Money Is No Object!!

[joe_collector]

Man, I must be asleep today, but it just hit me:

 

Marvelous = MMMarvel

 

Welcome back, and your irate "comics are the BEZZZZZT investments EVERRR!" is pretty obvious.

[shadroch]

Is it possible that the inevitable bursting of the price bubble can be a good thing for the market?Perhaps many new collectors,or former collectors will begin to buy books when the prices begin to return to earth.Since CGC books in 9.4 or better represent less than 1% of the entire market,a crash on those books will hurt relatively few people,if it occurs.Does anyone here believe that the crash of the 9.4 market will cascade down to the 6.0-7.5 range where most books seem to be?As books return to affordabilty,more people should be interested in buying them and increased demand should cause prices to begin to rise.IMO- the only people who need to worry about a CGC crash are the ones who paid TOP TOP Dollars for bronze or newer books,or paid 100K for some Siver books.In thirty years of following the comic market,a boom-bust cycle is obvious.Each boom is followed by an inevitable bust,but at the end of that cycle-the overall market has been stronger than at the beginning.I don't see enough evidence to convince me that this one will be any different.Again-IMHO

[fantastic_four]

It all comes back to the "Golden Age" comparison of what you were doing from 8-14 or so, and how it influenced your life.

 

I was playing Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Commodore 64 games from the ages of 8 to 14. I didn't start collecting Marvel comics until the ages of 15 to 17.

[fantastic_four]

I disagree....there are millions of people playing video games these days. That's their primary entertainment option.

 

That's MY primary entertainment option; I'm one of those millions of people since I play more video games than I watch TV. It's been that way with me since I was about 7 years old...but the box doesn't remind me of the game at ALL. The box is an entirely different medium than the game, which is UN-like the cover of a comic. A comic cover is extremely similar to the content inside the book, but minus the story and plot. Quite often, the cover of a comic is drawn by the same people who drew the interior. You hold the actual comic itself in your hands when you read a comic; the physical item directly relates to the imaginative act of reading the interior story.

 

I don't feel that same connection with a video game cartridge...I can't wait to get the cart/disc OUT of the box to get it in the machine, and I never touch nor think about it during the game playing experience. The connection is much, much looser than with the exterior of a comic.

[Illiterati-migration]

I disagree....there are millions of people playing video games these days. That's their primary entertainment option.

 

That's MY primary entertainment option; I'm one of those millions of people since I play more video games than I watch TV. It's been that way with me since I was about 7 years old...but the box doesn't remind me of the game at ALL. The box is an entirely different medium than the game, which is UN-like the cover of a comic. A comic cover is extremely similar to the content inside the book, but minus the story and plot. Quite often, the cover of a comic is drawn by the same people who drew the interior. You hold the actual comic itself in your hands when you read a comic; the physical item directly relates to the imaginative act of reading the interior story.

 

I don't feel that same connection with a video game cartridge...I can't wait to get the cart/disc OUT of the box to get it in the machine, and I never touch nor think about it during the game playing experience. The connection is much, much looser than with the exterior of a comic.

 

Something occured to me as I was skipping over the vast majority of posts in this thread...

 

People don't read any more. Kids, in particular, don't read any more.

 

You might try thinking about that on a number of different levels, boys. The days of reading for enjoyment are slipping further into the past.

[Lantern]

Something occured to me as I was skipping over the vast majority of posts in this thread...

 

People don't read any more. Kids, in particular, don't read any more.

 

You might try thinking about that on a number of different levels, boys. The days of reading for enjoyment are slipping further into the past.

 

I was very interested in what you had to say MK, but I just did not feel like reading it. Could you put it in video game format or on DVD for me....thanks!

 

 

 

[fantastic_four]

Something occured to me as I was skipping over the vast majority of posts in this thread...

 

People don't read any more. Kids, in particular, don't read any more.

 

You might try thinking about that on a number of different levels, boys. The days of reading for enjoyment are slipping further into the past.

 

I have thought about it, for over a decade. I chose 95% of my elective classes in college to try help me figure out the difference between literature, film, and interactive media (video games). I firmly believe television and film are a superior medium for most types of communication, PARTICULARLY entertainment. I don't read comics because I think reading is better, and I never have...I read comics because I can't get superheroes on a frequent basis in the other media.

 

Marvel versus Capcom is by far the finest superhero video game I've ever played...it's a fanboy's dream come true. But they don't release a different version of it every year, nor does an interactive medium satisfy the same parts of my psyche that narrative ones do, so to get my superhero fix, I have to keep coming back to the printed page.

[Illiterati-migration]

Something occured to me as I was skipping over the vast majority of posts in this thread...

 

People don't read any more. Kids, in particular, don't read any more.

 

You might try thinking about that on a number of different levels, boys. The days of reading for enjoyment are slipping further into the past.

