500Club

Collectibles exist because of niche markets.  Your story is anecdotal and means nothing.  Your first comment is just an obfuscating generalization, apropos of nothing. It’s the debate equivalent of chaff. In this case, we are looking at a niche market within a type of collectible. The point that follows from that is that, while there is some value to these items, it’s a very small segment of the comic collecting population that values them, and that segment is fuelled by the tubthumping of spec sites. On ‘main street’ these views haven’t really made inroads. My story is anecdotal. It doesn’t mean ‘nothing’. It’s the strongest example I have of many similar. In years of show dealing, I can count on one hand the requests I’ve had for Marvel Age, Previews, DC Who’s Who, assorted Image five page back of book previews, Marvel Now Point 1, etc, etc... When Preacher got scorching hot two years ago, did our buyers want Preacher Preview? Nope. 10:1 they wanted Preacher 1. I had a debate with MrMcKnowitall in the Water Cooler a couple of years ago - I’d dismissed something as anecdotal, and, he countered with the philosophical question ‘how many anecdotes before you have evidence?’.

I will recognize the point made about the format being comic book sized. But, no , it isn’t ‘a comic book’. It’s, as advertised, a ‘sampler’. You get the theatre, the popcorn, the seats and everything with the movie trailer, but it’s not a movie.

SoSM isn’t an ‘actual comic book’. It’s a promotional pamphlet in comic book shape. Calling it an actual comic book is like calling a movie trailer ‘an actual movie’.

145 slabbed copies of the Preacher Preview 194 slabbed copies of Malibu Sun 168 slabbed copies of Dime Press 4 That is quite the niche market. Not all promo items are the same nor are they treated as such by the market. Most of these promo items that get touted don't have all the things going for them that I listed above regarding the Spider-Man sampler. Those things matter. A lot. A year from now we can compare the value generated between 400 dollars worth of Avenging Spider-Man 9 purchased today (the slab the OP mentioned) and 400 dollars worth of Summer of Spider-Man Sampler, which is currently roughly around 20 dollars a copy.  As I told ygogolak, the value argument isn’t an argument. There is value there. Happy to wave the red cape and step aside on that one. It’s still a niche market, though. You may not be aware of this, but there’s a much larger market outside of our insular chat board, and it dwarfs even the totality of the web and spec site denizens. Those people, who shop at LCSs and shows, don’t really care much about items like these as collectibles. They don’t ask for them and they rarely have them on want lists. They will perk up if they have them and there’s money to be made, but thats about it. I had a nice copy of Agents 6, with the 5 page WD preview in the back. Took me 4 years to sell it at shows, and that was into the ultra-hot WD market circa seasons 1-4. That’s a reflection of the lack of interest from the non chat board, spec site frequenting collectors.

Diamond Previews are already treated as much. A cover image is all you get. Yes, it may be a niche market. But that is also the way run collectors are going. So, do you want to change or just be mad about it? Read it again. I`m fine with it as a niche market. I have contempt for the trend that suggests these things should be more. As a self proclaimed `reader of comics`, you can probably understand my desire to lean toward substance.

You related the Spider-Man to Comic Shop News. You obviously didn't open the comic. I'm the one of the two of us that did. I assume it's very easy to track the type of stuff you are selling. Thing is, I can pluck these type of books for $1 and make a large profit because I follow the hobby. The profit aspect is undeniable. My argument is confined to railing against the tide of thinking that these items are cardinal collectibles rather than niche, ancilliary items. It seems like there`s more and more spec sites and so called collectors foisting these off as `the key item` rather than the comic itself that is a character`s first appearance. And, yeah, I did compare SoSM to Comic Shop News, as allusion to a trend. If 3-5 page snippets of story in a preview pamphlet is treated as key, it`s a short trip to a CSN with a picture of a panel with the character predating the comic book appearance.

