Yet another eBay scammer...7889
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Time for another episode of COPS...CBCS Forum edition. BAD BOYS BAD BOYS WHATCHA GANNA DO WHATCHA GANNA DO WHEN HONEST BUYERS COME FOR YOUUUUU 8,000+ feedback...they should be ashamed. Recent feedback indicates seller is using deception in photos to hide flaws. I requested additional photos of this book: https://www.ebay.com/itm/SILVER-SURFER-1-Key-Kirby-Tight-Bright-Super-Glossy-VF-VF-A-GEM/163324366646?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 They said once they takes photos for the listing, they don't take any more. I told them their photos are dark, blurry, and don't show great detail. They didn't care, so I looked a little closer... bleeding color touch...blurry/dark photos, and specific angles used to hide flaws(not well enough).    Add smilelp to your block list. |
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shrewbeer private msg quote post Address this user | |
Good eye  |
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BrianGreensnips private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @comic_book_man Dude. You rock. Nice catch. | ||
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GanaSoth private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Yeah, good catch. Looks like they used "Crayola" markers to touch-up the spine & cover.... |
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 I'm good with splotches.
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Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Interesting. I've bought from him before and actually follow him. I looked at pics and can't come to any conclusion; but I can say that "no more pictures for me to send" means no more following him or buying from him anymore. Even if it is legit, I can't have that "no more pictures" behavior on a $1200 book or any book for that matter. So ...... off my saved list he is |
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JMR private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I tend to avoid sellers who manhandle books for photos. The old thumb-and-forefinger pinch is a giveaway that he doesn’t know how to handle a comic. | ||
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GanaSoth private msg quote post Address this user | |
He just wrote me back.... |
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Nuffsaid111 Totally fair and agreed. I'm no professional so obviously this is just my opinion - I always try to piece the evidence together. I was interested in the book and his message responses gave me that gut drop feeling...then I saw his negative feedback...then I looked closer at the photos...all signs pointed to avoid for me. He does have thousands of positive feedback so maybe more times then not hes honest. Like his feedback he's 99.6% honest. |
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @GanaSoth The reply he sent you gives me the chills... | ||
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by JMR Hope he wasn’t eating potato chips before taking those photos, especially with the black cover. Don’t bother with a seller who can’t be bothered to provide an additional photo or two to make a sale. All of his demeanor screams lazy, ignorant and/or scam. |
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BrianGreensnips private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Nuffsaid111If you look at the photo where the book is opened up, you will see massive green bleed through. |
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Drogio private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I’d like to know why he put his thumb in the exact same spot in both photos? Any others of the cover w/o the thumb? | ||
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Ghostridercomics76 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Thats why i buy low grade just picked up x-men # 58 first havok for 15$ low grade happy | ||
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 It was a one trick pony show but always hilarious.
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GAC private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by Drogio click the link...theres other photos. |
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Ghostridercomics76 you know, I want to love that cover but I feel like the center face used is based off an actual photo of a person...isn't it? I prefer my characters imaginary, imperfect, and from a human hand. |
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Ghostridercomics76 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I hear you its probably a pic of neal adams himself | ||
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Ghostridercomics76 otherwise, the cover is very cool - my favorite being Angel looking like a bird that hit a window. Splat. | ||
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by comic_book_man Many of the people we consider to be great artists used photo references. In some cases, artists used the same photo references and we see similar covers. It's not because they were swiping from each other, they were just using the same photographs as reference. |
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by X51 I'm happy with that, they usually become distorted/reconfigured once they pass through someone's head and out of their hand. I just meant the #58 posted above resembles too much of a photo for my liking. You see what I mean? It's less play-doughy...and more realism (I think that's the art term?) That is interesting though, and I imagine the only way they could do it well/consistently. I have never been a gifted artist, but I imagine a reference for a repeating theme is probably essential. If I drew 10 pictures of Mickey Mouse, each one would be so different unless I grounded myself. Always a pleasure to get your insight @X51 - great reads!   |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| Here is Neal's perspective on the topic. Excellent segment. |
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X51 private msg quote post Address this user | |
Quote:Originally Posted by comic_book_man I am a HORRIBLE artist, but I started from scratch with no training and started drawing a comic strip. Within 2 months, it was published in a local monthly magazine. It continued for 2 years. I'm still a horrible artist, but I learned a lot. I learned what it was like to look at things from an artist's point of view. At one point I was struggling to draw a city street where the building walls meet the sidewalk. I was at a comic book store so I flipped through hundreds of comics looking for another illustration from the same perspective. Amazingly, I found a George Perez cover depicting a similar perspective. How did George Perez draw the perspective? I laughed. It could have been trash bags, but it looked like boulders placed in the exact area that was making me struggle. It was then that I realized even great artists struggle with what to draw. I also realized that every panel has areas of importance and areas that don't matter. Pictures are an invaluable reference. Jack Kirby is praised more for his depiction of action and for the panel composition. His art was never pretty. Artists far better than Jack respect his work because of what he was able to do. They reference his perspectives when they don't know how to draw a panel. |
