Comic book ubiquity and resulting fatigue

[Bronty]

:: Dig out your 1960s Japanese 7" and we'll talk

 

 

yikes that looks like "out of context" fodder

[Scrooge]

Now just go to two or three websites and put in your CC number and it will be on your doorstep in two days. How has that affected you as a collector? Is it all positive?

 

While I understand how it has taken out some of the "fun" out of collecting (in particular for anything Post-Code), I have found a great positive in that: I can now decide realistically to go after more ambitious goals. I would not have thought for example of going after the entire Four Color run or the entire Atlas War books output. I would have probably given up before starting as unachievable ... but now, I know it's feasible. Plus, it's still going to require some chasing to make sure I keep the search under a reasonable budget. (thumbs u

[conditionfreak]

Here is a book that I found on Ebay for 35 bucks. I have not found anymore of them. Not saying they are not out there, but I have been looking to see if I could find another. Gerber and Overstreet question its existence. Probably does not fit into your interests, but in your interests, there may be some like this hiding from you.

 

 

http://www.cgccomics.com/census/grades_standard.asp?title=Romeo+Tubbs&publisher=Superior+Comics&issue=27&year=1950&issuedate=1950

 

I can't view your link, but I understand your point. Was I jazzed to find my copy of Fighting Man Annual (Farrell)? Sure was! Haven't seen one since, either.

 

Romeo Tubbs #27 (CGC census link). There is only one so far.

[*paull*]

Here is a book that I found on Ebay for 35 bucks. I have not found anymore of them. Not saying they are not out there, but I have been looking to see if I could find another. Gerber and Overstreet question its existence. Probably does not fit into your interests, but in your interests, there may be some like this hiding from you.

 

 

http://www.cgccomics.com/census/grades_standard.asp?title=Romeo+Tubbs&publisher=Superior+Comics&issue=27&year=1950&issuedate=1950

 

I can't view your link, but I understand your point. Was I jazzed to find my copy of Fighting Man Annual (Farrell)? Sure was! Haven't seen one since, either.

 

Romeo Tubbs #27 (CGC census link). There is only one so far.

 

Cool, I like those kind of finds. I corrected my above post... I meant G-I in Battle Annual, not Fighting Man.

[*paull*]

Perhaps it is time to broaden your horizons. Are you up to it?

 

I have been broadening my horizons in comics, but I'm finding that other fields of collecting are winning the war for limited funds based on the fact that I may never come across those items for a long time.

 

I know what you are getting at. I made the same choice back in 2002. Believe it or not the seven years I have been on these boards I have pretty much been a non collector the whole time. Love the medium, love the artists, but just don't feel the need to own expensive books as you said.

 

I think there is a lot to be said for taking it back to basics on comics, if other items are winning the war for funds. Today I read an archie while eating my breakfast. I bent the cover back, started coughing, got eggs all over it, cleaned it up and kept on going. I read some uncle scrooges the other day while eating cereal. Its liberating taking it back to what comics were meant to be.

 

I also bought the 73/74 "complete peanuts" hardback and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. (my biggest beef with peanuts was some of the gags just aren't funny - but sometimes they are if read in continuity because they build on a previous gag).

 

Bottom line if the collecting of comics is less interesting for you now, why fight it. Reading them on a very reasonable budget instead of having a "collecting" focus can be nice and open up funds for other pursuits. It worked for me, I am/was happy with my decision and wouldn't go back.

 

Good points... I think I need to focus more on good reading material versus "classic covers" which is one main collecting focuses. I plan on writing a post soon about someone whom I consider to be unjustly ignored, yet is a storyteller of significant merit. Not an archeological dig here, just a reminder about how good this guy was.

[*paull*]

I can now decide realistically to go after more ambitious goals. I would not have thought for example of going after the entire Four Color run or the entire Atlas War books output. I would have probably given up before starting as unachievable ... but now, I know it's feasible. Plus, it's still going to require some chasing to make sure I keep the search under a reasonable budget. (thumbs u

 

True... things are in reach now that I never thought I'd be able to own. However I'm finding that a lot of common, low grade GA is overpriced by dealers and sits in their stocks for a long, long time. Even though I'd like to have that stuff, I won't pay inflated prices.

