CGC grading and slabbing is "an abomination"

[random_havoc]

http://robot6.comicbookresources.co...one-man-crusade-against-cgc-grading-slabbing/

Comic creator finds it disgusting that comics that are meant to be read are now instead put in "coffins" that make it impossible to see 90% of the content. In a blog post he basically declared a one man war and now tries to get CGC'ed comics and then cracks them out of their slabs.

Thoughts?

 

[runawayboulder]

I never really paid to much attention to CGC grading. To me it seemed like some gimmick that was being used by the industry to win back what was lost in the 90's market wise.

 

[shiva666]

It's about money & markets bull, it doesn't interest me at all...

 

[jonathancrane]

I never invested in that market.

It kind of irks that they have applied it to the trade paperback market as well: I buy a lot of my books on eBay (due to Amazon sometimes having some over-the-top costs for OOP books,) only to have some jerk-hole have a trade paperback that I need grade at 8, and raising the price $15 bucks because of said condition.

Whoever came up with the grading system needs to be slapped.

 

[runawayboulder]

It doesn't even matter anyway. Digitization has come along and upset the apple cart. The print back issues are going to be a niche market, if they aren't already.

^^^I only say that because I just noticed that my town had a second comic shop open recently.

 

[jonathancrane]

I am impressed your town has a second comic shop; we lost ours, as well as the book store that sold the comics. I now have to drive an hour to pick them up.

 

[runawayboulder]

Yeah, it's pretty crazy. When I was growing up there was a really big one that had baseball cards, comics, action figures and games. They even had a couple of arcade games in there like Street Fighter 2 Championship Edition and others. As the 90's dragged on, they slowly downsized before closing up shop all together. Within a year a guy opened up on the other side of town and has been going strong for over a decade now and even expanded into the space next door a few years back.

This new shop must not have been around long because he doesn't even have a sign up yet. I wanted to check it out but it was too early and he was still closed.

 

[herakles]

http://robot6.comicbookresources.co...one-man-crusade-against-cgc-grading-slabbing/

Comic creator finds it disgusting that comics that are meant to be read are now instead put in "coffins" that make it impossible to see 90% of the content. In a blog post he basically declared a one man war and now tries to get CGC'ed comics and then cracks them out of their slabs.

Thoughts?

The only thing CGC is good for in my opinion is protecting vintage comics or high dollar comics that are both art and a money investment. Any comic newer than 1990 (there are exceptions) should NOT be slabed.

 

[Themanofbat]

Comics are meant to be read... If you have valuable comics "in the financial sense only", bag and board them and/or put them in a safety deposit box.

Entombing comics is idiotic.

 

[Themanofbat]

Btw, I live in a city of 135 000 and we have THREE comic shops... And I believe there are ten more within a two hour drive...

 

[herakles]

Comics are meant to be read... If you have valuable comics "in the financial sense only", bag and board them and/or put them in a safety deposit box.

Entombing comics is idiotic.

I agree but slabbing high dollar comics also protects them since most of them are over 30 years old.

You have 3 Comic stores where you live, that's cool. I am lucky I live in San Diego Cal so we have a lot of stores here but I only go to 2-3 stores. Socalcomics, San Diego Comics and Comics N Stuff.

I buy most of vintage stuff from them or Superworldcomics. I recommend all 4! I believe that socalcomics and superworldcomics are the only one who sell on-line. All the owners of these stores are great guys!

 

[THANOSRULES]

Its not my bag, I do have 1 graded book that I bought more or less for kicks. (its a New Warriors #1 9.8)

 

[def28]

The only thing CGC is good for in my opinion is protecting vintage comics or high dollar comics that are both art and a money investment. Any comic newer than 1990 (there are exceptions) should NOT be slabed.

Agreed. Every form of collecting has this. Nothing wrong with taking care of your old valuables in a safe way or having them graded and the authenticity proven, just doing it for every issue or modern comics is a huge waste. Unless you have Walking Dead 1 or something along those line, it's usually not worth it.

Comics are meant to be read but some are classic very rare valuable pieces of art and history I would never crack open if I owned. You can always read it digital or in trade. But yeah at least 90% of the CGC market is a huge ripoff.

 

[herakles]

Agreed. Every form of collecting has this. Nothing wrong with taking care of your old valuables in a safe way or having them graded and the authenticity proven, just doing it for every issue or modern comics is a huge waste. Unless you have Walking Dead 1 or something along those line, it's usually not worth it.

Comics are meant to be read but some are classic very rare valuable pieces of art and history I would never crack open if I owned. You can always read it digital or in trade. But yeah at least 90% of the CGC market is a huge ripoff.

Yes, probably the only post 1990 comic that should be slabbed is The Walking Dead 1. Other than that only vintage or signature comics (JMI 83, Avengers 1, Hulk 181, etc.) should be slabbed especially if they are in higher graded conditions.

 

[JewishHobbit]

I've only owned 1 CGC comic: Uncanny X-Men 212 I think (the one with Wolverine and Sabretooth on the cover... Mutant Massacre). I bought a lot of comics and didn't realize that one (which I needed) was CGC. I thought it was kinda cool and looked for the comic elsewhere. After a while of searching and not finding it in a condition that I found acceptable, I just cut open the CGC and threw the plastic away.

I wouldn't mind getting a CGC of Web of Spider-Man 81 i I could find it cheap, but that's only because it was my first comic, and I wouldn't mind having one displayed somewhere. I don't care what condition it'd be in, as long as the cover looks good.