Hero Restoration, Anyone know the latest? 27 27

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/17/2024 at 3:22 PM, Buzzetta said:

Yup... I said years ago when I picked up lower grade early Superman, someone publicly recommended for me to use Mike and it led to me getting submittal forms from him with a turnaround estimate of about a little less than a year if I remember.   A couple of days before I was to mail out the book, I was privately told it would be in my best interest not to submit anything to him.  That was around 2015-16? 

Holy $&&@*^%%. 

[Steven Valdez]

On 8/18/2024 at 6:13 AM, thehumantorch said:

The most logical reason to shelve projects for many years is because he just wasn't skilled or knowledgeable enough to finish the job.  I think he overestimated and oversold his abilities.  He started posting here many years ago showing his early efforts and experimentation.  I don't believe he ever worked for any of the restoration experts in the hobby and I suspect he was entirely self taught. 

After seeing what he did to those two early Action Comics, his extreme incompetence is not in question. He also told a guy that the centerfold of his Hulk #1 was married in. That was easily found to be BS as well (this is also detailed on that Swagglehaus video that everyone hates).

Edited August 18 by Steven Valdez

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/17/2024 at 6:27 PM, Mr. Zipper said:

I had a great deal of empathy for Mike and so wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Over and over and over again. I chatted with him last year when things first started perking to the surface, and I believed it was all just due to health problems and him making some poor business decisions.

However, as things continued to unfold and it became evident that he had been taking books for years for work for which he was unable to professionally perform and he was stringing people along… That was the final straw. It was much more than having some health problems and things falling apart after that. This was going on way before he had any health issues. It was malicious and it was intentional.

Whats stunning to me is the fact that he was doing this for so long and there weren’t more public alarm bells ringing. As connected as the online communities are… How is it that even people who were paying close attention didn’t know that he had peoples books for years and years? Not to blame the victims… But were they remaining silent out of fear of crossing Mike and not getting their books back? (which is what ended up happening anyway)

I believe everyone is worthy of redemption. I hope he’s held accountable for his crimes and he’s able to salvage his life after that. 

I think it was a combination of good will and being uneducated. (I include myself in this category). I mean - how long does restoration take?  Is it better if it  takes  longer?  I’d rather a job be done right then “fast”. TBH I feel especially  naive and foolish as all my book needed was a press. It was obvious when the book sold on eBay he NEVER EVEN BOTHERED to press it! It was in exactly the same condition as when I sent it. Minus the CGC case. Ironically I never sent it to anyone else for fear it would be swapped or stolen. Guess the jokes on me. 

Edited August 18 by Neo "The One"
I cannot spell

[mmm68]

Let’s face it Mike was also a skilled confidence man. He kept his operation going for a long time by remaining in contact with promises of a higher-grade comic. He did not just ghost people.

Edited August 18 by mmm68

[timguerrero]

Mike will get punished as he deserves. What about others who have had scams like his? Selling others books and not sendig comics out. I still vividly recall Craig Oscarson from The Brain Trust and how other group members tried to get him to pay for his crimes unsuccesfully. I only lost 2 books in that scam unlike others that found themselves out of a lot of money and books.

[Neo "The One"]

Anywho. Sorry if I offended anyone with my posts yesterday. Had a few beers before posting. Now that he’s arrested somehow I’m even more upset about this situation. To beat anyone to the punch… 

Edited August 18 by Neo "The One"

[Neo "The One"]

Also it’s obvious I’ve being thinking about this a lot. So - some guys are talking about redemption for the guy because he was “one of us”.  I think all of his victims were too. 

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/17/2024 at 11:04 PM, mmm68 said:

Let’s face it Mike was also a skilled confidence man. He kept his operation going for a long time by remaining in contact with promises of a higher-grade comic. He did not just ghost people.

So good a con man that guys are STILL rooting for him. I mean - W.T.H!?

[KCOComics]

On 8/18/2024 at 11:01 AM, Neo "The One" said:

So good a con man that guys are STILL rooting for him. I mean - W.T.H!?

I don't subscribe to the "one of us" theory.  He's a bad person who did bad things that hurt many people. And I hope he's justly and harshly punished. 

 

With that said, if, after his punishment, he can find a way to be a decent member of society. Working a legit job,  not scamming, getting cleaned up from drugs and alcohol, maybe even trying to make it right with some victims.  That would be an outcome I would root for. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 8/18/2024 at 10:21 AM, KCOComics said:

On 8/18/2024 at 10:01 AM, Neo "The One" said:

So good a con man that guys are STILL rooting for him. I mean - W.T.H!?

I don't subscribe to the "one of us" theory.  He's a bad person who did bad things that hurt many people. And I hope he's justly and harshly punished. 

