COMICS SUPERVILLAIN SCAMMED ME!
$7G rare-issue seller stiffed & sues buyer
AVENGERS: dissemble!
A Rockland County man says he was duped into mailing a valuable copy of the first appearance of Iron Man to an eBay scammer — who then tricked his way into getting a refund.
Novice comic seller and eBay user James Cracolici posted his copy of “Tales of Suspense #39” on eBay for $7,680 on March 15, according to his suit filed Monday in Manhattan Federal Court.
The next day he found a Canadian buyer, Craig Saunders, who used the account name “kal-elmanofsteel,” according to papers.
Saunders paid the thousands of bucks plus $53.67 to cover shipping to Waterdown, Ontario, the suit says.
The U.S. Postal Service confirmed to Cracolici that the pricey comic book first published in 1963 was delivered — but Saunders claimed to PayPal he never received it.
PayPal then removed the money from Cracolici’s account, the suit says.
“He’s Dr. Doom!” said Cracolici, a lawyer in Nyack who is representing himself in the suit.
“All I can say is that he scammed me.”
Saunders told the Daily News he hadn’t received the comic book. The dispute seemed to be the result of Cracolici not having a firm grasp of how to send valuable packages internationally, he said.
“Don’t have it. Wish I did!” Saunders said of the comic book.
“He’s a brand-new eBay user . . . I understood there was a learning curve for him.”
Saunders added that he is a seasoned collector with some 600 reviews on eBay from fellow users, nearly all of them positive.
Cracolici called the comic “a one-of-a-kind item, which cannot be replaced.” Its value has increased in recent years as the Marvel Universe movies have attracted legions of fans.
A mint condition copy of Iron Man’s first appearance, which Marvel published in March 1963 and cost 12 cents on newsstands, sold for $375,000 in 2012.
“Avengers: Infinity War,” which features the Iron Man character fighting alongside two dozen other Marvel superheroes, earned over $250 million at the box office this past weekend, setting a new record.
The blockbuster eclipsed the previous record-holder, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” which earned $248 million.
Cracolici, 40, said he bought the comic when he was 11.
“Saunders is now in possession of (Cracolici’s) rare comic book as well as any and all funds he purportedly tendered for the transaction,” the suit says.
The suit names Saunders, eBay and PayPal as defendants and seeks at least $23,000 in damages.
PayPal declined to comment.