Mandatory grader notes with all submissions. An appeal process for grades that appear to conflict with their own published grading standard, allowing for a review by a different grader(s) that did the first grading process.
Hire people who want to handle comic books with professional care and make sure those employees know they are valued through pay and benefits. Way too much damage is occurring. The big comic book destruction events I think are paper drives in WWII, Wertham in the 50s, and nowadays CGC.
I haven't submitted any books to CGC yet, but I agree that UV protection and a west coast location would be nice. You mentioned people handling comics poorly. This is something I have seen at local comic stores too, and it's really annoying. When I pull a new issue off the shelf and take it to the counter to pay, I do not want the employee to grab it near the spine so they can pick it up to scan it. Just scan it while it is lying on the counter. You don't even need to touch it. But if you do need to touch it for some reason, be careful of the spine. What's really weird about it is that most of those people also collect comics. You'd think they would know how to handle a comic.
Payments shop pay, PayPal added when book damaged check only policy needs to change, special label and pressing should be a check box when submitting for grading
All books submitted have graders' notes. Flate rates for age of books not on value of books. Conflict of interest if I give a higher grade it has more value hense higher charge. Should there be a same charge for batman 1 whether it is a 9.0 or 1.8.
My grader notes on a 7.5 Spotlight #5: Complete book. 36 pgs. Pressed. Cleaned. 5/8" & 1/4"CNR CRS LRFC. 1/4" CRS URFC. Minor UL CNR crunch FC. SPN CRS's (4) w/CLR loss. 7/8" CNR CRS LRBC. 1/4" CRS top BC. CGC grader notes: multiple crease full right of front cover
One change they need to make - if you submit a book that turns out has "slight" restoration (color touch, etc), they should contact the customer to see if they want it removed instead of just sending it back purple label! It's more efficient! PLUS they make more money for that added service, and the customer doesn't have to send it back.
I have some cgc slabs with the old red labels. I would like to reholder the books with the new improve slabs but retain the old red labels. It's mainly for historic and sentimental reasons. All the other changes suggested for cgc improvement has been addressed by the comments.
Can't happen. The red labels were cool historically. But the top label was a sticker and the new holder does not have the groove for a sticker top label. Also you'll tear the original so no way to remove it from the old holder and keep it intact.
For submissions, we should be allowed to do different tiers in the same sub. Right now, if you have 1 modern, 1 vintage, and 1 magazine, you'd have to do 3 separate submissions and pay 3 separate return shippings for a group that easily fits in a single CGC box
With respect to UV protection, CGC could make a killing through a) increased prices for new submissions, people willing to pay more for more value, and b) all the reholders they'll get for people to upgrade their old slabs to new UV protected
I absolutely agree with the all ways being graders notes comment..I have over five hundred slabs and way to many have no graders notes..just stating unavailable..very annoying.
This one might be a little niche, but I’d really like it if they didn’t make custom labels temporary. It drove me nuts when I couldn’t get the perfect custom signature label on my hulk annual 1. I don’t think the rarity argument makes too much sense and the cost has to be negligible.
I had 2 issues with my past submission: 1) sent in a 8.5 graded book for signature. Got back graded 6.5. It wasn't my book. My real book was misplaced. CGC sent back wrong book to me. CGC refused my claim as I didn't have physical or photo proof. 2) my newsstand copy came back graded 8.5 DIRECT Edition. Had to send back for mechanical error...
RE: Subjectivity. To be fair, we used to only grade things as NM, VF, FN, VG, GD, and FR. So there was a wider range of flaws and subjectivity would have less of an effect. So in terms of a suggestion, don't offer such fine-tuned grades if you can't identify them consistently. It shouldn't necessarily be a matter of them identifying a grade, just verifying it. The other thing I'd want to try is a "comics escrow" function. You list your raw comic on Ebay; someone buys it; you send the book to CGC and they verify that it is what you advertised; they then forward the comic to the buyer in a secure but openable holder. If CGC disagrees, then they hold the book or return it and you can return the money on Ebay.
lately the inner wells of the CGC comics looks like they are bending / damaging the books. So I would change the inner wells. If you got some comics in lately check your comic on sides of your books
Easy. I would spend money to hire and train competent graders and ditch the 9.9/10.0 silliness. Whoever is grading these things is ridiculous and probably paid poorly. CGC is in big trouble imo. They are bad at the one thing that people need them for.
