Starting over with a new collection: How would you proceed?

[Mac Man]

Welcome back COI!

 

So... you're coming to swim in my end of the pool now, eh?

[COI]

I have no plans to "invest" in my new collection because I have no faith in the sustainability of current prices for most books. My new chosen grade range guarantees that I'll never have to worry about what the market is doing at any given time. And pressing? Fuggedaboutit.

 

Sounds like the enjoyable route to comic collecting.

 

That's the idea. (thumbs u

 

When I first starting buying back issues as a teen, I was just trying to find books I wanted to own, at a price I could afford, and was happy with whatever I could get. I was thrilled with my first ASM 14 which was probably a VG, and enjoyed getting it more than the CGC 9.4 I shelled out for several years later. When I got the VG, I read it and enjoyed it; when I got my 9.4, I locked it up at the bank and obsessively tracked subsequent sales of similar copies. Not as fun.

 

I'm going to handle this hobby the way I handle fine dining; I'll indulge when the mood strikes, and consider the money spent when I do.

And by the way welcome back

 

Thanks (thumbs u

[COI]

Welcome back COI!

 

So... you're coming to swim in my end of the pool now, eh?

 

Yes sir. I now see beauty in those beaters.

[COI]

And pressing? Fuggedaboutit.

 

Tim, the way I see it is pressing makes the already common books I'm interested in even more so. If my collection is going to mirror a thousand others either way, I may as well feed off the bottom and save a -ton of money.

[innocuous]

I agree with whoever suggested buying trades for reading. After that, go with OA. Looks great on walls.

[Davenport]

As some of you know, over the last couple of years I've sold off the lion's share of my HG SA ASM collection, and most of my bronze/copper was lost in an unfortunate situation. After a brief hiatus away from these boards, and the hobby as a whole, I've realized that whether I like it or not, comics will always be in the back of my mind, and I enjoy this hobby too much to give it up completely. That being said, my outlook on this hobby has changed drastically, and I think I've found a way to enjoy it again, as a consequence.

 

So here's my question: knowing everything you know today, if you woke up tomorrow with no books, what approach would you take to start over, assuming you had the same collecting budget? Would you change your buying habits or your focus? Would you buy the best you can afford, or collect below your means? Would you focus in on a niche, or branch out and try other things?

This is such a hard question and one I've been thinking about. Like you, I stopped cold due to the way the hobby was trending.

 

If I were to go again I think I would start with a display and build outward. Bring in specific comic-selections that could be out and enjoyed, in a grade that shows the book is vintage but can still be handled. Maybe create a mock 5 & dime space or mock vintage newsstand area.

 

Another thing I think I would do different is select one or two rock-solid trustworthy retailers to deal with. No more than that. From all that I've read on the boards Bob Storms would be top of the list, and probably Doug Sulipa. No chasing any one book, work from a want list, and be ready to buy when my retailer comes through. No exceptions, no auctions, no drama or shenanigans. If my retailer couldn't get a book, I would live without it.

 

Trust on the buying-end and pure fun on the owning-end. Otherwise there's little point, no other reasons to bother with back issues at this stage of fandom.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jeffro.]

Basically, I'd buy what I enjoy to read and what I grew up with. In reality, that's what I'm doing right now. I've gone back to my childhood favorites, which include Richie Rich, Uncle Scrooge and, bronze DC war comics.

 

If I were to lose all my comics, I'd focus on the above, as well as cheap reading copies of the comics I loved most from the late bronze/early copper (Cronze? ) era.

[THE_BEYONDER]

I'm starting from scratch right now. I've decided to collect VF+/- bronze keys .

What are you going to do next week?

 

Get outside...

[VintageComics]

I'm going to handle this hobby the way I handle fine dining; I'll indulge when the mood strikes, and consider the money spent when I do.

 

I have several different runs on the go at the same time, all different from one another.