 

With that said, if, after his punishment, he can find a way to be a decent member of society. Working a legit job,  not scamming, getting cleaned up from drugs and alcohol, maybe even trying to make it right with some victims.  That would be an outcome I would root for. 

 Samesies, I would always hope in this life or the next that we ALL make out better than the mistakes we've ALL made up to this point.

It takes these kinds of circumstances to drive that point home for some, we all are GOING to learn just some faster than others

And My prayers for no resentment extend to the victims too, yes it sucks and yes rehabilitation and retribution ARE possible, but basically no one needs to or can enjoy life dwelling on it with resenting emotions.

in short, I pray some good comes of it, however possible and long the narrow road.  

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/18/2024 at 11:21 AM, KCOComics said:

I don't subscribe to the "one of us" theory.  He's a bad person who did bad things that hurt many people. And I hope he's justly and harshly punished. 

 

With that said, if, after his punishment, he can find a way to be a decent member of society. Working a legit job,  not scamming, getting cleaned up from drugs and alcohol, maybe even trying to make it right with some victims.  That would be an outcome I would root for. 

I wish that for anyone who’s had trouble in life. I know a lot of guys were friendly with Mike. At one time he seemed to be a good guy. Still too raw for me right now. 

[ADAMANTIUM]

On 8/18/2024 at 3:21 PM, Neo "The One" said:

I wish that for anyone who’s had trouble in life. I know a lot of guys were friendly with Mike. At one time he seemed to be a good guy. Still too raw for me right now. 

Understandable!

[SkOw]

On 8/18/2024 at 4:21 PM, Neo "The One" said:

I wish that for anyone who’s had trouble in life. I know a lot of guys were friendly with Mike. At one time he seemed to be a good guy. Still too raw for me right now. 

He never was.  Good people don't do what he did. 

I followed this thread since the beginning and the locked thread too.  He always was the person everyone saw him to be at the end.  I do think it is possible for a good person to fall due to substance abuse problems, but that wasn't the case here.  He was always a d-bag and someone who only cared about himself.  Even before this thread, and the locked thread, if you really looked, it was there with him.  Everyone just sees that the emperor has no clothes.

I really hope your book is returned to you too @Neo "The One".  You and @Sauce Dog did A LOT to help bring this to justice for some of his victims.

[CJ Design]

On 8/16/2024 at 10:26 PM, ADAMANTIUM said:

Lol I didn't watch the vid, but wondered if they offered any info from the thread, you know to insinuate they hadn't heard of it today only..... I'm sure the end result gets the notifications though as stated.

I'd admire it more for 2 cents if they mentioned the thread, the detective, and who to reach out too? Sigh

I was one of the 1st to comment on it, and said flat out it was the CGC's board's work that did it...got a couple of snarky-azz responses to that.

[Neo "The One"]

On 8/18/2024 at 5:50 PM, SkOw said:

He never was.  Good people don't do what he did. 

I followed this thread since the beginning and the locked thread too.  He always was the person everyone saw him to be at the end.  I do think it is possible for a good person to fall due to substance abuse problems, but that wasn't the case here.  He was always a d-bag and someone who only cared about himself.  Even before this thread, and the locked thread, if you really looked, it was there with him.  Everyone just sees that the emperor has no clothes.

I really hope your book is returned to you too @Neo "The One".  You and @Sauce Dog did A LOT to help bring this to justice for some of his victims.

Thanks!  There are a lot of great people on this board. I tip my hat to all you!

[Designer Toast]

Six class C felonies, seven class B felonies, one class A felony for racketeering.  Oof. 

I was in court on one of my cases several years ago.  Defendant changed his plea to guilty on five counts of Theft 1, which is classified as a C felony in Oregon.  No prior criminal history.  He received probation on the first four charges, the fifth one got him thirteen-months in prison.  He was remanded to custody instantly.  Mike will most certainly be doing prison time on this.  Looks like he's still lodged in the Linn County jail.

This is the second big comic book related criminal case from Oregon.  The FBI did undercover (UC) buys on this one.  Pretty crazy the amount of books stolen.

[Steven Valdez]

On 8/18/2024 at 11:20 AM, Semicentennial said:

Destroying his customer's books, as mentioned in the video, had nothing to do with expansion of his business.  It didn't seem like he had the ability to do that kind of restoration was needed on some of those books.  Everything started to implode because his customers connected the dots.  Everything that happened to him was his doing.  He might have been a member of the community, but based on how far back he was keeping books away from his customers, I hardly consider him "one of us".  

Yep... "one of us" would not steal, sell or destroy people's treasured, valuable assets.

Edited August 19 by Steven Valdez

[wombat]

He doesn't seem like he would last long in prison. Healthcare doesn't seem to be a strongpoint there. 

