What is the weirdest encounter you have had to buy books?

[Phantalien]

I don't have any weird stories. The weirdest story I have is that I used to buy comics when Yahoo had an auction and sale section. For the most part there were real good deals because ebay was still pretty new and people were not trusting doing stuff like that online. Someone was selling the Superman 3-d issue and I picked it up for probably about $5-10. I had to make the money order out to Candy Corn...

[steveinthecity]

Did you see any wild parrots?

This didn't register at first...the parrots live around Telegraph Hill not along Telegraph Avenue.

[H0RR0RSH0W]

I have a baseball card story.

 

I collected baseball cards when I was young, maybe until I was 12 or 13. I had the typical "album" of special cards Macguire, Canseco, Pucket, Mattingly,Strawberry...big names from the 80's. It was an album of 25 or so pages full of cards that were worth around 10-20$ each. Rookies and stuff that at the time still had value before the card crash.

 

I had been into comics big for 5 years or so and out of cards for about as long. I went to a local shop that specialized in all sort of collectibles. Cards and comics etc...I figured one time "hey , I have been siting on the cards for a while(I think I was a senior or so in HS because I remember driving myself there on this occasion) why put them towards some new comics". New issues were skyrocketing and I was having a hard time keeping up.

 

I go up the counter and say I would like someone to look at my album to sell or trade. No problem.They call " the sports card guy" over to the counter and he starts flipping through the pages.

 

What I used to do with my card pages to anyone thats seen them will know what I mean but I would take a piece of tape and seal the pocket shut. The reason I would do this is because when me and friends would trade cards I , among others as I did not invent this idea of taping the pocket shut, did not like people thumbing my cards out. It damaged them and it opened me up to sticky fingered buds on the sly if you know what I mean.

 

Well after 4 or 5 pages the "card guy" starts noting the tape on the pages. He asks and I thinking how smart I was to use the idea from having my cards beat up or stolen tell him outright like I am right now. He basically closes the album right there and gives me a stern ,serious look.

He and another guy tell me to leave the store right then and do not come back again. Those were their words.

 

I was a timid kid and I was like WTF?@! So take the book and bolt out the door like I was told. Really wondering to this day...WTF to that?

 

Anyway about 5 years more go by;baseball cards are worthless. I hear through some friends that Transformers toys are hot. I go into the store with an Optimus Prime sealed in the original box. I walk out $100 dollars cash and a stack of X-Men richer. I guess they didn't recognize me. Suckers; I got that toy for free.

 

It was definitely a really uncomfortable situation that I will never forget and has forever tainted my feelings of the store.

[CatskillMike]

I don't have any weird stories. The weirdest story I have is that I used to buy comics when Yahoo had an auction and sale section. For the most part there were real good deals because ebay was still pretty new and people were not trusting doing stuff like that online. Someone was selling the Superman 3-d issue and I picked it up for probably about $5-10. I had to make the money order out to Candy Corn...

 

I sold about 50 books on yahoo auctions back in the day. I think the auctions had a soft ending, meaning they extended the closing time if someone bid in the last few minutes. I liked it better than ebay sometimes.

 

I bought my Daredevil #1 from Yahoo auctions.

[Paddy_McShillihan]

I went to look at some books from an ad on Kijiji ... Similar to Craigslist here in Toronto ...the guy had tons of books for sale he said come take a look ... I get to the house .. It looks a bit dodgy from outside ... Knock on door the guy shows up .. Here to look at comics I say .. Sure come in ... The place was a mess .... It reeked of cats and cat urine ... I proceed to basement thinking ... " am I gettin out of here alive " was a real eerie feeling in the place .... Anyway he did have a ton of books but they were all overpriced and real low grade stuff and he wouldn't budge on any prices so I got out of there ...

 

Grateful to get out and get some fresh air !!!

[H0RR0RSH0W]

I guess I have another comic buying story but no comics were really bought or sold...

 

A few years ago I started a new job. Naturally when you meet new people they ask you about yourself and your interests. I told a few people about my interest in collecting comic books. They said 'oh so and so collects books do you know him?'.

 

A few months go by and I meet Ron. The first thing I ask is naturally "do you collect comics and what titles". We get to talking and he brings up a comic shop which is just about across the street that he's been going to for years. He starts telling me he tried selling some comics to the store but they wouldn't give him a good price. I kind of just shrug. Been there , done that. No biggie.

 

Anyway what strikes me as kind of funny is he bought the books from the store in the first place and now he's trying to sell them back. Wouldn't do that myself just because it seem s like a dead end. I tell him eBay. Get them slabbed I tell him. He was genuinely mad that the store wouldn't buy his comics back at a profit for him. He read them ; they are obviously not mint. He feels entitled to make money off it though.

 

So whenever we bump into each other we talk comics but he keeps bringing it up that he cannot turn a profit. I try suggestions but always no,no,no. So I offer myself to look at and buy some of the books at a fair price; honestly trying to help the guy out. I mean if I can't turn around and sell them maybe it will be something that I want to keep for myself to read as he is a little older than me . He's like oh yeah sure . And we never talk about it again.

 

But it just sticks in my mind how he felt entitled to the books making money for him. It was weird.

[kav]

JUSTIN!

[thunsicker]

I think you've described half the people on the boards.

[Robot Man]

I bought a nice small stack of cool Atomic Age books from the trunk of a car at 11:00 pm once. I talked to the guy on the phone and agreed to meet him in a parking lot. I described myself and my car. I asked him for the same info and he said. "You will know me". I was a little nervous so. I kept my cash in the car. I was there for about 10 minutes and up pulls a police car. Seems the guy was a cop. Said he found them in an abandoned refrigerator in a garage while on a call. Very weird but a nice pile for a great price...

[thunsicker]

I bought a nice small stack of cool Atomic Age books from the trunk of a car at 11:00 pm once. I talked to the guy on the phone and agreed to meet him in a parking lot. I described myself and my car. I asked him for the same info and he said. "You will know me". I was a little nervous so. I kept my cash in the car. I was there for about 10 minutes and up pulls a police car. Seems the guy was a cop. Said he found them in an abandoned refrigerator in a garage while on a call. Very weird but a nice pile for a great price...

 

Frankie?

[MetalPSI]

I think you've described half the people on the boards.

 

What? People here just buy books so they can pawn them off on a sucker for a profit? That's just crazy.

 

 

Oh, sorry, had a stroke there for a minute, I mean, I have no idea what you are talkin about.

[Rip]

I've got a good story brewing which I hope to tell you guys about later this week. Involving some big dollar books.

[porcupine48]

Did you see any wild parrots?

This didn't register at first...the parrots live around Telegraph Hill not along Telegraph Avenue.

I thought maybe they were close geographically...enough that some may be seen about...

Great movie,glad you got it!

[Dick Pontoon]

I went to a yard sale advertising comics, and the seller turned out to be a board member!