Comics for a Living

[NoMan]

to the OP:

 

Whatever you decide, go for it. Think about it, research and go for it. Don't wait around forever.

 

The best time to bet-the-farm is when you have nothing.

 

I picked up and moved to Los Angles at 20 years old. Didn't know a soul. Had never been west of the Mississippi.

 

Single. Best. Decision. Of. My. Life.

[H0RR0RSH0W]

Florida is warm, Florida is cheap, CGC is there (so is that other company:gossip: that noone here has ever heard of). Probably the best direction to head if you really are serious about it all. Just have a backup $ plan if it falls through. Subway shops are nation wide. CGC and MCS are hiring from what I hear. Not like you are going to wake up tomorrow and be one of the 25 people in the world who can make it as a professional grader but...likely the most realistic direction to look.

 

NY? CA? I am thinking boulevard of broken dreams. I just do comics as a hobby so this is just some general "how to relocate" information.

[Dick Pontoon]

Like my dealer friends say, they're taking what they're giving selling comics for a living.

[NoMan]

To the OP:

 

I wasn't pushing Los Angeles as a destination. It worked well for me. Doesn't work for everyone. I was pushing you to take action is that is your desire. Take action now.

 

If you're looking for an opinion, if I was in your shoes I would show up at CGC and offer to sweep floors. Sweep floors like your life depended on it. Be the best floor sweeper in the history of the WORLD. They'll see this and you'll be amazed at the results.

 

Again, just my opinion.

[revat]

To the OP:

 

I wasn't pushing Los Angeles as a destination. It worked well for me. Doesn't work for everyone. I was pushing you to take action is that is your desire. Take action now.

 

If you're looking for an opinion, if I was in your shoes I would show up at CGC and offer to sweep floors. Sweep floors like your life depended on it. Be the best floor sweeper in the history of the WORLD. They'll see this and you'll be amazed at the results.

 

Again, just my opinion.

 

I agree. When you take a bold, well thought out step and put everything into it, things tend to work out, even if they don't work out in the way you planned.

[1Cool]

I'm sure most of you relate: this hobby is a big part of my life and makes me very happy. Where it comes in relation to other priorities (family, work, etc) is an individual thing.

 

I'm a single guy, no kids, 27 years old, no college, manager of a Subway that I've been at almost 8 years.

 

Before I started collecting (roughly 3 years ago) I was very depressed. I wont go into a big personal story because but once I got seriously into collecting and made friends and started going to conventions, I snapped out of it. I felt I had...something to live for. The stories, the art, the hunt, the people. Comics and the world of collecting is the first thing I think about when I wake up. Seeing other people's amazing collections fills me with pure joy. Traveling hours and hours to conventions and walking through shows makes me so happy I could fly. There's so much more I could detail...but you know what I mean.

 

Having management experience I've day dreamed about running a comic shop. But after some thought I've realized it's not a realistic path. I don't have the money to open my own business. It takes a lot more than just loving comics to do that. If I won the lottery, then I might consider it. But even then...I've noticed the struggle of the current LCS. And I have zero interest in Magic the Gathering. It'd be fun to just work at a shop...but I haven't found a position in my area. My job isn't horrible...it pays nicely and is simple for the most part. I try to appreciate it because it supports me and my hobby. But time flies and soon I'll be 30 and I'll still be there, wishing I was doing something else with my time. Something I truly cared about.

 

Lately I've been brainstorming what sort of possibilities there might be for work in the comic world. I sit and think..."Man, I'd love to work for Wizard World. I wonder if that's possible?" (Cant find much on their site other than volunteering) Or..."I wish I knew a vendor that I could travel with and help and go to con after con. I'd move anywhere to do that." Maybe that wouldn't pay a ton but it'd still be fun. I'd consider a pay cut if it meant doing something that I was passionate about. And it could possibly lead to better things. I would love to help run an existing shop somewhere else, but it seems most of the time shop owners don't have that type of opening. Maybe I just have too many "buts" in my ponderings?

 

Why am I posting this? I suppose I am reaching out. I hope its appropriate. I cant think of another avenue with this much exposure that might have an opportunity. Or even just advice. I currently live in Des Moines, IA, but would love to pick up and move somewhere else. I've thought about going out to California because that's where most of the action is. Anyways, I appreciate your attention, advice, and anything you'd like to contribute on this subject. Thanks all.

