Romitaman response to everything going on recently

[romitaman]

I have been out of town since the 27th.... but I wanted to get this out for everyone to read asap as I don't want this to keep lingering with the auctions coming up........ .

 

I was told by several people in the art community to not post at all.......but I believe in speaking about what transpired as I feel I owe it to the art collecting community, and I'm not one to hide, as everyone makes mistakes in life and you do your best to explain yourself and work it out the best way possible if you truly care about fixing a mistake....

 

When this first came out, I couldn't respond quickly because I was out of town.........I took a redeye flight home and the very first thIng I did when I got home was to get on my computer and post to clear the air before I went to bed...I probably should have proof read my words a little better, as it seems that everything I wrote in my first 2 posts were turned around to make me seem like I was smug and uncaring ......

 

As this thread grew and grew....Certain things I wrote were being taken out of context..

This grew to the point that some felt I was cheating good people.....

What happened with Heritage I shared openly.....and is seemed after a few days of posts that any future online debate by me against these claims would create hundreds more negative comments with not much fair debate so I kept from posting.

 

I told the entire collecting community they could email me privately or call me on the phone and I'd be happy to talk to ANYONE about this.....even my most hardened detractors......yet only 4 people chose to call me and we talked for over 30 minutes for each phone call and I appreciated and thanked every person for their calls.

 

 .... I started buying art at heritage auctions 14 years ago ....But I started giving art to heritage in late 2014 to auction off......yet a lot of the early thread posts started coming out that I had been giving art to heritage to auction for 14 years.....(which is untrue) .....and the snowball started growing to the point I've now been claimed to have manipulated every online art auction for 14 years..... and even eBay auctions......which again.... is 100% false....

 

..I've only given comiclink about10 or so pieces of art to my knowledge.... and all pieces were given over just the past few years......and all of them sold to whomever bought them and I don't know the winners....some I think I had reserves on them and got them back.......same with comic connect as Stephen Fishler shared on these posts....

 

In light of everything that has happened i do not want to be a distraction to the auction process as i feel it's fair for sellers AND the many buyers in The big auction houses to never have to wonder if the pieces they are selling or BUYING have questionable activities.......so I've talked with the heritage people very recently and we all agreed that all art that I did have with Heritage...(which was given to them in 2015) should be returned to me so all bidders and sellers feel the auction process is fair for everyone going forward.

 

   I want everyone reading this to know that there was no malice or intent ever to drive up any prices with any heritage bidders by my wanting to get certain pieces back that I had in auction....call it auction remorse if that makes more sense......but I wanted my pieces back and did it in a way that I thought was legal.....but clearly from all of the chat boards.....I made a very wrong choice in what I did as it was at the very least morally unfair to a lot of people in the collecting community.

 

I feel terrible for that.......I apologized before ....and I apologize again now for what happened. I take full responsibility for my actions as I never dreamed that what happened would hurt so many who have been friends and good customers of mine over the past 27 years.......... ..and the flame throwers afterward were an interesting read as well...and that is their right to voice their opinions....... But the bottom line is.....I never tried to deceive anyone or cheat anyone as that is not who I am and what I stand for......in life......as well as In our great hobby.

 

So I say again.......My apologies to anyone who feels they were affected in any way by what happened.....and I look forward to being the very best source possible going forward for everyone out there who is looking for some great Comic art for their collection going forward.......

 

Mike Burkey

[oceans11]

Appreciate you posting and clarifying. Can't speak for the masses who will have their own opinions and thoughts, but I appreciate the explanation. You've always been good to me on our deals and I appreciate it. Hope this all gets sorted out soon, and maybe we can get away from the 5 or 6 different postings discussing it.

 

[desertdogg2006]

sorry to see how your name was raked over the coals mike. but you were always kind to me. and iam glad your clearing the air on this matter. so iam sure this will all behind you soon. take care buddy.

 

larry ;]

[fsumavila]

I hope this post will go a long way toward ending this mushrooming controversy, Mike. Good to see you clarifying things and taking what I think are positive steps towards resolving it.

 

Can't speak for anyone else but I for one would not hesitate for a second to work with you again on another transaction.

 

 

[Chris Cooper]

Despite what the Nathan Thurms of the hobby may believe, I've seen all of your responses to the matter as credible and sincere. Of course, to some, there will no appeasement as their sense of entitlement has been disturbed. Their motives are their own. You've always been forthright in my book and that hasn't changed in my view.

[Garry Ghoul]

Mike Burkey is a pioneer. As a collector and as a dealer he helped comic art to be preserved.

