• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

The Charlotte Comicon Returns May 1st

Started by capt_comics,

39 posts in this topic

Sal

Sal

Posted
Posted

well, it was good to meet all of you fine folks. arex and i spent quite a bit of time wandering the booths and going through long box after long box of raw to mid-grade books. great show if you're looking for readers, although i was able to pick up a raw F+ New Teen Titans #2 for about 20% of guide...also got a nice copy of Phantom Stranger 26 and Swamp Thing 7 for ten bucks each... cloud9.gif

 

I spent the majority of my time after Arex and Sterling left chatting up Jeff (finecomics) and poring through Earl Shaw's nearly limitless collection of raw long boxes. I saw a lot of stuff at the show that looked tempting, like a Kid Eternity 10 in VG- condition for $50, but couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger.

 

I concur with Sterling's astute observation regarding the phantom "discounts" being offered, as well as his feeling about overall quality of goods being offered. I think a lot of dealers are of the opinion that these sort of shows in the SouthEast are geared to low-dollar collectors. Calling ahead with want lists is an excellent idea, though.

 

As I was prepping to leave around ten til four (!) I saw a lot of dealers cross-pollinating one another's booths, looking for deals. About half the dealers were looking to dump all their stuff on Earl's lap, and he was trying hard to resist...

 

RaHigh's X-Men 50 is a beauty, and Chris regaled us with stories of all of his books in the new Heritage Auction, including this one... 816cover.jpg

 

This was my first show in about fifteen years, and I am totally stoked about June. Looking forward to a nice forum dinner...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

Posted
Posted
i was able to pick up a raw F+ New Teen Titans #2

 

I still have all of my New Teen Titans bought from the store...my #2 looks like a 9.4 on the front but there are some corner creases on the back cover---damn me for not getting bags and boards sooner!!!

 

If you are looking at filling the run, I'm parting my NTT collection....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
capt_comics

capt_comics

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hey - You guys just had to listen for a while - I made the mistake of eating breakfast with him Sunday morning. He sure knows how to regale doesn't he. If we all had super hero names - he would be the "Ultra Regaler" Actually Chris is somewhat likeable otherwise - he sure LOVES comic books.

 

Glad all you guys made it to the show.

Sorry about the poor lighting in that room - unfortunately hotel ballrooms aren't always designed to have superior lighting. The smaller room down the hall that we normally use for the show has better.

 

A few observations from an old dog.

 

Southeast dealers have no different view of customers than any other part of the country. The bottom line is 80-90% of our customers don't care about a "NM/M" book - they just want a nice book at the cheapest price. If it's VFN/NM - Great otherwise they take something less. You guys are really in the minority there. In the pre-slabbed era - you were referred to as "mint freaks". Nothing wrong with wanting VF/NM+ books, and nothing derogatory meant. Just some info from someone that's been doing this 25 years. Hope you all take this the right way.

And yes, ask the dealers for this type of material, most do sell to just a few collectors that they specifically bring this type of material to.

 

I bought a one owner collection back in 1996 and made a LOT of guys like you happy for quite a few years (right Mike (drbanner) and Hal and Cliff - don't think they're on the board??) If I found another collection like that today - I'd retire.

 

And Sal - yes we were all accumulating at Earl's table at the end of the show. But the money was going to Earl, not the other way.

 

Look forward to seeing you all at Heroes Con - stop by and say hello.

 

the ole Capt

Link to comment
Share on other sites
arexcrooke

arexcrooke

Posted
Posted

I agree with you Rick that we are in the minority. Like i said earlier, my only "complaint" was the lighting. As my want lists have filled in, the amount of back issue $1 books i need decreases, sooooooo,

I only need higher grade silver and bronze, which cuts down on how much is available to me.