[revat]

On 8/19/2024 at 1:20 AM, wombat said:

He doesn't seem like he would last long in prison. Healthcare doesn't seem to be a strongpoint there. 

Wayyy off topic, but it's really quite relative and incarceration can lead to better health outcomes than one might think.  Of course it depends on the jail or prison and your sentencing to some extent.  

BUT, depending on the behavior of many criminals (or alleged criminals) when they were out of confinement, one can really improve their health for some of the following reasons (I fully get there are a zillion ways your life can be worse in prison).  Of course a lot of this is stuff the inmate has to WANT for themselves too.

1.  You get 3 regular fairly nutritious meals a day - many regular folks and even more criminals don't get three square meals a day whether its behavior based or time restraints or financial issues.  Just doing this can improve a lot of health issues.

2.  Regular access to medications and medical care you might need - regular folks and even more criminals don't take care of their ailments in the way that they should, either because of time or finances or fear or laziness.  In prison you got nothing to do AND you get regular medical checkups.  And when you are prescribed with medicine, they essentially force you to take it, and you have no excuse not to take it or to miss an appointment.  

3.  Plenty of time to exercise - Nothing to do all day, get some exercise, and maybe some sun (depending on your situation).  Lift some weights, walk around the yard, do some sports, pushups in your cell.  This can do a lot for your body and your mind.  No pressure to make money or take care of your house or family.

4.  Assuming it was an issue before, there is no longer such regular easy access to alcohol and drugs.  Getting clean can be difficult (and I know some folks get that stuff smuggled in), but I'm sure plenty of inmates end up getting clean and improving their health this way.

5.  Mental health - regular free counseling, support groups, peace and quiet, less distractions, religion?, plus all the stuff above can improve mental health.  Which can also have positive effects for physical health.

6.  All of the stuff above plus forced lights out can lead to more and better sleep, which is obviously great too.

Again, I know incarceration is no cakewalk (nor should it be), and there are also opportunities for many bad things to get worse (much worse).  But I don't think the subject of this thread was making all the best moves with regards to improving his health whilst on the outside running from debtors and allegedly committing crimes and allegedly abusing substances and probably not eating or sleeping well, and for incarceration might actually afford a chance to improve his health, if the guy is wiling to.  

[KCOComics]

On 8/19/2024 at 12:22 PM, revat said:

Wayyy off topic, but it's really quite relative and incarceration can lead to better health outcomes than one might think.  Of course it depends on the jail or prison and your sentencing to some extent.  

BUT, depending on the behavior of many criminals (or alleged criminals) when they were out of confinement, one can really improve their health for some of the following reasons (I fully get there are a zillion ways your life can be worse in prison).  Of course a lot of this is stuff the inmate has to WANT for themselves too.

1.  You get 3 regular fairly nutritious meals a day - many regular folks and even more criminals don't get three square meals a day whether its behavior based or time restraints or financial issues.  Just doing this can improve a lot of health issues.

2.  Regular access to medications and medical care you might need - regular folks and even more criminals don't take care of their ailments in the way that they should, either because of time or finances or fear or laziness.  In prison you got nothing to do AND you get regular medical checkups.  And when you are prescribed with medicine, they essentially force you to take it, and you have no excuse not to take it or to miss an appointment.  

3.  Plenty of time to exercise - Nothing to do all day, get some exercise, and maybe some sun (depending on your situation).  Lift some weights, walk around the yard, do some sports, pushups in your cell.  This can do a lot for your body and your mind.  No pressure to make money or take care of your house or family.

4.  Assuming it was an issue before, there is no longer such regular easy access to alcohol and drugs.  Getting clean can be difficult (and I know some folks get that stuff smuggled in), but I'm sure plenty of inmates end up getting clean and improving their health this way.

5.  Mental health - regular free counseling, support groups, peace and quiet, less distractions, religion?, plus all the stuff above can improve mental health.  Which can also have positive effects for physical health.

6.  All of the stuff above plus forced lights out can lead to more and better sleep, which is obviously great too.

Again, I know incarceration is no cakewalk (nor should it be), and there are also opportunities for many bad things to get worse (much worse).  But I don't think the subject of this thread was making all the best moves with regards to improving his health whilst on the outside running from debtors and allegedly committing crimes and allegedly abusing substances and probably not eating or sleeping well, and for incarceration might actually afford a chance to improve his health, if the guy is wiling to.  

 

I think prison is like anything else. You get out of it, what you put into it. 

Sure,  people can take advantage Healthcare and education,  and improve their lives. But that is a choice.  You still will have access to drugs and alcohol and bad people doing bad things. 

I hope Mike can come out the other end in better shape than he goes in. But from my limited knowledge on the topic, I think the majority of people in the system, don't get better and often get worse.