Collections drying up? 4 4

[jsilverjanet]

12 hours ago, kimik said:

I have actually slowed down on my collection hunting the past two years, but looking at how many have popped up with other part time sellers and at local stores, there are still plenty to be found. The only question is what price are you willing to pay to land them. 

Prices have gone up that is true 

[Quicksilver Signs]

7 hours ago, thehumantorch said:

And I can give you a great example.  

We've been setting up at the Calgary Expo for 10 years.  We were the first guys to bring CGC graded books to that show.  It was tough to sell them and most people didn't want them or would ask what the dingo they were.  Then Stan Lee came to town and signed thousands of books over the weekend and most were sent on to CGC via Desert Wind.  That introduced graded comics to thousands of people, some long time collectors, some occasional collectors and certainly many who'd never bought a comic before but wanted a piece of Stan Lee who is essentially this centuries Shakespeare.

I didn't know CGC verified cigs at Calgary? Or even had a booth 

[kimik]

8 hours ago, thehumantorch said:

 

9 hours ago, Quicksilver Signs said:

Methinks you might have rose coloured glasses. That's great though, I sure hope there's someone who wants my books 15-20 years from now. 

And I can give you a great example.  

We've been setting up at the Calgary Expo for 10 years.  We were the first guys to bring CGC graded books to that show.  It was tough to sell them and most people didn't want them or would ask what the dingo they were.  Then Stan Lee came to town and signed thousands of books over the weekend and most were sent on to CGC via Desert Wind.  That introduced graded comics to thousands of people, some long time collectors, some occasional collectors and certainly many who'd never bought a comic before but wanted a piece of Stan Lee who is essentially this centuries Shakespeare.  I had guys coming to my booth asking for something Stan Lee worked on, they had no idea what and I'd start showing them covers until one caught their imagination.

 Some of those guys picking up their first graded comic will probably never buy another comic but I'm sure some got Mcfarlene to sign this year or whomever last year.  And some will get drawn into the hobby and buy more.

 

Agreed. I have been doing local shows since I was in university in the late 1990s. There has been two large noticeable collector influxes in Alberta, especially over the past decade: 1) people in their late 30s through early 50s that have good disposable income levels and have come back into collecting and 2) an even larger cohort of young men and women in the 18 - 25 age range that have started to collect over the past decade due to the movies/tv shows, and, especially with female readers/collectors, the DC New 52 relaunch and 2012 Image successes (e.g. Saga). The interesting thing is that there are a ton of young collectors that are chasing keys/1st apps now, rather than dollar bin diving or chasing the latest hot modern. Back when I started doing shows, the only people really buying the old stuff were other sellers/dealers and old fart collectors like thehumantorch, Artboy99, piper and 500club. 

Edited June 8, 2017 by kimik

[Aweandlorder]

I remember when years ago people were saying that real estate in NY is maxed out and that it's foolish to buy at those prices. Guess what AF15 is that 3 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn renting for 15k a month. 

Just when you think a correction is due, prices go up. 

Again, if this was a new industry, a developing market, if this was JUST movies and comics, I would agree. But it's certainly not. 

Movies IS progress. It's not something new. Movies in comics is the result of what Stan & Jack built (I know I know, and Jerry & joe & bob & bill)

U meet a lot of interesting people in NY.. The young folks are amazing.. Jason is a bartender in Buffalo Wild Wings around the block from me.. he's pissed that Steve rogers sold out to hydra.. u can tell his pissed cause he doesn't roll up his sleeves anymore to show this magnificent CA tattoo on his arm. Liz works in Starbucks having all these 80s independent comic pins.. elfquest, Grendel, zot... Damian is my fedex guy.. I bought him a seven to eternity tpb cause he heard good reviews.. Hector at the gym (22) shouts "it's clobberin time" every time he spots me...

the kids are READING comics. They don't chase variants, they are living the life. 

I say Half glass full baby.. Raise it high all the way

[ThothAmon]

On 6/6/2017 at 7:29 PM, Fan Boy said:

I once tried one 20+ years old bubble gum stick that I opened a vintage pack of hockey cards in 1990s. That pack was from early 1970s.

I did that out of both curiously and a friend double dared me.

My answer ... 

When I was a younger man my friend and I smoked a lame joint we found in his house.  It was his stepfather's and he'd been saving it since woodstock. 

[the blob]

"To test this hypothesis, give a random old school fan a quiz on the plot of Giant Size X-Men 1.  Many would pass it with flying colors."

Hah!  I owned it, I read it (it was a beater), and sold it, all within the last 15 years.  I cannot for the life of me tell you what happened.  Vaguely remember Wolverine being grumpy.

[the blob]

33 minutes ago, Aweandlorder said:

I remember when years ago people were saying that real estate in NY is maxed out and that it's foolish to buy at those prices. Guess what AF15 is that 3 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn renting for 15k a month. 

Just when you think a correction is due, prices go up. 

Again, if this was a new industry, a developing market, if this was JUST movies and comics, I would agree. But it's certainly not. 

