Heroes Con 2011, my report, reboot

[capt_comics]

Ok, so sales recap...

 

obviously, as elluded to, from a gross sale standpoint, this was the worst performing con I have ever done...yep, out of the previous 16 cons, I did $50K in sales less at this show, than my previous low $ gross show (which was heroes last year, but from a sales stand point, that was a very good show , so this one stands alone as a "stinker"..first time I have ever lost money)

 

 

$1 and 2/$1 box sales... at the previous 3 mega cons and 2 heroes I have done (those are the only 2 shows I will drive my overstock moderns too), this show resulted in 60% LESS sales than any of the other 5... and, what is dissapointing is that for the first time, I brought my best store inventory... as in, alpha numerically labeled and orgranized stock... at all the other cons, I just brought boxes, kind of title separated, but not truly alphabatized or chronological order... wow, talk about a bust!...60% less empty boxes loaded up, and probably my best asst of $1 books ever...

 

 

Now, that said, I sold more $20-300 books than any show ever...one reason was I had them (where as in the past, I really haven't had more than a few )... but from a sales $ stand point, not sure this is the direction I want to continue to go in, will just have to see...

 

Golden/silver/bronze age sales/highlights:

In no particular order or value (if no cgc grade given, then was a raw book sale)

 

Showcase 4, cgc 4.0

ASM 87 cgc 9.4

War Victory #2

All New #8

Mystic 8, pgx 6.0

Captain Marvel Jr #13, cgc 8.0

Catman #16 cgc 1.5

Mystic 2 cgc 4.0

Werewolf by night 32

Green Lantern 76

Jungle 26

Archie 50

Detective 73

Detective 141

Zip 32

Zip 23

Brave and the Bold 28 cgc 2.0

Nick Fury #1

Marvel Spotlight #5

GICombat 87, 73,53, 57

All American Men of War 47, 33,58,81,27, 23

Our fighting forces 28, 30, 77

Batman 227 (2 copies)

Inv Iron Man 55

Batman 91

Real Life comics 11

Kid Colt 107

Avengers 4 golden record reprint

Mystery Tales 7

Pep comics 70

Mystic 8, restored VF

Men's Adventure 22

Tales of Suspense 3

Startling Comics 22

 

some SA flash and batman and world's finest that I didn't numerate

 

See Rick I told you to move that one up higher and it would sell!

 

Yes Sir............it did (thumbs u

 

 

Nice pick up! (thumbs u

 

I looked at it and it's about the same grade as my previous and current copy so I let it go. Glad you snagged it =)

 

I've already got a nicer one................snagged it for my brother-in-law

 

He loved it

 

[G.A.tor]

and might I add that capt paid full asking for it

[Darth Corgi]

Great wall of books there Rick! Sounds like it was a fun show.

[GL1]

Great recap Rick. It was nice talking with you at the show.

Good Luck at SDCC!

[G.A.tor]

thanks folks... definitely had fun, regardless of sales... always cool to meet and chat with fellow comic collectors, friends of new and old, and I got to spend a week with my wife in a van and convention center...cool for me (not so cool for her )

[Marvelguy34]

Great report, GA!

[Durden08]

Always enjoy viewing your wall book photos. Thanks for the nice con report.

[Timmay]

great report gator; nice seeing you at the show

 

[mt1000]

Unreal books Rick. I wish i had just one of your books

[pinball]

Great report Rick! Enjoyed talking to you again and meeting your wife and son. Should have jumped on that Zip. Oh well, you snooze you loose.

 

Thanks for the great price on the Crime Does Not Pay #43

 

 

 

[G.A.tor]

Great report Rick! Enjoyed talking to you again and meeting your wife and son. Should have jumped on that Zip. Oh well, you snooze you loose.

 

Thanks for the great price on the Crime Does Not Pay #43

 

 

forgot all about this little beaut... $30 was a good price, wasn't it (thumbs u

[Primetime]

Spent a little bit Thursday afternoon greeting and chatting with folks... walked the floor looking for a few books for me (like Punch 12, and apparently I missed one in the room, that was later found by a friend that I "hope" is selling it to me )

 

we went to the hotel, checked in, unloaded the cgc books in the room, got some dinner, priced a few books, watched a little TV, little dude and I had our nightly wresting match, and hit the sack by 10pm!

 

Woke up early Friday (I never seem to sleep at cons), loaded the cgc books onto my cart, and headed to the con hall... I like Friday mornings because there is still load in, so I can back door right into the hall, right next to my booth...Sat and Sunday the haul is quite a bit longer, going all the way around to the front of the con hall, enter, elevator, etc...but, it is what it is!

 

here is our "new" set up, at least for this show (generally, we only display slabs on the gridwall, but this show, I had bought some books to display raw)...

 

that's all you need bub.

[Primetime]

I see the problem.

 

There is no New Mutants #98 in 9.8 on the wall

cuz it's on your wall

[ComicConnoisseur]

I see the problem.

 

There is no New Mutants #98 in 9.8 on the wall

 

 

lol

and no manga.He needed lots and lots of manga for the wall.

[aggr1103]

$1 and 2/$1 box sales... at the previous 3 mega cons and 2 heroes I have done (those are the only 2 shows I will drive my overstock moderns too), this show resulted in 60% LESS sales than any of the other 5... and, what is dissapointing is that for the first time, I brought my best store inventory... as in, alpha numerically labeled and orgranized stock... at all the other cons, I just brought boxes, kind of title separated, but not truly alphabatized or chronological order... wow, talk about a bust!...60% less empty boxes loaded up, and probably my best asst of $1 books ever...

