SS vs. regular slabs

[Jayman]

I'm only interested in autographs I get in person from a writer/artist, so having them "validated" by a third party at a cost ain't my cuppa.

 

That would be my choice too, actually meeting the person you admire and enjoying the memory of the experience!

[runningman]

It doesn't have to be an either/or thing. You can enjoy blue and yellow. I have a yellow label book and love it because it has the signature of an artist I grew up admiring. Don't discount the authenticity factor when buying a yellow label-- for someone who doesn't make it to cons it's nice knowing the signature is real. The few slabs I own are mostly blue and I certainly understand the crowd that doesn't like books that are signed........I see both sides

[mitol]

I'm only interested in autographs I get in person from a writer/artist, so having them "validated" by a third party at a cost ain't my cuppa.

 

That would be my choice too, actually meeting the person you admire and enjoying the memory of the experience!

 

What if you can do both, experience meeting the person whose work you admire and getting the book yellow labeled?

[THE_BEYONDER]

I'm only interested in autographs I get in person from a writer/artist, so having them "validated" by a third party at a cost ain't my cuppa.

 

That would be my choice too, actually meeting the person you admire and enjoying the memory of the experience!

 

What if you can do both, experience meeting the person whose work you admire and getting the book yellow labeled?

 

That was the beauty of the Paradise con. Got to meet & shoot the [embarrassing lack of self control] with both Perez & Layton while getting them to sign my books.

 

Can't wait to get my stuff back.

[RDK]

I'm only interested in autographs I get in person from a writer/artist, so having them "validated" by a third party at a cost ain't my cuppa.

 

That would be my choice too, actually meeting the person you admire and enjoying the memory of the experience!

 

What if you can do both, experience meeting the person whose work you admire and getting the book yellow labeled?

 

But why would I want/need it yellow labeled unless i was planning to sell it? I don't need to pay to have my experiences validated by a third party. That's like hiring a second hooker just to watch....

[nik]

That's like hiring a second hooker just to watch....

 

Sounds like fun

[jonjesper]

 

Not much risk involved in a JR JR or Herb Trimpe autograph. In all of my years of collecting, the only forged comic related autograph I can recall seeing was a fake Bob Kane.

 

and yet if there is no problem with people faking signatures...why was there a Bob Kane forgery circulating?

It is a niche market, but I don't believe it is a gimmick. In those terms, grading itself could be considered such and is by many.

CGC is used as what? A 3rd party meant to establish a grade of a comic book. Not that far off from a 3rd party establishing a grade and an authentication of a signature?

I have also read that people don't need a 3rd party to tell them a book is authenically signed. Do you need a 3rd party to tell you a book is NM or NM+? What is the motivation to get a book graded...hold it and enjoy it or possibly to resell down the road if the opportunity presents itself? Seems a lot like SS books to me?

 

I get your point and understand what you are saying, but at the same time people, let's all realize we are talking about what many in the hobby see as ludicrous...slabbing a book meant to be read.

 

Long live both the blue and yellow label!

Everything comes down to personal preference, whether it is AnfieldFox's disdain for any signatures on his book, or Beyonder only wanting signatures on the interior. It is a multifaceted hobby with all sorts of collectors.

[mitol]

But why would I want/need it yellow labeled unless i was planning to sell it? I don't need to pay to have my experiences validated by a third party. That's like hiring a second hooker just to watch....

 

Maybe I'm too much of an idealist, and as many of the board members here who know me, know that I rarely sell. I actually send my books in to be graded because I like the preservation and presentation of the CGC case. Of course, my anal personality forces me to strive for the highest grade possible. Provided the Sharpie ink doesn't eat away at the paper, I'd like to pass my books down to the next generation, still preserved and well presented.

 

And if I were to hire a second hooker, she wouldn't be just watching.

[Tiziano]

But why would I want/need it yellow labeled unless i was planning to sell it? I don't need to pay to have my experiences validated by a third party. That's like hiring a second hooker just to watch....

 

Maybe I'm too much of an idealist, and as many of the board members here who know me, know that I rarely sell. I actually send my books in to be graded because I like the preservation and presentation of the CGC case. Of course, my anal personality forces me to strive for the highest grade possible. Provided the Sharpie ink doesn't eat away at the paper, I'd like to pass my books down to the next generation, still preserved and well presented.

 

And if I were to hire a second hooker, she wouldn't be just watching.

 

 

What hookers?????

[blowout]

Just wanted some thoughts on CGC Signature series.

 

If the book is the same, the CGC grade is the same, paper qualtiy and all the other stuff is the same, the only difference is that one book is SS and the other is a regular slab, is there any difference in value? Assume the SS is by the writer or artist.

 

In some cases the SS books are worth less. Many collectors just don't like huge signatures across the front of their books.

Personally, if i was buying a SS slab I'd shoot for a lower grade book. Buying a 9.8, 9.6 or even 9.4 slab with a huge name written across it just seems crazy.

[Tiziano]

Just wanted some thoughts on CGC Signature series.

 

If the book is the same, the CGC grade is the same, paper qualtiy and all the other stuff is the same, the only difference is that one book is SS and the other is a regular slab, is there any difference in value? Assume the SS is by the writer or artist.

 

In some cases the SS books are worth less. Many collectors just don't like huge signatures across the front of their books.

 

But many do and the list of collectors continues to grow each day.