 

I've recently sold off the majority of my "big" books to finance my new business but I still collect the following, which are relatively affordable, fun and still tough enough to acquire that some "thrill of the chase" is involved. I own 2 "big" books that are have been at the core of my collection since I started collecting GA. Other than that the following keep things rolling along for me:

 

X-men #94-143 in raw higher grade (VF/NM or better) (I'm probably 90% there)

Whiz Comics #1-22 in solid mid grade or better with strong eye appeal. (I need 3 issues)

Good Girl Art comics in low to mid grade affordable (there is no end in sight...)

Whatever else catches my eye.

 

 

[hogations]

 

Trust on the buying-end and pure fun on the owning-end. Otherwise there's little point, no other reasons to bother with back issues at this stage of fandom.

 

 

This I really like.

 

I don't buy older stuff with any kind of regularity like I used to. However, I still buy trades/hardcovers and enjoy them greatly. Support your LCS this way, figure out what you like reading and decide with small steps, where to go from there.

 

There's still something to be said about hunting down elusive books - the thrill of the hunt so to speak. A long time ago it used to be those Marvel monster reprints from the 70s for me....

 

 

[Dick Pontoon]

Even though they’re just funnybooks, if my collection suddenly vanished it would be a little heartbreaking since I still have the majority of books I did when I started collecting in ‘75, though I’m sure I’d survive. My primary focus would be the same: Kirby books, runs of 60s and 70s Marvel titles, 50s horror and romance. I’d probably just buy as books came my way, rather than work on runs one title at a time.

 

I love the medium and my interests are pretty varied, which makes everything fresh by default.

 

I like books with nice eye appeal, and like HG, but buy within my means and can happily live with lower grade expensive books. Conversely, while I’d beam over owning a low grade FF #1, I prefer Copper books in 9.4 territory.

[Norrin_Radd]

Most of my collection doesn't interest me anymore so I've been selling it off for the last few years. Now I'm focused on a run of (raw) books that I really enjoy owning and reading.

[Boozad]

Back to Batman, always Batman.

 

I'm two years back into rebuilding my collection, and that was where I started again. After a year or so I branched out into some indie modern titles, some were great, others not so good. I completely lost site of any goals I had on collecting, changed them, changed them again, and ultimately ended up selling 50% - 60% of what I'd bought.

 

Now I'm back buying solely Batman again which in a way I wish I'd done from the start. I had some fun buying other books, and read some great material along the way, but I lost the enjoyment of collecting. I guess if I had to to start over yet again, Bats is where I'd go again as it's the one title I really love.

[THE_BEYONDER]

If I were to go again I think I would start with a display and build outward. Bring in specific comicselections that could be out and enjoyed, in a grade that shows the book is vintage but can still be handled. Maybe create a mock 5 & dime space or mock vintage newsstand area.

 

Pretty much what I'm going for. I have no desire to own any books that won't be displayed. Looking forward to having my very own comic wall of keys.

[RockMyAmadeus]

As some of you know, over the last couple of years I've sold off the lion's share of my HG SA ASM collection, and most of my bronze/copper was lost in an unfortunate situation. After a brief hiatus away from these boards, and the hobby as a whole, I've realized that whether I like it or not, comics will always be in the back of my mind, and I enjoy this hobby too much to give it up completely. That being said, my outlook on this hobby has changed drastically, and I think I've found a way to enjoy it again, as a consequence.

 

So here's my question: knowing everything you know today, if you woke up tomorrow with no books, what approach would you take to start over, assuming you had the same collecting budget? Would you change your buying habits or your focus? Would you buy the best you can afford, or collect below your means? Would you focus in on a niche, or branch out and try other things?

 

Just to be clear, I've already decided how I personally will proceed with the hobby, so I'm not looking for advice; I'm just interested in hearing how each of you would proceed if you were in my shoes, staring down a pile of empty short boxes.

 

Hey! You're back!

 

Have a nice summer?

