Don't grade another Comic until you watch this video. CGC AND GRADING COMICS
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- čas přidán 25. 01. 2024
- The only way grading companies can survive is if the community trusts that grading company. Is there a company out there that can be trusted? I don't think so. prove me wrong.
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1st off thank you for your honest perspective as a shop owner and not being scared of speaking the truth, many will dislike what you say, but I, for one, respect you 💯 for saying it how it is. You are extremely correct with the artificial pricing of comics and grading companies creating it. It's a great video, thanks again
Thanks Thoro have always respected your channel and all you bring to comics.
The ones who dont like hearing this are the ones who got duped! HA! Comics should never reside in a tomb.
Sorry but pricing of graded stuff on the market is decided entirely by the market not the grading companies. They use it to sell their services but all the BS surrounding third party grading is all on collectors. Even collectors that should know better feed the beast. It's mostly about money and recognition and not about the content of the books.
Agreed
Oh god, the thoro guy 🙄🤣. This guy is such a fucking anti CGC trolling tool.
I'm an OG myself and my comic jones led to to buy multiples of just about every book I have. I remember buying off the spinning comic rack at the Myrtle and Broadway stop of the J elevated train in Brooklyn when I was a kid in the 1960's. My childhood letter to the editor can be found in ASM #50, left page, bottom left. Stan called me Joey!
While CGC started around 2000, I had not slabbed any of my books until last year. I wanted to protect and preserve some of my best books and that's what I did. I have only 44 slabbed books and they all have duplicates, triplicates, etc. For me it was never about money.
Today, there is a spec market that has been insane since the boom during the pandemic. Now prices are being corrected as the market finds it's level and spec sellers are taking a bath much to my amusement. When I look at the plethora of new books that are nothing more than cover art by relatively unknow artists, I wonder how they became worth anything to begin with as there is no rarity to them. Back in the day Mothers across America would throw out dog eared comics. I also wondered if anyone was still actually reading these books. Still, the hobby continues and that is a good thing.
The missing thing for me with new books is the aroma (the smell!) that Silver age books take on due to the materials used and the age that is upon them. I say, to each their own as long as the hobby is robust. Lastly, I say Make Mine Marvel...uh, Silver age, that is. Best to all.
Brother we are cut from the same cloth thank you for watching.
I live close to that stop. Cools story.
stop on by
@@ChristopherSmithNYC - i started collecting in 1978 and it was the SMELL of those books that kept me coming back. My first issue was a Hulk 151 still on the rack after some 5 years which i got in 1978 at 20 cents while the others were at 35 cents. It is that smell that brings me back to a past that i dearly miss which is why i have also been reluctant like you to slab my books. I will buy slabbed books but have never submitted any for slabbing Other than a PGX Monster of Frankenstein #2 in 9.8 that i absolutely knew was a 9.8.
That oil in the case that you were talking about sounds more like newton rings
Thank you
Great thing about grading is it only cost around 30 dollars to have the trust of the market, extra protection and the ability to insure your investments. I do agree that grading books that are worth less than a certain amount . If you do have your books graded you can always buy a reader copy or crack it and regrade in the future. More options are better than less.
Good points
That's the best and most accurate quote I've ever heard. "When there's money to be made there's gonna be fuckery about " someone should encapsulate this quote
LOL thank you
I also remember the day before cgc when people got scammed by dealers selling restored books. Just ask Nick Cage.
It's important to build trust in a business and it's also very difficult.
Yeah hard to trust. I always ask questions at the LCS and the answer changes when I have something he wants. Can’t seem to get straight answers. They’re at a point where it’s all about paying that expensive overhead.
I love reading my comics so I’d hate to get some random person to lock up my favorite comic so that I could never read it again and would cost 3x more than what I paid. I do like to display my comics with awesome front covers but in a removable case. That way my kids and grand kids can have a chance to them and get to know the kind of stories I was into. Definitely money to be made though that’s for sure. Love the content sir!
Thanks for being part of the conversation welcome aboard sounds like you're on a great comic journey
Good video! You bring up a lot of very good points. I got back into collecting last July and I liked getting graded copies of books I had as a teenager but I’ve really gone back towards raw copies recently. So much more fun to actually be able to read and smell them.
I really think you should only get gradebooks when you're getting rid of them if they're big enough to go to auction and then choose your grading company that has integrity and not just cuz it's the hottest thing on the shelf
Excellent video, subbed.
You are so right that comics are an art form. Sequential art, when done right, is amazing.
