2022 GOLDEN AGE COMIC BOOK MARKET REPORT 8 8

[ChillMan]

On 5/19/2022 at 9:43 PM, tth2 said:

Could you please just make one post without pumping so hard?  

I've been suggesting ideas for newbies for years.  Things that have big potential.  Give yourself a chance.

1 hour after I finally said on here that I bought Whitney's passport (for $15K...not like hey, look at how rich I am)...I'm accused of being all full of mess and pumping.

 

[ChillMan]

Newbies...this is why I say what I did.  This is a great place for info.  But...use your own judgement.  The predictions on here are 'mess' lol.

[Bookery]

On 5/20/2022 at 12:19 AM, ChillMan said:

I've been suggesting ideas for newbies for years.  Things that have big potential.  Give yourself a chance.

1 hour after I finally said on here that I bought Whitney's passport (for $15K...not like hey, look at how rich I am)...I'm accused of being all full of mess and pumping.

 

You could be right.  But also keep in mind, celebrity collectibles are a tricky business.  They are often valuable only to the generation that grew up with them.  I've been dealing in movie posters for decades, and have seen huge drops in value for the old B-movie westerns (once highly sought after), and major stars in anything other than super-key movies have generally dropped.  There are at least 2 generations now that have no idea who Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, or even Marilyn Monroe are.  Most Elvis posters have plummeted over the past few years.  There are even cracks beginning to appear for the '50s sci-fi movies... once the gold standard for poster buyers.  There's just fewer and fewer people who have any interest in this stuff.  This is the lesson to be learned for ALL pop-culture collectibles.  They often explode very fast for a couple of generations, but then ultimately give way to stuff more identifiable to younger collectors.  It's called "pop culture" for a reason... and nothing stays mass-popular forever.    

[tth2]

On 5/20/2022 at 9:44 AM, Bookery said:

You could be right.  But also keep in mind, celebrity collectibles are a tricky business.  They are often valuable only to the generation that grew up with them.  I've been dealing in movie posters for decades, and have seen huge drops in value for the old B-movie westerns (once highly sought after), and major stars in anything other than super-key movies have generally dropped.  There are at least 2 generations now that have no idea who Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, or even Marilyn Monroe are.  Most Elvis posters have plummeted over the past few years.  There are even cracks beginning to appear for the '50s sci-fi movies... once the gold standard for poster buyers.  There's just fewer and fewer people who have any interest in this stuff.  This is the lesson to be learned for ALL pop-culture collectibles.  They often explode very fast for a couple of generations, but then ultimately give way to stuff more identifiable to younger collectors.  It's called "pop culture" for a reason... and nothing stays mass-popular forever.    

This is undoubtedly why Pumper McPumperson so desperately flogs all of his wares on these Boards, so he can get out while the gettin's good.

[adamstrange]

On 5/19/2022 at 5:49 AM, Aman619 said:

Sooner or later you will need to see exactly what you have

[Courageous Cat]

On 5/19/2022 at 10:29 PM, ChillMan said:

Someone about age 30 should buy my Whitney Houston current valid passport when she passed away.  Because in the future I GUARANTEE this and her current valid Drivers License will be the 'rookie cards' of celebrities.  Worth $10M for sure...but after I croak lol.

is she still voting? asking for a friend 

[Robot Man]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:19 AM, adamstrange said:

I’m planning to go this route…

[buttock]

On 5/19/2022 at 10:24 PM, ChillMan said:

Newbies...this is why I say what I did.  This is a great place for info.  But...use your own judgement.  The predictions on here are 'mess' lol.

Yeah.  Newbies, avoid anyone predicting that Aquaman is a good buy. 

[Cat-Man_America]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:44 AM, Bookery said:

You could be right.  But also keep in mind, celebrity collectibles are a tricky business.  They are often valuable only to the generation that grew up with them.  I've been dealing in movie posters for decades, and have seen huge drops in value for the old B-movie westerns (once highly sought after), and major stars in anything other than super-key movies have generally dropped.  There are at least 2 generations now that have no idea who Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, or even Marilyn Monroe are.  Most Elvis posters have plummeted over the past few years.  There are even cracks beginning to appear for the '50s sci-fi movies... once the gold standard for poster buyers.  There's just fewer and fewer people who have any interest in this stuff.  This is the lesson to be learned for ALL pop-culture collectibles.  They often explode very fast for a couple of generations, but then ultimately give way to stuff more identifiable to younger collectors.  It's called "pop culture" for a reason... and nothing stays mass-popular forever.    

The conclusions I've reached about collectibles amount to theories that extend in several directions, some I'm willing to share openly and others I keep close to the vest to avoid fueling speculations that might lead to unnecessary panic selling.  Again these are merely theories based on many years of procuring & divesting collectibles and extensive analysis (no, that wasn't spent on a psychiatrist's couch - ).  