Comic art and comic artists because of pioneer like Mike Burkey are taken seriously now. Artist Editions today, museum tomorrow. Do you think we will enjoy the beautiful Romita artist editions without Mike! Mike deserves our forever respect.

The rest is business as usual. Comic art pages are more and more expensive but it is part of the recognition.

 

Jerry

Amateur collector, comic art lover.

[Overthetopinc]

Hello guys,

Just wanted to let you know Mike has gone way out of his way at times to make deals work for me. I always knew he was the best comic art dealer out there. I have to laugh at all these 's. How many times did they say "Mike has been doing this for 14 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". Well Mike just said he was buying his pieces back only since 2014. I told you in every post I made let Mike tell the facts. But no, who would listen to such a foolish thing. Mike you are a one of a kind in this hobby.

thanks,

Matthew

[Mmehdy]

I have been out of town since the 27th.... but I wanted to get this out for everyone to read asap as I don't want this to keep lingering with the auctions coming up........ .

 

I was told by several people in the art community to not post at all.......but I believe in speaking about what transpired as I feel I owe it to the art collecting community, and I'm not one to hide, as everyone makes mistakes in life and you do your best to explain yourself and work it out the best way possible if you truly care about fixing a mistake....

 

When this first came out, I couldn't respond quickly because I was out of town.........I took a redeye flight home and the very first thIng I did when I got home was to get on my computer and post to clear the air before I went to bed...I probably should have proof read my words a little better, as it seems that everything I wrote in my first 2 posts were turned around to make me seem like I was smug and uncaring ......

 

As this thread grew and grew....Certain things I wrote were being taken out of context..

This grew to the point that some felt I was cheating good people.....

What happened with Heritage I shared openly.....and is seemed after a few days of posts that any future online debate by me against these claims would create hundreds more negative comments with not much fair debate so I kept from posting.

 

I told the entire collecting community they could email me privately or call me on the phone and I'd be happy to talk to ANYONE about this.....even my most hardened detractors......yet only 4 people chose to call me and we talked for over 30 minutes for each phone call and I appreciated and thanked every person for their calls.

 

 .... I started buying art at heritage auctions 14 years ago ....But I started giving art to heritage in late 2014 to auction off......yet a lot of the early thread posts started coming out that I had been giving art to heritage to auction for 14 years.....(which is untrue) .....and the snowball started growing to the point I've now been claimed to have manipulated every online art auction for 14 years..... and even eBay auctions......which again.... is 100% false....

 

..I've only given comiclink about10 or so pieces of art to my knowledge.... and all pieces were given over just the past few years......and all of them sold to whomever bought them and I don't know the winners....some I think I had reserves on them and got them back.......same with comic connect as Stephen Fishler shared on these posts....

 

In light of everything that has happened i do not want to be a distraction to the auction process as i feel it's fair for sellers AND the many buyers in The big auction houses to never have to wonder if the pieces they are selling or BUYING have questionable activities.......so I've talked with the heritage people very recently and we all agreed that all art that I did have with Heritage...(which was given to them in 2015) should be returned to me so all bidders and sellers feel the auction process is fair for everyone going forward.

 

   I want everyone reading this to know that there was no malice or intent ever to drive up any prices with any heritage bidders by my wanting to get certain pieces back that I had in auction....call it auction remorse if that makes more sense......but I wanted my pieces back and did it in a way that I thought was legal.....but clearly from all of the chat boards.....I made a very wrong choice in what I did as it was at the very least morally unfair to a lot of people in the collecting community.

 

I feel terrible for that.......I apologized before ....and I apologize again now for what happened. I take full responsibility for my actions as I never dreamed that what happened would hurt so many who have been friends and good customers of mine over the past 27 years.......... ..and the flame throwers afterward were an interesting read as well...and that is their right to voice their opinions....... But the bottom line is.....I never tried to deceive anyone or cheat anyone as that is not who I am and what I stand for......in life......as well as In our great hobby.

 

So I say again.......My apologies to anyone who feels they were affected in any way by what happened.....and I look forward to being the very best source possible going forward for everyone out there who is looking for some great Comic art for their collection going forward.......

 

Mike Burkey

 

Thank you for responding to the many speculations which have been put forth by the board. I believe I speak for at least a majority of the CGC members that feel that just saying 'Sorry" is simply not enough.

 

Mike, actions speak louder than words, you being a major art dealer for a large number of years, makes you actions accountable to a higher standard than say a regular art collector.