 

I have thought about it, for over a decade. I chose 95% of my elective classes in college to try help me figure out the difference between literature, film, and interactive media (video games). I firmly believe television and film are a superior medium for most types of communication, PARTICULARLY entertainment. I don't read comics because I think reading is better, and I never have...I read comics because I can't get superheroes on a frequent basis in the other media.

 

Marvel versus Capcom is by far the finest superhero video game I've ever played...it's a fanboy's dream come true. But they don't release a different version of it every year, nor does an interactive medium satisfy the same parts of my psyche that narrative ones do, so to get my superhero fix, I have to keep coming back to the printed page.

 

I'm the same way, FF. (Imagine!) But I firmly believe that "we" (mid-twentysomethings) are a much different breed of cat than those even a few years younger than us.

 

Have to run, though. Going to look at houses. If I'm not back in 4 hours, avenge my death.

[Aman619]

Is Khaos selling his collection too??

 

[chrisco37]

Is Khaos selling his collection too??

 

 

[Rocketeer]

Something occured to me as I was skipping over the vast majority of posts in this thread...

 

People don't read any more. Kids, in particular, don't read any more.

 

You might try thinking about that on a number of different levels, boys. The days of reading for enjoyment are slipping further into the past.

 

I have thought about it, for over a decade. I chose 95% of my elective classes in college to try help me figure out the difference between literature, film, and interactive media (video games). I firmly believe television and film are a superior medium for most types of communication, PARTICULARLY entertainment. I don't read comics because I think reading is better, and I never have...I read comics because I can't get superheroes on a frequent basis in the other media.

 

Marvel versus Capcom is by far the finest superhero video game I've ever played...it's a fanboy's dream come true. But they don't release a different version of it every year, nor does an interactive medium satisfy the same parts of my psyche that narrative ones do, so to get my superhero fix, I have to keep coming back to the printed page.

 

I'm the same way, FF. (Imagine!) But I firmly believe that "we" (mid-twentysomethings) are a much different breed of cat than those even a few years younger than us.

 

Have to run, though. Going to look at houses. If I'm not back in 4 hours, avenge my death.

 

Prove you're looking at houses!!!...Oh wait ,..that's another thread,...nevermind...

[delekkerste]

Is it possible that the inevitable bursting of the price bubble can be a good thing for the market?Perhaps many new collectors,or former collectors will begin to buy books when the prices begin to return to earth

 

IMHO, I don't believe that enough new blood will come in to offset those leaving the hobby in disgust when the bubble bursts. Many collectors (including myself) left the hobby for a time in the aftermath of the bursting of the early 1990s spec bubble and as new issue quality sank and bank issue prices languished - I think many of us could do so again if the hobby becomes less fun (and if/when prices keep grinding agonizingly lower month after month, that certainly would qualify as "not fun").

 

However, I do think that the converse of what you said is absolutely true - the higher that prices soar, the less appealing the hobby will be for people just getting into the hobby. If someone has $3,000 and is looking to get into the hobby and all he can afford is 1 or 2 HG Silver or Bronze books, why would he want to?

 

I think a lot of great points have been made about cultural changes (shift away from reading, changes in character tastes, desire for more interactive and electronic entertainment). I agree that it is far-fetched to believe that people getting exposure to Spidey through a videogame or watching the movie on DVD are going to undergo some kind of evolution process where they will want to spend $122K for a 9.4 copy of AF #15.

 

One cultural change that I think is coming will be a return to saving vs. spending as the debt problems in this country worsen due to the magic of compound interest (thus leading to less purchases of discretionary items, particularly collectibles at inflated prices). I also think that part of the trend towards interactive/disposable entertainment like videogames and DVDs will be a shift away from the collector/pack-rat mentality of the generations that followed the Great Depression, which is why I am skeptical that videogame collecting (or really any new class of collecting) will be a huge phenomenon (however, I am willing to keep an open mind about this and do believe that perhaps it could be an interesting niche market/hobby).

 

Gene

[joe_collector]

I was playing Atari 2600, Atari 5200, and Commodore 64 games from the ages of 8 to 14. I didn't start collecting Marvel comics until the ages of 15 to 17.

 

Speculator.

 

[Illiterati-migration]

Something occured to me as I was skipping over the vast majority of posts in this thread...

 

People don't read any more. Kids, in particular, don't read any more.

 

You might try thinking about that on a number of different levels, boys. The days of reading for enjoyment are slipping further into the past.

 

I have thought about it, for over a decade. I chose 95% of my elective classes in college to try help me figure out the difference between literature, film, and interactive media (video games). I firmly believe television and film are a superior medium for most types of communication, PARTICULARLY entertainment. I don't read comics because I think reading is better, and I never have...I read comics because I can't get superheroes on a frequent basis in the other media.