While agreeing completely about the time sensitive nature of collecting nostalgia ...the value placed on collecting things freely associated with one's youth... and the "celebrity" collectibles market which amounts to a contest between folks with unlimited resources, I'm reluctant to connect the value placed on one type of collectible with others, especially with any distance between them in format, style, size, grading regimen and uniqueness.  

Your point about movie stars and loss of generational familiarity is spot on, and one reason why cinema posters have lost their luster with collectors.  Posters, being large flat collectibles of varying sizes are unwieldy, requiring some level preservation and space for storage or display.  This also makes them difficult to trade, ship and auction, all of which impacts market value.  Absolutely the loss of interest in stars of a bygone era may play into this, but the fact that posters ...along with lobby cards and other movie ephemera... have receded in the collecting psyche probably plays a role in diminishing interest.  

Posters are another kind of "animal" from comics and different again from pulps & magazines (it's kinda like watermelons as opposed to apples & oranges).  Original art is also an area which may run hot and cold dependent upon the quality of art, notoriety of the artist, whether it's a B&W pare cover or color piece, part of a story, etc. There are just too many considerations to make any one-size-fits-all assessment on the age and apparent interest in any type of collectible.  That doesn't take away from your observation about stuff younger collectors identify with, but I'd add that there are many generational crossover points, not to mention examples of skipped generations as collectibles are rediscovered ("everything old being new again"). My two cents, with higher investment in this mocha-java inspired & ale edited mental exercise.

Edited May 21, 2022 by Cat-Man_America
wordsmpthery & ale!

[fifties]

On 5/19/2022 at 2:49 AM, Aman619 said:

Catelogging your collection now would be a big job… but that’s what the covid holiday was for!  For me though, I was already keeping a database of SA and GA mostly to know what I had in order to keep my want lists up to date.  I had a habit before of buying books I already had!  Of course, all such duplicates  paid off nicely in the end.  Sooner or later you will need to see exactly what you have, so why delay the pleasure of discovery?

My collection is about 99% GA, and consists of 7 boxes of crime, 2 of EC, and 13 of PCH, so maybe somewhat short of 2,000 books.  They are in alphabetical and numerical order.  For a period, I was buying books at auction, only to discover that I already had the issues.  Since then, I check the collection to make sure I don't have it, before bidding.  The memory fail is just another "vestige" of old age, LOL.

[Bronty]

On 5/20/2022 at 3:57 PM, fifties said:

My collection is about 99% GA, and consists of 7 boxes of crime, 2 of EC, and 13 of PCH, so maybe somewhat short of 2,000 books.  They are in alphabetical and numerical order.  For a period, I was buying books at auction, only to discover that I already had the issues.  Since then, I check the collection to make sure I don't have it, before bidding.  The memory fail is just another "vestige" of old age, LOL.

2000 GA books is a great collection, kudos.

[Chicago Boy]

On 5/20/2022 at 8:44 AM, Bookery said:

You could be right.  But also keep in mind, celebrity collectibles are a tricky business.  They are often valuable only to the generation that grew up with them.  I've been dealing in movie posters for decades, and have seen huge drops in value for the old B-movie westerns (once highly sought after), and major stars in anything other than super-key movies have generally dropped.  There are at least 2 generations now that have no idea who Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, or even Marilyn Monroe are.  Most Elvis posters have plummeted over the past few years.  There are even cracks beginning to appear for the '50s sci-fi movies... once the gold standard for poster buyers.  There's just fewer and fewer people who have any interest in this stuff.  This is the lesson to be learned for ALL pop-culture collectibles.  They often explode very fast for a couple of generations, but then ultimately give way to stuff more identifiable to younger collectors.  It's called "pop culture" for a reason... and nothing stays mass-popular forever.    

well said.

[Chicago Boy]

On 5/19/2022 at 11:19 PM, ChillMan said:

I've been suggesting ideas for newbies for years.  Things that have big potential.  Give yourself a chance.

1 hour after I finally said on here that I bought Whitney's passport (for $15K...not like hey, look at how rich I am)...I'm accused of being all full of mess and pumping.

 

I love drivers licenses from celebs.  Never thought about making a buck off of them I just like to collect and look at them. 

[tabcom]

On 5/20/2022 at 2:46 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

I keep close to the vest to avoid fueling speculations that might lead to unnecessary panic selling.

When E. F. Cat talks, people listen.

 

[Bookery]

On 5/21/2022 at 6:32 AM, tabcom said:

When E. F. Cat talks, people listen.

 

  That ad is no longer collectible, as people (younger than me) have forgotten who E.F. Hutton and J. Paul Getty are.

[Bookery]

On 5/20/2022 at 2:46 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

The conclusions I've reached about collectibles amount to theories that extend in several directions, some I'm willing to share openly and others I keep close to the vest to avoid fueling speculations that might lead to unnecessary panic selling.  Again these are merely theories based on many years of procuring & divesting collectibles and extensive analysis (no, that wasn't spent on a psychiatrist's couch - ).  

