Those Imbeciles on "Pawn Stars" Last Night

[Jaydogrules]

Yes I am comparing "investing" in comic books to "investing" in the stock market. For the reasons I have already stated. And possibly even SUPERIOR to the stock market in some regards for the reasons I have already stated. As for me I would rather look at my AF 15 than a statement from a brokerage account any day of the week.

 

-J.

 

The key difference is that in buying stock you are buying a legal claim to the income earning assets of the firm whose stock you are buying. Those assets provide a floor on the value of the stock.

 

There is no floor on the value of a collectible. Mint raises a number of reasons for believing that prices of comics are unlikely to increase over the next 20 years as rapidly as they have over the previous 20 years. I've made similar arguments in other threads. I think it is at least as likely that the prices of Silver Age keys are lower 20 years from now as that they are higher.

 

Over the past 20 years -- particularly over the past 10 years -- the stars have been in alignment for comic books as a collectible: Baby boomers entering their prime earning years, the establishment of CGC, the tremendous popularity of super hero movies, and the establishment of multiple auction houses (as well as eBay) have combined to drive up prices, particularly of high-grade keys.

 

Even if you don't believe that the demand for Silver Age keys is going to fall off a cliff, for prices to increase, there needs to be some new source of demand large enough to offset the liquidation of baby boomer collections that will surely occur in the coming years.

 

The bottom line is that you shouldn't spend money on comics that you can't afford to lose and you shouldn't expect the prices of the comics you buy to increase in the long run.

 

I completely agree with all of your points, although I don't believe that anyone has said that buying comics is "the same" as buying stocks, but simply comparable in many key aspects (which it is).

 

And I would say that the word "comics" in the last line of your post could be replaced with any investment in any investment class and still be sage wisdom.

 

-J.

[silverweb]

The actual copy featured on last night's show is on eBay:

 

AF #15 featured on Pawn Stars

 

Just saw the episode this morning. Corey was talking to lowball the seller! As we know, the comics market is alive and well. The toy store dude gave an approximate grade ,VG/FN, but he does not really know comic grading. It looks like a 3.5 or 4.0 to me. Lots of Marvel chipping, edge wear and some stains that knock it down. 12 month GPA on a graded AF 15 4.0 is $8900 and going up, as are the rest of the AF 15 grade levels, (except for a 7.0 anomaly) !

 

I wonder what the AF 15 9.6 would fetch today on auction. 1.1 million in March 2011!

 

Here is an example of my 5.0 for quick comparison

 

 

 

 

 

[Jaydogrules]

That's an awesome 5.0. I'd take that over a bunch of shares of Facebook any day.

 

-J.

[rjrjr]

Yes I am comparing "investing" in comic books to "investing" in the stock market. For the reasons I have already stated. And possibly even SUPERIOR to the stock market in some regards for the reasons I have already stated. As for me I would rather look at my AF 15 than a statement from a brokerage account any day of the week.

 

-J.

 

The key difference is that in buying stock you are buying a legal claim to the income earning assets of the firm whose stock you are buying. Those assets provide a floor on the value of the stock.

 

There is no floor on the value of a collectible. Mint raises a number of reasons for believing that prices of comics are unlikely to increase over the next 20 years as rapidly as they have over the previous 20 years. I've made similar arguments in other threads. I think it is at least as likely that the prices of Silver Age keys are lower 20 years from now as that they are higher.

 

Over the past 20 years -- particularly over the past 10 years -- the stars have been in alignment for comic books as a collectible: Baby boomers entering their prime earning years, the establishment of CGC, the tremendous popularity of super hero movies, and the establishment of multiple auction houses (as well as eBay) have combined to drive up prices, particularly of high-grade keys.

 

Even if you don't believe that the demand for Silver Age keys is going to fall off a cliff, for prices to increase, there needs to be some new source of demand large enough to offset the liquidation of baby boomer collections that will surely occur in the coming years.

 

The bottom line is that you shouldn't spend money on comics that you can't afford to lose and you shouldn't expect the prices of the comics you buy to increase in the long run.

 

I completely agree with all of your points, although I don't believe that anyone has said that buying comics is "the same" as buying stocks, but simply comparable in many key aspects (which it is).

 

And I would say that the word "comics" in the last line of your post could be replaced with any investment in any investment class and still be sage wisdom.

 

-J.

