Post by Wild Willy on Apr 14, 2005 2:31:17 GMT -5
This story has an eerie kinda co-incidence to it.
It begins back around May of 2004, I was showing my Kustom figures to some folks on an online forum and 1 fella in that group wanted a set but did not want to pay for a set.
He fabricated a big storey about him being an employee at ToyFare Magazine. ToyFare ( a spin off from Wizard magazine) is the greatest Action Figure Magazine on the planet, and to even be considered to have my figues within their pages is a huge honor.
He and I exchanged emails and chatted online for the next couple months, working out the details, and for the sum of him getting a set of my figs, I would be published with a description and contact information sounded fair I thought.
I had been mentioning this pending deal to my friends & family and my Mother who was especially proud after hearing about my great Adam West meeting, she was very excited that my work was geeting shown in a major publication.
My dealings with this guy got to the point where he needed good pictures to choose from for the article, I did a photo shoot at home here and I took about 30 pics and then sent him about 6 to choose from. he told me that if I were to send the figs to him, he could have them photographed by their proffessional photographer. I was a little sceptical to send anything before seeing the add, but I had been conversing with this guy for a weeks on end and he seemed generally trustworthy.
On July 5th. my dear Mother passed away, she was my biggest fan and supporter.
Meanwhile I had a Robin figure up for auction on ebay, and that's where the "something eerie" happened.
Before I sent the set of figs to that guy for the photo shoot, i recieved an email entitled " How would you like to be in ToyFare magazine?"
I opened the email and it said that it was from the Editor of the Mag. and that he spotted Robin on ebay, and would like to do a write up about it in an upcomming issue. I brought this letter to the attention of my "friend" which I'd been dealing with. He cautioned me to be careful, and warned me that the letter was a fake, and that was not the real editor, but someone else trying to mess with me.
I looked up ToyFare's email address and wrote them about the letter which I had recieved, and my concerns. I recieved a quick responce with a phone number included to call. so that I did.
As it turned out, That letter was totally ligit and from the actual Editor Jon G and he spotted my Robin on ebay like he mentioned.
I had told him about this other person whom Ive been dealing with for weeks on end, and he was very concerned about someone passing themselves off as a Wizard employee.
he asked if I still had any emails from that guy reagrding his status at Wizard, and I said yes. I forwarded all of that guys lies to the editor and they issued a legal warning to that guy to cease the false claims to be an employee there, or legal action will be filed against him.
Anyway, Jon G and myself worked out the details. Jon was excited to see that I had a Batman figure too as well as a Robin, so he asked for some pics and a little information about what else I do, and the rest is "History". Jon then wrote me advising me of what issue the article will appear in and said thanks.
I was waiting patiently to see what pics he used and what was actually written, how big was the article, ect. and 2 weeks before the release date of that issue here in Canada, my friend Wally in California told me that he has the magazine with my article and as he put it " Congrats on the great ink!" Ok so now I was totally climbing the walls to see this add, and wally being the true gentleman he is, scanned the add and emailed it to me.
I was really happy with the add, it has a great pic, and a lot of information about me & my figures ( Thanks again Jon G, great job!)
I posted a picture of the article in the folders here, for everyone to see and read.
After obtaining my own copy of the magazine, December 2004 issue # 88, I had it professionally scanned, enlarged slightly, and then printed copies onto high gloss vynl, so I can lamenate them onto cardboard, write the issue number & date on each one, sign it as well and include one in every set of figures which I sell.
So not only will my customers get a complete hand made set of West & Ward style Batman & Robin figures, they also get the Kustom boxes which I designed and made & some real cool looking COAs ( Certificates Of Authenticity) to assure that they are getting an actual "Wild willy's Kustom original"
I'm not really superstitious, but sometimes I wonder if my Mom had something to do with the actual Editor noticing my Robin and contacting me in the Nik-O-time, before i sent that liar a set of figures. Or was it just a strange co-incidence?
whichever the case, it all worked out well, and I havent heard from that compulsive liar again, I hope that he will straighten up and fly straight & be honest from now on because in spite of all his efforts to get a free set of figures, he seemed like a pretty nice person otherwise.
