Top City Comics

Yes, I have been in contact with Lee and Tim both throughout the day. Lee will be paid in full before the end of the night, and the check will show up tomorrow for him to rip up. Tim has selected his big book, and I just need to make up the difference with cash in the box at this point. I'm just waiting on his reply on valuation differential. It will ship tomorrow with cash differential.

Just trying to get this complete...he picked the book already....

Cash in the box is fine by me too...

Like literally I owe a hundred and a half...maybe a bit more on top of the book he already selected..

Just now seeing all this... Wtf.. He decided on the big book... I just need to get him a SMALL VALUE book or reimburse cash... What exactly is all this?

Just logged on for the first time today, not trying to ignore anyone... Lee's check is in the mail 100% and it will 100% clear. Hopefully it will be arriving tomorrow. I have reached out to him via PM to see if he prefers to rip it up/burn it instead. Messaged Tim as well...the main replacement book has been chosen...offering a list of options to get us to whole value this evening so we can put that to bed as well. Thanks everyone for your time in this matter, your suggestions have been (mostly) helpful.

I do still have them, and I am more than willing to send them back and cover both of our shipping costs, which I offered as a solution to Tim last Thursday. I will offer to send my package first, cover all the shipping costs, & even throw $50 cash in the package for his trouble. I never attempted to "not work this out", stonewall him, or tell him to screw off...instead I offered multiple solutions...which was the main reason I was angry about this being brought here. We were communicating and "working towards a solution" last I knew, then he came here instead...less than 12 hours after requesting a list of replacement books. That was my main frustration with all of this, but it obviously doesn't have anything to do with the fact that I need to make the deal whole in one way or another.

I apologize for the rant earlier, it was a lot to read all at once, and I wasn't too thrilled by the end of it. I was mostly angry that Tim did this without telling me or at least giving me a heads up after the fact. Yes, he apparently sent me a message threatening it Friday morning, but it was less than 11 hours after making a request for a list of replacement books so I took it as a "nudge", and it was the 3rd or 4th time he had "threatened" it...(he started our very first conversation with it, claiming that I left his book out on purpose). I did not think it was warranted or take him seriously on the threat, as I was answering all his messages and attempting to work this out with him. I offered to replace the book with the exact same book but didn't have it in hand yet, I offered a higher value replacement book, but he balked at paying ANYTHING towards the difference in values...the most recent being an ASM 361 9.8 that is worth something like 50% more than the book he was supposed to receive. He apparently thought it was "fair" to receive $300+ for his troubles. I did not find this to be "working with me" on coming to a resolution, but I kept chugging along, offering more options for resolution. His latest idea was a list of similar-valued PCH books, which he requested from me on Thursday night after 10:30 PM, which I didn't see until the next morning...and and apparently something went sideways for him overnight, because his next message was at 9:23 AM threatening to bring me up to the boards again...I didn't take this seriously, but again as more of a nudge to get me moving on the list...as it was less than 11 hours after him requesting the list to find a solution. This was my last message to him: "My main issue is that you didn't let me know you did this. All you had to do was message me on IG or on here and tell me you did. I literally don't get on here except to answer messages...I don't read the notifications or posts unless I have some leisure time in front of my computer. You had threatened it multiple times, which I thought was unwarranted, and I assumed it was just a tactic to get me to cave to your request of a higher valued book, which I did not think was reasonable...but I didn't actually think you went thru with it....literally hours after requesting a list of PCH books....I mean what exactly changed overnight to make you do this before even seeing the list of horror books?" All that being said, I do understand that it's ultimately my fault we are here, and how/what he said or did after being so wrongly wronged was led to by my mis-steps, so I do want to also apologize for any excuses I've made that make it look like I'm attempting to place blame on other parties for any of these issues. This was all on me, and even if I didn't like the way these guys came at me, it is no excuse for not just going with the old adage of "The customer is always right" and taking care of things. I thought I was trying to do that with Tim...as I had another copy in the exact same grade en route to me at the time...but it was coming from the UK, & still hasn't showed up yet. I obviously had no idea that would be an issue when I offered it, but I do understand his frustration. I also understand Lee's frustration about me not getting the books out the same day he mailed the check like I had agreed to. I had way too much on my plate to be making that promise 2 days after breaking my arm. As for Tim's deal, I had so many trades & deals going on, and so many books coming in & out while not being able to package at full capacity that I did fall behind a good amount, and completely 100% spaced that his deal was a 2-book deal. I knew he was getting the big book, but legitimately had a brain-fart on the ASM 300. I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off since before my accident, & was managing to still hold things together by a thread, but afterwards I had no chance to continue balancing my flimsy house of cards. It's my fault we're here, and no one else's, I take full responsibility and will make both parties whole. It was never my intention not to do so, but I should have never let emotions or pride get in the way to slow that down, and I fully understand that is the main reason we're all here. I have been humbled by this whole experience (even if I was a little angry at first), and obviously needed a wake-up call on the way I was handling business, (or lack thereof). I want to thank everyone who took the time to give their 2 cents on this topic, and even if I didn't like some of the comments, I needed to hear them...and I sincerely appreciate the "tough love" that you guys come out with when there is an issue. I will do my best to reel it in and try to be more professional, even when I don't like what's being said to me or about me, as ego has no place in this business, especially as a seller.