 

I hate that I missed heroescon this year. You gave a great recap from the point of view of a dealer. I always daydream with my wife that whenever we retire we will travel the comic con circuit as dealers. Its really neat to hear about the costs associated with it.

 

With all that being said I wanted to throw my in on your $1 and .50 boxes. I remember your booth last year at heroescon and it was a sight to behold. I can't think of anywhere else on the floor where practically every key book from the golden and silver age were displayed so well. Its kind of an amazing anomaly to see an action comics 1, marvel comics 1, tec 27 within several feet of a box of 2/$1 comics. I know for me last year once I had oogled all the eye candy on your back wall I was honestly too preoccupied to even think about looking through your bins on the floor. Maybe that could be throwing off your sales? I'm only throwing an idea out there. I'm more starstruck about seeing historic comics myself than seeing the artists and writers at the show, so i'm probably in the minority.

 

And, as a quarter/half dollar/dollar bin junkie, I'm usually turned off by orderly boxes. An orderly box has been sorted and that means that sometimes hidden gems have already been bought or pulled for higher priced boxes. I'm probably in the minority about that, too. I'd rather look through unsorted boxes because in my experience you can still find some modern diamonds in the rough. I'm not talking about big time issues, but it is nice to run across copies of lower digit walking deads, complete storylines, or whatnot mixed in with boxes of x-men 1 and bloodshot 1.

[ComicConnoisseur]

$1 and 2/$1 box sales... at the previous 3 mega cons and 2 heroes I have done (those are the only 2 shows I will drive my overstock moderns too), this show resulted in 60% LESS sales than any of the other 5... and, what is dissapointing is that for the first time, I brought my best store inventory... as in, alpha numerically labeled and orgranized stock... at all the other cons, I just brought boxes, kind of title separated, but not truly alphabatized or chronological order... wow, talk about a bust!...60% less empty boxes loaded up, and probably my best asst of $1 books ever...

 

I hate that I missed heroescon this year. You gave a great recap from the point of view of a dealer. I always daydream with my wife that whenever we retire we will travel the comic con circuit as dealers. Its really neat to hear about the costs associated with it.

 

With all that being said I wanted to throw my in on your $1 and .50 boxes. I remember your booth last year at heroescon and it was a sight to behold. I can't think of anywhere else on the floor where practically every key book from the golden and silver age were displayed so well. Its kind of an amazing anomaly to see an action comics 1, marvel comics 1, tec 27 within several feet of a box of 2/$1 comics. I know for me last year once I had oogled all the eye candy on your back wall I was honestly too preoccupied to even think about looking through your bins on the floor. Maybe that could be throwing off your sales? I'm only throwing an idea out there. I'm more starstruck about seeing historic comics myself than seeing the artists and writers at the show, so i'm probably in the minority.

 

And, as a quarter/half dollar/dollar bin junkie, I'm usually turned off by orderly boxes. An orderly box has been sorted and that means that sometimes hidden gems have already been bought or pulled for higher priced boxes. I'm probably in the minority about that, too. I'd rather look through unsorted boxes because in my experience you can still find some modern diamonds in the rough. I'm not talking about big time issues, but it is nice to run across copies of lower digit walking deads, complete storylines, or whatnot mixed in with boxes of x-men 1 and bloodshot 1.

I wonder how many dealers actually do knowingly put a few decent books in with the dollar books? Kinda like a lottery you put in a decent or two book in the dollar bin,somebody finds it and then word of mouth spreads that there is some diamonds in the rough, so this leads to people who go thru your dollar bins at a frenzy.

 

[capt_comics]

Great report Rick! Enjoyed talking to you again and meeting your wife and son. Should have jumped on that Zip. Oh well, you snooze you loose.

 

Thanks for the great price on the Crime Does Not Pay #43

 

 

 

Great book

 

 

[dem1138]

I think this is a great thread about how difficult it really is to be a full-time dealer. There really are no shortcuts. You have to do the shows, network with dealers, build relationships with clients, have a website, search for deals, close deals with customers that come to you with books, etc., etc...

 

Sure it's fun to buy and sell as a hobby, but its a much different story when its your primary source of income and you need these things to happen.

 

I understand that Rick doesn't depend on these sales to pay his mortgage but I am trying to draw a larger conclusion here.

 

It makes sense that there are so few new full-time dealers out there and that for the most part, the dealers we know have been the dealer pool for many many years. I know that Roy and Greg Reece are new to the game, but that's it. And they're the only two that I can think of who have entered "the game" within the last 5 years.

[tth2]

I would hate to see Cal at a show...

 

 

[Pirate]

 

And, as a quarter/half dollar/dollar bin junkie, I'm usually turned off by orderly boxes. An orderly box has been sorted and that means that sometimes hidden gems have already been bought or pulled for higher priced boxes. I'm probably in the minority about that, too. I'd rather look through unsorted boxes because in my experience you can still find some modern diamonds in the rough. I'm not talking about big time issues, but it is nice to run across copies of lower digit walking deads, complete storylines, or whatnot mixed in with boxes of x-men 1 and bloodshot 1.

 

you are right on, I never sort or bag my overstock boxes and have always done well at smaller shows as people will search and search.