Buyer beware Arthur Adams 1 1

[cloud cloddie]

On 5/28/2024 at 1:19 PM, shadroch said:

When you paid in full last year, did you get an estimated delivery date?

I did not. But I also didn’t ask. I was aware going in that Arthur generally doesn’t have a quick turn around time for the more detailed commissions. 

[Michael Browning]

On 5/28/2024 at 10:09 AM, GotSuperPowers? said:

I think people are forgetting/overlooking some basics here.

It's been noted that Arthur doesn't normally take payment up front.  Not sure why that happened here but ultimately he was refunded.

I think there are plenty of people who would, without a doubt, commission Adams to do a piece for them, and they would not be a dope at all.  He's clearly delivered on many quality pieces and, as noted, payment isn't taken ahead of time.  I wish more artist were like that - we'd have a lot less frustration if it was nothing until your slot is up, or some small percentage to hold a place and balance due when it's time to get started.  Anyone commissioning Larry Stroman having read anything about him online, well, dope it is then.  

Jason/Essential Sequential would have had nothing to do with the original commission request as he's only been working with him in the last few years to my knowledge. So while a refund was offered when Ryan made his initial post, it's not like he has the money paid in escrow to immediately issue a refund against it.  No idea the ins and outs, but then neither does anyone else here.

For the record, I've never met or commissioned Arthur.  If I was going to a con he was taking a list for, I'd jump at the chance and have no concerns around working with Jason on it, even if he lives in NJ.

He was refunded AFTER 11 YEARS.

I wasn't talking about people commissioning Arthur Adams being on dope, I was saying that and referencing a quote about LARRY STROMAN.

Please read the comments SLOWLY AND COMPLETELY BEFORE attacking what I wrote. Read them a couple of times if need be. I'm okay with you going after something I wrote, but at least get it right and don't make it look like I was bashing Arthur Adams, as I was not. But, having said that, anyone who get on his -- ARTHUR ADAMS' -- list going forward need not complain when he takes 11 years to do their commission. If they do, then I'll ask them if they're on dope.

 

[Dr. Balls]

On 5/28/2024 at 3:53 AM, Michael Browning said:

Anyone who commissions him at this point needs to be asked: “Are you on dope?”

[Dr. Balls]

Comic Art Buyer Beware FB Group shut down comments on this particular post (obviously), but this exchange was actually pretty telling about the customer service aspect in all this:

The buyer forgot to mention in his complaint he's getting a refund after 10+ years? This is the response from the rep? The guy doesn't even make any effort to apologize, show remorse or accept any responsibility in the post. Wow. this guy would be a shoe-in at working for the DMV.

Here's a free one for Jason to use the next time he has a customer service quandry:

"We're working to get this resolved, we know it's frustrating and we'll be making it right for the buyer."

It's not that hard to be professional and courteous - even if you don't like how the customer is handling things. 

And personally: I think if you're stuck waiting 10 years for a commission from an artist, he doesn't need any help making himself look bad.

Edited May 28 by Dr. Balls

[GotSuperPowers?]

On 5/28/2024 at 6:04 PM, Michael Browning said:

He was refunded AFTER 11 YEARS.

I wasn't talking about people commissioning Arthur Adams being on dope, I was saying that and referencing a quote about LARRY STROMAN.

Please read the comments SLOWLY AND COMPLETELY BEFORE attacking what I wrote. Read them a couple of times if need be. I'm okay with you going after something I wrote, but at least get it right and don't make it look like I was bashing Arthur Adams, as I was not. But, having said that, anyone who get on his -- ARTHUR ADAMS' -- list going forward need not complain when he takes 11 years to do their commission. If they do, then I'll ask them if they're on dope.

 

Thanks for letting me know how to read your messages.  If you could please do the same to mine, slowly and completely and a couple of times before taking offense, we'll be good.

[Hockeyflow33]

On 5/28/2024 at 10:09 AM, GotSuperPowers? said:

 

It's been noted that Arthur doesn't normally take payment up front.  Not sure why that happened here but ultimately he was refunded.

 

I think a head sketch from Art now is $2,500. What would half that have bought you a decade ago? 

[Michael Browning]

On 5/28/2024 at 10:09 AM, GotSuperPowers? said:

I think there are plenty of people who would, without a doubt, commission Adams to do a piece for them, and they would not be a dope at all. 

You mistakenly thought I was saying that about people commissioning Arthur Adams when I was clearly talking about people still commissioning LARRY STROMAN after all the years of complaints about his bad commission behavior and you took a shot at me that was uncalled for.

