Strategies in collecting runs: Keys first or non-keys first? 1 1

[ADAMANTIUM]

1 hour ago, O. said:

Please feel free to check out Part 1 & Part 2 of my guide to collecting original art; along with my weekly OA column here: Original Art Aficionado archive!

 

Interesting read!! Thank You; I just bought my first piece of OA  

These are things I'll look out for  

[NoMan]

3 hours ago, grebal said:

Quarter of a million just for one comic book?  nobody does that!  ; )

 

 

Be in that part of the world  soon. Can't wait to see what the Man-In-The-Middle-Of-Nowhere has. I worry about his health but when I spoke with him on the phone, he sounds super-alert and chipper and is looking forward to visit. 

Edited June 10, 2017 by NoMan

[VegasJeff]

Best advice I ever heard when completing runs or sets is to get the keys first. The most important reason is that it tests how serious you are. If you can't afford the most expensive key from the start then you probably should re-evaluate your collecting goals. Perhaps take on collecting a run or set that would be easier or cheaper to complete. The secondary reason, you want to get the keys first, is that prices generally continue to head upwards and buying them first will keep you from getting priced out and prevent you from failing to complete the run or set. Don't start anything you can't finish!

[NoMan]

5 hours ago, VegasJeff said:

Best advice I ever heard when completing runs or sets is to get the keys first. The most important reason is that it tests how serious you are. If you can't afford the most expensive key from the start then you probably should re-evaluate your collecting goals. Perhaps take on collecting a run or set that would be easier or cheaper to complete. The secondary reason, you want to get the keys first, is that prices generally continue to head upwards and buying them first will keep you from getting priced out and prevent you from failing to complete the run or set. Don't start anything you can't finish!

DD 168 was 2,500 - 3,000 in 2005

It's 1,000 - 1,200 now

[oakman29]

7 hours ago, NoMan said:

DD 168 was 2,500 - 3,000 in 2005

It's 1,000 - 1,200 now

There are exceptions. 

[oakman29]

7 hours ago, NoMan said:

DD 168 was 2,500 - 3,000 in 2005

It's 1,000 - 1,200 now

Daredevil would probably be a real easy run to complete, because there's very few true keys in the run.

First I would "obviously" get a D.D. 1, then attempt 2-10. What other S.A. keys in the D.D. run?

Then go for the Miller D.D. keys, and fill in common books as they become available.

[01TheDude]

2 hours ago, oakman29 said:

Daredevil would probably be a real easy run to complete, because there's very few true keys in the run.

First I would "obviously" get a D.D. 1, then attempt 2-10. What other S.A. keys in the D.D. run?

Then go for the Miller D.D. keys, and fill in common books as they become available.

Daredevil 001	1st appearance Daredevil
Daredevil 007	First red costume
Daredevil 016	Spider-man appearance, First Romita Spider-man
Daredevil 017	Spider-man appearance
Daredevil 081	First Black Widow in title
Daredevil 105	Thanos appearance, Origin of Moondragon
Daredevil 107	Thanos appearance, Captain Marvel appearance
Daredevil 111	First appearance Silver Samurai
Daredevil 131	First appearance Bullseye
Daredevil 132	Second appearance Bullseye
Daredevil 158	First Frank Miller on Daredevil
Daredevil 168	First appearance Elektra

 

This list (taken from a list of 500 Marvel Keys) has the most recognized "keys" although it doesn't do justice to the lower issues (1-13 are all interesting to me, especially the Wally Woods issues)

There are some other minor keys (and some of the ones above are also minor) - like 176 (First Stick) and some others. Hardest ones to get for me have been 168, 131, & 1-7. #158 was not easy but I found one at a decent price. Not that you can't find plenty of those for sale but the prices are out of reach for what I am willing to spend for a book at the moment.