[Bronty]

I can now decide realistically to go after more ambitious goals. I would not have thought for example of going after the entire Four Color run or the entire Atlas War books output. I would have probably given up before starting as unachievable ... but now, I know it's feasible. Plus, it's still going to require some chasing to make sure I keep the search under a reasonable budget. (thumbs u

 

True... things are in reach now that I never thought I'd be able to own. However I'm finding that a lot of common, low grade GA is overpriced by dealers and sits in their stocks for a long, long time. Even though I'd like to have that stuff, I won't pay inflated prices.

 

amen. its priced at double what you'll get for it when you sell and then on top of that you're out the shipping you paid, and the time to resell it. Its kind of a huge pain in the butt, not to mention a losing proposition to resell that type of material

[Darth Corgi]

Perhaps it is time to broaden your horizons. Are you up to it?

 

I have been broadening my horizons in comics, but I'm finding that other fields of collecting are winning the war for limited funds based on the fact that I may never come across those items for a long time.

 

I know what you are getting at. I made the same choice back in 2002. Believe it or not the seven years I have been on these boards I have pretty much been a non collector the whole time. Love the medium, love the artists, but just don't feel the need to own expensive books as you said.

 

I think there is a lot to be said for taking it back to basics on comics, if other items are winning the war for funds. Today I read an archie while eating my breakfast. I bent the cover back, started coughing, got eggs all over it, cleaned it up and kept on going. I read some uncle scrooges the other day while eating cereal. Its liberating taking it back to what comics were meant to be.

 

I also bought the 73/74 "complete peanuts" hardback and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. (my biggest beef with peanuts was some of the gags just aren't funny - but sometimes they are if read in continuity because they build on a previous gag).

 

Bottom line if the collecting of comics is less interesting for you now, why fight it. Reading them on a very reasonable budget instead of having a "collecting" focus can be nice and open up funds for other pursuits. It worked for me, I am/was happy with my decision and wouldn't go back.

 

Great post Bronty!

Cereal and comics.....

 

I agree about getting back to basics. I own fairly pricey GA / SA books, but my favorite books are the ones I pick up on the New Release rack at my LCS every month. As far as I am concerned, Fables and Walking Dead have some of the best stories ever written in comics, and they are only $2.99 once a month!

 

[adamstrange]

Here is a book that I found on Ebay for 35 bucks. I have not found anymore of them. Not saying they are not out there, but I have been looking to see if I could find another. Gerber and Overstreet question its existence. Probably does not fit into your interests, but in your interests, there may be some like this hiding from you.

 

 

http://www.cgccomics.com/census/grades_standard.asp?title=Romeo+Tubbs&publisher=Superior+Comics&issue=27&year=1950&issuedate=1950

 

I can't view your link, but I understand your point. Was I jazzed to find my copy of G-I in Battle Annual (Farrell)? Sure was! Haven't seen one since, either.

 

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

I'm liking the posts here. I think the internet makes comic collecting a lot more fun. Without it, it could be frustrating if you couldn't find issues you needed for your run. I mean, the chase is fun but ultimately I hope that for most of us it's about owning and appreciating them. We know that the Redskin 8 will show up some day for Scrooge but imagine how annoying it would be to need it 20 years from now? Or if his 1952 list still had 40 books on it he never saw and was down to finding 1-2 a year? That would drive me crazy.

 

 

[HouseofComics.Com]

Also, I'd say that if the internet is making something too easy, one can just decide to try to only buy it in person and enjoy the hunt that way. I know someone from Salinas who is going to a lot of area comic shops, driving up to the Bay Area to visit multiples at a time, or driving south to a show in Bakersfield, he even ventured down to Ventura. I think it's really cool, it reminds me of little trips I'd take in the 80s an hour in each direction to check out shops.

