Comic Collection Article

[hedrap]

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-10-30/those-comics-in-your-basement-probably-worthless

It's two years old, but it got me thinking about Meanie's comic-binding thread.

[monitor_ep]

I worked at comic book stores for years and people would spend an insane amount of money for there retirement and I would chuckle. The old comics that came out during WWII are the $$$$$ the rest are just paper. The reason those WWII era comics are worth so much was time were tough and you either recycled your books or threw them away. Very few people saved them making Action Comics #1 ultra rare. Anything from the 70's and up and not worth keeping as an investment.

Now that comixology is available and you can buy back issues for $1 or $2 it really has hurt the comic book market.

[Blue Meanie]

I worked at comic book stores for years and people would spend an insane amount of money for there retirement and I would chuckle. The old comics that came out during WWII are the $$$$$ the rest are just paper. The reason those WWII era comics are worth so much was time were tough and you either recycled your books or threw them away. Very few people saved them making Action Comics #1 ultra rare. Anything from the 70's and up and not worth keeping as an investment.

Now that comixology is available and you can buy back issues for $1 or $2 it really has hurt the comic book market.

I think it's more like anything pre-1975 would be the stuff you would want to keep. Anything post, besides key issues, is worthless. Then again IMHO it wasn't about $$$. The so called worthless stuff that I have is worth something to me in that the majority of it is really good stories and art. My Jon Sable collection is worhtless...but I wouldn't give it away for anything. Love Grell's art and love his stories in this book/title. Same goes for my All Star Squadron's and Defenders and Troublemakers (yeah the valiant book) Great stories that I wouldn't get rid of.

The binding of comics I think I will give a shot before year's end. On the Back Issue Facebook page and the Tales Of Justice Society Facebook page I've seen a few guys that have gotten AMAZING looking bound books. I think I may get the first Green Arrow mini series bound...the one that was done by Trevor Von Eeden and Dick Giordano. It's not something DC is ever going to do as a hardcover.

[monitor_ep]

I just scanned them into a harddrive and then I can read them when I want.

[hedrap]

I have a huge digital library, but I find myself using more as a reference tool. My kids love graphic novel collections.

If I had the cash, I'd send everyone here out to buy collections and have runs bound into series. Sort of like comic deflation. Like you said Moni, way to many books printed and kept as collectible.

I've never understood 2nd/3rd run printing. It devalued everything in the 90's and Marvel/DC still do it today.

[madmarva]

^ Marvel and DC are out to sell comics today. I don't think they're worried about anyone's back issues, but you know that.

As for back issues, Meanie's pretty much right. There are very few truly rare issues from the mid 70s on. Some of the early b/w independents are exceptions. Maybe even early issues of the Walking Dead. Most of the so-called "Hot" books and post-silver-age and maybe early bronze-age "keys" aren't truly hard to find. Marvel Stamps makes it tougher to find some issues from that era complete, but Hulk 181, Iron-Man 55, Spider-Man 121 and 129 aren't truly rare. I think the inflation of bronze-age Marvel books has more to do with silver-age keys being priced out of many's collector's reach, so their interest turned to desirable issues in a lower price bracket. You can still buy a high grade Hulk 181 cheaper than most mid- to low-grade silver-age first appearances.

As for digital, I like the convenience, but it still frustrates me. Marvel's done a better job of getting its back catalog on digital than DC, but DC has so much more super-hero material to transfer. Just for reference and historical sake, DC ought to get the all the various Superman and Batman titles and issues on digital.

I had switched to digital until Comixology was sold and dropped its apple app. When my iPad dies, I might switch to a Kindle. But at the moment I can order through a subscription service and get the floppies for a dollar or more cheaper than digital. And I still like paper.

I've been buying Marvel Masterworks since they started in the 80s most of the titles have caught up to where I started collecting in the 70s. I'd still be buying Archives if DC hadn't dropped them.

I like getting a huge chunk of comics at once with the Omnibus editions, but they are too heavy for me to hold with one hand to read, and when you get to the middle the binding makes it tough to see the full page.

I guess I'm just full of gripes.

[monitor_ep]

I bought the Kiss Omnibus and yeah it does cause a problem once you get half way through it.

[hedrap]

I didn't know Comixology bailed on iOS.

There's an app called Hoopla which connects to your library account for 10 free monthly rentals. They use Comixology's guided view, which is nice. Most of Art's Tiny Titans is available.

There are a number of Masterworks/Archives I've thought about renting through the library that I wouldn't buy,

[madmarva]

I didn't know Comixology bailed on iOS.

Yeah, it happened over a year ago when Amazon bought Comixology. Here's an article.

[Mr.Marion]

True the multiple x-men #1 and McFarlane aren't worth anything. But bronze age books are going up in price.