Wasted $150 on a first print that turned out to be a reprint

Bought what I thought was a first print of The Walking Dead #1 at a convention in Portland. Paid $150 cash to some guy in a sketchy booth. Got home and checked the barcode on the back, it was a 2010 reprint. Felt like a real idiot. Anyone else get burned by fake first prints at cons?

3 comments

3 Comments

maryh962mo ago

Got scammed on a "rare" Star Wars variant at a con a few years back, dude swore it was a limited print and I paid $80 for what was basically a photocopy glued to cardboard lol. Still salty about it, but now I check everything with a phone app before handing over cash.

dakotacraig26d agoMost Upvoted

@maryh96 That app probably saves more people than we'll ever know. But here's the thing - I've been burned way worse trusting the apps than trusting my gut. Had a "verified authentic" vintage comic from one of those fancy authentication services that turned out to be a reprint someone had trimmed and pressed. Spent $200 on that lesson. Now I just consider the money gone before I hand it over and treat surprises as a bonus. The real pros know their stuff and don't need a light or an app to spot a fake from across the room.

cameronb522mo ago

Used a UV light on a signed book once and the ink vanished, learned my lesson fast.