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The X-23 Thread
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321 posts in this topic

Wait, not just a store variant....

 

a cBSi advertised store variant..... it's front and center on their website. Their stuff is like GMO food, need to get some sort of warning labels mandated

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So wait, even if you like the cover, you would not buy it because "x" store/site is involved?

 

If I collect a series, I would never buy store variants as legitimate variants on a book. If there is a cover I like, obviously I would buy it to own it. But I would buy it from the shop directly, never on ebay, and never consider it "needed" to have all variants on my series.

 

However, marketing these homebrew variants as "only 500 made", etc, like they are valuable and rare collector's item, that I object to.

 

Its a money grab, and if the shill & pump site is pushing them, then doubly so, cause it will have been pushed onto their lemmings first, then the second wave hits here and on ebay where people try to legitimize them as "heating up variants".

 

 

Edited by CBT
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The store copies are the biggest of the pump and dump stuff going on right now. I am not saying that there have not been some nice covers, nor am I against stores putting out these special covers. With that said, they do not retain their value 98% of the time and can be picked up a few months from now below the initial purchase price. They should not command the premium over any other variant, and the advertising of print run numbers is just proof the stores are doing a pump and dump, by creating the appearance of rarity. Furthermore, that vast majority of these will be high grade, and will never be read. Collectors buying these more or less require it.

 

The other question I have is with the guaranteeing a specified grade. The store can not possibly fill the demand for all the 9.8 they seem to promise. If they ordered 3000 copies, what percentage of those will be 9.8's? It is likely that more than the 3000 reported were printed in order to get the number of 9.8's promised. Either that or some unlucky customers will get a sorry e-mail message at some point. So where do those extra copies go? Furthermore, from a value standpoint, if all the slabbed copies are 9.8 (or a massive percentage are), the grade loses meaning and value.

 

This is not meant to be specific to this store or this variant.

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The Pre screened Has been removed from the Description to avoid confusion, all of those sold as

"pre screened" and "Certified" will be Slabbed.

 

Email thehallofcomics@gmail.com with any questions

 

Thank you

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Wait, not just a store variant....

 

a cBSi advertised store variant..... it's front and center on their website. Their stuff is like GMO food, need to get some sort of warning labels mandated

 

First time you have heard of advertising?

Correlation then would be that Hake's and Heritage are sites as well since they advertise on these boards, where a lot of questionable behavior happens.

 

The store copies are the biggest of the pump and dump stuff going on right now. I am not saying that there have not been some nice covers, nor am I against stores putting out these special covers. With that said, they do not retain their value 98% of the time and can be picked up a few months from now below the initial purchase price. They should not command the premium over any other variant, and the advertising of print run numbers is just proof the stores are doing a pump and dump, by creating the appearance of rarity. Furthermore, that vast majority of these will be high grade, and will never be read. Collectors buying these more or less require it.

 

The other question I have is with the guaranteeing a specified grade. The store can not possibly fill the demand for all the 9.8 they seem to promise. If they ordered 3000 copies, what percentage of those will be 9.8's? It is likely that more than the 3000 reported were printed in order to get the number of 9.8's promised. Either that or some unlucky customers will get a sorry e-mail message at some point. So where do those extra copies go? Furthermore, from a value standpoint, if all the slabbed copies are 9.8 (or a massive percentage are), the grade loses meaning and value.

 

This is not meant to be specific to this store or this variant.

 

How many did they promise? I can GUARANTEE they are not having 3,000 copies slabbed.

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If MileHighComics was printing a virgin variant, would people here be slanging it? I don't think so. Transparency is the issue, not the product.

 

If people were coming on here and saying:

 

"cBSi is pushing a new variant with a great cover, I pre-ordered 7, its HEATING UP for SUREZ, you should all go buy some to and get in on the ACTIONZ."

 

Then people would be free to make an informed decision. The problem I and others have, is when people push, advocate, or cheerlead for books like this, without saying clearly what they are.

 

1.) Store variant

2.) cBSi related store variant

Edited by CBT
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The Pre screened Has been removed from the Description to avoid confusion, all of those sold as

"pre screened" and "Certified" will be Slabbed.

 

Email thehallofcomics@gmail.com with any questions

 

Thank you

 

For the record, I am not knocking your variant. I think its a beautiful cover, and worth owning. As long as people know its a store variant, I hope it sells well for you. I might even buy one if the price is affordable. It's a fabulously well done cover swipe, and quite clever.

