STOPPING COLLECTING MODERNS

[Ogami]

I read Amazing, DD, Avengers, FF, Usagi and Tales of TMNT monthly and whatever else catches my fancy.

 

I also try to budget to buy at least one trade a month. Finishing up The Invisibles and starting up Moore's run on Swamp Thing.

[the blob]

There's that niggling thing in the back of my head that says 'will i look back one day and be cursing not buying these titles when they came out as prices start to sky rocket?'

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I don't think you have to worry about anything on your likely pull list sky rocketing in 10 years unless you have a nastradamus-like ability to pick the few winners each year (and a pull list that has obscure books from obscure publishers on it like somehow picking Bone #1, whatever the first app of the Goon was, etc.). Sure, it is possible that picking right with the first 5 issues Walking Dead, if somehow preserved and kept in 9.8 - 10.0 could pay for a big chunk (or all) of your moderns for a year or whatever, that isn't like contunuing your pull list for issues 36-48 of some title. Heck, just look at where most of those "low" print run marvels and valiants of the 90s (late run valiants) and 99-2001 (Marvels) sell for? We're not talking about big money (raw) except maybe for last issues, on a good day we're talking about $3-$5 books you can get cheaper elsewhere if you look.

 

I'm not trying tp persuade anyone from not buying the new stuff. I think the hobby goes in the krapper faster if new stuff isn't getting published, so I'd like others to support the medium. it isn't something i really do except for via the overstock box, except for Goon, which hasn't come out in what, 6 months?

[slym2none]

I quit buying new comics almost 3-1/2 years ago. I collected X-Men and the core titles for 23+ years religiously. I have not looked back yet...

 

 

 

-slym

[eddly]

I haven't bought a modern in over 19 years. If for some reason I had the desire to, I'd buy it on ebay.

[eddly]

here's some thoughts, if everyone stops buying monthlies:

 

1) then many comic shops go out of business... not sure there are "many" left to go out of business in my area.

2)you have to start only buying from online or the huge comic stores that survive by diversity (games, cards, cds, dvds, back issues)

3)eventually there are no tpbs as those are generally compiled from monthlies and wonder if comic companies will just wait to compile or not?

4)prices keep going up anyway

5) comic shops going out of business take away availability of back issues (again, go online or to only bigger stores) They don't have back issues to write home about.

6)I prefer monthlies to collect because of the separate cover, condition, completing a run/storyline...but I like TPBs to read because I usually sell out of an issue and forget to save me one or don't have time to read right away and do so much that I can't remember storyline from one month to next

 

just some thoughts as a LCS owner

 

I go to the LCS to browse a few times a year. I go to the Internet to buy.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Hi I am looking for opinions on my dilemma - I know theres no right or wrong answer but keen to hear your thoughts.

 

MODERNS. Every thursday I show up at the LCS and buy a bunch of comics which go in a pile and by the time I get round to reading them the trade is out which I buy anyway and find more enjoyable as a sit down read. (bit like a DVD box set as opposed to watching the eps every week)

 

SO - the obvious thing to do is stop buying the moderns and keep to collecting silver & bronze age - which I do and love.

 

BUT

 

There's that niggling thing in the back of my head that says 'will i look back one day and be cursing not buying these titles when they came out as prices start to sky rocket?' or has the hobby gotten so collector driven that it is impossible for moderns to gain that level of interest?

 

there will always be the Kick Asses, Walking Deads and USMs of this world which do take us all by surprise I guess.

 

So anyway has anyone else recently thrown in the moderns towel?

 

Thanks

 

For every Ultimate Spiderman or Walking Dead or Fables, there will always be hundreds of "insert comic here" that you can get for much, much less than cover price down the road.

 

When I first really dove in to collecting (1990), I bought everything. Literally everything that was being published. By late 1993, cover prices had gone up substantially in some cases ($2.50 for Valiants?) and the quality refused to be there. So, I stopped. Granted, I missed Lady Death, and Gen13, and JLA, and "insert hot comic here"...but you know the story with those. With few exceptions (Countdown to Infinite Crisis was FUN), I've not bought new issues since.

