Is Mile High a reference to their prices? 4 4

[bob jr]

I'm new to the hobby & I've noticed that mile high's prices are higher than alot of other shops .                              I'm always checking out mile high's website to see what their asking for something & then I definitely search to see if I can get it cheaper elsewhere 

 

[Limited66]

I'm actually in Denver and thinking of visiting MHC today. But man looking at these website prices, I'm not sure if there's any point except to see what a warehouse-sized comic shop looks like.

I mean I get his pitch in the earlier posted video about "context" and maybe that was true in the brick and mortar age, but when I can get a book in better condition at 1/4 of his price for a Fine from somewhere reputable like Metropolis (which tells you something since Metro prices upmarket anyway), why would I ever buy from this guy? 
 

I guess I'll go for the novelty of it and to add it to my list of shops I've visited but I expect it will be a lot like the episode of the Twilight Zone where the guy can finally read any book he might want and his glasses break. Metaphorically speaking, of course. 

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

On 9/21/2022 at 8:25 AM, Limited66 said:

I'm actually in Denver and thinking of visiting MHC today. But man looking at these website prices, I'm not sure if there's any point except to see what a warehouse-sized comic shop looks like.

I mean I get his pitch in the earlier posted video about "context" and maybe that was true in the brick and mortar age, but when I can get a book in better condition at 1/4 of his price for a Fine from somewhere reputable like Metropolis (which tells you something since Metro prices upmarket anyway), why would I ever buy from this guy? 
 

I guess I'll go for the novelty of it and to add it to my list of shops I've visited but I expect it will be a lot like the episode of the Twilight Zone where the guy can finally read any book he might want and his glasses break. Metaphorically speaking, of course. 

It has been a great many years since I have purchased from MHC but, in my relatively limited experience purchasing from them, a MHC "NM" generally meant "Not Meaning 9.4, about 7.5."

[mattn792]

On 9/21/2022 at 7:25 AM, Limited66 said:

I'm actually in Denver and thinking of visiting MHC today. But man looking at these website prices, I'm not sure if there's any point except to see what a warehouse-sized comic shop looks like.

I mean I get his pitch in the earlier posted video about "context" and maybe that was true in the brick and mortar age, but when I can get a book in better condition at 1/4 of his price for a Fine from somewhere reputable like Metropolis (which tells you something since Metro prices upmarket anyway), why would I ever buy from this guy? 
 

I guess I'll go for the novelty of it and to add it to my list of shops I've visited but I expect it will be a lot like the episode of the Twilight Zone where the guy can finally read any book he might want and his glasses break. Metaphorically speaking, of course. 

Last year I mapped out a road trip that ultimately didn’t happen, and Denver was on my itinerary.  I was planning to drop into Mile High at some point just to see the place if nothing else.  So I’d say go for it.  And who knows, maybe Chuck will be running an in store 75% off flash sale, and you’ll be able to get books at current market prices.

[Monster's Lair Comics]

If you go there thinking it's a free trip to a comic museum, go.  There is a bunch of really cool comics and toys on display. The prices are very high, so you probably won't buy anything, but you can still enjoy it.  

[FoggyNelson]

On 9/21/2022 at 2:59 PM, Monster's Lair Comics said:

If you go there thinking it's a free trip to a comic museum, go.  There is a bunch of really cool comics and toys on display. The prices are very high, so you probably won't buy anything, but you can still enjoy it.  

That is how I picture it , a high priced museum

[ThothAmon]

Both icons. Hope I get to MH some day. 

 

[Limited66]

I’m putting it off until tomorrow, but I am going to go. Treating it as a museum is a decent perspective. 

[Kripsys99]

I've got such a soft spot for Mile High - as a young collector in Canada in the 90s, they were one of the few places online where I could find every book I needed to fill out my runs. Their pricing and grading were fair, and they shipped to Canada! Upon rekindling my love of collecting a few years ago, I was sad to see what had become of their site and prices. Would definitely visit the store if I were ever in the area though.

Edited September 23, 2022 by Kripsys99

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

On 9/21/2022 at 8:36 PM, Kripsys99 said:

I've got such a soft spot for Mike High - as a young collector in Canada in the 90s, they were one of the few places online where I could find every book I needed to fill out my runs. Their pricing and grading were fair, and they shipped to Canada! Upon rekindling my love of collecting a few years ago, I was sad to see what had become of their site and prices. Would definitely visit the store if I were ever in the area though.

I do recall the MHC adds in 1970 and 1980s comic books; perhaps I'll look at one in one of my comic books from those eras. Many have posted photos of them on these boards. Prices, to my knowledge and as you note, were comparable to other dealers. I do not recall ever ordering from MHC back then, so will not comment on their grading. Of course, some dealers back then (I imagine some still do) sold, for example, Very Fine (some F/VF) as Near Mint. My 10-year old self learned to grade very quickly thanks to those "fine" (I apologize) dealers.

[Ken Aldred]

On 9/22/2022 at 1:36 AM, Kripsys99 said:

I've got such a soft spot for Mike High - as a young collector in Canada in the 90s, they were one of the few places online where I could find every book I needed to fill out my runs. Their pricing and grading were fair, and they shipped to Canada! Upon rekindling my love of collecting a few years ago, I was sad to see what had become of their site and prices. Would definitely visit the store if I were ever in the area though.

They didn’t seem too bad back then, pre dotcom.

