Bookery

On 2/24/2023 at 12:14 PM, Robot Man said:

I have most always bought comics for enjoyment and rarely paid much for them. All genres not just superhero’s. I have watched the prices go up and up every year. Just when I see a price that makes my jaw drop, books just keep going up. I NEVER thought my books would be worth anything as to what they are now. Luckily, I kept most of them. At the moment, I see a lot leveling off a bit but with a strong demand. I know the end is not even close. Someday, but can’t even predict. 

You have always been a collector after my own heart... your golden-age posts always display a wide variety of material, and not just comics.  Some of us just have an affinity for vintage items of times long past.  I'm essentially a comic book shop... that's what the customers want.  But even though they don't sell well, I still can't bring myself to abandon a selection of esoteric first editions, vintage paperbacks, posters and lobby cards (I limit my shop to paper collectibles primarily for space considerations).  I've even carried occasional items from the 16th and 17th centuries.  I do however think a lot of comics have declined in value in my 40-years of business.  Adjusted for inflation, Classics Illustrated on the whole sell for less now than they did in the 1980s.  The same with all but the earliest Disneys.  Most movie tie-ins have far less enthusiasm than they did in my early days of business.  (There was no such thing as 9.6 or 9.8 back then, so that's a different ballgame if they keep setting record prices).  And despite a huge burst in value for Matt Baker and a few hot artists, most romance comics will not sell for premiums beyond inflation-adjustments (they sell great if cheap, however).  And, of course, prices and larger popularity don't always go hand in hand.  Prices can soar on items only 100 people care about, if there are only 50 of those items to be had.  Most of us, even if we were billionaires, probably still wouldn't be spending our money on Gutenberg Bibles... it just wouldn't be in our interest-niche.  

On 2/23/2023 at 10:33 PM, october said:

I think reminding everyone that the exact same demographic cliff arguments have been present on the boards since it's inception is worth pointing out, as well as the fact that they have yet to be correct. 

Except that they have always been correct!  The straw-man argument is always presented that comics (or any pop culture collectibles market) will not "crash", when no one ever made the "crash" argument to begin with.  But there is, and always will be, a slow ebb of declining interest as cultures and interests change over time.  Comic books once sold massive quantities of issues across all sorts of genres.  When I opened my shop in 1984 I still had numerous collectors for westerns, TV and movie tie-ins, Classics Illustrated, Disney, and other genres.  Most of these have indeed declined in interest since then.  Sure, I can sell these genres quickly out of the $5 boxes... but that simply prices them at the same level as a new-release comic.  Comics books weren't just about super-heroes any more than fiction novels were just about elves and orcs.  But over time the comic market keeps contracting as more and more genres fall by the wayside and new-release production numbers keep shrinking.  The same thing has happened with movie posters and lobby cards... the horror and sci-fi genres still do well, but almost everything else has declined in interest other than obvious rarities.

Most collectors, even on these boards, aren't really "comic book collectors" per se... they are super-hero collectors.  They buy comics, action figures, statues, movie-memorabilia, all tied to super-heroes.  Comic book audiences, except for very small niche independents, have consolidated down to primarily one of two genres (horror still does well also).  So yes, those that have been predicting that each new generation will have declining interest in comic books as a whole have been absolutely correct.  (And that doesn't mean any pop-culture collectible can't have a temporary resurgence... they often do). 

Young people also forget, when talking about how something will be popular "forever",  just how brief of a time comic books have existed so far.  Both of my parents are still around and they were born before there was such a thing as a super-hero.  When I was born, Superman was only 20 years old, and I pre-date Spider-Man.  And when talking comic books as a "collectible"... that didn't really take off until the early 1970s with the introduction of Overstreet and various fanzines.  All in all... a remarkably short period in which to declare something's enduring popularity, or lack of.

On 2/23/2023 at 11:34 AM, 1Cool said:

Define young.  I don't see anyone in that crowd that is under 35 with most over 50.  I was going to ask if they prevented women from buying a ticket but I think I see one in the back of a couple pictures.

I hadn't thought about it... but yeah, those could also be photos from a pulp convention.  But some things are making a comeback.  There was all-time record attendance at last month's Dime Novel panel discussion, as seen here... 

On 2/22/2023 at 4:22 PM, L'Angelo Misterioso said:

Even without the movies, I don't think comic book values will tank just because people are aging out of the hobby and the medium is losing mainstream favorability. Maybe a lot of these bronze age speculator keys will crash, but a lot of Golden and Silver age comics will hold their value. Some have said "Well, besides Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and Cap, everything else (like PCH, GGA, and obscure heroes) will crash." But, really old comics will always have value due to 1) cultural and historical significance 2) they're cool antiquities that aren't artificially scarce 3) there will always be people who are into vintage art, ephemera, and propaganda, and comics appeal to enthusiasts in those avenues. Most people today have no nostalgic connection to a bulk of Golden Age series, yet they're still in extremely high demand. Comics will do just fine, with or without the comic movie craze.