I legitimately forgot...I obviously didn't think he was going to forget about it. And just for the record this is my first time seeing any of this since before I got blocked on the 15th. I checked back in on this thread early last week & there was nothing new under the sun.... I don't spend my days hanging on the boards, I get on to respond to messages mostly. I had no idea Tim had nominated me, as I was communicating with him on Instagram since the week I was barred from here for using "offensive language", tho I think that's just about who complained about it to the mods, & not the actual language itself, because there has been a lot worse things said in this thread than what I got banned for, but I digress... I offered Tim numerous solutions to forgetting to add the 2nd book into the deal (and wouldn't I have "forgotten" the $2k book instead of the $700 value book if I was trying to swindle him???) I have done huge trades with Tim in the past, which is why it shocked me that he went straight to being rude & arrogant and threatening to nominate me, like I did this on purpose or something...I literally mailed him $4k-$5k of books on word alone in our very first transaction a couple years back, and have dealt with him multiple times since then...which is why I was more than a little shocked that he did this while I was trying to work out a solution with him.... I offered numerous solutions to him, including replacing the book with a copy of THE EXACT SAME BOOK IN THE EXACT SAME GRADE...but it wasn't going to be fast enough, so that was out...then I offered numerous replacement books in the same price range that he rejected...then I offered a 9.4 copy of the same book, which is obviously more expensive (ASM 300 is the book in question), and Tim thought it would be fair if I gave him that book instead of the 9.0....without making up any of the difference via cash or another small book....which I obviously did not agree to. He then wanted my ASM 361 9.8 as a replacement, and apparently he thought that should be straight across too, as he balked when I brought up making up the difference in price of the 2 books...which I think is more than fair. He said no, and then he asked me to come up with a list of PCH that were of similar value...to which I replied "I'll get you a list"...along with reassuring him that I simply forgot, and I was doing what I could to rectify the situation. I thought we were going to settle this with a horror book like he said....but instead he decided to quit replying to me on Instagram and come do this instead....so in reality, I feel that he is the one who has been unreasonable and unwilling to come to terms on a solution to this problem, instead wanting to come here & pile on while I'm already dealing with something that I'm trying to make right...but didn't actually break any of the rules to get nominated...I think he saw I was down & decided to kick me one good time in the ribs when he had the chance....but I never once acted rudely or flippant towards him about this matter, only trying to come up with solutions...ALL of which were shot down...and he decided to bring it here instead of just resolving the issue with me personally....just after asking me to get him a list of horror books to "solve" the problem. But I don't think he wanted to actually "solve it" unless he was getting the upper hand on me value-wise in some way, and decided to come here with it because I was opposed to his extortion. So now all of you get to be a part of it too...super!! Guess I should've just given the man his extra $300 in value as ransom money to keep him appeased? Is there some rule here on the boards about extortion/blackmail, or no? Asking for a friend... All that aside...I may have bitten off more than I could chew in the last couple months...and I may have had a pretty bad string of horrible luck on top of it...and maybe my whole house of cards did fall over on top of me a little bit...to the tune of a car wreck, ER visit, business shutdown, car totaled, arm broken, pile up of debt, pile up of work to play catch-up on with one arm...computer deciding to go kaput...and now my name being dragged thru the mud by every Tom, , & Harry that wants to chime in from their keyboards....but I'm not making excuses....I screwed up by ever allowing it to get personal with Lee & making him feel all this was necessary. I didn't like the way he handled things in the PM's or the way he talked to me and I didn't like how he came and did this just out of spite, but I shouldn't have let my temper get the best of me the day this all went down (Feb 15th I believe?). I was pretty angry and frustrated that I was having to spend the time to do this after already agreeing to refund him, but it's on me for not having it done sooner, and it's 100% on me for not just swallowing my pride and letting it go. Before they barred me that day I believe I did say something along those lines trying to take ownership of my part in this...and I did reach out to Lee on Instagram to apologize and get his full address, which I still did not have...