 

Just curious, so your plans for retirement and having your earnings beating inflation is to buy comic books? Are you invested at all in the stock market via a 401K or an online brokerage account? I know you mentioned you were a Gen Xer (I'm guessing most of us are on these boards.) Just wondering when you were born?

 

I'm only curious because your attitude about the stock market mirrors others I know. I'm wondering what event caused you to think this way? And for the record, I'm completely cool with whatever your beliefs are. I could be the one who is completely wrong on how I think and am always interested in hearing other takes on stuff like this.

[Jaydogrules]

Yes I am comparing "investing" in comic books to "investing" in the stock market. For the reasons I have already stated. And possibly even SUPERIOR to the stock market in some regards for the reasons I have already stated. As for me I would rather look at my AF 15 than a statement from a brokerage account any day of the week.

 

-J.

 

The key difference is that in buying stock you are buying a legal claim to the income earning assets of the firm whose stock you are buying. Those assets provide a floor on the value of the stock.

 

There is no floor on the value of a collectible. Mint raises a number of reasons for believing that prices of comics are unlikely to increase over the next 20 years as rapidly as they have over the previous 20 years. I've made similar arguments in other threads. I think it is at least as likely that the prices of Silver Age keys are lower 20 years from now as that they are higher.

 

Over the past 20 years -- particularly over the past 10 years -- the stars have been in alignment for comic books as a collectible: Baby boomers entering their prime earning years, the establishment of CGC, the tremendous popularity of super hero movies, and the establishment of multiple auction houses (as well as eBay) have combined to drive up prices, particularly of high-grade keys.

 

Even if you don't believe that the demand for Silver Age keys is going to fall off a cliff, for prices to increase, there needs to be some new source of demand large enough to offset the liquidation of baby boomer collections that will surely occur in the coming years.

 

The bottom line is that you shouldn't spend money on comics that you can't afford to lose and you shouldn't expect the prices of the comics you buy to increase in the long run.

 

I completely agree with all of your points, although I don't believe that anyone has said that buying comics is "the same" as buying stocks, but simply comparable in many key aspects (which it is).

 

And I would say that the word "comics" in the last line of your post could be replaced with any investment in any investment class and still be sage wisdom.

 

-J.

 

Just curious, so your plans for retirement and having your earnings beating inflation is to buy comic books? Are you invested at all in the stock market via a 401K or an online brokerage account? I know you mentioned you were a Gen Xer (I'm guessing most of us are on these boards.) Just wondering when you were born?

 

I'm only curious because your attitude about the stock market mirrors others I know. I'm wondering what event caused you to think this way? And for the record, I'm completely cool with whatever your beliefs are. I could be the one who is completely wrong on how I think and am always interested in hearing other takes on stuff like this.

 

I was born in 1974. And actually real estate is my bag. I own rental properties. I actually sold off a couple properties this year and decided to use a large part of my proceeds to buy some of the comic books of my boyhood wet dreams. I am marginally invested in the stock market, but I find that to be the biggest and most volatile racket out there and basically one massive legalized casino if there ever was one, especially in a year like this. I like my assets to be real and tangible with intrinsic value---real estate, gold, fine art, jewelry....comic books. Things that will always be worth something to somebody. Things that I can put on a wall or wear on my wrist or show off to my buddies over some tequila shots. Obviously the real estate is the bread and butter. But I do expect a decent return on my secondary investments as well when I decide to cash out and take that trip around the world in the next 20 years or so.

 

So to answer your question....yes I do believe the keys in my comic book collection will beat inflation over time and will enable me to enjoy the extras in retirement when that day should come.

 

-J.

[rjrjr]

Yes I am comparing "investing" in comic books to "investing" in the stock market. For the reasons I have already stated. And possibly even SUPERIOR to the stock market in some regards for the reasons I have already stated. As for me I would rather look at my AF 15 than a statement from a brokerage account any day of the week.

 

-J.

 

The key difference is that in buying stock you are buying a legal claim to the income earning assets of the firm whose stock you are buying. Those assets provide a floor on the value of the stock.

 

There is no floor on the value of a collectible. Mint raises a number of reasons for believing that prices of comics are unlikely to increase over the next 20 years as rapidly as they have over the previous 20 years. I've made similar arguments in other threads. I think it is at least as likely that the prices of Silver Age keys are lower 20 years from now as that they are higher.

