The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is looking for feedback.

[TomG]

We would like to thank everyone for their posts so far regarding feedback for The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide. We will be continuing to read everyone’s posts here on the CGC message boards. We also welcome any feedback directly which can be emailed to feedback@gemstonepub.com

[divad]

[goldust40]

How about adding undergrounds - you've mooted that possibility in the past. Not all of them, at least at first...just the scarce in-demand books from all the major artists/writers in that field. There are a couple of Forumites who could provide accurate info regarding prices, scarcity and the differences between printings of certain issues.

[Aman619]

Every year as our staff works on assembling The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, it's readily apparent to us that there is a lot of data, much of it contradictory, to sift through concerning prices. When one looks at the assembled market reports from traditional comic book dealers, high-end auction houses, serious collectors and online or eBay dealers, it is definitely enough to make even an experienced hand take pause.

 

Add to the equation the perceived differences in value between "raw" or uncertified comics and the same issue and grade of those that have been certified by an independent third party service such as CGC, then the confusion in the marketplace becomes even more apparent.

 

At this point, we believe the demand for regular pricing updates and market analysis to supplement the annual Guide is clear. What is not so defined, though, is what form such updates should take.

 

We need to hear from you on this. A few years ago, we published a periodical called Overstreet's Comic Price Review. During its short run, we were able to correctly anticipate and document market trends including the accelerated disparity in high-end prices, the dramatic spike in interest in Bronze Age and Copper Age comics, the revitalization of interest in Conan, the surge in variant covers offered by current new comics publishers, the sustained fan interest in early and very late Valiant comics and even the appeal of Ultimate Spider-Man.

 

For whatever reason, though, the publication didn't sustain its readership. We'd like to believe that it was simply ahead of its time, let's face it, CGC just certified their one millionth comic and the market for certified books is now definitely more mature - but the truth is the reason doesn't matter. In the end, we weren't serving the audience well enough.

 

We learned a lot from this.

 

We put what we learned into the deliberations surrounding the most recent edition of The Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide. As you'll no doubt recall, those were some lively discussions! Everyone from comics historians to the most experienced dealers and from neophyte collectors to comics professionals participated, offering us a tremendously diverse group of suggestions and discussion points.

 

That's what we'd like to hear from you. What is the best way to get updated pricing and market information to you? How would you like to read it? How can we make this work?

 

Keeping the Guide up-to-date is a relentless process. As always, we hope you'll join us.

 

Please feel free to email us your suggestions at feedback@gemstonepub.com . Look for the discussion in Scoop over the coming weeks and months.

 

On behalf of Bob Overstreet and everyone at Gemstone Publishing, we want to wish you Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, and the very best throughout the New Year.

 

 

Jim

 

What Overstreet SHOULD be asking is NOT HOW to get us the information we want, but rather, HOW Overstreet will assemble the information. And from WHOM! GPA is already doing this in a timely and efficient manner, online and at our fingertips. But, its info is limited to only the venues they are allowed to gather sales info from. So, to Overstreet, I ask, from whom will YOU be compiling this info? If its just dealers phoning or emailing you "sales" figures, GPA is already there. Overstreet will have to duplicate GPA data PLUS add Comiclink and everyone else GPA cant get.

 

Otherwise, why worry about HOW you will get us info we a) already have, or b) is only "anecdotal".

 

I think that their should be some connection with a hardcover and dowloadable version. I mean why should I spend double to have both? Plus with a downloadable ones, there could be a patch for halfway thru the year.

 

Stuff like walking dead not being in the book or priced right in the guide is stupid. A popular modern that continues to move up in price.

 

maybe...in a perfect world... but Overstreet will never be that timely for new books OR old books. The only way to handle it is to be an online 24/7 source of data. hello GPA. I applaud Overstreet for its efforts to step up and reclaim the mantle... theres the bar to match.... and outdo. And there will always be limitations. There will never be a Stock market solution until every seller agrees to a central clearing house. hah!

[backtomarvel]

Simple...go on-line with the guide and have quarterly/monthly updates paid for via yearly subscription.

 

Going the hardcopy route with the Guide and various updates isn't going to work in today's digital environment. The hardcopy rational went out with "pin and ink" changes at least a decade ago...

 

Jim

 

I agree with this ... could be in addition to the hard copy and I'd pay a monthly fee for the service. I would love to be able to assemble my own want list piece by piece online, print it out with the most current guide prices as possible.