(tho I have since cleaned out the office and found the slightly illegible yellow slip of paper that Lee sent with the check that led to all of this). Lee accepted my apology, but after seeing some of the things he's posted about me in the last week, I believe that may have been tongue-in-cheek. Even though I feel like he disrespected me and ran my name thru the mud just to vent about me calling him a hypocrite in the PM (which directly led to him nominating me), I didn't refund him by his demanded time, so it's on me to suck it up and deal with the repercussions. The fact that Tim brought this here was just piling on. I was doing what I could to offer him every solution I could think of and he never had any ideas nor was he willing to compromise or even discuss most of the ideas I came to the table with...and for him to arbitrarily come here with this is beyond petty. If I had refused to answer his messages or refused to try & fix the problem then I could understand it...but I was literally in the middle of rounding up a list & pictures of PCH books of similar value to offer him (per his request) when he decided to tuck tail & run over here to get his posse of text-message tough guys. (Yes, I'm talking to anyone who insulted me or felt the need to chime in on this before I even knew it was going on or had the chance to respond or defend myself)....I literally get on here to answer messages for 30 seconds from my phone throughout the day....I don't "hang out" here like a lot of you guys....or follow threads to keep up on the latest gossip, or get off on bashing someone who isn't even aware it's taking place. I mean...with all these tags & calls for me to respond to Tim's complaint...and posts about me "hiding" from this when I didn't even know it was happening...why did absolutely no one drop me a message to let me know this going on? I guess it's easier to bash and poke-fun that I'm "hiding out" (from what, exactly, idk...a $700 book that I've already been working with him on replacing??), but it's pretty shallow and disturbing that you would rather carry on for days about me than just letting me know what's going on. I've been a member here for 9 years...I've done business with several of you...I have donated items to your charity sales...I vouch for anyone I've done business with here. Are none of you my actual friend enough to shoot me one simple PM if you want to hear from me on this topic so badly??? Or how bout maaaaaaaybe Tim could've let me know he was doing this instead of giving me the silent treatment and allowing me to still send him pictures of the damn books he requested yesterday??? You'd think maybe he could've let me know since I obviously was still under the impression that we were solving this dilemma with a similar-valued PCH book (again, by his request)....but it seems like he was more interested in talking bad about me here while leaving me in the dark that he had decided to back out of the solution that we were working towards....which seems like maybe the biggest "female dog" move that anyone has pulled throughout this entire debacle. I spent an hour reading every word of every comment and every post that I missed in the last few days, and while I'm not shirking any of the responsibility for getting myself into this by having too many irons in the fire or getting in a bit over my head, most of the comments these over the last couple days were unproductive and unnecessary...especially without involving me and just taking Tim's word that I was being unreasonable, which just wasn't true. And to those of you who insinuated that I might be intentionally deceiving people or forgot Tim's book on purpose, you can definitely get bent. And whoever pulled my ebay neutral comment about not taking returns can also sit & spin. You found one neutral comment out of 2300 and want to post that one eh? That guy left feedback without even talking to me....all he had to do was open the return....all my listings were set to "free returns/seller pays" at the time....and if you're not aware....ebay literally forces the returns for you if refuse. I may be guilty of taking on too much or biting off more than I can chew and getting in a car wreck and trying to dig out of all of this mess with one arm and no vehicle, and not planning things perfectly, and being an forgetful insufficiently_thoughtful_person with too much on his plate, but I'm no damn scammer. I have never stolen from anyone in my life, and I'm not about to start over a $700 book OR a $1500 check...and that's not changing whether the big bad peanut gallery prognosticators claim it to be true or not.

