Doug: What are you buying, and let's also take a look at the flipside -- are you getting rid of anything? A long time ago (can't recall the post, but I think it was in an Open Forum titled "Why I Am Being Driven Away From Comics") I said that I was looking to liquidate some of my comics, but knew I'd never even recover the msrp on the stuff from the past 20 years. Well, I found out that the Resident Director in my sons' dorm is a fan of the Marvel movies. Last time we were visiting I ran into him and asked if his wife would kill him if he came into some comics. He laughed and said no, probably not. I took that as an "in" to come home and fill up a longbox for the guy. He is now the proud owner of the run of Ultimate Fantastic Four, the New Avengers I'd accumulated, most of the "Heroes Reborn" mini-series, the first dozen or so issues of DC's The Brave and the Bold Perez vehicle, etc. I did throw in a little Bronze Age love, too -- hey, I have a heart you know!
Doug: My accumulations, then? I think I've mentioned that I recently purchased the first volume of the Spider-Man newspaper reprints, volume two of Thor: The Eternals Saga, and the Chronicles of Conan, volume 4. I'm patiently awaiting the arrival very soon of Legends of the Dark Knight: Alan Davis, which could be here within the week. You?
I don't have a lot of specific plans on purchases - I just get an impulse to buy something and do so. However, volume 2 of the paperback version of the Neal Adams Illustrated Batman should be due out (later this year?) and I'll get that. I've also recently discovered that there are two trades for the Secret Society of Super-Villains, so I think I'll get those. Otherwise, I may pick up random Bronze Age Marvel stuff that my collection is light in, mostly solo stuff, such as Captain America, Iron Man, and Hulk, and perhaps something like the Flash. I maybe stop by the LCS which has good prices and see which cheap Bronze Age stuff that looks interesting. As far as new stuff, the only thing I've recently purchased the the Legion of Super-Heroes with Levitz. It's good, but not good enough that I feel compelled to buy more, so we'll see if the mood strikes me.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any plans to get rid of anything, either because I'm a pack rat or a sentimental fool.
I collected Marvel comics from the mid 70’s to the mid 80’s, stopped when I discovered I couldn’t afford comics and a girlfriend, and started again 20 years later (about 7 years ago) by which time I could comfortably afford both.
ReplyDeleteIt quickly became apparent that while modern comics have some beautiful and fascinating art, they are mostly violent, sensationalist, exploitative tripe. So I went back to the Silver & Bronze ages and started collecting everything I wanted when I was kid. Which was, of course, everything. So I am now on an odyssey to complete, basically, the Silver & Bronze ages and then READ THEM ALL in order.
Thus far, I’ve completed the Avengers, Defenders, Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Marvel Premiere, Marvel Feature (both runs), Two In one, Subby, Doc Strange, Iron Fist, the Surfer, Drac, Strange Tales (from #101 onwards) and just this week completed Astonishing Tales (36 years after I bought my first issue).
God knows what I will do when it gets down to AF 15, Spidey #1 etc , but we’re a long way from having that problem. Maybe in another 36 years.
Richard
Yep, like dbutler16, I don't ever really get rid of anything. . . just accumulate (although I do have a copy-paper box full of assorted doubles of random bronze-age issues-- nothing of any value at all, I'm afraid-). I think I've amassed about 27 or 28 longboxes over my collecting life-- man, moving them around to find a particular issue is not a joy-- esp. as one gets a bit. . . older. . .
ReplyDeleteAs I've probably mentioned else-thread, as of this year I am actively buying. . . NOTHING NEW AT ALL. Zero new purchases from LCS's. Holding off on filling in holes w/ Mile High. Have let all subscriptions die an ignoble death (except for Secret Avengers and New Avengers, both of which got automatic extensions in years past when other titles were cancelled, and are taking a looooong time to play out)(I find myself unable to give them more than a cursory reading, though).