 

I proposed on this board,, on a couple of threads, a fair resolution in regards to your admission of your auction conduct. I also stated that when everybody gives and takes, it means it a good deal. I know a number of collectors who would want to be extreme in terms of restitution, but I hope calmer and sounder minds prevail.

 

SETTLEMENT:

 

1- That you donate to a non-profit comic book defense fund some art...a gesture which helps repair the damage done to comic collecting fandom. This is a good cause which benefits all. Again, actions speak louder than words.

 

2-As far as HA is concerned , while it appears from your statement that you will not being doing business with Ha for sometime in the future. Allow the underbidders and winners one free pass on one item for buyer premium. Just as a gesture...an act of good faith and restoring collector confidence. It is not a admission of wrong doing but simply good business.

 

Then we as a collecting community can move on...enjoy our hobby or investment happily ever after.

 

I have always believed in the good side of man, the ability of man to change and learn from his mistakes...I wish you luck in the future and hope everybody is made whole.

 

 

 

 

[thehumantorch]

Hello guys,

Just wanted to let you know Mike has gone way out of his way at times to make deals work for me. I always knew he was the best comic art dealer out there. I have to laugh at all these 's. How many times did they say "Mike has been doing this for 14 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". Well Mike just said he was buying his pieces back only since 2014. I told you in every post I made let Mike tell the facts. But no, who would listen to such a foolish thing. Mike you are a one of a kind in this hobby.

thanks,

Matthew

 

From Romitaman's first post about this issue.

 

Now..... its great see that some of our ASTUTE art collators here on this website figured out that art on my website was also sold on heritage...or previously in a comic connect auction.....so I say congrats for figuring that out......however i've been doing this for over 14 YEARS.

 

i've given heritage over 2500 pieces of art over the years to auction off.... and i've worked out numerous deals with other collectors to get a hundred or so back if I felt the prices at auction were undervalued and I could sell it for more on my website in the future if I just give it time......

 

This isn't a witch hunt based on speculation, Mike said he'd been doing this for 14 years.

 

I've never heard a bad word about Mike's reputation up until all this came out. Seemed difficult to correlate this situation with his sterling reputation in the hobby but the information was all from the horse's mouth.

 

I do appreciate Mike's posts on this matter and would deal with him in the future.

[Fred Chamberlain]

Solid response and follow-up. Thank you

[comix4fun]

Hello guys,

Just wanted to let you know Mike has gone way out of his way at times to make deals work for me. I always knew he was the best comic art dealer out there. I have to laugh at all these 's. How many times did they say "Mike has been doing this for 14 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". Well Mike just said he was buying his pieces back only since 2014. I told you in every post I made let Mike tell the facts. But no, who would listen to such a foolish thing. Mike you are a one of a kind in this hobby.

thanks,

Matthew

 

From Romitaman's first post about this issue.

 

Now..... its great see that some of our ASTUTE art collators here on this website figured out that art on my website was also sold on heritage...or previously in a comic connect auction.....so I say congrats for figuring that out......however i've been doing this for over 14 YEARS.

 

i've given heritage over 2500 pieces of art over the years to auction off.... and i've worked out numerous deals with other collectors to get a hundred or so back if I felt the prices at auction were undervalued and I could sell it for more on my website in the future if I just give it time......

 

This isn't a witch hunt based on speculation, Mike said he'd been doing this for 14 years.

 

I've never heard a bad word about Mike's reputation up until all this came out. Seemed difficult to correlate this situation with his sterling reputation in the hobby but the information was all from the horse's mouth.

 

I do appreciate Mike's posts on this matter and would deal with him in the future.

 

 

I thought that first paragraph in red was referring to the items he's been buying from auction houses and then listing on his site for sale.

 

He mentioned earlier that he'd spent millions buying artwork from heritage since 2002. Then in this paragraph he references artwork previously sold on heritage then being sold on his site afterwards that's what he said he's been doing for 14 years. Doesn't that refer only to artwork sold from an auction house and then later sold on his site and not specifically buying back his own artwork?

 

I can see how it's potentially confusing as he seems to be talking about two different things simultaneously ( buying artwork and then selling it on his site, and buying back his own artwork and relisting it on his site). I'm not sure that first paragraph in red is referring to the latter and not the former. Saying it refers to buying back his own pieces in that first paragraph is adding a meaning to "doing this" that isn't necessarily evident form what comes immediately before that statement.

 

Just trying to read the context of the paragraph to get the meaning. The next paragraph seems to be referring to buying back his own pieces, and the paragraphs are next to each other, but they seem to be hitting different topics. Their proximity would lead people to believe they may be speaking about the same thing but the overall context doesn't seem to do so.

