Closet Collectors?

[mlovest]

I'm just curious, but how many of you keep your hobby to yourselves? I mean, are you an open collector that shares your hobby with everyone, or are you more selective with whom you share your "secret?"

 

Personally, I do not tell people I work with or know casually. The signs are there if you come to my home (pictures and such here and there of comic characters), but even some of my close friends don't know about my comics. I actually had a good friend accidentally push open a closet door and stumble onto a bunch on boxes of comics. Of course, he thinks it's cool.

 

V/R,

Mike

 

[Aces]

What's a comic?

[1st-and-keys]

Most of my friends think comic collecting is silly and actually bust my chops when I bring it up. They look at me like this>> Screw them I say!!

[Joanna]

I don't collect closets. But if I did, I'd probably get some odd reactions.

[Illiterati-migration]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

[greggy]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

[Illiterati-migration]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

 

All right buddy, put the banana away.

[greggy]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

 

All right buddy, put the banana away.

[goldust40]

I don't collect closets. But if I did, I'd probably get some odd reactions.

 

But if you did collect closets where would you store them? In a closet? The mind boggles.....

 

Re the topic at hand - nearly everyone I've known or met in the last five years, be they family, friends, acquaintances and so forth, is aware that I deal in and collect comics.

 

Virtually everyone has either feigned interest and humored me or has been moderately intriguied, but said interest wavers the moment I go into any detail, context or history. Many is the time I've seen peoples' eyes glaze over when I mention Kirby, Frazetta, Eisner etc. Occasionally there's the odd murmur of recognition when I bring up Frank Miller, Grant Morrison or Alan Moore. Even the smug haters have heard of The Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns.

 

To be fair it's a more interesting hobby / business than most, and as it involves profit (the area that generally gets touched upon when you've given up explaining the cultural and historical importance of the medium and industry) it's accessible, as most people are closet dealers and have, at one time or another, collected something .

 

Anyway, I'm sure they all talk about me behind my back and refer to me as arrested. I just know that's what they think.

[Illiterati-migration]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

 

All right buddy, put the banana away.

 

I'm just saying, this is a family forum! Have some decency, man! Honestly, whipping out your little, yellow banana at every available opportunity is no way to behave in public.

[goldust40]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

 

All right buddy, put the banana away.

 

I'm just saying, this is a family forum! Have some decency, man! Honestly, whipping out your little, yellow banana at every available opportunity is no way to behave in public.

 

And how would you know about that?

[OldGuy]

Two things I should mention:

 

1. I generally don't care what anyone thinks about anything. I can listen like I care, but I usually don't.

 

2. I never care what people think about my comic collecting. I don't hid it, but I don't wear a "The wheels are in motion." t-shirt either.

 

My office is where I keep my collection. I have comic related posters and art on all the walls and a half dozen comic boxes on a shelf. I don't grab my friends by the hand and take them skipping down the hall way to show them my collection. On the other hand if they happen to look in the office and show an interest in comics then I'm happy to show off my collection.

[Illiterati-migration]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

 

All right buddy, put the banana away.

 

I'm just saying, this is a family forum! Have some decency, man! Honestly, whipping out your little, yellow banana at every available opportunity is no way to behave in public.

 

And how would you know about that?

 

How would I know about how to behave in public?

 

 

...well, that IS a good question, isn't it?

[Foolkiller]

To get back on track...

 

I will not hesitate to tell anyone that I collect comics, love them, and think that they're great. First of all, if you can't tell your friends what you really like or what's a fairly big part of your interests in life, then I think it seems a bit odd.

 

But, I'm also not totally obsessed with comics, and most of my friends realize I collect, but since I don't discuss it with them, and have a variety of interests it doesn't interfere. I don't go out and start talking Identity Crisis with them, or what's the latest back issue I bought, but I will tell them if I went to a con, or many of them will occassionally go to the comic store with me... that sort of thing.

 

On the other hand, I have friends who are definitely guys I got to know and talk to a great deal about comics -- Dave and Gene particularly --- and other board members I've met in person are great to hang out with to talk comics and other stuff as well -- but it gives you another outlet to "geek out" and talk, debate and think about other aspects of the hobby.

 

It's not the first thing I mention when I meet people, but if it comes up, I certainly don't hide it. People respect you most when you're up front with them -- if you're hiding it from them, they think your collecting comics is something to be ashamed of when the opposite is true. As long as you're not the obsessed, drooling fan, I think comics are something you should have no fear telling others about.

[chrisco37]

Just about everyone that I know is aware of my hobby. Some ask about it, some don't.

[goldust40]

Greggy's a closet case, does that count?

 

All right buddy, put the banana away.

 

I'm just saying, this is a family forum! Have some decency, man! Honestly, whipping out your little, yellow banana at every available opportunity is no way to behave in public.

 

And how would you know about that?

 

How would I know about how to behave in public?

 

 

...well, that IS a good question, isn't it?

 

I've been slammed by the good Major!!!!

 

No, but seriously, how DO you behave in public, MK??

[skybolt]

A couple of my co-workers that I've mentioned my hobby to think I'm crazy for spending thousands of dollars on comic books instead of trading in my Honda Civic for an expensive sportscar to pick up chicks with . Sometimes I wonder about that myself.

[Silver Surfer]

I don't collect closets. But if I did, I'd probably get some odd reactions.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I don't publicize it either but when I tell someone what I sold a book for recently they almost fall out of their chairs. The hobby doesn't sound so silly when they see the value of these books.

[hobbes]

Two things I should mention:

 

1. I generally don't care what anyone thinks about anything. I can listen like I care, but I usually don't.

 

2. I never care what people think about my comic collecting. I don't hid it, but I don't wear a "The wheels are in motion." t-shirt either.

 

My office is where I keep my collection. I have comic related posters and art on all the walls and a half dozen comic boxes on a shelf. I don't grab my friends by the hand and take them skipping down the hall way to show them my collection. On the other hand if they happen to look in the office and show an interest in comics then I'm happy to show off my collection.