Round of 128

[Norrin_Radd]

It wouldn't be a grading contest without sour grapes.

 

[DWL]

bighairjer advances!

 

I'll get the next round up in a separate thread within the next thirty minutes.

 

Here's the scan of the overtime CGC slab.

 

 

 

Good stuff! (thumbs u When I saw the scan for the book used for the tiebreaker yesterday I thought for sure both would guess 9.8 and we would need double overtime.

[Red84]

I'm happy that book was in the tournament so I could learn about how to grade a book with a major production defect. I find books with one major problem much more difficult to grade than a book with a bunch of small issues.

[Shark]

I'm happy that book was in the tournament so I could learn about how to grade a book with a major production defect. I find books with one major problem much more difficult to grade than a book with a bunch of small issues.

 

And I think therein lies one of the reasons why a book like that is included in this contest. Not only is this contest supposed to create fun and build comradery, it's supposed to be a learning experience as well. The day you stop learning is the day you're dead.

[Shadow]

Well, I went literal by OSPG on the Avengers. Thought it was a 4.0 due to the corner though overall a great looking book. The others I was closer on. Good luck to those who moved on and djpinkpanther!

[timfinz]

I'm happy that book was in the tournament so I could learn about how to grade a book with a major production defect. I find books with one major problem much more difficult to grade than a book with a bunch of small issues.

Not to open a can of worms, but okay, yeah a small can of worms.

 

This book may have gotten a 9.2 grade this time, but I wonder what would it get if we were to try and resubmit it a second time? Would it come back as a 9.4 but with a PLOD, trimmed?

[Collect0r]

I enjoyed participating; chalked this up to a learning experience. I was way off on the AVE and seems I am to harsh on mid and high grade books and generous on lower grade silver age. Best of luck to those remaining.

[trmoore54]

I enjoyed participating; chalked this up to a learning experience. I was way off on the AVE and seems I am to harsh on mid and high grade books and generous on lower grade silver age. Best of luck to those remaining.

 

Welcome to the boards...and board contests my friend! These are a LOT OF FUN! And of course, as a collector, important in developing and elevating one's grading skills...we've all had our struggles with these contests and in most cases, continue to do so. Best of luck in your collecting experience and, moving forward, grading contests!

 

t

[joe_collector]

It wouldn't be a grading contest without sour grapes.

 

Gee, I was counting down the minutes before some nerd posted this. Congrats, you lose.

 

I have already clearly stated that it was my fault I didn't make it to the next round, as I was in a hurry Monday night and mis-typed 9.0, instead of 8.0, after I entered 9.4 for the PPSSM and immediately sent it to get back to some course work. I screwed up, that's why I lost, totally my fault - clear?

 

But that doesn't have anything to do with my disdain for "tomato surprise" books that don't prove anything at all about your ability to grade books.

[joe_collector]

I think that a book like the Ave is always going to be tough to grade which is why I would put it into a tournament like this.

 

Actually, this is totally incorrect, and a book like Avengers 181 is incredibly easy to grade. It's either a 4-5 or 8.5-9.2. There is absolutely no wiggle room on that book, it's either A or B.

 

What's difficult is guessing (from a scan) whether the chunk out of the cover was production or damage, all without having the book in hand, and knowing that these are often judgement calls by CGC. After all no one really knows 100% what happened to that particular book - it could have had a small prod rip that turned into a missing chunk when it hit the store.

 

Without a time machine, it's pure guesswork, even by CGC.

 

If you guessed that right on how CGC interpreted the missing chunk, then grading the book was cake.

[1Cool]

It wouldn't be a grading contest without sour grapes.

 

Gee, I was counting down the minutes before some nerd posted this. Congrats, you lose.

 

And here I thought you were going to be a kinder and gentler JC after being off the boards for a while. Looks like your coming back grumpier than ever.

[joe_collector]

It wouldn't be a grading contest without sour grapes.

 

Gee, I was counting down the minutes before some nerd posted this. Congrats, you lose.

 

And here I thought you were going to be a kinder and gentler JC after being off the boards for a while. Looks like your coming back grumpier than ever.

 

A lot of people on here have a legitimate beef with these "tomato suprise" books, but when they discuss it in an open forum, there's always some lifeless tool screaming "sour grapes" as he scratches his massive gut and opens another bag of Doritos.

 

Seriously, this is supposed to be a fun little game, and I couldn't care less who wins or loses, I just don't like "tomato surprise" guess-questions that test nothing but your ability on a Ouija board.

 

For example, I have lots of scans of crazily graded books, bizarre defects that are ignored, internal flaws, etc., but what does that prove? That CGC is inconsistent as heck, but I still wouldn't put them in a grading contest just to "tomato surprise" people.

 

But that's me, and I have a pretty strict world view on ethics that a lot of people don't share.

[quadman78]

I think that a book like the Ave is always going to be tough to grade which is why I would put it into a tournament like this.

 

Actually, this is totally incorrect, and a book like Avengers 181 is incredibly easy to grade. It's either a 4-5 or 8.5-9.2. There is absolutely no wiggle room on that book, it's either A or B.

