Steve Borock Interview On STL Comics

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Was the interview done over the phone or face to face?

 

Slowly I turned...step by step....inch by inch.....I was face to face with Hammer/Koos/Dupcek!

 

Goodnight everyone!

 

Niagara Falls....

[toro]

 

C'mon folks, if you put a pic of the gang in the article--at least tell us who is who? Who can name everyone here?

 

Heck, not only tell us who they are,,,but the bigger question is???

 

Is this the whole grading team? Damn,,,Steve, higher some more people. no wonder why the economy level takes 6 months (I mean 40 days)

[Ze-man]

He can hire all the people he wants..but it depends on who he is hiring, and what experience they have.

 

And are they willing to leave behind their former.. (and in most cases besides Newt), successful lives behind.

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry Newt.. you are still the FNG at CGC, till he hires another. You are going to have to bear the brunt.

 

 

Ze-

[nik]

 

C'mon folks, if you put a pic of the gang in the article--at least tell us who is who? Who can name everyone here?

 

Heck, not only tell us who they are,,,but the bigger question is???

 

Is this the whole grading team? Damn,,,Steve, higher some more people. no wonder why the economy level takes 6 months (I mean 40 days)

Maybe if they stop posing for pictures and get back to grading, turnaround times would get better

[garthgantu]

Daniel@PGX asks:

 

1. How do you feel about not being able to force PGX out of business?

 

SB: Who?

 

Utterly Classic!

 

Yep, that was spot-on - neatly avoids the politics and swats the fly with one pithy word.

 

It's also exactly the attitude that McDonald's took with respect to Burger King before BK ate up 30% of Mickey D's market share. Respect your enemy, no matter how weak he may appear. That way you can only overestimate the threat.

 

Pithy may be an accurate assessment, but strategically smart, no.

[Mr. Zipper]

Respect your enemy, no matter how weak he may appear. That way you can only overestimate the threat.

 

Pithy may be an accurate assessment, but strategically smart, no.

 

There are also a significant number of people who will always side with David over Goliath... further this segment tends to not like the "market leader" because they perceive a market leader as arrogant.

 

Comments like "Who?" don't help. A snide comment like this entertains the CGC Faithful, but may turn off undecideds and only reinforces what current PGX customers suspected all along. That is, CGC is an arrogant organization.

[garthgantu]

I think from now on I will stick to no-nonsense interviews.

 

I don't think you need to stick to no-nonsense interviews so much as no-nonsense answers. As a PR professional of nearly 20 years' experience, I've watched CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies start rolling their eyes when the fourth journalist of the day asks the same question as the preceding three. I've seen other CEOs who know the drill and field the question the fourth time just as energetically as the first time - because they realize the interviewer is asking the question for the first time.

 

Beyond that, I take issue with your responses to Scott's question about SCS. Your best answers are to be more careful with the slabs and seek satisfaction from the Post Office if all else fails? You must know how flip and unhelpful those suggestions are. Why proffer them at all?

 

Scott and anyone else who's been the "victim" of SCS did not incur the damage themselves, nor in most cases was the damage due to poor packaging. Whether it was due to poor handling at the P.O. is debatable, but even assuming that it was, that's no excuse. The CGC holder doesn't always do one of the things it's supposed to - protect the book inside from any further damage. If CGC's best solution to this problem is "don't ship the book," there's a problem here.

 

As for seeking compensation from the Post Office for slab damage, can you imagine the response you'd get from the P.O. if you tried to get them to pay off on an insurance form for a slight bend in the corner of a (formerly) 9.8 ASM 129 ? First you'd have to explain that your once 9.8 book is now a 9.4/9.6 and therefore worth a fraction of your purchase price. Then you'd have to somehow establish that the bend created by the SCS did in fact drop the comic in grade. Given that CGC, the certification company that assigned the 9.8 in the first place, has no actual printed criteria for distinguishing between a 9.4 a 9.6 and a 9.8, how exactly would you suggest presenting such a case to the Postmaster General and his cronies?

Let me guess - get the book reslabbed?

[esquirecomics]

I think from now on I will stick to no-nonsense interviews.