 

Marvel versus Capcom is by far the finest superhero video game I've ever played...it's a fanboy's dream come true. But they don't release a different version of it every year, nor does an interactive medium satisfy the same parts of my psyche that narrative ones do, so to get my superhero fix, I have to keep coming back to the printed page.

 

I'm the same way, FF. (Imagine!) But I firmly believe that "we" (mid-twentysomethings) are a much different breed of cat than those even a few years younger than us.

 

Have to run, though. Going to look at houses. If I'm not back in 4 hours, avenge my death.

 

Prove you're looking at houses!!!...Oh wait ,..that's another thread,...nevermind...

 

[fantastic_four]

You've been very pleasant and agreeable lately...that's SO rare! Perhaps you go through reverse PMS, getting in a good mood about once a month?

[Illiterati-migration]

You've been very pleasant and agreeable lately...that's SO rare! Perhaps you go through reverse PMS, getting in a good mood about once a month?

 

I'm ALWAYS pleasant and agreeable with those who agree with me. BTW, congratulations on your SECOND post of only two sentences! I get so used to your mini-novellas that I don't think I knew you could express an idea in 900 words or less!

[awe4one]

I disagree....there are millions of people playing video games these days. That's their primary entertainment option.

 

That's MY primary entertainment option; I'm one of those millions of people since I play more video games than I watch TV. It's been that way with me since I was about 7 years old...but the box doesn't remind me of the game at ALL. The box is an entirely different medium than the game, which is UN-like the cover of a comic. A comic cover is extremely similar to the content inside the book, but minus the story and plot. Quite often, the cover of a comic is drawn by the same people who drew the interior. You hold the actual comic itself in your hands when you read a comic; the physical item directly relates to the imaginative act of reading the interior story.

 

I don't feel that same connection with a video game cartridge...I can't wait to get the cart/disc OUT of the box to get it in the machine, and I never touch nor think about it during the game playing experience. The connection is much, much looser than with the exterior of a comic.

 

Now that's where we differ.....

 

I see it as the same as having a slabbed comic. You can't read the story or open it. Same as a sealed videogame. But you still get the thrill of owning it.....

 

If you want what's inside, you'd buy an opened box.....

 

It's the same connection in either scenario....

 

Jim

[Marvelous]

What do you mean by cherry pick? I am talking gold, silver, bronze HG comics. Lets make it simple and start at the letter A as in all your NM Amazing Spider-mans #1-137.

 

Ah, SIMPLE is your middle name, right?

 

Sorry for missing your incredible leap of logic of HG = NM Gold. You an owner of the Church collection or something?

 

Now get off my back pinbrain, and get back to loading your retirement fund and your kid's education savings into slabbed funny books.

 

Ah, and you are AKA MALCONTENT COMIC GUY who is predicting a comic crash at some point in the near future based on knowledge you have gained reading fortune cookies, right? Guess you don't have the truth in your convictions and are just talking out your posterior when it comes to selling your comics. Why aren't you selling your comics if you think a crash is coming? Tell me something, do you have multiple copies of comics? If so, doesn't that make you a speculator spec boy? Look into the mirror peabrain before you talk about anyone else putting money into comics. I am thinking you must have made a ton of bad comic deals and are now regretting the thousands of dollars you have lost due to poor judgement on your part.

[joe_collector]

Why aren't you selling your comics if you think a crash is coming?

 

Because I have two very important things you seem to be lacking:

 

Brains and Money.

 

So the day I depend on my comics for "investment" will be a cold one indeed. It's my hobby, a source of entertainment and relaxation, and I won't care less when values plummet.

 

Man, you guys sinking gobs of investment income into nosebleed CGC books truly amuse me.

 

And PS, let's not start in on the "you must have lost thousands" bit and try and put your failures on other people. I'm extremely frugal with my comic budget (as I know most of it is flushed) and have only mass speculated on two comics EVER: ASM 300 and X-Men 283.

 

If you lost a ton buying Independants or stocking up on can't-miss Valiants, don't blame me.

[Marvelous]

I'm extremely frugal with my comic budget (as I know most of it is flushed) and have only mass speculated on two comics EVER: ASM 300 and X-Men 283.

 

Define mass speculated as it relates to you? Also, how many comics outside of ASM 300 and X-Men 283 do you have multiple issues of? Then answer the following questions. Isn't a person who collects 2 or more copies of any individual comic in fact a comic book speculator? Why does anyone need those extra copies of any comic unless they think that at some point in the future their "investment" in extra copies might result in profit? A person only needs one copy to read and enjoy as a comic enthusiast, don't they? Oh, and couldn't a person who collects only 1 copy of any comic who is anal about its condition be considered a speculator? No need to keep a comic in mint shape by handling with care unless you are speculating on it, is there?