First submission rejected, what next? 1 1

[Rickycardo]

Hello all, I'm pretty new at collecting comics but nearly 50 years at reading them. So I had an unopened, artist's proof near perfect (to me) Rick and Morty #1 variant with the lenticular cover that was my first submission for grading. My first mistake was sending it in unopened. I assumed it being unopened would help show how new and untainted the book was. Well, it was rejected. Turns out there is a sticky residue on the edges of the comic where they glued the lenticular cover onto the book.

Otherwise I'm thinking this book is great for grading and the census shows only 4 other books, 3 at 9.8 and 1 at 9.6. Should I attempt to clean the edges of the sticky residue and re-submit it? Should I send it out to be cleaned by a third party? If I clean it what's the best way to remove that residue?

[revat]

you should find a professional who cleans comics, and get their opinion on what it might take to clean the comic, and how much that might cost and how much time it would take.  You might need to send pictures or video, or something like that.

 

CGC does have a related service that presses and cleans called CCS, if you want to check the cgc website you can figure out how to contact them.

There are of course other companies and individuals who do this type of thing, you can scour the internets and find them, as it is somewhat bad form to suggest any specific CGC competitor on the free CGC chat boards.

Or you could contact a local dealer/store and see if they have any recommendations for cleaning services in your local area.

After it is cleaned, you can resubmit.  If you do CCS, they can submit to CGC directly.  The process may be similar with others who provide these services, you will need to work it out with them individually.

[Semicentennial]

Curious if this would get a purple label since cleaning usually involves dry cleaning/eraser cleaning for dirt removal.  Would removal of a sticky substance require a chemical to remove the residue and would it then get hit with a purple restoration label?

[revat]

On 5/24/2024 at 6:50 PM, Semicentennial said:

Curious if this would get a purple label since cleaning usually involves dry cleaning/eraser cleaning for dirt removal.  Would removal of a sticky substance require a chemical to remove the residue and would it then get hit with a purple restoration label?

Probably depends on the substance used to remove.  Which is why a professional is probably needed to consult

[Rickycardo]

Even if the substance is from the publishers own manufacturing process?

On 5/24/2024 at 9:10 PM, revat said:

Probably depends on the substance used to remove.  Which is why a professional is probably needed to consult

 

[revat]

On 5/25/2024 at 6:21 PM, Rickycardo said:

Even if the substance is from the publishers own manufacturing process?

 

What it takes to clean/restore a comic is not impacted by who put the sticky stuff there to begin with.  

 

it only matters what the substance is.  

But discussions here don’t matter.  If your goal is really to get it cleaned then graded, you have to have comic looked at by a professional 

[Paul Kosnik]

@Rickycardo, can you provide some pictures that show the sticky substance?

[Yorick]

Lenticular cover would typically not be paper.  Cleaning might turn out to be easy. 

[zzutak]

Makes me wonder if the book was stuck to the sleeve in which it was submitted (and could not be removed).  Or, if there was a paper lift / tape pull upon removal.    Proceed slowly and carefully once the book is back in hand. 

[Rickycardo]

On 5/26/2024 at 6:47 AM, Paul Kosnik said:

@Rickycardo, can you provide some pictures that show the sticky substance?

We were out for the holiday weekend. I'll post some pictures when I get home tonight. The sticky substance is the adhesive they used to glue the lenticular cover on the front page of the comic. You can feel it on the 3 edges of the cover but not the spine edge.

[Rickycardo]

Here are some magnified photos of the edges of the cover. It's almost impossible to see the adhesive but you can just feel the stickyness of it on the edges of the cover. My intention is to have the comic cleaned and resubmitted for grading. I've considered CGC's clean and press service but I'd prefer to talk to someone who would clean it and discuss the specifics of the edges and not just rely on a general cleaning. I also worry pressing might damage the lenticular cover.

Thoughts?

[Paul Kosnik]

I may be able to help on one front.  Although i do not have personal experience, a few folks i trust have pressed the lenticular covers using normal heat for modern books and light pressure.  So i have been told that in general they can be pressed.

That said, i'm not sure if all manufacturers use the method of gluing the lenticular on.

I share your concern that anything used to remove the glue may damage the cover.

One thing i've had luck with removing adhesive from covers non-destructively is Absorene Putty:  https://amzn.to/3VrLAKN

It is slow going but the adhesive would rather this to the putty than the book and will eventually roll off the book and into the putty.  It is non-destructive as long as you don't physically damage the comic with it.

Please let us know if you figure it out!

[Rickycardo]

Thank you Paul. I think I'm going to start with cleaning the glue. I've ordered the Absorene putty and am taking some YouTube crash courses on its use on comic books. I'll see what I can get off first then decide how to proceed.

Thanks again for the tip.