 

This would be *invaluable* to me, particularly when surfing eBay, hitting shows, heading out to look at a collection, etc.

 

"Build your own Overstreet ..."

[50 Cent #II (1st)]

How about adding undergrounds - you've mooted that possibility in the past. Not all of them, at least at first...just the scarce in-demand books from all the major artists/writers in that field. There are a couple of Forumites who could provide accurate info regarding prices, scarcity and the differences between printings of certain issues.

 

Yes, agreed. How about adding UnderGrounds? Isn't the 1st print of Zap #1 one of the most important comic books ever printed and OS doesn't even acknowledge it...

 

Then there's Das Kampf, God Nose and Adventures of Jesus...

 

Since Kennedy passed away this year, how about purchasing the rights and the additional info. for the update from the estate and finally getting it out to the market by adding it to the OS or coming out with a UG OS? All that info. lost.

 

I know Chuck probably could help out since he's supposedly been hording them for years.

 

[nearmint]

4 different guides;

 

Plat/Gold/Atomic guide

Atomic/Silver/Bronze guide

Bronze/Copper/Modern guide

CGC prices guide

 

any book that exists in more than one section goes in each applicable book.

 

use the G / VG / F / VF / NM- pricing structure for the Plat/Gold/Atomic guide, and a

 

VG / F / VF / NM- / NM pricing structure for the Atomic/Silver/Bronze guide, and a

 

F / VF / NM- / NM / NM/M pricing structure for the B/C/M guide.

 

Doubt it would work. Maybe they'd sell a couple different sets to the same collector but overall all they'd be doing is cutting up their existing buyers. And cause an uproar that all data isn't in one place forcing collectors to spend more...

 

We're a pretty cheap bunch us collectors unless it's a grail...

 

Jim

 

Make it a 4-volume set then . . .

 

I'd make it a 2 volume, pre-1970 and 1970 to present. Add undergrounds to volume two, and perhaps even the lesser known 80s and 90s cr@p that was removed a few years ago. It would be nice if every comic ever published in the U.S. was listed in OS.

[jools&jim]

I'd also dump the articles and edition-specific text features (but not the market reports, of course). When old-school collectors and fans were contributing articles back in the '70s and '80s, the writing may have been amateurish/fannish, but for those of us stuck in the 'burbs and without access to fanzines or cons (& pre-internet, of course), it was still worthwhile. Now, there are more and better sources for that stuff, so editorial features really just clutter up the works.

 

The only exceptions should be for celebrity writers or other contributors with real merit: e.g., Will Murray doing a bio piece on Joe Maneely (with a selection of cool Maneely covers pulled out and noted); a big rock star discussing his love for SA Marvels; or, I dunno, a roundtable discussion w/some old timers (dealers and collectors) about their show experiences back in the day. Anything but another "History of the Teen Titans" or some such!

 

I haven't bought a Guide in years, but the last time I checked, the staff written stuff was just sort of bland and very mundane. If the hobby's most widely read annual publication is going to include editorial material at all, it should be of a much higher caliber than that.

[OldGuy]

How about adding undergrounds

 

Because there isn't enough room, what with all the non comic book material......like Big Little Books....

[MrBedrock]

What Overstreet SHOULD be asking is NOT HOW to get us the information we want, but rather, HOW Overstreet will assemble the information. And from WHOM! GPA is already doing this in a timely and efficient manner, online and at our fingertips. But, its info is limited to only the venues they are allowed to gather sales info from. So, to Overstreet, I ask, from whom will YOU be compiling this info? If its just dealers phoning or emailing you "sales" figures, GPA is already there. Overstreet will have to duplicate GPA data PLUS add Comiclink and everyone else GPA cant get.

 

Otherwise, why worry about HOW you will get us info we a) already have, or b) is only "anecdotal".

 

You have hit the nail on the head. Until Overstreet has a better and more efficient method for compiling data, the information that is printed up will be irrelevant. How many of you realize that the entirety of the Price Guide data compilation is still Bob using 3X5 index cards and formulas based on anecdotal info gathered from dealers (who may or may not have an agenda).

We have all grown up with the Overstreet Price Guide...now it needs to grow up with us.

 

Some money needs to be spent on software to compile data.

That data needs to be presented in a realistic fashion. At some point every golden age book will have to be broken out and priced individually (for example Superman 31-40 are not all worth the same, neither are Captain America 67-73).

