HERO RESTORATION - BOOKS NOT BEING RETURNED 20 20

[Dr. Balls]

On 6/23/2023 at 9:54 AM, wombat said:

Really hoping CGC doesn't nuke this thread. It would be a disservice to its users. 

I don't think they will. I'm sure Mike is on top of it to make sure personal info doesn't get posted, etc - and he's probably likely to delete any offending posts rather than locking it or deleting it.

In reading the CGC board terms, there's a lot spelled out for acceptable behavior, but I don't think things here have escalated to the point of libel, harassment or intimidation - and I doubt they will. Everyone here who has stake in the topic is being pretty even-keel, and those who aren't are being careful to make sure the thread doesn't go away. I mean, this isn't a run-of-the-mill Friday thread - there's people here with thousands of dollars at stake, and it seems like boardies understand the severity of that.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Dr. Balls

[CGC Mike]

On 6/23/2023 at 5:54 AM, DougC said:

It was a PM like Kamenliter got. I had a good laugh reading the courtesy.

If anyone wants the PM removed, let me know.  Hero Restoration has been informed that he is not allowed to use this forum to threaten members with law suits or any other kinds of threats, or posting restrictions to his account will be applied.  

[ExNihilo]

On 6/23/2023 at 2:45 AM, Kamenliter said:

Moderator? What to do? I started a post asking if anyone had gotten their books back, worried about mine. I left basically a review of the work once I finally got them back, after ten months (not knowing I’d even get them back) and now he’s going to sue me? After screwing me (and others) over? Wtf.

You're fine.  There's no legal basis for a customer writing a review of their experience.  If it were, there'd be no reviews written on Amazon, eBay, Yelp, Google, etc.

On 6/23/2023 at 5:08 AM, Dr. Balls said:

CAHokie has repeatedly asked if it was mailed, and nothing but radio silence despite Mike being in the thread and reading posts. Offer rescinded.  

I tried to be empathetic to what he has going on, but at this point - it's impossible to do that in the face of how he's navigating this huge problem.

Not only that, your and CAHokie's empathy was met with jokes from Hero.

On 6/23/2023 at 5:23 AM, CAHokie said:

Yes, I kept asking not as a way to pile on but to genuinely try to help. As you and I discussed, we would have combined to pay for it (thank you for that by the way) in case shipping cost was an issue. I have heard nothing so I will assume it was not shipped so the offer has expired. 

I truly hope you guys get your books back. I feel bad that not only do you not have your books, but are out a lot of money and feel threatened to even speak up about it. That’s a helpless feeling and not right…. 

 

At this point, I get the sense that more boardies would be willing to contribute to a victim legal fund than they would to help with return shipping.

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

Can we get a list of who has comics that are still being held hostage by Mike, and who has books that have so far been returned by Mike? I've completely lost track of which books are items of dispute, except NP's Amazing Fantasy #15 (doubtful it's been mailed to NP)

[Mystafo]

On 6/23/2023 at 11:31 AM, CGC Mike said:

If anyone wants the PM removed, let me know.  Hero Restoration has been informed that he is not allowed to use this forum to threaten members with law suits or any other kinds of threats, or posting restrictions to his account will be applied.  

Hey Mike Happy Birthday (hopefully the little cake is correct)!

[CGC Mike]

On 6/23/2023 at 12:43 PM, Mystafo said:

Hey Mike Happy Birthday (hopefully the little cake is correct)!

Thank you.  

Actually it is and for some strange reason, it was there yesterday as well.  

[jaybuck43]

On 6/23/2023 at 12:51 PM, CGC Mike said:

Thank you.  

Actually it is and for some strange reason, it was there yesterday as well.  

Admins get two birthdays  

[Iceman399]

On 6/23/2023 at 12:51 PM, CGC Mike said:

Thank you.  

Actually it is and for some strange reason, it was there yesterday as well.  

I guess we need to get birthday drinks one year as we are too close together not to!  Happy Bday CGC Employee of the year

[badback83]

On 6/23/2023 at 11:03 AM, thewritestuff said:

FYI he recently posted an AF15 on his IG. Could this be yours?

My rule still holds true.  Never do business with a person holding a book worth thousands but can’t be bothered to wash the dirt from underneath his fingernails.  Disgusting.

[ttfitz]

On 6/21/2023 at 5:59 PM, HighRadArt said:

Sorry.  They did not.  "In before the lock" is old school (showing my old age).

You left off "PERNTS!"

[HighRadArt]

On 6/23/2023 at 10:48 AM, ttfitz said:

You left off "PERNTS!"

That's because I never got any. 

[HighRadArt]

On 6/23/2023 at 10:46 AM, DocHoppus182 said:

My rule still holds true.  Never do business with a person holding a book worth thousands but can’t be bothered to wash the dirt from underneath his fingernails.  Disgusting.

