Question for the completionist who have said stop 1 1

[BA773]

Ok so here we are... its now more than a year that im on this forum and started to collect comic books, these times i have some bad times in my life (work, family...) and because of that i wonder about a lot of things that im doing apart from real life like collecting comic books.

And now its a time that im a bit reflecting if im doing a mistake to complete runs... 

The fact is that one year ago i didnt had the knowledge i have now and tought comic books are expensive, i realize how i was wrong now and never tought to make a so long path this year with already almost 1000 books. Im essentitally intersted by the moderns so i can pick up easily some enormous quantity of books for few dollars and the point is here, i love all of these stories and i want to read everything but these times i have read many times online and i realized that i was not a problem for me and at contrary im a bit worried about continue the collect and finish with a huge weight on the ankle in many years... the fact is that im absolutely not intersted to cut runs and keep only the keys or best storyline or something... because i read a lot of stories which never heard about and find them absolutely wonderful so in fact each books are also important than an other one...

So i reflected to stop when it still not too late, in my country people really overpaid for non rare books and i have some great offer for some of my books so i have to take a decision, is it the time to say stop or no? 

I want to keep something for keep a memory of comic books to express my passion, is why i tought to invest on slab, it will make me passing from 500 books for 500 dollars to 1 books for 500 dollars is why i tought i will be a good alternative, so i think you understand that the essential things who fear me is to manage all of these books a day. Someone who stopped the run mania? Who do you had succeeded to forget it? Im in trouble guys, its a great decision to take and now its the moment to deicide what i do before it will be too late.

Thanks guys hope you understand my problem and not shame me.

[DougC]

Everyone comes to a point where they realize it is time to stop, what you choose to do after that point is what counts. If you do not have some type of exit plan (even a bad one) you are doing more harm than good "collecting" since that can end up walking a fine line with "hording".

I started to pair down my Raw books some years ago and with CGC suspending me from the registry sub-forum I am taking a harder look at what slabs to keep going forward (no more registry sets) and next year will probably start to thin out the collection even more, at this point i've almost completely decided to stop buying for my X-Men (1991) complete registry set. 

I plan to start looking at why I have certain books or if I really need 10 copies of Astonishing Tales #25 in VF/NM- that have been sitting in the same box for six years (the answer is no). If I want to read the stories there are digital copies available but mostly collecting comes down to the action of physically having something that generally brings good feelings. If you can isolate the books in your collection that do just that, everything else is fluff.

[Get Marwood & I]

My advice, as a former completist, and once you have reconciled your position / thoughts in relation to the necessities of space, legacy and money, is to think long and hard about what you love, why you love it and - crucially - what it took to get it. It's very easy to convince yourself that you won't miss something once you've completed collecting it and the thrill of the chase is over. It's very easy to forget the time and effort that goes into putting a collection together, especially the rarer and unusual books. In my experience, if you love comics, really love comics, then you will miss some if not all of them. You may find that all the reasons that you originally wanted something are still there, under the surface, and you may end up with regrets - especially if the hobby explodes and the books that you banked on always being able to afford are suddenly out of reach. There will be books that have no meaning, which you won't miss. That is the nature of completism - the sum is often greater than the individual parts. Just take care not to throw the baby out with the bath water, as they say, when your thoughts inevitably turn to downsizing.

[shadroch]

Sell Deer, Buy Sheep!

When is it time to say when?  The answer for me is when it stops being of interest.  Do you have something else to slide into to take up the hours you spend on your hobby each week? Perhaps refocusing your buying instead of quitting altogether might be a better option. Maybe you'll find selling gives you more of a thrill.

[stormflora]

Golden rule of monetary advice for these types of scenarios: Do not spend/live beyond your means.

Hobbies are, at their core, luxuries, unless they are part of your professional work. They are not critical for daily living. Everyone can get impulsive or obsessed over a newfound hobby. It's human nature. But realizing when it becomes a problem and seeking to resolve/control it is a step in the right direction.

I personally haven't been in this hobby for long (only a few months), and I'm already slated to acquire some ~500 comics across two series' runs (Chip 'n' Dale & Tom and Jerry). But I knew when I was getting in to only focus on what I actually cared about, and to also keep my budget tight in case I wanted to exit or settle. Thus, almost all of the comic issues I've acquired thus far are cheap, and expectedly, low grade. Some were more expensive than others. (I have probably spent more time and effort haggling/finding deals than actually acquiring the comics, even if cost wasn't a serious problem. This part of the journey was, ironically, rather enjoyable.) I don't believe that comics should cost hundreds to thousands per issue, but I understand that rarity and age factor into cost.

However, that does not change the fact that added up, I easily spent thousands of dollars already in that small timeframe. But it doesn't faze me. Why? Because my day job already makes enough disposable income to write it off as a typical monthly luxury purchase. I can sit back, relax, and wait a month or two, and all I've spent so far will be offset to zero.

Comics are, of course, not the first hobby I've randomly gotten into, nor will it be the last. This isn't the first time I've impulsively started up a new hobby and spent hundreds to thousands on it, just to stop a month or two later. Part of it is probably due to my ADD and inability to keep lasting attention, but I still buy with an objective mindset expecting something to have at least some intrinsic value to me and/or my family. Although I am using money to buy happiness (however fleeting it is), it helps me cope with life, and I imagine this to be the same case for many others.

In any case, if you are getting tired of/losing money on this hobby or any others, just take a break or stop. Offload comics to recoup some of your investment (or losses, depending on how you look at it). We've all been there in life, whether it is with comics or otherwise. There is no shame, and you aren't comparing yourself to anyone else.