BOOKS-A-MILLION has had many deep, DEEP discounts on their TPB and hardbound collections in recent months-- so I do look those over, but even then, they're either reprints of old stories I already have or collections of the recent arcs that drove me away in the first place. Ultimately, one says to oneself, "I have a boy in college and a girl in a dance company-- is this REALLY where my cash needs to go??"
The things that might spark my interest, from an enjoyment-of-collecting perspective? A lot of the DC titles that I've heard discussed here so often-- TEEN TITANS, LEGION OF SUPERHEROES, more recent version(s) of the JLA, FLASH after I dropped the title, definitely the holes in my JSA run, plus the issues I'm missing from Busiek's ASTRO CITY titles, and maybe the last few issues of GROO's run in Epic (daggone it. . .those are the ONLY issues I'm missing-!?!?!)
HB
Going back to last spring, my recent acquisitions include the first two volumes of the "Savage Sword of Conan" reprints (published by Dark Horse) for a little less than $20 from the auction page of a local comic site. I’ve been slowly reading through and savoring these over the past few weeks.
ReplyDeleteAnd eBay has been very good to me recently, in that I finally found and scored two books I’ve been after for years: "Empire" by Delany and Chaykin and "Swords of Heaven, Flowers of Hell" by Moorcock and Chaykin, the first in July and the second just last week. Since I’m living outside of the U.S. now, it’s always a challenge to find books like these at a reasonable overall price (i.e., including postage). Another great eBay purchase made last month included the hardcover editions of "Batman: Ego" by Darwin Cooke and "Killraven" by Davis and Farmer for a little less than $5 each from a seller in the UK.
And finally, I also recently discovered and successively bought several excellent Panini digests: "Silver Surfer – Origins" (reprinting the first 5 issues of the Lee/Buscema series), "Iron Man – Demon in a Bottle," and "Avengers – Bride of Ultron" and the "Korvac Saga." The last two collect everything from Avengers #158 to #177, all for a little less than $15 dollars total. If you don’t mind the digest format (and they’re modern digests, not like those rather overly compressed DC or Archie digests from the ‘70s and early ‘80s), and esp. if you’re living outside of the States like I am, I really recommend these. They’re in full color, inexpensive and if you order from the Book Depository like I did, you don’t pay for postage.
No plans to get rid of anything major, since I don’t have that much to begin with . . .
Richard --
ReplyDeleteThat is some serious bank, my friend. Wow! Who says it's a global recession? You're doing your part! Soldier on!
There is a great satisfaction in completing a run, isn't there? I only have a complete run of the Avengers, but it's still a real sense of pride even after having completed it almost 20 years ago. Congratulations to you.
Doug
Thanks Doug. I’m wiping away a tear (really). It would be hard to explain (at least to a proper grown up) what it feels like to complete a comic collection, but you & my fellow BAB’ers know exactly the feeling. So thank you. I actually haven’t opened the envelope with that last Ast tales in yet. Kind of saving it.
ReplyDeleteSomething that is quite funny: when I started collecting, I read & re-read the few comics I had many, many times, and then over the years filled in the back issues. This means that I always know what was the first issue of every title that I owned because there are X amount of issues that have been read a few times and then suddenly a bunch which I read about a hundred times. This means I know exactly how long it took to complete every set.
38 years seems a long time though. Maybe I should stagger, blinking, out into the light and see if there is anything beyond the world of comics before I die.
Richard
A few echelons below most of you major collectors.., I had the Bronze/Silver Marvel Zombie-bug hit me a few years back. My collecting timing was a lot like Doug's (early/mid-70s, then again for a spell in the '80s..), but of late I've switched out some core collecting.
ReplyDeleteI was heavy into the Mego Museum a few years back; after my first army deployment, I decided for fun to grab a couple of new 'retro Trek' figures, so from nearly completing that, I moved on to buying up MIB Marvel Megos. As I mentioned in my suggestion post, I finally sold my MIB Mego Thor (having now moved to Marvel Legend Avenger figures), so I knew I could at least grab a couple of nice vintage VF issues (and a dozen nice UK Beatle fan club glossies from the 'Penny Lane' filming..), so I grabbed Avengers 12 & 16. I've been window-shopping on coverbrowser.com like it's Christmas for early TOA/Strange Tales issues, so I picked up TOA 60 (1st co-star appearance of Hulk which by the way, introduces the whole Banner/Hulk transformation concept...). Still love the awesome Colan DD/Doc Strange Silver covers..
