Are signature series worth getting and should artists charge more for CGC book?

[NewWorldOrder]

Autographed comics are pretty pointless...Ok the artist/writer signed it...now what are you going to do with it? Stare at the ugly yellow label? I don't get it.

 

That is a big statement coming from a comic book collector.

 

Most people don't get why you collect comics.

 

Ever think of that?

[dupont2005]

Autographed comics are pretty pointless...Ok the artist/writer signed it...now what are you going to do with it? Stare at the ugly yellow label? I don't get it.

Labels are even more pointless than comics, no matter what color they are.

[Not*Sure*]

Autographed comics are pretty pointless...Ok the artist/writer signed it...now what are you going to do with it? Stare at the ugly yellow label? I don't get it.

 

I had ..,before a house fire wiped them out, a lot of signed books...

 

A great collection of MAD magazines from #3. I am a fan..I enjoyed MAD when I was a kid and really,really, liked Al Feldstein and a lot of the contributors. I took my stack of books to the con when they had the EC panel..and had them all..ALL signed..in sharpie...

 

I had my Monster mags and Vampi's all scrawled on by Forry Ackerman. I could list dozens of artist and writers,creators..and anyone else I have had sign my books.

 

I LOVED THEM. I talked to the EC guys for a really long time. It was an interesting and entertaining conversation. I enjoy a LOT talking to and mingling around with my favorite creators..

One of the best conversations I ever had with Al Feldstein,started with me asking the panel to sign books..that were "before his time". Dick Giordano talked about his early days with Charlton comics..Dick Ayers said no one had ever asked him to sign the issue I had..I had a story for each and every one..

 

These autographs and many others were more valuable to me than some of the slabs...because they represent keepsakes /mementos of some of the best freaking cons I have EVER been to!!

 

not everyone cares if their books are pristine for their personal collection..

slabbed comics are great to collect but I like to read them and get them signed occasionally too..

 

 

 

[dupont2005]

I think the real reason a creator would demand an outrageous price for a sig is to get flippers and speculators out of line so they can shake hands and speak with real fans. I wonder if those sig prices are as outrageous if they're personalized and not witnessed by CGC? I always suspected they'd get tired of being handed a bagged and boarded comic with a little tiny cutout where they're allowed to touch the thing they created by some guy who is listing the item on eBay with his smartphone as they speak.

[NewWorldOrder]

I think the real reason a creator would demand an outrageous price for a sig is to get flippers and speculators out of line so they can shake hands and speak with real fans. I wonder if those sig prices are as outrageous if they're personalized and not witnessed by CGC? I always suspected they'd get tired of being handed a bagged and boarded comic with a little tiny cutout where they're allowed to touch the thing they created by some guy who is listing the item on eBay with his smartphone as they speak.

 

 

There was an artist or writer that only used to do just that. He would sign your books only if you had them personalized.

[Broke as a Joke]

My Bob Kane autographs are all personalized. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[Not*Sure*]

I kind of have them when they realize I know who they are..I care about the book I have folded the pages over on as I read it over and over..I usually know the difference between the artists..and the writers..

 

But showing I am a fan ..and interested in their work..goes over a lot better than being the "guy with the CGC signing who may flip it on Ebay right this minute" or the dreaded "dude with a stack of 150 books who IS REALLY putting them up on Ebay as we speak"

 

I am the dreaded.."girl you hate to be behind in line because I just convinced the panel to go to lunch with me to talk about comics"

 

I shouldn't say that it'll be a jinks on my mojo

[Not*Sure*]

I think the real reason a creator would demand an outrageous price for a sig is to get flippers and speculators out of line so they can shake hands and speak with real fans. I wonder if those sig prices are as outrageous if they're personalized and not witnessed by CGC? I always suspected they'd get tired of being handed a bagged and boarded comic with a little tiny cutout where they're allowed to touch the thing they created by some guy who is listing the item on eBay with his smartphone as they speak.

 

 

There was an artist or writer that only used to do just that. He would sign your books only if you had them personalized.

 

I had artists sign a book once..someone signed it "Thanks for the tongue" and drew a doodle. The next person was like "Tongue? Why didn't I get any tongue at my table?"with a doodle.the next "Don't feel bad she didn't tongue me either" with a character sticking out it's tongue..it was funny. It was hilarious..