Thank you I'm glad there are still purist out there
Comics are for reading first. Read better comics is my new mantra. Grading is absolutely a money-maker for those who understand and work that process. I had a guy at a con tell me the act of sealing the comic damages the pages (made of paper which is made from wood -older newsprint - which needs air flow to remain fresh and supple). If you're not happy with what mainstream publishers are printing, seek out self-published and "true" indie titles. Great job, Emmet! Thanks for telling the truth about this medium we love. And what's that shirt you're wearing?
It's a horror movie Mr Hush
Not to mention, there are plenty of "Vintage" Indies with phenomenal Art and Stories!!! You can find these usually in the $2 bin......
I very much prefer display cases that companies like Comic Capsule or Gator Guard make. You can store the book in the 'slab' for display/protection, but you can always open it and read the book. Plus, they're much cheaper.
That's a great option. Thank you
I'm going to try Comic Capsule for my favourite old books. Slabs are a waste of money, & we can't even see the interior art; which is ridiculous if you think logically about why we are collecting in the 1st place. It's all just become about making money now. &, "investing".
@jEDi_BUddhA_YOGi I have two Comic Capsules, and they're fantastic! I don't think you'll be disappointed.
@@dougbotkin8553 thx, friend
@@jEDi_BUddhA_YOGicomic capsules are awesome, you won’t be disappointed!
You've made some excellent points I hadn't fully thought through. Thanks for making the video!
Thanks for watching
Really like your video! I'm a sports card collector too and think that slabs look neat there, but I don't even like the bulky look for comics. I think I rather invest in mylar sleeves in the future before I send a comic away.
Yeah that's how I feel. I have plenty of graded cards. Almost no graded comics. Thanks for joining the conversation and welcome aboard
Greed, however you define it, plays a major part in how people decide whether to grade a comic or not. I am selling off my collection and for me, I'm okay with selling them raw. I don't really have the risk tolerance to wait and see if my comic comes back at 9.8 or a 9.6. I'm okay with having a modest profit for many of my books. It may be because I'm just not that great in doing business, so I'm happy with what I get.
I've managed to stay in business for 10 years without grading. I'm not about to start. Have I missed out on some money? Yes. Do my customers love their comics and trust me? Yes this professional grading is a money grab for people who can't create.
I totally agree, I buy EC books graded on eBay (just so I know they are complete and unrestored) but I crack them out as soon as I receive them. What’s the point in having the book if I can’t read it, or look at the fantastic art of the panels? I bag them in Mylar with acrylic clear backing boards, they are just as protected as the would be in the cgc case and I get to enjoy them whenever I want.
Love it.
yah, but you can always buy the cheap reprints to read them.
@@berardoferrari then you don’t get that awesome smell
@@gotgame226 i can get that from cheap 60s marvel or DC books all day long! LOL!
The SMELL
when the new Overstreet guide for 1997 came out after I'd closed my shop in 1996, it was the first time in 20 years I didn't feel the compulsion to grab it and revalue my comics. I realized that the 10 percent of my boxes I'd kept were the books that had some value to me other than monetary. Maybe it was a favorite character for whom I'd found all his/her appearances. Maybe it was a book by a creator I knew. Maybe it was a story I enjoy going back and re-reading every ten years or so, like "Children of Doom" from Charlton. I didn't care what Overstreet said my books were worth. Let the vultures who eventually sell my estate worry about that.
You have my respect. Glad I found your channel. New subscriber now
Thank you
This was a great video. Keep doing what you’re doing
Thank you! Will do!
Love this information. Definitely gonna add you. I appreciate all the informission that you've given me. Thank you
Well welcome aboard! Stay tuned. 40 more episodes to come already filmed.
Need more people speaking the truth like this than the dozens of tedious CGC unboxing videos.
Thank you
Love your show, always have, and thanks for breaking it down the way you did.❤
Thanks for watching!
Great insights sir.
That being said, I only do graded if it’s a comic I want for my collection. I’ve learned the hard way, speculating on CGC is like playing the ponies - maybe the odds are even worse.
You have gained a subscriber🙏🏻
Barry, understandable and thank you for the subscription
Absolute wisdom - comics are for reading and enjoying. The art and the stories are the beating heart of the actual reading community! Speculation is for money markets.
100% agree. You grade a comic and you are just turning it into an oversized trading card.
I love that analogy.
I'm kind of glad that I got out of dealing comics after closing my store in 1996. It still hurts to watch a marvel movie and feel the remorse when a character appears whose 1st appearance in comics I sold in my store, or at a dealer show some time in the 90s. I just have to console myself that I'd made a fair profit on my investment at the time I'd sold it. I also have always felt that slabbing a book makes it no more than a two-sided baseball card.