Actually he only did the first 4 issues of NYX, he couldn't even finish the whole 6 issues. Hughes and Campbell have at least held it down on a monthly title before for more than 4 issues. Of course you can talk about money but when these talented guys don't give us any creativity or storytelling in a medium that is currently dying for that very thing, it is disheartening. It is disheartening as a fan, but, putting myself in the artists`shoes, I`d happily do covers exclusively for the kind of money JSC and others are getting. Truthfully, this is a monster of our (collectors as a whole) own creation.

"Guys like me", you mean the ones that still open and read comics? Yes my friend, a dying breed. Its not my fault that you don't have knowledge of what sells today. Listen, goulash, you`re the spec site denizen and hot trend bandwagon rider. You must love `reading` three to five page pieces of story. These items sell, but to a small corner of the CBSI following, sports card mentality section of the hobby. I don`t get asked for them at any of the shows we set up at.

Except the Summer of Spider-Man Sampler is comic book sized. And comic book length. And has the character appearing in costume and talking in sequential art. And she is named. And she appears in costume on the cover. And the cover even calls it the introduction of the character. And the sampler has 9 slabbed copies compared to 687 for Avenging 9. When you consider all this, combined with the market depth of the character (hint: look at the total number of books she moves daily and not just her first appearance issues), and it is only a matter of time before the Eye of Sauron turns toward this book and it is three figures raw. This is the easiest buy and hold in modern comics. You should only be selling this book right now if you are zeroing out the costs of your initial investment in it.   I guess I can’t fault the logic of taking advantage of a sellable asset.

where have you been? Comic Shop News only has comic strips in it. This is a 5 page preview and it has the cover to Avenging #9 on the cover. In 2016 Preacher Preview 9.8 hit its high of $1,150.  Also, you might want to check what Diamond Previews Jan. 2012 (Saga), Malibu Sun #13 (Spawn) and Diamond Previews March 1992 (Spawn) sell for. It’s an ancillary item at best. I’m sure, for the new age, spec over substance guys like you, that’s a big deal, but for the core of the collecting community these are secondary items. My apologies for not disguising my contempt better.

If promo items catch on, we might as well look at Previews and Comic Shop News.

 The difference possibly being that once the show is done, is there a reasonable revival? Punisher had his comeback, and then haste bump from the Netflix show. It's only a good entry point if there's a future revival...but some things just stay dead It’s a good argument... IF a future revival is needed. I’m going to argue that WD has enough of a significance and place in the hobby alone, to ensure that WD 1 will remain a key book. At a print run of 7000, you’re looking at a fraction of the supply of other key books that the hobby pays significant money for. Personally, I’m hoping for a significant slump in prices, so I can take advantage.

There are historical precedents for what you are seeing. After Marvel overused the Punisher in the 90s, ASM 129 was soft for several years. Often, these serve as good entry points.

That was a sales meeting.. So that's what you old timers call it........................ That's what you call it when you don't want to be arrested again for solicitation.

Why? Are you planning on seeing the Director’s Cut five day long version?

Only if you think Uncanny X-Men 201 is a big deal.

They should`ve told him to stop at 441. Also, this made me laugh: And I’m directly following one of the most acclaimed and successful runs of all time in Dan Slott’s,” Spencer continued, revealing that his judgement hasn’t really improved in the past six months.

Madder Red Goblin?

What’s the worst he could do...? Have Norman Osborn father children with Gwen Stacy?

best ever post Lemme guess... he had you at beaver...?

Sitting side by side with Flames fans........ Flames fans are still on the course sharpening up. Their golf game isn't as good, because Oiler fans get to practice every year. At least we have the course to ourselves every year on draft lottery day.

Hopefully they are both knocked out in the first round....... What's wrong with Winnipeg? Gives Oiler fans a Canadian team to watch, during their annual post golf rounds at the clubhouse.

Who?

The one has nothing to do with the other. How much is ASM #667 worth? Now how much is the ASM #667 1:100 worth? This was the comment that teed off the debate - the idea that because Ross virgin covers are selling for $600+ now, we could infer anything as to whether the dealer could be right.

Passive-aggressive white flag?