Infinite Bronze Horror Thread 16 16

[awe4one]

Finally got this stinkin' book!

 

Dunno why it's always missing from runs because the stories aren't that special!

 

 

[greggy]

Finally got this stinkin' book!

 

Dunno why it's always missing from runs because the stories aren't that special!

 

 

[awe4one]

I know nothing of Charltons, but after listening to you guys I just had to try out a lot. Covers look quite nice too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6506021670&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

This was a great buy! Wish I'd seen it...

 

Jim

[ArAich]

Don't recall but it was around $35-45. I was just tired of looking for that book so I didn't care!

 

[buttock]

I know nothing of Charltons, but after listening to you guys I just had to try out a lot. Covers look quite nice too.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=6506021670&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT

 

This was a great buy! Wish I'd seen it...

 

Jim

 

Actually, I was watching that lot. It wasn't a great buy. You can see that those books are all in the VG-FN range, and for Charltons, that's essentially $0.50-1.00 territory. Total value is about $10-15, and with S&H he paid near $30. Midnight Tales is a slow mover.

But, if you're happy with them, it's a moot point.

[BassGMan]

 

Actually, I was watching that lot. It wasn't a great buy. You can see that those books are all in the VG-FN range, and for Charltons, that's essentially $0.50-1.00 territory. Total value is about $10-15, and with S&H he paid near $30. Midnight Tales is a slow mover.

But, if you're happy with them, it's a moot point.

 

In most cases I am very concerned about resale value, but not on this one. I've never owned a Charlton in my life, and I've especially never seen any Charlton lot with as many cool covers as in this one, so it looked good to me, especially since the grading looks closer to VG-VF range to me (but ya' never know). With the HoM lot I definitely bought that one with a flip in mind since I probably have one or more of each issue in the lot already anyway.

[BassGMan]

Dang it guys. I've bought so much bronze horror lately. I've sold off the Fine and lower books already through lots and was going to sell some of the better ones this coming weekend at the ECCC con, especially a couple long boxes filled mostly with TOD and WBN (all raw). But I looked through them, along with my DC horror, and I can't pull the trigger. How can I flip when I get so attached to these dang things?

 

OK, so now I gotta pull out more Spideys and X-Men to make up for it all. Just can't sell off my babies.

[awe4one]

Dang it guys. I've bought so much bronze horror lately. I've sold off the Fine and lower books already through lots and was going to sell some of the better ones this coming weekend at the ECCC con, especially a couple long boxes filled mostly with TOD and WBN (all raw). But I looked through them, along with my DC horror, and I can't pull the trigger. How can I flip when I get so attached to these dang things?

 

You've broken the cardinal rule of selling...

 

The secret is not to get attached to all of them. Personally, I don't think the horror price wave we've been riding is going to last much longer. I say sell now when you know the books will sell relatively well and rebuy the ones you must have later after the prices have leveled off.

 

OK, so now I gotta pull out more Spideys and X-Men to make up for it all. Just can't sell off my babies.

 

And that the difference between the horror and superhero genres. Horror has more evident highs and lows than other genres. When horror isn't selling well, the superhero line can be relied on to generate cash...

 

Jim

[buttock]

If you bought em to keep em, then that's the best thing. I think Wayne Howard gets overlooked because he was a Wood imitator. The covers on that run are great. I'm trying to finish it out in 9.0 or better, and I'm 1/3 there.

[BassGMan]

I agree actually Jim. Since I only flip what I would like to keep anyway, when it is time to sell, I sometimes just don't want to. This used to be the case with me for ASM and Uncanny X-Men. Now I have four long boxes of each (bronze/copper) and have lost all interest in them. So I'll sell those, generate more cash to buy more Bronze horror, and wait for a time (if ever) that I lose interest in them. I don't mind selling the high grade books (9.2 and up) as to me the justification in keeping books that I can sell for "that much" just isn't there. But my "babies" are actually the nice, but not perfect books in the 8.0 - 9.0 range that selling off wouldn't bring in alot of cash anyway, but that is the bulk of my stash.

 

Oh well, I guess the constant churning, and trying how to deal best with the situation at hand is what makes this thing kind of fun. You can never really be done.

[BassGMan]

Personally, I don't think the horror price wave we've been riding is going to last much longer. I say sell now when you know the books will sell relatively well and rebuy the ones you must have later after the prices have leveled off.

 

OK, so now I gotta pull out more Spideys and X-Men to make up for it all. Just can't sell off my babies.

 

And that the difference between the horror and superhero genres. Horror has more evident highs and lows than other genres. When horror isn't selling well, the superhero line can be relied on to generate cash...

 

Jim

 

OK, I've actually been thinking about this for the last hour or two, regarding the cyclical nature of horror books, Bronze specifically.

