Poll: Cover or Contents?

[seank]

Roy's statement in the Suspense 3 thread got me wondering. Do you buy GA books for the covers, for the contents, or for both? If the latter, please comment on what the cover/content ratio is.

 

 

 

[seank]

Most of my books I buy for content. But there are a few books, probably less than five, I've bought for the cover alone. The Famous Funnies 215 and the True Life Secrets 23 come to mind. If I could find an Eh! with the brick house cover, I'd probably add another to the list.

 

But mostly, I like to read my books, so I'm more of a content than cover guy.

[VintageComics]

Both. If it fills a run its for content. If it is simply a book I fall in love with it's cover only. I'm a very visual person and one image can keep me going for a long time.

 

[swapto]

cover.

 

i dont read my GA investment collectibles. i am attracted to plain looking covers using lots of primary colors etc.

 

must be rare DC too

 

i would only buy for contents for key issues.

 

B.

[Scrooge]

Cover and Contents. I generally check out the stories in Atlas War books before buying them but will occasionally buy one with a great cover even if the stories are so-so. Lately I have been getting rid of books I purchased just for the cover if they don't fit any of my mini-runs / sets.

[gilbertotorres]

cover and contents. if either one is available in a book i will buy. if both, even better.

[PokerKid]

EC reprints for the contents. $8500 Schomberg books for the covers.

[rjpb]

Mostly for the covers, though sometimes strong content and an interesting if unspectacular cover is appealing - if it's for content alone then I try to spend no more than $25

[Old Fashion PB and J]

Roy is right here. IMO. I think we buy comics for the cover art. I think any one of us have comics we just bought for the covers ? I do however buy other books for content. Hence I still read moderns. But my GA books I do want to read. They are so low grade I had better justify buying them somehow

[jimjum12]

I can't afford to collect runs anymore....so I look for both.I seem to prefer books with interior art by the same artist as the cover art.....i.e. Everett/Everett , Kirby/Kirby , etc.While most of my silver is slabbed , my GA books are always removed from the slab.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus) (thumbs u

[hockey&comicsguy]

I'm mostly into Schomburg and GGA covers. Honestly, i've never actually read a GA story.

 

 

[VintageComics]

I've read a few...mostly the Timely superhero stuff and by today's standards they are not "great"...though I can see how they would have been fun back in the day.

 

I would say that when it comes to GA I collect covers primarily, and then runs and issues as artifacts that represent something from another era.

 

When it comes to SA/BA I collect because I enjoyed the reading of the books.

 

R.

 

 

[precodekeith]

I opted for cover&contents because even though I am mostly a reader/completionist, I still won't buy a coverless copy.

[kimik]

I have started collecting GA books due to the covers and significance (e.g. 1st Appearance, classic cover), rather than the contents. Even back when I was reading the reprints in the DC 100 pagers in the early 90s as a youth I thought most of the stories were bad (except for the MF Spectre issues for some reason )

 

This is the same approach I am taking to SA and BA books now thanks to the various reprints available via TPBs/Omnibuses/etc. Let's face it, keys, Neal Adams, and classic covers are the coveted books from this time period so I think it is a better use of funds for my personal collection to focus on them and buy reprints for the common issues.

 

 

[conditionfreak]

The pole answers are incomplete. I buy GA for the rarity, first and foremost, cover second and content a distant third. I would never buy a coverless comic, no matter what the content. I might buy just a cover, with the interior missing. When I see someone buying a coverless Supe #1 or FF #1, I smile at how much they pay. You could get a reprint, cover and all, in mint condition, for a few bucks, if you just wanted to read it. I guess some hope they will come across a cover someday, so they could marry them.

 

I have not read a GA comic, maybe ever. If I did, I wasn't impressed enough to remember it. I have read many Silver, some bronze and a few modern. My gut impression is that GA stories are mostly lame and the modern day artwork is far superior. Yet, my passion is collecting GA comics. Go figure.

 

I guess it is because there are thousands of Amazing Spiderman #1's out there but only a few Cannonball Comics #1's, or Sky Sheriff #1's.

 

Don't hate me. As Popeye says, "I yam what I yam."

[Scrooge]

My gut impression is that GA stories are mostly lame and the modern day artwork is far superior. Yet, my passion is collecting GA comics. Go figure.

 

Don't hate me. As Popeye says, "I yam what I yam."

 

I don't hate you but I find it a constant irritation that people assume that "modern day artwork is far superior" [to GA stories']. That is flat out not correct. I will agree more about the stories but when it comes to artwork, that generality simply does not hold.

[Old Fashion PB and J]

My gut impression is that GA stories are mostly lame and the modern day artwork is far superior. Yet, my passion is collecting GA comics. Go figure.

 

Don't hate me. As Popeye says, "I yam what I yam."

 

I don't hate you but I find it a constant irritation that people assume that "modern day artwork is far superior" [to GA stories']. That is flat out not correct. I will agree more about the stories but when it comes to artwork, that generality simply does not hold.

 

The stories today are much better. But I like more "adult" stories . The GA artwork however.. Some of it is on par with todays artists, some of it looks bad. I look at Bob Kane Batman Vs. Jim Lee or Neal Adams, it just doesnt compare. BUT I think the GA books are more fun, and I respect them more. I like that this was where it all began, every issue was ground - breaking. Just because it made it to the next issue. The fact that alot of these characters still exist, and more are being revived says something. The schomburg covers BTW were sweet. Alot of those are great by todays standards. Also paper quality, and art supplies may also be factors. So to say the art was not as good, just isnt true . I agree with scrooge.

[telerites]

I chose both. I have bought books for the cover alone - a good example is Lucky Comics #5 - I have two copies because I love the devil cover.

 

I think another category may be to just complete a run. There are some runs that I want to complete and like neither the cover not the contents but want to be a completest.

 

 

 

 

[conditionfreak]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just because you find GA artwork far superior, does not mean that everyone should. I find most of it lacking. Most of it is childish and of poor quality. Modern day comics mostly are the work of masters, and are just downright awesome. Compare a Hulk comic of today to a Captain Marvel comic of yesterday and it is obvious. At least to me it is.

 

To each his own. That is why there is chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream. Not everyone likes the same thing.

[telerites]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just because you find GA artwork far superior, does not mean that everyone should. I find most of it lacking. Most of it is childish and of poor quality. Modern day comics mostly are the work of masters, and are just downright awesome. Compare a Hulk comic of today to a Captain Marvel comic of yesterday and it is obvious. At least to me it is.

 

To each his own. That is why there is chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream. Not everyone likes the same thing.

 

I agree with you - to each his own. That's what makes the world much more interesting. For me - I haven't bought a new comic in over 20 years when I started collecting GA only. Around that time, I picked up some Alan Light reprint books - one was a Lou Fine Black Condor and Ray and the other was a Mac Raboy Capt. Marvel Jr. There were others too but it was those two reprint volumes that made me realize how good some of the GA art/stories really were. There was also a fair amount of carpola of course. But I would never fault anyone for collecting what they like.