Can back issue collecting survive withourt current issue sales?

[cd4ever]

I read a few moderns but only in trades. Haven't bought a new comic in a couple years.

 

I don't believe having new comics being published keeps the back issue market alive.

 

For the poll though, I chose the crack option. Why wouldn't I.

[MMurdock]

As to your 2nd point, I do not think new, up and coming collectors "to be" need to be cultivated from the existence of new comic sales.....sure it helps, but if 100% of new comics would stop being printed today, I still believe in 5, 10, 15+ years from now, new blood will still enter our hobby, as it offers the following:

 

1. The comics may be gone, but the characters would still live on in other mediums

2. Our present structured pricing ( like OPG ) / auction sales tracking systems should make this hobby appealing to the investment minded types.

3. Comics would still be cool ....... just like old Coca-Cola bottles and ads, even if new ones are no longer produced.

4. no new comic books does not mean no new books.......the antiquarian book market is HUGE, and comic books kinda fall under that umbrella. A book is a book

 

your thoughts??

 

 

I'm not sure if I completely agree. I don't think the hobby would die anytime soon, but I got into comics as a reader in the 80s/early 90s. Later, I re-discovered my love, only this time, through collecting keys of my favorite characters. I doubt I would have ever come in if it weren't for my childhood comic experience. That said, I am only one person. I can't speak for all new blood. Might be interesting to see how many of us on here got into the hobby after reading comics as a kid.

[kimik]

I only buy three new titles right now, costing ~$8/month, but before my recent buying moratorium I was dropping hundreds/thousands on back issues each month and moved from BA/SA to GA books I did not grow up with (CA was my intro to comics) but now think are fun to have.

 

That being said, the only books that would survive long term are the key 1st appearances of characters still in some media format (tv, movies, games, etc.).

[brasseye]

As to your 2nd point, I do not think new, up and coming collectors "to be" need to be cultivated from the existence of new comic sales.....sure it helps, but if 100% of new comics would stop being printed today, I still believe in 5, 10, 15+ years from now, new blood will still enter our hobby, as it offers the following:

 

1. The comics may be gone, but the characters would still live on in other mediums

2. Our present structured pricing ( like OPG ) / auction sales tracking systems should make this hobby appealing to the investment minded types.

3. Comics would still be cool ....... just like old Coca-Cola bottles and ads, even if new ones are no longer produced.

4. no new comic books does not mean no new books.......the antiquarian book market is HUGE, and comic books kinda fall under that umbrella. A book is a book

 

your thoughts??

 

 

I'm not sure if I completely agree. I don't think the hobby would die anytime soon, but I got into comics as a reader in the 80s/early 90s. Later, I re-discovered my love, only this time, through collecting keys of my favorite characters. I doubt I would have ever come in if it weren't for my childhood comic experience. That said, I am only one person. I can't speak for all new blood. Might be interesting to see how many of us on here got into the hobby after reading comics as a kid.

 

 

Showcase I like what you said, and the points are very good, the structure of systems and organisations currently in place will carry the hobby forward for a good while to come on a very solid basis.

And both you and Murdock illustrate that there is no one single demographic, or 'typical' background of the back-issue collector.

Currently we have a large variety of collectors for the large variety of reason's and trying to peg them into one basket is never going to be possible. But saying all of that, the future of the hobby will I feel in some way rely on new issue fans for future continuation.

But arguably things will fragment more. MA coming into it's own as a legion of collectors have no connection outside of MA titles originated in the GA./SA/BA, and the rest falling off their collecting radar. Pure Age collectors, guy's more affiliated to an era of comics, the nostalga and history that came with it, and a merriad of other sub groups.

Thats how I envisage the future for the hobby. But collectively, as of right now, it shows no sign's of abating.

[brasseye]

I only buy three new titles right now, costing ~$8/month, but before my recent buying moratorium I was dropping hundreds/thousands on back issues each month and am moving from BA/SA to GA books I did not grow up with but now think are fun to have.

 

That being said, the only books that would survive long term are the key 1st appearances of characters still in some media format (tv, movies, games, etc.).

 

The connection to the present is going to be paramount going forward, no question there.

[COI]

No, I did not start out as new issue reader. I was a baseball card collector until 1992, when I went into a hobby shop that carried cards and comics, and they grew on me as a collectible....as a kid, I never owned or read a single comic book.

 

Yeah, but what attracted you to the hobby in the first place was the fact that comics were already established as being "collectible". Someone like yourself, who seems to be primarily motivated by the financial or "investment" side of the hobby, needs an already established marketplace to play in, otherwise you never would have taken an interest in the first place.

 

I like to collect DVD's and video games because I love watching movies and gaming. They're being bought for consumption, so I couldn't care less that they lose 90% of their value once I open them up. If I didn't care for movies or games, there would be no reason for me to accumulate them.

 

If there wasn't a thriving marketplace or an investment angle in comics, and most of them somehow became "worthless" overnight with no hope of ever regaining their value, you'd lose interest in acquiring them, even for pennies on the dollar, because you don't have that visceral connection to the material itself.

