Chris Howes' Sculptural Creations

[vader]

OK, I didn't realize that my commenting on someone's comments would result in a maelstrom of my own

But your first post in this thread was 5 days ago, so like costumeball I can't help but think that you're not understanding the full situation. I'm a pretty laid back and reasonable person under normal circumstances, but these are NOT normal circumstances.

My first post on this thread 5 days ago does not mean that I was not here when it was started by C.Howes himself. If you notice, I don't post much on these boards. But I am here everyday (heck, I'm here even more than I am on my own site) and I love the massive info along with the inane banter that usually comes with them. I'm one of the lucky buyers of C.Howes' Joker and Bale sculpts when he was just new on these boards. I am likewise on a couple of the "interest" and "commission" threads for his work. In short, I am among the many of you eagerly anticipating to see the final products. Trust me, I have full appreciation of the circumstances here and I agree that it has reached far beyond the boiling point for the majority. I chose to be civil about the situation, others have opted for alternative methods of dealing with it. I guess we can't all be on the same bus ride.

If I was an artist trying to sell sculpts on this board, I would be doing my best to differentiate myself from Howes, and I think that's what we're seeing.

Let me ask you then - if you were one, would you openly disparage him on his thread? Or would you be a gentleman and just prove to your customers you are "better" through your work (presumably posted on your own thread)?

Not mocking you - just want to know how you would "differentiate yourself from Howes".

 

[icruise]

There's nothing wrong with being civil, and in fact that's the strategy I prefer to take. I don't think I've been overly insulting at all. But as I've said (repeatedly here, and in a direct email to Chris as well), he's doing irreparable damage to his reputation by not communicating with his customers, by promising to give updates or send items and not doing so, and by coming up with these bizarre stories.

His only recent communications have been to blame his difficulties on his email account being hijacked by Russian spammers (?) and on being preoccupied with a stalker trying to ruin his life. This is not normal. As someone who has paid him money to do something, it is in fact very disturbing. He's acting very erratically. At what point will you start to get worried?

I just don't understand what is so hard about communicating with us. He's got everyone emails from paypal if he really feels unwelcome on the board (although that situation is entirely his own fault).

 

[Saya]

I'm sorry but I have to agree with Icruise. my husband Dwing and I have been very patient thru all of this, trying very hard not to jump the gun. but he has failed to respond to all my emails (addressed per his instructions). With no updates and his strange comments about stalkers and spammers but no information on our commissions. Now he's not coming back? where does that leave my hs or my money? I have no idea. I dont agree that we should be fight umong ourselves its counter productive, but I also feel that the people here that have put money into these commissions have a right to know what Chris is doing with their hs, with their money. I am very disappointed at how things have turned out. I just hope that it doesnt affect the sculptors on this board who have been consistantly proffesional.

 

[costumeball]

What I don't understand is why people are continuing to question the Russian spammer thing like it's some excuse he made up last minute.

People are claiming that *I* don't know the full situation, and yet, posted in THIS THREAD on April 4:

Drop me an email at the new address. It's [email protected]. I had to shut down the other email addresses due to Russian Spammers hijacking my accounts, using them as their return address. I was getting THOUSANDS of returned emails, mostly offering the services of certain very friendly Russian ladies and replica watches.

No one seemed to have any problems then, nobody called it a story he made up then, did they?

 

[costumeball]

Oh, and for the record, I've received a grand total of ZERO PM requests to contact Howes about anything, so I can't help but think that some people here would prefer to continue the drama show and insults than to try and encourage any actual progress.

 

[icruise]

He may very well have had trouble with spam, but whether he made it up or not it's not a very credible excuse for not communicating with people is it?

In any case, I've sent him another email so we'll see if he responds.

 

[costumeball]

I really hate to feel like I'm making excuses for someone, but let's just say I don't envy his situation, whether it's of his own doing or not. But if he really does work 18 hr days, only gets 4 hours of sleep, and receives literally thousands of e-mails every day, can't people see how the communication thing gets tricky?

True, he could start a new e-mail account, but if the first one was hijacked when everyone was "cool" with him, what would happen now when so many are ready to burn him at the stake?

And again, this is only what he's said, but if we're willing to have the trust to pony up cash up front for stuff, then it doesn't make sense for us to get selective about what is or isn't credible. If we believe that he's going to sculpt a McCoy head, then why don't we believe that captdan has been harassing him? See what I mean?

 

[icruise]

And again, this is only what he's said, but if we're willing to have the trust to pony up cash up front for stuff, then it doesn't make sense for us to get selective about what is or isn't credible. If we believe that he's going to sculpt a McCoy head, then why don't we believe that captdan has been harassing him? See what I mean?

But at the time we all paid, he was actually communicating with people and posting regular updates. It seemed reasonable to trust him. Nobody here would pay him now, with the way he's acting.

 

[costumeball]

If you go back and read the threads, he wasn't posting updates THAT often.

In fact, there were several "interim" posts of people going "What's up? Update, please?" and then Howes coming in going "remember, I told you it would be a while, I can only do this on the side, blahablahblah..."

But he WAS posting on the forums pretty regularly off and on until around the time captdan pops up.

 

[thainer]

If you go back and read the threads, he wasn't posting updates THAT often.