[F For Fake]

I was all about Mile High as a kid. They'd send that big newsprint catalog, and I'd spend hours, if not days, paging through it, looking for "bargains". I'd circle the ones I wanted, always on the hunt for cheap, low grade first appearance books, or stuff that just sounded weird and fun. This was during the height of the 80's indie explosion, so there were a ton of odd new titles out to try. I also loved how you could pick out a free book from a small selection with your order, if you hit a certain threshold. I'd collect tin cans, mow the lawn, do whatever it took, to save up enough cash to make an order. Had to have my Mom write a check for me, and send it off. Then the wait! It was interminable!  But I was always so thrilled when that box showed up, and I'd flip through my selections. Sometimes you got stuck with an alternative, which was disappointing, but I still loved seeing those bags and tiny white grading stickers.

When I got a bit older, in the early internet days, there really weren't very many options for comics. I had to hit local shops, travel out of town, or there was the Mile High site. Prices had already started to get a bit silly, but there were still a number of $1 common books, enough to make orders worthwhile, particularly when there was a sale.

Today, no, there's no way I'd place an order. Even the garbage is crazy expensive. But I can never deny (nor would I want to) the impact that Chuck and MHC had on me as a kid collector, learning the ropes. Lots of great memories of those catalogs.

[mattn792]

I'd be really interested to know what the spread is between the price Chuck pays for a book on one of his buying trips vs. what that same book gets listed on the website for.

FFS, they're asking $36 for a VG newsstand copy of Wolverine 143, a totally non-descript throw away issue that is in most back issue boxes for $5 at the most.  Even on a 60% off codeword sale, that book is still overpriced by about 300%.

And if Chuck paid more than $1 to bring that book in the door I'd be astonished. 

[OtherEric]

I’ve sometimes found Mile High useful for low demand, low price, low population books I can’t find anywhere else.  And I’ll always think of them fondly as the source of the first back issues my parents ever ordered for me around 1980 or so.

[lordbyroncomics]

I feel Chuck is a villain and has had a negative influence on the industry. His logic, per him, is that he overcharges on purpose because he "wants to keep everything" and doesn't want to let it go. Okay.

Many retailers had a significant effect on comics throughout the 70s' and 80s' and therefore have an elevated sense of themselves. Chuck gives false information filled with bias on a routine basis and, like Steve Geppi, had a cause-and-effect influence on comics of the 80s' that I won't get into here, but is documented in the comics press of the time.

[KCOComics]

On 9/22/2022 at 7:22 PM, lordbyroncomics said:

I feel Chuck is a villain and has had a negative influence on the industry. His logic, per him, is that he overcharges on purpose because he "wants to keep everything" and doesn't want to let it go. Okay.

Many retailers had a significant effect on comics throughout the 70s' and 80s' and therefore have an elevated sense of themselves. Chuck gives false information filled with bias on a routine basis and, like Steve Geppi, had a cause-and-effect influence on comics of the 80s' that I won't get into here, but is documented in the comics press of the time.

I would be curious to hear you get into it... Or PM. 

I'm not being snarky, I truly enjoy stories about the guys who helped build this hobby. How circumstances unfolded and the hobby grew into what it is today. 

I'm 39, so I wasn't old enough to know Chuck's crazy ads or mail order catalogs.  He seems like an awfully colorful character. I imagine he deserves credit for the Mile High collection and his mail order model in the 70s and 80s. 

The Mile High 2 collection had it's own controversy, but at a minimum it was a tremendous risk and undertaking for him to pull that off. 

 

 

[Limited66]

So I ended up going to MHC, and it is an impressive set-up. Like a mega-sized old school comic shop. And it does exude some buy me and fomo energy, so much so that I almost bought a late issue of Two-in-One that I'd been looking for in "NM" (it actually looked fairly graded) for $23. Then I took a breath, looked up the same issue on Metro and could order a high grade copy for $10 so I put it back.  The pricing was ridiculous all over but here and there I saw market prices (maybe accidentally, or maybe priced so long ago that the market caught up). Staff was friendly and I did see Chuck who was also friendly. In the end though, I left empty handed.

Afterward, I went to Vision Comics & Oddities and found a great selection of correctly priced books and lots of sharp copies. Cool store, heavy metal vibe. Ended up leaving with a pile of Bronze marvel and DC horror books. They were also having a half off sale for back issues under $20 bucks and the guy gave me a first time buyer discount. 

Other Denver stores I visited that were great:  Hall of Justice and Cobalt Comics. Deep back issue stacks at both and friendly folks. Bought at both, again sharp copies of bronze horror and filler copies for my Cap run. HoJ also had a really good selection of high dollar books, fairly priced, but I just wasn't in the market at the moment.

[Shadow]

I bought a few books online about 15 years ago and learned my lesson. Not grades advertised (cover rip should be pretty easy to spot...) 

Live and learn. 

[OJ Pimpson]

Went there a year ago during a trip to Denver. Place is a sh*t hole in sh*t neighborhood to be honest. Like everyone else has said the prices are so bad they are almost funny. 

[Dave2739]

On 9/23/2022 at 6:12 PM, Hot Nickels said:

Went there a year ago during a trip to Denver. Place is a sh*t hole in sh*t neighborhood to be honest. Like everyone else has said the prices are so bad they are almost funny. 

Same here. I think it was in 2019 when I went. And yeah, the "neighborhood" if you can call it that was very industrial and dirty-looking. The store itself is huge, as you'd expect, and quite the spectacle including a full professional wrestling ring for some reason. When I was there it was summer and it felt like it was at least 85 degrees in the store. Not exactly the cool climate the Edgar Church books were stored in for so many years.

Edited September 23, 2022 by Dave2739