 

 

[MR.COMICBOOK]

Is it possible for back issue comic collecting to survive without new issue sales present in some form?

 

Absolutely...........with quite a few of the high demand Golden Age issues for example, there are no new comics being produced for the chraracter or title, no new movies on the horizon, and it has seemingly zero negative impact on demand. Even if all new comics were to stop being printed, Vintage Comics would or should still be a viable and desirable collectible.

 

Van Gogh is too dead to ever paint again, and it hasn't seemed to hurt his back issue sales

 

 

Buuttttt....you started out as new issue reader, yes?

 

New issue reader's are generally the guys that turn into back issue collectors, what ever their preference.

 

Do we need the new issue collector for the long term survival of the hobby???

 

No, I did not start out as new issue reader. I was a baseball card collector until 1992, when I went into a hobby shop that carried cards and comics, and they grew on me as a collectible....as a kid, I never owned or read a single comic book.

 

As to your 2nd point, I do not think new, up and coming collectors "to be" need to be cultivated from the existence of new comic sales.....sure it helps, but if 100% of new comics would stop being printed today, I still believe in 5, 10, 15+ years from now, new blood will still enter our hobby, as it offers the following:

 

1. The comics may be gone, but the characters would still live on in other mediums

2. Our present structured pricing ( like OPG ) / auction sales tracking systems should make this hobby appealing to the investment minded types.

3. Comics would still be cool ....... just like old Coca-Cola bottles and ads, even if new ones are no longer produced.

4. no new comic books does not mean no new books.......the antiquarian book market is HUGE, and comic books kinda fall under that umbrella. A book is a book

 

your thoughts??

 

agree on all 4. I just buy the tps,absolutes and Omnibus. funny thing is they have gone up in value and I can make a profit on them unlike most floppies 1975 and up. also I have not been impressed with the new stuff I have been reading, its dark and not fun. I also have a hard time reading the new stuff as I have to squint. I can see why the kids nowadays don`t like reading the new stuff. no fun like the lee and kirby FF or lee and ditko ASM.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

No, I did not start out as new issue reader. I was a baseball card collector until 1992, when I went into a hobby shop that carried cards and comics, and they grew on me as a collectible....as a kid, I never owned or read a single comic book.

 

Yeah, but what attracted you to the hobby in the first place was the fact that comics were already established as being "collectible". Someone like yourself, who seems to be primarily motivated by the financial or "investment" side of the hobby, needs an already established marketplace to play in, otherwise you never would have taken an interest in the first place.

 

I like to collect DVD's and video games because I love watching movies and gaming. They're being bought for consumption, so I couldn't care less that they lose 90% of their value once I open them up. If I didn't care for movies or games, there would be no reason for me to accumulate them.

 

If there wasn't a thriving marketplace or an investment angle in comics, and most of them somehow became "worthless" overnight with no hope of ever regaining their value, you'd lose interest in acquiring them, even for pennies on the dollar, because you don't have that visceral connection to the material itself.

 

exactly when I open up a blu-ray or Halo 3, I play them and enjoy them. I don`t bag and board them hoping they will be worth $3 dollars in 30 years from now.

[kimik]

 

If there wasn't a thriving marketplace or an investment angle in comics, and most of them somehow became "worthless" overnight with no hope of ever regaining their value, you'd lose interest in acquiring them, even for pennies on the dollar, because you don't have that visceral connection to the material itself.

 

 

Excellent point. Here is some advice I was given as a youth. In the end, everything in this world can be broken down to a desire for two things: money and/or sex!

[showcase4]

If there wasn't a thriving marketplace or an investment angle in comics, and most of them somehow became "worthless" overnight with no hope of ever regaining their value, you'd lose interest in acquiring them, even for pennies on the dollar, because you don't have that visceral connection to the material itself.

 

this may or may not be the case.......kinda hard to imagine, but I'd betcha' my collection the Boards would be like a ghost town if this were to come true. Valueless collectibles don't have too many die hard fans from what I've seen......

 

"I bought a NM AF15 for $.03" just doesn't do much for me

[UnRested Spectre]

Hiyo!

 

... I try to collect the old back issues/vintage old ages books regularly, but the lure of the modern-side is so strong and I am still weak in my training/collecting. Even though of my weaknesses to pick up moderns (10+ titles of DC!)... I try now-and-then to pick up at least 5 Golden Age, Silver Age, and of the other precious metal comic series and not the trade paperbacks... unless I find it impossible to find and/or at a decent price.

 

... I dont understand waiting for the trade paperbacks if you can get the comic issues, corresponding to the series run in the trade, now. Even though I did pick up the trade paperbacks of 52, Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn (Vol.1), Robin (Complete trade paperback run!) Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrison (Complete run!), and Trials of SHAZAM! (Only Vol. 1, because I found #6-12) does not mean I am not still looking for the comic issues.

[Green]

My new issue buying has dropped but only because of time and money, not interest.

qft (thumbs u

[fantastic_four]

... I dont understand waiting for the trade paperbacks if you can get the comic issues, corresponding to the series run in the trade, now. Even though I did pick up the trade paperbacks of 52, Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn (Vol.1), Robin (Complete trade paperback run!) Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrison (Complete run!), and Trials of SHAZAM! (Only Vol. 1, because I found #6-12) does not mean I am not still looking for the comic issues.

