Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, ebay, entertainment, eric stephenson, robert kirkman, scott snyder

Signed Comics On eBay – Not Worth The Variant Covers They're Written On?

Signed books. I have a fair few. You probably do too. Each one a memory of meeting the person responsible for the work in question, and I instantly travel back in time to that moment. Sylvester McCoy opening a school fete in Normanton the week after the first Doctor Who episode had aired was the first I sought out. He signed my copy of the Unearthly Child novelisation. I still have it.

The most recent was Garry Leach in Orbital Comics a couple of weeks ago, the new rerelease of Miracleman. One moment seems as immediate as the next, all from a personalised scrawl from creator to reader that brands the item in time and space.

I'be been lucky enough to be in the position when I could get such items signed – but not everyone is that lucky. And there is a roaring trade in signed comics. CGC has its own "signature series" to verify said autographs but often people have to go on trust.

But how far can you trust? I received complaints about this eBay seller, specialising in signed comics, as people doubted the veracity of the signed comics being sold at a premium. So I asked the people who's signatures these purported to be…

Jonathan Hickman says that they look like his but Scott Snyder tells me "Yeah, honestly, they do look fake. Even my fastest ones have the rise after the second S."

Robert Kirkman says "Oddly enough, the SDCC issue 76 looks real… All others of mine are 100% fake." Eric Stephenson tells me "Yeah, I don't think that's mine. Also, Robert's is pretty clearly fake."

When asked, the seller told me.

Wow, are you serious? First off I just have to say that I love your site. This is crazy to me! A lot of the signed stuff I get from a guy at a local shop who goes to conventions and things, and other stuff I've either gotten through auctions or other shops nearby. The Snyder, Stephenson, and Kirkman ones I got from the same guy, but I got checked by other people too. I can't believe this is happening. Have I been buying fake stuff???"

I pointed him in the direction of the quotes from people I'd approached. He told me,

I can't believe this is happening. I've spent so much money on these and a bunch of other stuff! I was counting on this stuff for tuition too. I'm gonna take these down and I'm gonna talk to the owner of the shop and let him know what this guy's up to. What an asshole! This sucks, but I'm glad you contacted me. This is not how I saw today going…

Sorry guy, at least now you know… and hopefully you'll get in touch with your past customers.

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