In fact, there were several "interim" posts of people going "What's up? Update, please?" and then Howes coming in going "remember, I told you it would be a while, I can only do this on the side, blahablahblah..."

But he WAS posting on the forums pretty regularly off and on until around the time captdan pops up.

No that is not true. His updates had pretty much stopped by the time the captdan situation reached a head. That was captdan's main problem with him. And while I am not getting into the whole recaster controversy, to blame him for Chris Howes stealing $11.000 from us is a bit of a stretch don't you think?

 

[ProgMatinee]

Oh, and for the record, I've received a grand total of ZERO PM requests to contact Howes about anything, so I can't help but think that some people here would prefer to continue the drama show and insults than to try and encourage any actual progress.

i thought you said you didn't want to get involved in specifics. if you want, go ahead and ask him when will he ship River Tam headsculpts.

 

[ProgMatinee]

also, Chris Howes has my home address. If he wants to send me a letter instead of email he can do that.

 

[costumeball]

i thought you said you didn't want to get involved in specifics. if you want, go ahead and ask him when will he ship River Tam headsculpts.

Cause I don't want to get involved in specifics, ie. "Hi, when are you sending _____'s order for _____." That would be a tad ridiculous, no?

But sure, I can ask about the River Tam progress.

 

[Spenser]

Don't take this the wrong way but I find it strange that a fellow artist would be slamming Chris at this point. If anything, shouldn't one be sympathizing with his plight?

You do mean the plight he created himself...right?

He lost any respect and or “Sympathy” from me when he took people’s money and then sold the items they purchased on eBay for more cash to put in his pocket instead of shipping them out to the good people on this forum!
Please tell me how Chris has “respected” the Sideshow freaks that put their trust in him. As a fellow artist I am appalled at his behavior.

Not to mention Chris’s post where Chris pretty much says’s that all the other sculptors on this board are crap compared to him. A little humility would do wonders for Chris.

And the posts I’ve posted were mostly joke posts since most of the others were getting pretty nasty. Come on I posted a picture of Khan with a line from the movie and said a misquoted Ghostbuster should have told us he was up to no good. Those were intended to lighten the mood.

 

[costumeball]

No that is not true. His updates had pretty much stopped by the time the captdan situation reached a head. That was captdan's main problem with him. And while I am not getting into the whole recaster controversy, to blame him for Chris Howes stealing $11.000 from us is a bit of a stretch don't you think?

captdan's main problem with him? Who CARES what his "problem" with him was?! That guy has officially been discredited as a scammer, so IMO nothing he ever posted can be taken as anything but BS.

And due respect, we don't know what was going on behind the scenes with captdan/diver4.

Supposedly, he was making phone calls and sending threatening letters, etc. So we don't know how long ago all that stuff started, but if you notice when captdan starts posting, it's around the same point when Howes' posts start slowing down as well. I dunno, makes sense to me.

And IMO, saying that Howes has stolen the money from us is a bit of stretch, don't YOU think?

 

[costumeball]

Not to mention Chris’s post where Chris pretty much says’s that all the other sculptors on this board are crap compared to him. A little humility would do wonders for Chris.

Did he really say that???

 

[The Craw]

 

[nash]

You naive people still defending this guy are pathetic. The worst part about it is how you are invalidating people's legitimate gripes and concerns.

If you choose to be ever so patient and quiet about all of this, then why not show that in this thread and stfu? Let people who are frustrated and upset speak their mind if they so choose to.

 

[vader]

You do mean the plight he created himself...right?

I don't know that he created it himself and neither does anyone. He's given his reasons and as I've mentioned, I'm willing to grant him the benefit of the doubt.

He lost any respect and or “Sympathy” from me when he took people’s money and then sold the items they purchased on eBay for more cash to put in his pocket instead of shipping them out to the good people on this forum!

Truth is, many customizers/artists/sculptors take money and miss deadlines. They get some slack and Chris gets sacks and sacks of cow dung. Seems like double standard.

Not to mention Chris’s post where Chris pretty much says’s that all the other sculptors on this board are crap compared to him. A little humility would do wonders for Chris.

To be honest, I have not seen one of these posts. Please share links. Maybe he said them in jest - like you say you posted your comments here in jest.

Those were intended to lighten the mood.

I guess they didn't work - at least not from my point of view.

...

Look, I have nothing against you personally and I am not here to attack you. But your posts (plural) here just stood out for me because I know you are an artist yourself. It just seemed inappropriate. If I were an artist and I posted snide remarks about you and your work on your Ghostbusters thread, I'm sure someone will call me out on it. If not you, somebody else surely will.

I'm not gonna say anything further about your posts after this. I think I've said enough already. Maybe you'll see it my way, maybe you won't. But as I've said, it wasn't a personal attack on you. I just commented on your comments.

<Vader extends handshake to Spenser>

 

[thainer]

No, I don't think saying he stole from us is a stretch. He took money from us with the promise of delivering goods in return then failed to send us said goods. Isn't that stealing? I would love a refund but failing that I would like the goods I paid for. Do I expect either? No. So I guess you could say that he stole my money. Also I don't feel that branding Diver4 a scammer and ignoring what Chris Howes has done is being entirely honest with yourself. I used to deal with Diver4 before I knew his whole story and at least when I paid for goods I received them.