Foolkiller's 2014 Dealer Rankings

[Ogami]

Brian, under number three of your categories, "breadth of inventory" I think you need to clarify that these sellers are still a very niche section of comic book sellers.

 

Some of them advertise and pride themselves on only carrying GA and SA. Most of them are "big book" sellers, with the one true exception being Lonestar, and I don't think Lonestar makes your list because of their deep runs of CA dollar books.

 

Your list of sellers, while always a joy to read, really does me no good, as they don't carry the material I'm looking for. As a result, I'd hardly call them the top ten. Call this list what it is, the big money GA and SA Sellers list.

[Foolkiller]

Brian, under number three of your categories, "breadth of inventory" I think you need to clarify that these sellers are still a very niche section of comic book sellers.

 

Some of them advertise and pride themselves on only carrying GA and SA. Most of them are "big book" sellers, with the one true exception being Lonestar, and I don't think Lonestar makes your list because of their deep runs of CA dollar books.

 

Your list of sellers, while always a joy to read, really does me no good, as they don't carry the material I'm looking for. As a result, I'd hardly call them the top ten. Call this list what it is, the big money GA and SA Sellers list.

 

Actually, that's not true:

 

If you go through some of the cheaper end books, one of the reasons Ritter always makes the list and Lone Star was added was because of their ability to cater to the widest range of the market. Ritter carries an overwhelming amount of books that are below $20.

 

And if you look over Bob's site he carries some cheaper inventory as well.

 

So many of these guys on the list are well known for the top end, but usually they cover all the bases.

 

If I included dollar book guys, then I'd have a niche list there too. Many of the folks on this list do have lower cost books on their sites.

[vaillant]

About more "niche" books I have to say the two dealers from which I was able to gather some had been Mycomicshop and Mile High. Metropolis, also.

 

This is independent from value, as some uncommon books can be costly even if they are not much collected, and I do agree Metropolis has a very good assortment, but I am a bit afraid for the grading, as sometimes it’s pretty evident from the scans that books are not the stated grade. Also the opposite, in some cases, but you see what I mean.

[Ogami]

Brian, under number three of your categories, "breadth of inventory" I think you need to clarify that these sellers are still a very niche section of comic book sellers.

 

Some of them advertise and pride themselves on only carrying GA and SA. Most of them are "big book" sellers, with the one true exception being Lonestar, and I don't think Lonestar makes your list because of their deep runs of CA dollar books.

 

Your list of sellers, while always a joy to read, really does me no good, as they don't carry the material I'm looking for. As a result, I'd hardly call them the top ten. Call this list what it is, the big money GA and SA Sellers list.

 

Actually, that's not true:

 

If you go through some of the cheaper end books, one of the reasons Ritter always makes the list and Lone Star was added was because of their ability to cater to the widest range of the market. Ritter carries an overwhelming amount of books that are below $20.

 

And if you look over Bob's site he carries some cheaper inventory as well.

 

So many of these guys on the list are well known for the top end, but usually they cover all the bases.

 

If I included dollar book guys, then I'd have a niche list there too. Many of the folks on this list do have lower cost books on their sites.

 

I respectfully disagree.

 

I didn't JUST say lower priced books. I also mentioned books other than GA and SA.

 

I'll give you a real life example.

 

Of your ten dealers, I knew that five of them automatically would be outside my scope. So I looked up the five dealers that I thought MIGHT have what I was looking for. Leaving aside the one dealer whose website is down at the moment, the other four turned up a total of 2 comic books. Two literal, actual comic books out of five dealer's websites. (Copper age comics, with values between one and thirty dollars)

 

 

This isn't an attack of you. It's a clarification of your list and it's value to a collector like me. This isn't the top ten dealers in my mind. This is for the most part, the top ten dealers of high grade GA and SA.

[goldust40]

Excellently written list as usual Brian. Not too many changes, but that's no surprise...

[Foolkiller]

Brian, under number three of your categories, "breadth of inventory" I think you need to clarify that these sellers are still a very niche section of comic book sellers.

 

Some of them advertise and pride themselves on only carrying GA and SA. Most of them are "big book" sellers, with the one true exception being Lonestar, and I don't think Lonestar makes your list because of their deep runs of CA dollar books.