[Kevin Boyd]

He is correct, we get more requests all the time for books and our SS member dealers are doing well selling them.

 

I expect to be very busy at the booth in Philly.

 

Essentially Signature Series is an eye of the beholder situation. You may not like it, or think it is a manufactured collectible (and you would be correct but I hate to break it to you - ALL comic books are manufactured collectibles), but signed comic books have been a part of this hobby since the day that the first fan asked the first comic book creator for an autograph on his comic book.

 

What SS adds to it is that you know when it was signed, where it was signed, who signed it, the condition of the book and a promise that someone from the company or approved by the company witnessed the signing. There are many bonuses to this, one of which is that these signed, verified, graded and encapsulated comics should be easier to resell.

[shadroch]

When I see people standing on line to get Neal Adams or JR Srs autograph on a book,and then see it on ebay in a yellow slab for 25X the books value,I wonder why the artists continue to be willing to sign for free.I like Sterenkos way of signing. He'll sign anything you buy from him and he'll inscribe it to you.I pray we never reach the baseball card syndrome where people pay $50 for an old ballplayers autograph.

[Kevin Boyd]

JR Sr. signs at ACTOR, so in order to get his autograph you usually have to make a donation. Considering he is signing at the CGC booth in Philadelphia I think he's aware of it and okay with it. ACTOR is certainly aware of it, as they are getting a donation for every book signed.

 

Adams is now doing his own Signature Series books, so I would say the same. I've spoken with him directly about this, as have others from CGC. Last November in NY he signed close to 60 books for Signature Series, but he made a per book signing fee.

[Mr. Zipper]

I pray we never reach the baseball card syndrome where people pay $50 for an old ballplayers autograph.

 

Ya think that's something?

 

The current players cost $300+

 

This one is "only" $599

 

 

www.steinersports.com

[Mr. Zipper]

 

Not much risk involved in a JR JR or Herb Trimpe autograph. In all of my years of collecting, the only forged comic related autograph I can recall seeing was a fake Bob Kane.

 

and yet if there is no problem with people faking signatures...why was there a Bob Kane forgery circulating?

 

My point is that there is no forgery problem for contemporary comic pros because there is no money in it. Contemporary comic pros are 95% of the SS market. You can't compare JR JR (a relatively valueless autograph) to a deceased legend like Bob Kane (an autograph desirable to autograph collectors who may not even be comic collectors). And one forgery (Bob Kane) does not make an epidemic requiring an authentication service.

 

Hey, if people want to collect signed books in Yellow Slabs, all the more power to you. Sure, they look snazzy and push the right neurons in some people's brains.

 

But anyone who **really** thinks SS is protecting them from a phantom epidemic of scary good JRJR and Neal Adams forgeries...

 

BTW, I never gave much thought to SS one way or another. However after getting emails from CGC directing me to a Neal Adams site selling SS books at 100X cover price, the whole thing started to rub me the wrong way. It suddenly became apparent to me what SS was really all about...

[mitol]

BTW, I never gave much thought to SS one way or another. However after getting emails from CGC directing me to a Neal Adams site selling SS books at 100X cover price, the whole thing started to rub me the wrong way. It suddenly became apparent to me what SS was really all about...

 

You're right. It really is a shame, but no different than when the first blue labels came out and the crazy money the early graded books demanded. With Neal Adams, it's really quite simple. He probably noticed how much his SS books were selling for on eBay and thought why shouldn't he be making this money as well, or instead of those sellers. Having been part of Signature Series since its inception, I see them following the same trend as the blue label. Already now, there are SS books that can't even be given away. Two years ago, a Bendis signed 9.8 USM #50 sold for $100. Now, can a seller get the same? My point is, if one poo-poos the yellow label, then one should poo-poo the blue label as well.

[Pirate]

When I see people standing on line to get Neal Adams or JR Srs autograph on a book,and then see it on ebay in a yellow slab for 25X the books value,I wonder why the artists continue to be willing to sign for free.I like Sterenkos way of signing. He'll sign anything you buy from him and he'll inscribe it to you.I pray we never reach the baseball card syndrome where people pay $50 for an old ballplayers autograph.

 

Ever see Pete Rose at a show?

[jonjesper]

But anyone who **really** thinks SS is protecting them from a phantom epidemic of scary good JRJR and Neal Adams forgeries...

 

?

This makes no sense...

 

Signature Series is protecting people from forgeries. Please ask about the program and learn more about the program before passing judgement that someone might mistake for gospel.

BTW, I never gave much thought to SS one way or another. However after getting emails from CGC directing me to a Neal Adams site selling SS books at 100X cover price, the whole thing started to rub me the wrong way. It suddenly became apparent to me what SS was really all about...

 

Then you are aware that SS is designed to allow people a way to authenticate comic creators signatures. What Neal charges is his own business, and many of the same books can be purchased on ebay for $40 (Green Arrow/Green Lantern cover). Anyone that chooses to have a signature authenticated can contact a SS Witness or visit a convention at which a SS Witness or CGC is attending.

[Ivanko]

JR Sr. signs at ACTOR, so in order to get his autograph you usually have to make a donation. Considering he is signing at the CGC booth in Philadelphia I think he's aware of it and okay with it. ACTOR is certainly aware of it, as they are getting a donation for every book signed..

 

Didn't Stan Lee do this as well?