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smileLP private msg quote post Address this user | |
| THIS IS A REPLY FROM THE COMIC SELLER WHO WAS ACCUSED OF SELLING COLOR RETOUCHED SILVER SURFER #1, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IN THE MESSAGE TITLED, “YET ANOTHER SCAMMER.” first of all, a word about me: i have been a comic collector and dealer since the mid 1970s, and have a very good reputation in the industry. i was “Vulcan Comic Works” in the 1970s and am SmileLP [ebay store] now, with, as one of you point out, a 99.8% feedback rating. it’s tempting not to respond to the original poster’s accusastions, because in life, often the best thing is just to walk away and not be provoked. but we’re all human and so we resist that advice and “dive in” anyway. i realize only a handful of people see these posts, but sometimes it’s the principal of the thing i just want to say that i have been completely falsely accused (and convicted) by all you post’ers who listened to comic_book_guy’s original post, see the “evidence” and conclude that clearly i am guilty as charged. it reminds me of that twilight zone episode where the aliens turn out the lights in a neighborhood to get each neighbor accusing the others w/o any real evidence. more about paranoia, suspicion and human nature than anybody being actually guilty yes there are bad comic sellers out there, but i’m not one of them. re my 99.8% positive feedback, original poster suggests this is false in some way. here, read my feedback. you will see that every single one of some 8000 feedbacks is genuine. if there is a way to manufacture this stuff, it’s news to me. as far as i know, ebay looks into complaints about fake feedback here, see the kind of seller i am: https://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=smilelp&ftab=AllFeedback original poster says “i found evidence of such fraudulent behavior previously.” what he neglects to point out is that he found a single, or possibly 2?, accusations of bad behavior or hidden flaws from thousands of feedbacks. now if any of you sell comics on ebay you know that you deal w/all kinds of nuts you simply will never please. original poster is one of these. even the best dealer will run into someone like this once in a while and get bad, undeserved feedback. well, i have 1 or 2 from 10 yrs of ebay selling. the recent example original poster sites accused me of something so absurd that it’s laughable. except that it’s up there for people to see and wrongly extrapolate from, to a ridiculous degree, like original poster one of you was actually a prior customer and fan of mine, and says they will now drop me from their watching list because of my guilt here. well, i’m sorry to say, your first impression of me was the correct one. you had a very good experience w/me. to change your mind based on this circumstantial evidence saddens me for what it says about human nature as to the facts in this particular case: if you saw the original exchanges between my accuser and me, and i’m tempted to post them, you would see that i was nothing but courteous, calm, polite and attempting to be helpful. when he asked for more pictures, he asked for “pictures of the front and back cover with the flash turned on” because “my photos were dark and blurry.” so i thought, ooh, somehow i posted bad photos so i went to look at the listing. what i saw were perfectly fine photos, under strong lighting, and several photos of both the front and the back cover and 2-3 photos showing the spine, which he also mentioned at this point, i told him the truth: i thought the photos were quite adequate and i apologized but i didn’t like re-handling such expensive comics for fear of damage; i always get a little nervous w/such expensive books and photo sessions, and that i more than understood if the pictures were not to his liking and he moved on to someone else’s copy of this book at this point, he went a little nuts. started accusing me of hiding flaws, the book was obviously retouched, etc., etc. and acting like an all around jerk to my credit i continued to be calm and suggested there was no reason to get so hostile NOW AS FAR AS ALL THE EVIDENCE YOU’VE ALL RUSHED TO JUDGEMENT WITH, CONVICTING ME BASED ON THIS JERK’S WORD AND SOME PHOTOS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT SHOW ANYTHING CONCLUSIVELY…. i attempt to take the best photos possible. that’s why i often have 10-12 of every comic, like w/this book. you’ve questioned my “handling of the book,” where i “put my thumb in the same spot every time,” and other arbitrary aspects of my post. it would be laughable if it wasn’t so unfair. (being accused of something you’re innocent of can get under your skin, no?) is it possible this book has been retouched? yes, of course, anything is possible. but i review every book carefully and if i don’t see any evidence of retouch, that’s all i can go with. I HAVE NEVER HAD A BOOK SENT BACK FOR RETOUCH. DO YOU THINK ALL MY POSITIVE REVIEWS ARE JUST A TRICK, AS ORIGINAL POSTER DOES? i have a 100% satisfaction or return policy. anybody can return something they don’t like. i have had maybe 5 returns in the past 5 years for condition issues, never a retouch. all i have is the evidence of my 2 eyes and strong lighting and my 45 years experience. on the other side of the equation is some photos that may or may not show something; photos can be tricky; you get reflections, see things that arent’ there, etc. sorry to take so long writing all this, but this really burns me up, being falsely accused and then seeing a bunch of other people all join in at the rush-to-judgement. the only thing i’m guilty of is not agreeing to take more pix, and while you may think that’s inexcusable, and “the clearest evidence of my guilt,” as one of you said, that is my right. i have found that people who ask for more pix rarely buy, and at $1200, and having reviewed the photos, i made the decision NOT to dig the book out from behind its bag, board and extra protective cardboard, and handle it again. i answered the 2nd person who wrote me, and who posted my response to him (which i have no problem with) that it is trick of the light or something else. i stand by that assessment. if i am proven wrong later, i would be the first to admit it and give an unconditional refund. as for my integrity, my 8000+ customers in my feedback stand with me, and i just want to remind you all, not to believe everything you read; there are 2 sides to every story, and now you’ve heard mine |
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I'm good with splotches.