 

You want to make a living selling comics based on what I read above (the thrill of the hunt, convention thrill) so I'd think long and hard about becoming a full time grader. I'd recommend staying put as a Subway manager and spend your time finding and getting books graded for a profit (at least for awhile). You don't say anything about being overly good at grading so being able to easily tell a 9.4 from a 9.6 from a 9.8 will be critical. You may even find the thrill of the hunt for high grade books is more profitable compared to being a grader. There seems to be a lot of people trying to make money in the comic hobby right now so there must be money to be made - good luck.

[ParamagicFF]

Before finding my career I'm truly passionate about, I spent some time working in comic retail. I started as a part time assistant and ended up managing a successful retail store. Here are a few things that were true of my experience as a comic retailer.

 

1. You MUST be a people person, and a salesman. Interacting with people and converting fans to subscribers is what keeps the lights on. If you don't want to be a salesman, it's not for you.

 

2. Games are much more profitable than new comics. When you factor in labor and handling costs, the margins in comics aren't great. Gaming on the other hand is amazing. This is what will help you keep your store open to keep selling comics you love.

 

3. The hours are long. Special events drive sales, be it comic or gaming related. You have to run the store, and the events. Customers expect the guy they see as the face of their fun to be there hyping everything up.

 

This may not be every retailers experience, but it's part of my perspective.

[shadroch]

Profit margin on new books is terrible. On back issues, it can be tremendous.

As far as being a people person, you would think thats a requirement,but some of the oldest stores I know are run by people that dont come close to fittting that description. One such shop just closed after a forty year run when the owner decided to retire. Another still has a banner in his window thanking the community for thirty years of support 1984-2014., place smells of smoke and the owner gives you the stink eye if you dont buy something after five minutes. Yet, he has seen hundreds of shops come and go since he opened his first store in the early 80s.

[Robot Man]

Selling comics for a living is a VERY hard grind. Not many can do it and the ones that do are very smart and hard working. Very few people if any do real well or get rich unless they have strong financial backing or are trust fund babies.

 

I would strongly suggest you keep your day job until you can find a better day job. This might mean you have to go to school or serve as an apprentice and start at the bottom. You can always sell comics on the side and make a nice second income if you are real good at it.

 

As has been said, DO IT NOW. Make a plan and follow through on your goal. Stay focused on the prize. Too many people put it off and realize halfway through their lives they have wasted a lot of time they can't get back...

[thehumantorch]

I like the work for CGC idea best. From what they told me once they are always looking for graders and have a training program.

 

And that's why I suggested it. I know CGC needs staff. I suspect they can't pay enough to draw a lot of experienced graders from far away but the OP is already motivated to move

 

OP loves comics and has some knowledge so it seems to fit, and Florida has warm year round weather and string bikinis.

 

Hell he could soon be moderating our posts.....

 

West Coast is different from East Coast. There are some cooler places in Tampa, but it's mostly retirees.

 

I saw a lot of string bikinis in Ft Lauderdale.

[FN-2199]

I saw a lot of string bikinis in Ft Lauderdale.

 

So you like looking at 70 year old Canadians, huh? I don't know how they wear those bathing suits in this cold 75 degree weather.

 

This LA talk is crazy. Riverside Temecula Inland Empire Just don't get stuck in the Coachella Valley desert like I did.

 

Or go to Florida:

Orlando>Tampa>Jacksonville>Lower Alabama>Miami

[Robot Man]

Inland Empire? Like Fontana and San Bernardino?

 

Like Frank Zappa says: "That's where they take all the cars that get hurt". Also a good area to score meth...

[NoMan]

Selling comics for a living is a VERY hard grind. Not many can do it and the ones that do are very smart and hard working. Very few people if any do real well or get rich unless they have strong financial backing or are trust fund babies.

 

I would strongly suggest you keep your day job until you can find a better day job. This might mean you have to go to school or serve as an apprentice and start at the bottom. You can always sell comics on the side and make a nice second income if you are real good at it.

 

As has been said, DO IT NOW. Make a plan and follow through on your goal. Stay focused on the prize. Too many people put it off and realize halfway through their lives they have wasted a lot of time they can't get back...