 

What's difficult is guessing (from a scan) whether the chunk out of the cover was production or damage, all without having the book in hand, and knowing that these are often judgement calls by CGC. After all no one really knows 100% what happened to that particular book - it could have had a small prod rip that turned into a missing chunk when it hit the store.

 

Without a time machine, it's pure guesswork, even by CGC.

 

If you guessed that right on how CGC interpreted the missing chunk, then grading the book was cake.

 

Ok, so it's an easy book to grade and you guessed wrong. That still doesn't mean it was as you keep referring to it as a "tomato surprise" book. You have no idea if the book was chosen for that reason. The organizers of this tournament might have been just as surprised as the rest of us that it came back 9.2.

It wouldn't be a grading contest without sour grapes.

 

Gee, I was counting down the minutes before some nerd posted this. Congrats, you lose.

 

And here I thought you were going to be a kinder and gentler JC after being off the boards for a while. Looks like your coming back grumpier than ever.

 

A lot of people on here have a legitimate beef with these "tomato suprise" books, but when they discuss it in an open forum, there's always some lifeless tool screaming "sour grapes" as he scratches his massive gut and opens another bag of Doritos.

 

Seriously, this is supposed to be a fun little game, and I couldn't care less who wins or loses, I just don't like "tomato surprise" guess-questions that test nothing but your ability on a Ouija board.

 

For example, I have lots of scans of crazily graded books, bizarre defects that are ignored, internal flaws, etc., but what does that prove? That CGC is inconsistent as heck, but I still wouldn't put them in a grading contest just to "tomato surprise" people.

 

But that's me, and I have a pretty strict world view on ethics that a lot of people don't share.

 

To call the ethics of the people running this is a real person_who_is_obnoxiously_self-impressed move. If your ethics were so high and mighty I doubt you would have spent multiple posts belittling someone else's hard work because you don't agree with the result. Bowing out gracefully and with class can be just as important as a strict ethic code that supersedes everyone else's.

[joe_collector]

Ok, so it's an easy book to grade and you guessed wrong.

 

Exactly, there were only really 5 potential grades to choose from, but with a huge swing between ranges. Easy to grade, assuming you guessed right when CGC trotted out the "Production Flaw Ouija Board".

 

If your ethics were so high and mighty I doubt you would have spent multiple posts belittling someone else's hard work because you don't agree with the result.

 

Hardly, and I am more standing up for people's rights to openly discuss this bizarre book without people like you belittling and insulting them with masked profanity.

 

And I don't care about the result (again, it was my fault I lost - I mistyped the X-Men grade because I rushed - I screwed up - clear?), I care about the process of selecting books.

 

And my "ethics" comments weren't to demean anyone, it simply meant that I personally would run the contest like Nik used to, with a pile of books I just had graded, and with no intent to "trick" or "weed out" contestants using "tomato surprise" books. Just an even-up grading contest. Is that so bad?

[Silver]

I don't have a problem with the Avengers book in general (I graded it a 7.0, so I got killed). I just think a book like that shouldn't have been in the first round. That would have been a great playoff book for the title. For the records, I still think it's a 7.0!

[joe_collector]

I don't have a problem with the Avengers book in general (I graded it a 7.0, so I got killed). I just think a book like that shouldn't have been in the first round.

 

I think we both feel the same way, you just say it a lot nicer.

[A.Romeo]

Ok, so it's an easy book to grade and you guessed wrong.

 

Exactly, there were only really 5 potential grades to choose from, but with a huge swing between ranges. Easy to grade, assuming you guessed right when CGC trotted out the "Production Flaw Ouija Board".

 

If your ethics were so high and mighty I doubt you would have spent multiple posts belittling someone else's hard work because you don't agree with the result.

 

Hardly, and I am more standing up for people's rights to openly discuss this bizarre book without people like you belittling and insulting them with masked profanity.

 

And I don't care about the result (again, it was my fault I lost - I mistyped the X-Men grade because I rushed - I screwed up - clear?), I care about the process of selecting books.

 

And my "ethics" comments weren't to demean anyone, it simply meant that I personally would run the contest like Nik used to, with a pile of books I just had graded, and with no intent to "trick" or "weed out" contestants using "tomato surprise" books. Just an even-up grading contest. Is that so bad?

 

your getting this worked up over a free contest? I bet your the dad on your sons baseball team that yells profanity at all the other kids on the field when it doesn't benefit your son or his team? Amirite?

[joe_collector]

your getting this worked up over a free contest? I bet your the dad on your sons baseball team that yells profanity at all the other kids on the field when it doesn't benefit your son or his team?

 

Gee, you got me there Luthor.

 

I used to play lots of sports, and my kids compete at a lot of things and I never say a word.

 

Then again, if the umpire brought a extra large-sized ball out for the opposing team to hit and a tomato for my kid's team to hit, then yes, I would start asking questions. Just natural.

 

P.S. I am obviously not "worked up" about the grading contest, but I am a bit angry at all the "sour grapes" tools who are verbally assaulting anyone who has an issue, problem or concern with the choice of that whacko Avengers 181 book as a first round "weed out" tactic.

[Jeffro.]

Okay JC, you've expressed your point (in multiple posts). Let's move on

[zuckuss2003]

Okay JC, you've expressed your point (in multiple posts). Let's move on

+1