Post by G on Mar 26, 2009 13:39:33 GMT -5
I don't know if I just got to thinking that creators were defacing my books 1st, or if seeing CGC not authenticate any signature unless they were present (which I always thought made sense), but I just came to a point in life where I stopped wanting signatures. It never seemed I wanted them that much in any event. But there was a time when I used to go to shows and see artists and writers that I would get them to sign my books. I even have one with a very fond memory from Drew Hayes on a Poison Elves #1. Now that he is gone, it seems a lot more special to me. And I have a few other memories to go along with that. But I just got to where I didnt care to have them anymore, because some artists just defaced the crap out of a book with no concern with what they were doing to your cover.
I remember George Perez one time I got him to sign an Inhumans #1 which is one of his earliest works back in the day and he just scribbled all over the cover and all over the art. And it wasnt like I could read it saying "George Perez". No, it was just some mindless scribble.
And then there are the times when I go comic shopping and I know youve seen them. Someone will have a box or section of nothing but signed comics. And you look through them and yes, there is scribbled names on the covers, but they arent authenticated or anything. And here you have the dealers charging outrageous premiums for it because there is this unauthenticated scribbling on the cover. I just got to where I was looking at these comics in boxes and looking at the prices and I was like....
So then CGC comes out with Signature Series slabs. Which I think is both a good and bad thing. Its good because its authenticated and you know CGC was there when the book was signed. So, you never have to wonder if some shady dealer was in his back room scribbling names on covers with Sharpee markers. So, if you want one that seems special, this seems a way where it is truly special.
But I also think it is bad, because I wonder just how much it killed the market for the unauthenticated signatures? I know this is wrong. But back in the day when Sword of Azrael mini was hot, I got Quesada to sign all 4 comics for me. What did I do? This is back before ebay, but there was message boards you could do the same thing. I put a message up I had the complete set signed by Quaseda. I remember I tried to authenticate I was there by including the little nametag pin they gave me when I paid at the door as well as a program of the show. I made huge profit off this because I paid next to nothing for the books originally. They were very hot at the time. And I made like double the going rate just because he signed the books. And you want to talk about the easiest signature to forge? Quesada was like a big Q with a couple of slashes in it. Anybody could do that!
So, I got to wondering. Are there dealers out there with all these so called signed comics which are not authenticated, sitting there holding the bag because CGC created Signature Series Slabs? I know personally, I just no longer have a desire to have an artist sign my comics. Maybe if I just dont care about the book in the 1st place. But I think getting them to sign something you cherish is almost defacing and maybe even downgrading the value of your comics. I just dont have the desire to let any of them scribble on my best books without CGC standing right there.
Anybody have any thoughts on this?
I remember George Perez one time I got him to sign an Inhumans #1 which is one of his earliest works back in the day and he just scribbled all over the cover and all over the art. And it wasnt like I could read it saying "George Perez". No, it was just some mindless scribble.
And then there are the times when I go comic shopping and I know youve seen them. Someone will have a box or section of nothing but signed comics. And you look through them and yes, there is scribbled names on the covers, but they arent authenticated or anything. And here you have the dealers charging outrageous premiums for it because there is this unauthenticated scribbling on the cover. I just got to where I was looking at these comics in boxes and looking at the prices and I was like....
So then CGC comes out with Signature Series slabs. Which I think is both a good and bad thing. Its good because its authenticated and you know CGC was there when the book was signed. So, you never have to wonder if some shady dealer was in his back room scribbling names on covers with Sharpee markers. So, if you want one that seems special, this seems a way where it is truly special.
But I also think it is bad, because I wonder just how much it killed the market for the unauthenticated signatures? I know this is wrong. But back in the day when Sword of Azrael mini was hot, I got Quesada to sign all 4 comics for me. What did I do? This is back before ebay, but there was message boards you could do the same thing. I put a message up I had the complete set signed by Quaseda. I remember I tried to authenticate I was there by including the little nametag pin they gave me when I paid at the door as well as a program of the show. I made huge profit off this because I paid next to nothing for the books originally. They were very hot at the time. And I made like double the going rate just because he signed the books. And you want to talk about the easiest signature to forge? Quesada was like a big Q with a couple of slashes in it. Anybody could do that!
So, I got to wondering. Are there dealers out there with all these so called signed comics which are not authenticated, sitting there holding the bag because CGC created Signature Series Slabs? I know personally, I just no longer have a desire to have an artist sign my comics. Maybe if I just dont care about the book in the 1st place. But I think getting them to sign something you cherish is almost defacing and maybe even downgrading the value of your comics. I just dont have the desire to let any of them scribble on my best books without CGC standing right there.
Anybody have any thoughts on this?