 

If you average it out, you will find that shelling out the big bucks for "the ones you missed" is more than compensated by the ones you get for 25 cents that would have cost you $3 to get new.

 

I know, this is terrible for retailers, but you guys need to complain to the publishers a LOT MORE than you're doing about high cover prices and the dearth of that is being published.

[RockMyAmadeus]

That's true moonlite, but it's not the comic reader's DUTY to keep funneling money into Marvel/DC/etc. and keep all the LCS in the world running, it's the comic publisher's DUTY to keep the readers entertained and believing they are receiving good value for their money.

 

The OP seems to think that the publishers are failing him, so he should drop them.

 

As a LCS owner, your comments should be aimed towards Marvel and DC, and NOT the readers.

 

 

Yay. Amen.

[PhiGam-migration]

well, i've been focused on moderns only for a decent chunk of time now...i find it to be the most fun and most rewarding (at least for OA, regarding the rewarding comment)..

 

bottom line: I enjoy the handful of titles I read / buy / collect / sell...

 

i do find it funny that everyone here who has anything negative to say about moderns doesn't read, buy or collect them I guess you have to listen to the experts opinions' (ie joe_collector)

[Buck Biggins]

I stopped collecting moderns about 2 years ago. I’m saving money but do miss the Wednesday ritual. Fun times.

 

I still go to the LCS to browse and purchase the odd thing. However, during my last visit I wanted to get some trades. I went to the store and priced them out in my head. In the end I couldn’t pull the trigger when I could save 30-40% on-line and have them within a week. So I passed. As I left the store I asked the guy if they ever run a sale on trades and he said, “no.”

 

I’m sorry but buyers have too many options to not offer discounts or the occasional sale. They have to know buyers can score stuff elsewhere. Give me 20% and I’ll support you.

 

 

[Rabidcamel]

I could careless about moderns. I sold most of mine 2 weeks ago. I only have about 50....not Im down to like 10 or so.

 

Gold and Silver is where it's at...but the odd bronze is A okay in my books.

[the blob]

i disagree with the JC crowd that moderns are junk, not worth reading, pale in comparison to the wildly entertaining comics of the 70's, etc.

 

admittedly, some are unreadable, as were some comics of 25-35 years ago.

 

but there's plenty of good stuff coming out. just at $3 a pop...it's too much darn money, particularly when I see the overstock sold at 1/5 - 1/2 price. i know, it's been said 100,000 times before.

 

i honestly do think that comics could be placed back in the mass market at the right price -- $1 - $1.50 each...like the price of a can/bottle of soda out of a machine. (when soda was 50 cents for a can ...so were comics) i know i've posted on this before, but I think comics vending machines could do well at that price point in locales with nowhere else to buy them.

 

true, circulation would probably have to quadruple to keep it on par re: profitability. but then again, with a quadrupling of circulation, they'd be making more from advertising.

 

honestly, after an adjustment period i don't think it would hurt the shops though. people would simply buy more comics (start reading what they cut back on) and perhaps pick up a few more. shops also wouldn't be taking as big a hit when they got stuck with overstock. at $1.25 I would probably get 5-10 titles a month to cover my goon, conan, spidey and x-men/wolvie fix, maybe some hulks and experiment a little.

 

problem is that i don't know if the indies could survive at that price point without distribution in 7-11s and what not.

[RockMyAmadeus]

well, i've been focused on moderns only for a decent chunk of time now...i find it to be the most fun and most rewarding (at least for OA, regarding the rewarding comment)..

 

bottom line: I enjoy the handful of titles I read / buy / collect / sell...

 

i do find it funny that everyone here who has anything negative to say about moderns doesn't read, buy or collect them I guess you have to listen to the experts opinions' (ie joe_collector)

 

I know your comment was aimed at JC, but I'll respond: who said anything about not reading, buying, or collecting them?

 

Does buying, reading, and collecting them 6 months after they've come out not count?

