HERO RESTORATION - BOOKS NOT BEING RETURNED 20 20

[Kamenliter]

On 6/10/2023 at 4:23 AM, TheBook said:

Just want to add my experience to balance things out.

I sent 50 books to Mike. (1) set of 25 books to Oregon and (1) set of 25 to NJ.

It took numerous phone calls and emails to all his staff over the course of almost 2 years to start getting the books back.

So far I've gotten back about 40 books. Still missing a few but after reading all the other stories I feel like I'm not doing too bad.

If you choose legal action or reporting to the local authorities I also suggest contacting the HERO offices on a weekly basis so that you cover all bases and give him a "way out".

I personally will keep emailing him and his "staff" for the other books and I suggest others do the same.

Hopefully everyone gets their books back. At this point he can keep the fees I just want my books.

Good luck y'all.

Thanks for adding your story, one of only a few I’ve heard from people actually getting books back (or even waiting on books). 
 

There’s no more staff to get in touch with as he let the staff go a couple of months ago.

I sent a friend request yesterday to Brandon Daza, who was my contact in NJ (left my books with him at a local show last August) and he accepted soon after but he has not responded to my message about this situation.

[KCOComics]

 

I'm empathetic to his situation, but it doesn't change the fact that he's in the wrong and this is criminal. 

He not only has their comics, but he took payment up front. Returning the books doesn't make this right, he will need to return the books and the money. And I'm sure the money is long gone, which means the only recourse is for customers to get their books and lose their money or wait for years and years and hope the work gets done.  

Honestly, he shouldn't be taking any new orders until he cleans up this mess. I can appreciate that he needs the cash, but you can't treat people like this. It's more than a bad business practice, it's criminal.  

[Cat]

On 6/10/2023 at 2:14 PM, Sauce Dog said:

I'm just sharing what I know, as maybe the only person here that has direct line and experience with his operations. What you "know" is from others being disappointed and posting online, which is fair & valid, but that ain't worth much either on the internet nor does it paint anything close to a complete story (which I'm trying to offer some info to all here to fill some holes)

Him failing to get books out when he says so isn't necessarily lying, just horrible business practice and management. Still fair to be pissed at that, but I've seen no evidence of actual theft yet other than people saying things being super late counts as theft.

So he can never send NP_Gresham's AF15 back and it's not theft, as he hasn't taken it, he's just 'being super late on holding it'. Really? 

[Gaard]

On 6/9/2023 at 8:41 PM, NP_Gresham said:

He stole my Amazing Fantasy #15. He just took it and ran along with $3.2 K to restore it.

Oh well expensive lesson

My hope is that someday my bank account lets me think like this.

[Sauce Dog]

On 6/10/2023 at 8:32 AM, Cat said:

So he can never send NP_Gresham's AF15 back and it's not theft, as he hasn't taken it, he's just 'being super late on holding it'. Really? 

Once again, I don't know the details of the AF15, I'm just conveying the experiences and going-ons that I do know of recently. He does have an obligation to return all property (obviously), but how long it takes and the legal recourse each person has depends on the contracts they agreed to when starting the project (If you sent him a major key I recommend you gather up everything you have in writing, specifically timelines and most importantly payment obligations). I'm aware of several major keys that are in process of restoration, and still need work done, so if he was to return them now they would be in an incomplete state (which some customers are demanding full refunds on, so I'm assuming both sides are fighting this - this isn't my experience personally but I totally get why this would become a frustration problem for everyone involved and ain't my fight, nor can I defend anything I have no knowledge on).

When I submitted one of my first book he was clear it could take several years for restoration, so that expectation was already set for me on that project, though in the recent books case it is now exceeding the time frame we initially discussed and am having to keep on him to finish it.

[Sauce Dog]

On 6/10/2023 at 6:42 AM, KCOComics said:

 

I'm empathetic to his situation, but it doesn't change the fact that he's in the wrong and this is criminal. 

He not only has their comics, but he took payment up front. Returning the books doesn't make this right, he will need to return the books and the money. And I'm sure the money is long gone, which means the only recourse is for customers to get their books and lose their money or wait for years and years and hope the work gets done.  

Honestly, he shouldn't be taking any new orders until he cleans up this mess. I can appreciate that he needs the cash, but you can't treat people like this. It's more than a bad business practice, it's criminal.  

