Forbes article 2 2

[batman_fan]

6 minutes ago, Rick2you2 said:

Don’t forget, you can’t take it with you. Instead of thinking about the artwork’s “value”, enjoy it as a reflection of your past, maybe your present, and a source of future enjoyment. The kids will make their own memories. These are yours. 

Spot on.  I think all of us must think about when we exit on our collections rather than leave it for a disinterested family to try and deal with.  I am 55 right now and have about 10,000 raw comics and several hundred CGC books.  I have been slowly getting raw stuff graded (I definitely need to step up the effort) but over the next 5 years, I hope to trim to a few hundred raw and a similar number of graded books.  For raw books, if it is over $100, get it graded and then try to do bundled stuff to sell.  For artwork, probably 95% are pieces I love but I only have a small subset hanging on the wall so I may start thinking about selling off the stuff I never plan to hang.

[exitmusicblue]

Totally fine to sell.  Hell, I've parted with 80% of my slabs already at age 35.

However, I think reports of our hobby's demise are greatly exaggerated.

Would sooner compare collecting comics to collecting art (as if that's going anywhere... it's even ongoing in virtual worlds a la Decentraland) rather than stamps.  C'mon, stamps? Zero entertainment IP there.

Of course, consolidation will continue to happen.  Entire genres of comics have faded away.  But certain keys will stand the test of time as long as art has value in our society.

Edited July 7, 2019 by exitmusicblue

[NoMan]

1 hour ago, exitmusicblue said:

Totally fine to sell.  Hell, I've parted with 80% of my slabs already at age 35.

However, I think reports of our hobby's demise are greatly exaggerated.

Would sooner compare collecting comics to collecting art (as if that's going anywhere... it's even ongoing in virtual worlds a la Decentraland) rather than stamps.  C'mon, stamps? Zero entertainment IP there.

how are those cowboy/indian/western "IP"s doing?

Edited July 7, 2019 by NoMan

[exitmusicblue]

1 minute ago, NoMan said:

how are those cowboy/indian/western "IP"s doing?

How is Spidey doing?  See how he's evolved with the times?  Hell, they've evolved a Norse God of Thunder.

 

[NoMan]

59 minutes ago, exitmusicblue said:

How is Spidey doing?  See how he's evolved with the times?  Hell, they've evolved a Norse God of Thunder.

 

So "not good" on the western "IP"s?

[exitmusicblue]

Thor actually fascinates me as an example.  His is a myth with strong cultural, religious, and yes -- entertainment value for millennia. Retrofitted into comics, and now very much ingrained in the Marvel universe.  Talk about evolving with the times while retaining his essence.

One thing I'll note: If comics readership ever falls to 0, the hobby will survive, but I think consolidation will be severe.  It'll literally become like most rare art or rare antiques, without very liquid markets.

[exitmusicblue]

42 minutes ago, NoMan said:

So "not good" on the western "IP"s?

There are tons of obsolete IP examples, not just westerns. 

Very difficult for that genre to evolve beyond individual projects a la Westworld, which albeit has been pretty successful but probably won't be spawning or sustaining any industries.

If someone were to track all comics-related revenue since the late 19th century, would be a sight to behold.  For that to plummet over time will take a lot of incompetence and/or negligence (still possible).

Comics' sustenance will continue to be tied to their history as the origin point for new (and recycled) myths in new global culture; as long as comics continue to be remembered as such, and the new culture keeps inspiring.

 

Edited July 7, 2019 by exitmusicblue

[vodou]

1 hour ago, exitmusicblue said:

But certain keys will stand the test of time as long as art has value in our society.

And that's where your money is? 100%? Because if not, all of us, then... no point making the point to begin with.

[exitmusicblue]

Just now, vodou said:

And that's where your money is? 100%? Because if not, all of us, then... no point making the point to begin with.

This entire thread is food for thought.  The optimists, the naysayers... it's a forum.  And (still) a free country. B-)

[vodou]

1 hour ago, exitmusicblue said:

This entire thread is food for thought.  The optimists, the naysayers... it's a forum.  And (still) a free country. B-)

Not what I meant, you misunderstood.

[exitmusicblue]

1 minute ago, vodou said:

Not what I meant, you misunderstood.

Apologies -- family day, all over the place !

[exitmusicblue]

7 minutes ago, vodou said:

Not what I meant, you misunderstood.

But could you elaborate?  Re-read, and still don't get it.

[vodou]

2 minutes ago, exitmusicblue said:

But could you elaborate?  Re-read, and still don't get it.

What I meant was that the argument of "the best of the best will always survive", while valid, isn't worth much if neither you nor any of us have any of that stuff! (or even if we do, if it's only a very small % of the whole collection)

[exitmusicblue]

2 minutes ago, vodou said:

What I meant was that the argument of "the best of the best will always survive", while valid, isn't worth much if neither you nor any of us have any of that stuff! (or even if we do, if it's only a very small % of the whole collection)

Oh, then I understood right.  The "is your money where your mouth is" angle.

I mean, am keeping the key stuff I think will retain value unless I begin to strongly believe otherwise.  But as I've written previously, there are far better investment vehicles.

Real estate, for one... getting monthly returns is something comics can't provide.

[vodou]

15 minutes ago, exitmusicblue said:

Oh, then I understood right.  The "is your money where your mouth is" angle.

I mean, am keeping the key stuff I think will retain value unless I begin to strongly believe otherwise.  But as I've written previously, there are far better investment vehicles.

Real estate, for one... getting monthly returns is something comics can't provide.

Still misunderstanding. Nobody is sitting on all keys from a low cost basis. What you bring up, valid (again), but not materially different or any more than actionable than me saying MIcrosoft IPO was a steal 35 years ago. Or "buy up Inverted Jennys as a hedge against the unlikey end of stamps use (?!! huh!?!!) and thus hobby collapse".

[exitmusicblue]

14 minutes ago, vodou said:

Still misunderstanding. Nobody is sitting on all keys from a low cost basis. What you bring up, valid (again), but not materially different or any more than actionable than me saying MIcrosoft IPO was a steal 35 years ago. Or "buy up Inverted Jennys as a hedge against the unlikey end of stamps use (?!! huh!?!!) and thus hobby collapse".

Not trying to be materially different or actionable. : )))

Different parts whimsy, nostalgia, curiosity, and the like.

And lovin' the discourse, whether or not I agree with it. 

Edited July 7, 2019 by exitmusicblue

[vodou]

2 minutes ago, exitmusicblue said:

Not trying to be materially different or actionable. : )))

So then...pointless point. Thanks for taking me around in a circle.

[exitmusicblue]

3 minutes ago, vodou said:

So then...pointless point. Thanks for taking me around in a circle.

My utmost pleasure.

[NoMan]

2 hours ago, vodou said:

Still misunderstanding. Nobody is sitting on all keys from a low cost basis. What you bring up, valid (again), but not materially different or any more than actionable than me saying MIcrosoft IPO was a steal 35 years ago. Or "buy up Inverted Jennys as a hedge against the unlikey end of stamps use (?!! huh!?!!) and thus hobby collapse".

I always thought the Inverted Jenny was suppose to be a seriously expensive stamp. On ebay's completed listing they sell from $500- $1,500. Or am I not understanding stamp collecting. I seriously thought it was a $200,000 stamp or something. A thousand bucks????

[NoMan]

yeah, just did a little more research.   i should probably stay off ebay