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If MileHighComics was printing a virgin variant, would people here be slanging it? I don't think so. Transparency is the issue, not the product.

 

If people were coming on here and saying:

 

"cBSi is pushing a new variant with a great cover, I pre-ordered 7, its HEATING UP for SUREZ, you should all go buy some to and get in on the ACTIONZ."

 

Then people would be free to make an informed decision. The problem I and others have, is when people push, advocate, or cheerlead for books like this, without saying clearly what they are.

 

1.) Store variant

2.) cBSi related store variant

 

You might have snagged the title for biggest agenda on the boards.

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If MileHighComics was printing a virgin variant, would people here be slanging it? I don't think so. Transparency is the issue, not the product.

 

If people were coming on here and saying:

 

"cBSi is pushing a new variant with a great cover, I pre-ordered 7, its HEATING UP for SUREZ, you should all go buy some to and get in on the ACTIONZ."

 

Then people would be free to make an informed decision. The problem I and others have, is when people push, advocate, or cheerlead for books like this, without saying clearly what they are.

 

1.) Store variant

2.) cBSi related store variant

 

 

(thumbs u

 

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You might have snagged the title for biggest agenda on the boards.

 

Sweet, can you name that agenda so i can printed it on my trophy?

 

Protector of the Innocent

Truth Seeker

Transparency in Moderns

No Shilling Allowed

 

all sound good to me

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My point was not that they guarantee that 3000 copies will be 9.8, but they are pre-selling slabbed 9.8's. I have seen boxes of store variants before they are sold to the general public, you have to sort through the boxes to get 9.8's. Even with never been read copies, many issues have ink rubs, spin ticks, corner bends etc. I would say the average grade in any given run is about a 9.4 for new books. Until the store gets their print run, they can't know exactly how many 9.8's they will get.

 

So now you pre-sell a specific grade. One of three things will happen.

 

1. You get all the 9.8's you need.

2. You fall short of 9.8's and have to tell X number of buyers that you do not have enough copies and they will not be getting one.

3. You either have more printed, or already have overage of that 3000 number to insure that you reach your 9.8 pre-orders.

 

So just be careful when you try to play the numbers game on these issues. I realize that stores do this to make money, and that these issues cost the store more than a regular issue. They have every right to sell them, often they are putting out great covers, and people want them. I know the shop not only has to pay for the entire run upfront, but also has to pay an artist for a commission. That is the main reason stores charge more for these copies, it cost them more. They need to be profitable, and it is what the market will allow.

 

So if you love the covers, by all means buy them. Stores by all means keep putting them out. Just do not get these as investment items.

 

Can we get back to talking about X-23?

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Badmouth one site specifically that has done nothing wrong.

 

well, I see that site and others like it as Vultures preying on people to make themselves money at the expense of those newest or least experienced to collecting comics.

 

I think they are detrimental to the hobby both now, and exponentially so down the road. They have managed to create a captive audience large enough to move small run books significantly, and do so regularly. They also hide the conflict of interests between their writing and what they themselves are selling.

 

Two of their current Top 10 comics, are their own Store variants. give me a break.

 

Virtually every book they write about is neither heating up, nor valuable, but are available in very small numbers, so can be significantly affected

Edited by CBT
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Badmouth one site specifically that has done nothing wrong.

 

well, I see that site and others like it as Vultures preying on people to make themselves money at the expense of those newest or least experienced to collecting comics.

 

I think they are detrimental to the hobby both now, and exponentially so down the road. They have managed to create a captive audience large enough to move small run books significantly, and do so regularly. They also hide the conflict of interests between their writing and what they themselves are selling.

 

Two of their current Top 10 comics, are their own Store variants. give me a break.

 

Virtually every book they write about is neither heating up, nor valuable, but are available in very small numbers, so can be significantly affected

 

Again, you have been asked before and have still to prove anything about creating a shell game.

 

I will again pose this question for the 10th time, how is one supposed to talk about books heating up in this climate without being accused of pumping and dumping?

 

Edited by ygogolak
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I will again pose this question for the 10th time, how is one supposed to talk about books heating up in this climate without being accused of pumping and dumping?

 

Simple:

Show sales data that backs up your claim

 

If you want to post books as heating up without proof, do it on the cBSi forum in your "Market Reports".

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