GermanFan

And think of the stock auction houses and dealers have put away from the market to pretend scarcity. At some point they will be forced to liquidate. Its like with the De Beers Diamonds. They only seem to be scarce because De Beers controls the market. They are not. With comics of course there are exceptions. But most comics, even GA, are not that rare. Most ECs for example.

Red wave.

I didnt get the hype when it was brought to the market. Maybe people associated it with the Mile High collection? "Promise Collection", nice maketing ploy. But promise what? Loss?

When I started collecting again (after stopping in the early 90s) around 2004 / 2005 shipping to Germany was cheap. A Box with 8 to 10 books was about 13 $. Now with the global Ebay shipping program, which is mandatory, one book is at least 20 $ shipping. Then the Euro was in much much better shape than today (and more so in the future). I didnt realize then, that the period from 2004 to 2011 was a golden age buying wise. So many deals, a Hulk 1 in 1.0 blue for 350 $. The CSS with the severed head cover in gvg or 23 $. I sent back a 20 $ Flash 123 to the seller because it had extra staples. Today I have pretty much stopped buying, I am still stuck with the 2004 to 2011 prices in my head. I cannot accept the new prices. I like my comics cheap. I hope the good times will come back.

Think about people paying serious money for jpegs, NFT art (there are voices that say its all about money laundering) or stocks of bankrupt companies (game stop, Kodak, rise to new highs), thanks to juvenile Robin Hood traders. Comics (collectibles) must also come down, when the insanity ends. And then everything goes down, even the "blue chip" stuff. When the night is darkest opportunities will rise for collectors with money. Remember the collapse of the new market in 2001. Everything went under water, Amazon etc. The past 20 - 30 years we lived under unprecedented circumstances: free protection from the US (for Europe), cheap commodities from Russia, cheap goods from Asia, Computerisation and Internet, and a demographic sweet spot with workers and consumers. This all ends now.

From all countries in the world america has the best conditions. Its the only country that has everything it needs and could be self sustainable. From Alaska to Hawaii. The pacific and the atlantic seaboard. In fact only one border, Mexico. With the commodity rich Canada in the north and a cheap manufacturing base in Mexico to replace China (China has none of this advantages, China is effed). I am sure the americans will see a political U Turn in the not to far future ("america first") and after a turmoil lasting a couple of years it will see a big rise (manufacturing will come back. USA will produce its own energy again). In this world of crisis, the USA will come out well in the end. So in this time frame of uncertainity, (comic wise) occasions will happen.

Everything is cyclical. I expect a flat buyers market beginning in a year or so lasting for a couple of years, until the USA manages (and it will) to change its course into a saner direction. The speculators and flippers will be burned, fire sell and leave for good and only the cushy core of true collectors will stay. Good comic times ahead!

AF 15 is not a rare book.

Its happening. Finally. Keep your powder dry.

I rarely buy, nor do I sell. I just try to weather the storm and wait the insanity out.

In order to bring some sanity in the situation the FED and the ECB have to place a Paul Volcker 1981 rate hike, significant higher than the inflation (was it 17% then?). But in this case the western economies would get a cardiac arrest. So the can gets kicked down the road a little further...

We are not in Kansas anymore.

German FFs, both from 1967

They have "Madrid" stamps. Where mexican comics imported into spain?

Goes in the right direction for me. Havent bought for month. If prices would stay this high, which I dont believe they will, I am out.

It was a small one room shop. He later moved to a better location with 2 rooms.

Taschen (a german) had a comic shop in the late 70s, early 80s in Cologne. In 1980 I visited his shop, bought my first Overstreet and a FF 52. He was 18 yrs old then I believe.

The comic market will crash back to 1980s/1990s levels. Look whats happening in the world. De-globalisation. De-dollarisation. Bifurcation (two hostile blocks emerging with separated economies and currencies). Not even counting the devastations of the previous years. Energy prices, food prices, commodities in general go up up up. Prepare for a wild ride. Edit: In real value, not nominal value. A loaf of bread in hyperinflationary weimar germany cost 100.000 Mark nominal but the real value was of course 1 mark or so.

Here is an interesting Video describing the norwegian publishing of Marvel Comics in 1968. Koloss (Hulk), Ederkoppen (ASM) and FF. Considering that norway had around 7 million inhabitants this books must be pretty rare.

German Flash from 1969

A black swan may be the population development in the coming years. I think the odd situation will be called off in the next months, everything points to it crumbling, but there could be some surprises coming in the years ahead. May be, must not be. If a certain number of collectors would leave the hobby it could reflect in prices. But this is wild speculation of a black swan event.

I am a comic guy new to crypto. Personally I have been sitting on the sidelines too long watching the prices go up. Feeling mild Fomo. If BTC goes down 20K I consider selling some comics and buy BTC. There has been 80 to 90 % crashes before with Bitcoin. You have to know when to buy and when to sell. And when to hodl.

The question is if there is any market that isnt manipulated. Pure supply and demand. Of course that doesnt make shill bidding right.

At least vintage comics are not inflatable. Whats there is there. So if central banks are forced to "print" more and more fiat money, non collectors might get the idea to store value in GA & SA. After Gold, Silver, BTC and fine Art, wine, vintage cars etc.

Hot Stuff 1 is rare and valuable. The rest not so.