SD Comic-Con Panel Discussion On Noteworthy Community Issues - Input Sought

[esquirecomics]

Unless plans change, I will be hosting/moderating a panel discussion at the San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 15, 2005, from 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm. I still haven't decided on final format or named the participants, but it will be designed for discussion purposes of all the controversial and non-controversial topics that dominate our collecting/investment hobby today.

 

For example, we will cover such topics as third-party grading, restoration, pressing, pricing, marketability, future of the hobby, etc. I envision 5-8 participants in a professional round-table forum discussion debating these and other topics for one hour. Then the audience will have an opportunity to join in for an additional 30 minutes.

 

Steve Borock has already graciously accepted my invitation to participate.

 

I turn to you, the comic community, for input. I welcome your thoughts and suggestions for my consideration.

 

(1) What topics/questions would you like to see discussed?

 

(2) What individuals or representatives of a particular population segment (i.e., publisher, dealer, collector, restorer, etc) would you like to see sit on the panel?

 

 

I hope to see you at the discussion, and to meet you all. If you wish to raise a suggestion with me confidentiality, please do not hesitate to PM or e-mail me.

[BassGMan]

Mark, FANTASTIC idea. This is now the #2 event I am looking forwards to in San Diego, right after the Forum dinner.

 

This is exactly what I have been waiting for in a panel discussion.

 

Great to hear that Borock will be there, he would be my first pick. I'd try to entice one or two large dealers that will admit to having resto or pressing for whatever reason performed on their books, even if they disclose it (doubtful you'll find anybody like this that will admit to it though).

 

Good thing that you are there Mark, being a collector/dealer of the high end books, your input and legal perspective is vital.

 

No real need for publishers or creators in my opinion. Every other panel is about that.

 

Certainly a professional restorer is important.

 

Anyway, I'm hyped on this. I'll try to get there early and grab a front row seat. -----Sid

[BassGMan]

Oh, I just wanted to add that for future Market perspective and other important issues, MH Chuck is always a good guy to have around. I've seen him speak at several panels and he is always very well spoken, reasonable and realistic, not one of the kind of guys that just goes with the flow to be like everyone else. I've seen him disagree with the entire rest of the panel a few times, and I agreed with his comments.

[FFB]

This sounds like a great idea, Mark. Nice job.

 

One thing that I suggest you keep in mind is that a moderator is supposed to remain neutral on a topic, keep order, and let the panelists debate the merits of the various positions without favoring one side or (even worse) taking sides with one or more of the panelists on a given issue. With your strong, well-publicized views on pressing and the need for disclosure, do you believe you can faithfully fill that role?

 

Unless plans change, I will be hosting/moderating a panel discussion at the San Diego Comic-Con on Friday, July 15, 2005, from 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm. I still haven't decided on final format or named the participants, but it will be designed for discussion purposes of all the controversial and non-controversial topics that dominate our collecting/investment hobby today.

 

For example, we will cover such topics as third-party grading, restoration, pressing, pricing, marketability, future of the hobby, etc. I envision 5-8 participants in a professional round-table forum discussion debating these and other topics for one hour. Then the audience will have an opportunity to join in for an additional 30 minutes.

 

Steve Borock has already graciously accepted my invitation to participate.

 

I turn to you, the comic community, for input. I welcome your thoughts and suggestions for my consideration.

 

(1) What topics/questions would you like to see discussed?

 

(2) What individuals or representatives of a particular population segment (i.e., publisher, dealer, collector, restorer, etc) would you like to see sit on the panel?

 

 

I hope to see you at the discussion, and to meet you all. If you wish to raise a suggestion with me confidentiality, please do not hesitate to PM or e-mail me.

[BassGMan]

This sounds like a great idea, Mark. Nice job.

 

One thing that I suggest you keep in mind is that a moderator is supposed to remain neutral on a topic, keep order, and let the panelists debate the merits of the various positions without favoring one side or (even worse) taking sides with one or more of the panelists on a given issue. With your strong, well-publicized views on pressing and the need for disclosure, do you believe you can faithfully fill that role?