 

Why did you pick up the trade paperbacks in those cases instead of the individual issues? Because it was easier. Who wants to wait 6 to 10 months for a story arc to finally end? You're not gonna friggin remember the first issue in the arc by month 6 if you read them the way they're released. And if you don't read them the way they're released, why release them that way? At this point, nostalgia for monthly comics is the only answer I can come up with.

 

Usually I have to flip to the first or last page to figure out where in an arc an individual issue is to figure out which ones comprise the arc, unless they say it on the front cover that they're like #2 of 6. Releasing all the stories as long, split-up arcs is retarded...they should just cut to trades now.

[fantastic_four]

My new issue buying has dropped but only because of time and money, not interest.

qft (thumbs u

 

I don't see how it's time. My issues stack up at my local comic shop in a subscription...I pick em up every 3-6 months...read all the issues in an arc at once. I might spend 2 hours a year gettin and organizin em, and maybe 3-6 hours per title per year readin em.

[VintageComics]

My new issue buying has dropped but only because of time and money, not interest.

qft (thumbs u

 

I don't see how it's time. My issues stack up at my local comic shop in a subscription...I pick em up every 3-6 months...read all the issues in an arc at once. I might spend 2 hours a year gettin and organizin em, and maybe 3-6 hours per title per year readin em.

 

I don't have time to read them all. I just read Watchmen for the first time ever. Granted most of it was procrastination but I'm now holding down two full time jobs (one for which I commute 60 miles one way to), 4 kids and a girlfriend in a different town.

 

 

I'd love to have more time on my hands.

 

 

[COI]

If there wasn't a thriving marketplace or an investment angle in comics, and most of them somehow became "worthless" overnight with no hope of ever regaining their value, you'd lose interest in acquiring them, even for pennies on the dollar, because you don't have that visceral connection to the material itself.

 

this may or may not be the case.......kinda hard to imagine, but I'd betcha' my collection the Boards would be like a ghost town if this were to come true. Valueless collectibles don't have too many die hard fans from what I've seen......

 

 

No doubt about it, Honestly, the emotional hold this hobby has over me is tenuous at best. If this board was all talk a bout stories and art, I would lose interest. There's much nicer art out there, and much, MUCH better literature.

[fantastic_four]

I don't have time to read them all. I just read Watchmen for the first time ever.

 

No offense, but I respectfully submit that if 8 to 10 hours per year per title is too much time for you...your problem is actually interest, not time. Your forum post count tells me you spend more time here every week or month than it would take you to read a few comics every year.

[360degrees]

I try to keep my Modern issue low... But after reading around on these boards and from others mentioning how good a book is I try it and DOH another book I buy everymonth. I only buy back issues of what I'm focusing on. They are not the most glamorous of sets but Iron Fist, Hero for Hire/PMIF, and Black Panther's and X-men's here and there..... the fun part to me is being able to find cheap back issues and submit them myself. I would love to get some HG SA Marvel keys... but I have other hobbies that take up alot of money also (SNEAKERS)....

 

My Modern list seems to be growing everymonth..... Wolverine, New/Mighty Avengers, Uncanny/Astonising X-men, Immortal IF, Black Panther, X-Factor, Cable, Kick- (Bought it this month and it's cool), and add Deadpool next month. Plus I buy random variants, one shots, toys, statues, etc..... If I like it and I have extra dough laying around i'll get it. I like the suspense of waiting a whole month to read the next issue. Legal crack rock if you ask me......

 

I just got back into these comics thanks to an old friend. I used to just read and admire his.... now I'm back into something I used to mess with when I was a kid in the late 80's and 90's. Too bad my old Image books aren't worth a damn.... ahahahaha.

[UnRested Spectre]

... I dont understand waiting for the trade paperbacks if you can get the comic issues, corresponding to the series run in the trade, now. Even though I did pick up the trade paperbacks of 52, Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn (Vol.1), Robin (Complete trade paperback run!) Seven Soldiers of Victory by Grant Morrison (Complete run!), and Trials of SHAZAM! (Only Vol. 1, because I found #6-12) does not mean I am not still looking for the comic issues.

 

Why did you pick up the trade paperbacks in those cases instead of the individual issues? Because it was easier. Who wants to wait 6 to 10 months for a story arc to finally end? You're not gonna friggin remember the first issue in the arc by month 6 if you read them the way they're released. And if you don't read them the way they're released, why release them that way? At this point, nostalgia for monthly comics is the only answer I can come up with.

 

Usually I have to flip to the first or last page to figure out where in an arc an individual issue is to figure out which ones comprise the arc, unless they say it on the front cover that they're like #2 of 6. Releasing all the stories as long, split-up arcs is retarded...they should just cut to trades now.

 

Hiyo!

 

... I already said that I only pick up the trade paperbacks unless its impossible to find the issues and/or cant find it at a decent price.