 

The specificity of the language used and the varying interpretations by various people in these threads is probably the biggest stumbling block to getting to the bottom of this entire thing. Many reaonable and logical people are reluctant to make any statement of finality until they get someone independently verifiable to rely upon.

 

All those initial statements left me with more questions than I had received answers to.

 

 

[DR.X]

[MR SigS]

Just to clarify.

 

Jan 19, 2016

Now..... its great see that some of our ASTUTE art [collectors] here on this website figured out that art on my website was also sold on heritage...or previously in a comic connect auction.....so I say congrats for figuring that out......however i've been doing this for over 14 YEARS.

 

i've given heritage over 2500 pieces of art over the years to auction off....

 

thanks

Mike

 

Feb 5, 2016

 .... I started buying art at heritage auctions 14 years ago ....But I started giving art to heritage in late 2014 to auction off......yet a lot of the early thread posts started coming out that I had been giving art to heritage to auction for 14 years.....(which is untrue)

 

Mike Burkey

 

Either we can believe the 1st quote to be true and the 2nd to be a lie or misunderstanding, or the 1st quote is a typo or misunderstanding and the 2nd means MB is a selling machine, averaging over 100 pieces per month, every month, for no more than 25 months.

[Bronty]

I take Mike at his word and assume everything he said at every point was true (just that some of the past communication was confusing and misleading - but this last one is easier to comprehend more clearly and I appreciate him taking the time).

 

At the end of the day he's trying to come clean and say sorry and that's a lot better than we'd get from some.

[bocaratondefense]

I believe both Bill Mastro and Doug Allen apologized for their actions as well.

 

Not sure if all the victims were satisfied with the apologies though.

 

 

[Bronty]

I believe both Bill Mastro and Doug Allen apologized for their actions as well.

 

Not sure if all the victims were satisfied with the apologies though.

 

 

I'm not saying it was right - I'm saying that in reference the post above mine, I do not think Mike is a liar.

[MR SigS]

I believe both Bill Mastro and Doug Allen apologized for their actions as well.

 

Not sure if all the victims were satisfied with the apologies though.

 

 

I'm not saying it was right - I'm saying that in reference the post above mine, I do not think Mike is a liar.

 

You mean my post that was poofed, right?

I honestly didn't know what I posted was poofable. I thought it presented a valid point.

Just for the record, my post stated that the quotes are [were] either lies, typos, or misunderstandings. I'd post it again, but...

 

 

EDIT: NM, it's back

[comix4fun]

I believe both Bill Mastro and Doug Allen apologized for their actions as well.

 

Not sure if all the victims were satisfied with the apologies though.

 

 

I'm not saying it was right - I'm saying that in reference the post above mine, I do not think Mike is a liar.

 

You mean my post that was poofed, right?

I honestly didn't know what I posted was poofable. I thought it presented a valid point.

Just for the record, my post stated that the quotes are [were] either lies, typos, or misunderstandings. I'd post it again, but...

 

 

Don't know why it was poofed either. Maybe your post responded to one of the new shills in the thread...it looks like their posts were deleted too.

 

I was actually going to mention that you left out the possibility that Mike consigned a bunch all at once and Heritage hasn't yet listed a great deal of it. That would be an alternative to the either or scenario.

[MR SigS]

I believe both Bill Mastro and Doug Allen apologized for their actions as well.

 

Not sure if all the victims were satisfied with the apologies though.

 

 

I'm not saying it was right - I'm saying that in reference the post above mine, I do not think Mike is a liar.

 

You mean my post that was poofed, right?

I honestly didn't know what I posted was poofable. I thought it presented a valid point.

Just for the record, my post stated that the quotes are [were] either lies, typos, or misunderstandings. I'd post it again, but...

 

 

Don't know why it was poofed either. Maybe your post responded to one of the new shills in the thread...it looks like their posts were deleted too.

 

I was actually going to mention that you left out the possibility that Mike consigned a bunch all at once and Heritage hasn't yet listed a great deal of it. That would be an alternative to the either or scenario.

 

True, I had not considered that. Still certain aspects of the Big Leagues I'm not aware of, such as this. It hadn't occurred to me that someone would (or could, for that matter) consign so much in a 25 month period.

 

I guess more clarification is still needed. Or wanted, anyway.

[comix4fun]

Agreed there's a lot of gaps in the information right now. I don't want to leap in one direction or the other until they are filled in. This is one of the most potential complex issues we've seen on the boards. There's much to still figure out.