Well they aren't the ones nominated for the PL list when they did nothing against the rules...soooooo I don't really care how funny or unfunny anyone else finds this...cause it's my balls on the chopping block here. My point was that you made my comment look like I was seriously planning on sending him the books he so adamantly DOES NOT WANT when I added a damn devil smiley face at the bottom to make sure everyone knew it was a joke..after I have already stated in our PMs that he posted that I would give him a refund via check like he requested. You edited my comment to fit your agenda/prove your point, purposefully leaving off the part that made it obvious that it was a joke...and there's no reason for attempting to make this situation worse by stirring up more drama or false narratives.

Fair enough. Maybe I have let my anger get the best of me a bit...just kinda beyond pissed that he resorted to this...especially before the deadline that he imposed...especially when I answered every single one of his messages in a timely manner...and he did NOT do the same for me...literally only wanting a check for the refund...but refusing to confirm his address...and was already pissed about the threats & insults yesterday...but as I said in the PMs...I'm going to refund him, (and I never led him to believe otherwise) so it's probably best to just put this to bed.

You left off the devil smiley face...as it was obviously a joke.

How exactly am I free-riding your money? The books you claimed that I purchased with your money while "digging for evidence" on my IG were bought via paypal with a credit card...so where is your proof to such a claim? And why do you feel entitled to take our personal dealings out in front of the forum when you're the one who didn't respond to me for 8 days? And didn't give me your address until this week?

Yeeeaaahhh, guess I'm on a bit of the defensive here, since I was the one nominated. And maybe it feels like instantly refunding him "because he caused such a stir" is a little bit like rewarding a child's tantrum...

Yes...what exactly has led you to believe that I wasn't? Was it because Lee opened this fraudulent BS claim after I hurt his feelings by calling him a hypocrite in our PM's yesterday?

I didn't think I needed it once I told him the issue...but I might still have it in my office somewhere. I believe I at least threw the envelope out because it had a completely different address on it. Pretty sure I crumpled it out of anger & threw it across the room at some point, but it was written on a small piece of yellow paper so I will look for it today.

This is not actually accurate...it is a spin on what actually happened. I took the check to the bank on the 1st of February in the afternoon...I then went home to get packages ready for shipping as boxes had arrived over the weekend (thanks to a push from my mailman to dig me out a small batch from the local P.O.)...I only use the 1095 style boxes from the USPS, as they fit the most packaging & it's the way I've gotten accustomed to doing it safely...I got at least 4-5 packages done...I then went on to printing labels before leaving for the post office...I gave myself 20-25 minutes (or about 5 minutes per label) to do so. I dug for his note when it was time to get his label printed....that's the first time I noticed the handwriting being illegible...it was only 1 number, but I couldn't discern between the 2nd number in his P.O. Box, so I left that package for later (was pushing out 5-10 packages a day that week). Once I got home & ate I fell asleep on the couch for a bit, as I was still recuperating & pretty much every time I sat down I fell asleep. I woke up around 11-12 that night & started back on work stuff, which is when I went to message Lee about the address only to find that he had already messaged me an hour or so earlier about canceling the purchase. I then let him know that it was just the not knowing his full address part that held me back from having them out earlier that day. I just wasn't willing to guess on the PO Box # on a package of this value. And yes, I will dig for the note that he wrote as it has been requested multiple times. Pretty sure I tossed the envelope, as it had a completely different address. I also think I probably crumbled that piece of paper out of anger at some point, but I will do my best to see if it's still in my office somewhere.