 

Soon I just let everyone and anyone sign it that book was highly personalized..

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

RMA,

 

I am not quoting above anymore. Nothing about what I said was a contradiction.

 

Asking "how will they differentiate?" and then saying "they will differentiate" is a contradiction.

 

I see all your points I just don't agree with them.

 

If you add Rob Liefeld's signature to a NM #98 CGC 9.8 is most certainly does add value. So what are you talking about?

 

How about New Mutants #86? #87? #88? #89? #90? #91? #92? #93?

 

....Annual #5? #6? X-Factor #40? Amazing Spiderman Annual #23?

 

Did Rob Liefeld only work on New Mutants #98?

 

No.

 

And did Rob Liefeld have ANYTHING WHATSOEVER to do with that particular copy of New Mutants #98 being a 9.8?

 

No.

 

Does a Rob Liefeld signature on a New Mutants #98 in 5.5 "add value"?

 

No.

 

Does Rob care?

 

No.

 

But he prices his signature as if EVERY signature, on EVERY book, in ANY condition, "adds value." He prices himself high, so he can get a "cut" of the "profit" being "made" on his signature. He sees what a "New Mutants #98 CGC 9.8 SS" sells with his signature, and simply assumes that EVERY book with his signature sells for that much more than unsigned copies, and that's not true.

 

If people want to pay it, more power to him...but I suspect if Rob understood the issue here, he might not be so high with his prices.

 

Maybe he would.

 

But the ones charging different prices for "CGC books" DO have the idea that EVERY signature of theirs on ANY book in ANY condition heading to CGC is being done so for "profit" (Len flat out told me so!), and therefore the difference in price. Len doesn't understand, and maybe...perhaps...if he DID understand, he wouldn't be so quick to charge his different prices.

 

This is the counter to your point about perception of value. People see the last GPA sale of a certain book and think to themselves, "Hey if I can just add a Stan Lee signature I can get X amount of dollars of profit as well," now whether you get that value is on you. My point is the perceived value is what some of these artists/writers see and assume when they see a CGC witness in front of them then that person has a good chance of using their signature to add $ value to the book, hence why they feel compensation is warranted.

 

Yes! That is PRECISELY the problem! The creators think that someone in front of them has "a good chance of using their signature to add $ value to the book", which is not always true. In fact, it may not be true the majority of the time.

 

That's the point. It is that (ERRONEOUS) ASSUMPTION that is the problem!

 

The reality is, MOST of the time, the signature isn't "adding $ value to the book", but these creators don't understand that and aren't being told that.

 

As Aweandlorder pointed out, there are over 300 examples of Stan Lee signed books where people LOST MONEY on those books getting them signed...and that's just in the last two months!

 

It is a faulty premise that just because something is going to be slabbed that it always "adds $ value", but the creators think that's true...which is why they are raising their prices, and charging DIFFERENT prices for CGC books.

 

And, something I haven't mentioned...it creates resentment among collectors, and makes some...many?...try to skirt the issue by taking the books out of window bags, and lying about the ultimate destination of the book!

 

If they charged the same price, regardless, no one would be looking for ways to cheat the artist. I guarantee you, many books bound for CGC were taken out of window bags just so people could pay the lower cost, even at the risk of damaging the book.

 

That's not something that should be encouraged, yet these practices do just that. They create DISINCENTIVES for people to be honest.

 

Now whether you miss on the grade or don't get the money return you were hoping for that is not their fault.

 

I didn't say it was. One more time: it's not about the grade the OWNER gets...it's about the PERCEPTION of the CREATOR that their signatures "add $ value" in EVERY and ALL slabbing circumstance, so they charge MORE for "CGC books" than they do for NON-CGC books.

 

It has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual and ultimate grade of the book itself. It is all about the PERCEPTION that the creator has, that every book set before them headed to CGC is going to make someone "money", which leads them to charging different and higher prices for CGC bound books....whether it's a 9.9 New Mutants #98, or a 4.5 X-Force #7.

 

I don't blame them. Plus some of these older writer/artists didn't benefit as well as the ones from today. You know why the Heroes Initiative was started.

 

This has no bearing on the argument. Helping people by donating to a charity...or directly to the creator...has nothing whatsoever with demanding money based on a faulty premise.