[GotSuperPowers?]

On 5/28/2024 at 7:48 PM, Michael Browning said:

You mistakenly thought I was saying that about people commissioning Arthur Adams when I was clearly talking about people still commissioning LARRY STROMAN after all the years of complaints about his bad commission behavior and you took a shot at me that was uncalled for.

You're choosing to take offense and make an issue.  You could have questioned if what you were reading in to things is what I meant, but chose not to.  You also chose to talk down to me, which was uncalled for. 

[Michael Browning]

On 5/28/2024 at 7:54 PM, GotSuperPowers? said:

You're choosing to take offense and make an issue.  You could have questioned if what you were reading in to things is what I meant, but chose not to.  You also chose to talk down to me, which was uncalled for. 

My apologies. I should not have talked down to you even if I did feel attacked and I sincerely apologize.

[artdealer]

In defense of Jason (not that he needs my help), Jason was not Art’s rep 11 years ago. 
Jason shouldn’t have had to ask Arthur about a commission that Arthur accepted when Jason wasn’t his rep. 
It’s to Jason’s credit that he did ask Arthur. 
My feeling is Jason didn’t have to do that. 
 

To this day, I still get requests from people who have not received commissions from Bill Sienkiewicz. I don’t answer them anymore. 
I haven’t repped Bill in over 15 years. When I repped Bill and received complaints, I would forward them to Bill. But that’s all I would do. Since I did not handle commissions, I didn’t feel it was my responsibility to deal with overdue commissions. 

[Overthetopinc]

I have to agree with Mitch when it comes to Jason. I have had dealings with him(Jason) and he has always done his best to do his job and he has delivered above and beyond his duty for me.

I do not know anything about Art Adams other then his art is amazing. I definitely side with the commissioner here not Adams but Jason is one of the good guys. I will say I will not be commissioning Art Adams so thanks to the original poster for letting this experience be known. Just no excuse.

[Jeffery Harnett]

Michael why don't you name the artist to help out others who may get the same treatment? May also help yourself out by the artist possibly getting some negative feedback.

[artdisease]

I only reached out to Jason after Arthur stopped replying to my emails. I appreciate he spoke with him. Arthur said, through Jason, it was started and itd be done after his cgc responsibilities. I waited until after c2e2, but it was obvious this piece was not getting done after my recent emails to Jason. I paid upfront because I thought the piece was going to be done and ready for pickup at cincinnati comic con 2013. It wasn't done, I had the money on me, so I paid. I got the refund, all is good.

[Michael Browning]

On 5/30/2024 at 3:03 PM, Jeffery Harnett said:

Michael why don't you name the artist to help out others who may get the same treatment? May also help yourself out by the artist possibly getting some negative feedback.

Because the artist doesn’t take commissions except once in about every decade and those are usually only from friends who he’s known for a long time.

I also don’t want to out him because we have been friends for 20+ years and I’m hopeful that he gets mine done. I am very frustrated that he isn’t answering me when I message him to ask for an update. That’s not something a longtime friend should do. Before, when he was four years late on the first commission, he would regularly check in and tell me why he hadn’t started or what had him so busy. Now, he reads my messages and doesn't answer — or just flat out ignores them. That’s what’s making matters worse.

[zhamlau]

I think in the last 35+ years of this goofy business I’ve paid for exactly two commissions, both inking/backgrounds on pencil pieces by the original artists (sometime around 1999). I just don’t get commissions beyond stuff like that. I’ve toyed with the idea of paying for sketch card commissions on licensed Topps or UD blanks, but for larger pieces I just never understood the appeal.

[KirbyCollector]

With so many good, established artists out there who do amazing work with no money up front, why chose to do otherwise? I think of guys like Mike McKone, who does 99 fully inked and watercolored pieces every year and then drops them all at once for decent prices (especially now that he is selling direct). Beautiful pieces which show up in less than a week -- from the UK! And there are many more artists like him we should support, as opposed to throwing money at mercurial and unethical bums.

Edited May 31 by KirbyCollector

[chrisco37]

Patience Is a Virue

 

[Michael (OML)1]

On 6/1/2024 at 10:59 AM, chrisco37 said:

Patience Is a Virue

 

Patience is indeed a virue -- 

[melanrus]

On 6/1/2024 at 5:59 AM, chrisco37 said:

Patience Is a Virue

Reminds me of the classic Michael Golden commission with the same quote added in, 😂 

[Silver Surfer]

I’m surprised he just didn’t slap something together instead of paying a refund. Still inexcusable.