 

Over the past 20 years -- particularly over the past 10 years -- the stars have been in alignment for comic books as a collectible: Baby boomers entering their prime earning years, the establishment of CGC, the tremendous popularity of super hero movies, and the establishment of multiple auction houses (as well as eBay) have combined to drive up prices, particularly of high-grade keys.

 

Even if you don't believe that the demand for Silver Age keys is going to fall off a cliff, for prices to increase, there needs to be some new source of demand large enough to offset the liquidation of baby boomer collections that will surely occur in the coming years.

 

The bottom line is that you shouldn't spend money on comics that you can't afford to lose and you shouldn't expect the prices of the comics you buy to increase in the long run.

 

I completely agree with all of your points, although I don't believe that anyone has said that buying comics is "the same" as buying stocks, but simply comparable in many key aspects (which it is).

 

And I would say that the word "comics" in the last line of your post could be replaced with any investment in any investment class and still be sage wisdom.

 

-J.

 

Just curious, so your plans for retirement and having your earnings beating inflation is to buy comic books? Are you invested at all in the stock market via a 401K or an online brokerage account? I know you mentioned you were a Gen Xer (I'm guessing most of us are on these boards.) Just wondering when you were born?

 

I'm only curious because your attitude about the stock market mirrors others I know. I'm wondering what event caused you to think this way? And for the record, I'm completely cool with whatever your beliefs are. I could be the one who is completely wrong on how I think and am always interested in hearing other takes on stuff like this.

 

I was born in 1974. And actually real estate is my bag. I own rental properties. I actually sold off a couple properties this year and decided to use a large part of my proceeds to buy some of the comic books of my boyhood wet dreams. I am marginally invested in the stock market, but I find that to be the biggest and most volatile racket out there and basically one massive legalized casino if there ever was one, especially in a year like this. I like my assets to be real and tangible with intrinsic value---real estate, gold, fine art, jewelry....comic books. Things that will always be worth something to somebody. Things that I can put on a wall or wear on my wrist or show off to my buddies over some tequila shots. Obviously the real estate is the bread and butter. But I do expect a decent return on my secondary investments as well when I decide to cash out and take that trip around the world in the next 20 years or so.

 

So to answer your question....yes I do believe the keys in my comic book collection will beat inflation over time and will enable me to enjoy the extras in retirement when that day should come.

 

-J.

 

I respect your opinion and appreciate the insight. You definitely have me thinking about your position on things.

[Jaydogrules]

My pleasure. Just my two shekels. (thumbs u

 

-J.

[Hepcat]

But, at least as far as you seem to view comic books as a speculative investment, then yes they are no different than the stock market, or any other speculative investment. An investment is an investment is an investment. Unless you are talking low yield government bonds, bank CD's, or annuities which all pay next to nothing, I would certainly put comics in the same category,

 

Yes I am comparing "investing" in comic books to "investing" in the stock market. For the reasons I have already stated. And possibly even SUPERIOR to the stock market in some regards for the reasons I have already stated.

 

I was born in 1974. And actually real estate is my bag. I own rental properties. I actually sold off a couple properties this year and decided to use a large part of my proceeds to buy some of the comic books of my boyhood wet dreams. I am marginally invested in the stock market, but I find that to be the biggest and most volatile racket out there and basically one massive legalized casino if there ever was one, especially in a year like this. I like my assets to be real and tangible with intrinsic value---real estate, gold, fine art, jewelry....comic books. Things that will always be worth something to somebody. Things that I can put on a wall or wear on my wrist or show off to my buddies over some tequila shots. Obviously the real estate is the bread and butter. But I do expect a decent return on my secondary investments as well when I decide to cash out and take that trip around the world in the next 20 years or so.

 

I agree with you on your initial point that the only reason Sotheby's hasn't been holding comic auctions lately is because the really good collections have in recent years been going to dedicated comic auction houses such as Heritage. After all, Sotheby's is a business. If there's a buck to be made in an auction, Sotheby's would be there, if they could.

 

With respect to your comparison of investing in comic books and investing in stocks, you couldn't be more incorrect. They're really only similar in one way, which you actually deny! When you buy a stock, you are investing in a physical asset. Quite simply you've become a part owner of a business, so yes, you are indeed invested in a physical asset.

 

Your problem seems to be that you regard it as an amorphous stock market whose values fluctuate randomly for no apparent reason. Well it's not.