I respectfully would suggest a rewards program system too - but also a reduced price for cracked replacement slabs; CGC should go ahead and add pressing and cleaning services; add restoration services and make it one stop shopping. Yes, not ideal but it’s going in that direction so let’s advise the company to get it right before it happens. Great video for discussion thank you
Fingerprints that smudge ink cannot be removed. Fingerprints that are oily in black like Wolverine #1 1988 are very nearly impossible to remove. Dry cleaning will remove most fingerprints in white areas.
Initiate a stock buy-back, so that the company would no longer be beholden to Blackstone. Business decisions could then be made in the best interest of the customer rather than in the best interest of the bottom line. And no, I've not had any issues with current turn times. Did a Modern/Vintage submission recently: both were "received" by CGC on 6/1 and "shipped" on 6/18.
Mainly for pre-90s books, they should add centering scores, similar to trading cards. Also, they should 100% revamp their label printing process so you never receive a g.d. poorly centered grade label. It is laughable that they are OK with shipping out a 9.9 or 10 book where their frikkin grade is off center on the label. It's sad really.
I think they should design a better system for restoration. Having everything from a book with a black marker line that should probably actually just be a defect to fully patched and replaced covers just get a purple label of death is kind of ridiculous. There is a huge difference between the things they flag as restoration but because they decided to just slap a purple label on everything, the value suffers equally.
Remove the tray from the inner well, too many covers with overhang damaged. It should be flat sheets of plastic instead, or a variation of there pulp inner well.
Flats sheets of plastic with no wells were tried a few years ago and didn't work. Lots of books had covers detach from the interiors. Lid to lid is rarely used.
Returning labels helps the census retain its accuracy. If you don't care to have the old label submitted with the comic book you're sending back, send them in a different invoice or in an envelope so they can be removed from the system. Matt explains this in the video here. Just note that if you open a sig series slab, your sig is null and void. You'd have to send in the book slabbed and have it cracked out in the office. ruclips.net/video/DdLPgcPTR0Y/видео.html
Jettison the pressing division. Revamp QC, and PR and communications. Transparency overhaul. Create a robust CSR. CECO position and E&C team. Pursue the creation of card and comic grading standardization and industry-wide licensing. Go public (though this would be unlikely unless CCG did as it is the parent company); at least act more like a public company.
I also did the onsite grading at Heroes Con. It went fast and smoothly but honestly $40 per modern is too expensive. Out of my 8 books, 2 got disappointing grades but I digress. Still on the fence whether or not onsite grading is better than standard grading.
I would implement a new grading system that is as objective as possible. It would be a demerit system and demerits would be based on length and area measurements as well as severity levels defined by comparison to a database of images. A computer program would be used to label the flaws on high resolution images, but AI would not be used. The demerits would be summed for a total and then a ONE grade would be determined objectively from a lookup table. Customers get a detailed listing of the flaws and corresponding demerits. They would immediately see whether their comic was “strong” or “weak” in its grade, reducing the need to resubmit. At least two graders would count the demerits and compare. If both saw the same flaws, then take the average of the two totals. I’m on my seventh grading system so I know it can be done. The question is could they stay in business. Their current business model RELIES on a crappy opaque system which generates tons of resubmissions.
I'm literally paying them to grade the book so grader's notes should be a requirement. I have other ideas but they have to pay me for them. I'm not just giving them away.
I would cut back on QC and security. I would also pander to auction houses and give out more 9.9 pay-to-play grades. Oh wait, I think they are already doing that. Zing!
1. Quality control of handling books Too many complaints about comics getting damage when sent into CGC. If you can't handle a comic book like it's a baby, you shouldn't be working for CGC. Doesn't even go into damage to the case themselves or mislabels. Should never happen.