 

I think you missed my point about books in a private/personal collection. We obviously can't keep our comics forever so when we die usually the comics would be passed down to someone or sell them off way before. I never use the term buying for my collection anymore because life happens and expenses come up. I just ask what is the best price you can do then buy the book, and I think that is the best approach.

 

Again if I was an artist and a guy brought a few books to my booth I would sign them no problem. However if he had 10 copies of the same book and a CGC witness was standing next to him he would get charged.

 

Why? Answer: because you think this guy is trying to "make money off you."

 

What about the guy who brought a few books, who was trying to make money off of you, but didn't tell you?

 

And what if the guy with 10 copies is doing it for 10 different collectors?

 

And what if the guy with 10 copies has nothing but 6.0-7.0 copies of New Mutants #94,and that signature isn't going to add a dime of actual "$ value" to those copies?

 

Why does the motivation of the PROPERTY OWNER...who is the one (not the creator) who obtained, preserved, and maintained these books...have ANYTHING to do with the creator?

 

It's jealousy and (actual) greed, borne out of misunderstanding, and judged based on appearance, rather than reality. It's pretty ugly, really.

 

"Oh no" Len Wein is convinced by his "handler", "You're not going to make money off of ME. $20!"

 

Regardless of reality.

 

That's the problem.

 

I think you are being way too serious about this and butt hurt.

 

I think you don't understand the issue (as you keep demonstrating) and so arrive at erroneous conclusions as a result.

 

Which one of us is correct?

 

 

It is their right as an artist/writer to charge what ever they want for anything that has to do with their creative presence. If an artist wants to charge every single person $5 per signature no matter if it is 1 book or 100 books that is his/her right to do so. Don't blame them for getting a piece of the action that is going on around them.

 

Let me quote what I've already said:

 

There's nothing wrong with anyone charging whatever they want for what they possess.

 

I don't begrudge Todd charging for a single second. If he wants to charge $1,000 for his signature, he should be free to do so.

 

Of course it is their right to charge a fee, small, large, gigantic. I've now said that several times.

 

...if someone wants to charge $1,000 for their sig, because they feel their sig is worth that amount, and they can convince people to pay it, more power to them.

 

How many times do I need to keep repeating this, before you stop responding as if I didn't say this?

 

There's nothing wrong with "getting a piece of the action", provided the "piece" obtained is not based on a faulty premise.

 

 

You as a fan/customer can choose not to pay them. Pretty simple.

 

Yes, that is pretty simple...but not the point of the discussion.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I kind of have them when they realize I know who they are..I care about the book I have folded the pages over on as I read it over and over..I usually know the difference between the artists..and the writers..

 

But showing I am a fan ..and interested in their work..goes over a lot better than being the "guy with the CGC signing who may flip it on Ebay right this minute" or the dreaded "dude with a stack of 150 books who IS REALLY putting them up on Ebay as we speak"

 

I am the dreaded.."girl you hate to be behind in line because I just convinced the panel to go to lunch with me to talk about comics"

 

I shouldn't say that it'll be a jinks on my mojo

 

I went to San Diego in 2013....and wild horses couldn't stop me...because Sam Kieth was going to be there, signing. It was the first time I would get to meet him in person.

 

My "two times have I had my breath taken away by the art" story I've told many times. First time, X-Men #268. Second time, MCP #85.

 

So I went, and went to every single signing he had from Wednesday to Friday (had to go home.)

 

I did nothing else but stand in line for Sam Kieth signings. I think I *may* have visited artist's alley once. But other than that, my sole and only purpose there was to get Sam Kieth to sign my books.

 

I got 6 Sandman #1s signed. Obviously, I wasn't going to keep all of them.

 

I still have, and will hopefully have for a very long time, unless I completely abandon comics entirely, my "Easter Island Morpheus" sketched Sandman #1. That's not leaving. That, and my MCP #87 with Wolvie sketch, are nearly the entire reason for the whole excursion.

 

But my bill for the week, and my CGC bill, was nearly $2,000.

 

So, I got the other Sandman #1s signed to sell to pay for the one I kept. And those sales didn't cover the costs.

 

I've sold, I think, of the 39 books I got done, 5 of them, all of them duplicates. Those 5 did not cover the total cost to get them, but that's ok. It wasn't about that. I've never made a "profit" off of Sam's signatures.