 

I have just about everything that was "hot" up to and through 2006. I have large runs of stuff I want (like X-Men, Batman, DD, Hulk, Cap, Green Lantern etc.) up through about 2004-5. Dribs and drabs beyond that, but I do have them.

 

I don't think anyone implied that there was something wrong with modern. It's simply that the VALUE for your money isn't there for nearly everything, and it's much better to buy them months or years after release for much, much less than cover price. Do you disagree with that?

[RockMyAmadeus]

i disagree with the JC crowd that moderns are junk, not worth reading, pale in comparison to the wildly entertaining comics of the 70's, etc.

 

Who said that in this thread......? :shrug:

[dikran]

I dont think JC implied moderns were junk, just that they weren't collectible in the profit-making sense. Buying a modern at cover is essentially the same as buying a new car, value decreases as soon it's driven off the lot... I find it sad that they cant even KEEP their value let alone rise. But I submit to it every wednesday like a good fanboy should. Read what you love, do we buy magazines or paperbacks in hopes they will rise in value? Just budget properly and everyone will be happy.

 

And if you didn't feel you got your 3$'s worth, there used to be this awesome tool readers had before the interweb allowed us to female dog to each other about BND & Final Crisis, the letter to the editor. Blame him for crappy titles, not your LCS.

 

 

[almoe]

I stopped my modern purchasing because of financial reasons - I was enjoying them very much and put my order in every week about 10 books - it has been about 8 months and I miss it - I still buy them on-line at a fraction, but it has lost a little of the luster as the gaps in runs start to pile up.

 

I do still buy, just scaled way way back

[Limited66]

I stopped my modern purchasing because of financial reasons - I was enjoying them very much and put my order in every week about 10 books - it has been about 8 months and I miss it - I still buy them on-line at a fraction, but it has lost a little of the luster as the gaps in runs start to pile up.

 

I do still buy, just scaled way way back

 

 

Do they have Half-Price Books in Tampa? I can go there and pick up some pretty complete runs or partial runs which I hide away and come back complete it.

[joe_collector]

i disagree with the JC crowd that moderns are junk, not worth reading, pale in comparison to the wildly entertaining comics of the 70's, etc.

 

That's not what I say, and I'll sum it up with an oft-used (paraphrased) quote:

 

Comics used to be for smart children, but now they're written for dumb adults.

 

One reason I respect the BA so much is that its prime market was kids, but it aimed high and was an insane rush for kids and still readable by adults. Now, Marvel and DC aim towards an adult readership, but it's lowbrow fanboy junk for the most part, that no kid would want to buy and is unreadable by most intelligent adults.

[MR.COMICBOOK]

i disagree with the JC crowd that moderns are junk, not worth reading, pale in comparison to the wildly entertaining comics of the 70's, etc.

 

admittedly, some are unreadable, as were some comics of 25-35 years ago.

 

but there's plenty of good stuff coming out. just at $3 a pop...it's too much darn money, particularly when I see the overstock sold at 1/5 - 1/2 price. i know, it's been said 100,000 times before.

 

i honestly do think that comics could be placed back in the mass market at the right price -- $1 - $1.50 each...like the price of a can/bottle of soda out of a machine. (when soda was 50 cents for a can ...so were comics) i know i've posted on this before, but I think comics vending machines could do well at that price point in locales with nowhere else to buy them.

 

true, circulation would probably have to quadruple to keep it on par re: profitability. but then again, with a quadrupling of circulation, they'd be making more from advertising.

 

No one I know pays full retail for new comics, just about any new comic can be had for 35% percent off at dcbs. It`s not the price that is turning off readers but the storylines, let`s see Brand New Day,Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis were mess.

[mysterymachine]

I stopped buying moderns years ago, but I still look out for new books that seem to get hot. Particularly first appearences books. I remember paying 30 dollars for Walking Dead #1 a few years back after hearing about it on these boards. (Thnx guys!!)

[Chespirito]

Moderns, New Music, new styles, new clothes, ......new generation...

 

"When I was young..now that was music!" "when I was.."

 

Forget all that, times a change, so do tastes and how writers aim their material

 

 

20 years from now ...wizard stuff might be al the rage...