What do you do with the books you buy?

[Foolkiller]

After my last thread, I thought I'd try something more positive instead of complaining about dealer prices, but I did think of something that made me wonder a little bit...

 

I think I was talking about this with DAM and Gene recently about how I buy all these comics and just have them piling up everywhere. For new books, I buy them, but never seem to read them. Outside of Batman and the recent Hush storyline... I haven't done much in the line of actual reading... I picked up JLA/Avengers, but didn't really read it all that carefully. For the most part, I'm just sitting there with a stack of books that I'm not really looking through. And aside from flipping through my silver/bronze/80s books... I never really read them either. I'll flip through them to look at the artwork, but mostly they're just sitting in the boxes. Occassionally, I'll lift a book out, look at it for about a minute, won't remove it from the mylar or touch it.... and put it back... so I paid $400 for what there... claim of ownership? Not to be negative though, I thoroughly enjoy owning it and looking at it... but I'm not sure why. I just like staring at the covers or looking at how bright and clean the high grade book is, or the great Neal Adams covers...

 

But what does everyone do with their books? Do you read them? Put them away... and more importantly (because I think others have talked about this first issue before) why do you keep buying new books when you haven't read often times the trades and comics stacked around... or buy stacks of back issues... what is it you love about comics so much as a commodity and/or a collectible?

[ultimatevenom]

I read them.

 

They then go into one of the boxes for future reading.

 

[dam60]

For the most part, I'm just sitting there with a stack of books that I'm not really looking through. And aside from flipping through my silver/bronze/80s books... I never really read them either. I'll flip through them to look at the artwork, but mostly they're just sitting in the boxes. Occassionally, I'll lift a book out, look at it for about a minute, won't remove it from the mylar or touch it.... and put it back... so I paid $400 for what there... claim of ownership? Not to be negative though, I thoroughly enjoy owning it and looking at it... but I'm not sure why.

 

I collect comics and I read tpbs with the exception of about two to three times a year when I will sit down and just read a slew of modern books.

 

I have subscriptions to Detective, JLA and Batman but that's because I am working on full runs of the three. Sadly I also have every single JLA trade

 

From now on back issues and art are the way to go!

 

DAM

[Fan4Fan]

I've been wondering the same thing. Just when I get to the end of one list, I add more things I'm interested in getting.

 

... and I haven't read most of them.

 

For me, I restarted after 20 years for nostalgia reasons. It reminded me of a simpler time (not necessarily better) when comics were my friends and got me through some tough times.

 

Maybe because times aren't as tough now I don't need to actually read them.

 

Dunno.

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[chrisco37]

I read the new books I pick up (all of them), then they get bagged, boarded, and put into longboxes. Back issues usually just get put into a box (unless Lee/Kirby FF's...those get read). I buy Essentials or TPB's to read stories for older books.

 

Chris

[joe_collector]

Other than CGC books (naturally) I take all new books to the dining room table, make sure there are no drinks or food present, rip up the table cover, and proceed to read them through once.

 

This is partly to confirm condition and missing ads/stamps, but also amounts to a nice trip down memory lane. With CGC books, I sometimes take 'em out to gander at the covers and to compare to my raw stock.

 

If your "collecting" amounts to "open package, store books permanently", then it may be time to look at the reasons you are "collecting".

 

That happened to me in the late-80's, early-90's, where I went on a Bronze Buying Trip, and when I look at the (admittedly HG) [!@#%^&^], I just shake my head. Some I didn't even realize I owned, and that's the point where collecting becomes an addiction rather than a hobby.

[AlexH]

I read everything I purchase. Like yourself however, I am woefully behind in my reading. Sometimes to catch up, I will get a full run of books and read them all at once. I did that with the HUSH storyline and I am about to do it with the last 20 or so Hulk books.

 

Sometimes I will get extras if I think it would be a good book to get done for the Signature Series. But I make every effort to read everything I buy.

[SilverAgeGuy]

My collection is in 3 segments:

 

High grade CGC: (Silver books and Bronze keys) All you can do is look at the covers, but I have trades for most of these and I read those.

 

High grade Bronze to early 80's: (Includes things like Miller Daredevil and Clairmont/Byrne X-Men) These I keep in mylar and treat pretty much like the CGC books. Again I have trades for a fair amount of these, which I read.

 

Readers: (All the mid-grade stuff and moderns) these I keep in poly bags and read.

 

As far as buying new books/trades and not reading them, well thats not me. I'm very selective with moderns and I read everything I buy. If I decide I don't like somthing I bought, I give it to a nephew/niece/neighbor kid.