 

Your list of sellers, while always a joy to read, really does me no good, as they don't carry the material I'm looking for. As a result, I'd hardly call them the top ten. Call this list what it is, the big money GA and SA Sellers list.

 

Actually, that's not true:

 

If you go through some of the cheaper end books, one of the reasons Ritter always makes the list and Lone Star was added was because of their ability to cater to the widest range of the market. Ritter carries an overwhelming amount of books that are below $20.

 

And if you look over Bob's site he carries some cheaper inventory as well.

 

So many of these guys on the list are well known for the top end, but usually they cover all the bases.

 

If I included dollar book guys, then I'd have a niche list there too. Many of the folks on this list do have lower cost books on their sites.

 

I respectfully disagree.

 

I didn't JUST say lower priced books. I also mentioned books other than GA and SA.

 

I'll give you a real life example.

 

Of your ten dealers, I knew that five of them automatically would be outside my scope. So I looked up the five dealers that I thought MIGHT have what I was looking for. Leaving aside the one dealer whose website is down at the moment, the other four turned up a total of 2 comic books. Two literal, actual comic books out of five dealer's websites. (Copper age comics, with values between one and thirty dollars)

 

 

This isn't an attack of you. It's a clarification of your list and it's value to a collector like me. This isn't the top ten dealers in my mind. This is for the most part, the top ten dealers of high grade GA and SA.

 

I'd also include BA, and I'd admit that they also tend to be weighted more towards the high end area.

 

With that said, given your definition, highgradcomics.com, mycomicshop, worldwide and comicana all sell copper age comics between one and thirty dollars.

 

Greg has a huge amount of the stuff to which you refer, but it isn't on his website.

 

There are two less expensive or bargain dealers who I would consider putting on this list: Comics4Less who has the absolute best $2, $5 at any show -- and Zapp Comics.

[Ghost Rider]

Gerry Ross up for consideration, really?? I wouldn't give a strangers son $1 to get a book from this "seller". Think of everything bad you can say about a comic book dealer. This is Gerry Ross!!

[Foolkiller]

Gerry Ross up for consideration, really?? I wouldn't give a strangers son $1 to get a book from this "seller". Think of everything bad you can say about a comic book dealer. This is Gerry Ross!!

 

I listed every comic book dealer I could think of that had some sort of legitimate presence. I agree he would never make the list or anywhere in the same zip code.

[paperheart]

was Danny Dupack #11? thanks for taking the time to put this together.

[Foolkiller]

was Danny Dupack #11? thanks for taking the time to put this together.

 

[Ogami]

Brian, under number three of your categories, "breadth of inventory" I think you need to clarify that these sellers are still a very niche section of comic book sellers.

 

Some of them advertise and pride themselves on only carrying GA and SA. Most of them are "big book" sellers, with the one true exception being Lonestar, and I don't think Lonestar makes your list because of their deep runs of CA dollar books.

 

Your list of sellers, while always a joy to read, really does me no good, as they don't carry the material I'm looking for. As a result, I'd hardly call them the top ten. Call this list what it is, the big money GA and SA Sellers list.

 

Actually, that's not true:

 

If you go through some of the cheaper end books, one of the reasons Ritter always makes the list and Lone Star was added was because of their ability to cater to the widest range of the market. Ritter carries an overwhelming amount of books that are below $20.

 

And if you look over Bob's site he carries some cheaper inventory as well.

 

So many of these guys on the list are well known for the top end, but usually they cover all the bases.

 

If I included dollar book guys, then I'd have a niche list there too. Many of the folks on this list do have lower cost books on their sites.

 

I respectfully disagree.

 

I didn't JUST say lower priced books. I also mentioned books other than GA and SA.

 

I'll give you a real life example.

 

Of your ten dealers, I knew that five of them automatically would be outside my scope. So I looked up the five dealers that I thought MIGHT have what I was looking for. Leaving aside the one dealer whose website is down at the moment, the other four turned up a total of 2 comic books. Two literal, actual comic books out of five dealer's websites. (Copper age comics, with values between one and thirty dollars)

 

 

This isn't an attack of you. It's a clarification of your list and it's value to a collector like me. This isn't the top ten dealers in my mind. This is for the most part, the top ten dealers of high grade GA and SA.

 

I'd also include BA, and I'd admit that they also tend to be weighted more towards the high end area.

 

With that said, given your definition, highgradcomics.com, mycomicshop, worldwide and comicana all sell copper age comics between one and thirty dollars.

