as CCG continues to buy up similar companies making it difficult for entry in the business they close in on infringing on the Anti-Trust Laws www.ftc.gov/ad...
I really like videos like this. I would love to hear your takes on other topics around the industry. These videos are fascinating and you are a great presenter
@@Comicbookyoutubersrock CGC really is a shitty company tho and the industry hyper focusing on the spec market has lead to an abandonment of a focus on growing readership.
@@bryanrickard7712 It's only a shitty company to pathetic trolls who are elitists, and love to tell others how they should collect and what they should buy. People like you.
Great content for an old comics guy who shouts at clouds 😁😁😂😂 Naw, I'm just kidding - I love your passion and genuinely level-headed, informative approach. Congrats on getting to 2,000! You remain one of my absolute favourite RU-vid channels.
Thank you No worries. I have super thick skin and a good sense of humor. Appreciates you participating in the conversation and welcome aboard if I haven't said it before
I cracked open a CGC case the other day for my first time. I wanted to read the comic, and would have bought a raw copy but the slabbed one was cheaper for a good (technically VF) grade. It was surprisingly easy to open, and I got to examine just how cheap the slabs really are. They look nice on the outside but they're just plastic, with a slip of paper with printed text and a pretty hologram. And of course there's mylar. Anyway, I think slabbing has its place, but the community has let it become the be all end all, and it shouldn't be. There are better professional graders out there than the majority of CGC graders, I'd imagine. And comics don't have to be inside a plastic case to hold value. For what it's worth my comic seemed to be graded fairly by CGC.
In the past CGC cases were made to be easier to open since many people get them deslabbed for signatures at conventions. With the recent fraud case where several people defrauded CGC, the cases are much tougher to open now. But regardless, the fact you didn't know that makes me realize you're likely not much of a collector and very inexperienced.
I don’t get how you can compare CGC to Apple or Microsoft. They now have 3 competitors. People make choices. If you like ungraded books that is fine. Others like graded. Why can’t it be left at that?
It could affect the hobby it already has. It's sucking money away from the books and into the plastic. They're a competitor of mine and can you really say that the other three companies are competitors? I appreciate your take and you have valid points. Welcome to the conversation
@@HavenForHeroes I don’t see why you say it affects the hobby. It is just another aspect of the hobby. You can choose to participate or not participate in grading books. If the market dictates that collectors want graded books then that only affects your business if you choose not to grade any books. That is your business decision and is not CGCs fault nor are they your competitor. CBCS certainly is a competitor to CGC and PGX and EGS take a smaller share of the market. The choice is yours.
@@melw2100 Trust me, this guy is a just an anti cgc troll who routinely hates on them. Most of his content is attacking graded books and CGC because he's either jealous of it or just has a hard on for attacking them. You are 100% correct that people can choose to get books graded or not, doesn't affect his business.
I remember the Microsoft anti-trust lawsuits. If my memory serves me correct in those early days people would pay for an internet browser. Netscape Navigator was up and coming and Microsoft was pre-loading Internet Explorer. Great video!
Yes and no. Netscape did cost money, but they gave a lot of copies away. I remember using it in school because it was free for schools and individual people could use it for free. I remember downloading it on my 486 for free using dialup. I think the problem was Windows was coming with it free, and people had to either go buy it at a store, get a free copy with something like AOL, or download it, and it seemed like a monopoly to old guys who didn't understand what a PC was in those days.
@@twiggsherman3641 oh the days of the x86. I recall my first system was a Packard Bell 8088 chip. The first thing I did was upgrade the memory. They were tiny chips a little shorter and wider than a piece of trident gum. It was a chore, later in-line memory modules were a well received invention. 🤓
Grading comics is a subjective practice. I make my own determination of grade and condition where I decide if I'm willing to pay the asking price or just move on.
Hey there, Emmet! WOW, do all those gaps in your rear wall translate into SALES??? On topic: Yeah, I think it's pretty obvious that CGC is starting to monopolize the secondary comics market. My thing is, even if they're not breaking any laws, their domineering position kinda shifts the focus of the hobby to monetary worth rather than enjoyment of a creative and entertaining art form. I'm not hating on the idea of grading in and of itself; but I don't like how more and more collectors are becoming obsessed with having graded comics in top pristine condition, so much so that many don't even want grades lower than a 9.6. And of course, acquiring such top pristine comics may be beyond the financial means of many collectors (Like me!!). I've always said there's no 'wrong' way to collect comics, and I still believe that. However, I wonder how many old school collectors may start to feel less connected to the hobby if the idea of slabbing/grading books becomes the primary conversation. Just my two cents on the topic.
Great minds think alike. That's what I keep saying but because there's so much money to be made by individuals I'm worried that it will take over the hobby. Thanks for your input and welcome aboard
I think you are on to something here. When you factor in that all of the valuation sites like GPA, CoverPrice, etc. exclude anyone but CGC from their sales data because CGC sponsors them, well... You get the idea.
And the CGC grift is in...They are slabbing Free Comic Book day comics with a special label for "free". Who...Who...Slabs a free comic and why would anyone pay for that?
CGC is one of those things you can CHOOSE to use - or not. That decision is up to you. I use it as a "validation" that the book I am EXPECTING to buy is ACTUALLY the book I am getting. - or close enough. Pretty simple. Maybe talk about something else - because you grinding this "CGC is BAD" axe is old and just makes you come off as a whiner, if I am being honest. I'd be more interested in hearing about what you think about the comic book market in general. - is it going up, down? When? Should I buy that AF15 now? - or wait a year and save $10K? Talk about comics.
But if you watched the end of the video, I said that this was my Apex on CGC there was somewhere I wanted to go with the videos and I got there. I appreciate your input and that you're watching our show and we need all voices in this conversation. Welcome aboard!
Most collectors dont buy CGC Comics, they buy the CGC lable at the top of the comic book. They could care less what grade the comic is. CBCS & PGX are far superior at grading quality. But unfortunately CGC is more popular.
