Comic Dealer Tomorrow's Treasues and Human Torch #23

[TheShadowKnows]

So I've been wanting to add a copy of Human Torch #23 to my collection for a while now and this copy shows up on Ebay and tomorrow's treasures website.

 

HUMAN TORCH #23 [1946] METAL MONSTER

FEATURING: SCARCE

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Complete, original, solid copy

COVER DESCRIPTION: Attached [tight], creases, edge/spine tear

INTERIOR PAGE COLOR: A very desirable -- Off-White

CONSERVATION: a few edge tears sealed

REPAIR: None

RESTORATION: None

GRADE: VG+/FN

PRICE: $950

 

 

 

 

 

So two questions.

 

 

Anyone have much experience with tomorrow's treasures since I only bought one book from them years ago on Ebay and nothing since. Are they a "safe" business to deal with?

 

Also at $950.00 it seems a bit overpriced but there is a "make a offer" option so what is a fair price for the book? I'm guessing it would make more sense to offer something via their website vs Ebay of coarse.

 

Any help would be fantastic.

Just realize this book will come back purple.

[Cat-Man_America]

So I've been wanting to add a copy of Human Torch #23 to my collection for a while now and this copy shows up on Ebay and tomorrow's treasures website.

 

HUMAN TORCH #23 [1946] METAL MONSTER

FEATURING: SCARCE

BOOK DESCRIPTION: Complete, original, solid copy

COVER DESCRIPTION: Attached [tight], creases, edge/spine tear

INTERIOR PAGE COLOR: A very desirable -- Off-White

CONSERVATION: a few edge tears sealed

REPAIR: None

RESTORATION: None

GRADE: VG+/FN

PRICE: $950

 

 

 

 

 

So two questions.

 

 

Anyone have much experience with tomorrow's treasures since I only bought one book from them years ago on Ebay and nothing since. Are they a "safe" business to deal with?

 

Also at $950.00 it seems a bit overpriced but there is a "make a offer" option so what is a fair price for the book? I'm guessing it would make more sense to offer something via their website vs Ebay of coarse.

 

Any help would be fantastic.

Just realize this book will come back purple blurple.

 

Fixed! (thumbs u

[Tri-Color Brian]

[Midas79]

"IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL"

 

I have had my fair share of run-Ins with him. I remember just asking some simple, respectful and fair questions about a Tec40 he had (and years later, still has) for sale on E-bay. He listed it as a mid- to low-grade book, but it looked 8.5 - 9.0 in the picture; he went off like an M-80 in my hand about me not knowing anything about comic books or restoration and conservation and the book being the book underneath restoration and conservation, how the book was still there. And. Then. He banned me as a buyer or bidding on his auctions.

 

Confused and even a bit dizzy, I told my buddy about it. And, of course he looked at the listing, asked a benign question. And. Boom! He was verbally tared-&-feathered. Banned!

 

Bizarre.

 

Then, I was at a comic show and was talking to him (after overhearing another dealer calming him down about some negative interaction he had with a potential buyer. And--to a point in an earlier post--I quickly picked up on the fact that you had to converse in a certain manner, very soft gloves with telling off-limit subjects. But, had a relatively decent conversation with him. His books were obscenely over priced; but if you can speak with him, after much discussion he seemed to concede to a fair price.

 

Funny thing is... I had no idea he was guy from E-Bay... Until about halfway through the conversation and then it clicked. And I realized this guy was the meltdown from the Bay... Because I saw the Tec40 and it was a bell that wenI off.

 

All in all, after meeting him. He seemed a decent guy. But definitely a unique personality better understood in person. This said, I would never buy from him on EBay; only in person. And, more than likely only if you want or are willing to have a (heavily) restored book. As he will more than point out, there was a time when restoration looked favorably. I agree though such time is past and not now.

 

Full disclosure: after much confusingly undeserved verbal abuse, I did finally report to calling him Sprang in a contextually-viable, but very direct fashion (...then to be standing next to the guy a few days/weeks later.