 

I don't think you need to stick to no-nonsense interviews so much as no-nonsense answers. As a PR professional of nearly 20 years' experience, I've watched CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies start rolling their eyes when the fourth journalist of the day asks the same question as the preceding three. I've seen other CEOs who know the drill and field the question the fourth time just as energetically as the first time - because they realize the interview is asking the question for the first time.

 

Beyond that, I take issue with your responses to Scott's question about SCS. Your best answers are to be more careful with the slabs and seek satisfaction from the Post Office if all else fails? You must know how flip and unhelpful those suggestions are. Why proffer them at all?

 

Scott and anyone else who's been the "victim" of SCS did not incur the damage themselves, nor in most cases was the damage due to poor packaging. Whether it was due to poor handling at the P.O. is debatable, but even assuming that it was, that's no excuse. The CGC holder doesn't always do one of the things it's supposed to - protect the book inside from any further damage. If CGC's best solution to this problem is "don't ship the book," there's a problem here.

 

As for seeking compensation from the Post Office for slab damage, can you imagine the response you'd get from the P.O. if you tried to get them to pay off on an insurance form for a slight bend in the corner of a (formerly) 9.8 ASM 129 ? First you'd have to explain that your once 9.8 book is now a 9.4/9.6 and therefore worth a fraction of your purchase price. Then you'd have to somehow establish that the bend created by the SCS did in fact drop the comic in grade. Given that CGC, the certification company that assigned the 9.8 in the first place, has no actual printed criteria for distinguishing between a 9.4 a 9.6 and a 9.8, how exactly would you suggest presenting such a case to the Postmaster General and his cronies?

Let me guess - get the book reslabbed?

 

I agree wholeheartedly with Garth. The last couple of posts should be seriously considered. Much of my job, albeit it as part of my law practice, is public relations work. I deal with the major media all the time. It is a skill that is very valuable and effective. At the same time, if you mishandle it, a significant adverse impact can befall both the individual and the business.

 

The belitting responses to some of the questions, particularly ones that are very controversial to some of us, will not bode well for CGC. You do not want to "[#@$%!!!] off" your customer base. Adhering to or publicizing a policy is one thing, but ridiculing those who do not agree with it is simply not a smart business tactic.

[sborock]

Mark-

 

I did not "ridicule" anyone (well maybe Hammer/Koos/Dupcak).

 

I know you do not like my stance on pressing. That's fine and ok with me. They asked for my "personal" opinion. I don't see where anyone was ridiculed in my response. I believe it is a non-issue, you believe, for reasons I am not 100% clear on, that it is not. But please don't tell me I have done something I did not do. Was I having some fun with this interview? Yes. Hell, I mean, the guy from that company asked the question when I answered "who?". Anyone who takes that seriously, is just looking for things.

 

I am not a lawyer, so I will stay away from debating you about this stuff, I just want to set the record straight on my end.

[Ron_Nasty]

Quesada does it all the time when talking about DC.

 

and Marvel's been sucking for some time...

[sborock]

....I'm not Quesada..................I don't earn that kind of money

[Ron_Nasty]

....I'm not Quesada..................I don't earn that kind of money

 

I think you make a lot more.

[sborock]

....I'm not Quesada..................I don't earn that kind of money

 

I think you make a lot more.

 

I wish

[Ze-man]

....I'm not Quesada..................I don't earn that kind of money

 

I think you make a lot more.

 

I wish

 

Dont worry Steve, once the back issue movie poster market kicks in.. you will be rolling in it.

[Silver Surfer]

I think from now on I will stick to no-nonsense interviews.

 

I don't think you need to stick to no-nonsense interviews so much as no-nonsense answers. As a PR professional of nearly 20 years' experience, I've watched CEOs of multi-billion dollar companies start rolling their eyes when the fourth journalist of the day asks the same question as the preceding three. I've seen other CEOs who know the drill and field the question the fourth time just as energetically as the first time - because they realize the interview is asking the question for the first time.

 

Beyond that, I take issue with your responses to Scott's question about SCS. Your best answers are to be more careful with the slabs and seek satisfaction from the Post Office if all else fails? You must know how flip and unhelpful those suggestions are. Why proffer them at all?