 

First of all, it's a market of individual stocks as opposed to an amorphous stock market. While these individual stocks move in seemingly random fluctuations on a month to month basis, over time their prices do reflect any growth that has occurred in that company's earnings and dividend streams. And over time the growth has certainly been there. Just check the Dow Jones or Standard & Poor's indices over the last twenty, fifty or 100 years. And these indices don't reflect dividend returns. If you make the adjustment to have the dividends reinvested in the underlying indices, the returns you would have received over the time have been absolutely phenomenal.

 

The problem is that you've probably been "investing" in entirely speculative companies with no earnings or dividend streams - tech or resource stocks with nothing but a hope and a dream. That's why you call the stock market a "racket". You've been hoping to hit it out of the park with a big win. Or else you've been extrapolating speculative increases in the stock price of companies to the moon and buying in at the top of a cyclical increase, or something worse. It sounds like you bagged yourself in the high tech bubble at the turn of the century and again in precious metal stocks last year. There's no way you've had a judiciously selected diversified portfolio of dividend paying blue chip stocks.

 

...yes I do believe the keys in my comic book collection will beat inflation over time and will enable me to enjoy the extras in retirement when that day should come.

 

The stocks you've been buying have probably been very much like the comic books you like the most. Stocks that have gone up a lot in price despite not having been backed up by proportionate increases in their dividend streams, just like comic books which of course pay no dividends. You've "invested" in these stocks just hoping you'd be able to flip them higher, without doing the numbers to see whether higher prices might remotely be justified.

 

You need a good stockbroker. It sounds like you've been listening to shysters and touts or just doing it yourself, meaning guessing on the basis of what shysters are touting on the internet.

 

The underlying difference between buying stocks of real companies with earning and dividend streams and buying comics is that it's possible to make an intelligent estimate (which admittedly may turn out to be incorrect) of this company's future level of earnings and dividends and "extrapolate" the company's stock price accordingly. No such estimates are possible for a comic book. The price of these depends strictly on collectors' and speculators' enthusiasm. While you can be very wrong with respect to the price of a company's stock, at least you have a basis on which to extrapolate. And the trend of economic growth is on your side since overall it should/could result in your company getting its share of the action. Not so with comics.

 

[Jaydogrules]

Hepcat,

 

Your analysis of the benefits of buying stocks is certainly spot on. I have never once said that anyone should buy comic books instead of stocks, or that buying comic books is "the same" as buying stocks. Again, I merely said that it is similar, which it is.

 

There is nothing guaranteed in owning any stock. Stock brokers point at their 100 year charts all the time and point out that it has historically gone up 10 percent a year. But I can certainly promise you that a regular Joe Blow never got rich investing in the stock market. Unless you get in on a stock at the ground floor (pre IPO), or have the balls to dump all your money into one stock and just leave it there while it explodes, never selling it even after you've doubled and tripled your money (Google), the stock market is nothing more than a high risk savings account (401K, mutual funds). And yes, while a stock does signify that you own a "share" of the company, all you get to represent that is a little certificate that states as much. You can't drive to the company's corporate office flash that piece of paper, pick up an office computer or something and walk out with it, telling the security guard at the front door that it's technically your computer that represents your "share" of the company.

 

Everybody knows that day traders and short sellers have completely changed the stock market forever....into a racket. To the point where the SEC has been called upon to outlaw the practices. Which apparently they can't. The system is now gamed and rigged, and the people with the super deep pockets that know how to play the game are the only ones who make the big bucks.

 

Comic books, on the other hand, are accessible to everyone, even kids, and, further, they have an intrinsic value that extends beyond the fact that they are something that you can hold and touch. There are comic book geeks that can show you charts that has a collection of certain keys out performing the S&P 500 over the last 50 years. You say that the market determines what a comic book is worth on any given day. The same applies to the stock market. Ebay is our stock market. Our "shares" are the individual books we own, each one with the potential to rise or fall in value. But as I have been saying all along, there is an added joy and experience to owning and collecting comic books that does not exist with stocks. You want to own stocks? Great, own stocks. As for me, I'll keep my comics and probably realize the same ROI over the long run, maybe even better.

 

-J.

[rjrjr]

Hepcat,

 

Your analysis of the benefits of buying stocks is certainly spot on. I have never once said that anyone should buy comic books instead of stocks, or that buying comic books is "the same" as buying stocks. Again, I merely said that it is similar, which it is.

