Has CBCS finally reached the next level?19503
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 I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Hello all! I had initially decided to hold off having any more comic books graded due to long TAT's and the many other well documented issues that CBCS has had since their inception almost 10 years ago. I have been a strong advocated for CBCS over the years despite many of their short comings and growing pains as a start up company. That said, I have also been one of their harshest critics of many of those short comings as well. My biggest criticism being the lack of QC on the CBCS slabs with many having unacceptable scuffs, scratches and the vertical machine marks from the slabbing process. With the recent CBCS announcement of new TAT's and the long over due update to their online submission form, I decided to take advantaged of their 15 % discount offer and send n a few books. The new online submission form was easy to use entering books. The discount was calculated at checkout and no more of the "writing discount codes" on your submission form and hoping it was adjust to your payment later. I sent my books off on March 20, 2023 and within one week I got an email from CBCS confirming they had received my books. This confirmation as you know has long been one of the CBCS short comings. So +1 here for CBCS. I also received other emails along the way stating when my books entered into grading, slabbing and shipping. another short coming of CBCS in the past. so another big plus to CBCS. I received my order yesterday, March 29 ,2023 ( aprox 40 days with weekends) I will add that the 40 days did include Pressing & Grading. So it appears that CBCS held true to their word about greatly improving their TAT's. Again another big plus for CBCS. Of coarse all of this means ABSOLUTELY nothing if it was at the cost of quality....... I felt the packaging and shipping of my 9 book submission was outstanding. Despite some recent reports of damaged slabs I don't believe you can package the books much better than what CBCS has done. There is always a risk of something happening once you put your packages into the hands of 3rd party shipping.   So far CBCS had delivered on their word of much improved TAT's, logistics and communications, but again, meaningless if at the expense of Quality. So lets get to most important part of any submission......... The Books! I kinda got in a hurry and sent some books I wouldn't usually submit for grading... So without further ado here are the results! AMAZING SPIDERMAN #194 A key book indeed, but I felt it was lower grade. I felt even with a press it would likely been in the 6.0 FN grade range. Press must have helped it more than I thought. Slab was flawless with no Scuffs, Scratches or Machine marks. All label information appears to be correct.  AVENGERS ANNUAL #10 Another Key book I felt was nice enough to pull a 9.4 NM, obviously the CBCS team saw something that kept it in the 9.2 NM- grade. Still a super nice grade on the book that I still feel could have pulled a 9.4 on any given day. Slab was flawless with no scuffs, scratches or machine marks. All label information appears to be correct.  DESTROYER DUCK #1 This is one of the books I probably shouldn't have sent, but it does feature the 1st appearance of the lovable Groo the Wanderer. Had it been a little bit higher grade I probably could have justified sending it. I thought it might have pulled a 9.0 with a press. Again I fell on the wrong side of the fence. Slab was flawless with no Scuffs, Scratches or Machine marks, but did have a couple small Newton Rings. All the label information appears to be correct.  DESTROYER DUCK #1 Now this copy was much nicer and I felt it had a much better shot at a higher grade than the previous one and it did pull a very nice respectable 9.4 NM. Again the 1st Groo appearance was the main reason to send the book, of coarse the Jack Kirby cover and art are very appealing to the book as well. The Slab was flawless with no Scuffs, Scratches or Machine marks, did have a very small newton ring. All the label information appears to be correct.  JON SABLE #1 Another book I probably shouldn't have bothered with grading, But ive always been a big fan of the eighties indie titles and Jon Sable was one of the favorites back in the day, Plus the book was virtually flawless and I felt it had a legitimate shot at a 9.8. Graders notes state a "tiny tear top spine" is keeping it in the 9.6 NM. The Slab was flawless with no Scuffs, Scratches or Machine marks, did have VERY tiny Newton Rings by top border. Label information all appears to be correct.  Namor,Sub-Mariner #1 OK I don't really know why I included this book other than it had 9.8 quality look to it Slab was flawless with no Scuffs,Scratches or Machine marks. Label information all appears to be correct.  WOLVERINE #8 There was never any question in my mind about this book! Possibly one of the most popular Wolverine covers of all-time. The book is as nice as the day I pulled it from the store shelf over 30 years ago! I truly thought the book had a shot at the ever elusive 9.9 Mint grade. Slab is nice with light scuff and tiny mark above the "V" in Wolverine. Label information all appears to be correct.  WOLVERINE #27 Another book I probably shouldn't have sent, but Jim Lee being one of my all-time favorite Wolverine artist..... and well..... damn its just an awesome cover and I felt the book had a legitimate shot at a 9.8 which is super tough on a Newsstand book I pulled from the stands over 30 years ago! Slab is absolutely flawless and the label information all appears to be correct.  Spectacular Spiderman #1 This was the last book I choose to send. It was a book I cracked from a CGC slab to help complete the high grade run I made on this Spiderman title a few years back. Appears the press didn't help it achieve a higher grade. Slab was flawless with no scuffs,scratches or Machine marks. Tiny Newton Ring marks top edge. label information all appears to be correct.   In closing, if CBCS can continue this much improve business model without sacrificing quality as they have done here on this order for me I will applaud them for finally making to the next level of professionalism in the grading industry. I have always felt their slabs and labels were the best looking in the industry as long as their quality control is able to keep them free of major scuffing, scratches and other production flaws as they have done here with this order of mine. Also note that while I did mention some tiny Newton Rings, they in no way detract from the slabs and how flawless they were and to be fair Newton Rings have never been a concern with either grading company for me personally. Over all I could not be happier with the service and quality of the products I have received from the CBCS team on this Submission. CBCS does indeed seem to be back on track..... "And never going back." All of the books in this submission will be listed for sale in my Hip Comic Store. Please feel free to PM me to inquire about any of these books. HIP COMIC STORE Thanks Again to the CBCS Team for staying true to their word and moving their services to the next level! Regards John |
