I haven't been here long enough to pick a side of these arguments, nor am I interested in doing so. I have no grounds to judge the alleged mistakes on Mel's website, and have yet to find a reason to question his advice regarding sellers legitamicy or his general knowledge of authentic originals. Perhaps these issues should be brought up in another thread. At least the in-fighting here is nothing compared to the firearm related froums I frequent.
It's not about picking sides - it's about maintaining a healthy skepticism of new information, which is a good idea for any collector, particularly a new one. You should have a reason to question anyone's advice, not just Mel, as even the most knowledgeable of experts make mistakes. There are exceptions for most every rule.
I posted the links to Dave's/Cinemasterpieces auction and the corresponding info link to illustrate the fact that even the better dealers make mistakes, not start (yet another) Dave bashing thread, which I am glad this has not devolved into...
Kovacs laid it out really well, all the due diligence in the world, while certainly helpful, will only get you so far. After that, nothing beats experience. Hopefully, places like APF speed the learning curve.
All of this makes the discussion, despite attempts to devolve it into a mud slinging affair (still waiting Mel), quite germane to your endeavor into this hobby and for others who may join in the future.
Personally, I wish you the best of luck... and recommend only bidding in the last 15 seconds of any eBay auction and at the 6 minute point of Bruce's...