Still a good show, and Ill see you in Hickory and at Hero's

Arex

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

Posted
Posted

I don't mind being called a "mint freak". grin.gif What concerned me is the notion exhibited from sellers that I was nuts for wanting high grade books-- and then, in the next breath, talk about all of the high grade books they buy every week. Sounded two-face to me. Oh yeah, I'm not part of that "click" that can get high grade books. OK, sure. Whatever. If I'm in the minority then it doesn't make sense for me to break my neck going to cons--I can do all of my shopping online much easier. Just ask blazingbob and other sellers... tongue.gif

 

I'm approaching cons from the standpoint that if I can get reader grade books at extra cheap prices, all the better...but some of these guys were selling FN books or worse and pawning it high-grade prices 893naughty-thumb.gif (A bondage BA WW cover that people go nuts for was selling for $50....a FN at best...I don't think so). Do the majority of buyers going to cons have any clue on pricing and grading books? I kinda got the notion (casual observation) that a good percentage of them couldn't. I got that feeling from some of the sellers too. Here's a classic comment that came my way: "We price according to age, lots of old stuff here." Ummm... don't we price according to OSPG, demand of the book, Key? and oh yeah the GRADE?

 

Hey if they would prefer to sell 1,000 books to make the profit they can sell from 50 books, all the better for them...I just won't be a customer.

 

I'm going to start calling the sellers going to Heroes to see if anything nicer will be coming down...

 

Not complaining at all...and my expectations were met. I just know I'm going to have to swim with the big boys at the larger conventions before passing final judgement on comic conventions in general.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sal

Sal

Posted
Posted
I'm approaching cons from the standpoint that if I can get reader grade books at extra cheap prices, all the better...but some of these guys were selling FN books or worse and pawning it high-grade prices 893naughty-thumb.gif (A bondage BA WW cover that people go nuts for was selling for $50....a FN at best...I don't think so). Do the majority of buyers going to cons have any clue on pricing and grading books? I kinda got the notion (casual observation) that a good percentage of them couldn't. I got that feeling from some of the sellers too. Here's a classic comment that came my way: "We price according to age, lots of old stuff here." Ummm... don't we price according to OSPG, demand of the book, Key? and oh yeah the GRADE?

 

oh, so i'm not the only one that saw that WW199 i guess...oh, and i'm not complaining either, as i thought there was a lot of good stuff there, and definitely a good way to spend a sunday afternoon...

 

i'm also glad a lot of the money described earlier was going Earl's way. He seemed like a nice guy and had a lot of good deals going on for a midgrade buyer

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tilleycs

tilleycs

Posted
Posted
Some of the trends I noticed (which sounds gimicky) is to jack up the price 50% and then claim everything is "50% off". The resulting 50% price is usually at or above the value of the book in question, so there's really no "deal".

 

Some of the sellers do this at the Raleigh Con, which is a really small con here in Raleigh every quarter. The last one I went to, one seller had a table (or two) full of long boxes with "75% off" on them. But the prices were so jacked up, even 75% off his price wasn't a good deal. I stay away from dealers like that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
arexcrooke

arexcrooke

Posted
Posted
Some of the trends I noticed (which sounds gimicky) is to jack up the price 50% and then claim everything is "50% off". The resulting 50% price is usually at or above the value of the book in question, so there's really no "deal".

 

Some of the sellers do this at the Raleigh Con, which is a really small con here in Raleigh every quarter. The last one I went to, one seller had a table (or two) full of long boxes with "75% off" on them. But the prices were so jacked up, even 75% off his price wasn't a good deal. I stay away from dealers like that.

It wasnt Chuckie from Denver was it? 27_laughing.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sterlingcomics

sterlingcomics

Posted
Posted

Sal, arex---who was right at the door next to Heroes? Was that Earl? That was the guy who had the WW Bondage cover, and whom I bought some Phantom Strangers from for $5 each. (Ironically, I've found a much better deal off of eBay by buying PS books for about $1 each in similar grade!!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sal

Sal

Posted
Posted

that would be dumb. why not mark up 70% and take 60% off. that's the business model of...somebody...whose name i am having trouble remembering

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Go to topic listing