Anyone else lately getting grader notes that include "finger bends to cover"? 4 4

[Jeffro.]

On 4/26/2022 at 6:42 PM, MattTheDuck said:

Could someone post a picture or an explanation of a "finger bend?" 

[Jeffro.]

On 4/26/2022 at 8:52 PM, CGC Mike said:

If people would like to PM me examples, I will send them to management.  

Do they ever audit their own work? 

Mike, I know the various quality control issues aren't your responsibility, but my god, please tell them to look at their own operation. 

[MetalPSI]

This book is a mess, and while it wasnt 9.8, it definitely wasn't in this rough of shape when I sent it in

 

[djzombi]

On 5/14/2022 at 12:10 PM, The Meta said:

This book is a mess, and while it wasnt 9.8, it definitely wasn't in this rough of shape when I sent it in

 

That could have been Suydam's doing when he signed it.  I've seen creators manhandle books they're signing, and from my interactions with Mr. Suydam, he's not the most...gracious of people.  

[MetalPSI]

On 5/14/2022 at 10:17 AM, djzombi said:

That could have been Suydam's doing when he signed it.  I've seen creators manhandle books they're signing, and from my interactions with Mr. Suydam, he's not the most...gracious of people.  

Was pressed after signing

Could be my presser screwed up, though I do find it unlikely

[djzombi]

Oh, gosh.  Yeah, pressing wouldn't get rid if that color break on the spine, but it does still look bent....which the pressing WOULD have eliminated (if done correctly).  

I'm so sorry    

[Qalyar]

On 5/14/2022 at 11:17 AM, djzombi said:

That could have been Suydam's doing when he signed it.  I've seen creators manhandle books they're signing, and from my interactions with Mr. Suydam, he's not the most...gracious of people.  

It's always harder to identify the root cause on these SS books. It's (increasingly) possible that CGC/CCS dropped the ball, but you never know what creators are going to do while signing books. Some of them obviously treat comics with respect and delicacy, but others seem to believe that their autograph is the only thing you'll care about.

No way to know what happened here, sadly 

[MetalPSI]

On 5/14/2022 at 10:41 AM, Qalyar said:

It's always harder to identify the root cause on these SS books. It's (increasingly) possible that CGC/CCS dropped the ball, but you never know what creators are going to do while signing books. Some of them obviously treat comics with respect and delicacy, but others seem to believe that their autograph is the only thing you'll care about.

No way to know what happened here, sadly 

The plan is to have Sigourney Weaver sign it at some point, then it can be cracked out and gone over to see what is going on with it

[RedKryptoniteSuperman]

At least you're getting "Grader notes"  I had a book rated 9.0 with zero notes as to explain why it was graded that way. CGC just doesn't seem to care anymore. 

 

-RKSM  

[jokiing]

Yes... Getting grader notes on recent submissions with finger bends and small dents on books that haven't been read and pressed by someone that a lot of us know and trust. It's affecting the grades and my confidence in CGC.

Edited May 29, 2022 by jokiing

[Kevin76]

I see a lot of "light bends to cover"  even though you can't see anything  

[Sand1man]

Absolutely Yes.  I've sent in 26 books - 8 have returned - all 8 have "finger bends!"  I am seriously reconsidering my grading options as this was the "least" of my "concerns" in re grading and book handling!  Plus, "finger bends" come in Light, Moderate, Heavy and Extreme LEVELS from what I am seeing with my returns and other collectors returns - with whom I compare with all the time!  Maybe "visible-light reflections" will be next?  Its to the point that no one can really tell what a potential grade "may be" because the criteria are becoming so vague, inconsistent and erroneous, that its just a shoot!  Lots of room for improvement here...not mention the $$$ loss due to this ....well...you know...

[The Lions Den]

On 6/8/2022 at 12:15 PM, Sand1man said:

Absolutely Yes.  I've sent in 26 books - 8 have returned - all 8 have "finger bends!"  I am seriously reconsidering my grading options as this was the "least" of my "concerns" in re grading and book handling!  Plus, "finger bends" come in Light, Moderate, Heavy and Extreme LEVELS from what I am seeing with my returns and other collectors returns - with whom I compare with all the time!  Maybe "visible-light reflections" will be next?  Its to the point that no one can really tell what a potential grade "may be" because the criteria are becoming so vague, inconsistent and erroneous, that its just a shoot!  Lots of room for improvement here...not mention the $$$ loss due to this ....well...you know...

Finger bends do come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes...  

[Sand1man]

I take all my books to other trusted collectors for review and analysis.  Every precaution is taken:  gloves, temperature, no book stacking, etc.  We compare prior graded books, newer graded books, grader notes, before/after submission photos, and even examples from this chat board!  The conclusions are clear, CGC is NOT what it was when it comes to quality and accuracy - and that's a shame.  One of my books was reported to have "tape removed" from the cover (in the grader notes) - but CGC was not interested in my pre-sumsission photos that showed NO TAPE on the book !!!  I was hoping with CGC's new ownership and increased numbers of graders that things would improve.  Still, I know some folks, where CGC has treated them fairly, even "more than fairly" with no major conflicts of any kind.  But I would never send an expensive book to CGC for grading, etc., - once-bitten-twice-shy.  I thought I could trust them - I was wrong!  My advice would be to execute private trades/sales of raw books - if you can.

Edited June 9, 2022 by Sand1man

[lostboys]

You all need to buy protection from CCS or the finger bend crime family will continue to terrorize you and your books.

 

^ Thats a joke

 

Seriously though.  Pressing books is the reason we have 9.8s with color breaks on the spine. 

You cant have a color break without a spine bend and those defects together should drop any book from the 9.8 level.

But press out that bend and now you have a 9.8 with a color break.

Im seeing 9.6s on Ebay with multiple color breaks on the spine.

Meanwhile, I have probably 50 or more 9.6s in my collection and not a single color break on any of them...and most of these books were never pressed.

Its maddening!

[DaveSFU]

I keep getting back books with finger bends to the cover, a lot of which were never even opened or read,  right off the shelf and screened and pressed before sending it.    I have like 25 books at the moment that are going to need to be cracked and pressed and graded again that have damage which was definitely not there when i sent them in.  This is becoming a very common complaint on every collecting forum im in.  

[Nic8612]

On 6/8/2022 at 7:57 PM, Sand1man said:

  I was hoping with CGC's new ownership and increased numbers of graders that things would improve.  .

Blackstone rarely improves anything that they get their hands on. Their strategy is volume over quality to generate as much revenue as possible. And in this case specifically a lot of the investors were prominent sports figures, so I kinda figure they're focusing more on cards and neglecting the comics side of things

[El Toro Rojo]

Jumping in to see I'm glad this is being brought up. I have specific examples...

This new "finger bends" trend seems to be happening more with books that have stiffer cardboard covers. I purchased multiple Marvel Clasico foil variants that came in three-packs. Opened the pack, carefully inspected the books (with gloves) - no bends whatsoever, no fingerprints, no color breaks.

All submitted came back 9.0-9.2, all with "finger bends" and "fingerprints".

These books absolutely DID NOT have those when they arrived at Sarasota.

[joeypost]

On 5/14/2022 at 12:18 PM, The Meta said:

Was pressed after signing

Could be my presser screwed up, though I do find it unlikely

Who is pressing your books that has been given the OK by CGC, to do it after a signing event?

[MetalPSI]

On 6/14/2022 at 6:23 PM, joeypost said:

Who is pressing your books that has been given the OK by CGC, to do it after a signing event?

I misunderstood, they were pressed before the signing and they weren't damaged by Suydam

Being Canadian and sending my books to the States, sometimes things get lost in translation