How did you hunt for back issues pre-internet days?

[DR.X]

I stood on street corners, unshaven and dirty clothes. I had a sign that said.

" WILL WORK FOR COMICS"

 

DRX

[binarysunrise]

In the mid nineties, there was a mail-order auction catalogue, put out by James Reeves (?) out of PA. Picked up some nice (at least I thought so at the time) books from him...

 

An auction catalog is interesting. How did it work? Did you mail in your bids with a % down or did they handle phone bids as well?

 

I believe the catalog came, and you wrote in your max bids, and mailed it back. There were also art and antique items...I remember as a kid thinking it was cool to have a roman arrowhead...

[Mr. Zipper]

I bought my first back issues from Richie Muchin.

 

Is that what got you into the restoration business, buying from Richie?

 

 

Richie has been quite "influential" to many collectors.

 

Just when I thought I had totally assessed the damage he's done to my collection, about 2 weeks ago I found a tear seal on a Shock Suspenstories #1 I bought from him over 12 years ago.

[Mr. Zipper]

I went to the hastily arranged church basement show that took place the following day. Spent less than $800. The show continued there bimonthly for the long term (it did improve considerably after the first one).

 

The church basements shows weren't bad at all... terrible lighting though.

 

A few fine memories from the church basement shows...

 

* First time I saw a CGC slab in hand was a FF 1 8.0 in Blazing Bob's booth. He was pizzed because it did not get a 8.5. At the time, I didn't fully understand why the difference was such a big deal.

 

* Year 2000: Bob Beerbholm cursing me out (seriously... not joking around) because I strolled by his booth with a GWB pin on my jacket. He was rabid.

[Rommin]

About once a month, my friend and I would do a back issue circuit hitting three different Titan's locations around Atlanta and this big store in Decatur who's name slips my mind. Outside of that, it was save up for the Atlanta Fantasy Faire =)

 

Big store in Decatur? The Book Nook? :shrug:

 

I remember The Book Nook, but I don't think that's the one I'm talking about. This one was at one time located over by North Dekalb Mall and then I think moved over between Church Street and 78/29.

 

I don't remember so good no mo.

[RockMyAmadeus]

I bought my first back issues from Richie Muchin.

 

Is that what got you into the restoration business, buying from Richie?

 

Rich Muchin. Mmmm...

 

A gianter person_who_is_obnoxiously_self-impressed one could not wish for.

 

:winnah:

[AtlasFan]

Does anyone remember the monthly COMICS SOURCE catalog?

 

Started in the early/mid 90s, the premis here was that those who wanted to sell comics could list them for a fee in this newsprint periodical. The seller would list their name or "tag line" next to a book and if one wanted to buy that book (listed in alphabetical order), you would look up the seller in the index and call or fax them to see if it was avaliable.

 

They would, from time to time, have some very basic one page articles on collecting and/or storage of comics.

 

I actually got a bunch of decent books using this method. Ebay kind of put them out of business by the late-90s.

Bill

[RCheli]

Great topic. (And it's driven me out of my lurk to respond.)

 

I'm only 37, but buying comics pre-eBay was so much different for me.

 

My first back-issue experience was from one of the Mile High Comics ads in Marvel books. They were 35 cents each, with discounts for more purchased. The biggest problem I found was that for every comic you ordered, you had to include at least 1 back-up because they sold out so quickly. But getting that first box from them with about 40 comics (for under $20) was exhilarating. I rarely ordered from their regular catalog, though, because I found that they were often sold out of the comics in the grades that I requested. It was too much of a shoot.

 

When I was 12, I first subscribed to the Buyers' Guide, and every Thursday I'd rush home from school to see what was in it. You had to be quick, however, and call right away and reserve books, because other people would scour the pages and find all the deals early. (I actually thought of running home during my lunch period to get it a few hours earlier.)

 

The first comic store I went to was Cap's Comics Cavalcade in Kutztown, PA. (They eventually moved to a larger location in Allentown.) I remember walking out of the store with a ton of early Marvel Daredevils (from around 20-40), each priced between $1-$3.