 

I agree with you as far as the typical Marvel horror books, Werewolf By Night, Tomb Of Dracula, Morbius, Man-Wolf and etc. These books, especially WBN and TOD seems to me to have always had a pretty high profile through the years. Nobody has forgotten about them, the key or high grade issues have always gotten space on dealer's "wall books" at cons and etc. And yes, I've seen the high and the lows regarding market price on these books over the last 20 or so years. Seems to flow with what is popular in current comics and at movie theaters at the time. Sometimes monsters are cool (high prices), sometimes cheesy (low prices). BUT, in my opinion, except for a few key issues, namely HoS #92, the Bronze DC horror has been under the radar and practically forgotten about, by the comic collecting masses, in general, for the last 25-35 years. Just in the last two years or so, especially last one year, finally the well deserved recognition is starting to take place. These books have never participated in any cycle, to my recollection at least (outside of the comics market as a whole).

 

So with that said, I do not see prices heading south anytime soon on DC Bronze horror. As a matter of fact, I see a steady increase in prices over the next five years as more and more collectors take notice. Remember, we are still dealing with a fairly small fan base at this time, although growing. Much farther to go until any kind of correction is necessary. I imagine we will also see huge price increases in the next Overstreet guide coming out in a few months.

 

Am I just being too much of an optimist with this? Maybe, maybe not. Am I biased since I have bought so much Bronze horror recently? Again, maybe so. But I am buying these books for two reasons now: personal interest and investment opportunity. Not serious investments, but fun investments (no these books are not to fund my retirement or pay for my house).

 

So, there you have it, for what it's worth.

[sterlingcomics]

Just in the last two years or so, especially last one year, finally the well deserved recognition is starting to take place.

 

Wow, that coincides with me and a few select others paying out the nose for some books that don't show up often.

 

Remember, we are still dealing with a fairly small fan base at this time, although growing.

 

I can count the collectors on my fingers that are hardcore. Which is why when these select few go for a book, it usually goes off the charts.

 

I buy em cause I like em. If I want to make money, I'll go flip those Marvel books

[ComicBookGuy]

I buy em cause I like em.

 

Me too!

I'm just glad I completed my sets before they got expensive. This stuff was dirt cheap in the 1980s, in dollar boxes! Now just upgrading issues here and there is expensive. I can't imagine starting Werewolf, Frankenstein, Witching Hour, Tomb of Dracula, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Unexpected, or any of these sets from scratch now. The competition for the books plus the prices put this game in the realm of the impossible or the very wealthy...

The Gold Key stuff - Karloff, Ripley's, Twilight Zone - and the Charltons are about the only area that isn't priced through the stratosphere. Even the Marvel reprint stuff is expensive comparatively.

Joe

[BassGMan]

I buy em cause I like em.

 

Me too!

I'm just glad I completed my sets before they got expensive. This stuff was dirt cheap in the 1980s, in dollar boxes! Now just upgrading issues here and there is expensive. I can't imagine starting Werewolf, Frankenstein, Witching Hour, Tomb of Dracula, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Unexpected, or any of these sets from scratch now. The competition for the books plus the prices put this game in the realm of the impossible or the very wealthy...

The Gold Key stuff - Karloff, Ripley's, Twilight Zone - and the Charltons are about the only area that isn't priced through the stratosphere. Even the Marvel reprint stuff is expensive comparatively.

Joe

 

And the thing to ask yourself is, is the audience for these books shrinking or growing? If it is growing, what happens when there is increased demand? Could anybody here say that interest in Bronze horror is waning? More like the opposite. And if these books get too expensive for some, they'll just go down the line either in grade, or lessor valued issues. Hell, I'm a Bronze Horror Bull, can't help it.

[Weird]

Hell, I'm a Bronze Horror Bull, can't help it.

[shiverbones]

HAHA! Excellent post Weird!

 

Hey Greggy Congrats! Thats a thorn in almost everyone's side!

 

As for prices, who knows. High grade will likely stay high, because its REALLY not that high compared to other comics, but it is all cyclical. It will just depend on new blood filling old bloods shoes as they pick off their runs. If that doesn't happen, they'll drop big time! Either way, they are great books and I'm glad to have em!

[jbud73]

Ok, I'll take the other side of the fence on this one. I like the horror books as much as anyone and have a pretty decent run of HOM, HOS, TOD and WWBN. I bought my HOM #50 in VF when I was 17 and it was my favorite book for a long time. HOWEVER

 

Lets be realistic, horror comics are a sub-set to in the collecting marketplace. Some things to consider -

 

- Currently, Vertigo aside, there are no high profile horror books being published on a regular basis.

 

- HOM, HOS, TOD and WWBN argueably the most recognized BA horror books have been cancelled for like 20 + years. I don't think we are going to see a revamp of any one of these titles with a sustained commitment from the big 2.