 

 

[adamstrange]

Perhaps it is time to broaden your horizons. Are you up to it?

 

I have been broadening my horizons in comics, but I'm finding that other fields of collecting are winning the war for limited funds based on the fact that I may never come across those items for a long time.

 

Nothing says that comics have to be your only or primary collecting field. I didn't originally intend to be as focused on comics but once I started more than 20 years ago I thought they were inexpensive relative to the their coolness and underappreciated by society and have worked to have representative samples of interesting books. As comics have become more expensive since the onset of slabification I have sought other items that I've been interested in that are truly rare or even unique. Comics are still fun as I continually learn about new creators, comics and stories from the Boards (e.g. Fletcher Hanks) and I still have enjoyable challenges as many of the books I'm looking for I've not seen in the condition that I would like. I still love the medium and read comics (TPBs mostly) but I do now weigh comics against other items that I can acquire, which seems a pretty healthy approach.

 

Never force yourself to buy something "just because." If comics or even collecting isn't your thing right now then take a break.

[Bronty]

Perhaps it is time to broaden your horizons. Are you up to it?

 

I have been broadening my horizons in comics, but I'm finding that other fields of collecting are winning the war for limited funds based on the fact that I may never come across those items for a long time.

 

I know what you are getting at. I made the same choice back in 2002. Believe it or not the seven years I have been on these boards I have pretty much been a non collector the whole time. Love the medium, love the artists, but just don't feel the need to own expensive books as you said.

 

I think there is a lot to be said for taking it back to basics on comics, if other items are winning the war for funds. Today I read an archie while eating my breakfast. I bent the cover back, started coughing, got eggs all over it, cleaned it up and kept on going. I read some uncle scrooges the other day while eating cereal. Its liberating taking it back to what comics were meant to be.

 

I also bought the 73/74 "complete peanuts" hardback and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. (my biggest beef with peanuts was some of the gags just aren't funny - but sometimes they are if read in continuity because they build on a previous gag).

 

Bottom line if the collecting of comics is less interesting for you now, why fight it. Reading them on a very reasonable budget instead of having a "collecting" focus can be nice and open up funds for other pursuits. It worked for me, I am/was happy with my decision and wouldn't go back.

 

Great post Bronty!

Cereal and comics.....

 

I agree about getting back to basics. I own fairly pricey GA / SA books, but my favorite books are the ones I pick up on the New Release rack at my LCS every month. As far as I am concerned, Fables and Walking Dead have some of the best stories ever written in comics, and they are only $2.99 once a month!

 

(thumbs u

[Comicdey]

Paul I bought a Good Bomber 2 on the boards today, I've now got the 4 issue run, although I will be upgrading. It's been a long road for me to pick up many books, I love the hunt, the bargains to be found, and the history. Hitler cover too.

[Darth Corgi]

Paul I bought a Good Bomber 2 on the boards today, I've now got the 4 issue run, although I will be upgrading. It's been a long road for me to pick up many books, I love the hunt, the bargains to be found, and the history. Hitler cover too.

 

I saw that Bomber 2 in Brent's thread. Cool looking book with a nicely drawn cover! Congrats on finishing the run!

[Comicdey]

Interiors are actually really good too

[Point Five]

By my definition, "rare" would mean having to wait years to turn up a copy in complete, unrestored condition. I like rarity in the things that I collect. The chase is a big part of the fun.

Go for a complete run of Catman. All your worries will be over.

[G.A.tor]

I am not particularly fond of "shooting fish in a barrel" either... the "hunt" drives a lot of my collecting focus for sure...but modern day ability to collect (versus days and means of old) sure do remove a lot of the frustration one used to run into

[143ksk]

What would a comic book collection be, without an ASM book in it somewhere? A Hulk book in it somewhere? What would a comic book collection be without an FF?

 

It would look like my collection!

 

Mine, too

[ArAich]

What would a comic book collection be, without an ASM book in it somewhere? A Hulk book in it somewhere? What would a comic book collection be without an FF?

 

 

Better...