 

And there were local conventions in Allentown put on by Jubilee. Does anyone remember them? They mostly had shows in Virginia and Maryland, but occasionally made their way into Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Later on, I'd go to the pre-expansion Fred Greenberg shows in New Jersey, which were usually pretty solid and always full of good old comics.

 

And I, too, remember comic auctions pre-eBay. There were either ads in the CBG or you'd get a catalog, and you could either mail in your bid or call the day of the auction. I bought my Daredevil #1 that way -- for $35 plus a $3.50 commission.

 

eBay made everything easier, but that took away some of the fun. The hunt was much more fulfilling back then.

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

Rcheli, welcome to the boards. For me, CBG was huge. Almost my entire source of back issues, really.

 

When I started offering CBGs at my little comic corner in the back of my parents' store, I remember being so excited that it would arrive on Wednesday fresh in the box instead of beat up and on Thursday or Friday. Biggest books I bought through CBG were Detective 36 and 37, Batman 2, and a beautiful undergraded Batman 100. I would buy huge runs of Conan, Savage Sword, Brave and the Bold, etc. Really fun times.

[HouseofComics.Com]

How do most LCS compare with now vs pre internet?

 

Even the "good ones" in this big metro area devote a lot less space and time and budget to back issues than they did back in the 80s.

[RCheli]

How do most LCS compare with now vs pre internet?

 

Even the "good ones" in this big metro area devote a lot less space and time and budget to back issues than they did back in the 80s.

 

This is true -- but it's pretty much common sense. Most comic shops -- even the really, really good ones -- may have about 5% of their business be from back issues. But often times, back issues take up 30% or more of the floor space. It just doesn't make sense.

 

With the internet and the popularity of trade paperbacks, back-issues are dinosaurs.

 

As far as Silver/Gold go, most stores can't afford to stock the stuff considering how slowly it sells. Why invest hundreds/thousands of dollars into nice stock if it's just going to hang there on the wall forever when you could instead buy more new comics or trades that will likely have a higher turnover rate.

[Ringfinger]

The internet hasn't always been around?

 

 

[Senormac]

The internet hasn't always been around?

 

 

Only since Al Gore has been around

[Senormac]

Really, it was back issue comic stores.......and then Alan LIghts "The Buyers Guide to Comics Fandom" (later The Comics Buyers Guide). That rag had lots of ads in it for people selling comics. Ahhhh......memories

[PovertyRow]

I was living in Harvard Square, Cambridge in my early collecting days. I would hit Million Year Picnic (they once had two stores in the same building: one for new, books, vids etc. and the other just long long rows of back issues. So I'd go there pretty regulalrly. There was also a newly opened comic store in Watertown Square of all places. I remember the wall books with several Atlas Pre-Hero titles featuring the Kirby monsters, usually $10 a pop in very nice condition. I would sometimes hit Newbury Comics but they were mainly new books as I recall.

 

I made a weekly pilgrimage (pretty much every Saturday) to The Outer Limits in Waltham (Steve Higgins' great place). Would usually spend 2-3 hours there looking and BSing with Steve. Started there with SA and my first purchase from him was a run of early Daredevils in HG (about 12 issues). Over the years I got a lot of GA and precode from him from including some really nice "Xela" airbrush covers like Startling and Thrilling, some great good girl stuff like Dagar Desert Hawks, Fight, Wings etc. and a ton of pre-code horror.

 

About once a month I would hit some of the other shops. In those days there were several within a 20 mile area. New England Copmics had their "vault" (as gman mentioned) with a decent selection of GA books (got my NM- Ghost Rider #1 (A-1 #27) from there at a 30% off sale, along with several others.

 

Every couple or so months I would hit That's Entertainment in Worcester, a huge place with a good pre-code selection. It was/is run by Steve Higgins' brother (or cousin?). Sometimes I'd fit in a visit to Ted at Superowlrd at the same time. In the late 80's/early 90's I discovered Webhead in Wakefield and Comically Speaking in Reading and would include them in my monthly journey.