For fun, I've been eyeing that Busiek Defenders revamp back in 2001.. May have to pick up 'Defenders: Indefensible' someday soon for light-hearted reading.
I do still have a fair share of minty Marvel Mego figs; surprisingly I bought a Dida Displays FF playset a few years back and haven't taken it out of the shipping box yet.. Arrg.
I'm by no means a comic completist (Avengers 200-250 cured me of that..), I'm slowly buying up key Silver/Bronze issues and cool covers in VF+ condition. I typically sell current geek collectables to finance the new purchases, keeping the wife happy that I don't hit the finances much.
humanbelly, I do hope you check out those DC titles at some point.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I too enjoy having a complete run of a series.
Richard, your life arc (collected in 70's to mid-80's, quit largely due to finances, tried recently to get into modern comics, decided they mostly sucked and I'm better off spending my money on Silver & Bronze Age stiff) are quite similar, though I don't have, and won't unless I win the lottery, your impressive list of complete runs. Good luck in your quest to read all Silver & Bronze Age comics in order, sir!!
I recently picked up a mixed 65 issue run of high grade Amazing Spider-Man between the last few issues that Ditko drew and up to issue #146. Classic stuff, and lots of holes plugged in my bronze age treasure trove.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool, Chuck!
ReplyDeleteWas it a lot you bought on eBay? Those are great when you can find 'em.
Doug
Just this last weekend on eBay, I won a near-complete F/VF run of Howard the Duck (including Annual 1..) for only $12 (incl. shipping).
ReplyDeleteAlways wanted to nurture another guilty pleasure, Gerber-style.
Right now, the 'complete runs' I have are only from certain periods, like CA&F 100-200, Avengers 16-200 (then the dozen issues from the Stern/Buscema tenure), Cardy Teen Titans from ish 4-37, and NTT from ish 1-50
On the completist subject, I don't know if anyone watches the 'Collector Intervention' series on SyFy, but they had one episode a few months ago where a collecter had over 30,000 comics, dozens and dozens of full long-boxes in his house (living room, bedroom, garage, you name it..), very much a self-professed completist
ReplyDeleteSuprisingly, his wife didn't share his passion and was QUITE irate. It looked like he had hundreds of Bronze XMen comics, but most of his stuff was also '80/90s comics (GI Joe, etc), worth probably squat.
It briefly showed him reading comics in bed, while his wife slept, which I know NO ONE here ever does.
David, I did see that episode and thought the same thing you did about the guy's collection -- it's the sort of stuff I crammed into that longbox for the guy at my boys' college!
ReplyDeleteCan I just say (again) that I eschew all forms of reality TV? I seriously think I get dumber whenever I watch something where I'm supposed to care about someone else's maladjustment to life's travails. Nope -- my care-o-meter just doesn't register at those times...
"Heartless" Doug
Hi Dbutler ....thanks for kind words of encouragement. It’s a stupid job, but someone’s got to do it. I’ll keep the team posted on progress.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, and I know you’re all going to be nodding along to this one, that the most satisfying thing is when you get to a cliff hanger and it says ‘...continued in this month’s Spider Man’, or whatever, and instead of having to wait years to get my hands on the cross over, I just cross over to the other side of the room and pull the relevant issue off the shelf.
Conversely, the dispiriting thing is when it gets into the 80’s and everything becomes cross-overs and limited series. I read 300 issues of the Avengers and every time I got to a crossover (Doc Strange, Avengers/Defenders war, FF, Xmen....even SVTU) in the first 25 years, I had it, but then we hit the mid 80’s. Oh dear.