While agreeing completely about the time sensitive nature of collecting nostalgia ...the value placed on collecting things freely associated with one's youth... and the "celebrity" collectibles market which amounts to a contest between folks with unlimited resources, I'm reluctant to connect the value placed on one type of collectible with others, especially with any distance between them in format, style, size, grading regimen and uniqueness.  

Your point about movie stars and loss of generational familiarity is spot on, and one reason why cinema posters have lost their luster with collectors.  Posters, being large flat collectibles of varying sizes are unwieldy, requiring some level preservation and space for storage or display.  This also makes them difficult to trade, ship and auction, all of which impacts market value.  Absolutely the loss of interest in stars of a bygone era may play into this, but the fact that posters ...along with lobby cards and other movie ephemera... have receded in the collecting psyche probably plays a role in diminishing interest.  

Posters are another kind of "animal" from comics and different again from pulps & magazines (it's kinda like watermelons as opposed to apples & oranges).  Original art is also an area which may run hot and cold dependent upon the quality of art, notoriety of the artist, whether it's a B&W pare cover or color piece, part of a story, etc. There are just too many considerations to make any one-size-fits-all assessment on the age and apparent interest in any type of collectible.  That doesn't take away from your observation about stuff younger collectors identify with, but I'd add that there are many generational crossover points, not to mention examples of skipped generations as collectibles are rediscovered ("everything old being new again"). My two cents, with higher investment in this mocha-java inspired & ale edited mental exercise.

I agree with most of what you say... and I think there is something to be said about a preference for smaller, easier-to-display collectibles (though the used-toy store next to me has people pouring out of there daily carrying large unwieldy toys, action figures, statues, board games, etc. -- far tougher to store than posters).  But I think ALL items that can be classified as pop-culture collectibles have certain in-common characteristics and sales patterns.  There are certainly factors that affect how long an item remains popular.  (A) are they still being manufactured and in the public eye?  Comics -- yes.  Lobby Cards and Pulps -- no.  (B) are they too scarce... or too common... to maintain popular interest?  (C) real merchandise that becomes collectible after the fact always trumps hyped manufactured collectibles (Beanie Babies, Franklin Mint plates) for long-term viability.

"Fine" art and "fine" literature remain collectible (Shakespeare, Dickens, Picasso, Matisse)... but primarily because they are scarce enough it only takes a small number of people to make a market, and because they have a certain elite sensibility for the wealthy, not because they remain popular staples for the masses.  As you say... sometimes items have a resurgence (records, pulps) after they once seemed to have lost interest.  Even within a pop culture medium... we see massive drop-offs in collector interest:  Little Orphan Annie, Lone Ranger, Katzenjammer Kids, Tracy... to be (temporarily) replaced with Deadpool, Harley Quinn, TMNT, Kang.

So I guess there are two things to consider.  How long does a medium remain popular, and how many shifts of interest within that medium occur over time.  I actually think if someone produced lobby card sets to current movies... and especially if that included limited edition and signature sets... they would sell quite well, especially if released through specialty stores (the limited Mondo prints sell out instantly).  I think limited edition sets even to old movies would be popular if marketed correctly (esp. if they improved on some of the poor selection of images for many original lobbies), or released sets to TV shows like Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, any super-hero series, etc.    

[adamstrange]

Possibly relevant to the discussion

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-05-20/art-as-an-investment-still-worthwhile-amid-market-volatility?sref=htOHjx5Y

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

On 5/21/2022 at 1:29 PM, adamstrange said:

Possibly relevant to the discussion

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-05-20/art-as-an-investment-still-worthwhile-amid-market-volatility?sref=htOHjx5Y

Good article reflecting the “Pride of Ownership” that goes with investing in anything other than the stock market. This especially resonates for those of us who weren’t clairvoyant enough to buy back when everything was a nickel.  Yes, it is an investment. 
 

so there I said it. Let the bricks fly 

Edited May 21, 2022 by GreatCaesarsGhost

[MrBedrock]

On 5/19/2022 at 4:49 AM, Aman619 said:

Catelogging 

What Hollywood calls it when the actress Ms. Blanchett does number two. I highly recommend those logs for the celebrity collectible investor.

[lou_fine]

On 5/20/2022 at 6:44 AM, Bookery said:

There are at least 2 generations now that have no idea who Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Gary Cooper, or even Marilyn Monroe are. 

Well, try telling this to the bidders who just fininshed bidding up an Andy Warhol portait of Marily Monroe up to $195M earlier this week:  

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/andy-warhol-marilyn-monroe-auction-1.6447532#:~:text=Iconic Shot Sage Blue Marilyn,artist ever sold at auction&text=The Associated Press)-,Andy Warhol's Shot Sage Blue Marilyn sold for a cool,artist ever sold at auction.