 

Greg has a huge amount of the stuff to which you refer, but it isn't on his website.

 

There are two less expensive or bargain dealers who I would consider putting on this list: Comics4Less who has the absolute best $2, $5 at any show -- and Zapp Comics.

 

At the risk of repeating myself, we simply aren't talking about the same thing.

 

There is only one dealer on your list that would make my list (due to my specific collection) and I think that's a problem. It means that comic books are big enough that one style of dealer list simply isn't enough.

 

You've crafted a top ten film list and only taken selections from Sundance.

 

 

Thank you for the two new additions (comics4less and zap). I'm going to check them out.

 

 

And consider crafting a few different top ten dealers lists! I know I would appreciate it. (Graphic novels, independents, dollar books, OA, yellow labels, for example)

[Bomber-Bob]

Brian, excellent analysis. I sensed a strong desire to keep the buddy system out of your decisions and it shows. My only comment is I don't consider

Comiclink and Mycomicshop 'dealers'. They don't set up at shows, have their own inventory, etc. Without the internet, they don't exist.

[Foolkiller]

More lists = more work and more time.

 

And I'll be honest, I'm not sure I would know the people who do trades better than others. People like Mid Town do a nice job with trades etc.

 

 

[DR.X]

Bottom Line: Nick Beckett is and remains one of the few people that I would buy sight unseen from and trust the grade.+1+

 

+1

 

Without a doubt, but I personally would add Storms, Reece, Evans too. No hassle return on anything your not happy with. Just my

 

Great thread Brian. (thumbs u

[telerites]

I need to count up how many of these I have bought from. A majority for sure and that includes getting scammed by Dupcak in the late 80s when he had his Fantasia store.

 

Gawd - I've spent a lot of money over the years.

[revat]

Brian, excellent analysis. I sensed a strong desire to keep the buddy system out of your decisions and it shows. My only comment is I don't consider

Comiclink and Mycomicshop 'dealers'. They don't set up at shows, have their own inventory, etc. Without the internet, they don't exist.

 

I think if you do a significant amount of your revenue stream from 'buying' and 'reselling', that makes one more or less a dealer. Mycomicshop does a ton of buying of collections, has auctions, consignement, and does subscriptions I think for a pretty significant percentage of revenue. I think that makes them a 'dealer', even if they're only web-based, vs Midtown who is basically just a really really big comic book store, who sells new comics and back issues that didn't originally sell for just about all of their revenues.

 

Comiclink and Heritage I would say are not really 'dealers', for the reason you stated above, they serve essentially as auction houses for the most part, without their own inventory.

 

The list can't be everything to everyone, but I think its a good snapshot that's fairly useful to a lot of people here.

[Antpark]

The list can't be everything to everyone, but I think its a good snapshot that's fairly useful to a lot of people here.

+1

[WebSlinger]

Great info

[drbanner]

Greg White

Is Greg still even dealing comics? Last time I saw him he was working the Toll Booth on the Florida turnpike.

 

And where's Foolkiller on the list?!?! Used to be the fastest selling threads on the forum...

[Waylander]

Number 8: Nick Beckett, Comicana Direct – London, United Kingdom

 

Pros: One of the best graders in the business, Nick Beckett runs what I consider to be Great Britain’s best vintage comic book website and the UK’s best overall dealer. With an incredibly large inventory of books spanning all eras, Nick is able to feed the appetites of vintage comic book buyers of the UK. Nick deals with everyone with complete honesty. He does a great job interacting with customers and maintaining top quality customer service. His ability to appeal to both US and UK based customers demonstrates he is not adjusting his prices upwards strictly to market to the UK base which may not have as many savvy customers.

 

Cons: The website is almost cumbersome to use and the updates are not nearly frequent enough. Comicana probably isn’t as aggressive or hasn’t been as successful in pursuing significant keys on a regular basis. In addition, new arrivals can get lost in a sea of moderns and the books are not broken out into books of different eras. This makes seeing the material difficult. While not a significant negative, there’s very little convention presence for Comicana, which is related to a number of factors.

 

Bottom Line: Nick Beckett is and remains one of the few people that I would buy sight unseen from and trust the grade. Can’t say that about many dealers.

 

 

Nice to see Nick's hard work, even being in the UK is recognised