I appreciate you sharing your journey in comics with me and our subscribers. Is the store that you sold still open? That you kept a personal collection shows how much you still love it. I understand how being a shop owner can grind you down. It's been tough. Sometimes. I was thinking about giving it up. Welcome aboard!
You may be honest, but I have met many unscrupulous shop owners.
Shop owners and greeting companies. You have to vet them yourself.
Aloha sir! First off this is a great video! I get it, if your only in the hobby to make money, chase 9.8 grades, appreciate covers only, and conserve but never read the books then grade it. I myself never liked slabs and never will. I keep all my books raw and for me reading, appreciating the art and story is priceless. Nothing like the pure nostalgia of old school raw books.
Man, I enjoyed this. I have been saying for years that the FMV “sliding scale” price for grading higher end books is a massive scam (and a conflict of interest). Thanks. I just hope more people listen.
Thank you
ABSOLUTELY outstanding video. I owned a comic store in the 1990's and 2000's. I ran my shop and priced books just about the same way you describe you run yours. I did a tremendous business overall with Very satisfied customers. I can remember when just the IDEA of a grading service was proposed. It was a letter in an Overstreet update back in the 90's indicating how great it would be to have a Grading Service. I still remember this because I thought "This is NOT a good idea". My reputation was based on how accurate my grading and pricing was.... NOT on how some company graded my books. Also I could foresee how once Big Money was involved there would be...like in Any business...corruption and scammers. I REALLY loved the business while I was in it, but now I'm almost glad to be out of it. Best of luck to you, my Friend......
Thank you sir for taking the time to let us know your story.
As the market grows demand will grow for graded products. It is a more official way to negotiate rather than just eyeballing and willing and dealing, although it is fun to make a deal with an individual those times are coming to an end.
I acknowledge that and I appreciate your contribution to the conversation. Welcome aboard!
Thank you for this video. If you haven’t seen the recent video by CGC, it shows that the people who are grading these are not trained, there is no standard for grading and the work areas these are graded in are basically crowded office desks. I wouldn’t trust CGC to grade anything. CGC is taking advantage of those who see comic books and only see $$$$$ instead of art.
I did see it and it seemed like they're just about a cash grab now. Might not have been that way when it started but it seems to where they've ended
100% agree. You are a breath of sanity. Before the scandals, I could see a lot of problems with the grading racket, one alone being human subjectivity between graders. You will find those who still believe in the grade & slab still believe because they’ve invested too deeply and don’t want to see themselves as suckers.and are convincing themselves the scandals are isolated. The best way to sell is in person as with any other object or item I may have, where it can be looked at and touched. In light of the Internet, I can appreciate why someone would see there is a need for some kind of universal grading but the current approach ain’t it and seriously flawed.
Thank you
Glad i found your channel all the way from sunny south africa....outstanding video...truth in every word.
Thank you very much and welcome aboard
To all you illustrious, comic book collectors-when I purchase a CGC graded book I always pull out my magnifying glass, yes, we do not know what’s inside unless we read the graded notes usually that’s a safer bet. if it’s marked CGC 9.6 and I feel it’s a 9.4 I request a return etc. etc. etc.
Don't great point. Thanks for being part of the conversation.
Don't forget the cost of shipping! Made this note when you were going over the cost of that one slab half-way through this video....
Oh thank you so much! I completely forgot it. You were right. That's a heavy expense on top of all the rest. Thanks for being part of the conversation
Your wisdom and understanding of the true scam of grading companies is so refreshing. Great insight, wish some younger members of the community understood these things. Great video.
Thanks for watching!
Good points, thank you! I have a small group of slabs, for two main reasons: to memorialize my childhood/young adult books, or to sell. Love the "when there's money to be made..." quote! 😆
Thank you. Having those childhood memories memorialized is not a bad thing.
Very glad I found your channel. I totally agree with your assessment of CGC and grading. I collect comics, and have for 50 plus years, because I love to read them and appreciate the artwork. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining that my Hulk 181 and my Giant Size X-men 1 are worth a lot of money. I'm glad they are, but to me, they'd be priceless regardless of what they're worth to anyone else because I LOVE them and have owned them for over 50 years and kept them in great condition. Sometimes I wonder what it is some folks are collecting: comics or plastic cases with a comic inside and a number on the top. By all means, to each their own, but for me, comics have their greatest value in the joy I get from them when reading the stories and collecting the runs of characters I love; not hanging on a wall locked away in plastic cases. My hat's off to CGC, however. They created a market for their product and a fervor amongst many collectors to use it and make them (CGC) rich. For me, the true value of comics will always be in the stories and the great characters in them. 'Nuff said.