Yeah, I do agree with you 100% the business is fully responsible for the state it is in now, regardless of what has happened. I know he is no longer taking any new orders that are not pressing (so no restoration/conservation. Not sure of grading submissions though), but the extent of the pressing backlog is unknown to me (or if he has other people working on it).  

Communication is the biggest thing that needs to be addressed on his side, as most I'm sure would be understanding with the delays and situation if he just communicated expectations and timelines to everyone in a transparent (and timely) manner - doing otherwise only leads people to become more angry and makes the entire operation feel like a screw-job.

[Black_Adam]

On 6/10/2023 at 6:38 AM, Sauce Dog said:

Once again, I don't know the details of the AF15, I'm just conveying the experiences and going-ons that I do know of recently. He does have an obligation to return all property (obviously), but how long it takes and the legal recourse each person has depends on the contracts they agreed to when starting the project (If you sent him a major key I recommend you gather up everything you have in writing, specifically timelines and most importantly payment obligations). I'm aware of several major keys that are in process of restoration, and still need work done, so if he was to return them now they would be in an incomplete state (which some customers are demanding full refunds on, so I'm assuming both sides are fighting this - this isn't my experience personally but I totally get why this would become a frustration problem for everyone involved and ain't my fight, nor can I defend anything I have no knowledge on).

When I submitted one of my first book he was clear it could take several years for restoration, so that expectation was already set for me on that project, though in the recent books case it is now exceeding the time frame we initially discussed and am having to keep on him to finish it.

Restoration on a single comic can take several years?   

[Black_Adam]

On 6/10/2023 at 6:18 AM, Gaard said:

My hope is that someday my bank account lets me think like this.

If someone took my AF 15 and $3.2k in cash and didn't return either they would soon find me knocking on their door, even if I had to fly across the country to do it. And no one wants an angry Canadian knocking on their door.   

[Point Five]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:16 AM, Black_Adam said:

Restoration on a single comic can take several years?   

When it's managed like this it can.  

 

[mephistopheles]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:38 AM, Sauce Dog said:

When I submitted one of my first book he was clear it could take several years for restoration, so that expectation was already set for me on that project, though in the recent books case it is now exceeding the time frame we initially discussed and am having to keep on him to finish it.

Several years? Seriously? You should have run from that huge red flag. It sounds like he got in over his head, even if he had good intentions at first. As another poster said he will probably declare bankruptcy and customers will  be screwed.

[FlyingDonut]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:23 AM, Black_Adam said:

If someone took my AF 15 and $3.2k in cash and didn't return either they would soon find me knocking on their door, even if I had to fly across the country to do it. And no one wants an angry Canadian knocking on their door.   

I could mollify you with a cold Molson and some sweet Tragically Hip jams.

[FlyingDonut]

On 6/10/2023 at 9:48 AM, Sauce Dog said:

Yeah, I do agree with you 100% the business is fully responsible for the state it is in now, regardless of what has happened. I know he is no longer taking any new orders that are not pressing (so no restoration/conservation. Not sure of grading submissions though), but the extent of the pressing backlog is unknown to me (or if he has other people working on it).  

Communication is the biggest thing that needs to be addressed on his side, as most I'm sure would be understanding with the delays and situation if he just communicated expectations and timelines to everyone in a transparent (and timely) manner - doing otherwise only leads people to become more angry and makes the entire operation feel like a screw-job.

The entire operation IS a screw-job. All of the things you've stated are excuses and no reason to not send the books back.

[Sauce Dog]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:26 AM, mephistopheles said:

Several years? Seriously? You should have run from that huge red flag. It sounds like he got in over his head, even if he had good intentions at first. As another poster said he will probably declare bankruptcy and customers will  be screwed.

My case was unique, as I am not a paying customer - the restoration work he was going to do for me was in lieu of payment for services I was providing, and I said he could prioritize other customers paid work first as to not impact business. I got a general timeline in place which set expectations (I would have preferred set milestones but it seems that is impossible to get out of him), so I assume others also have similar timelines negotiated at the start of the project in writing.

