Hey all. 0

[comics-rock]

So it would appear Im moving back to the UK from Canada. Quick question. What's the collector scene like in the UK now? I brought 10,000 comics with me when I moved here in 2005, but don't remember many shows, and it was nigh on impossible to buy American comics without shipping them from the US. Thanks.

[shadroch]

Cant answer your questions as I'm in the American South West but how will you be shipping your books back, and how many will you be shipping?

[Garystar]

4 hours ago, comics-rock said:

So it would appear Im moving back to the UK from Canada. Quick question. What's the collector scene like in the UK now? I brought 10,000 comics with me when I moved here in 2005, but don't remember many shows, and it was nigh on impossible to buy American comics without shipping them from the US. Thanks.

Although nothing like it was in early nineties new comics are easy to get, most towns of any size will have a specialised shop selling comics who can order in whatever you want. Alternatively dealers on line and plenty of eBay sellers. 
Pre-covid comic cons were common however, despite being called comic cons, very few comic dealers to be seen. The only all comic con I am aware of is in London every few months. 
Back issues - specialist dealers on line  and eBay. High grade silver age is difficult to find in UK but if you’re patient you have a chance.

Golden age - hardly worth looking in UK especially if you’re fussy on grade.

 

[comics-rock]

13 minutes ago, Garystar said:

Although nothing like it was in early nineties new comics are easy to get, most towns of any size will have a specialised shop selling comics who can order in whatever you want. Alternatively dealers on line and plenty of eBay sellers. 
Pre-covid comic cons were common however, despite being called comic cons, very few comic dealers to be seen. The only all comic con I am aware of is in London every few months. 
Back issues - specialist dealers on line  and eBay. High grade silver age is difficult to find in UK but if you’re patient you have a chance.

Golden age - hardly worth looking in UK especially if you’re fussy on grade.

 

Thanks, that makes sense. With new comics, off the stand in the UK, are they 'US' comics, or are they a UK variant?

[comics-rock]

3 hours ago, shadroch said:

Cant answer your questions as I'm in the American South West but how will you be shipping your books back, and how many will you be shipping?

Hardly any in comparison. Maybe three long boxes and 70 - 100 slabs. All my big hitters, Hulk 1, CCA 1, AF 15 etc I got rid of after a massive bout of depression in 2009. Just getting back into it now.

[Garystar]

14 minutes ago, comics-rock said:

Thanks, that makes sense. With new comics, off the stand in the UK, are they 'US' comics, or are they a UK variant?

There are no UK variants any more, Marvels stopped mid-80s and other publishers around same time with the introduction/popularization of Direct editions. You will only find American comics “off the stand” in specialised shops or on-line. 
 

There are UK compilations reprinting US material which you can find in news agents but you wouldn’t mistake these for originals. 
 

Google the town you are moving to and comic shop - if nothing where you are moving to there are on-line dealers who can provide you with whatever you want. 

[comics-rock]

1 hour ago, Garystar said:

There are no UK variants any more, Marvels stopped mid-80s and other publishers around same time with the introduction/popularization of Direct editions. You will only find American comics “off the stand” in specialised shops or on-line. 
 

There are UK compilations reprinting US material which you can find in news agents but you wouldn’t mistake these for originals. 
 

Google the town you are moving to and comic shop - if nothing where you are moving to there are on-line dealers who can provide you with whatever you want. 

Moving right next door to Cambridge. If there isn't one, I may open one.

[Garystar]

5 hours ago, comics-rock said:

Moving right next door to Cambridge. If there isn't one, I may open one.

Google shows there is a Forbidden Planet shop in Cambridge - they are (probably) the biggest high street presence in UK for comics. I’d be amazed if they couldn’t get you any new comic you wanted. However their shops do not usually carry much in the way of back issues, especially not vintage stuff.  

[Ken Aldred]

After Covid, you’d expect the MCM conventions to start up again at the Excel in London. Did they also do one in Birmingham as well?  The reviews on here from attendees looking for old comics have been quite negative, and an event nowhere near as well-stocked in that way as the much-missed LSCC.

The Royal National Hotel marts on a Sunday should start up again, located a short distance from Euston Station.

There are also more regional comic marts, such as those run by Golden Orbit, and the Thought Bubble convention in Leeds.

 

[chrisco37]

Boardies @goldust40 and @Flaming_Telepath are UK based and have good inventory of books.  They both know how to grade properly and are top notch chaps.

Edited May 31, 2021 by chrisco37

[Flaming_Telepath]

3 hours ago, chrisco37 said:

Boardies @goldust40 and @Flaming_Telepath are UK based and have good inventory of books.  They both know how to grade properly and are top notch chaps.

The cheques in the mail, mate!

 

[JazzMan]

3 hours ago, Flaming_Telepath said:

The cheques in the mail, mate!

 

A rare Nick appearance.  

[Jeffro.]

4 hours ago, Flaming_Telepath said:

7 hours ago, chrisco37 said:

Boardies @goldust40 and @Flaming_Telepath are UK based and have good inventory of books.  They both know how to grade properly and are top notch chaps.

The cheques in the mail, mate!

Damn!

Uh yeah. These guys are fantastic

I mean really great. Really, REALLY great!! 

[serling1978]

I went to London and Cambridge on my honeymoon 8 years ago and it was an amazing trip, but I wasn't able to find any shops with a decent selection of back issues. I found a couple that had SOME but the prices were insane. Although, I know the cost of living in London is up there, so it makes sense. 

The best score I got was a small flea market where I found some Avengers UK magazine reprints, a couple bronze age books, and my current copy of ASM 316, which was nothing but a run filler back then. How things change.. 

[comics-rock]

7 hours ago, chrisco37 said:

Boardies @goldust40 and @Flaming_Telepath are UK based and have good inventory of books.  They both know how to grade properly and are top notch chaps.

With thanks.

[marvelcollector]

1 hour ago, JazzMan said:

A rare Nick appearance.  

I was thinking the same thing.

[Ken Aldred]

2 hours ago, serling1978 said:

I went to London and Cambridge on my honeymoon 8 years ago and it was an amazing trip, but I wasn't able to find any shops with a decent selection of back issues. I found a couple that had SOME but the prices were insane. Although, I know the cost of living in London is up there, so it makes sense. 

 

Very different to the 1980s, when you could pick up lots of cheap, high grade books in Central London comic shops, prior to "Batmania".

A few shops in the UK still have older back issues, but generally just a focus on new comics, trades and hardcovers.

Edited May 31, 2021 by Ken Aldred

[Buzzetta]

Gabba Gabba Hey right back !

[Namtak]

1 hour ago, Buzzetta said:

Gabba Gabba Hey right back !

 

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 5/30/2021 at 1:26 PM, shadroch said:

Cant answer your questions as I'm in the American South West but how will you be shipping your books back, and how many will you be shipping?

And let me know the Tracking No. when you ship them.