Ryan makes a good point. If a book is fragile, staple tears/barely hanging on cover, brittle cover, pieces almost detached put a post it. Books with damage that are delicate may get more damaged in shipping regardless. Also, don't put 8 backing boards for one comic. Trying to remove a comic from a tight bag is not an easy thing.
Day one, fully overhaul of their "cleaning/pressing" company... Day two: overhaul of grading process and deep training for graders, ADD NOTES! but yea quality control of handling books, just care more. I've seen some very questionable shit at cons. Can only imagine the treatment when noone is looking.
A very irritating facet of CGC submission tracking is this... 2012 notification technology. Refresh the page? In 2024? Really? Feels like they could hook up with Twilio or some other communication vendor and really get things cooking from a customer engagement perspective. Let's get a text in real-time when books change status and save everyone some time (and likely some server overhead)!
Slab without a number. That is why I do not like to buy slabs. I want to display my comics in a slab if they could delete the grade and put more info about the comic.
Use AI as second step in grading, human first then AI before ecapsilation and photos. Laser engrave, or UV print, the serial number on the inner well sleave (now you dont need a new slab). Develop a new method to heat seal said sleeve to prevent damage to the book.
UV protective slabs
This seems like such an easy thing they could do since that plastic is already out there and would be a big plus for everyone.
@@AutomaticComics I would reslab every comic I own next week.
that’d be great
Mandatory grader notes with all submissions. An appeal process for grades that appear to conflict with their own published grading standard, allowing for a review by a different grader(s) that did the first grading process.
Hire people who want to handle comic books with professional care and make sure those employees know they are valued through pay and benefits. Way too much damage is occurring. The big comic book destruction events I think are paper drives in WWII, Wertham in the 50s, and nowadays CGC.
I haven't submitted any books to CGC yet, but I agree that UV protection and a west coast location would be nice.
You mentioned people handling comics poorly. This is something I have seen at local comic stores too, and it's really annoying. When I pull a new issue off the shelf and take it to the counter to pay, I do not want the employee to grab it near the spine so they can pick it up to scan it. Just scan it while it is lying on the counter. You don't even need to touch it. But if you do need to touch it for some reason, be careful of the spine. What's really weird about it is that most of those people also collect comics. You'd think they would know how to handle a comic.
Payments shop pay, PayPal added when book damaged check only policy needs to change, special label and pressing should be a check box when submitting for grading
All books submitted have graders' notes. Flate rates for age of books not on value of books. Conflict of interest if I give a higher grade it has more value hense higher charge. Should there be a same charge for batman 1 whether it is a 9.0 or 1.8.
My grader notes on a 7.5 Spotlight #5: Complete book. 36 pgs. Pressed. Cleaned. 5/8" & 1/4"CNR CRS LRFC. 1/4" CRS URFC. Minor UL CNR crunch FC. SPN CRS's (4) w/CLR loss. 7/8" CNR CRS LRBC. 1/4" CRS top BC.
CGC grader notes: multiple crease full right of front cover
CGC gave it 7.5.
One change they need to make - if you submit a book that turns out has "slight" restoration (color touch, etc), they should contact the customer to see if they want it removed instead of just sending it back purple label! It's more efficient! PLUS they make more money for that added service, and the customer doesn't have to send it back.
I’ve always wondered why they don’t do this. It seems like a great way to make more money and make the customer happier.
I have some cgc slabs with the old red labels. I would like to reholder the books with the new improve slabs but retain the old red labels. It's mainly for historic and sentimental reasons. All the other changes suggested for cgc improvement has been addressed by the comments.
Can't happen. The red labels were cool historically. But the top label was a sticker and the new holder does not have the groove for a sticker top label. Also you'll tear the original so no way to remove it from the old holder and keep it intact.
Set prices for all levels of grading no longer have FMV% determine grading costs
I would make the new maximum grade an 11. Then regrade all 9.8 books as a 10. This one goes to 11.
For submissions, we should be allowed to do different tiers in the same sub. Right now, if you have 1 modern, 1 vintage, and 1 magazine, you'd have to do 3 separate submissions and pay 3 separate return shippings for a group that easily fits in a single CGC box
The separate shipping costs are definitely annoying.
