Hero Restoration, Anyone know the latest? 24 24

[DougC]

On 2/12/2024 at 11:46 PM, paulailp said:

I originally sent it to him because it was graded as poor restoration, he guaranteed me that he could get it ti an 8 with professional restoration.  
 

now it looks like a pile of junk. I’m putting off going through it because I am so stressed and disappointed. 

You are going to need to do a page count and see if the staples were returned as well.

I am not a restorer but I would have assumed one of the earlier processes would have been to leaf case the edges; outside of disassembly it doesn't really look like anything was done. Was the cover worse than the internal pages?

[Sauce Dog]

On 2/13/2024 at 2:21 AM, DougC said:

You are going to need to do a page count and see if the staples were returned as well.

I am not a restorer but I would have assumed one of the earlier processes would have been to leaf case the edges; outside of disassembly it doesn't really look like anything was done. Was the cover worse than the internal pages?

This! Inspect all the wraps returned to you carefully. A few customers have recently told me of missing pages, damage, and/or missing staples from books that were returned disassembled and never had the restoration work finished.

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

On 2/13/2024 at 9:57 AM, Sauce Dog said:

This! Inspect all the wraps returned to you carefully. A few customers have recently told me of missing pages, damage, and/or missing staples from books that were returned disassembled and never had the restoration work finished.

Sadly, it is not surprising.

[KCOComics]

On 2/13/2024 at 12:12 AM, paulailp said:

I just logged on to this site today as I received a package in the mail today of the Flash 1. It is all separate pages with various states of restoration. 
 

1. I would like to personally thank everyone that has been working and helping out with this unfortunate predicament. 
2. I am glad that after 14 years and $5000.00 paid to Mike for a complete restoration, I now have the book back. At least pages from it. I am honestly scared to look at them. At least in the last 14 years I have tried to forget about it. 

 

when I sent it to him it was in a graded CGC case. Now I have sort of a book back. Does anyone recommend a reputable restoration person that could help me?

 

Thanks again, 

 

 

Kenny Sanderson! PM me and I can give you contact info.  

He's the best in the business and will have it to you in less than 14 years,  guaranteed!!! 

Edited February 13 by KCOComics

[Sigur Ros]

On 2/13/2024 at 12:12 AM, paulailp said:

I just logged on to this site today as I received a package in the mail today of the Flash 1. It is all separate pages with various states of restoration. 
 

1. I would like to personally thank everyone that has been working and helping out with this unfortunate predicament. 
2. I am glad that after 14 years and $5000.00 paid to Mike for a complete restoration, I now have the book back. At least pages from it. I am honestly scared to look at them. At least in the last 14 years I have tried to forget about it. 

 

when I sent it to him it was in a graded CGC case. Now I have sort of a book back. Does anyone recommend a reputable restoration person that could help me?

 

Thanks again, 

 

 

Horrific.

Feel so bad for ya man.

[shadroch]

Slice up the pages, have them certified and sell the panels for a couple hundred each.

Adapt and overcome.

[thehumantorch]

On 2/12/2024 at 10:12 PM, paulailp said:

I just logged on to this site today as I received a package in the mail today of the Flash 1. It is all separate pages with various states of restoration. 
 

1. I would like to personally thank everyone that has been working and helping out with this unfortunate predicament. 
2. I am glad that after 14 years and $5000.00 paid to Mike for a complete restoration, I now have the book back. At least pages from it. I am honestly scared to look at them. At least in the last 14 years I have tried to forget about it. 

 

when I sent it to him it was in a graded CGC case. Now I have sort of a book back. Does anyone recommend a reputable restoration person that could help me?

 

Thanks again, 

 

 

14 years?  And all he apparently did in 14 years was crack the book out and disassemble it?  I'm so sorry Paul.

[ExNihilo]

On 2/12/2024 at 9:46 PM, paulailp said:

I originally sent it to him because it was graded as poor restoration, he guaranteed me that he could get it ti an 8 with professional restoration.  
 

now it looks like a pile of junk. I’m putting off going through it because I am so stressed and disappointed. 

You're taking this a lot better than I would be.

[paulailp]

The book is actually in worse shape than when I sent it to him. It had brittle pages and it looks like he broke parts off so he could attempt to cast in new material. This didn’t work and he just stopped working on it.

 

Any other victims please file a complaint with the USPS postal inspectors. They deal with Mail fraud, Cybercrime etc. as the books and payments were shipped across state lines by the postal service. I believe Mike also used the internet to steel or defraud. I was told this fits into their jurisdiction.

 

Mike needs professional help and Jail time. Hopefully he can be cell mates with the tossed Salad Man. 
 

Thanks for everyone’s help support and understanding.

 

 

[Mr. Zipper]

On 2/13/2024 at 12:58 PM, paulailp said:

The book is actually in worse shape than when I sent it to him. It had brittle pages and it looks like he broke parts off so he could attempt to cast in new material. This didn’t work and he just stopped working on it.

 

Any other victims please file a complaint with the USPS postal inspectors. They deal with Mail fraud, Cybercrime etc. as the books and payments were shipped across state lines by the postal service. I believe Mike also used the internet to steel or defraud. I was told this fits into their jurisdiction.

 

Mike needs professional help and Jail time. Hopefully he can be cell mates with the tossed Salad Man. 
 

Thanks for everyone’s help support and understanding.

 

 

I am sorry to see this. It's possible this explains the 14 year wait. Your book may have been "broken" soon after receipt. He was in over his head, and rather than face the situation, he sat on it and procrastinated.  