Richard
I became a Joe Kubert fan in '06 when I read Tarzan, Sgt. Rock, and Yossel, and with his recent death decided to read his other books. So I picked up Jew Gangster and Tor, which were both great in different ways.
ReplyDeleteThen last week I saw the new giant Artist's Edition of Tarzan in my local shop, and had to splurge and pick it up. Fantastic! It reproduces Kubert's first several issues from the '70s, directly from the original art pages and in full size. You can see the corrections that were made, some blue pencil marks, etc. Really love this book!
I noticed last month there was a Wally Wood Artist's Edition, and there's a Spider-Man Gil Kane edition coming out, which may interest people here.
For new stuff, I read the new Batman "Court of Owls" by Snyder and Capullo. Pretty good. Capullo's art is more appealing to me here than his work on Spawn, and the story was good, although a little too exaggerated/wacky as it went on.
Garett --
ReplyDeleteThanks for the head's up! I would be very interested in those art books. I just love looking at original art, for all the reasons you stated. Man, I'm pumped up to see those now!
Christmas list, here I come!
Doug
HB..:
ReplyDelete'About 27 or 28 long boxes..'..?
Oh, mercy, between you and Richard, I sit trembling at the mere quantity of your collections as I write this.
I gave a bunch of Bronze reprints away years ago, once I got the corresponding vintage issues of Spidey, FF and Avengers, but as of today, I've only got TWO long boxes and TWO short boxes in my Silver/Bronze holdings.
I am but a mere piker, but rest in knowing I'm among esteemed collectors here... Doug, I'm still impressed you (and I'm sure others here) have Avengers #1 and #4 in your collection.
I humbly doff my hat to you all.
We've discussed this a couple of times in the past, but what the heck?
ReplyDeleteWhen you buy back issues, are you in for the "reader copy" or the "collector copy"?
I'm now in the "reader copy" category when I buy comics, preferring the hardcover and tpb collections instead. As I said above, you can't beat finding a mixed lot of Bronze Age love on eBay -- 20 books for around $8 is a treasure.
Doug
David_b, that episode of 'Collector Intervention' sounds hilarious. However, like “Heartless” Doug, I eschew all forms of reality TV. I feel it’s the downfall of western Civilization.
ReplyDeleteRichard, regarding the cliff hanger thing, you are quite right. However, I just bought the complete run of Karate Kid (all 15 issues) from an LCS, and after I finished reading the very last issue, it says “to be continued in Kamandi #58”. Aargh! Now I have to locate Kamandi #58. :( I also agree with you about the cross-overs and limited series. Those Secret Wars crossovers ruined many a good story arc. Also, so many of the Annuals in the mid to late 80’s were all tied together. For instance, “Atlantis Attacks” and “The Evolutionary War” tied together virtually all of the Marvel Annuals. To me, an Annual should be a done-in-one story, a fun little summer escape with lots of action and some guest stars, not something I have to go out and pick up a half dozen other Annuals to get the complete story.
I am into the reader copy. I’m not that concerned about condition, as long as the cover and all of the pages are intact and readable. I also like TPB’s because they are convenient and economical. Finding a mixed lot at a good price on ebay is fun, and there is a local LCS which sometimes has good Bronze Age back issues pretty cheap, so I stop in there every once in a while.
Ah, yes, 20 books for $8, like back when comics 40 cents... Not to jack the thread, but didn't you just love it back then when you got your little hands on $5 somehow (like from a generous grandparent on your birthday or Christmas), so you could hit the spinner racks and buy ten or more books?
ReplyDeleteBy the way Doug, I'd be pretty interested in getting all four of the books you recently acquired, esp. that Alan Davis Batman book, although it's too bad it only has the first issue of the Year Two sequence. Of course, it's too bad Davis left the series after that issue.
dbutler16, re: done-in-one annuals. Hear, hear! I think the only exception to that rule that I found acceptable was Avengers Annual #7 and Marvel 2-in-1 Annual #2.