This story is dedicated to my Dearly departed Mother, who is sadly missed, but fondly remembered.
Will
It begins back around May of 2004, I was showing my Kustom figures to some folks on an online forum and 1 fella in that group wanted a set but did not want to pay for a set.
He fabricated a big storey about him being an employee at ToyFare Magazine. ToyFare ( a spin off from Wizard magazine) is the greatest Action Figure Magazine on the planet, and to even be considered to have my figues within their pages is a huge honor.
He and I exchanged emails and chatted online for the next couple months, working out the details, and for the sum of him getting a set of my figs, I would be published with a description and contact information sounded fair I thought.
I had been mentioning this pending deal to my friends & family and my Mother who was especially proud after hearing about my great Adam West meeting, she was very excited that my work was geeting shown in a major publication.
My dealings with this guy got to the point where he needed good pictures to choose from for the article, I did a photo shoot at home here and I took about 30 pics and then sent him about 6 to choose from. he told me that if I were to send the figs to him, he could have them photographed by their proffessional photographer. I was a little sceptical to send anything before seeing the add, but I had been conversing with this guy for a weeks on end and he seemed generally trustworthy.
On July 5th. my dear Mother passed away, she was my biggest fan and supporter.
Meanwhile I had a Robin figure up for auction on ebay, and that's where the "something eerie" happened.
Before I sent the set of figs to that guy for the photo shoot, i recieved an email entitled " How would you like to be in ToyFare magazine?"
I opened the email and it said that it was from the Editor of the Mag. and that he spotted Robin on ebay, and would like to do a write up about it in an upcomming issue. I brought this letter to the attention of my "friend" which I'd been dealing with. He cautioned me to be careful, and warned me that the letter was a fake, and that was not the real editor, but someone else trying to mess with me.
I looked up ToyFare's email address and wrote them about the letter which I had recieved, and my concerns. I recieved a quick responce with a phone number included to call. so that I did.
As it turned out, That letter was totally ligit and from the actual Editor Jon G and he spotted my Robin on ebay like he mentioned.
I had told him about this other person whom Ive been dealing with for weeks on end, and he was very concerned about someone passing themselves off as a Wizard employee.
he asked if I still had any emails from that guy reagrding his status at Wizard, and I said yes. I forwarded all of that guys lies to the editor and they issued a legal warning to that guy to cease the false claims to be an employee there, or legal action will be filed against him.
Anyway, Jon G and myself worked out the details. Jon was excited to see that I had a Batman figure too as well as a Robin, so he asked for some pics and a little information about what else I do, and the rest is "History". Jon then wrote me advising me of what issue the article will appear in and said thanks.
I was waiting patiently to see what pics he used and what was actually written, how big was the article, ect. and 2 weeks before the release date of that issue here in Canada, my friend Wally in California told me that he has the magazine with my article and as he put it " Congrats on the great ink!" Ok so now I was totally climbing the walls to see this add, and wally being the true gentleman he is, scanned the add and emailed it to me.
I was really happy with the add, it has a great pic, and a lot of information about me & my figures ( Thanks again Jon G, great job!)
I posted a picture of the article in the folders here, for everyone to see and read.
After obtaining my own copy of the magazine, December 2004 issue # 88, I had it professionally scanned, enlarged slightly, and then printed copies onto high gloss vynl, so I can lamenate them onto cardboard, write the issue number & date on each one, sign it as well and include one in every set of figures which I sell.
So not only will my customers get a complete hand made set of West & Ward style Batman & Robin figures, they also get the Kustom boxes which I designed and made & some real cool looking COAs ( Certificates Of Authenticity) to assure that they are getting an actual "Wild willy's Kustom original"
I'm not really superstitious, but sometimes I wonder if my Mom had something to do with the actual Editor noticing my Robin and contacting me in the Nik-O-time, before i sent that liar a set of figures. Or was it just a strange co-incidence?
whichever the case, it all worked out well, and I havent heard from that compulsive liar again, I hope that he will straighten up and fly straight & be honest from now on because in spite of all his efforts to get a free set of figures, he seemed like a pretty nice person otherwise.
This story is dedicated to my Dearly departed Mother, who is sadly missed, but fondly remembered.
Will