 

 

[Darthdiesel]

al new comics every Wednesday are dragged around with me in a pile all week long, evry where I go nad when there is down time, I crack them open and read. All ebay wins, like bulk lots and price variants - sorted and stored. Do I ever read them? Not really in any rush to but they're there for reference if need be. Once I'm done reading the new stuff. I'll post them on eBay...

[Edian]

I start to collect comic a few years ago(2 or 3 years before the death of superman), but in 2001-2002 I start to buy 5-10 copies of each book that I think that could be a good investment even if I don't like the character or the artist, (I bought 20 copies of UXM #1) when I get the books I try to read them but the bad taste of a really bad book keep in my mouth (not literally) so, at the end of 2002, I decide to go back to the beggining: collect what I like, and sometimes give a try to another book, not for investment just for fun. I sold all my extra books( like 1500) get a check for them and continue reading, on september 19 I get a new package with my comics (I married on september 20) and every comic that I'm reading make feel good, I'm happy now. I read all that I buy, all get a bag and board and go to the box, when I don't have new comics, I go to the box and look for a good comics and read it again.

 

 

[Rickdogg]

I put away CGC books and HG raw books, since I do not want to mess them up. I buy trades for stuff I really want to read or read the junk I get on ebay that is overgraded. After I am done with the modern TPB's, I give them to my nephew to read.

[Kevin Boyd]

I pick up my new comics in the morning on my way in to work on Wednesday. Then I will read them on the subway ride in to work, at lunch, on breaks and again on the subway on my way home. If there are any left to read after I get home I'll read them before I go to bed. I usually don't go to sleep until after I read the entire batch of new books for the week.

 

Then I tape the bags shut and put them in a long box to be filed with other recent acquisitions when I get a chance. I usually keep the latest issue of each series I collect handy in case I want to re-read it before the next issue comes out.

 

I save new trade paperbacks and hardcovers to read on other nights and on the weekends.

 

If I buy any comics at a convention - if they are new I'll read them at the hotel or on the drive home - if they are older then it depends on whether or not I've ever read them before. If I have, then chances are I bought them for resale and I won't look at them again until I price them up.

 

Kev

[DoubleCovaBrotha]

I collect comics and I read tpbs with the exception of about two to three times a year when I will sit down and just read a slew of modern books.

 

I used to do that too. Until I realized that the TPBs, which collect about 5 or 6 books, cost almost as much as the comics themselves. I found that buying the individual comics in lots on eBay was a bit cheaper than the trades themselves. Of course, this only applies to most moderns.

[dam60]

I collect comics and I read tpbs with the exception of about two to three times a year when I will sit down and just read a slew of modern books.

 

I used to do that too. Until I realized that the TPBs, which collect about 5 or 6 books, cost almost as much as the comics themselves. I found that buying the individual comics in lots on eBay was a bit cheaper than the trades themselves. Of course, this only applies to most moderns.

 

[Mushroom]

I would read at least a comic or re-issue every day (Last night I read a Flash DC archive edition...the night before it was Batman..the long Halloween). I would own only a handful of books that I haven'r read (excluding CGC).

 

I don't deny that I am an addict but how many junkies buy the drugs but don't use them ??

 

 

[Aces]

I buy mostly VG-VF readers of old books.

When I get some Ultra High Grade stuff I will be slabbing and flipping to those guys that gotta have 9.4-up!

 

 

[minutekev@50]

Excellent topic! Few of the bronze, silver issues I buy offer that much enjoyment now days, (other then the GL/GA Adams' run, his Batman work and Conan). Ever try and struggle through some of the World's Finest around 170-200? Ugh! The Adams' covers are about the only thing worth buying the book for and then I just file it away in a long box and check it off a list.

I started reading a run of the silver FF, 30-31, but those are pretty lame and dated...I guess I just can't get to that point of a 'willing suspension of disbelief' that I had as kid. When I was boy, you always had those cliffhanger endings and although you were sure this wasn't going to be the end of your favorite character, you just never knew....

However, the one comic I always return to for a good read is the Dark Knight Returns...that and Watchmen, Kingdom Come and Marvels....

The Hush storyline is good, but it feels like I breeze through almost as quickly as I pick it up...Supreme Power's the same way...

[Edian]

Until I realized that the TPBs, which collect about 5 or 6 books, cost almost as much as the comics themselves.

 

Sometimes it's more cheap the TPB if the book gets "hot".

[musicmeta]

I buy trades for stuff I really want to read or read the junk I get on ebay that is overgraded.

 

ROFL!

[musicmeta]

I re-read my collection from time to time. Getting ready to re-read the 22 issue Man-Thing run. Don't really buy any new issues and will only read the low-grade books that I buy. CGC books and high grade get put away.