ReplyDeleteOh, and as to the question about condition, I'm a reading copy guy for pretty much everything: single comics (when I actually buy them, which is rare), reprint collections, and books in general. My budget is pretty limited, so finding the cheapest possible copy of anything I'm looking for is a necessity.
Ditto on Annuals, gents.
ReplyDeleteAs for spending, my Dad always taught me to just spend 20% more than you planned on items just so you won't be disappointed sooner, like getting the extra dozen GB of hard drive space or memory on systems, etc so they last longer (and you won't remember the extra you spent in 2-3 yrs anyways..).
Same for me for comics.., if there's a F- comic I really love the cover of, I'll wait and squeeze a few more bucks together and find an even better copy.
I tell my wife I'm only thinking of her....:
If or when I pass on someday, I told her just to put everything up on eBay to pay for my funeral expenses and such.. (unless I decide to be bronzed and placed in the back yard for the birds to excrement on..).
(Nope, she doesn't buy it either..)
I desperately want to rid myself of all my baggage: my comics, my toys, my books, my other stuff...but then again, it brings me a lot of pleasure. I have managed to get rid of (I mean, donate) a lot of recent (2006-2012) comics. But I still have a ton of comics. I switched to short boxes a few years ago, thinking it would save my back. Now I have 32 boxes in the space under the stairs, and another 24 upstairs. I feel shame in admitting that. What am I doing? I can't actually need all those comics! But...I do need the Avengers. And X-men. And Legion. And Warlock. And so it goes.
ReplyDeleteI used to always go for VF or better condition, but now it matters less to me. That's particularly true if I just want to read a story and I'm not all that concerned about keeping it forever. A couple of the Ka-Zars I picked up this year weren't even bagged or boarded!
I like the TPB and masterworks but wish they included letter pages.
I have a stack of Marvel Captain Marvels (pre-Starlin) that I hope to read over the holidays. I'd like to get Sub-Mariner in some form too. And I am curious about Kamandi...
My recent purchases in the last couple of months include:
ReplyDeleteLegends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo Vol 1
Rex Mundi Omnibus Vol 1
Marvel Team-Up 11 & 38
Defenders 8 & 30
Marvel Two-In-One 22 and Annual 1
and Daredevil 107 arrived today.
MY general rule is Bronze age Marvel in singles (FN or better grade is my limit), Bronze age DC in trade and Silver Age Marvel in Masterworks (the softcover format makes these more affordable).
I do buy some new stuff but the vast majority is not from the big two. There are still some interesting stuff out there but the new stuff from Marvel or DC doesn't interest me.
I also intend to read my Marvel collection in order someday. But I wish it was a complete collection like Richard. The best I can do is a complete Spider-man collection from No. 15 but most of my silver age stuff has been sold and replaced by masterworks. I'm very envious!
This blog has been quite an inspiration I must confess. I wouldn't be getting Defenders if it wasn't for the love shown here.
And that Jim Aparo collection is a direct result of Doug's reviews. They just sound too wacky to miss!
So what's on my reading list? There's new softcover masterworks of both Iron Man and Captain America due out before Christmas. There's the trade of a critically acclaimed Star Wars comic "Agent of Empire" and "Saga" and "Prophet" trades from Image.
And a few bronze age back-issues that I'm watching on Ebay. I do stick to a budget though as if I spent what I wanted to the wife would be none-too-pleased with good reason!
Currently from the "New 52" whatever-verse, I'm buying Batwoman, Earth2, and perhaps the new "Phantom Stranger". I started "Firestorm", one of my favs when it came out in the late 70's before the DC Implosion, but I gave up on it at issue #9. For Bronze Age, I'm trying to complete the DC Tarzan run, Phantom Stranger, and with the passing of Joe Kubert, GI Combat, Sgt.Rock etc. I'm always on the lookout for nice used copies of Showcase Presents. And lately I've been picking up issues of Marvel Collectors Item Classics and Marvel Tales to get those great old reprints. Great reading and a much cheaper alternative then hunting down and buying the originals, which I couldn't afford anyway. I recently bought about 40 issues of vintage "Savage Sword of Conan" for about 20 bucks, which I really enjoyed reading, but once I'm done reading them, I'll trade them in at my comic guy, or put them on Craigs List. I'm also into the lower grade books as long as the cover and pages are attached, I bought a copy of Green Lantern #22 for $4.
