What if it isn't CGC?

[Tnerb]

Or Don't blame the dog for what the cat did.

 

What if the Barex material they use is causing the lateness?

 

Grading comic books is relatively easy, all you need is a good eye and an honest opinion. The first time I graded comic books I was approaching twenty. The one thing I had to learn while grading them was I had to be impartial. These were my books and of course I wanted the best possible grade, however just because I wanted the best possible grade doesn't mean it was.

 

I was in the CGC offices for three days. I am one of the fortunate few who saw the process first hand. Being impartial allows a truer eye.

 

We tend to vent when we do not get our books back on time and I seriously question when invoices get turned in at the same time and one is back already and the other two are only received but let's think for a moment and ask, what if it isn't cgc's fault? What if it's the company that provides the Barex?

 

 

Barex is the plastic that is used for the inner well. I am sure this needs to be ordered. This also has a few uses other then encapsulating our comic books. The following is from their website.

 

http://www.ineos.com/businesses/ineos-barex/products/

 

 

"Barex® resins are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct food contact and certain non-carbonated, aseptic-filled beverages. Barex® is also classified by US Pharmacopeia as a Class VI plastic for medical/ pharmaceutical packaging and is listed under FDA Drug Master File No. 2343. In addition, Barex® is approved in the European Union for direct food contact, beverage use, and liquor packaging (up to 50% alcohol content).

 

The chemistry behind Barex® makes it readily convertible into film, sheet and bottles on standard equipment using extrusion, injection and molding techniques. Whether used in thermoforming sheet, stretching bottles or engineering applications, products made with Barex® offer uniform thickness top to bottom. It all adds up to a practical solution with exceptional value.

Most plastics panels buckle or weaken from contact with acids, bases and other corrosive compounds. Barex® has the chemical resistance to withstand many of the world's most aggressive chemicals and the ability to resist permeation, absorption and attack by aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, chlorinated solvents, monomers, chemical blowing agents, salt solutions, acids and bases."

 

So with so many uses, what if there is a manufacturing problem. What if what they send to CGC isn't up to par? How many people are getting slabs back with what looks like bubbles, and even a rainbow effect? Did CGC get upset and decide to use the product anyway because they were behind?

 

Ok, these are a lot of "what ifs". Do I think it is true that CGC's slow down is outside the jurisdiction of CGC? No, I don't. All evidence shows that it's the quantity of books and the number of shows that CGC attends. They can only do so much. They are people just like us, after all. But I think a new department should be created, one that listens to the collector and not the wallet.

 

Thanks for reading

 

Tnerb

 

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[Shivabali]

Thanks for the interesting facts. I agree with you that CGC could improve its services and not spread itself too thin. Growth requires more people...seems they ignore that fact.

 

I haven't noticed bubbles or rainbow effect on the inner well. However, sometimes I've seen spots. You can esp. see them on black covers. They are uniform and about the size of a match head, off-white in color. I bought an ASM #300 and it had spots all over spidey's black costume. I called CGC and they said it must have slipped through quality control. They reslabbed it for free which is cool. This happened over a year ago, however, so don't think it contributes to any recent problems which you indicated.

[newshane]

I've noticed that the "bubble" problem seems to be slowly going away, at least in my experience. There was a time when it seemed like EVERY slab had the defect. I've had pretty good luck lately. *knocks on wood*

 

[meshuggah]

Thanks for the interesting facts. I agree with you that CGC could improve its services and not spread itself too thin. Growth requires more people...seems they ignore that fact.

 

I haven't noticed bubbles or rainbow effect on the inner well. However, sometimes I've seen spots. You can esp. see them on black covers. They are uniform and about the size of a match head, off-white in color. I bought an ASM #300 and it had spots all over spidey's black costume. I called CGC and they said it must have slipped through quality control. They reslabbed it for free which is cool. This happened over a year ago, however, so don't think it contributes to any recent problems which you indicated.

 

One thing with growth is that it could lead to them charging more to cover any new additional overhead from new/expanded locations to training and hiring new employees. Which would be the new thing we complain about.

 

But a slow down could be in part, due to problems with supplies ordered from outside companies. But it does seem the main contributor is increased demand from all of us and them gaining new customers all the time.

 

I haven't noticed any bubbles on any of my new stuff lately and have seen less complaints here on the boards. So maybe thats finally being addressed.

[newdamagenyc]

I also wonder what the universe looks like for people who are actively qualified to be professional graders.

 

I'd imagine it's not very big.

[seanfingh]

I also wonder what the universe looks like for people who are actively qualified to be professional graders.

 

I'd imagine it's not very big.

 

I know lots of people who could be graders to CGC standards. They don't do it because they are in different parts of the country and each and every one of them make a lot more money doing something else than they could grading comics.

[meshuggah]

For those of you who haven't been following, Steve Borock is starting a new grading company. There's a huge discussion on it in the below link. Maybe this competition, should it be well done and legitimate, will get CGC to improve some of their processes.

 

http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=7715320&fpart=1

 

[Brandon Shepherd]

I saw that, and I thought the new purple label was going to be the big story this weekend on the boards. I can't wait to see how all of this unfolds!