10¢ John (formerly Gopher John)

I lurk on these boards several times a week, but haven't posted in years.  While there are some really compelling things that I like to see and read in this forum, I really hate the large proportion of the conversation that is about values and whether a movie release will result in a bump in prices.  And there is a certain degree of "one-upsmanship".  Whenever someone posts a comic they are particularly pleased with, it is just a matter of minutes before someone else is compelled to show off their "better" copy.  What if you were a beginning collector - happily posting the IronMan #3 that you found in a box at your parents house that you fondly remembered buying off the rack only to have it bumped to the next page within minutes because it became the stepping off point for people to show off their minty TOS #39's.  Shouldn't this forum be just as much about the guy with the $40 book that he would never sell as it is about the guy with the $20,000 book he bought last year for $15,000 and will sell next year for $20,000?

I started reading comics in the late 70's and collecting in the early 80's.  I was in awe when I came across some books with a 10-cent cover price and from about 1983 onward I only bought 10-centers and a few of the earliest Marvel 12-centers.  I found it a challenge to get all of the 10-cent Suicide Squad books in Brave and Bold.  Frankly, I think I appreciated them more when they were a bit of an obscurity than when they became a commodity after a movie title was announced (that has nearly nothing to do with the original series).  I love all of the development of Superman's universe that took place in the various Superman titles in the late 50's and early 60's.  Because some book or list identifies issue No xxx as a "key issue" it gets so much love and monetary valuation from the comics community while the issue just before and just after it are barely even desired - even though the stories and artwork in those books are just as good.

And condition...  I love a book I can pull out of its bag and read.  I love the sweet-acidic smell of decaying pulp. 

I grew up in the next town over from Boulder, Colorado and I would see Chuck Rozanski all of the time.  I bought a number of comics directly from him.  Like a lot of other people, Chuck told me "collect what you love and don't worry about the value."  Now it seems like so few people "collect" comics.  The view now is just like the stock market - buy low and sell high.  Buy all of the Katy Keene's now (on 2nd thought, only the "key" issues) before they announce a movie release!  Like Katy Keene?  Does it matter?

On the sales threads, you can regularly see things like B&B 28.  I still need a decent #33, but no one will ever post one for sale until Cave Carson starts "heating up."

I have been lucky.  I have some books that are purported to be quite valuable.  Part of me suspects, though, that once Baby Boomers start dying off and their kids don't know what to do with those boxes and boxes of dad's old comic books (and there is no room for them in their tiny houses), they will be a glut in the market and the value will fall through.  Has anyone ever heard of the  Tulip Collapse of 1637?  They were just flowers with no intrinsic value.   I for one, won't like my B&B #28 any less if/when its only valued at a few hundred dollars even though it might be in the $1,000's right now (especially since  I bought for a hundred dollars years ago).

Sorry to be a grumpy old man (is 47 old?).  My ranting only applies to a portion of the people on this board.  There are a ton of others who really seem to love their books regardless of what the rest of the world values them at.  "Silver" comes to mind - I love that guys drive to complete a series!

Are there any other collectors that are turned off by the "investor" point of view, or is it just me.

end of rant.