DV8 #18 p3 (1998) Splash by Jason Johnson (The Piece that Broke My Heart:(

I got this piece about a month ago. I was very excited when I won this splash on Ebay. It was part of a "Grifter package deal" I came across in the comic section. It was Grifter #1, Grifter/Shi 1 & 2, and this cool splash page and I won the auction for like $5. It was a very satisfying score! Because I've received many damaged pieces from Ebay sellers, I even send a email with payment requesting flat shipment with layers of cardboard, and I even offer to pay more for shipping if necessary to do it.


The seller shipped it in a padded envelope "Bubble mailer" with the comics and NO CARDBOARD OR BACKING AT ALL! The piece was by far the most damaged piece of art I've ever received. I knew before I even opened it that it was bad. just by how beat up and creased the envelope was. (I'm also posting the photos of the page I sent to the seller below, just so all can see.) His response was that he "thought the bubble mailer would be enough protection." He went on to say that it "looked kind of rolled up, but I can fix it by Pressing it, like they do for old comics that have curled." I pointed out that creases are forever, and I wish it was just "curled" a little. It went from a great score to a huge disappointment really fast.


I've had pieces damaged on sides and corners due to it being in an envelope, but at least with backing. I've had art pressed into the corners of triangular mailing tubes and creased down the middle and impact torn on the top and bottom from knocking back and forth into the tucked in flaps on the ends. I've even received a piece that was the art, ONE piece of flimsy cardboard, and wrapped in gift wrap that was torn in several places but somehow the art wasn't damaged too bad. But this was one that obviously had no thought put in at all. I can't stand that people seem to understand that it is ONE OF A KIND (it says so in their auction descriptions:) and then they do that. The auction description always plays up the one of a kind angle, and then they ruin the one and only piece by not caring and putting in a little thought and effort.


I tell myself that "at least it was cheap," but that isn't really an acceptable excuse. What a waste of a cool splash. The SCORE is gone now. As Original Art, it can't be replaced and a refund of $5 isn't satisfying either. It drives me nuts that something that could be so easily avoided keeps happening. I think I'm more pissed about the lack of respect for the art than my money anyway.

Sorry for the long rant, but this was the Ebay deal that was the straw to break the camel's back. I figure there are a lot of stories like this one out there, and encourage comments with yours.