And that data needs to presented in a timely manner. The only way to do that is online.

 

Otherwise the whole question is how can we print more updates, get more ad revenue and foist more unsalable print material on retailers.

 

 

 

[Monstro]

I'd also dump the articles and edition-specific text features (but not the market reports, of course). When old-school collectors and fans were contributing articles back in the '70s and '80s, the writing may have been amateurish/fannish, but for those of us stuck in the 'burbs and without access to fanzines or cons (& pre-internet, of course), it was still worthwhile. Now, there are more and better sources for that stuff, so editorial features really just clutter up the works.

 

The only exceptions should be for celebrity writers or other contributors with real merit: e.g., Will Murray doing a bio piece on Joe Maneely (with a selection of cool Maneely covers pulled out and noted); a big rock star discussing his love for SA Marvels; or, I dunno, a roundtable discussion w/some old timers (dealers and collectors) about their show experiences back in the day. Anything but another "History of the Teen Titans" or some such!

 

I haven't bought a Guide in years, but the last time I checked, the staff written stuff was just sort of bland and very mundane. If the hobby's most widely read annual publication is going to include editorial material at all, it should be of a much higher caliber than that.

 

[jools&jim]

 

Otherwise the whole question is how can we print more updates, get more ad revenue and foist more unsalable print material on retailers.

 

 

 

But, to be fair, Gemstone IS in the publications business FIRST, and the "accurate and up-to-date comics values" business second.

 

Just sayin'...

[MrBedrock]

(but not the market reports, of course).

 

I have always had a problem with the market reports, and stopped contributing them a few years back. The main reason is that a majority of them are very self serving, evn if unintentionally so. Dealer A says Classics Illustrated is a dead selling title...but he has never had any legitimate stock of them for sale. Dealer B says westerns are hot...he just bought a huge western collection. Dealer C says golden age DC has the best sell through...but has no real sales numbers to back that up.

The examples are many.

The only two back issue dealers who really compile data are Metropolis and Mile High. And as much as each uses their Market reports to market themselves make those same market reports useless in gaging the actual market.

I have never had any real way to compile my numbers so I haven't felt comfortable supplying anecdotal data for a market report.

The other reason I have a problem with the market reports is that I know that the anecdotal info contained in them is actually being used to compile pricing. Pricing should be compiled from actual sales rather than dealers saying "westerns have really picked up for me this year".

 

[jools&jim]

(but not the market reports, of course).

 

I have always had a problem with the market reports, and stopped contributing them a few years back. The main reason is that a majority of them are very self serving, evn if unintentionally so. Dealer A says Classics Illustrated is a dead selling title...but he has never had any legitimate stock of them for sale. Dealer B says westerns are hot...he just bought a huge western collection. Dealer C says golden age DC has the best sell through...but has no real sales numbers to back that up.

The examples are many.

The only two back issue dealers who really compile data are Metropolis and Mile High. And as much as each uses their Market reports to market themselves make those same market reports useless in gaging the actual market.

I have never had any real way to compile my numbers so I haven't felt comfortable supplying anecdotal data for a market report.

The other reason I have a problem with the market reports is that I know that the anecdotal info contained in them is actually being used to compile pricing. Pricing should be compiled from actual sales rather than dealers saying "westerns have really picked up for me this year".

 

Good point. I've always thought that having dealers report on the state/health of the market is at least a little bit like putting the fox in charge of the hen-house. Still, I used to enjoy reading the reports, even though I NEVER put too much stock in them.

[MrBedrock]

(but not the market reports, of course).

 

I have always had a problem with the market reports, and stopped contributing them a few years back. The main reason is that a majority of them are very self serving, evn if unintentionally so. Dealer A says Classics Illustrated is a dead selling title...but he has never had any legitimate stock of them for sale. Dealer B says westerns are hot...he just bought a huge western collection. Dealer C says golden age DC has the best sell through...but has no real sales numbers to back that up.

The examples are many.

The only two back issue dealers who really compile data are Metropolis and Mile High. And as much as each uses their Market reports to market themselves make those same market reports useless in gaging the actual market.

I have never had any real way to compile my numbers so I haven't felt comfortable supplying anecdotal data for a market report.

The other reason I have a problem with the market reports is that I know that the anecdotal info contained in them is actually being used to compile pricing. Pricing should be compiled from actual sales rather than dealers saying "westerns have really picked up for me this year".