Thank you and welcome to the discussion
This video was so on point. Thanks bud
Glad you liked it!
Great video. You remind me my old LCS from Kissimmee I used to go to as a kid. 100% agree with you. Going to watch your videos and check out if you have a website or online selling. Nice looking store. We only have big box chain comic store around me and it’s meh!!!!
Awesome! Thank you!
I feel your pain!! And i agree with all U said!! However,if you're looking for a good price,they need to be GRADED!!As much as I hate it, it's a fact!! And the corruption involved,is astronomical!!! To make a long story short, It's almost a must to make money!!in having them graded.🤔
Thanks for joining the conversation and your honesty. Welcome aboard.
The only point that I will agree with you on is the conflict of interest with CGC having an in house pressing and cleaning service, I have never thought that was a good look. I will disagree on everything else. I am old enough to have been collecting before CGC was around and remember the wild wild west that the comic collecting hobby was. There was (and still is) many comic book dealers that like to oversell their books and give you a condition of books based on what they think it is. No matter what having a disinterested third party is always a plus. Are grading companies perfect, no, do they still have room to improve their services and slabs, yes. But the collecting hobby as a whole is better off today that it used to be. However, you are totally on point about all the people that are sending in the most random books without even doing a basic inspection of it to determine if it will even be worth it to send it to get graded. But that's not on CGC that is on us as the consumer to make those determinations.
Thank you for your honest input.
CGC is not a disinterested 3rd party. They are very interested in continue to propagate the market with their product. The latest Heritage auction with clearly over-graded Silver/Gold keys is a prime example.
the flip side to this is that CGC, for the most part protects you from restoration scammers. not everyone is on the up and up with all the new scams.
This is a good point, but should we only have one company doing it?
I would like to thank you for giving the thought
Thank you for watching
It's the only way to get the truth
Great video! Great points! Totally agree!
Thanks for watching!
You won our giveaway please contact us @havenforheroes on instagram so we can get your address to send you the signed King Spawn #1
You're right it is art, and the cover is typically the masterpiece of that art and how people recognize the book. I line my office walls with it so even though I don't own a comic shop it sure feels like I'm in one. I like the grading process and its very enjoyable for a great deal of the community. I do like to sneak a peek at the actual frame that a character may make his first appearance, but I know people that have your perspective, but I like that grading exists and I hope it continues to grow.
You should enjoy the hobby the way you like to enjoy the hobby. My opinion is just my opinion. It's whether what the CGC is doing is right or wrong. I bet your office looks awesome! Thanks for being part of that discussion
Subbed immediately,great channel 🎉
Thank you
Thanks for video. I agree that comic is an art form and should be read. I do see the appeal of grading trading cards or basketball cards since you can see them whole in the case. What are your thoughts around grading pages from classic comics? Since some of them is out of most people's budget. I apologize if you already mentioned it in the video because I got ahead of myself and wanted to ask the question midway during your video.
I'll definitely wouldn't be opposed to grading single pages. It's already detached from the book
Finally! A practical, realistic attitude in comic collecting!
Thank you welcome aboard.
As a collector of over 45 years I can't agree more
Thank you
Just found the channel, great insights…🤘🤘🤘
Thank you
This was a terrific, cold hard reality check about the current state of comics. Thoughtful, rational, common sense commentary by a dealer that seems to sincerely care about the field and history. So many good silver and bronze age books essentially taken out of the market place, just to be slabbed. Making collecting harder and more expensive. They are killing the field.
Thanks for watching a lot. More to come
NICE VIDEO BUD....Here is my philosophy on Grading Comics. I have a very large collection and my Kids and Grandkids are not guaranteed to take up my collection. Who knows if they will show any interest in any of my collections. However, you mention "MONEY $$$$" around them and it's like God smacked them in the head and their ears perk right up. I grade my comics and make sure they KNOW not to start a garage/yard sale and sell them for pennies on the dollar. There's no haggling over a comics grade if it's graded. Also like the gentleman in the video said, auction houses will not sell your comics if they are not graded.
Perfectly understandable for a long-term investment. I just hope that CGC can recoup their name and not be the PGX in 20 years. This is what I
You sir gives very logic points. Very informative
Thank you
With CGC prices unreasonable (and stuck in the 2021 bull market which has since tanked) along with a lack of trust in the grading i can see their revenues tanking substantially which will necessitate big discounts to get community trust up to par. Otherwise they will go the way of PGX and at this point in time i would trust PGX of old over CGC.