Good quality control.
With respect to UV protection, CGC could make a killing through a) increased prices for new submissions, people willing to pay more for more value, and b) all the reholders they'll get for people to upgrade their old slabs to new UV protected
Cgc signature artists should list all their books, notification email when a signature artist is added to the website
I absolutely agree with the all ways being graders notes comment..I have over five hundred slabs and way to many have no graders notes..just stating unavailable..very annoying.
This one might be a little niche, but I’d really like it if they didn’t make custom labels temporary. It drove me nuts when I couldn’t get the perfect custom signature label on my hulk annual 1. I don’t think the rarity argument makes too much sense and the cost has to be negligible.
Before you spoke , I said to myself quality control. If I send 5 books in , one is going to have a crack.
I had 2 issues with my past submission:
1) sent in a 8.5 graded book for signature. Got back graded 6.5. It wasn't my book. My real book was misplaced. CGC sent back wrong book to me. CGC refused my claim as I didn't have physical or photo proof.
2) my newsstand copy came back graded 8.5 DIRECT Edition. Had to send back for mechanical error...
RE: Subjectivity. To be fair, we used to only grade things as NM, VF, FN, VG, GD, and FR. So there was a wider range of flaws and subjectivity would have less of an effect. So in terms of a suggestion, don't offer such fine-tuned grades if you can't identify them consistently. It shouldn't necessarily be a matter of them identifying a grade, just verifying it. The other thing I'd want to try is a "comics escrow" function. You list your raw comic on Ebay; someone buys it; you send the book to CGC and they verify that it is what you advertised; they then forward the comic to the buyer in a secure but openable holder. If CGC disagrees, then they hold the book or return it and you can return the money on Ebay.
Use Overstreet grading standards I don't like to see defects such as chipping and chewing overlooked and seemingly dismissed
Have upgrade slabs available, A ten thousand dollar book has the same slab as a twenty dollar book. Also upgrade slabs with U.V. protection.
lately the inner wells of the CGC comics looks like they are bending / damaging the books. So I would change the inner wells. If you got some comics in lately check your comic on sides of your books
Easy. I would spend money to hire and train competent graders and ditch the 9.9/10.0 silliness.
Whoever is grading these things is ridiculous and probably paid poorly.
CGC is in big trouble imo. They are bad at the one thing that people need them for.
I respectfully would suggest a rewards program system too - but also a reduced price for cracked replacement slabs; CGC should go ahead and add pressing and cleaning services; add restoration services and make it one stop shopping. Yes, not ideal but it’s going in that direction so let’s advise the company to get it right before it happens. Great video for discussion thank you
A free “fingerprint“ removal would be nice.
This is the first year some of my comics that had “fingerprints” in the notes.
Fingerprints that smudge ink cannot be removed. Fingerprints that are oily in black like Wolverine #1 1988 are very nearly impossible to remove. Dry cleaning will remove most fingerprints in white areas.
Initiate a stock buy-back, so that the company would no longer be beholden to Blackstone. Business decisions could then be made in the best interest of the customer rather than in the best interest of the bottom line.
And no, I've not had any issues with current turn times. Did a Modern/Vintage submission recently: both were "received" by CGC on 6/1 and "shipped" on 6/18.
Mainly for pre-90s books, they should add centering scores, similar to trading cards. Also, they should 100% revamp their label printing process so you never receive a g.d. poorly centered grade label. It is laughable that they are OK with shipping out a 9.9 or 10 book where their frikkin grade is off center on the label. It's sad really.
I think they should design a better system for restoration. Having everything from a book with a black marker line that should probably actually just be a defect to fully patched and replaced covers just get a purple label of death is kind of ridiculous. There is a huge difference between the things they flag as restoration but because they decided to just slap a purple label on everything, the value suffers equally.
Final Grade awarded by ___ and have them sign their name and include it on the back label.
I like this 👍
Anything that could be valued over 1000 be sent to certain graders. High dollar stuff like over 5k go only to their most experienced graders
Remove the tray from the inner well, too many covers with overhang damaged. It should be flat sheets of plastic instead, or a variation of there pulp inner well.