I offered to take any payment method as long as he covered the fees & shipping to get me to the break-even mark... I literally offered to sell these 3 books to him at my exact cost...even taking a small loss on the 3rd book ($20-$25ish I believe) just to get the deal done.

I made no push to get him to use a fee-free method...sending payment by check was his choice. I simply stated that I could sell him the books at my own cost if he covered shipping & fees (so I wouldn't be taking a loss), it was his idea to send a check to avoid the fees, and no, I normally don't deal in checks...literally one out of every 50-100 incoming payments is sent via check.

Touche' sir, I was not having a great month. Also extremely pleased that it can all be public knowledge for you to mock about with. I think the biggest thing that you're missing there is that I never said I wouldn't refund the customer...he literally didn't provide me with his address until 3 days ago...and his "deadline" wasn't for another week...so I really am at a loss as to what we're doing here.... 1. Did I ever say that I wouldn't refund the customer? 2. Is it February 20th or after? 3. Is this the "I'm telling Mom you got salty with me after I got salty with you" review board or are we here to deal with actual fraudulent scamming in the Probation List forum? Cause the only reason we're here today is that he didn't like me calling him out on being a hypocrite in our PM's...HE LITERALLY DIDN'T PROVIDE ME WITH HIS ADDRESS UNTIL 3 DAYS AGO...and I have repeatedly stated in our PM's that I would refund him...AND WE AREN'T AT ANY OF THE DEADLINES THAT HE SET HIMSELF....so please tell me...why are we here again? To give this guy a f'n audience for his venting and hurt feelings? Or to deal with actual problems?? I've never scammed anyone in my life, and I'm not about to start over $1500. I LITERALLY SAW HIS ADDRESS FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY WHEN I LOGGED IN....WHAT IN THE ACTUAL F* CK ARE WE DOING HERE?????