ReplyDeleteOh, and as for future plans, I'm going to look at smaller runs of books like "Ragman", DC's Shadow, Tor, Karate Kid etc..maybe some short run Marvels like Black Panther.
ReplyDeleteGarrett- I share your love for Kubert. The last year or so I got hooked on "Enemy Ace"; each page is a pleasure just to look at.
ReplyDeleteKaren- impressive collection, from your description! Funny, it seems no matter how much 'chaff' you eliminate, you still have a lot of grain in the bin...
The only current books I read are Amazing Spider-Man and the Simpsons. I do pick and choose a few other and some indies, but money is limiting. I do haunt ebay and flea markets, and actually picked up a few goodies recently at a local show. A couple parts from the Avenger/Defenders clash, a few FF's, And a nice reader copy of Amazing S-M 33. Not too picky about condition, as long as the book is complete.
Tony --
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your devotion to the Distinguished Competition. You need to comment more, to keep all of us Marvel Zombies honest!
Great comments today, everyone! Like one big water cooler...
Doug
@ David_B--
ReplyDeleteWell, "quantity" might be the extremely key term you've used there. Before I went off to college (Fall of '79), I'd gotten subscriptions going to about 8 different core Marvel titles, and I added to this over the years. And even well into the 90's, subscriptions were such an amazingly economical alternative to the cover price (often less than half)-- in a way, a suppose they still are. And my wife was always extremely understanding and indulgent about this hobby-- it really was never a major expense for many years. But were talking decades of uninterupted monthly deliveries, and to be honest MANY titles (most?) have had long, long stretches of mediocre-to-subpar output. So while I have a lot of comics- and really do love them all, in their way- I'm pretty sure my collection's value doesn't live up to its physical volume. . .
Still-- some pretty good straight runs on a few titles that go back into the Silver Age. I think I have at least 4 or 5 Marvel Pop Art books in there. . .
READERS COPIES for me please. Original, yes, and complete-- but I find a tremendous amount of charm in a comic that has CLEARLY lived a long, hard, much-loved life. Can't bear to part with my own early issues with spaghetti and chocolate chip stains throughout. . .
HB
@ Karen:
ReplyDeleteLet's see, you have 56 short boxes total-- which translates loosely into. . . 28 longboxes! Heh-- we're playin' in the same league, looks like. Those short-boxes do stash away very nicely, I must admit.
It is funny how, as we get a bit older now, these massive accumulations that occupied so much of our time and energy seem to quietly wane in their significance. Letting some go isn't nearly as difficult as one might have imagined even 10 years ago. I was a huge Andre Norton (SF/Fantasy) fan starting in about 6th grade, and devoured a zillion of her books over several years. I've kept them forever, of course. In the past year, it turns out my young (brilliant, genius) 10 year old nephew has developed a ravenous taste for her works himself. And it occurred to me, "I will almost certainly never read these again in my life. And books WANT to be read. NOT getting these into his hands is simply unconscienable." And this was followed by the inevitable personal moral-code litmus test, "What would Peter Parker do?"
And so now my nephew gets four or five 30 to 40 year old paperbacks every couple of months, with my name written (in old cursive) on the title page of many of them. . .
I can't tell you how much better this is.
HB
Last comics material I purchased was the first two issues of the recent Man-Thing mini-series by Steve Gerber. I need to get the final issue. Also recently got the Flex Mentallo collection. Aside from a few odds & ends that pique my interest, my collection mostly consists of what I bought off the rack circa 1972 to 1986. Someday I'm going to get proper boxes to keep them in and get them back in order. They'll likely still be in my possession when I kick off.