 

There is nothing guaranteed in owning any stock. Stock brokers point at their 100 year charts all the time and point out that it has historically gone up 10 percent a year. But I can certainly promise you that a regular Joe Blow never got rich investing in the stock market. Unless you get in on a stock at the ground floor (pre IPO), or have the balls to dump all your money into one stock and just leave it there while it explodes, never selling it even after you've doubled and tripled your money (Google), the stock market is nothing more than a high risk savings account (401K, mutual funds). And yes, while a stock does signify that you own a "share" of the company, all you get to represent that is a little certificate that states as much. You can't drive to the company's corporate office flash that piece of paper, pick up an office computer or something and walk out with it, telling the security guard at the front door that it's technically your computer that represents your "share" of the company.

 

Everybody knows that day traders and short sellers have completely changed the stock market forever....into a racket. To the point where the SEC has been called upon to outlaw the practices. Which apparently they can't. The system is now gamed and rigged, and the people with the super deep pockets that know how to play the game are the only ones who make the big bucks.

 

Comic books, on the other hand, are accessible to everyone, even kids, and, further, they have an intrinsic value that extends beyond the fact that they are something that you can hold and touch. There are comic book geeks that can show you charts that has a collection of certain keys out performing the S&P 500 over the last 50 years. You say that the market determines what a comic book is worth on any given day. The same applies to the stock market. Ebay is our stock market. Our "shares" are the individual books we own, each one with the potential to rise or fall in value. But as I have been saying all along, there is an added joy and experience to owning and collecting comic books that does not exist with stocks. You want to own stocks? Great, own stocks. As for me, I'll keep my comics and probably realize the same ROI over the long run, maybe even better.

 

-J.

 

 

Well, I did pretty good with my 401Ks (never worked at a business that offered a pension) over the past 25 years and I'm about a regular as they come. I'll be retiring in about 5 years (just need to get both kids into college) at the age of 50 and my wife and I can live off the money I set aside well past the age of 100 with the same standard of living we have now. I did this simply by maxing out my 401Ks since I started working after college. I invested entirely in low cost index funds, a balance between US and foreign indices. I never touched a bond fund. I've seen the power of compound interest really taking effect the past 5 years and my money will grow substantially by the age of 65 even if I quit contributing when I'm 50 at a reasonable 6% growth estimate. (My return is closer to 10%, but I always calculate lower, just incase.) Personally, I'm feeling I did pretty good with only 25 productive years in the workforce and 5 more to go.

 

It might have been fun to invest in comics, but I doubt I would have done a good job of it. First of all, I buy comics I like and since what I like didn't align with the current movie driven market, I already can tell you my investment in comics would have been a loser compared to the stock market. I'm also horrible at timing, getting interested in books along with everyone else. I've never bought a comic I didn't want to keep, so trying to sell at the right time is definitely out of the question. Even now, faced with a space issue, I'm still waffling on selling comics.

 

Now that I'm financial sound and retirement is looming, I can see taking some discretionary money and spending it on investment comics (up to this point my comic collecting has been considered a hobby) though. I am not going to be spending any money I cannot afford to lose however. I'm still not comfortable buying any comic, even a AF15, and claiming it will be a sure thing. There are way too many factors that I don't have any control over to consider (aging collectors, digital, better counterfeiting, etc.) I don't view AF15s value today as an inevitable situation. If Sony hadn't made movies about Spider-Man, I sincerely do not believe AF15 would be worth anywhere near what it is worth now. Nobody could have predicted 30 years ago that the technology, corporate direction, etc. would have led to that first Spider-Man movie being made. In hindsight, yeah, it seems like a no brainer, but if that is true, why weren't all the AF15s scooped up 30 years ago and kept in vaults until today?

 

I think it is terrific you have confidence in your investment. I admire your confidence. I just see too many risks for me to feel that confident. My risk threshold is different.

[Jaydogrules]

Hepcat,

 

Your analysis of the benefits of buying stocks is certainly spot on. I have never once said that anyone should buy comic books instead of stocks, or that buying comic books is "the same" as buying stocks. Again, I merely said that it is similar, which it is.

 

There is nothing guaranteed in owning any stock. Stock brokers point at their 100 year charts all the time and point out that it has historically gone up 10 percent a year. But I can certainly promise you that a regular Joe Blow never got rich investing in the stock market. Unless you get in on a stock at the ground floor (pre IPO), or have the balls to dump all your money into one stock and just leave it there while it explodes, never selling it even after you've doubled and tripled your money (Google), the stock market is nothing more than a high risk savings account (401K, mutual funds). And yes, while a stock does signify that you own a "share" of the company, all you get to represent that is a little certificate that states as much. You can't drive to the company's corporate office flash that piece of paper, pick up an office computer or something and walk out with it, telling the security guard at the front door that it's technically your computer that represents your "share" of the company.