I would only make a couple of tweaks to what you've written above.  I would add the word "Some" before "old comics", and caveat that golden-age is in "extremely high demand" only due to scarcity of supply.  If your average golden-age issue was available in the same quantity as, say, New Mutants, they would be worth about the same (or even less, as there are fewer readers for them).  All culture-related collectibles diminish in demand as the culture moves past them.  But certain rarities or icons will always have a market.  There are collectors for 19th-century literature.  And the first editions of Dickens, Melville, Twain, etc., continue to go up over time.  But there are also tens of thousands of novels from that century that are now all but worthless.  Most Big Little Books are worth less than the cost of making a facsimile... but there are some key volumes still worth money. 

Whenever these discussions come up the default position is that "Superman #1" will always be in demand.  Well, sure.  But will "Superman #67"  with the Perry Como cover always be expensive (relative to inflation)?  Matt Baker and Alex Schomburg are the epitome of classic comic book art... but will today's generations growing up on photo-realistic CGC art ever see these older artworks as anything but crude line-drawings compared to what they enjoy?  Cowboy heroes once held the position in books, comics, movies and TV that super-heroes now hold.  But time has mostly passed them by.  Super-heroes actually did die out once... in the late 40s and early 50s.  Audiences simply lost interest.  They had a resurgence in the '60s, and so far continue unabated.  But everything changes in time.

On 2/22/2023 at 8:50 PM, Lazyboy said:

No, those are mutually exclusive concepts, despite any similarities.

The Four Color series is more complicated than that.  Perhaps the Ducks books and TV series' issues are indeed a blurred line, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to say that Four Color 1085 ("The Time Machine") and 1100 ("Annette's Life Story") are part of the same series just because the publisher assigned a number to them.  Kids buying these books paid no attention to the numbers... they were simply a device used by the publisher to track their books.  This is the same thing paperback publishers of the era did... Gold Medal, Pocket Books, Pyramid... any of them.  The books were presented in a number sequence, but that doesn't mean "The Grapes of Wrath" and "The Killer Inside Me" are part of a "series".  They are indeed "one-shots".   

I don't think Heritage will care if I post the grading section (sans photos) from the 2020 guide here, just in case it could be of use to new collectors...

*** GRADING ***

       Many of you will acquire a guide such as this simply for the reference data incorporated, with little or no interest in pricing.  But for those interested in evaluating their own collections (an important process for insurance purposes) or for determining a reasonable range for purchasing from dealers or bidding at auctions, knowing how to grade is essential.

       As mentioned previously, there are three grading columns, "good" (2.0), "very good" (4.0), and "very fine" (8.0).  Many pulps will actually fall into grades even lower than the first column "good" valuation, a grade considered typical for most issues that occasionally still turn up in original-owner collections.  Pulps in true "very good" collection are often the best grade one is likely to turn up, especially for scarcer titles.  "Very Fine" is a grade obtainable for some saddle-stitched magazine formats, and for digests particularly from the 1960s, but it is quite rare for true pulp-format publications, and likely non-existent for many specific or especially early issues.  Unless a collection is from a major (and usually well-documented) discovery or estate, large listings of pulps in "very fine" (or better!) condition may be dubious.

      For this edition we have added a numbering system to the grading definitions.  This has not been historically standard for pulp grading, but such systems are now employed for most popular collectibles, and are listed here for the benefit of the collector.  Some dealers will use them and others will not-- but the systems are interchangeable and equally valid.  Both terms and numbers are listed below.  The 9-point scale below is similar to that used for comics, and there are parallels between the two in terms of general eye-appeal.  It is often claimed that pulp condition is not graded the same as comics, but this is not necessarily true.  It is simply that pulps will rarely be found in the same high-grade conditions that comics will.  Whereas a high-grade collector of comics may seek out 8.0 grades (or above) even for golden-age issues, the grade conscious pulp collector will generally accept a 6.0 (or sometimes lower) as a prized copy, especially for older or scarcer issues.  Unlike with comics, however, it is the opinion of this author that the half-grades (or decimal grades) common with comics are not useful with the more fragile nature of pulps.

 POOR (0.5):  An incomplete copy, coverless or missing pages, or brittle or otherwise damaged beyond reasonable readability.  Coverless copies in otherwise decent condition are often desired as reading copies as long as they are inexpensive.  But heavily damaged or abused issues have little or no collectible value.