[COI]

As some of you know, over the last couple of years I've sold off the lion's share of my HG SA ASM collection, and most of my bronze/copper was lost in an unfortunate situation. After a brief hiatus away from these boards, and the hobby as a whole, I've realized that whether I like it or not, comics will always be in the back of my mind, and I enjoy this hobby too much to give it up completely. That being said, my outlook on this hobby has changed drastically, and I think I've found a way to enjoy it again, as a consequence.

 

So here's my question: knowing everything you know today, if you woke up tomorrow with no books, what approach would you take to start over, assuming you had the same collecting budget? Would you change your buying habits or your focus? Would you buy the best you can afford, or collect below your means? Would you focus in on a niche, or branch out and try other things?

 

Just to be clear, I've already decided how I personally will proceed with the hobby, so I'm not looking for advice; I'm just interested in hearing how each of you would proceed if you were in my shoes, staring down a pile of empty short boxes.

 

Hey! You're back!

 

Have a nice summer?

 

I am!

 

Pretty good summer. Could have used a little more incessant arguing, though.

[kc120us]

As some of you know, over the last couple of years I've sold off the lion's share of my HG SA ASM collection, and most of my bronze/copper was lost in an unfortunate situation. After a brief hiatus away from these boards, and the hobby as a whole, I've realized that whether I like it or not, comics will always be in the back of my mind, and I enjoy this hobby too much to give it up completely. That being said, my outlook on this hobby has changed drastically, and I think I've found a way to enjoy it again, as a consequence.

 

So here's my question: knowing everything you know today, if you woke up tomorrow with no books, what approach would you take to start over, assuming you had the same collecting budget? Would you change your buying habits or your focus? Would you buy the best you can afford, or collect below your means? Would you focus in on a niche, or branch out and try other things?

 

Just to be clear, I've already decided how I personally will proceed with the hobby, so I'm not looking for advice; I'm just interested in hearing how each of you would proceed if you were in my shoes, staring down a pile of empty short boxes.

 

Hey Andrew,

If i were to get back into collecting vintage books and had the same budget, I would put together my old x-men collection again from 1 to the current issue though I'd be a lot more frugal on the prices I paid for the bronze and younger books. If I had money left over, I'd pick up some other silver keys.

[Comixroc]

The only thing i'd change is my desire for 9.8's. I'd probably gun for 9.6's and if a 9.8 comes......it comes, but it won't be at the top of my list. After cracking a few 9.8's for sigs & seeing them drop to a 9.6, and seeing some 9.6's getting bumped to 9.8's, i've realized the 9.6 and 9.8 are the same thing, It's only a question of the graders attitude on that paticular day that seems to make the difference. So why spend sooooo much more for the 9.8?? Besides, a 9.6 SS is WAYYYYYYY cooler than a 9.8 Universal.....there are exceptions of course, but generally speaking.......

[toro]

If I were to start new I would buy pretty much the same books I own know, as they are my favorites. But, to make it a little different I would only buy them if they were PGX graded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RockMyAmadeus]

As some of you know, over the last couple of years I've sold off the lion's share of my HG SA ASM collection, and most of my bronze/copper was lost in an unfortunate situation. After a brief hiatus away from these boards, and the hobby as a whole, I've realized that whether I like it or not, comics will always be in the back of my mind, and I enjoy this hobby too much to give it up completely. That being said, my outlook on this hobby has changed drastically, and I think I've found a way to enjoy it again, as a consequence.

 

So here's my question: knowing everything you know today, if you woke up tomorrow with no books, what approach would you take to start over, assuming you had the same collecting budget? Would you change your buying habits or your focus? Would you buy the best you can afford, or collect below your means? Would you focus in on a niche, or branch out and try other things?

 

Just to be clear, I've already decided how I personally will proceed with the hobby, so I'm not looking for advice; I'm just interested in hearing how each of you would proceed if you were in my shoes, staring down a pile of empty short boxes.

 

Hey! You're back!

 

Have a nice summer?

 

I am!

 

Pretty good summer. Could have used a little more incessant arguing, though.

 

You've come to the right place!