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| Post 1 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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Jgwalters100 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Yeah the last few weeks have me thinking it's time to try again. Glad your order worked out nicely. | ||
| Post 2 • IP flag post | ||
 Collector
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CoryC private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Appreciate this post. I’m new to comics and went back in forth for over a month on which company to send into. I saw a lot of the same sentiment as you wrote about online. Decided to go with CBCS and this post makes me feel better about my choice. | ||
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| My post in no way was intended to sway anybody to use any grading service over another. It was intended to simply address some of the issues that CBCS has long been struggling with for many years. In my recent experience it is just my opinion that CBCS is finally trying to take the steps in making their service and product better and address some of the long standing issues they have had as a company over the years. Does that mean they have solved all of the issues going forward? Probably not, as any company in the space of providing a service and product will always face some kind of hurdles regardless of how hard they work to perfect their craft. What sets the better companies apart is how they handle those "hurdles and unexpected problems. My latest order with CBCS is NOT an endorsement that they are any better or worse than other companies in the Grading industry. It IS an endorsement that I seen a definite improvement and attempt by the CBCS Team to improve some long standing issues they were having that were keeping them at a second tier company IMHO. With the changes I seen implemented with my last submission I can honest say I believe CBCS has made an legitimate attempt to right what many believed might have been a sinking ship. Can they advance their improved system even farther and keep the ship sailing straight? Only time will tell, But I am certainly rooting for them because its always a good thing for us comic book collectors to have legitimate choices in who we send our book to. |
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 I'm waiting.... (tapping fingers).Splotches is gettin old! |
Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| My submissions are literally 50/50 CGC/CBCS the last many years No question ... no question whatsoever how much better shipping is for CBCS. If I counted the amount of damage I've received on boxes of CGC I'd be a millionaire. It's like every damn shipment at least one slab is cracked or damaged some way. Those stupid boxes are sheeeeeet. Placing slabs upright is sheeeet. They should be ashamed of themselves and seriously need to hire a packaging engineer to re-engineer their packaging. CBCS? - perfect each and every time. Just perfect. No returns of anything. I am a harsh and foul critic when I don't get the service and expectations I demand from any business, but I cannot complain about CBCS delivered quality of slabs. That is one thing that is a positive. |
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Again... I was hoping to avoid this becoming a CBCS vs CGC thing. Im sure CBCS has to deal with a Damage % themselves. Its just part of doing business with UPS, Fedex or USPS. One big improvement I wanted to note with the CBCS slabs I just received was that there were NONE of those vertical "Roller Marks" on the cases. Granted my 9 slabs were but a VERY small sample, but it was encouraging that they may have addressed the production issue that was causing those marks. |
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I'm waiting.... (tapping fingers). Splotches is gettin old! |
Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by BigRedOne1944 Good point. I will only say this then. No damages. No losses. Reasonable grades for the most part. And I shall leave cgc out of this |
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| Post 7 • IP flag post | ||
 You do know that the new guy brings the donuts, right?
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DWeeB1967 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @BigRedOne1944 That's great to hear (read). You're experience coincides with my most recently received submission: slabs were packaged well when sent back to me, looked great (no scuffs), label information appeared correct and grading, while maybe a little higher or a little lower than my own grades for the books submitted (1/2 grade either way) was fair and very acceptable. CBCS currently has one submission for me (sent in late March/ early April) and I will be sending another in a day or so. I'm really hoping these two submissions go well and, based on my own recent experience coupled with the good experiences of forum members such as yourself, I'm really hopeful. |
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 I don't want to brag, but cashiers are always checking me out.
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power_struggle55 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| had a bad experience with first submission. 14 months without any update after "we received it". then all of a sudden was hotseal stage. 2nd submission got back after 7 or so months. planning on doing 4 more comics in june at a convention (i only do it at so as feel its easier then sending yourself) |
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| Post 9 • IP flag post | ||
 Not trying to be an ass since February 12, 2020.
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HulkSmash private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @BigRedOne1944 TAT wise; yes. I had a single witnessed book back in 4 weeks (including weekends) from CBCS received to return delivery. I personally don’t recall receiving the new slabs with the roller marks, but my authentic Al Ewing has a light scuff. At the time that was known issue they were “working on with the supplier”, but I accepted the chance and it’s not detracting from the all important book inside. @power_struggle55 my first sub was through a LCS years ago. It was almost a nightmare because they “lost” my information. I had an odd mix of low value books that same employee who helped me remembered once I inquired and went in to claim them. My second sub was like yours; I remained blissfully unaware of their status until they were shipped  . The last couple were cake. |
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I'm a #2.
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BigRedOne1944 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by HulkSmash @HulkSmash Over the past year or so there have been many noted complaints of the vertical "Roller Mark" on some of the CBCS slabs, which I think everybody was in some what agreement that it was being caused by something in either the slab manufacturing or the slab sealing process. Im hopeful that CBCS has addressed that issued. obviously I think everyone can agree that these slabs sent out by any grading company are always going to be susceptible to some "Handling issues", but keeping those to a minimum is a key role of any quality control department. @Nuffsaid111 I know that it can be difficult not to spill over into that discussion which is often times a necessary evil....  |
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