 

- The lack of continuity problem. At least with the DC stuff there is / was no central character - sure you can argue the narrators (IE C & A) however and part of the reason I liked the stories so much was the single solid beginning / end format. But this aspect does limit or hinder the ability to attract new audiences.

 

- The rarity lessened. Pre-Code has a prepetual sustaining aspect tied to rarity. There are simply few books to collectors. So even though very very few new collectors may be attracted to Pre-Code the ratio will always remain in scarcitites favor.

 

All of these and I'm sure there are more factors limit the potential financial lucrative nature of the books. I think that horror especially the BA stuff has been overlooked for a number of years and that has been rectifying itself. HOWEVER, I do not think the margin for reconciliation is a large as many on this thread believe and that is of course tied to my and others affinity for the books.

 

A small example, consider the BA keys list that was hashed out again recently. How many horror books were on there? I think it was 3 and a lot of that has to do with an anomoly called Blade. All in all I think that the supply of BA horror - at least for the next decade will have absolutely no problem filling the demand. The only small caveat to that is the dark inks and abundance of darker coves which make certain issues tougher in uber HG. Hey I love the genre, but I also am careful to leave my rose colors on this thread when buying.

[BassGMan]

Some good points jbud. I'm putting most of my faith into the covers of these books. I'm just forcasting that as these books get more recognition, even more will jump on board as fans are newly exposed to these covers that they may have never seen before, covers that are, IMO, the best to ever come out of the bronze age, not to mention some great stories and interior art as well. Hey, just like always, only time will tell. I'm just impatiently waiting for the new OS guide. NOT that the guide knows or tells all, but it is at least part of the equation when factoring in value and perception.

[DNAgent]

 

i read dc bronze horror as a kid from finding ragged copies at yard sales etc.

 

15-20 years later, i am always on the lookout for nicer copies, and completing runs.

aside from that i actually love reading them! nerdy!

 

it seems to me that a lot of people don't know about them, and they aren't all that easy to come

by compared to marvel comics of the same era...but when people do see dc bronze horror, they seem to love the covers, leading to interest. the art on the inside can also be fantastic...one can just pick up an issue and read...you do not need to know characters or read the issue before or after (they don't make you fiend for the next issue for the conclusion) as superhero comics do...

 

i think these comics would appeal to new collectors for those reasons, but also the prices aren't

near silver and golden age... that is another reason i am (able to be) into them so much, aside from not really being interested in superheroes...

 

''- Currently, Vertigo aside, there are no high profile horror books being published on a regular basis.''

 

some of these may not be in an ongoing series, some may not be high profile (doesn't make them any less good) but there is plenty horror being published...

 

30 days of night

the goon

remains

walking dead

horrorcide

frankenstein mobster

tomb of dracula

vampire tales

the posessed

bizarre hands

the drive in

on the far side with dead folks

last train to deadsville

the nail

the lurkers

wake the dead

 

and many more...

[precodekeith]

Lets be realistic, horror comics are a sub-set to in the collecting marketplace.

 

Jbud! I don't see or "get" the point of this statement.

 

If you're trying to say that horror in comics takes a back seat to superheros ...well, you'd be right... CURRENTLY. Frankly, I don't mind. It's nice to be part of a small, devoted portion of the collecting community. More books for us! However, none of us can state 100% the future of the comic collecting hobby. Remember your comic history: from 1950- 1955 superheros were pretty much on vacation while horror and other genres dominated the news stands. It could easily happen again.

 

Horror, as a genre, is not about to disappear. It has argueably been around in human culture longer than the idea of the "superhero," and in mainstream mass media it is probably more lucrative. How many horror movies and paperbacks are made each year compared to "superheros?" There will always be horror fans, thus always assuring SOME demand for horror comics.

 

- Currently, Vertigo aside, there are no high profile horror books being published on a regular basis.

 

WHAT!!?? I'm sure you'll rethink that one. Someone is bound to post a long list.....

 

 

- The lack of continuity problem.

 

Why is it a problem? I think you'll find a majority of horror collectors PREFER the anthology format. I think it makes it EASIER for a new collector to "get into it."

 

 

HOWEVER, I do not think the margin for reconciliation is a large as many on this thread believe and that is of course tied to my and others affinity for the books.

 

I agree with this one! (basically, I agree with your opinions on over-all "investment" potential, I just don't agree with some of your perceived notions of horror comics)

 

I DO think nice HG horror is going to draw money from a small, select market. I just don't think it will be the "cash cow" some think it will be. As for VF's and lower.... well, I guess that remains to be seen. Sid will have to let us know how it goes. Two years ago most of these type of lots he's been buying could have been had for $1 a book and sometimes less than that. The past year, especially the past 6 months, they've been going for a bit more. Time will tell .....