 

 

Hey, you guys are the legal experts, not me, but this is not a court proceeding or a trial or any of that other official stuff. This is just a panel at a comic con and I don't think the moderator needs to be neutral. Although there are times when the moderator has only been used to introduce panelists, hand over the mike or call on people asking questions, just as often the moderator is equally part of the panel, and I have been to many dozens of these in San Diego over the last 12 years in a row. Since Mark has such strong views on these subjects (like most of us here do) I think it would be a shame if Mark had to remain neutral, especially being the organizer of the event.

[FFB]

This sounds like a great idea, Mark. Nice job.

 

One thing that I suggest you keep in mind is that a moderator is supposed to remain neutral on a topic, keep order, and let the panelists debate the merits of the various positions without favoring one side or (even worse) taking sides with one or more of the panelists on a given issue. With your strong, well-publicized views on pressing and the need for disclosure, do you believe you can faithfully fill that role?

 

 

Hey, you guys are the legal experts, not me, but this is not a court proceeding or a trial or any of that other official stuff. This is just a panel at a comic con and I don't think the moderator needs to be neutral. Although there are times when the moderator has only been used to introduce panelists, hand over the mike or call on people asking questions, just as often the moderator is equally part of the panel, and I have been to many dozens of these in San Diego over the last 12 years in a row. Since Mark has such strong views on these subjects (like most of us here do) I think it would be a shame if Mark had to remain neutral, especially being the organizer of the event.

 

I think it's fine if he is a vocal participant in the event -- I just think that if he is going to do that, he needs someone else to act as a neutral moderator to keep the discussion balanced. It has nothing to do with legality. It has everything to do with having a neutral person make sure that everyone on the panel (including the moderator himself) is not dominating the discussion or shouting down one person. It is essential to a balanced discussion that all sides get equal air time so that attendees can hear both sides presented equally.

[jimm94]

I agree, especially since the moderator has already taken preliminary steps in lobbying for federal sanctions to be imposed against the comic industry. I assume it is, in part, Mark's (good) intention to use this panel as a platform to further his agenda of affecting change within the hobby, so I think it's important that the discussion remains balanced for all viewpoints.

 

I would certainly hope that it is fun, lively, informative, and does not put any individual(s) or opinion on trial. I'm confident it will be.

 

I look forward to attending the panel and meeting Mark in person! I'll try to think of some topics I would be interested in hearing about and let you guys know.

[october]

You should get someone to tape the panel, or make an audio recording, for those who will unfortunately not be able to make it (like me).

[esquirecomics]

I have organized/moderated/participated on panel discussions and at conferences since my college days, and I assure everyone this will be a highly professional, educational and interesting discussion.

 

Essentially view me as a player/manager. Sure, I have an interest in how I perform, but I also have to think of what is best for the team.

[Apotheosis]

Well I now know of at least one thing I'm doing other than shopping...

 

The topics that you listed sound great to me. I do think that it would be interesting to have at least one major publisher or artist there to get their take one things that are affecting our hobby. Especially if they're going to talk at all on the future of comics.

[tth2]

Clever idea, Mark. Now you can serve process on Borock and the other suspected pressers that agree to be on this panel, all in one go.

[Bullet123]

As a high end collector who is only in this hobby because of a third party grading service. I would love to sit on the panel because I feel I provide some

"other side of the fence" insight in regards to pressing, restoration, pricing, etc. but being only "a collector" for two years I do not know if I have the expertise to sit on the panel, maybe just ask questions?

[awe4one]

I'm going to repost this here as I'm not sure where we are supposed to talk about this subject since it's in three threads...

 

The following panel members would be interesting:

 

Borock

Matt Nelson and/or Susan Cicconi - to answer restoration topics

Chris Freisen - to speak to his new service because you know it's going to come up and no one else seems willing to talk about it

Chuck Rozanski - Biggest Comics Internet dealer on the planet. Great to have him there to answer questions concerning the changing buying habits of collectors.