[oakman29]

22 minutes ago, 01TheDude said:

Daredevil 001	1st appearance Daredevil
Daredevil 007	First red costume
Daredevil 016	Spider-man appearance, First Romita Spider-man
Daredevil 017	Spider-man appearance
Daredevil 081	First Black Widow in title
Daredevil 105	Thanos appearance, Origin of Moondragon
Daredevil 107	Thanos appearance, Captain Marvel appearance
Daredevil 111	First appearance Silver Samurai
Daredevil 131	First appearance Bullseye
Daredevil 132	Second appearance Bullseye
Daredevil 158	First Frank Miller on Daredevil
Daredevil 168	First appearance Elektra

 

This list (taken from a list of 500 Marvel Keys) has the most recognized "keys" although it doesn't do justice to the lower issues (1-13 are all interesting to me, especially the Wally Woods issues)

There are some other minor keys (and some of the ones above are also minor) - like 176 (First Stick) and some others. Hardest ones to get for me have been 168, 131, & 1-7. #158 was not easy but I found one at a decent price. Not that you can't find plenty of those for sale but the prices are out of reach for what I am willing to spend for a book at the moment.

There you have it! 12 key books in the run, and even 4 of those listed I personally wouldn't consider keys.

Regardless, 12 keys. ASM's first 12 issues are keys.

[NoMan]

1 hour ago, 01TheDude said:

Daredevil 001	1st appearance Daredevil
Daredevil 007	First red costume
Daredevil 016	Spider-man appearance, First Romita Spider-man
Daredevil 017	Spider-man appearance
Daredevil 081	First Black Widow in title
Daredevil 105	Thanos appearance, Origin of Moondragon
Daredevil 107	Thanos appearance, Captain Marvel appearance
Daredevil 111	First appearance Silver Samurai
Daredevil 131	First appearance Bullseye
Daredevil 132	Second appearance Bullseye
Daredevil 158	First Frank Miller on Daredevil
Daredevil 168	First appearance Elektra

 

This list (taken from a list of 500 Marvel Keys) has the most recognized "keys" although it doesn't do justice to the lower issues (1-13 are all interesting to me, especially the Wally Woods issues)

There are some other minor keys (and some of the ones above are also minor) - like 176 (First Stick) and some others. Hardest ones to get for me have been 168, 131, & 1-7. #158 was not easy but I found one at a decent price. Not that you can't find plenty of those for sale but the prices are out of reach for what I am willing to spend for a book at the moment.

Thanks, The Dude.

Guess I should have been specific with the"run" I'm putting together: I meant the Miller books. All 33 of them! 

[FineCollector]

In my humble opinion, if you don't consider the first Owl, the first Purple Man, and the first Gladiator keys, you probably don't like Daredevil enough to build a run.

[ComicConnoisseur]

20 hours ago, NoMan said:

DD 168 was 2,500 - 3,000 in 2005

It's 1,000 - 1,200 now

That was an outlier.There were a few CGC 9.8s bronze and copper outliers back then because the CGC market was so new.

Now the market has matured,so we can bet keys will most likely always have more value than a common run.

Reminds me of a friend I knew back sometime ago who said he will invest in a new strategic way in that he will buy a Incredible Hulk complete run from 183 to 300,and skip 180,181 and 182 because he thought that the quantity would outmuscle the quality. 

 

Edited June 21, 2017 by ComicConnoisseur

[oakman29]

16 hours ago, NoMan said:

Thanks, The Dude.

Guess I should have been specific with the"run" I'm putting together: I meant the Miller books. All 33 of them! 

Easy little run to complete.

Good luck to you.

[ChiSoxFan]

18 hours ago, oakman29 said:

There you have it! 12 key books in the run, and even 4 of those listed I personally wouldn't consider keys.

Regardless, 12 keys. ASM's first 12 issues are keys.

ASM is my primary focus, and as much as I love the run and character (the first 40 issues are arguably as good as comic books get, ever), not every issue of those first 12 are a "key".  I have almost the whole run, but I cannot bring myself to buy a #8, for example (I've said numerous times it'll probably be the last issue I'll acquire to finish the run) .  The first Living Brain isn't a key, or if it is, we need to rethink the definition, lol.