You folks are hard core...

[Mephisto]

I think my biggest take away from this thread is I can't believe anyone was dumb enough to expand a comic book pressing /resto business to the point of having double digit employees and multiple locations on two different coasts during the Covid boom of the last few years.

1. There was no way the comic book market was going to run as hot as it did during Covid for a very long time to justify that type of expansion. There was bound to be a significant drop off.

2. Factor in the comic movie fatigue that inevitably was going to come and now appears to be here. There is no denying what comic book movies have done to the market especially in more recent years. Now you have a lot more movies and shows not being well received. Even if a book was hot leading up to a movie they are dropping off hard when the movie isn't well received making the window to flip shorter. Hello Black Adam.

3. There was already well established competition (CGC, Joey) especially for pressing even before the Covid boom.   

4. Every Tom, MR., and Harry going on Youtube in recent years talking about pressing their own books and even cleaning their own books and making those Benjamins doing it. Even multiple posters in this thread stated they bought their own equipment and have been pressing their own books. Why not cut out the middleman, save some money, and shorten the turn around time especially if it's a hot book that needs to get flipped sooner rather than later.

I just don't see how this LARGE of an expansion was thought to be a good idea...at all. Never mind the potential issue of newbie employees coming in and doing shoddy work (which according to this thread wound up not being a potential issue but actually occurred) 

This business decision sounds like the PTON of Pressing.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Mephisto

[skypinkblu]

I'm fast losing whatever sympathy I had before...because there have been no apologies and nothing to indicate that responsibility has been taken.

I want to let people who have not gotten their books/funds back, know that you can start a group PM by just starting one and adding people with the the little plus sign to the right of the names of the people who you started the thread with. So someone could start a thread and get anyone who posted that they are missing books or had an issue in one group PM. I'm sure most of you knew that already, but I'm also sure a few might not.

I had originally thought of starting a thread where people could donate shipping labels, NOT MONEY to Heroes, but specific labels for specific books to be returned. I figured that would help if he could not scrape up the money needed, but I don't want to be involved in sending anything to him. He should take out a loan if he doesn't have the funds.

A few other suggestions...if his threats concern you, ask a friend who has not signed anything to call the local newspapers in his town and by all means...get together and hire a lawyer to advise you. 

So sorry for the people who are going through this...at first all I could think  of was the poor guy had a heart attack...but by now, if it were my books, I'd be spitting nails, and I'm fairly easy going.

 

Edited June 23, 2023 by skypinkblu

[Dr. Balls]

Sha has spoken.

 

[quicksilver]

On 6/23/2023 at 5:41 PM, L'Angelo Misterioso said:

Can we get a list of who has comics that are still being held hostage by Mike, and who has books that have so far been returned by Mike? I've completely lost track of which books are items of dispute, except NP's Amazing Fantasy #15 (doubtful it's been mailed to NP)

Well, here are mine :

Action # 7 & # 10

Detective # 29

Cost price was $53255 including $550 for a More Fun # 38 as a donor back cover for the AC# 7

I paid $12275 to Hero, and the last I heard from him was April 10th, saying that he would return the books via a trusted third party, as I’m in the UK.

[Pokecollectoramy]

This thread is WILD. I cannot imagine what some of you are going through. A Tec 29 gone for 5 years, handfuls of AF15. I'm truly sorry to everyone that this has happened to. 

My biggest question is really just why HR still has the books at all? It seems crystal clear from their post that the company is cash flow negative and all reserves were drained trying to expand (we won't get into bad business decisions because he wasnt the first and won't be the last) but then why still have the books at all? This work is never going to get done and truthfully why would you want to? You are 5 years behind in some cases. That is impossible to get out from under especially when there is no income. Just send the books back and then deal with everything else

[mattn792]

On 6/23/2023 at 3:14 PM, quicksilver said:

Well, here are mine :

Action # 7 & # 10

Detective # 29

Cost price was $53255 including $550 for a More Fun # 38 as a donor back cover for the AC# 7

I paid $12275 to Hero, and the last I heard from him was April 10th, saying that he would return the books via a trusted third party, as I’m in the UK.

I assume he didn’t say anything about returning your $12,275?

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 6/23/2023 at 2:00 PM, HighRadArt said:

You folks are hard core...

Bro he took over $12,000 from one guy I think it's perfectly called for 

[Dr. Balls]

On 6/23/2023 at 2:14 PM, quicksilver said:

Well, here are mine :

Action # 7 & # 10

Detective # 29

Cost price was $53255 including $550 for a More Fun # 38 as a donor back cover for the AC# 7

I paid $12275 to Hero, and the last I heard from him was April 10th, saying that he would return the books via a trusted third party, as I’m in the UK.

 

 
We need a “shocked” emoji for this thread.

Edited June 23, 2023 by Dr. Balls