 

I would hit that big comic con that came around in Boston yearly. Forget the name of it (anyone remember?) but it was at a hotel and took up a couple of floors.

 

I went every month without fail to the Boston Show run by Dave from Primate Productions at the Raddison. That was my intro to Ted from Superworld Comics, Harley Yee, Jim Payette and many others. That Boston show was really tremendous in theose days, and a steady source of pre-hero Atlas and pre-code horror.

 

I bought CBM (from Outer Limits) monthly and made several purchases from their ad section. CBM was amazing in the old days.

 

And lastly I would look through the old print weekly publication THE WANT ADVERTISER and would ocassionally find some things of interest there.

 

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

Good post, pov. I remember you kept the road trip tradition alive a little bit when you were gathering boardies to trek to Sacramento to hit A-1.

[thehumantorch]

Great topic. (And it's driven me out of my lurk to respond.)

 

I'm only 37, but buying comics pre-eBay was so much different for me.

 

My first back-issue experience was from one of the Mile High Comics ads in Marvel books. They were 35 cents each, with discounts for more purchased. The biggest problem I found was that for every comic you ordered, you had to include at least 1 back-up because they sold out so quickly. But getting that first box from them with about 40 comics (for under $20) was exhilarating. I rarely ordered from their regular catalog, though, because I found that they were often sold out of the comics in the grades that I requested. It was too much of a shoot.

 

When I was 12, I first subscribed to the Buyers' Guide, and every Thursday I'd rush home from school to see what was in it. You had to be quick, however, and call right away and reserve books, because other people would scour the pages and find all the deals early. (I actually thought of running home during my lunch period to get it a few hours earlier.)

 

The first comic store I went to was Cap's Comics Cavalcade in Kutztown, PA. (They eventually moved to a larger location in Allentown.) I remember walking out of the store with a ton of early Marvel Daredevils (from around 20-40), each priced between $1-$3.

 

And there were local conventions in Allentown put on by Jubilee. Does anyone remember them? They mostly had shows in Virginia and Maryland, but occasionally made their way into Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Later on, I'd go to the pre-expansion Fred Greenberg shows in New Jersey, which were usually pretty solid and always full of good old comics.

 

And I, too, remember comic auctions pre-eBay. There were either ads in the CBG or you'd get a catalog, and you could either mail in your bid or call the day of the auction. I bought my Daredevil #1 that way -- for $35 plus a $3.50 commission.

 

eBay made everything easier, but that took away some of the fun. The hunt was much more fulfilling back then.

 

Welcome to the boards. Great first post.

[Ringfinger]

The internet hasn't always been around?

 

 

Only since Al Gore has been around

 

Yup, great inventor.

[nocutename]

I am going to resurrect this thread. After one year, I finally finished collecting my Harley Quinn series. My last issue 19 was obtained at the NYC con this Sunday.

 

It was actually tough trying to collect this series only using local resources and shows. It was a lot of fun tracking different LCS and shopping at them. But I will admit that my next series, I will purchase in bulk. This oneies stuff is too time consuming.

 

I just wanted to give Mint Condition Comics in Port Washington, NY props. The guy was kind enough to look at his inventory downstairs for me and still give me a discount. He had all my missing issues and even one for upgrade. Too bad he was missing that 19. Out of all the shops I visited I loved his the most. He is very knowledgeable about current events and comics in general. Overall he was a great person to talk and without having an intrusion feeling to engage in super-hero conversation. You know the kind. It is a shame that he is trying to convert his back issue portion of the shop into a gaming tables.

 

My Batman Adventures vol 2 is still lagging behind and I am just going to order the 5 remaining issues online. It was a nice experiment hunting around for the one series locally but in the end there is alot of disappointment. I still love purchasing locally as oppose to online but it is frustrating to collect an entire series this way.

 

[dupont2005]

I mostly didn't. One comic shop in my area. One more when I visited the grandparents. A lot of comics I had just decided I would never have. When I started collecting again I was kind of shocked at how easy and affordable it was to track down some comics that I had absolutely no chance of ever owning when I was a kid.