 FAIR (1.0):  Generally considered below collectible grade unless rare or in high demand.  A "fair" copy may be missing a back cover or a title or advertising page, but all story pages must be intact.  Outer pulp edges may be brittle in places, but the overall pages must be solid enough to turn without undue risk of tearing or breaking apart.  Pages might be especially darkened, or exhibit damp-staining.  An otherwise complete and even supple copy may be marred by numerous cover stress-lines and tears, excessive edge-trimming or chipping, etc.  Value is generally about half or less of the "good" price.

 GOOD (2.0):  Represented by the 1st pricing column in this guide, "good" is the typical used but not abused issue, and the grade most commonly encountered in non-specialist venues such      as flea markets, garage sales, or standard estate auctions.  A "good" issue often has a number of cover creases and/or reading stress-lines, but not so many as to make the book as unattractive as a "fair". Pages may be tanned, but should exhibit only minor flaking if any.  Spine-lettering may be substantially flaked and chipped, but the spine should not be completely damaged or missing.  A taped spine, or interior-taped tears are not uncommon, as long as the tape is unobtrusive and the glue has not seriously damaged the book.  The cover-overhang may be heavily chipped or trimmed away altogether.

GOOD to VERY GOOD  (3.0):  An item falling somewhere between the former and following grading levels.

 VERY GOOD (4.0): This grade is represented by the 2nd pricing column in this guide, and is the minimal standard sought by many serious collectors, and with some pulps is the highest obtainable grade.  "Very good" is also a designation most often over-graded by book owners and some dealers.  A "very good" is actually an above average copy in many cases.  Covers should be reasonably bright without unusual fading.  Pages may be lightly tanned, yellowed or off-white, but should be mostly supple with only a hint of edge-flaking here and there.  Tape may be present only in small amounts, such as the spine corners, or a small interior tear.  The cover may be slightly separated from the spine edges, but should not exceed an inch or two, and the overall book must be solid.  Vertical reading stress lines near the spine are common, as are small corner creases.  The overhang may be chipped or have multiple tears, but generally should still be present. However the 4.0 grade is the highest-grade generally given to a pulp that has been trimmed (after publication), if it is done neatly.  The spine should be at least 50% intact.  No pages can be missing.  Although a "very good" book may have one or more of the above defects, this does not mean it should have an abundance of them, or should have such an accumulation of defects as to mar its general attractiveness.  In particular, the main body of the cover should not be damaged so as to unduly detract from the art.

 VERY GOOD TO FINE (5.0):   An item falling somewhere between the former and following grading levels.

FINE (6.0):  Whereas "fine" may be considered a mid-grade comic book, here it represents what is often the highest possible grade for many early pulp-format publications, though the general appearance will be about the same.  The spine should be 75% or more intact, and generally clean.  The book should not be overly dull, and the pulp overhang, if applicable to the issue, should be present with small chips and tears that would come from routine shelf-wear.  A 6.0 book should not be artificially trimmed. Tape (or tape-stains) are generally not allowed, though a very small piece may be permissible on an otherwise beautiful copy.  Pages may not be their original white, but should be creamy or lightly yellowed.  If a pulp has an outstanding and near-flawless cover, but has significantly darkened or brittle interior pages, it is not a "fine".  Some general cover scuffing and corner-creasing is allowed, but the book should appear like a 6.0 golden-age comic would... bright, tight, and attractive, with the look of having been carefully read once or twice, then decently stored.  Early pulps are often scarce in this condition, but '40s and '50s pulps are not overly rare in 6.0, and stapled-magazine format publications and factory-trimmed digests can often be located in this grade, though a lot is dependent upon the quality of the paper stock.  A 6.0 book will usually be priced about halfway between the "very good" and "very fine" columns.

 FINE TO VERY FINE (7.0):  A highly-attractive issue that falls just short of the "very fine" classification.

 VERY FINE (8.0):  This grade is represented by the 3rd pricing column in this guide.  A "very fine" is fairly close to the same condition as the day it arrived at the newsstand, regardless of the issue's age.  The book has only very small flaws.  Pages should be white or at least off-white. The spine must be fully intact and unfaded.  No trimming, tape, or glue repairs are permitted.  Small tears may be in the over-hang, but no pieces are missing.  Bedsheet and pulp issues should have straight, un-warped spines.  Magazines will not exhibit rusting to the staples.  With rare exceptions, this is as good as it gets for most pulp-format publications.

VERY FINE TO NEAR MINT (9.0):  This grade would rarely come into play, though there have been a few examples and collections over the years that would qualify.  This is essentially a newsstand-fresh copy, with only the smallest loss of whiteness to the pages possibly allowed from the passage of time.  What few flaws permitted in the 8.0 grade would generally be absent here.  Pricing may or may not be substantially different from an 8.0, however.  Less expensive or in-demand pulps such as many westerns, romances, or even later Argosy, Blue Books, etc., might be valued little differently than the "very fine" grade.  Some magazines and later digests will turn up in this grade, and may bring the same or only slightly higher prices than an 8.0.  But some art-intensive pulps, such as certain science-fiction titles, hero pulps, weird-menace, or "spicy" titles do rarely occur as newsstand fresh copies, and these often will bring significant premiums beyond those listed in this volume.

