THE AMAZING FANTASY #15 CLUB 39 39

[SC22]

5 hours ago, delekkerste said:

I love comics, but I think all of you are nuts if you think that the Millennials and the generation coming up behind them will have both the aggregate interest and financial resources to be able to clear the market at ever-escalating prices in the coming decade or two.  

Baby Boomer + Gen X comic holdings > younger generations' current + future projected financial resources

Baby Boomer + Gen X comic interest > younger generations' comic interest (having been splintered in a near-infinite # of directions post-1995)

It may not matter day to day; it's not going to stop Bob from strutting around like he was employee #3 at Facebook because business is so good, at least not anytime soon.  But, I sincerely hope everyone here lives long enough to see the next generational changeover, when the Millennials and younger generations take over from the current generations who own the bulk of the best comics by value.  You will see Economics 101 in action, when supply > demand and prices have to fall to clear the market.  There are cycles that occur over different timeframes; what appears to most as an eternal bull market in comics is really just the nostalgia of a few generations, having lived as kids through times when comics were still very relevant (i.e., pre-1996).  Yes, the franchises are more relevant than ever, but, the kids born in the era of billion-dollar blockbusters coupled with 50,000 copy circulations is not going to go back in any kind of numbers to buy up back issues that cost as much as the downpayment on the houses they already can't afford.  

In my little sector of the hobby (comic art), you can already see it somewhat.  Almost all of the major collectors are 45 and over.  And, the ones that are younger have tastes which reflect that, preferring late '80s, '90s and '00s art and largely eschewing the stuff that's considered the gold standard of the hobby ('60s/'70s/early '80s mainstream art).  Much as the 40 and 50-something collectors today are not as interested in Frazetta, strip art and Golden Age classics that were all among the most expensive art in the hobby 25-30 years ago (Frazetta still is, but that's a very niche market with its own dynamics).  And, the even younger collectors are all obsessing over the best of the 2010s decade art, which might as well be a different hobby altogether - people buying up Greg Capullo and Sean Murphy art are never going to go back and buy Jack Kirby or John Byrne.

Pop culture is of its time.  I don't disagree that Spider-Man is going to stay relevant for years, even decades, to come.  I don't buy into the comic collector mentality that this means that more and more people will clamor for AF #15s at ever-escalating prices, though, especially once the Gen Xers age out.   

You don't know what collectors are buying every single day it is not like the stock market where it can be evaluated and quantified. You are analyzing this to the 10th degree and in all due respect no one knows what is going on in the entire hobby on any given day like they do with the stock market.

Also you don't know who has money and who does not. Every single day some people get rich and some get poor. All we know for sure is people are buying comic books at a very high rate.

The comic book hobby is most likely the one that will endure the test of time over any other hobby. Like I said this is a hobby with WAY to much going for it.

Edited October 23, 2017 by SC22

[delekkerste]

Just now, SC22 said:

You don't know what collectors are buying every single day it is not like the stock market where it can be evaluated and quantified. You are analyzing this to the 10th degree and in all due respect no one knows what is going on in the entire hobby on any given day like they do with the stock market.

Also you don't know who has money and who does not every single day some get rich and some get poor.

The comic book hobby is most likely the one that will endure the test of time over any other hobby. Like I said this is a hobby with WAY to much going for it.

 

[SC22]

4 minutes ago, delekkerste said:

 

You mean people like you that see the whole world in a certain shade (and only study things in a certain way while not taken into account many variables of human nature) and think everything can be viewed the analysis. Thing is hobbies are emotional and the people who collect are not simple numbers to be analyzed they change they evolve and so does this hobby that they love. AF15 and other key books will do well and the comic book hobby is here to stay it has become a worldwide hobby.

I understand you see the world in black and white. But there is tons more to be seen.

Edited October 23, 2017 by SC22

[Gotham Kid]

5 hours ago, Sweet Lou 14 said:

6 hours ago, delekkerste said:

 

This is an extremely well-reasoned argument.  Thank you for posting.

You're new to the boards. You'll get used to it.

[Glassman10]

1 hour ago, yanksarod22 said:

I thought this was supposed to be a af 15 club not stock market ....stick to it boys

well Because the notion of stocks going up and comic values going up are remarkable in how they depend on cyclic market forces.  So, If you plan on putting 100K into comics or in the stock market, it's a reasonable  plan to consider their similarities.  I mean I suppose I could go back to the likelyhood of a radioactive spider biting a kid in a tour with open gamma radiation as part of the treat, and how it changed his physiology  but occasionally it's interesting to hear perspectives about the risks of investing in comics or stocks.  I don't know if you own an AF15  but if you do, the fluidity of its value is  on a lot of people's minds.  What a hobby. 