 

It's a small world after all. And he is a proverbial poked bear in that world. But if you are going to poke that bear, start with something subtle like, "Hello. That's a nice looking book," because you may likely find yourself too deep in the cage. And, whatever you do, do lot stick your fingers in the cage (or, speak the words, "restoration," "grading services," or (now this last rule is as important as avoiding evening-feedings to Gremlins) suggest or even imply that conservation detracts from a book's desirability. Not. Ever. Not even in a third-person-awareness to certain hypithetical view points in certain pockets of the collecting community. Not ever.

 

[Tri-Color Brian]

I guess I've known Richard way too long. I never see that side of him, except when he tells me stories about people he's banned. I only talk to him on the phone. I haven't seen him at a show in 15 years. I was surprised he has gray hair now...

So, I have sympathy for you new guys who haven't cultivated a relationship with him over the years, and I realize he is very opinionated and quick to tell someone off. Heck, he told me off a few times in the beginning, but I always found him to be honest and open to discounts from his normal expensive prices. I think the high initial prices are a game to him...he evidently likes playing the deal game...hence the coin toss. In any regard, he is one of the most colorful dealers we have, and he finds a lot of cool stuff. If you spend some time with him on the phone and ask a few questions about the history of the hobby, the garbage he's had to deal with over the years, the rare oddball books he likes, etc...you'll get hours of entertaining info that you never knew...like someone else said, if you ask him for the time, he'll tell you how to build a watch...that's just priceless.

 

anyway, what do you people expect? He's a New Yorker...and everyone knows that New Yorkers are just naturally rude...

[markseifert]

anyway, what do you people expect?

 

I'm always a little surprised when people... are surprised to run across eccentric folks in this hobby. There's been a long list of rather legendary characters. I'm still waiting on one of you longtime dealers to write a book about this stuff.

[Point Five]

...he went off like an M-80 in my hand about me not knowing anything...

This thread was well worth it for this phrase alone. Perfect.

 

 

[Sqeggs]

I guess I've known Richard way too long. I never see that side of him, except when he tells me stories about people he's banned. I only talk to him on the phone. I haven't seen him at a show in 15 years. I was surprised he has gray hair now...

So, I have sympathy for you new guys who haven't cultivated a relationship with him over the years, and I realize he is very opinionated and quick to tell someone off. Heck, he told me off a few times in the beginning, but I always found him to be honest and open to discounts from his normal expensive prices. I think the high initial prices are a game to him...he evidently likes playing the deal game...hence the coin toss. In any regard, he is one of the most colorful dealers we have, and he finds a lot of cool stuff. If you spend some time with him on the phone and ask a few questions about the history of the hobby, the garbage he's had to deal with over the years, the rare oddball books he likes, etc...you'll get hours of entertaining info that you never knew...like someone else said, if you ask him for the time, he'll tell you how to build a watch...that's just priceless.

 

anyway, what do you people expect? He's a New Yorker...and everyone knows that New Yorkers are just naturally rude...

 

You old guys sure stick together!

[Doohickamabob]

About 4 or 5 years ago, I tried to buy a comic for him. He had it priced at $600, I offered him about 85% of that. He counter-offered at $599. I thought that was rude but I didn't get rude back. Instead, I wrote a polite note saying that in the past year I had seen similar copies sell in the range I offered (which was true), and that was the reasoning behind my offer.

 

I felt like I should explain the reason for my price simply because his $599 counter-offer seemed like a F.U. Again, I was polite and calm in the way I responded, and I wasn't trying to school him or anything, just explain the thinking behind my offer. I was still willing to haggle the price, still interested in the comic, and was hoping to open a line of communication and negotiation to work out a deal.

 

He wrote back to me that I was clueless and he never wanted to deal with me again, and he announced that I would be blocked and all further communication would be blocked.

 

On the basis of the above interaction, I would not recommend his business to anybody.