Not sure about the bankruptcy plan, all I've heard on my end is him wanting to continue the business but restructure it to be pressing only (or perhaps a pressing division to start with under an umbrella company brand that he can expand later)

[Dr. Balls]

On 6/9/2023 at 9:31 PM, Sauce Dog said:

it is justified to be angry but there is zero theft going on

Theft being: "taking of another person's personal property with the intent of depriving that person of the use of their property." That's pretty much what he's doing when you request your book(s) back and he doesn't send it to you within a week-or-so timeframe. I'm going to dial down the harshness of this, since he's come on here to explain what's going on. Good luck, Mike.

Many years ago, I thought he was a member of this board - namely when he first started doing restoration. I remember his name from 9-10 years ago here, but I'm a little fuzzy on if he was active here or he was just name-dropped. Anyone else recall?

Edited June 14, 2023 by Dr. Balls

[mephistopheles]

On 6/10/2023 at 11:49 AM, Sauce Dog said:

My case was unique, as I am not a paying customer - the restoration work he was going to do for me was in lieu of payment for services I was providing, and I said he could prioritize other customers paid work first as to not impact business. I got a general timeline in place which set expectations (I would have preferred set milestones but it seems that is impossible to get out of him), so I assume others also have similar timelines negotiated at the start of the project in writing.

Not sure about the bankruptcy plan, all I've heard on my end is him wanting to continue the business but restructure it to be pressing only (or perhaps a pressing division to start with under an umbrella company brand that he can expand later)

Well he might as well file for chapter 11, because word travels fast and based on what I read here he couldn't pay me to allow him to press my books. 

[KCOComics]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:51 AM, Dr. Balls said:

Theft being: "taking of another person's personal property with the intent of depriving that person of the use of their property." That's pretty much what he's doing when you request your book(s) back and he doesn't send it to you within a week-or-so timeframe.

Many years ago, I thought he was a member of this board - namely when he first started doing restoration. I remember his name from 9-10 years ago here, but I'm a little fuzzy on if he was active here or he was just name-dropped. Anyone else recall?

I don't know about being on the boards,  but I feel like he's been a trusted member of the comic book community.

Whenever someone had a restoration question,  he was on the short list of recommended people. 

@Sauce Dog - do you know if he's still running two operations? The website says you can send it to Oregon or NY.  If he's a one man show, that's seems impossible. 

[Sauce Dog]

On 6/10/2023 at 10:57 AM, KCOComics said:

I don't know about being on the boards,  but I feel like he's been a trusted member of the comic book community.

Whenever someone had a restoration question,  he was on the short list of recommended people. 

@Sauce Dog - do you know if he's still running two operations? The website says you can send it to Oregon or NY.  If he's a one man show, that's seems impossible. 

I am unsure of the status of the second location or staff there (he was offering equipment from it to me, but that might have just been the long term plan and it is still operating as a delivery hub and doing pressing), the website might be out of date (I handed the keys to it off to him long ago, so unless he contracts me out for specific jobs I don't maintain it any longer and unsure of what is correct or not)

@Dr. Balls I honestly cannot recall his original account here but he was/is active on the boards, but I think its been awhile since he has posted (I don't have him in saved in my messages here as I only commincated with him via email or phone), I think he had a TRON avatar? 

Edited June 10, 2023 by Sauce Dog

[wombat]

Any money he is collecting now is almost certainly ponzi scheme activity in hopes of making older customers satisfied. Sounds like people are going to be very unhappy for years to come. 

[mattn792]

On 6/10/2023 at 9:16 AM, Black_Adam said:

Restoration on a single comic can take several years?   

This was my first reaction too.  The one book I’ve had restored did take several months, but several years seems like an absurd timeline.

[KCOComics]

On 6/10/2023 at 11:00 AM, Sauce Dog said:

I am unsure of the status of the second location or staff there (he was offering equipment from it to me, but that might have just been the long term plan and it is still operating as a delivery hub and doing pressing), the website might be out of date (I handed the keys to it off to him long ago, so unless he contracts me out for specific jobs I don't maintain it any longer and unsure of what is correct or not)

@Dr. Balls I honestly cannot recall his original account here but he was/is active on the boards, but I think its been awhile since he has posted (I don't have him in saved in my messages here as I only commincated with him via email or phone), I think he had a TRON avatar? 

For what it's worth, I appreciate how you've handled this and all the information you've shared. 

This is an unfortunate situation and at this point,  I think we all just want to see everyone made whole.