 

Because I got to see Sam Kieth make a dream of mine come true that I've had since 1991, when I first laid eyes on that cover...a dream I had for 22 years....and is now fulfilled.

 

That's what it's all about for me.

 

 

 

If Sam had charged money because he "thought I was going to flip them for profit"....would I have been able to get them done? Sure, maybe a few of them. But certainly not all of them, and I would have had to sell more, and maybe even ones that weren't duplicated, to cover it.

 

Sam made my dreams come true, and he did it without assuming I was trying to make money off of him. And for that, I'm very, very grateful.

 

We've gone a bit astray.

[1Cool]

Is there a list of people who do add value to a book by signing it? Kirby obviously added value by signing a book. I've seen Steranko SS books fetch more then a unsigned copy but not 100%. I'd guess Stan Lee increases value on a select few books he signs since he now charges $100 to sign. We've hit on Letfield, McFarlane, Zeck who can increase value on a select few books - anyone else?

[Ryan.]

Alan Moore.

[Ryan.]

In between Yeates, Totleben, Bissette, and Veitch at Big Wow this year . . . one charged different rates for Sig Series

 

The person to whom you refer is very open about his belief that CGC = flipping.

[miraclemet]

We've hit on Letfield, McFarlane, Zeck who can increase value on a select few books - anyone else?

 

What about Moore on Walking Dead books?

[1Cool]

We've hit on Letfield, McFarlane, Zeck who can increase value on a select few books - anyone else?

 

What about Moore on Walking Dead books?

 

It does look like Kirkman and Moore sigs on Walking Dead books do increase the value of the book quite a bit. Not sure how much they charge to sign books but as long as its $30 a piece or less it looks like they make you some money getting them to sign a 9.8 book.

[1Cool]

Alan Moore.

 

You sure? The couple examples like Watchmen 1 look to be going for pretty much the same with or without his sig.

[jimjum12]

Is there a list of people who do add value to a book by signing it? Kirby obviously added value by signing a book. I've seen Steranko SS books fetch more then a unsigned copy but not 100%. I'd guess Stan Lee increases value on a select few books he signs since he now charges $100 to sign. We've hit on Letfield, McFarlane, Zeck who can increase value on a select few books - anyone else?

 

.... I'm no expert, but it seems like certain "combo" signings add value if the creator)s) don't sign often. Moore/ Bissettte/ Totleben comes to mind. Joe Simon seems to add some value, as does Frank Frazetta. GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

 

.... if I had some extra money, I wouldn't mind paying extra for a Steranko SS copy of Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD 7

 

[Ryan.]

Alan Moore.

 

You sure? The couple examples like Watchmen 1 look to be going for pretty much the same with or without his sig.

 

Alan Moore or Dave Gibbons?

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Comics-/63/i.html?_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo&_udhi&_sop=1&_fpos&_fspt=1&_sadis&LH_CAds&rmvSB=true&_nkw=alan%20moore%20CGC%20%28signed%2Csignature%2Cs/s%2Csig%2Csig.%2Css%29&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

[1Cool]

Alan Moore.

 

You sure? The couple examples like Watchmen 1 look to be going for pretty much the same with or without his sig.

 

Alan Moore or Dave Gibbons?

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/Comics-/63/i.html?_mPrRngCbx=1&_udlo&_udhi&_sop=1&_fpos&_fspt=1&_sadis&LH_CAds&rmvSB=true&_nkw=alan%20moore%20CGC%20%28signed%2Csignature%2Cs/s%2Csig%2Csig.%2Css%29&LH_Complete=1&LH_Sold=1&rt=nc&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

 

Word spamming in the title got me. Looks like Moore doesn't sign much so you can definitely put him on the list.

[miraclemet]

wow. ZERO Alan Moore CGC SS on GPA records for Watchmen books.

 

This is part of why his signature adds so much value. He signs so infrequently, and has in the last years stopped signing all together (at least in any way that could be SSed)

 

A 9.8 LoEG #1 seems to go for under $100

a 9.8 LoEG #1 signed by AM goes for $600-$750

 

a 9.6 has about a +$500 when it's signed by Moore

 

I dont know that when he was signing if he was charging, but the value inflation here is due to scarcity, not due to signing fees.