That's a really good point hold until their price comes down and they change their ways and are transparent and trustworthy. That could be the move. Thanks for sharing!
I 100% agree with your take on grading. It is a disease on the hobby... It is more like a scam than anything else.
Thank you so much for watching and being a part of the conversation
The fact that you can crack the slabs and resubmit them and get very different grades for each submission is pretty damning. The 4% of fair market value is a scam too, there should be a cap to cover insurance. And how they categorize restoration, what is and isn’t is dubious.
Agreed thanks for watching and commenting
I've waited years to say this....
CGC comics are literally
Schrödinger's cat.
Wisdom from the white beards goes unheeded by the young and the foolish. It’s refreshing to hear sensibility from a CZcamsr.
I love your take! Thanks so much for being part of the discussion
100% FACTS. CGC is one of the worst things that entered the hobby. To the point they are trying to decide which book is a first appearance, etc. But these new jack guys today still gonna do what they do. They live and die by CGC
Yes Sir. 100%
I'm a 56 year old collector who's been collecting since I was 7, being in and out of the hobby through out my collecting times. I feel I'm able to comment intelligently on your video. I want to say I respect your opions, however, don't agree with them. I have always will and always collected what I enjoy I have also considered myself an "ambassador" for the comic book community by educating people about comics, the history, slabbing, pressing, cleaning, grading etc. Encouraging them to read, get into the hobby and enjoy it how they want to. Money wasn't ever part of my collection until I've changed my spending habits and wanted to have the hobby pay for it's self, and started to sell (both raw & slabbed). I've also learned to grade, press & clean comics.
You say you "don't care" about the slabbed Star Wars, yet you got it graded, and tried to sell it. It didn't sell and you seem abit bitter about that. Seems like you do care. There have been times when I didn't "get the grade" I thought it was, so I looked it over and decided if there was something I missed or if I could improve it by futher pressing it. You critizied the Walking Dead slabbed comics that you got in a collection, you didn't have to buy them, you could have said "no". Why critize the person getting it slabbed especially on a CZcams video? It's what they wanted to do. Maybe they didn't know it was a reprint. They weren't educated, and if they were, ok it's what they wanted to get slabbed. I have no doubt that I have comics in my slabbed collection that people would wonder" WTF and why are those slabbed?"
You stated that comics are for reading, holding etc, which I agree, however, there are now trade paperbacks, and Omnibuses. I have lots of trades of my favorite story lines in comic so I don't have keep rereading my single issues. This a bad thing in your opinion?
The FMV (Fair Market Value) is taken by companies looking at auctions houses, eBay, mulitple outlets that sell comics, and looking at current trends in the market, and average them all out and that's how it's figured out.
You went to talk about grading...you do realize that CGC has come out with a very comprehensive book about what they look for and how they assess grades for comics. You're old enough to know that CGC didn't come up with gradeing, that was done by the folks that wrote The Overstreet Guide. Having a comic graded or knowing how to grade a comic is essential in today's hobby, whether you like it out not. Are there some over priced, yep, so don't buy them.
You know being a seller, that the market is down, so putting up a book up for auction is a risk. I'm not surprised the comics "underperformed" because I've had comics auctioned and they underporformed too and I wasn't happy. However, that's the risk I took. So if you go with an auction house that right off states that they will charge 4% of FMV, then you're going with the wrong auction house. I'd never put a book up for auction based on FVM for someone to charge that to me. I'd go with an auction house that charged me after the selling price. Or put it up yourself.
The "oil" that you stated wasn't even "oil". It was when CGC started going with a new case and "Newton Rings" were created due to the two types of plastics being used were too tight on eachother. The "rings" never effected the comic and there were no liquid "oil" substance on the comics. Of all the slabbed comics I have, I have never seen or had any with "micro cracking". Also, CGC/CBCS/ECG has never claimed their cases were indistructable, they will break/crack if they're dropped or mishandled. However, I'd personally would rather drop a comic that's slabbed than a raw comic. I'm pretty sure the slabbed comic would sustain less damage.
I apologize for making this post so long, however, what I had to say took alot of space. I'm a reader, buyer, seller, slabber, cleaner, presser, and collector in this amazing hobby. I'm always ready and wanting to be a postitive ambassador for this amazing, fun, and growing hobby/community and never have judgements of what or how people collect.
I appreciate your thoughtful criticism. Exactly what we need in the industry. You make a lot of great points. The 4% I was talking about was not from the auction house. It's 4% is what you pay on a book over a thousand two CGC and have a problem with that because they don't know what the value is until the book sells. When they're taking a percentage of the value that they have created there can be a lot of subjectivity that should not be in the grading process.