Movies IS progress. It's not something new. Movies in comics is the result of what Stan & Jack built (I know I know, and Jerry & joe & bob & bill)

U meet a lot of interesting people in NY.. The young folks are amazing.. Jason is a bartender in Buffalo Wild Wings around the block from me.. he's pissed that Steve rogers sold out to hydra.. u can tell his pissed cause he doesn't roll up his sleeves anymore to show this magnificent CA tattoo on his arm. Liz works in Starbucks having all these 80s independent comic pins.. elfquest, Grendel, zot... Damian is my fedex guy.. I bought him a seven to eternity tpb cause he heard good reviews.. Hector at the gym (22) shouts "it's clobberin time" every time he spots me...

the kids are READING comics. They don't chase variants, they are living the life. 

I say Half glass full baby.. Raise it high all the way

My down the block neighbors haven't gotten even a lowball bid on their house in Brooklyn, beautiful renovation. I hope all this political instability isn't going to mess with my only investment worth a damn. Oh, wait a minute, the bank owns my house, they just let me live there for 60% of my take home pay.

Edited June 8, 2017 by the blob

[thehumantorch]

5 hours ago, october said:

11 hours ago, thehumantorch said:

Stan Lee who is essentially this centuries Shakespeare.  

For the sake of this century, I sincerely hope not.

Can you name anyone who's created or helped create more characters and stories that resonate with today's public?

[Quicksilver Signs]

1 minute ago, thehumantorch said:

Can you name anyone who's created or helped create more characters and stories that resonate with today's public?

Disney or Lucas

[thehumantorch]

3 hours ago, Quicksilver Signs said:

I didn't know CGC verified cigs at Calgary? Or even had a booth 

CGC had a booth about 6 years ago.  Don't think it did well as graded books weren't popular in Calgary at that point.  Desert Wind accompanied Stan Lee a few years ago and witnessed thousands of books and submitted them to CGC .  These large scale witnessing events in relatively new markets are a great way to introduce the graded comic concept to the public.

[thehumantorch]

3 minutes ago, Quicksilver Signs said:

Disney or Lucas

Good choices.  Also perhaps Stephen King.  But I'd still go with Stan Lee.

[Aweandlorder]

6 minutes ago, Quicksilver Signs said:

Disney or Lucas

 

[Quicksilver Signs]

Just now, thehumantorch said:

Good choices.  Also perhaps Stephen King.  But I'd still go with Stan Lee.

Agreed. There's gotta be a couple TV/Movie guys in there too

[BlowUpTheMoon]

Matt Groening

[Bronty]

1 hour ago, the blob said:

"To test this hypothesis, give a random old school fan a quiz on the plot of Giant Size X-Men 1.  Many would pass it with flying colors."

Hah!  I owned it, I read it (it was a beater), and sold it, all within the last 15 years.  I cannot for the life of me tell you what happened.  Vaguely remember Wolverine being grumpy.

agree.    Couldn't tell anyone WTF happened in it either despite owning one for a while.

[Logan510]

2 hours ago, Aweandlorder said:

I remember when years ago people were saying that real estate in NY is maxed out and that it's foolish to buy at those prices. Guess what AF15 is that 3 bedroom apartment in Brooklyn renting for 15k a month. 

Just when you think a correction is due, prices go up. 

Again, if this was a new industry, a developing market, if this was JUST movies and comics, I would agree. But it's certainly not. 

Movies IS progress. It's not something new. Movies in comics is the result of what Stan & Jack built (I know I know, and Jerry & joe & bob & bill)

U meet a lot of interesting people in NY.. The young folks are amazing.. Jason is a bartender in Buffalo Wild Wings around the block from me.. he's pissed that Steve rogers sold out to hydra.. u can tell his pissed cause he doesn't roll up his sleeves anymore to show this magnificent CA tattoo on his arm. Liz works in Starbucks having all these 80s independent comic pins.. elfquest, Grendel, zot... Damian is my fedex guy.. I bought him a seven to eternity tpb cause he heard good reviews.. Hector at the gym (22) shouts "it's clobberin time" every time he spots me...

the kids are READING comics. They don't chase variants, they are living the life. 

I say Half glass full baby.. Raise it high all the way

Those aren't kids 

[Jeffro.]

On 6/6/2017 at 11:28 PM, TheFifthHorseman said:

I wish I knew about a year ago what I know now. My first forray into the comics world was mostly modern variants in high grade. I've made some money, lost some money. Probably broke about even when all said and done (so far hehe).

That being said, the one thing that I missed out on during that time was the OPPORTUNITY to buy in on Gold and Silver keys. Books that are crazy hot now were - relatively - dumb cheap this time last year. I know because I saw them, and passed on them.

I've sold most of the moderns I acquired over the last year. I am now a hoarder of whatever GA I can get my hands on when it fits my taste and budget. I shall be buried with it.

But man oh man, I coulda got so much more value for my dollar had I been playing the long game from the beginning. Impulsivity is a heck of a drug.

If you're going to be buried with your comics, why care about value?

[jsilverjanet]

I want to be entombed in a CGC case and taken to all the major cons 

[Get Marwood & I]

4 minutes ago, jsilverjanet said:

I want to be entombed in a CGC case and taken to all the major cons 

One big purple label coming up 

[Get Marwood & I]

2 minutes ago, Marwood & I said:

 

5 minutes ago, jsilverjanet said:

I want to be entombed in a CGC case and taken to all the major cons 

One big purple label coming up 

 

@greggy, you've missed one mate.