On 2/17/2023 at 3:02 PM, the blob said:

You shouldn't try to sell your books in someone else's shop. Period. Do it in the parking lot.

And not even in the parking lot if the lot is part of the rent or ownership of the shop.  I pay $10k per year in property tax... you don't get to do business on my property for free. And, as I said before... you may see me turn down a given batch of books... but you have no idea if that's a one off, or whether I have an ongoing relationship with that seller.  To insert yourself into the business of a customer you would have had no way of meeting if you weren't reaping the benefits of my physical location and all of the advertising and good-will it has built over decades is a big no.  You want to be a wheeler-dealer... get your own shop, run it the way you want to, file all of your tax forms (110 of them per year in my case), and in general put in the work.  

For me, the issue isn't that he criticized shops... certainly it wouldn't be my style with some of the way these business are run/look.  Reviews, good or bad, are a centuries-old tradition.  The real problem is the unannounced video-taping.  Even then, if he came into my shop, asked permission, and I was the only one in the place, I would probably allow it.  I don't have anything to hide.  However, if customers were in the shop, I wouldn't allow it (unless he specifically got their approval as well).  I do not agree with the nature of some of the criticisms, however.  It's fine if you don't care for the clutter, or the prices, or a lack of organization, or even the attitude you received from staff.  But I'm not sure it's germane to make fun of their appearance or taste in music or even social skills unless they are being overtly rude.  Surprisingly, many of us shop owners haven't won any pageants nor moved into comics retailing after our stint as models.  I mean, c'mon... making fun of us in that way is sort of like shooting fish in a barrel... 

On 2/16/2023 at 12:23 PM, Sigur Ros said:

Saw this yesterday, lol.  I don't like how he goes in insulting the people and shops (in narration, not IRL), then picking on the Christian music being played at one of them, the conditions of the shops, etc.  But in the one case, the shop turned down a seller so he followed them to the parking lot and tried to make a deal...then the shop owner came out chasing him away because it takes away her business.

Business she already turned down.

It's still insulting.  Over the decades I have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising, 40 years of building a reputation and clientele.  Then someone walks off the street and takes advantage of all of that for free.  This guy would not have ever met the seller if not for the shop's marketing and/or reputation.  Not only that... but maybe the seller doesn't appreciate being approached by a stranger at their car (esp. one wearing a camera), which creates a negative reaction for having come to my store.  A large percentage of my clientele are dealers and flippers, and there are times after I've turned down a collection, I've actually pointed the customer in their direction.  But remember... just because this particular selection isn't something I can use, maybe the seller has other stuff to eventually bring in.  If strangers use my business to get in the middle of that, it could have a severe impact.

If you want to wheel and deal with bystanders, it's open game at a convention.  But not in (or around) someone's place of business.  

It's an old thread, of course... but it always amused me as this is famous for being an over-the-top gore cover.  But it's not really.  If you read the story, the character on the cover is a robot.  And even the cover hints at that, as there are nuts and bolts flying out of the face.  (Though I'm sure when kids explained this to their appalled mothers, the comic was still confiscated). 

On 1/28/2023 at 9:09 PM, tth2 said:

If this was one of the best collections, then it really confirms that VF is as good as it gets for a 1930s-era pulp.

For the most part, yes.  I'm sure CGC will be using the same grading methodology as with comics, but frankly, a 1 to 9 grading scale would be sufficient.  There are some stapled magazines that aren't really pulps that probably turn up in near mint... Wink, Twitter, etc.  I'm sure there are some flawless digests from the 40s and 50s out there.  A couple of years back, however, I did get in a group of Weird Tales from the 1930s, some of which I actually graded 9.0 (it is the first and only time in my 40 years of business that I have graded any pulps this high).  This was followed a short time later by about 30 Spicys that averaged 7.0.  High grade science-fiction pulps from the 40s and 50s are not that rare, and do turn up.  But yes... for the rest... runs of 6.0 pulps would be an exceptional collection, and 8.0s would be outstanding.  In terms of overall consistency of high grade, the Frank Robinson collection was probably the best, and may not be surpassed.

On 1/27/2023 at 11:07 AM, tth2 said:

From the few that I was tracking:

Cupid's Capers 3/34 FN/VF $4,680 ... Bookery VF = $300

Romantic Detective 8/38 FN/VF $1,320 ... Bookery VF = $225

Spicy Western 11/36 VF $5,640 ... Bookery VF = $600

So I'd say yeah, just a tad!

 

I was using "tad" as an acronym... for "total add decimal".