[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Cleaning and pressing is NOT considered alteration/conservation in comics and CGC actually offers the service themselves.

True, pressing is allowed.

However, it really only is because CGC threw up their hands at the advent of it in the early 2000s. Due to the reason they admitted they could not detect it well enough to identify in the beginning and gave up. Then they saw a profit to be made on the back end about 15 years ago and started the side hustle.

I do not collect comics, but have many friends in the hobby that are old school and disagree with that decision. They will only collect ungraded copies or for the important issues "Old label" CGC that were pre-04 as they are believed to be less apt to pressing as it was not widely used outside the insider alterers prior.

Personally I think graded comics is sillier than cards as it renders the comic useless for it's intended purpose. I collected in the 80s and early 90s as a younger man and can't see not reading my comics. Different strokes for different folks.

Cleaning is a personal choice and many use it in both hobbies. I think it's shady even with the polishing that people use on shiny cards, the limit for me would be a dry wipe, not any compounds or solvents. However, that's not realistic and I will just go on knowing that others will do what they do. I'm not hating them for it, I just disagree and will not participate. What the grading services either miss or allow still does not change the definition...altering can be looked up in a dictionary. The line just changes based on money and the bottom line.

My favorite shady thing about CGC is that they figured out a way to make cash both coming and going. They will press and restore your book but also offer an restoration removal service, lol. If that's not something to think about...