A lot of people have a lot invested in graded books and I know that this would be very controversial, but as a purist that's where I'm at. All the books that are graded including that Star Wars book was sent out by the auction house, not by myself. Sometimes you have to pay a bill. Thanks again for watching. I hope to hear more from you.
Both of you have good points
I appreciated that you both expressed your thoughts and feelings on multiple subjects with intelligence and class. This is what makes our hobby great.
@@oliverortiz5226 I really wanted to begin the conversation.
And thank you for doing this. I've been collecting since the early 1970's and I can testify that collecting comics has drastically changed and grading has not always been for the betterment of the hobby. I don't dislike slabbing but it has created many things that I don't like. But we adapt with the times. One thing I can say is that slabbing is not the main focus of my collecting but buying and collecting raw comics and always reading them has been a rewarding experience for me. Graded comics are cool, especially preserving my older books but appreciating the wonderful stories and beautiful sequential art is the most rewarding.
I appreciate your insight and becoming part of the conversation
Very knowledgeable man great advice....i just found you so im a new sub....
Thank you Sir
Thank you for your honest perspective. I am a comic book collector for more than 30 years and I have zero graded books. Lately I have been thinking about getting some of my key issues graded because I worry about their value decreasing. But I agree with you on all of your points. I like holding my comics. I like re-reading them. Plus there are plenty of new companies making products that help you display and protect them without incasing the comics forever.
It's not like I've never graded a book. I just don't think all of us are educated enough on the inner workings of these companies and they're not very transparent and inhibits trust.
Amen brother... I don't buy slabs for many of the same reasons you stated and I only slab books I intend to sell. It's amazing to me what people will pay for a slabbed book. I recently sold a book that I paid 5.00 for not even a YEAR ago for 315.00 on ebay because it got a 9.8 when I sent it to CGC. That's bonkers to me.
Yep, the only reason to use them is if we're turning and burning. Congrats on a nice sale! Appreciate you being part of the community and welcome aboard
Greeting From St. Catharines Ont. Canada. Agree with you 100 percent!!! Keep up the Great Work!!!! Question What happened to the Overstreet system?
The over Street system is still used by by many comic shops and a few of the grading companies.
Coming from someone that is new to collecting, i personally really enjoy graded books just from the visual aspect of it. they sort of become a conversation piece in a room and something that is easily display. i im not much for the grade if its a 9.8 or a 9.4 the differnce is so small that i dont really care going for the highest grades i rather have the book at a low grade than no book at all. as well so many of this books well key editions at least are so old in age that i just feel scared to open up and read so them being protected when tho i cant read them no more is still a win for me as i can just go online and read the book anywhere.
I'm very glad you're enjoying the hobby. Collect the way you want to collect. There's really nothing wrong with it but maybe try some of the other services other than just CGC
Great insight.
Thank you
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it
Great video. Just subscribed. I agree that comic books should not be graded like sports cards or coins because comic books should be opened up and be read.
Thank you, but I think rating is here to stay sadly but people will always be able to get ungraded comics at Haven for Heroes
No sponsorship for you! 😂
That the plastic slab and grade chit hold more value than the art and story is nuts. I buy my comics to enjoy reading them.
I went to my smaller local comic show last fall and observed lots of vendors with rack displays of slabbed comics, lots of buyers wandering but almost none of them were buying slabs.
Thanks for your video, looks like a great shop!
Thanks so much for sharing and being part of the conversation. I really appreciate it
I agree you have a handful of people deciding what graded your book is awarded which makes no sense to me. Also these grading companies have way too many grading points. I can’t tell the difference between a 6.5 and a 7.5 which can have a profound affect on the value of the book. Should they also reduce grading fees if you don’t get the desired grade? That would at least be fair to reimburse the fee costs if you did get the grade you thought it was. Thanks for sharing your view on this matter btw. 👍
Thanks for watching and joining the discussion. Stay tuned for more
mahalo, love your point of view. You just saved me money lol.
Glad to help
After watching all this that I completely agree with I subscribed. I agree the whole market is in shambles as far as CGC and CGC flippers. And these “ community “ channels that can’t say CGC enough
Thank you very much more to come
Collect what you like.
Absolutely but be informed
Im recently back to comics. Just found your chanel. To seal a book seems crazy to me. BUT If I love a cover that I would be willing to frame, I think in that case slabbing it up seems like it would be ok as the slab itself is sort of a piece of comicbook culture and is as cool as a cheap frame. Also I feel like Im looking at a future version of myself. I look exactly like this guy. 😆Fuckery IS always about! Well said. 100.
