CGC Journals Migrated!
  • When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Is it an Addiction?

Started by Tnerb,

13 posts in this topic

Tnerb

Tnerb

Posted
Posted

One way or the other, it is only paper.

 

 

Last year I was addicted to finding the books I needed online. I was doing my best to create the best New mutants set I could. So far I have accomplished this. There are a few others that I need but as of now, they are unavailable. I collect new issues every week but that doesn’t seem to fulfill the need of completing something. Currently I have every single issues of Daredevil from the first volume except number two and three. I hope to have those this year.

 

I decided to create two lists of ten, both of which would cause a great sense of fulfillment and will not be cheap. One list will be of 10 books graded by CGC in the best condition available (or that I can afford). The other ten will be books that should be part of a must have list for any collector, including a copy of Amazing fantasy #15. As I said, this will not be cheap.

 

A collection also tends to have or need a holy grail. My such comic was and is the New Mutants #15 in a 9.8, but only because it was the comic book that helped start my collection. The other book is a Sub-Mariner #38. This was a book that I had read over and over before I even knew the significance comic books would play in my life. I lost in the bidding on that book.

 

This has created such thoughts of Why do I collect? Can I stop other than because of financial reasons? Why would I want to stop? My collections consists of Star Wars memorabilia, action figures, fine art work, original comic book pages, statues, novels, shot glasses, raw comic books along with CGC graded ones.

My Wednesday haul tends to be read on the way home from the comic books shop. I save every week so I have extra money at conventions, even if I don’t buy.

 

When I was younger I purchased without any thought of the consequences. I have since seen the error of my ways. All that time I was spending on frivolous things I could have had an Amazing Fantasy #15. SO how am I rectifying it? I tend to think before I spend, but occasionally…I forget.

 

Thanks for Reading

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PBK78

PBK78

Posted
Posted

It's an addiction, a fun and enjoyable addiction but still it's an addiction.

 

I don't look at this as an investment for a few reasons. One is that while I own 4,000+ books, at most they'd be worth a total value of $30K. So unless you have some absurd stash left from your uncle worth 3 Million, this isn't an investment. That's my opinion.

 

Two, I see buying a home or renting out property as an investment. Either could net me around $3K a month after expenses.

 

So, personally I can't use the words comic book + investment together.

 

Again, just my thoughts. Great topic by the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dr. Balls

Dr. Balls

Posted
Posted

I used to think of it as some sort of low-rent "investment", thinking that if I had $1000 in comics in a long box, they were worth $1000. Then I wised up. The only comics that I feel are an "investment" are ones that you can - bar none - post online and sell immediately for the same or more that what it was paid for. Not in a week. Not in a month. Not for a loss. Right now, break even or profit.

 

Any book that you can sell like that is an investment quality book, in my opinion. Out of about 600 books, I currently own about 50 books that fit this description. The rest are great, but could I sell them immediately? For at least what I paid for them? No.

 

I buy comics (a little too much) because I enjoy them. I like thinking about them. I like thinking about what I need and letting my brain wander off on something other than work and daily stressors. So, yeah, it's addicting - but it's better than a lot of alternatives.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
phampton1737

phampton1737

Posted
Posted

"I'm Paul. I'm a comic book addict. And I ain't in no recovery, neither!"

Room: "Hi, Paul!"

 

When it comes to comics, I can't honestly say that I think or act rationally. Or even reasonably, sometimes. But the whole hunt, the books themselves (to borrow a phrase from Tennessee Williams, "the lyric quarry,"), the warm camaraderie of like-minded afflicted and generally wonderful souls, enriches and adds to my life in ways I cannot, and I suppose need not, really define.

 

I just wrote a posting on my personal web log about my relationship with comics, focusing on photos of the Marvel bullpen through the years, at http://growingintothemystery.net/ I hope it's all right to share that here; I'm new to the forum. It's just that I already wrote it, once! And, I think you will enjoy it.

 

(The "Dennis" referred to in the blog post, BTW, I met here on the Boards during my first couple of hours. His contribution was unexpected and generous, and blew me completely away.)

 

I don't know why I've fallen back so madly in love with comics, but my God! I have! The really dangerous (and cool) thing, is that this time, I have a job!

 

Anyway, if the word fits at all, I'd at least have to say that it's most certainly a lovely addiction.

 

.Thank you, folks--

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
greenhoody

greenhoody

Posted
Posted
I used to think of it as some sort of low-rent "investment", thinking that if I had $1000 in comics in a long box, they were worth $1000. Then I wised up. The only comics that I feel are an "investment" are ones that you can - bar none - post online and sell immediately for the same or more that what it was paid for. Not in a week. Not in a month. Not for a loss. Right now, break even or profit.

 

Any book that you can sell like that is an investment quality book, in my opinion. Out of about 600 books, I currently own about 50 books that fit this description. The rest are great, but could I sell them immediately? For at least what I paid for them? No.

 

I buy comics (a little too much) because I enjoy them. I like thinking about them. I like thinking about what I need and letting my brain wander off on something other than work and daily stressors. So, yeah, it's addicting - but it's better than a lot of alternatives.

:golfclap:

 

Well said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tnerb

Tnerb

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Actually, as I read the comments I realized comic books were the greatest investment I ever could partake in. At a young age I hated to read, but that didn't stop me from looking up some of the fancy words Reed Richards would use. Could I put a dollar amount on my comic books, yes I had to, it was the only way for me to get them insured, but the investment that I developed from comic books was the love and joy of reading, one of the best investments I ever received.

 

I also have the only graded copy in a 4.5 ss of New Mutants #15 because of the value of that book to me, and I will gladly spend more money to have the same book signed and graded again.

 

Tnerb

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing