How do we help the hobby?

[THE_BEYONDER]

How do we get new blood into the hobby?

 

Why do we want to?

 

Well. Because your Spawn #1 might be worth 30 bucks instead of 4 bucks. For one reason.

 

So you're not concerned about the health of the hobby...you're concerned about the health of the market. Correct?

[DrWatson]

How do we get new blood into the hobby?

 

Why do we want to?

 

Well. Because your Spawn #1 might be worth 30 bucks instead of 4 bucks. For one reason.

 

So you're not concerned about the health of the hobby...you're concerned about the health of the market. Correct?

Are they not connected?

[THE_BEYONDER]

How do we get new blood into the hobby?

 

Why do we want to?

 

Well. Because your Spawn #1 might be worth 30 bucks instead of 4 bucks. For one reason.

 

So you're not concerned about the health of the hobby...you're concerned about the health of the market. Correct?

Are they not connected?

 

Just trying to understand the desire to bring more people in. Is it because you love the medium & want to share it....or is it because you want a bunch more noobs to pimp your wares to?

[DrWatson]

I would say both as one really can't continue without the other.

[conditionfreak]

Well. As you and many here know. I have always said that I love my books, but that I invest in them first and foremost. Except for rare exceptions, I do not read them nor do I collect runs. As unpopular as that may be here on this site, that is what I do. I used to read all of the time, but when my eyes went bad, I just stopped. I hate glasses and contact lens. They bother me.

 

Please don't hate me because I invest in them. It is my only flaw (besides my bad eyes) Otherwise, I am perfect.

[kc120us]

I talking about "Vintage" (ie Gold./Silver/Bronze etc.) comic collecting. I think Vince's exposure on TV is one way. What other ways are there?

 

Discuss.

 

Your only talking vintage so that will definately limit new blood(people who have never been exposed to the hobby). What are your ideas?

That is not necessarily true. There are some young collectors here who collect Gold and Silver. I'd be curious as to how they got into it. The ideas expressed here so far all have merit. I wouldn't mind seeing some copper or even bronze books for sale at retail stores at cover price. Bringing books to schools is another great idea. And, on the HG end of things, publishing the value aspect of the comics in as many media as possible is also good. We don't like to mention speculators here but any new money coming into the hobby is good.

[THE_BEYONDER]

I would say both as one really can't continue without the other.

 

 

How so?

[THE_BEYONDER]

Well. As you and many here know. I have always said that I love my books, but that I invest in them first and foremost. Except for rare exceptions, I do not read them nor do I collect runs. As unpopular as that may be here on this site, that is what I do. I used to read all of the time, but when my eyes went bad, I just stopped. I hate glasses and contact lens. They bother me.

 

Please don't hate me because I invest in them. It is my only flaw (besides my bad eyes) Otherwise, I am perfect.

 

Right. So your concern is the return on your investment. Nothing wrong with that. Has nothing to do with helping the hobby though.

[DiceX]

How do we get new blood into the hobby?

 

Why do we want to?

 

Well. Because your Spawn #1 might be worth 30 bucks instead of 4 bucks. For one reason.

 

So you're not concerned about the health of the hobby...you're concerned about the health of the market. Correct?

Are they not connected?

 

Just trying to understand the desire to bring more people in. Is it because you love the medium & want to share it....or is it because you want a bunch more noobs to pimp your wares to?

 

I could care less if they get into the back issue market. I want new blood in to keep the legacy alive, keep the cons running, keep the artists and writers employed. The best thing IMO is being able to go to a convention and getting to meet that special artist or writer that you were crazy about when you were a kid. When the interest dies, the only way you meet them is to google and stalk them at their house.

 

 

[blazingbob]

Nice positive post.

 

We're talking about books, the same books that somehow got you into joining a comic book thread.

 

I don't know, let's see. I see Barnes and Noble encouraging reading at their stores. If some store owners have the space how about devoting a little bit of it to allowing some people to hang out and read some of their overstock they don't care about.

 

How about some better advertising?

 

How about getting conventions into being a little more family friendly?

 

Let's see, I bought my house buying and selling comic books. Ebay started from the collectibles business. How many people know that a Billion dollar corporation started out selling mostly beanie babies? Frankly I'm a little tired of how unimportant the comic book dealer is to the Convention business and frankly Ebay for that matter. Maybe it's time we remind some convention promoters that we foot most of the bill for those actors and "guests" that don't contribute to my bottom line.

 

How is it that very few dealers get on television? Is it possible we don't look very TV friendly? Ever look at what we wear to shows? Perception is everything, frankly we don't really come across too TV worthy. Antiques get the Antique roadshow, Comics? How many of your friends are impressed that you buy and sell comics? How do they react when you tell them that you sell vintage collectibles? Again, perception.

 

Now I have to get back to selling some Vintage collectibles.

 

 

[Hill Billy-migration]

How do we get new blood into the hobby?

 

Why do we want to?

 

Well. Because your Spawn #1 might be worth 30 bucks instead of 4 bucks. For one reason.

 

So you're not concerned about the health of the hobby...you're concerned about the health of the market. Correct?

Are they not connected?

 

Just trying to understand the desire to bring more people in. Is it because you love the medium & want to share it....or is it because you want a bunch more noobs to pimp your wares to?

 

I could care less if they get into the back issue market. I want new blood in to keep the legacy alive, keep the cons running, keep the artists and writers employed. The best thing IMO is being able to go to a convention and getting to meet that special artist or writer that you were crazy about when you were a kid. When the interest dies, the only way you meet them is to google and stalk them at their house.