LOL thank you I still support any form of collecting, just want people to be aware.
Yes, those 1 in whatever books are over-hyped because it's basically books with the same artwork with different coloring of slightly different scenes on the page, etc with the same interior stories! The issues are sold like they're original works of art! The flaw in that is any of those covers can be printed in whatever numbers the publisher wants! After the 1st book is printed, stapled & folded for sale, the rest are copies! Currently trends also makes it hard to keep a continuous run of some of the titles you might want to collect because of the over-hyped speculation!
I totally forgot to mention that you're 100% right? The shipping is quite expensive.
Ya, I definitely see your point. All these collectors wanting a 9.8 on comics that basically came out two weeks ago. Not everything needs to be incased in plastic slabs, well that’s just my opinion!
Thank you
CGC is literally only for sellers to get the maximum value out of their sale. It's a screwjob to collectors. As soon as you slab comics, they cease to be a comic and turn into a commodity, like a stock or bond. It's changing the collector industry into a speculation/investment industry. I hate it.
Exactly sir, thank you for watching commenting being part of the discussion
Finally a mature and honest take on this scam-and scheme- ''phenomenon'', hyping up and price-inflating the comic world by scheme! Thanks a lot, for this!
Thank you for watching. I appreciate the kind words. More to come.
Well. I started collecting comics in the 70's. Back then it was about bunch of weirdos who loved comics, because they were COMICS, not because they were abstract commodities that could be see as a speculative return in investment. I went to the San Diego con when it was held in the El Cortez hotel, and it was mostly about comics. I fell out of the "hobby" (as apparently we like to call it), in the 90's-- disillusioned by the shattering of continuity that the big companies were involved in at the time (mandated, by the way, by an increased need to show continual profits for shareholders once the companies went public). I have recently returned to the comics culture, and have to admit that I am pretty shocked. The speculative aspect of the culture seems to me akin to the most egregious aspects of crypto currency, based on pyramid scheme concepts of "hype and dump," regardless of actually value or personal connection. Most of this seems connected to copper and modern comics of which there are actually THOUSANDS of copies of, in high grade. It reminds me of beenie babies-- a collectible that was ONLY made to be collected (anyone remember pogs?), and therefor inherently valueless. Golden age comics are valuable because they are scarce, not unlike gold itself. If this "hobby" is now only about seeing profits on speculative "key" comics, regardless of what it is, then I think I will demure. I love comics because they are COMICS, a quintessential aspect of pop American culture, their stories and amazing and essential art, their smell of newsprint, their thusness, and not because they could make me rich. The practice of entombing them in a plastic serving tray to only safeguard their profit commodification to me seems like a betrayal of what they actually are. Remember, the term "slab" is also used for dead bodies. Yet, if in this post human economic world that we are making for ourselves decides that the only relevance that comics have to us and our culture is in their monetary exchange, then I will kindly tip my hat and disappear behind the curtain, and enjoy my comics, leafing through their pages, smelling their smells, and being amazed by their existence. But, remember, it's all up to us.
You and me both brother the smell.
This is my first video with you. I subscribed and will watch your others. I totally agree that grading is ruining the industry.
Thank you appreciate the subscription.
I don't mind grading because it should probably be done for something soooo old or something very valuable. Might as well preserve it as much as possible. If you're good at handling your books then don't bother, but if you want to keep it in the best shape and won't ever open it again then totally go for it and grade it. They look good on walls. Most comic shops and sellers hated the idea of grading companies entering the market because it ruined their job of grading themselves and haggling the prices. As for the nerds who defy it, well... grading has been here well before the companies as well. It really just depends if you want it graded or not.
Good points. Thanks for being part of the conversation
agree with so much of what you have said ... cgc sells consistency ... the evidence online has revealed cgc consistency is nonexistent ... but so many in the comic community are already neck deep in "graded" comics so they think abandoning grading is not an option ... comics are art ... only 3 factors should be considered ... authenticity, seller value, and buyer value ... once all 3 are accomplished ... there is a deal ... nuff said
Thanks for sharing your opinion. It seems like we are like mines but we need everybody in this conversation. Thank you for tuning in. There are many other cgc videos on our channel and welcome board
I have a good run of silver age marvel comic books in my collection and all are in mid to high grade condition. And they are in raw condition and I have been contemplating if I should have the key issues graded and if it would be worth the time and money.
