HERO RESTORATION - BOOKS NOT BEING RETURNED 19 19

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 7/19/2023 at 1:07 AM, Poka said:

This is a business gone broke. I expect people will get their books back, but the money is gone when the business burst. Sorry - but part of life

 

? You've been speaking about this like Hero's clients were major shareholders taking a risk with an up and coming business, and not customers who were practically robbed when said business took their money and failed to fulfill the service. This kind of loss is okay to you just because the business went belly-up?

[Mystafo]

On 7/14/2023 at 9:05 AM, theCapraAegagrus said:

I Capra'd

[Mystafo]

On 7/18/2023 at 10:38 PM, wombat said:

At some point something becomes so slow it ceases to move. 

[Domo Arigato]

On 7/18/2023 at 11:54 PM, paulailp said:

He has had one of my flash #1, books along with $5000.00 paid for the restoration. Paid in 2014. Minimal updates and different excuses. Mike is a very personal person and I wish the best for him. However I am skeptical  I received a call today from another victim. I don’t know how they had my name and contact information. They asked me to file a criminal complaint. I sent Mike an email requesting a call asap. Let’s hope he is ok and I get my $100,000 book back. Just went back and checked my records. Sent book in 2014. I made the check out to Mike personally and Hero Restoration was not listed as an llc at this time.
 

 

A $100,000 book........$5,000 paid........and now has nothing to show for it after 9 years?

This is absolutely disgusting. 

 

[DeadOne]

On 7/19/2023 at 8:41 AM, october said:

Some of these examples, including the one above, push this "business" into outright scam territory for me...or close enough to that line where there is no functional difference.

Nine years. 

+1

Are we certain that, at this point, @Hero Restoration is just inept at business?

I'm not quite certain if Mike's eventual bankruptcy will cover what is looking more and more like outright fraud. 

[DR.X]

On 7/19/2023 at 8:41 AM, Domo Arigato said:

A $100,000 book........$5,000 paid........and now has nothing to show for it after 9 years?

This is absolutely disgusting. 

 

After nine months of waiting, maybe a year, I would have been making a road trip.

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 7/19/2023 at 12:54 AM, paulailp said:

He has had one of my flash #1, books along with $5000.00 paid for the restoration. Paid in 2014. Minimal updates and different excuses. Mike is a very personal person and I wish the best for him. However I am skeptical  I received a call today from another victim. I don’t know how they had my name and contact information. They asked me to file a criminal complaint. I sent Mike an email requesting a call asap. Let’s hope he is ok and I get my $100,000 book back. Just went back and checked my records. Sent book in 2014. I made the check out to Mike personally and Hero Restoration was not listed as an llc at this time.
 

 

By far the worst case out of all the ones we've heard so far, if all of this is how you've presented it. Flash #1......wow

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 7/19/2023 at 3:36 AM, Lightning55 said:

This thread has been akin to watching a disaster in slow motion. Like the Titanic.

The thread starts as the iceberg hits, then there's the ensuing chaos and panic as the ship gets lower in the water. It splits in 2 and disappears into the ocean.

I hope some survivors get rescued in this version.

Let me know when we hit the submersible tour phase.

[wombat]

On 7/19/2023 at 8:41 AM, october said:

Some of these examples, including the one above, push this "business" into outright scam territory for me...or close enough to that line where there is no functional difference.

Nine years. 

Flat out theft. NINE years. I eagerly await someone to throw out some kind of excuse for this. 

[thehumantorch]

On 7/19/2023 at 6:41 AM, october said:

Some of these examples, including the one above, push this "business" into outright scam territory for me...or close enough to that line where there is no functional difference.

Nine years. 

but, but, but he had a heart attack

[theCapraAegagrus]

I'm impressed with people who will wait a year or two for work to be completed, but I guess I can understand that if you're really passionate about a pro doing their best work. 9 years is beyond ridiculous a wait time.

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 7/19/2023 at 10:48 AM, wombat said:

Flat out theft. NINE years. I eagerly await someone to throw out some kind of excuse for this. 

Noo!!! You don't understand it DOES take that long to restore it, because it's a blue chip key!!! It's the cost of doing business guys!

