Is it true - destroying comics to create rarity??? 0

[jcjames]

From Bleeding Cool: 

The Comic Mint Destroying Copies of Detective Comics #1000

"In honor of Batman’s 80th anniversary we are proud to present the ultimate edition limited to 180 individually numbered CBCS 9.8 color virgin non-signed copies for 219.95 each.

As with all our ultimate editions, CBCS will take possession of every copy ordered and received by us, verify the numbers, and permanently dispose of any overage in excess of the 180 9.8 copies. The CBCS label will contain language verifying that this has occurred."

The concept of doing an Exclusive print run and then on purpose damaging 75% of the run. Including the Grading company agreeing to this practice is unethical and needs to stop. Regardless of both parties agreeing to destroy a part of the run. The “Off the press” print runs still remains at 1500 copies (or 1000) and the publisher will keep that count in their total run of that issue.

You can’t just change the numbers at will. This includes the fact that you are destroying additional 9.8 by limiting it to 180 copies only. This practice needs to end. The Publishers needs to be aware of this. Any parent company should be notifed as well. The creative team (all parties) should also be aware of the price gauging. This doesn’t fall under “Supply and Demand” if your're self-destroying your own product to raise the price of the book.....

 

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

How much are those "limited edition" plates worth...?

[Jaylam]

Shades of Lex Luthor!!!

[jcjames]

So... is a "third-party" grading company actually assisting in the collection and destruction process in order to manufacture rarity now? Or am I reading it wrong? 

[lizards2]

Much more dear to my heart is the topic of dealers and flippers buying multiples upon multiples of "keys" and "semi-keys" to manufacture scarcity, and drive up prices, thus keeping many of these books out of collector's hands, because they can no longer afford these books. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

This is gross. Luckily I have 0 interest in this falsely-rare variant.

[valiantman]

Didn't they claim the same thing for the Action Comics #1000 Massafera variant?

[grebal]

If it wasn't illegal, immoral, and in general just a reprehensible thing to do, it could be interesting to have someone infiltrate homes of most retiring baby boomers to destroy their comic collections before that "supply" might come to the market. 

Edited January 29, 2019 by grebal
Fortunately for me if that happened, I don't keep my collection in my home, it's buried in the back yard.

[lizards2]

6 minutes ago, grebal said:

If it wasn't illegal, immoral, and in general just a reprehensible thing to do, it could be interesting to have someone infiltrate homes of most retiring baby boomers to destroy their comic collections before that "supply" might come to the market. 

Edited 3 minutes ago by grebal
Fortunately for me if that happened, I don't keep my collection in my home, it's buried in the back yard. 

We know what you mean by "back yard"...,

[JohnFranklin]

If I've read this right, what the heck happened to collecting comics for the love of comics?  Another reason to stick with CGC?  An effort to manipulate the market, in a number of venues isn't that considered illegal?  At least they being up front about it.  Has this kind of thing been done before?  

Edited January 30, 2019 by JohnFranklin

[kav]

I destroyed my Woodgod to make it more rarer and valuable then I realized NOW I DONT GOT A WOODGOD!!!! 

[grebal]

35 minutes ago, kav said:

I destroyed my Woodgod to make it more rarer and valuable then I realized NOW I DONT GOT A WOODGOD!!!! 

I'm so sorry to hear that man, getting old can be a bitch.

Bet when you were younger you had one every morning too.

[kav]

1 minute ago, grebal said:

I'm so sorry to hear that man, getting old can be a bitch.

Bet when you were younger you had one every morning too.

yep thats exactly how it was!  

[FlyingDonut]

23 hours ago, jcjames said:

From Bleeding Cool: 

The Comic Mint Destroying Copies of Detective Comics #1000

"In honor of Batman’s 80th anniversary we are proud to present the ultimate edition limited to 180 individually numbered CBCS 9.8 color virgin non-signed copies for 219.95 each.

As with all our ultimate editions, CBCS will take possession of every copy ordered and received by us, verify the numbers, and permanently dispose of any overage in excess of the 180 9.8 copies. The CBCS label will contain language verifying that this has occurred."

The concept of doing an Exclusive print run and then on purpose damaging 75% of the run. Including the Grading company agreeing to this practice is unethical and needs to stop. Regardless of both parties agreeing to destroy a part of the run. The “Off the press” print runs still remains at 1500 copies (or 1000) and the publisher will keep that count in their total run of that issue.

You can’t just change the numbers at will. This includes the fact that you are destroying additional 9.8 by limiting it to 180 copies only. This practice needs to end. The Publishers needs to be aware of this. Any parent company should be notifed as well. The creative team (all parties) should also be aware of the price gauging. This doesn’t fall under “Supply and Demand” if your're self-destroying your own product to raise the price of the book.....

 

 

 

I don't understand this. Are they saying that once they get 180 copies of this done, they will destroy the next one that comes in? So if I send the 181st one for grading to them they will shred it?

[bug33fouf]

[Ride the Tiger]

Trying to manipulate the market in any way will fail. Look how may low print modern variants you have. They pick up interest for a bit then lose steam. If Voldy is involved in any way then you know it will fail.

[1Cool]

1 hour ago, FlyingDonut said:

I don't understand this. Are they saying that once they get 180 copies of this done, they will destroy the next one that comes in? So if I send the 181st one for grading to them they will shred it?

That is how I read it also.  The only way that would work is if a company ordered all the copies of a book and then subbed all of them (say 300 copies).  Assuming some will have a couple defects which will drop them to 9.6 they will destroy all the 9.6 copies and if they have 9.8 copies left over after reaching 180 copies they will then destroy all remaining copies.  That way there will never be another CBCS copy and the collectors will be insured there will not be a glut of copies in 2 years once a box of copies is found in a back office.  I don't know how that would work if you got a copy from a friend who worked in the production process - would they then destroy your copy since it was against the rules of the distributor?

Edited January 30, 2019 by 1Cool

[newshane]

Wow!

Honestly, this is pretty disgusting. I always wondered if this happened, but I never believed it would be sanctioned by multiple parties who claim to run ethical businesses. Shameful. 

Edited January 30, 2019 by newshane

[newshane]

54 minutes ago, FlyingDonut said:

I don't understand this. Are they saying that once they get 180 copies of this done, they will destroy the next one that comes in? So if I send the 181st one for grading to them they will shred it?

That seems to be exactly what they are saying. 

[miraclemet]

1 hour ago, FlyingDonut said:

I don't understand this. Are they saying that once they get 180 copies of this done, they will destroy the next one that comes in? So if I send the 181st one for grading to them they will shred it?

Yeah it's not clear...

My assumption is that comic mint secured sole ownership of one of the Detective Comics 1000 variants (a colored virgin variant of the Mike Mayhew cover) they did a print run of say 250 to ensure they could get 180 9.8s out of it. And then had CBCS grade and slab them, then all of the sub-9.8 ones and all of the excess get destroyed. Then Comic Mint offers them for sale. So the only way you can get a copy of this variant is to either buy from them initially or hope one of the buyers eventually sells.

 

but there's also something called a "Trade Dress" version which looks identical online (colored virgin mike mayhew variant) being offered (and some retailers offering CGC 9.6 and 9.8 versions) and that version is part of a limited 2500 copy run...

If you cracked both out Im not sure how someone could tell the two apart if they cracked the CBCS limited edition one out of its slab...