[SC22]

1 minute ago, Glassman10 said:

well Because the notion of stocks going up and comic values going up are remarkable in how they depend on cyclic market forces.  So, If you plan on putting 100K into comics or in the stock market, it's a reasonable  plan to consider their similarities.  I mean I suppose I could go back to the likelyhood of a radioactive spider biting a kid in a tour with open gamma radiation as part of the treat, and how it changed his physiology  but occasionally it's interesting to hear perspectives about the risks of investing in comics or stocks.  I don't know if you own an AF15  but if you do, the fluidity of its value is  on a lot of people's minds.  What a hobby. 

Stocks are not purchased with emotion and love like our dear comic book hobby. Big difference on how people go about it. The love and passion we collectors have for or heroes will endure.

[Glassman10]

Just now, SC22 said:

Stocks are not purchased with emotion and love like our dear comic book hobby. Big difference on how people go about it. The love and passion we collectors have for or heroes will endure.

So, people who pay 435K for an AF15 are purchasing with love and emotion? Is that why the comic is put in a plastic slab so you can't read it?

[SC22]

2 minutes ago, Glassman10 said:

So, people who pay 435K for an AF15 are purchasing with love and emotion? Is that why the comic is put in a plastic slab so you can't read it?

Ah the old age true collector versus the not. Come to grips with the grading companies they are helping preserve the books over time. Now unlike years ago you can buy reprints and read them.

You think someone that spends that kind of money does not enjoy Spidey come on.

Edited October 23, 2017 by SC22

[Gotham Kid]

4 minutes ago, Glassman10 said:

So, people who pay 435K for an AF15 are purchasing with love and emotion?

Yup. He loved (really he did) it for about a year or so. Then as the relationship went sour, flipped it for perhaps another. True love endures not forever.

Edited October 23, 2017 by Gotham Kid

[SC22]

1 minute ago, Gotham Kid said:

Yup. He loved (really he did) it for about a year or so. Then as the relationship went sour, flipped it for perhaps another. True love endures not forever.

You just contradicted yourself he flipped it for another so he did stick with AF15.

[SC22]

The billionaire who purchased the 2 AC1 9.0's loves Superman. He and many other people who spend big money have a passion for comics and probably don't have any when they buy and sell stock (so boring).

[Gotham Kid]

2 minutes ago, SC22 said:

4 minutes ago, Gotham Kid said:

Yup. He loved (really he did) it for about a year or so. Then as the relationship went sour, flipped it for perhaps another. True love endures not forever.

You just contradicted yourself he flipped it for another so he did stick with AF15.

Not at all. He likely went on to the next flip, be that whatever item it may be. (  certainly not an AF15 as there have been no sales in 9.4+ )

Edited October 23, 2017 by Gotham Kid

[SC22]

Just now, Gotham Kid said:

Not at all. He likely went on to the next flip, be that whatever it may be. (  certainly not an AF15 as there have been no sales in 9.4+ )

One collector he has the right to do what he wants. Maybe he loves the intense passion felling then once that is gone let's go and moves on nothing wrong with that it happens every day in peoples lives.

[SC22]

OK people let's here it from collectors here when you purchased your AF15 was it for financial gains or because you love Spidey or for both?

I know for myself it was for both. If I had no love for Spidey I would have not purchased a AF15. There are plenty of books I could have purchased with zero love for and only for the money but those books I pass on because they don't make me happy as a collector.

Edited October 23, 2017 by SC22

[Gotham Kid]

3 minutes ago, SC22 said:

4 minutes ago, Gotham Kid said:

Not at all. He likely went on to the next flip, be that whatever it may be. (  certainly not an AF15 as there have been no sales in 9.4+ )

One collector he has the right to do what he wants. Maybe he loves the intense passion felling then once that is gone let's go and moves on nothing wrong with that it happens every day in peoples lives.

Riiiight. A true collector like so many ... dropping major coin on big ticket items. They're in it for the long run. Absolutely.

Edited October 23, 2017 by Gotham Kid

[SC22]

Just now, Gotham Kid said:

Riiiight. A true collector, like so many ... dropping major coin on big ticket items. They're in it for hte long run. Absolutely.

I guess you know them all personally and they have told you all this. That they do this like buying stock.

[Glassman10]

I enjoy both actually. I had my AF15 for fifty years as well as 950 other books I mostly bought on the news stand. The stock allows me flexibility to take advantage of investments and use the returns as a liquid asset. If you don't have the liquidity you'll have a hard time buying AF15's.  Both are risky but rewarding sometimes. Sometimes not. 

[SC22]

Just now, Glassman10 said:

I enjoy both actually. I had my AF15 for fifty years as well as 950 other books I mostly bought on the news stand. The stock allows me flexibility to take advantage of investments and use the returns as a liquid asset. If you don't have the liquidity you'll have a hard time buying AF15's.  Both are risky but rewarding sometimes. Sometimes not. 

Do you have passion for stocks like you do for comic books?

[zhamlau]

[SC22]

Just now, zhamlau said:

As long as we are talking AF15 what is the problem?