Reasons you don't collect a certain book/title...

[*paull*]

Anyone have (weird) reasons that they refuse to collect a certain type of book, publisher, title, etc?

 

Here are a couple of mine:

 

I have a thing against books that were published with volumes as part of the numbering system, for instance: Volume 2, Number 1.

 

I strongly dislike books that have smaller framed images on the cover telling you what stories are inside, for instance: Atlas books during the post-code era.

 

Anyone else have pet peeves that aren't artist or character-related? Cover colors? Print stock? Gloss or no gloss?

[october]

I avoid a lot of books that have matte covers, the Schomburg Xela books come to mind, as the colors on them rarely pop the way I would like them to. It's just too much of a hassle to buy them any place but in person, so I just don't collect them at all.

 

I also don't buy books with a lot of inset boxes or banners on the cover, as it often ruins the art. Like you mention, Atlas books have this problem. It almost kept me from liking ECs, but the sheer awesomeness of the books triumphed.

[Cimm]

I avoid bronze age Marvel... HATE the "Marvel Comics Group " banner...

 

don't like the Atlas pre-code books with the strip down the side with the other stories small pics on it...

 

I REALLY wish EC had used full-bleed covers... I don't mind the Vault Keeper/Crypt Keeper/Old Witch circles, but the solid background top logo wigs me out... I still collect them, but more for the contents than for the covers.

[ft88]

I can only speak on the cartoon type books I collect.

 

I agree, the left hand side banner with head shots or what-have-you is an immediate turnoff. Harvey's and a few other cartoon books have that.

 

Ditto on the matte covers on the Four Colors (somewhere around issues 150-200) I'll still collect those on Bugs Bunny but they are ugly.

 

Multiple stories on cover, covers. Issues like 4 most, True Aviation War Stores etc. Just too much clutter.

 

 

[october]

I REALLY wish EC had used full-bleed covers...

 

A couple of issues have them (or are close to it), like CSS 23, Mad 1 and VoH 37, and they look SO much better.

[VintageComics]

I avoid bronze age Marvel... HATE the "Marvel Comics Group " banner...

 

Wow. I am 100% the opposite on this. Every time I see this banner it's like being a kid in a candy store.

 

Tastes obviously change. I could not stand DC or similar non Marvel books for the longest time because of the direction they took in stories. I counted them as immature, niave and weak. Now as I mature I can appreciate the "innocence" and entertainment value and collect them when I can for what they represent.

 

R.

 

 

 

[aardvark88]

The interior Blue Beetle stories are quite weak so I generally don't collect that title. But now that we are in the Cgc era, all that matters are the nice Kamen covers and the clean condition of the back covers.

[Scrooge]

Two reasons come to mind.

 

The first is very prosaic but I don't feel like collecting books whose stories have been reprinted so I own virtually no DCs and my Timely / Atlas holdings are Atlas books since Marvel is reprinting most of Timely. Same for the anthology strip reprint books. I don't need to buy Sparkle or Tip Top to enjoy Tarzan nor do I need to collect Popular to enjoy Smilin' Jack, or Tracy for Tracy, etc ... In fact, that's one thing that bugs me while working on the Four Color set, having to buy some that reprint strips (à la Little Orphan Annie, Terry & the Pirates, Popeye, ...)

 

The second is that I can't stand the hokishness of DC's mystery (and even some sci-fi) books so no early House of Mystery and others for me.

[Comicdey]

I don't particularly like the archie comics logo, no variation, not a ton of imagination.

 

I still have a few classics like archie 50 etc but most look too similar

[Comicdey]

I love the matt FC bugs issues and porky etc

 

Just goes to show we all have different tastes

[ciorac]

The only two kinds of comics I don't regularly collect are:

 

1. Ones I can't afford

2. Ones I will lose money on, if I have to sell

 

However, I've violated those rules so often they are more like guidelines than rules...

 

[Silver Surfer]

Batman because of Robin!

[adamstrange]

I REALLY wish EC had used full-bleed covers...

 

A couple of issues have them (or are close to it), like CSS 23, Mad 1 and VoH 37, and they look SO much better.

 

All of the Kurtzman edited/designed books have full-bleed (Mad, Two-Fisted Tales, Frontline Combat), though the two war titles have a bar down the left edge with the title name.