My recommendation is going to be a long-term hold. Go with a company who has the best holder for an affordable price cbcs or EGS if you're looking to sell them very shortly. Cgc will get you your money. I hate to say that I don't recommend them. I think we should sacrifice and not use them regardless of how much money they're making us. That is until they begin to have integrity and are trustworthy.
Thank you for adding to the conversation. Sharing your journey and welcome aboard
I 100% agree with you on grading in general! I have never sent any books in for grading because it's a crapshoot! They don't even guarantee their work! These are people who pose as professionals in their craft who DO NOT guarantee anything! They steadily hike their grading services since they started out & when I found out about their tier pricing I had to laugh! They're literally claiming a stake in the value of your higher end books! How absurd can they get? Why should anyone be chargeed more for the same service?
You're right and I was not aware that they do not guarantee their grades.
Most comics are online so you can always read them there. I see the use for grading only to determine the condition of the book that everyone can agree on. I do like the magnetic cases and plan to put some in those. I have said all grading companies should switch to AI grading just so there is no emotional judgement
Some good ideas
Thanks (as always) for sharing your insights! Aside from a few early test submissions to learn how the process works I've steered away from grading books (or going out of my way to sell them). For me the experience left a weird taste in my mouth, and I had no interest in becoming a repeat customer. The fact that DVD's, VHS and Video Games are now being graded is even weirder. I don't look down on anybody spending their money on something they want (with the obvious caveats). It just doesn't gel with my personal philosophies, so it's a low priority for me and my business. I'm firmly in the camp that comics need more attention as a visual storytelling medium and less as an investment opportunity. Even if it's just a 50/50 split... feels like its way more lopsided than that right now. I was encouraged when Beneath the Trees blew up over its story and art... less so when it turned into a hype book of the week a few days later. Anyways, thank you again for everything you're putting out there!
Thanks brother, for all your support it's much appreciated.
Everyone needs to watch this.
Thank you
Grading in Hobbies has always been a scam and I'm the end the bottom falls out
Yeah I think it's going to happen. There's more to come
Finally someone being honest!! I got some graded books but there only for display I don't buy for value just for display purposes only and only if there dirt cheap and I have atleast one raw copy of each!! But I 100% love and endorse everything you just sed, that shits a scam!!!!
Thank you so much! For watching. Appreciate all the kind words.
You make great points! I prefer raw books and only have afew slabs.
Same with me brother. Same with me
You won our giveaway please contact us @havenforheroes on instagram so we can get your address to send you the signed King Spawn #1
I agree 100% on your take of the grading scam. Also don't get me started on the variants
Thanks for watching
The background music loop in your videos is distracting, when trying to listen and think. Keep up the good work, just wanted to give my opinion. It's a lot louder watching on tv than on laptop, though.
Well thank you for the critique. I think somebody else had mentioned that to me at some point. I think my editor uses it to bury some background noise Will take it into consideration. Great critique, thank you!
@@HavenForHeroes thanks and don't change.
Grading modern books is fine…but the only reason I’d grade a modern book personally is 1. If it has key significance 2. Has the potential for a 9.8 grade….and that’s it. I see no point in spending money to grade a non key of miles morales Spiderman to only receive a 9.2 grade.
Exactly you're right on point. Thanks for joining the conversation
Your final comment is exactly what reading comics is about, read it,enjoy it and pass it on to someone else who will appreciate a good story.
That's what our store is all about
Yes, why conceal the interior art to never be seen? It's cockamamie. Avaricious bastards ruining the hobby, & brainwashin' collectors. VALUE VALUE VALUE. What happened to collecting for the love of the art & stories. Great philosophical explanation on the inside being blank once encapsulated, beautifully said, I must say. Great video, friend.
Exactly values. Not why we read these books
There is no upper limit charge on the unlimited. Wouldn't that make the graders lean toward the 9.8 if the book is between a 9.6 and a 9.8 to make more money for cgc.
Great question
I've always hated cgc and slabs. Been collecting over 40yrs. Comics meant to be read. Thanks and nice looking shop.
Yes Sir thank you
Thank you 🙏... you are very wise men and collector. Raw is the best way. Thank you 🙏 🙏🙏
Thank you for watching
Oh where do I begin? I agree with what you're saying. I was very ant-cgc since day one until about 2011. Now I do see their purpose but still don't put a lot of faith in their grading capability. No reason to ever grade a book from 1980 up, with a few exceptions. And not many Bronze books either really. I'm a Golden Age collector so I do trust them mainly for detecting and assessing restoration. As far as what grade they assign I find they are usually close enough but I judge myself . If it looks nice I'll try to grab it regardless of the number up top. Good video sir.
Understandable
Totally agree with you.
Thank you