Flats sheets of plastic with no wells were tried a few years ago and didn't work. Lots of books had covers detach from the interiors. Lid to lid is rarely used.
Returning labels helps the census retain its accuracy. If you don't care to have the old label submitted with the comic book you're sending back, send them in a different invoice or in an envelope so they can be removed from the system. Matt explains this in the video here. Just note that if you open a sig series slab, your sig is null and void. You'd have to send in the book slabbed and have it cracked out in the office.
ruclips.net/video/DdLPgcPTR0Y/видео.html
Jettison the pressing division. Revamp QC, and PR and communications. Transparency overhaul. Create a robust CSR. CECO position and E&C team. Pursue the creation of card and comic grading standardization and industry-wide licensing. Go public (though this would be unlikely unless CCG did as it is the parent company); at least act more like a public company.
Actually CGC did handle the reslab scandal, all they did was starting handing out 9.9s. All done to keep customer's eyes off the ball so too speak.
I would give Ryan a 10 on all his submissions lol
Maybe I'm in the minority, but I had no issues with my on-site submissions at Heroescon.
That’s good to hear 👍
I also did the onsite grading at Heroes Con. It went fast and smoothly but honestly $40 per modern is too expensive. Out of my 8 books, 2 got disappointing grades but I digress. Still on the fence whether or not onsite grading is better than standard grading.
I would implement a new grading system that is as objective as possible. It would be a demerit system and demerits would be based on length and area measurements as well as severity levels defined by comparison to a database of images. A computer program would be used to label the flaws on high resolution images, but AI would not be used. The demerits would be summed for a total and then a ONE grade would be determined objectively from a lookup table. Customers get a detailed listing of the flaws and corresponding demerits. They would immediately see whether their comic was “strong” or “weak” in its grade, reducing the need to resubmit. At least two graders would count the demerits and compare. If both saw the same flaws, then take the average of the two totals.
I’m on my seventh grading system so I know it can be done. The question is could they stay in business. Their current business model RELIES on a crappy opaque system which generates tons of resubmissions.
Every comic to have grader notes
I'm literally paying them to grade the book so grader's notes should be a requirement.
I have other ideas but they have to pay me for them. I'm not just giving them away.
All comics regardless of value should cost the same to grade and encapsulate.
I would cut back on QC and security. I would also pander to auction houses and give out more 9.9 pay-to-play grades. Oh wait, I think they are already doing that. Zing!
Quality control for sure. Tired of seeing newton rings on the cases.
Open up shop in Canada
1. Quality control of handling books Too many complaints about comics getting damage when sent into CGC. If you can't handle a comic book like it's a baby, you shouldn't be working for CGC. Doesn't even go into damage to the case themselves or mislabels. Should never happen.
Ryan makes a good point. If a book is fragile, staple tears/barely hanging on cover, brittle cover, pieces almost detached put a post it. Books with damage that are delicate may get more damaged in shipping regardless. Also, don't put 8 backing boards for one comic. Trying to remove a comic from a tight bag is not an easy thing.
Day one, fully overhaul of their "cleaning/pressing" company...
Day two: overhaul of grading process and deep training for graders, ADD NOTES!
but yea quality control of handling books, just care more. I've seen some very questionable shit at cons. Can only imagine the treatment when noone is looking.
A very irritating facet of CGC submission tracking is this... 2012 notification technology. Refresh the page? In 2024? Really? Feels like they could hook up with Twilio or some other communication vendor and really get things cooking from a customer engagement perspective. Let's get a text in real-time when books change status and save everyone some time (and likely some server overhead)!
Slab without a number. That is why I do not like to buy slabs. I want to display my comics in a slab if they could delete the grade and put more info about the comic.
a u t o m a t i o n ... research/develop/purchase scanners ... eliminate human opinion in all areas possible
They need to move on to replacing human graders with AI. This will increase consistency.
Use AI as second step in grading, human first then AI before ecapsilation and photos. Laser engrave, or UV print, the serial number on the inner well sleave (now you dont need a new slab). Develop a new method to heat seal said sleeve to prevent damage to the book.