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Nuffsaid111 private msg quote post Address this user | |
| I applaud you for coming on here and explaining. Truly. I was the one that stated I had followed you and aren't anymore and I'd like to step out and also clarify my position so that I'm not falsely accused as you feel you have been. I clearly stated I did not know if what was being stated in this thread was true or not. I could not come to any logical conclusion. I have had good experiences with my purchases. There was no evidence or words/replies that made me think one way or another. The part that made me unfollow was ONLY about not providing additional clear pictures on a $1200 book. That's the part I can't have. Yes - I know people ask for clearer or additional pictures and do not buy. I am a seller myself and I feel like I'm taking additional pictures constantly. It is annoying, but it's a necessary hassle if one is to sell on Ebay. I actually do believe based on all the evidence and the fact you've come on here that there is nothing you've personally done to the book. I also recognize there is not much worse than being falsely accused. So I just ask that you provide me the same that I have here and understand that my response was purely about not sending any more pictures. I would expect that from a seller on a $1200 book; and to me, not wanting to handle to book for clearer pictures is not a reason to not provide better pictures |
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @Nuffsaid111 Agreed. @smileLP Lack of wanting to provide clearer photos, and asking "where is the proof" to me has always been an indication of someone hiding something...share the extra photos and clear your name. That's all we ask, since you obviously didn't want to clear your name via eBay message when I was trying to buy the book. |
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smileLP private msg quote post Address this user | |
| hi, thanks for writing. i totally understand where you are coming from, and i agree that you did say you weren't "concluding" anything because you couldn't be sure of the facts, but of course i was saddened by you saying you would not follow me any more. at any rate, i hold you no ill will. you were just reading, and then offering your own take as i said in my "rebuttal," the only thing i am guilty of is not providing the add'l. pictures, and you add that this is a fair criticism. but in my defense, i went and looked at the photos, and did not think my photos WERE blurry, dark, etc., and i took several diff. angles, etc., to show the book clearly. if i had gone back and saw bad pix, i wouldn't have delayed to provide better ones. or, if they had asked to see something i hadn't shown (i agree that as ebay sellers we spend a lot of time doing this), but i had shown, and well, all the areas asked about. another factor: something about the tone of the original request for better pictures was a little.... "stern," almost as if he was getting his accusations ready to hurl at me. so i factored that in, thinking, this sounds like someone who may not be easy to please. boy was i right! (even so, i stayed courteous w/him the whole time; he did NOT!) anyway, thanks much for writing. i feel better knowing you have taken my response to heart! |
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smileLP private msg quote post Address this user | |
| >> Lack of wanting to provide clearer photos, and asking "where is the proof" to me has always been an indication of someone hiding something<< is it that much of a surprise to learn that it may not always be that?? in THIS case, for instance. (and i'm sure myriad others...) now if you had said an indication that someone MAY BE hiding something, that i can agree with. (but not always, and maybe not even most of the time - - and almost certainly not w/someone w/8000 positives, sorry. you're accusing me of deliberate dishonesty and it just isn't likely w/that kind of feedback. read them!!) if i was some newbie w/26 feedbacks then you'd have a much better case. i've been a frickin top rated seller for almost all my 10 yrs on ebay |
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comic_book_man private msg quote post Address this user | |
| @smileLP Until you post a photo of the front inside cover along the spine, with decent lighting - we have nothing to discuss. If it's color touched, just note it in the listing. End of story. |
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smileLP private msg quote post Address this user | |
| i agree, we have nothing to discuss you've been kind of a jerk to me, and at this point, the last thing i want is for you to buy this comic. it'll find a home elsewhere and the buyer will be thrilled w/such a nice copy |
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smileLP private msg quote post Address this user | |
| one last thing: as for your claim: "[just post the photos i requested] and it will be end of story," ...that is something i disagree with it is important in addition to whatever alleged facts you are pursuing, to treat each other w/civility and respect, and to give people, esp. those w/good track records, the benefit of the doubt, before you go jumping down their throat w/hostile accusations and threats. you clearly failed in this. too may people use the anonymity of the internet to let their id's run free but good news... i'm going to turn the other cheek first and NOT report you to ebay for your abusive communiques to me. maybe the cycle of hostility can end here, and maybe you will take a tiny moment to think about what i am saying. maybe it'll give you pause before what might be your next rush-to-judgement (& hostility). (maybe not) |
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