 

VoH 36-40 are full bleed and that's a time when Craig was taking a more active role as editor than he had previously.

[Point Five]

I have a thing against books that were published with volumes as part of the numbering system, for instance: Volume 2, Number 1.

I agree! I never gave it much thought, but that kind of numbering does bugs me irrationally. Other than Catman I can't think of any of those titles I go after, though there are certainly some great Centaur runs that do it too.

[Primetime]

1. With GA Timelys, I'm less interested in the small, sized down Timelys (ie. All Select 8 or Caps #37 on). I prefer the BIG "bed sheet" sized GA comics (thumbs u

 

2. The logo design of Tecs and Actions over Bat and Supe titles (not opposed)

 

3. Cap and Bucky covers OK. Batman & Robin covers--less appeal.

 

4. Most Non-Schomburg Timelys are not as appealing---some exceptions: USA 9, Cap 16.

[PUNYHUMAN]

Reason I don't collect a book -Price , if it's to high in the market , then I move on , but , but, if I really really want a book then I will step up to the plate.. contradictory , I know.

2nd reason I don't collect a book is, RAREITY!! I can't find the damn comic ..

[seank]

Two reasons come to mind.

 

The first is very prosaic but I don't feel like collecting books whose stories have been reprinted so I own virtually no DCs and my Timely / Atlas holdings are Atlas books since Marvel is reprinting most of Timely. Same for the anthology strip reprint books. I don't need to buy Sparkle or Tip Top to enjoy Tarzan nor do I need to collect Popular to enjoy Smilin' Jack, or Tracy for Tracy, etc ... In fact, that's one thing that bugs me while working on the Four Color set, having to buy some that reprint strips (à la Little Orphan Annie, Terry & the Pirates, Popeye, ...)

 

The second is that I can't stand the hokishness of DC's mystery (and even some sci-fi) books so no early House of Mystery and others for me.

 

This could probably be my answer, too. I generally avoid books that have been reprinted because that frees up funds for non-reprinted books.

 

And most horror and SF books leave me cold.

[adamstrange]

Two reasons come to mind.

 

The first is very prosaic but I don't feel like collecting books whose stories have been reprinted so I own virtually no DCs and my Timely / Atlas holdings are Atlas books since Marvel is reprinting most of Timely. Same for the anthology strip reprint books. I don't need to buy Sparkle or Tip Top to enjoy Tarzan nor do I need to collect Popular to enjoy Smilin' Jack, or Tracy for Tracy, etc ... In fact, that's one thing that bugs me while working on the Four Color set, having to buy some that reprint strips (à la Little Orphan Annie, Terry & the Pirates, Popeye, ...)

 

The second is that I can't stand the hokishness of DC's mystery (and even some sci-fi) books so no early House of Mystery and others for me.

 

This could probably be my answer, too. I generally avoid books that have been reprinted because that frees up funds for non-reprinted books.

 

And most horror and SF books leave me cold.

 

 

If only certain of my competitors shared your exemplary approach to collecting.

[rjpb]

I collect mostly for covers - and I don't like a lot of clutter that distracts from the art - but will still pick up books with banners, big text blocks and panel insets if they are cool enough. However, it will influence my decision on what to go after.

 

I like the art L.B. Cole did on a number of the Star books, but because they usually include an abundance of text, I find them less desirable than his Continental stuff. I far prefer Atlas books without the strip of panels on the cover, but it have plenty with them. I actually like that most GA books until around 1945 (and many for longer) have a solid background behind the logo - it's such a part of the Golden Age aesthetic that inevitably it is used when companies go for a mock GA look today.

 

If I were going to collect GA DC runs - the switch from big to small logos on the anthology books would probably be a random cutoff point for many titles.

 

About a year ago I stopped buying GA superhero books, and pretty much stick to precode crime, horror and war, as I found that what I wanted sucked up too much of my comic dollar. Even in lower grade, most classic cover hero books run several hundred dollars or more, and while there are number of crime and horror books that are expensive - I already have most of the ones I'd want. And even the high demand horror books are far cheaper than high demand classic cover Timelys and DC books. I find there is still a lot to be had in the non-superhero genres in midgrade for under $50.

[Forbush-Man]

Two reasons come to mind.

 

hokishness

 

Two reasons?!?.....................you had me at "hokishness". <3 <3