Jason Ewert - One of the most successful eBay dealers. Can tell us where he gets those gems.

Brian Hibbs or another prominent brick and mortar dealer - can answer back issue topics from a brick and mortar perspective.

John Petty or someone else who can speak for Heritage - to answer questions about back issues from a auction house format

EBay Representative - to answer questions about the site in general but specifically focus on the procedures and actions targeting scam auctions. Seems as if this is becoming a bigger problem.

 

That's all for now...I'll probably add/delete others as I think of them...

 

Jim

[Kevin Boyd]

His name is Chris Friesen, not Steve.

[Kevin Boyd]

How about Vincent from Metropolis/Comic Zone?

 

I second Chuck Rozanski.

 

Definitely think you should get a resto expert... I don't know if Chris is actually going to SD this year, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Matt Nelson there, so you could always ask him. Or Susan Cicconi or Tracey Heft.

 

Petty is a good choice for Heritage - or maybe Lon since he deals with a lot of the comic book stuff.

 

Is Red Hook going?

[awe4one]

His name is Chris Friesen, not Steve.

 

How about [embarrasing lack of self control] then...

 

Seriously though...thanks for the correction. It was too early in the morning when I first drafted the post...

 

Jim

[blazingbob]

History of the World in the making.

 

Will somebody be playing Mel Brookes and singing about the inquistion?

[rob_react]

I'm going to repost this here as I'm not sure where we are supposed to talk about this subject since it's in three threads...

 

The following panel members would be interesting:

 

Borock

Matt Nelson and/or Susan Cicconi - to answer restoration topics

Chris Freisen - to speak to his new service because you know it's going to come up and no one else seems willing to talk about it

Chuck Rozanski - Biggest Comics Internet dealer on the planet. Great to have him there to answer questions concerning the changing buying habits of collectors.

Jason Ewert - One of the most successful eBay dealers. Can tell us where he gets those gems.

Brian Hibbs or another prominent brick and mortar dealer - can answer back issue topics from a brick and mortar perspective.

John Petty or someone else who can speak for Heritage - to answer questions about back issues from a auction house format

EBay Representative - to answer questions about the site in general but specifically focus on the procedures and actions targeting scam auctions. Seems as if this is becoming a bigger problem.

 

That's all for now...I'll probably add/delete others as I think of them...

 

Jim

 

While I think you've presented an excellent, well though out list of choices, what one must REALLY ask before nominating people to this panel is "what do they know about pressing" because I can't for the life of me imagine there being much talk of anything else.

[awe4one]

While I think you've presented an excellent, well though out list of choices, what one must REALLY ask before nominating people to this panel is "what do they know about pressing" because I can't for the life of me imagine there being much talk of anything else.

 

Well..as moderator it's up to Mark to keep the panel focused and moving them on to other topics when appropriate. Personally, I'd be very disappointed if all they talked about was pressing. But on the otherhand, the panel I selected, except for maybe the eBay rep, should be well versed on the subject...

 

Jim

[Aman619]

great ideas... but its alreday getting a bit overambitious. I mean, are you going to talk about CGC issues, or auctions, or online sales, or LCS issues, etc etc. Youve only got so much time so you have to focus. There are dozens of panels and the more specific the better.

 

Seems to me from the outset Mark wants to bring up some of OUR concerns in a public setting to air frustrations and concerns for graded comics collecting. If thats correct, Chuck will be a distraction. Ebay too. and the brick and mortar dealers too.

 

It'll be Mark, Borock (preseferably someone higher up who is MAKING these decisions on CGCs future and keep our good friend Steve off the hot seat), Friesen (good luck) Ewert, another dealer (Blazing?? Comiclink??? Lauterbach!!!!?) and maybe Heritage. This will be more focused and STILL only scratch the surface in a half an hour.