Readcomix

Dead men grin to carrying a dead man in

Thing in the cave to thing in the subway

20 hours ago, Chillax23 said:

Good for you!  Stand-up move that you were not obligated to do.

Thank you! I thought long and hard about it and wasn't happy at first, but he gave back the biggest 4 of the 8 I gave him and the small cash portion of the transaction, and gave me an ASM #300 instead of the four lesser books from the original 8. So he clearly felt the original deal was fair after all (which was an important consideration to me), he really was just being fickle about parting with the first silver key he acquired. (I've since sold him a Surfer #1 and Strange Tales #135 so it isn't lonely.)

This hobby isn't anything other than reading and art appreciation without camaraderie and friendship, so I figured why not? 

This thread has fallen way too far 

1 hour ago, Ricksneatstuff said:

I am looking for one myself. 

Ack!  Well, at least I can go be tied up at work the next few days and not worry if I can't check in as regularly..... 

Of course, as someone also looking for one, you know this is just sour grapes from me.....

There wouldn't happen to be a Roly Poly #12 coming, would there?

For our #1 skull cover boardie....skull to skull

Man who would burn to woman about to burn

2 hours ago, Ameri said:

I would never have thought about this myself and it was a surprise take when I heard it but the well-known dealer has been around 30 years and has seen a lot, far more than the average collector could ever experience. I've sensed a lot of resistance to one shots, either in general opinions or hammered prices.  Same with NY World's Fair 1939 and 1940 and the Marvel and Cap Annuals and the 1947 Eerie. Heck, the few books mentioned in this underwhelming thread included Red Raven 1 and Daredevil Battles Hitler right off the bat. Interest levels just appear too low except for a few collectors that rabidly pursue them and final prices just never seem right to me. Great books but the majority of collectors just don't seem that interested. Regarding the recent sales of the Double Action set and Motion Picture Funnies Weekly, they ended with respectable prices but I think it was moreso because there haven't been any on the market for years, so rarity may have won in those examples.          

It's just an eye-opener. Most of the books named are pretty cool; I Guess there really isn't much appetite for that type of collecting. Even if you buy well and are Ok with stable value at best, one needs to know they are likely fairly illiquid compared to many other similar price point GA options. I suppose if one really wants any of these type of books in their collection, especially the pricier ones, well-presenting solid but low-grade copies may be the safe way to go, rather than top copy for top dollar.

8 hours ago, lou_fine said:

+1

This phenomenon is clearly evident as most buyers are chasing after only the keys and classic covers, while ignoring the non-key run books. 

Focus is definitely on buying more for investing and future resale, as opposed to buying for reading and retaining in your collection. 

I'm sure this is true in many cases, but I suspect (with myself as an N of 1) that some collectors are merely hitting a point in life where they've got a couple dozen or more long boxes of 40-plus year-old run books and minor keys and thinking, "If I unlock all the $10 bills in here tied up in books I don't remember or care about anymore, I can get a few of my grails." That's what I have been doing: downsizing lower price point items I long ago lost love for, and putting the money back into things I've always wanted. I still have plenty or run books, but a lot fewer, and none of the ones I knew I was never going back to. And more keys, cool covers and other pricey obscurities I've always wanted. From that outside, my curating can look a lot like the flippers, I e's probably more of them, but also probably more than just me curating in this way.

2 hours ago, Lt. Eckhardt said:

It is mind boggling to me why there isn't a comic book spinner rack as the first thing I see when I walk into Target or Walmart.  Keep in mind these place don't sell comics at all.  I think you would have so many new readers if new books were just mainstream and easily accessible. 

Agreed

And funny they didn't call him Ubermensch...

Our Flag to four flags

Wings of danger to wing in danger

On February 20, 2017 at 10:36 PM, Larryw7 said:

O

Looks like Brenda Starr!

12 hours ago, Ameri said:

I sold a Tough Kid Squad many years ago to a very well known dealer and something he said always stuck with me. He said his experience with one shots are that they are generally avoided by many collectors because there is nothing else to pursue after you buy one and that collectors tend to pursue books that have enjoyed a run. Books like Red Raven 1, Tough Kid Squad, Double Action 2, Motion Picture Funnies Weekly 1, Big All American, Daredevil Battles Hitler (although it continues as Daredevil with #2), all fall into that category and have historically shown price resistance. It's unfortunate that the stigma persists because there are one shots that are among the greatest books ever published and Red Raven 1 is absolutely one of the greats.       

This is really interesting; thanks for sharing that! I'm surprised that's a pervasive take, but I guess I'm juat in the minority. I think it's fun to amass cool one-offs, and not always easy. RR#1 remains a grail for me, and I wouldn't mind Tough Kid Squad.

Another that fits this bill, from the 50's, is Jughead's Folly, a wonderful book if you're an Archie fan.

On February 21, 2017 at 4:19 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

Xela AS to earlier AS, drawing a distinct line...  

 

 

First I've seen a cover with an actual GA appearance of the Blue Diamond; thank you! (I met him as a kid in the bronze era, via the Liberty Legion!)

9 minutes ago, Pat Calhoun said:

before to after

 

Some awesome goodness there, Pat!

Haven't parted with any true SA grails, but the biggest SA book I parted with that I would like back/miss is X-Men #4.

Also, I traded a newer collector once for his Showcase #34 and he called me a week later and asked if I Would undo it. (Deal was fair, and he agreed on that. He got 8 books for it. In the original deal, Just missed his first key.) So I did. And it was good for both of us. He was generous in the trade-back; not a complete undo. 

I wound up acquiring some other good stuff from him since, and passing along some bargain prices on early SA Marvel under copies that he wanted. Good long-term move for both of us.

About to cut her to about to cut her

Death is a dream to a day at the beach

Devil to devil

Headless to headed that way

Consumed by a skull to serving a head for consumption

Hawk to hawk