Do you collect comics?

corblimey

I'm trying to decide whether to dump my entire collection on eBay and have done with it, or keep them until I'm old and grey and they're either worth a ton of money or completely worthless. (I suspect since most of them are mass produced guff, they'll be tending towards worthless)

Fysh

Since I voted "other" I figured it might be worth explaining myself:

I'm not a collector in any of the traditional senses normally associated with comics. That is to say, I don't keep my comics bagged and boarded from the moment of purchase; I don't buy multiple copies of comics for the sake of variant covers or other gimmicks; I don't have any perpetually-ongoing series on my list at my local shop. I don't keep track of the value of my comics, nor do I have any intention of selling any of them on.

I'm interested in comics for the artistic and narrative aspects. I buy single issues, but prefer TPBs. I'll buy oversize hardcovers for a few items, but not as the norm. I'm not really interested in the artifact aspect of comics - I just want to read the stories. I would, in fact, probably read more comics if they were available as legal digital copies, since the main reason I don't read much in the way of mainstream comics is that I don't want the clutter of all those back issues. (Well, ok, that's the second main reason, the first main reason being that most mainstream comics seem to be built around a "jam tomorrow" dynamic that puts me off).

As for the "comics collection as investment"....I wouldn't rely on it. Even at the moment, only comics from the 70's and earlier are really worth anything, and realistically I don't think the market of hardcore collectors who place that much value on the physical artifact is increasing much. I would be genuinely surprised if there are similar numbers of hardcore comic collectors in 20 years time as there are now.

ztoical

I had to vote other as well even thou I've a massive collection of comics I have never viewed myself as a collector - I don't know the word just sounds cold and detached for me, all my books are well loved and worn with cracked spines and scuff marks on them and thats how I like them. I buy every sort of comic - mainstream, indie press, manga, BD's, etc . I pick different comics up for different reasons but I've never picked up a book with the idea of it being an investment even any of the signed ones - I've alot of orginal art that I might class as an investment but to me a comic is a mass produced item. In the past year I've been finding myself picking up more and more BD's over american comics and as pretty much all BD's are oversized, hardcover books they don't really fall into the "comic collector" bracket.

Nathanual

I voted 'other' because that's how I am now... A couple of years ago I would buy a lot, usually the first issues of new DC and Marvel comics. Now I buy three comics a month, The Boys, The Jeph Loeb Hulk, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Selling comics on Ebay is great, but don't expect too much.

JangoFett

I know that a good few other my comics are already worth 5 or 6 times what I originally paid so I'll be keeping them for a good while!

Jonesy3110

I'm a horrible insane obsessive collector. I buy comics that I don't even intend to ever read, and variant covers. I'm worse with action figures but thats a whole different thread :P I could never sell anything though, I collect them cos I love them!

W0LFMAN

Jonesy3110 wrote: »

I'm a horrible insane obsessive collector. I buy comics that I don't even intend to ever read, :P I could never sell anything though, I collect them cos I love them!

I went through a Very Bad period in 2005, where I found my old complete run of Judge dread megazine Vol 1... in the attic where i stored them.

After fining them i did a search on ebay and found that they were worth about 30-40 quid....

I wished the clicking stopped there....

After 6 months... i have bought nearly ten Super large job lots... a few collection runs.. and loads of bits and pieces...

I still have them in my Games room....I do read one or two on my Big Budda Bag....

but most of all.. i would love if i could get them organised and cataloged.... would there be a service for someone to do this?...would most likly take a whole day...whats a good price 100 euros?....

JangoFett

Mine are all bagged and boarded and nicely organised but I re-read them all the time. I'm gonna make a proper wooden rack for them soon

spooydermot

I've quite a few comics sitting in my room, every now and then they get bagged and boarded and put into a box -
like the other posters I'm not as collector in the sense that I don't have every issue of spiderman or what not - there are titles I drop depending on how they are going. I personally prefare TPBs - but i do like going in and getting the next installment of a story that I'm enjoying.

I have managed to get my hands on the first issues of the TPBs that I really like: Preacher,Transmetropoliton, DMZ and what-not
Thats just cause....I dunno - like a mark of how much I really like those stories.

I agree that in a few years time there probably wont be much value to the 'collection' that I have - but it's not being bought as an investment - just as something i enjoy

Skinfull

I love to collect comics but I prefer the mini series like 1 of 3 or 1 of 9 rather than a series that seems to go on for infinity like Spiderman or whatever.

I couldnt dump them though no matter how much room they take up! Most of them are complete series' but I dont keep them for financial means. They are just bloody good reads!

cronndiesel

depends on the comic and whats in fashion
obviously if a film comes out about it then its value will rise
but generaly speaking to find out how much their worth try buying the same ones you have
personaly if youve kept them fairly long then unless the landlord is kickin ya out tomorrow then you might as well hold on to them

(im not sure if ive got this one right but....)

''act in haste
regret at leisure''

acrazylegoman

i would advise to keep all your issue ones and put them in plastic covers 90% of the time the issue ones are the more valuable and sought out comics. Because of this you should keep them and they will be worth a lot more