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is there an optimal size for a comic collection? Do you have a limit?

Started by 01TheDude,

85 posts in this topic

01TheDude

01TheDude

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The conversation going on about people misplacing books or buying the same book multiple times by mistake lead me to this thought.

 

Is there an optimal size/number of comics in a collection?

 

I realize opinions will vary greatly on this as some people have no limits, others are trying to pare down to a manageable size (or just a tight set of keys), while some never give the matter any thought.

 

What is your ideal collecting goal? Is it limited by the space you have to contain it properly?

 

When I started out- my goal was to grab every comic book- specifically Marvels - I could get my grubby little hands on. Buying, trading, finding them when I could. At some point, I stopped when other things took control of my brain.

 

Now many years later, I am obtaining comics again but also trying to sell off some of the books I have (especially any doubles) that don't fit my focus as much. But I am starting to notice my overall count going up again. I am not sure I want to go over a certain level. I feel the amount of books I have is already a little more than I want to keep dragging around with me every move. But my number is laughably low compared to some of the guys on here who talk about hundreds of long boxes as if they have a small set of books. I cannot see my self ever wanting to get over the 2000 book level (at least right now).

 

how do you approach this in terms of your own collection?

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spidrvacc

spidrvacc

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I got way too many at one point years ago over 3K i think. (And I am sure that not alot for some folks here ) . First sold off or got rid of junk. then sold full runs like Spiderman from 200-500 etc. then still had 1,500 and when I lost my job 2 years ago i sol a majority more for financial reasons but I had been thinking of it for months . Got down to a manageable 500 ish. Very glad , easy to care for and move etc.

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BarryAllen

BarryAllen

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1 long box of raw books and 1 short box of slabs is all I keep these days.

 

Anymore than that and I never enjoy them, too much to sort through.

 

In fairness though I have shifted to collecting TPBs, Absolutes and Omnibuses. Probably have over 150 of these...

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Doktor

Doktor

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I'm at just shy of 7,000 right now. And that's after selling off about 3k a few years back. I've been thinking about paring down to just keys and my runs of UXM and XM. But I also just finished off a handful of full runs in the past few months, so selling them off would probably sadden me.

 

But considering that I moved from long boxes to legal filing cabinets, making me not notice them as much. 4 cabinets, 5 drawers each, 2 long boxes per drawer capacity. It makes it easy to forget how much I have. Every time I want to pare down tho, I get cold feet. There's some things I like having. My full runs of New Mutants, X-Factor, X-Force, Cable, Wolverine & X-Men. My near-complete runs of UXM & a few others. My complete Wildstorm Universe (start to finish). But at the same time, I kinda just want to have something manageable. Dump everything, keep the key books, use the cash from dumping to buy other keys that I'm missing... all that kinda thing.

 

So I don't think I'm going to be helpful in this one at all. I just can't find that happy medium.

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01TheDude

01TheDude

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When you can no longer find something quickly and easily, it's too big.

 

when I hit that proverbial wall, I am finding myself drifting to a different series while still trying to snag the handful left that I wanted for the first one. I found myself also expanding my plans for various runs either based on the importance of a later part of the run or getting some oddball book that is later which prompts me to want to fill in the gaps. The last part I need to pump the brakes on.

 

for example-- my first taarget getting back in was to fill out my Thor run up to where I stopped. Then I found out about Beta Ray Bill and what was previously stopping at 278 became 341. I hit the wall on Thor after about 6 months. I was on a Kirby bender of sorts so I went after the Kirby 4th World stuff. That took about 4 months and I was done (save the Jimmy Olsen's Darkseid). So I went on to my Daredevil stuff and was really focusing just on the 12 cent stuff, but the occasional Miller book would cross my path and the next thing I know that is becoming something I target. And even that expanded out to the low 200s. I thought I found a way to stop myself from getting carried away by getting some TPB (Essential Daredevil) but was not satisfied without the color.

 

Collecting comics is fun but I am trying my best not to get carried away by it. Not easy to do though as I sure most of you are very aware.

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oakman29

oakman29

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I have alot. My problem is when I start a run I have to finish it. I know some would think it's an easy run to build,but my ASM run with AF15,ASM 1-700 was very tough for me.

Now I'm working on a Vampirella and Creepy run. :eek:

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jcjames

jcjames

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Currently running about 1500 personal collection and about 3-400 in my for-sales/trades collection.

 

I would say I'm approaching my cap for my PC, can't see wanting to keep more than 1800-2000 or so books and in fact could probably trim what I have in my PC down and get rid of 1-200 or so.

 

I collect mainly Marvel, have a preference for Silver and Bronze but also dabble in a few moderns and indies that have more sci-fi leanings.

 

Space is a concern (my hobby room is also my work-out room), but I think I've got it pretty much under control, 15-16 short boxes organized alphabetically and stored for my PC and about 4-5 short boxes for selling/trading that I'm always going into all the time. Those are also organized alphabetically.

 

It wasn't until recently that I got my selling boxes under control, since I was ALWAYS going into those boxes, putting in and taking out, they were always a mess. I couldn't take it anymore so I stopped everything and got it all organized and now I can find and get into my hand any book I own in less than 30 seconds.

 

Also a while ago I started drifting into collecting long runs and before I knew it I had dozens and dozens of books that I really didn't want but I had them just because they were all in numerical order. (shrug) I didn't find the stories or the art interesting, but they were full long complete sets - and I just stopped and thought to myself "Why am I collecting these???". So luckily I caught myself and quit that and so now I could probably dump another 100-200 so books from my PC and never miss them at all.

 

I focus on the art and I prefer stories that have sci-fi themes or some moral philosophical tones, and I guess I'm also a key-chaser too - I'm a sucker for the keys.

 

I know a lot of folks talk about having dozens and dozens of long boxes or have a full closet stacked nearly floor to ceiling with long boxes - I gotta hand it to you guys, I don't know how you do it but you guys got full passion for your collections! More power to ya!

 

I think as long as I can still enjoy my whole collection, I'm doing fine. Yeah, probably 1800-2000 would be my MAX limit for my personal collection. I don't think I could enjoy the collection if it was too much for me to handle.

 

Cool topic.

 

 

:cool:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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shadroch

shadroch

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I have a plan.

An 1100 book collection. Perhaps two hundred keys, with multiples of many.

I'd rather have three Avengers 57 than a run of Avengers 51-60. Rather have multiple Captain Marvel 25-33s as opposed to a run of CM 1-50. Multiple FF 25/26 than a run of 20-35. Hopefully you get the gist.

100 $1,000 books

1000 $100 books.

 

In retirement I will sell five Hundred dollars worth of books a month, and one of the $1,000 book every two months. As many of the 1,000 $100 books will end up selling for multiple hundreds of dollars, I will have twenty plus years of Beer Money!

 

 

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01TheDude

01TheDude

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I would imagine the more organized your collection is, the easier it would be to have a larger one. Plus it would make easier to enjoy those books. Many times there will be a discussion about a book that I have and it prompts me to pull that book down and check it out.

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tmcneil82

tmcneil82

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I just paired down last year to clear out the rubbish and sold off around 2,000 books that I had no interest in. Also sold off my entire Valiant run, at the worst time imaginable. Now I'm sitting at around 4k comics, and most of that is my X-Title collection.

 

Actually, it looks like I'm over 80% complete on all X books and tie ins, so it's almost all that now lol.

 

*Realized I never answered the question. I think somewhere over 10k would feel like too many.

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