ReplyDeleteHB- Passing the torch to your nephew is great, and helps nurture the next generation of fans! My sons have reaped some benefit from my collection, as now has my grandson. It's quite rewarding to see their enthusiasm for comics. As for me, the fever remains. Still a kick finding a desired comic in a flea market box; dusty perhaps, and worn, but good for a half hour of reading!
ReplyDelete@ Doug - Thanks, I'll be here to keep you Marvellites in line..
ReplyDeleteI buy way too many Showcase and Essential volumes. The allure of easy reading in handy volume is too great.
ReplyDeleteMostly though these days I buy pulp stories of Doc Savage, The Shadow and others. That's my main focus.
As for the mammoth creature in the back bedroom which is my collection, I keep saying I'm going to part it out, but with the slow market (at least around here) that seems never to quite happen.
I have reached the point where I want the vast mass of it gone, but I would like to get some value back out, though I know I'll never get close to recouping what I have spent to build it. Sigh.
Rip Off
Redartz and Tony-- good to hear from fellow Kubert fans! Redartz, I haven't read Enemy Ace yet, but I may have to put that next on my list. By the way, the Tor that I liked was the one that came out in '09, Tor: A Prehistoric Odyssey.
ReplyDeleteDoug-- Merry Christmas!! : )
Hey Doug - I just started getting back into collecting comics due to my 4-yr old son's superhero obsession (gee .. i wonder how that happened??? ;)
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, the last time I was a real collector I just went to the local shop because the internet options were scarce (plus, I used to work there -- sweet job for a comic geek!).
Times have changed a lot so I'm wondering if you or anyone else has any suggestions on the best places online to buy/sell/trade books. I've done Ebay recently for some current books and have had some success with that, but when it comes to older books, I'm a little nervous about trusting them -- plus I'm not always looking for "slabbed" books. I totally understand why its done, but I personally think that can sometimes take a little fun out of collecting this side of the Golden Age ... let alone drive up the prices! I am a collector, not an investor.
So, maybe a future post getting some opinions together on what people have experienced on Ebay, and where they go now for back-issue purchases or selling their stuff? Or, since I'm kinda a newbie to your site, if you have blogged about this before can you point me to the post?
Thanks a lot!
Mike --
ReplyDeleteAt your service -- be on the look-out for a query to our readers in the next several days.
Thanks!
Doug
I'm picking up Levitz' LOSH, Secret Avengers, and Avengers:Academy (RIP, I'm so ticked off about that). Nothing else new really appeals to my tastes, right now.
ReplyDeleteI've recently been picking up BACK ISSUE magazine, when the topic appeals to me. I recomment this, of course, esp. to fans of this site.
I still buy MarveL Legends and DC Universe 6" figures. I've been filling in my collection on ebay, and enjoy hitting up Wal-marts and Kmarts to dig for the ones I want (US Agent, is currently in my sights).
I sold my New Avengers run of #1-50, my LCS was nice enough to take them off my hands. I'm trying to wash the STINK of Bendis off, ha-ha.
starfoxxx
Starfox, I'm glad you're enjoying Back Issue. There are some really good issues coming up, including a Treasury-sized edition covering what else, but Treasury books! It will have a Legion cover by none other than Alex Ross himself! Just two weeks ago I turned in an article on the Champions for an issue on B-Teams that will come out next Spring. That issue will also feature the Defenders!
ReplyDeleteKaren;
ReplyDeleteSO LOOKING FORWARD to the B-Teams and Defenders..., and, yes Treasury Books (why is it like Christmas morning whenever one I win on eBay finds it's way to my doorstep..??).
I've probably written WAY too much on those subjects, but they're favs all the same.
Failed to mention earlier, but I finally purchased a super-bright VF copy of yes.., ASM 121.
(I actually felt the heavenly light shine down on it from outside my window..)
I remember picking up ASM 122 back in '73 in one of those comic bags at a retail store. Now the vintage story is complete, also being amazed when comparing it to the MT reprint just how many original panels were left out.
Had to sell a couple of megos and masterworks books, just so one more Holy Grail at long last comes 'Home'.