 

Scott and anyone else who's been the "victim" of SCS did not incur the damage themselves, nor in most cases was the damage due to poor packaging. Whether it was due to poor handling at the P.O. is debatable, but even assuming that it was, that's no excuse. The CGC holder doesn't always do one of the things it's supposed to - protect the book inside from any further damage. If CGC's best solution to this problem is "don't ship the book," there's a problem here.

 

As for seeking compensation from the Post Office for slab damage, can you imagine the response you'd get from the P.O. if you tried to get them to pay off on an insurance form for a slight bend in the corner of a (formerly) 9.8 ASM 129 ? First you'd have to explain that your once 9.8 book is now a 9.4/9.6 and therefore worth a fraction of your purchase price. Then you'd have to somehow establish that the bend created by the SCS did in fact drop the comic in grade. Given that CGC, the certification company that assigned the 9.8 in the first place, has no actual printed criteria for distinguishing between a 9.4 a 9.6 and a 9.8, how exactly would you suggest presenting such a case to the Postmaster General and his cronies?

Let me guess - get the book reslabbed?

 

No first get it pressed then get it slabbed. Nice post Garth.

[esquirecomics]

Mark-

 

I did not "ridicule" anyone (well maybe Hammer/Koos/Dupcak).

 

I know you do not like my stance on pressing. That's fine and ok with me. They asked for my "personal" opinion. I don't see where anyone was ridiculed in my response. I believe it is a non-issue, you believe, for reasons I am not 100% clear on, that it is not. But please don't tell me I have done something I did not do. Was I having some fun with this interview? Yes. Hell, I mean, the guy from that company asked the question when I answered "who?". Anyone who takes that seriously, is just looking for things.

 

I am not a lawyer, so I will stay away from debating you about this stuff, I just want to set the record straight on my end.

 

Steve, for one thing, I did not state you ridiculed an individual. I noted that I found your description of a controversy ridiculed or insulted the opposing viewpoint, which is held by many respected people. It has nothing to do with whether I like or dislike your stance on pressing. I respectfully disagree with certain aspects of it to be sure. I have no need to dissect your statement word by word, or sentence by sentence. Your quotation as indicated in the interview, which I presume is accurately transcribed, speaks for itself and those who read it can reach their own interpretation.

 

Perhaps the reason why you don't seem to understand why your comments resulted in the statement I made is reflected further by your comment that you don't fully understand my reasons for disagreeing with you. My specific views on this topic have been clearly articulated on many occasions on numerous threads. While you or anyone else can certainly disagree with my position in general or one or more of my arguments specifically, I find it difficult to believe they cannot be understood. Of course, I am always willing to discuss this or any matter with you in personal conversations, or better yet on the panel discussion we should have at one or more of the comic book conventions.

 

To elaborate further on what Garth said earlier, there really is little distinction between serious or so-called comical interviews when it comes to stating positions. Those of us who deal with the media on a daily basis usually learn this the hardway when we inadvertently say something flippantly to a reporter who we see as a friend or who we thought we were having just a casual conversation with only to see the quote be printed. Remember President Reagan's offhand comment about bombing the Soviets when he thought he was off-air. While he was just joking, the incident had serious political ramifications for a period of time.

 

Perhaps your comment was intended to be flippant, humorous, or whatever other adjective you wish to use, but the audience for the interview (which though a particular question might be comical, I did not perceive the interview as anything but serious) are the direct customers of CGC and many of these issues are important to us. As the President of CGC, your statements also obviously reflect on it. We look to you to understand the policies and principles of CGC. Indeed, it is because we respect what you say that we take your comments quite seriously.

[Ron_Nasty]

Or saying The Beatles are bigger than Jesus or the Rutles bigger than Rod, to a slightly deaf journalist?

[OldGuy]

So when are you guys going to stop harboring a convicted felon and stop giving him a forum to spread his half truths and propaganda in?

[sterlingcomics]

He just made the official announcement last night.

 

Excuse me while I laugh.

[Sal]

how the heck was Steve supposed to answer that PGX question? it was a snarky, smugly worded question, undeserving of a serious answer. if he wanted a serious answer, Daniel should have chosen his wording with a bit more care and respect than "How do you feel about not being able to force PGX out of business?"

 

 

i.m.h.o