The #11 and #12 are debatable as keys as well.  It's a great story and important to character development (it's where Betty Brant develops an anger towards Spider-Man and sows the seeds for the eventual breakup of her and Peter), but it's the 2nd and 3rd appearance of a major villain, not the 1st.  The #12 then, especially, just doesn't hold weight for me as a key.  The #10 is the 1st Enforcers ( which I do own), but that's a villain group that was long ago reduced to low-tier status and the Big Man has been dead longer than I've been alive (and I'm no spring chicken).  

14 hours ago, FineCollector said:

In my humble opinion, if you don't consider the first Owl, the first Purple Man, and the first Gladiator keys, you probably don't like Daredevil enough to build a run.

The above statement can apply to the ASM #10 -- replace "Daredevil" with "Spider-Man" and any of the above villains with "Enforcers". and I wouldn't blink an eye.  There's no way I'd consider the #10 on the level as, let's say, the first Ultron or Daredevil's first appearance in his classic red costume, for example.

All of that said, there are more keys in ASM's first 40 issues (or even the first 15 issues of ASM) than there are in the whole Daredevil run.  But that's a product of the characters themselves.

Edited June 22, 2017 by ChiSoxFan

[oakman29]

1 minute ago, ChiSoxFan said:

ASM is my primary focus, and as much as I love the run and character (the first 40 issues are arguably as good as comic books get, ever), not every issue of those first 12 are a "key".  I have almost the whole run, but I cannot bring myself to buy a #8, for example.  First Living Brain isn't a key, or if it is, we need to rethink the definition, lol.

The #11 and #12 are debatable as keys as well.  It's a great story and important to character development (it's where Betty Brant develops an anger towards Spider-Man and sows the seeds for the eventual breakup of her and Peter), but it's the 2nd and 3rd appearance of a major villain, not the 1st.  The #12 then, especially, just doesn't hold weight for me as a key.  The #10 is the 1st Enforcers ( which I do own), but that's a villain group that was long ago reduced to low-tier status and the Big Man has been dead longer than I've been alive (and I'm no spring chicken).  

The above statement can apply to the ASM #10 -- replace "Daredevil" with "Spider-Man" and any of the above villains with "Enforcers". and I wouldn't blink an eye.  There's no way I'd consider the #10 on the level as, let's say, the first Ultron or Daredevil's first appearance in his classic red costume, for example.

All of that said, there are more keys in ASM's first 40 issues (or even the first 15 issues of ASM) than there are in the whole Daredevil run.  But that's a product of the characters themselves.

You missed my point.

How many solid keys are in an Amazing Spider Man run, 1- 700. How many solid keys are in a Daredevil run? Hence my joke of the twelve keys listed by theDude.

[ChiSoxFan]

Just now, oakman29 said:

You missed my point.

How many solid keys are in an Amazing Spider Man run, 1- 700. How many solid keys are in a Daredevil run? Hence my joke of the twelve keys listed by theDude.

If you were joking, then yes, I missed it.  As I said myself, there are far more keys in an ASM run than there are in a full run of Daredevil.  No argument there.

 

[OrangeNemesis]

Wish I would have followed the keys first approach. As now that my xmen run is  nearing completion I've got some expensive books to buy

Edited June 23, 2017 by OrangeNemesis

[FineCollector]

On 6/21/2017 at 10:40 PM, ChiSoxFan said:

If you were joking, then yes, I missed it.  As I said myself, there are far more keys in an ASM run than there are in a full run of Daredevil.  No argument there.

 

Just to ...

How many of those keys have any significance outside of Spider-Man?  Fantastic Four laid down the building blocks of the Marvel Universe.  Spider-Man had animal themed villains, and a guy with a fishbowl on his head.  Who cares how many are "keys"?  They're not the best appearances of those characters by a longshot.