 

Everybody knows that day traders and short sellers have completely changed the stock market forever....into a racket. To the point where the SEC has been called upon to outlaw the practices. Which apparently they can't. The system is now gamed and rigged, and the people with the super deep pockets that know how to play the game are the only ones who make the big bucks.

 

Comic books, on the other hand, are accessible to everyone, even kids, and, further, they have an intrinsic value that extends beyond the fact that they are something that you can hold and touch. There are comic book geeks that can show you charts that has a collection of certain keys out performing the S&P 500 over the last 50 years. You say that the market determines what a comic book is worth on any given day. The same applies to the stock market. Ebay is our stock market. Our "shares" are the individual books we own, each one with the potential to rise or fall in value. But as I have been saying all along, there is an added joy and experience to owning and collecting comic books that does not exist with stocks. You want to own stocks? Great, own stocks. As for me, I'll keep my comics and probably realize the same ROI over the long run, maybe even better.

 

-J.

 

 

Well, I did pretty good with my 401Ks (never worked at a business that offered a pension) over the past 25 years and I'm about a regular as they come. I'll be retiring in about 5 years (just need to get both kids into college) at the age of 50 and my wife and I can live off the money I set aside well past the age of 100 with the same standard of living we have now. I did this simply by maxing out my 401Ks since I started working after college. I invested entirely in low cost index funds, a balance between US and foreign indices. I never touched a bond fund. I've seen the power of compound interest really taking effect the past 5 years and my money will grow substantially by the age of 65 even if I quit contributing when I'm 50 at a reasonable 6% growth estimate. (My return is closer to 10%, but I always calculate lower, just incase.) Personally, I'm feeling I did pretty good with only 25 productive years in the workforce and 5 more to go.

 

It might have been fun to invest in comics, but I doubt I would have done a good job of it. First of all, I buy comics I like and since what I like didn't align with the current movie driven market, I already can tell you my investment in comics would have been a loser compared to the stock market. I'm also horrible at timing, getting interested in books along with everyone else. I've never bought a comic I didn't want to keep, so trying to sell at the right time is definitely out of the question. Even now, faced with a space issue, I'm still waffling on selling comics.

 

Now that I'm financial sound and retirement is looming, I can see taking some discretionary money and spending it on investment comics (up to this point my comic collecting has been considered a hobby) though. I am not going to be spending any money I cannot afford to lose however. I'm still not comfortable buying any comic, even a AF15, and claiming it will be a sure thing. There are way too many factors that I don't have any control over to consider (aging collectors, digital, better counterfeiting, etc.) I don't view AF15s value today as an inevitable situation. If Sony hadn't made movies about Spider-Man, I sincerely do not believe AF15 would be worth anywhere near what it is worth now. Nobody could have predicted 30 years ago that the technology, corporate direction, etc. would have led to that first Spider-Man movie being made. In hindsight, yeah, it seems like a no brainer, but if that is true, why weren't all the AF15s scooped up 30 years ago and kept in vaults until today?

 

I think it is terrific you have confidence in your investment. I admire your confidence. I just see too many risks for me to feel that confident. My risk threshold is different.

 

RJ,

 

Kudos in landing and keeping great jobs for your working career, and for having to discipline to max out your 401K (I'm assuming your company offered full matching as well?). Again, 401K's, while obviously stock market dependent, are simply savings accounts that offer a potential greater risk of return and loss. Everybody has high on the stock market again right now because it literally just had a record breaking year in gains. People's memory's are short however. It was just four years ago that it had, not even a record breaking decline that triggered a world wide recession. I am not attempting to fear monger the stock market on here, I personally simply do not trust a large percentage of my net worth to wall street corporate and political shenanigans.

This being a comic book board I am merely advocating comic books as another form of investing that, if done right, can be just as lucrative, and simultaneously offer a different level of personal enjoyment. And FWIW, AF 15's were the number one silver age comic way before Sony started releasing movies. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the movies need the comics, not vice versa. Yes from a speculative stand point, the movies can give comic values a boost, but if there isn't an intrinsic demand, the values will not be sustained no matter how intense the hype. Just like the stocks (I'm looking at you Zynga, Groupon, etc.).

 

-J.