 

Good point. I've always thought that having dealers report on the state/health of the market is at least a little bit like putting the fox in charge of the hen-house. Still, I used to enjoy reading the reports, even though I NEVER put too much stock in them.

Exactly! (thumbs u

I did enjoy reading through the lists of stuff that sold throughout the year (and the prices they went for). But all that is now available up to the minute through GPA, Heritage,and here.

[goldust40]

The only two back issue dealers who really compile data are Metropolis and Mile High. And as much as each uses their Market reports to market themselves make those same market reports useless in gaging the actual market.

 

Doug Sulipa's market report is very thorough, and by far the most extensive of all of them (it's also the report I usually read first, fwiw). Not sure he compiles data, but the impression I get is that his info is more than anecdotal...

[Blind Owl]

My thoughts:

 

In the Market report why not have all these dealers list only actual sales figures from the past year. No comments such as "Westerns are really hot this year". You could add these sales figures here and then do away with the "Key comics sold" section completely, since it's already been covered by the dealers section.

 

1) I agree that grouping sales such as Captain America #67-73 as the same price needs to changed.

 

2) How about something on Warehouse finds that crop up. By cutting some of the "bias" market reporting pages, you could save space for this.

 

3) I sometimes wish that Undergrounds were included too, but isn't there already an Underground price guide out there (there used to be).

 

4) Books that are worth less than cover should be designated as such, and you could save a lot of pages in the price-guide by doing so.

 

5) A two-volume collection sounds like a good idea to me. Volume One should be Gold/Silver, and Volume Two Bronze/Copper/Moderns. I see the problem from Gemstones point of view in the Sales of Volume One would be ten times that of Volume two. So would Volume Two be worth the investment of publication??? But I'd like to see it that way!!!!

 

6) Rarity, Scarcity; Get a handle on this. Just because something has low distrubution doesn't make it scarce (Silver Surfer #4).

 

7) I don't like the feature with the artists Hall of fame. I like the older picture scans you used to have. It's OK to make them Gold/Silver/Bronze etc. but but if you want to feature an Artist, just have an article on that artist. One per issue please, not several.

 

8) I almost don't want this to be corrected (at least until I purchase most of my wants- Greedy, am I not), but my God, you guys are way off on a lot of Golden Pricing. Where do you get your info from???

 

9) I'll stop here since #9 is my lucky number, but I agree; take out the BLB section.I mean when does it end. Soon you'll be adding Pulps also. I know why you do it (probably not a large enough market for it's own separate publication, but don't take up the space in our guide book for other items we need included. Also I'm not keen on the Victorian age stuff either. Make it a comic book price guide. You could make a separate guide for the origins of comics (Victorian,Pulps, BLB etc.). Thank you!!!!

[awe4one]

Otherwise the whole question is how can we print more updates, get more ad revenue and foist more unsalable print material on retailers.

 

That's exactly the way I took the question as well...

 

Jim

[cloudofwit]

The only two back issue dealers who really compile data are Metropolis and Mile High. And as much as each uses their Market reports to market themselves make those same market reports useless in gaging the actual market.

 

Doug Sulipa's market report is very thorough, and by far the most extensive of all of them (it's also the report I usually read first, fwiw). Not sure he compiles data, but the impression I get is that his info is more than anecdotal...

 

Did some quick scanning of this year's Guide's Market Report and out of about 54 pages and 41 entries, Sulipa's single entry takes up more than 10 pages--or about 20% of the entire report! Talk about thorough--his might indeed be more than anecdotal (the busy work I just did, by the way, is a good temporary antidote to the stress of the end of the semester)...

[goldust40]

The only two back issue dealers who really compile data are Metropolis and Mile High. And as much as each uses their Market reports to market themselves make those same market reports useless in gaging the actual market.

 

Doug Sulipa's market report is very thorough, and by far the most extensive of all of them (it's also the report I usually read first, fwiw). Not sure he compiles data, but the impression I get is that his info is more than anecdotal...

 

Did some quick scanning of this year's Guide's Market Report and out of about 54 pages and 41 entries, Sulipa's single entry takes up more than 10 pages--or about 20% of the entire report! Talk about thorough--his might indeed be more than anecdotal (the busy work I just did, by the way, is a good temporary antidote to the stress of the end of the semester)...

 

Despite the breathless, hurried way Sulipa writes, his report is reasonably balanced, and often goes against the grain. A worthwhile read, although I can't get through it in one go.