[Tri-Color Brian]

I guess you should have met him 20 years ago... Maybe he doesn't want any new customers... All I know is that when I call him about any book, he pulls the book and we talk about it. He looks it over and decides whether his original grade is accurate or not. Then I ask what my price will be, which usually turns out to be 30-50% off of what he has it listed for. Maybe he just likes us old timers.

[Cat-Man_America]

I guess you should have met him 20 years ago... Maybe he doesn't want any new customers... All I know is that when I call him about any book, he pulls the book and we talk about it. He looks it over and decides whether his original grade is accurate or not. Then I ask what my price will be, which usually turns out to be 30-50% off of what he has it listed for. Maybe he just likes us old timers.

 

The difference between eccentric and crazy can be measured in the distance between what you want to buy and the attitude of the curmudgeonly dealer with whom you're negotiating to acquire it.

 

[eman13]

I guess you should have met him 20 years ago... Maybe he doesn't want any new customers... All I know is that when I call him about any book, he pulls the book and we talk about it. He looks it over and decides whether his original grade is accurate or not. Then I ask what my price will be, which usually turns out to be 30-50% off of what he has it listed for. Maybe he just likes us old timers.

 

The difference between eccentric and crazy can be measured in the distance between what you want to buy and the attitude of the curmudgeonly dealer with whom you're negotiating to acquire it.

 

reminds me of an old saying I heard:

"The difference between crazy and genius is measured by success"

[Sqeggs]

I guess you should have met him 20 years ago... Maybe he doesn't want any new customers... All I know is that when I call him about any book, he pulls the book and we talk about it. He looks it over and decides whether his original grade is accurate or not. Then I ask what my price will be, which usually turns out to be 30-50% off of what he has it listed for. Maybe he just likes us old timers.

 

In my experience, when buying off his site, he's like most dealers. If he has had the book for a while he's much more willing to haggle. With a book he just got in, he wants to wait to see whether someone might spring for full price.

[Cat-Man_America]

I guess you should have met him 20 years ago... Maybe he doesn't want any new customers... All I know is that when I call him about any book, he pulls the book and we talk about it. He looks it over and decides whether his original grade is accurate or not. Then I ask what my price will be, which usually turns out to be 30-50% off of what he has it listed for. Maybe he just likes us old timers.

 

The difference between eccentric and crazy can be measured in the distance between what you want to buy and the attitude of the curmudgeonly dealer with whom you're negotiating to acquire it.

 

reminds me of an old saying I heard:

"The difference between crazy and genius is measured by success"

 

I prefer the long form because I don't want my creative embellishments to end up in a fortune cookie.

[Robot Man]

Not to take the heat off Ritchie but anyone else want to tell some funny dealer stories? There are plenty of characters in this business over the years. Seems like the longer you stay in this biz the crazier you get.

 

Carbo Stories? We used to call Mike "The Barker" because of the wild show he would always have in his booth. The guy has more energy now than I did when I was a kid. I remember catching him changing clothes in the parking lot of a show once. He was changing into his "suit". That was a moment...

 

Terry Stroud? I just can't figure out how he ever finds anything in his booth. He does seem to know where stuff is if you have time to wait him out. His booths at San Diego are legendary. It's always an adventure digging through those old Robert Bell bags and finding a forgotton gem. I was once looking through his stuff at San Diego and had a pile going. He was telling me what a bad show he was having. All of a sudden he says "Could you come back later?" and grabs my pile. I said, well can I buy the stuff I pulled out? He told me he didn't have time and he had to go somewhere. He took the pile and put it under the table and walked off. He wasn't mad at me he just wanted to leave...

 

Now these are great guys when you can tack them down and we are good friends. I have gotton a lot of cool stuff from both of them. Just peculiar...

 

Anybody else have any stories about old time dealers?

[Tri-Color Brian]

I questioned a grade from Terry Stroud on a book I wanted and he pointed to the price guide and said "See this book? My name is in there"...

 

How many dealers flaunt the fact (in person) that they are Overstreet advisors? Of course, this was in the mid-70s...it might happen more now.