 

In all seriousness, The Pink Floyd song Time was a big inspiration to me as a young adult.

[thehumantorch]

I saw a lot of string bikinis in Ft Lauderdale.

 

So you like looking at 70 year old Canadians, huh? I don't know how they wear those bathing suits in this cold 75 degree weather.

 

This LA talk is crazy. Riverside Temecula Inland Empire Just don't get stuck in the Coachella Valley desert like I did.

 

Or go to Florida:

Orlando>Tampa>Jacksonville>Lower Alabama>Miami

 

I think they were all college students. That was a long time ago, perhaps it's changed.

[thehumantorch]

Selling comics for a living is a VERY hard grind. Not many can do it and the ones that do are very smart and hard working. Very few people if any do real well or get rich unless they have strong financial backing or are trust fund babies.

 

I would strongly suggest you keep your day job until you can find a better day job. This might mean you have to go to school or serve as an apprentice and start at the bottom. You can always sell comics on the side and make a nice second income if you are real good at it.

 

As has been said, DO IT NOW. Make a plan and follow through on your goal. Stay focused on the prize. Too many people put it off and realize halfway through their lives they have wasted a lot of time they can't get back...

 

In all seriousness, The Pink Floyd song Time was a big inspiration to me as a young adult.

 

It's darn good advice. Once you meet a girl or make a baby or your parents get old it becomes much more difficult to move.

[shadroch]

When I was 12, my best friend moved to California. All through high school I was very jealous of him.

Then I found out he lived in Needles.

One of my running buds here is from Milan and attended Fresno St. on a rugby scholarship.

He was convinced to go there by being shown films of Malibu and the "nearby" beaches.

 

What's that song say about the gold in California?

 

On the other hand, my friend Matt drove out to LA in 1980, a month after high school and not knowing a soul. He did some sort of shape up work for several years before getting a Union stagehand card. Now he has a beach house in San Diego and travels to exotic places to film features a few weeks a year. I'm not sure exactly what he does in the industry, but he's evidently pretty good at it.

[Robot Man]

"Fluffer" ?

[the blob]

Get out of Iowa while you're still young. You can always come back if you want to settle down.

 

As a native New Yorker, I say go somewhere warm!

 

Los Angeles is full of beautiful women. They can't all date movie stars and producers.

 

If you have a work ethic you will have the chance to kick arse. My friend from high school opened a sound studio out in Los Angeles. He had one in NYC, but had so much Los Angeles work he decided to move his base of operations. (He still has the NYC studio) He hustles and busts his hump because his business wouldn't have survived in NYC had he not. He puts in 12-14 hours day, but he is also doing the sound on like 20 television shows and killing it. He tries to hire 20something locals and they want $100K to work a 30 hour week. No work ethic at all. All my NYC friends who went out there who are hump busters have done tremendously well. Probably something about growing up with amazing weather all the time can destroy your will to work.

 

 

[shadroch]

Vegas is a great place, if you are willing to hustle. Low rent, no income tax, casinos literally give cash and food away, if you can exercise disciple.

[Robot Man]

Get out of Iowa while you're still young. You can always come back if you want to settle down.

 

As a native New Yorker, I say go somewhere warm!

 

Los Angeles is full of beautiful women. They can't all date movie stars and producers.

 

If you have a work ethic you will have the chance to kick arse. My friend from high school opened a sound studio out in Los Angeles. He had one in NYC, but had so much Los Angeles work he decided to move his base of operations. (He still has the NYC studio) He hustles and busts his hump because his business wouldn't have survived in NYC had he not. He puts in 12-14 hours day, but he is also doing the sound on like 20 television shows and killing it. He tries to hire 20something locals and they want $100K to work a 30 hour week. No work ethic at all. All my NYC friends who went out there who are hump busters have done tremendously well. Probably something about growing up with amazing weather all the time can destroy your will to work.

 

 

As a native Californian. I say go where there is opportunity and lots to do. New York is the center of the universe and commerce.

 

Beautiful LA girls won't give a Subway Manager the time of day. You've got to "be somebody" or "connected" or have a huge bulge in your back pocket.

 

Besides, we have earthquakes, traffic, high housing and cost of living prices, gangs and smog. Not a healthy place for a clean cut Iowa boy. Believe me, it is not "the promised land"...