Edited February 13 by Mr. Zipper

[paulailp]

This was the picture he sent of the restorations he was working on October 5 2022. He stated he had 17 books being worked on. In chronological order from top left. 
 

some very nice expensive books. I wonder how many people got there book back and in what condition. 

Edited February 13 by paulailp

[Sauce Dog]

On 2/13/2024 at 1:46 PM, paulailp said:

This was the picture he sent of the restorations he was working on October 5 2022. He stated he had 17 books being worked on. In chronological order from top left. 
 

some very nice expensive books. I wonder how many people got there book back and in what condition. 

That is my Tales of Suspense #39 in top right which has been returned disassembled. It was leafcasted and some color touch was done on it but never completed and most needed to be redone due to color mismatch (it is now in the hands of Phil at Phantom Restoration)

[brute_nm]

On 2/13/2024 at 10:29 AM, KCOComics said:

Kenny Sanderson! PM me and I can give you contact info.  

He's the best in the business and will have it to you in less than 14 years,  guaranteed!!!

This 1000x, @paulailp. If there's anyone who can salvage this mess, it's Kenny. Check out sanderson_studios on IG - he has great progress posts (pics and video clips) where you can see his amazing work.

[bc]

On 2/13/2024 at 12:12 AM, paulailp said:

I just logged on to this site today as I received a package in the mail today of the Flash 1. It is all separate pages with various states of restoration. 
 

1. I would like to personally thank everyone that has been working and helping out with this unfortunate predicament. 
2. I am glad that after 14 years and $5000.00 paid to Mike for a complete restoration, I now have the book back. At least pages from it. I am honestly scared to look at them. At least in the last 14 years I have tried to forget about it. 

 

when I sent it to him it was in a graded CGC case. Now I have sort of a book back. Does anyone recommend a reputable restoration person that could help me?

 

Thanks again, 

 

 

Wow! So sorry to see this. It would take me days to calm down enough to post something.

What a total cluster  after 14 years and $5K.

I hope you engage every legal angle toward this guy.

-bc

 

[ExNihilo]

On 2/13/2024 at 4:30 PM, brute_nm said:

This 1000x, @paulailp. If there's anyone who can salvage this mess, it's Kenny. Check out sanderson_studios on IG - he has great progress posts (pics and video clips) where you can see his amazing work.

Progress pics?  You mean it's not standard practice to go radio silent for 14 years?  I dunno man, sounds too good to be true.  /s

[Domo Arigato]

On 2/13/2024 at 12:46 PM, paulailp said:

This was the picture he sent of the restorations he was working on October 5 2022. He stated he had 17 books being worked on. In chronological order from top left. 
some very nice expensive books. I wonder how many people got there book back and in what condition. 

Imagine the amount of cash he took in to work on just these books that is now likely gone.

Absolutely disgusting.

 

[thehumantorch]

On 2/13/2024 at 6:00 PM, Domo Arigato said:

Imagine the amount of cash he took in to work on just these books that is now likely gone.

Absolutely disgusting.

 

And this is just what we know.  What don't we know about?

[mattn792]

On 2/13/2024 at 11:58 AM, paulailp said:

The book is actually in worse shape than when I sent it to him. It had brittle pages and it looks like he broke parts off so he could attempt to cast in new material. This didn’t work and he just stopped working on it.

 

Any other victims please file a complaint with the USPS postal inspectors. They deal with Mail fraud, Cybercrime etc. as the books and payments were shipped across state lines by the postal service. I believe Mike also used the internet to steel or defraud. I was told this fits into their jurisdiction.

 

Mike needs professional help and Jail time. Hopefully he can be cell mates with the tossed Salad Man. 
 

Thanks for everyone’s help support and understanding.

 

 

@Hero Restoration

I think we would all love to hear your justification for holding this man’s book HOSTAGE for 14 years, and then returning it in worse shape than you received it.  Did the chickens eat your equipment?  The ex’s dog ate your hands?  Or are you just a conniving predator that took advantage of dozens of people who trusted you?  Nah, can’t be that, you’re the victim, right?

In light of all that’s been revealed, your reported substance abuse issues actually make a lot of sense as they are probably the only way you can look at yourself in the mirror without falling violently ill.

You may have started out with the best of intentions in your business, but whether a court ultimately says it or not, you willfully turned it into a criminal enterprise, and you preyed on a community built largely on trust, and you stole, and you stole, and you stole.

I like to think that no person is beyond redemption, and maybe you’ll one day find yours, but on February 13, 2024, you’re an awful human being.  There’s no other way I’d put it.

[KCOComics]

On 2/13/2024 at 8:35 PM, thehumantorch said:

And this is just what we know.  What don't we know about?

This is where my head goes. 

Hundreds of thousands of dollars just stolen. 

We are celebrating the return of a handful of books.  We all love the hobby so we tend to prioritize the well being and "safe" return of the comics. The $5k seems trivial compared to the return of Flash 1 that can now be fixed properly. 

But the fact remains,  he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from people. Just took the money and in many cases had no realistic expectation of doing any work. 

It's a mess and he belongs in jail. 

 

[Dr. Balls]

On 2/13/2024 at 10:36 AM, shadroch said:

Slice up the pages, have them certified and sell the panels for a couple hundred each.

Adapt and overcome.

Well said, Gunny Highway. (One of my favorite Eastwood movies).