What's up with these D Stephens books?

[PovertyRow]

I liked seeing the Defenders logo in the pic

 

No no! Top to bottom is fine. It is "side to side". (Just call me Mister Miyagi!)

 

I'd say "wax off" but that is Bug's department.

[lighthouse]

Lighthouse:

 

Normally I agree with most things you say...

 

Don't say that too loudly... I own a brick and mortar store, which means I am, by definition, a member of the "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves" brigade...

 

but how can you say that Chuck is moving most of the garbage pieces at insane prices. i haven't exactly scoured the site for what he is and isn't moving, but I don't see that many pieces being sold. And why is it that Chuck can get $20 for something most can't move at $10... doesn't that indicate that there's something very, very wrong with that scenario?

 

I have to plead ignorance here, but what was the "junk" they are selling off at the insane prices? There's just something counterintuitive to logic here that Chuck is the only guy who can sell garbage at double its value... and what insufficiently_thoughtful_persons are buying these books at insane levels double what they could be spending for them elsewhere?

 

Ask any dealer on this forum what they can get for a Fine copy of Daredevil 20. Worth about $15 according to the guide, but nobody here can get that... Donut, Banner, Me, BlazingBob, none of us could consistently get $10 for it. Chuck can price that same book at $30 and sell it in less than 60 days. If he makes it available at one of his famed 40% off sales, it will move in under a week at $18...

 

Chuck has the biggest customer list of any comic dealer in the world, and no one will deny that. He is the retailer of last resort for hundreds of collectors, and is the only dealer at all for hundreds more. There are plenty of dealers who can find the right customer for top-flight books. You've got a White-Paged 9.6 Hulk 181 and maybe BronzeBruce or Bryce from Ideal is your man. The dealer who will pay the most is always the dealer whose customers will pay the most. If Bruce knows a guy willing to pay $8K and no one else does, Bruce will be the high bidder every time. That's just the way it works.

 

And for drek comics, no one has a customer base willing to pay what Chuck's customers will pay. He consistently gets more money from garbage comics than anyone in the world. He has invested the money in his inventory system and order fulfillment system so that he can tell you in 2 seconds how many copies of X-Factor 53 he has in stock. No one else in the world can do that. Buddy Saunders is getting close, but he's not there yet. And in a choice between spending $4 and 10 seconds or $1 and an hour, no collector in their right mind will spend an hour looking for a better deal. With a large wantlist, you can always do better than Chuck, because you can spend an hour and find 50 books you need. But if you're down to two issues, it's hard to beat the combination of price and convenience that Chuck provides... It all comes down to what your time is worth....

 

The reason Chuck can get twice what we can is that he's really selling convenience. You'll hear blowhards all over talking about how crazy his prices are, but his prices aren't for comics, they are for convenience. And his customers know that...

 

So for DS, he has a chance to sell all his worst books at insanely good prices and watch as his best books sit waiting for the right deal... It's an absolute win-win for a collector who doesn't need money right away... I don't blame him at all...

 

It's just sad that all those great books aren't really on the market... Just have to hope they will be at some point...

[SilverAgeGuy]

There is a good reason why he can sell for those prices. Advertising dollars! The guy has been spending plenty on advertising for many years, and as a result, pretty much anyone who is even thinking of buying back issues has heard of Mile High Comics.

 

Yeah, he has a bad rep with the hard core collectors and his prices are quite often wacked out, but there is a segment of the market that wants what he is selling, and is willing to pay for convienience.

 

I would like to point out that you CAN get nice books for reasonable prices at Mile High, you just have to look... HARD. I have found that you can occasionally get high grade CGC non-key (think run filler) books at reasonable prices (ie going rates on ebay). I do occasionally buy from Chuck. I believe I have bought 3 books from him this year. I paid reasonable prices and was happy with what I recieved. If you just browse his site however, say checking for an X-Men 94, you will either fall out of your chair or laugh histerically when you see the price.

 

 

[ghoulaid]

Lighthouse: now your's is a great post! Very informative and right on the mark. For those who think the Dallas Stephens collection is a dud - I wouldn't turn down the 2 copies of Showcase #4, 13 and 14 plus Strange Adventures #2-12, plus what 12 copies of Hulk #181, 6 copies of Silver Surfer #1 & 4, etc etc.