 

 

Stalking

[Wally's Comics]

Well. As you and many here know. I have always said that I love my books, but that I invest in them first and foremost. Except for rare exceptions, I do not read them nor do I collect runs. As unpopular as that may be here on this site, that is what I do. I used to read all of the time, but when my eyes went bad, I just stopped. I hate glasses and contact lens. They bother me.

 

Please don't hate me because I invest in them. It is my only flaw (besides my bad eyes) Otherwise, I am perfect.

 

There's always Lasik...

 

 

[DrWatson]

I would say both as one really can't continue without the other.

 

 

How so?

Who is going to continue to make comics available if there is no profit in doing so? New comics, vintage comics or collected editions it doesn't matter. If there isn't anyone here to purchase them, then they will no longer be made available.

 

You and I aren't going to live forever. If you don't have new readers, collectors or investors entering the arena then the medium will die out.

[MrBedrock]

Really the only way for people to become interested in comics is for people to be able to get their hands on comics. So many areas of the country have no access to a comic shop and people aren't going to shop online for something they haven't had had some first-hand exposure to.

 

So, as silly as it sounds, the best way to grow the hobby is for some of you to go out and open a store. More stores = more customers.

[kc120us]

Are we talking about the Hobby or the Comic book investment business and dealers? I think there's a difference and what might be good for one may not be good for the other.

Both. Though I don't think dealers are the only ones interested in the monetary value of their books. You cannot have the money aspect of the hobby removed and expect the hobby to survive.

[kc120us]

How do we get new blood into the hobby?

 

Why do we want to?

 

Well. Because your Spawn #1 might be worth 30 bucks instead of 4 bucks. For one reason.

 

So you're not concerned about the health of the hobby...you're concerned about the health of the market. Correct?

No I'm concerned with both. They are irrevicably linked.

[MrBedrock]

Who is going to continue to make comics available if there is no profit in doing so?

They are very profitable. And the volume needed to sustain a shop is not as high as some think. The start up costs are heavy though. And the personal investment in time and care is very high. But there is definitely money to be made in a shop.

[kc120us]

I would say both as one really can't continue without the other.

 

 

How so?

 

Chris, how would you help the hobby? How would you get more people interested in collecting, money aside? If new blood does not come into the hobby, then it will go the way dodo.

[kc120us]

Nice positive post.

 

We're talking about books, the same books that somehow got you into joining a comic book thread.

 

I don't know, let's see. I see Barnes and Noble encouraging reading at their stores. If some store owners have the space how about devoting a little bit of it to allowing some people to hang out and read some of their overstock they don't care about.

 

How about some better advertising?

 

How about getting conventions into being a little more family friendly?

 

Let's see, I bought my house buying and selling comic books. Ebay started from the collectibles business. How many people know that a Billion dollar corporation started out selling mostly beanie babies? Frankly I'm a little tired of how unimportant the comic book dealer is to the Convention business and frankly Ebay for that matter. Maybe it's time we remind some convention promoters that we foot most of the bill for those actors and "guests" that don't contribute to my bottom line.

 

How is it that very few dealers get on television? Is it possible we don't look very TV friendly? Ever look at what we wear to shows? Perception is everything, frankly we don't really come across too TV worthy. Antiques get the Antique roadshow, Comics? How many of your friends are impressed that you buy and sell comics? How do they react when you tell them that you sell vintage collectibles? Again, perception.

 

Now I have to get back to selling some Vintage collectibles.

 

 

well said.

[Foolkiller]

Nice positive post.

 

We're talking about books, the same books that somehow got you into joining a comic book thread.

 

I don't know, let's see. I see Barnes and Noble encouraging reading at their stores. If some store owners have the space how about devoting a little bit of it to allowing some people to hang out and read some of their overstock they don't care about.

 

How about some better advertising?

 

How about getting conventions into being a little more family friendly?

 

Let's see, I bought my house buying and selling comic books. Ebay started from the collectibles business. How many people know that a Billion dollar corporation started out selling mostly beanie babies? Frankly I'm a little tired of how unimportant the comic book dealer is to the Convention business and frankly Ebay for that matter. Maybe it's time we remind some convention promoters that we foot most of the bill for those actors and "guests" that don't contribute to my bottom line.

 

How is it that very few dealers get on television? Is it possible we don't look very TV friendly? Ever look at what we wear to shows? Perception is everything, frankly we don't really come across too TV worthy. Antiques get the Antique roadshow, Comics? How many of your friends are impressed that you buy and sell comics? How do they react when you tell them that you sell vintage collectibles? Again, perception.

 

Now I have to get back to selling some Vintage collectibles.

 

 

Most of my friends aren't impressed with the comics per se, but they are impressed with the money and flipping that's been done. The most impressive ones are the quick flips like the Reform School Girl I bought for $100 down the street from my house and sold for $800 15 minutes later or the FF 112 9.6 I bought for $70 and sold for $1750 or even the two long boxes of high grade bronze I just picked up for $1.50 a book where many of those books will turn into $25, $50 and some are slabworthy $100+ books... people are impressed with the money -- and I think there is now some association that comics are worth money... many are surprised.

 

I have to admit it helps my "dealer" status that many people think that I am a collector first and a dealer second... and handing them a business card that says attorney on it means that I have money to spend... but the buying/selling of comics has helped raise quite a bit of coin for me that is "extra" money -- that I pour back into the hobby.

 

The health of the market is not just one sector alone, it's the dealers, the shop owners, the readers -- having more people who are fans of comic books, comic characters and have a general awareness of the hobby benefits us all.

 

Even those of us who are interested in the market all started the same way, we read comics and loved them -- in order to have new back issue blood we need to still have readers in the hobby.