Happy to provide! Maybe "ignored my requests for confirmation of his address...and then didn't message me again for 8 days" is a better way to put it. Literally all I needed to know is if it was a "4" or a "9" that he wrote on the note for the P.O. Box number...(and the return address on the envelope was different so I couldn't double-check), he refused to tell me no matter how much I begged... Top City Comics Replied: February 2 My apologies Lee, I have been without a car & working with a broken arm since the wreck 16 days ago, & literally just got a ride to deposit your check today, to cover a negative balance I had in my account from bills & such...so you should be seeing it hit your account tomorrow (Tuesday) I then went to print your label before heading to the post office this evening but could not discern between a "4" or a "9" on your P.O. box from the yellow note you wrote & sent in the envelope , but your books are packaged up and sitting by the door & ready to roll out first thing in the morning, I just need to know if your P.O. Box is "243" or "293" LMK, & you should have your books by Thursday. Thanks, & sorry again for the delay! -Adrian Quote Polonsky Replied: February 2 I do understand and appreciate that things have been difficult to accomplish after a car accident, but this has been taking too long before then, and has been continuing to take forever. I do see that the check was just cashed yesterday. When I had checked last night there was no notice of that. I felt slightly frustrated when the negotiations took over a week because you kept disappearing for a day here or there. It was slightly frustrating, but I tried to look past it and understand. Then I was told you would ship the same day I sent the check out, but now its weeks later, and you are saying it will still take some time before shipping. I have decided I would like a check shipped to me instead of the comics. If you are having some financial trouble, I can be paitent for about two weeks before cashing in the efforts to help you. I have never done this before, but I did approach you close to 4 weeks ago, and have felt this process slowly dragged out since then. -Lee Quote Top City Comics Replied: February 2 Yes, I usually wait until the check clear before shipping, but it did take me some time to get it to the bank, and I do apologize for that. And yes, I am in extreme debt at the moment, as I don't have health insurance, and had to go to the emergency room...so it has set me back immensely and I will be fighting an uphill battle to pay that off already, so it might take me a long while to be able to pay you back I was planning on shipping them last week but had been waiting on USPS to deliver mailing boxes for at least 3 weeks myself, but had my mailman bring me a batch specifically, which arrived on Saturday, so I am good to go now. I implore you to have one more ounce of patience with me, as I can get the books out to you well before I would be able to get money back to you...and I don't mind adding in a bonus raw pch book if need be, as I want you to be happy with the transaction, & know it has been painstaking to say the least. I'm happy to give you a free book for your trouble, and I assure you that they will be mailed out within the next couple hours if you just send me the correct P.O. Box number...I feel this will be completed much faster if I just send the books out today rather than trying to come up with the money while having the huge medical bills weighing me down... Please accept my sincerest apologies for the delay, & allow me to rectify the situation by adding a bonus book or two. LMK if that sounds ok to you, & I will 100% get them in the mail today, and you should have them in hand within the next 2 days. Cordially, Adrian Quote Top City Comics Replied: February 2 I also just found out today that I will be spending over $5k on lawyer's fees, 35% of which are due this week...so I will be scrambling to even be able to come up with that on top of the medical bills & attempting to get a working car (mine was totaled in the wreck)...so it will be tough to refund anytime soon I apologize again for not having them out sooner...I just started half-way using my arm again last week (my right shoulder was demolished in the wreck with a broken clavicle to boot), and packaging books has been an uphill battle to say the least. I am backlogged on it to the tune of 10-15 packages that still need to be boxed up & shipped, but yours are ready to go out today, as they were first in line to be shipped. Please accept my apology & allow me to complete this transaction today Quote Polonsky Replied: February 2 I still wish to cancel. There has just been too much with this transaction that has out me off. I do have sympathy to your situation with the accident, but I was already feeling the frustration here before then. You did tell me you would ship three weeks ago before even receiving the check, which I appreciated greatly, but now see you had no intentions of doing so. I know these are unprecedented times, but I do find it wrong to have so many offerings, with no method to ship within the month. I would assume I am not the only one feeling the frustration. I am a very young man with a degenerative back and have alredy had multiple surgeries and live a life of constant pain, and will forever, so I do have sympathy, but I do think the issues go beyond just the accident. I do not want this cancellation to be a burden on you, and will be happy to give you about 3 weeks to return payment by 2/20. Let me know if I can help, as I do not want this to be a big deal for you, but I do need to cancel, and I do need payment back by then. Thank you. -Lee Quote Polonsky Replied: Wednesday at 10:53 AM It is 293. -Lee

"Stealing money"? How? I offered to send his books 4-5 times...he stonewalled me & refused to give me his address...saying he'd only take a refund...and only via check...I said "fine"...he said "please refund by the 20th" like 9-10 days ago but still refused to give me his actual address until literally 3 days ago, which I first read yesterday...how exactly was I supposed to send the money OR the books to him before now?

Sage advice my good sir! I literally never said I wouldn't refund him...and by my math...we haven't actually gotten to the Feb 20th "deadline" that he imposed on said refund...so he obviously just opened this case out of spite/to give me a F U, and is clearly mis-using the probation list and what it is in place for...if I had stonewalled him, or refused to pay, or told him to "F OFF" it would obviously be justified, but none of those things happened, & he's just trying to run my name thru the mud or get me booted/placed on the PL as a personal vendetta...which is maybe a new nominatable offense??? Soooo, I hereby nominate @Polonsky to the Probation List....for abuse of Probation List Nomination!!

Well dang it Sharon, why do you have to go & kill all my fun like that!!

Actually...I think maybe now that I finally have his actual verified address I'll just go ahead & ship him the books, especially considering the 30-day rule states that he has no formal complaint whatsoever as long as they arrive this week.