[mattn792]

On 7/19/2023 at 9:48 AM, wombat said:

Flat out theft. NINE years. I eagerly await someone to throw out some kind of excuse for this. 

Care to oblige, @Poka?

[CAHokie]

On 7/19/2023 at 10:48 AM, wombat said:

Flat out theft. NINE years. I eagerly await someone to throw out some kind of excuse for this. 

[KCOComics]

On 7/19/2023 at 12:54 AM, paulailp said:

He has had one of my flash #1, books along with $5000.00 paid for the restoration. Paid in 2014. Minimal updates and different excuses. Mike is a very personal person and I wish the best for him. However I am skeptical  I received a call today from another victim. I don’t know how they had my name and contact information. They asked me to file a criminal complaint. I sent Mike an email requesting a call asap. Let’s hope he is ok and I get my $100,000 book back. Just went back and checked my records. Sent book in 2014. I made the check out to Mike personally and Hero Restoration was not listed as an llc at this time.
 

 

This is such an unfortunate mess. I think this is the worst case we've heard so far. And there is absolutely no excuse for this.

This predates his health risks, the theft, his expansion to Hero East. 

 

I've been pretty adamant that getting the books back with no work done isn't a reasonable outcome. Customers shouldn't be expected to throw away thousands of dollars just to secure their property. 

But in this situation, I would ask for my book back, and then fight the money fight. I would be very nervous about what Bankruptcy would look like and what would happen to the property on hand. 

 

I'm really sorry for this situation. The comic book world has changed allot in 9 years. Even just the cost of grading (if you want it graded) has changed dramatically in that time.  Good luck!! 

[thehumantorch]

On 7/19/2023 at 9:41 AM, KCOComics said:

This is such an unfortunate mess. I think this is the worst case we've heard so far. And there is absolutely no excuse for this.

This predates his health risks, the theft, his expansion to Hero East. 

 

I've been pretty adamant that getting the books back with no work done isn't a reasonable outcome. Customers shouldn't be expected to throw away thousands of dollars just to secure their property. 

But in this situation, I would ask for my book back, and then fight the money fight. I would be very nervous about what Bankruptcy would look like and what would happen to the property on hand. 

 

I'm really sorry for this situation. The comic book world has changed allot in 9 years. Even just the cost of grading (if you want it graded) has changed dramatically in that time.  Good luck!! 

Agreed, getting books back without the work getting done and losing the money spent for that work isn't a good outcome.  But, it's a better outcome than losing your money and your books. 

[Lazyboy]

On 7/19/2023 at 2:16 AM, Cat said:

Oh well conversation over. It's okay guys, you're out your thousands of dollars, and we can just close this thread. Nothing more to be said. 

You can post whatever you want (within the rules). That won't change the simple fact that there is no money.

[Sauce Dog]

My mental health after deciding to peek back into this thread



I've reached out to Mike and recommend that he shut down the submission portion of his website at this point, and post a notice on the homepage regarding it as well as info for those wanting their books mailed back.

I haven't worked on his website in awhile, but am available to make this happen quickly as to alleviate some stress (so he doesn't have to find time to do it himself, or pay to bring another developer/employee on board to do it)

[DougC]

On 7/18/2023 at 11:54 PM, paulailp said:

 I received a call today from another victim. I don’t know how they had my name and contact information. They asked me to file a criminal complaint.

This has to be done at this point to protect the customers victims. Filling the complaint is just a procedure and will be used to set standing, the next step will be to set forth a civil case with the main goal of seeing all books returned to their owners. Everyone is aware that the money is gone but once a judgement is given you can then use that to file property liens, jockey a higher position on the creditor list, and all around make sure this will be public information and follow him so that he cannot scam more people in the future.

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

Filing is definitely wise here. It won't necessarily (?) put the cash back into the victims' pockets, but any efforts on the legal front are better than doing none of that at all. The unfortunate nature of the circumstances is something that I can understand causing hopelessness, but filing a criminal complaint against Mike, all while @Hero Restoration returns the victim's comics, would be productive. There is very clearly a strong case here, and I encourage those affected to contribute as much information as they can to help in any legal processe.

Edited July 19, 2023 by L'Angelo Misterioso