Edited December 12, 2023 by stormflora

[BA773]

Guys i found the problem... 

I hate these freaking bags and board...

Actually there is only 1 serie that i collected who are not bagged and boarded and i realize how is more pleasant to just have these books grouped in bags like if they are some tpb, its almost coast nothing in storage. 

And i cannot see anymore these long books of books aligned who stress me... 

Look the comparison >>

I want to collect everything but i cannot take the same attention on each books, they are just here to be readed because its the reason why i bought them... i think we go to far with the carefulness we allowate to all of these books... i have taken a decision im going to buy some large bags like these one i have for superman and before the end of the week all of these freaking boxes will disapear. I will however keep a box to put into them with bags and boards the key books they are the only who deserves it. 

Edited December 12, 2023 by BA773

[BA773]

There is more than 100 books in this small drawer!

Edited December 12, 2023 by BA773

[Dr. Balls]

On 12/12/2023 at 8:58 AM, stormflora said:

Although I am using money to buy happiness (however fleeting it is), it helps me cope with life, and I imagine this to be the same case for many others.

Amen, brother!

[shadroch]

On 12/12/2023 at 10:18 AM, BA773 said:

Guys i found the problem... 

I hate these freaking bags and board...

Actually there is only 1 serie that i collected who are not bagged and boarded and i realize how is more pleasant to just have these books grouped in bags like if they are some tpb, its almost coast nothing in storage. 

And i cannot see anymore these long books of books aligned who stress me... 

Look the comparison >>

I want to collect everything but i cannot take the same attention on each books, they are just here to be readed because its the reason why i bought them... i think we go to far with the carefulness we allowate to all of these books... i have taken a decision im going to buy some large bags like these one i have for superman and before the end of the week all of these freaking boxes will disapear. I will however keep a box to put into them with bags and boards the key books they are the only who deserves it. 

The problem is that you have no idea what might be key in the future.  An obscure character is introduced in Golden Defender #307.  Ten years later, it is announced that character is the new Golden Avenger.  your bagged copy is a9.0 and sells for $75, meanwhile 9.8 copies are bringing $2500.

[BA773]

On 12/12/2023 at 9:06 PM, shadroch said:

The problem is that you have no idea what might be key in the future.  An obscure character is introduced in Golden Defender #307.  Ten years later, it is announced that character is the new Golden Avenger.  your bagged copy is a9.0 and sells for $75, meanwhile 9.8 copies are bringing $2500.

... if a book become a key i will take them off with the other, as simplement as that.. and i dont care about your famous 9.8 i never had buy a raw comics if i was preocuppated by the potential of my investment and no more tried to complete run too...

Edited December 12, 2023 by BA773

[shadroch]

If you love your comics, take care of them.  A bag and a board cost what?  15 cents?  If you just want to read, buy  trade paperbacks for half price or less. 

[BA773]

On 12/12/2023 at 9:28 PM, shadroch said:

If you love your comics, take care of them.  A bag and a board cost what?  15 cents?  If you just want to read, buy  trade paperbacks for half price or less. 

Do not understand. All my comics are actually bags and board but i tought by question of space and also to move them easily it will be so much better to have them in just bags by lot of five

[stormflora]

On 12/12/2023 at 3:28 PM, shadroch said:

If you love your comics, take care of them.  A bag and a board cost what?  15 cents?  If you just want to read, buy  trade paperbacks for half price or less. 

In my case, I have a ton of these plastic self-adhesive bags I had from a past business venture. I think they were meant for books or clothes or something. So I repurposed them for my raw unbagged comics. And for the backer boards, I just fetch some cheap construction paper from the dollar store and cut them to size.

[bc]

I've taken several breaks from collecting over the years, some almost a decade long. But I keep coming back, usually with a new collecting focus.

At one point I had over 7,000 books (which is tiny compared to some boardies collections). Slimmed that down to 5,000, then 3,000 and now I'm down to 4 short boxes of slabs and 1 short box of raws. If I want to buy something new, something has to go to make space. 

Part of the downsizing was due to long distance moves, part of it was just feeling overwhelmed. Once I started parting with stuff, it actually got easier. Like Marwood suggested, I kept anything that took me a long time to find and the most important/sentimental books to me. 

I also have detailed instruction for my family in order to maximize the resale value of my collection in case anything bad happens. I'd rather leave them 5 short boxes to deal with than dozens of long boxes.

To each their own & collect what you enjoy!

-bc

[ganni]

[JazzMan]

I don't generally collect moderns, so for me it's not a matter of picking up a weekly/monthly pull from the comic shop.  I've dabbled into being a completist because it's the thrill of the hunt that motivates me.  I began big and quickly found that it's better to focus on runs like 1-100 or story arcs.  Recently I've focused my collecting on bronze age marvel titles.  These are ideal because there were so many titles from my youth that were short lived in the 70s.  Now, some are longer than others...Defenders was 152 issues, Marvel 2 in 1 was 100 but there were lots of 75 and under issue runs like Rom, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Invaders, Amazing Adventures, and so on.  As a contrast I started with ASM 1-100, which I did ultimately complete and sell but those were different days 20 years ago...high grade ASMs were still affordable.  I can't buy a rag with staples of that run without paying through the nose, it seems.  Maybe it's not a question of stopping but of refocussing.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 12/12/2023 at 10:02 PM, JazzMan said:

I started with ASM 1-100, which I did ultimately complete and sell but those were different days 20 years ago...high grade ASMs were still affordable.  I can't buy a rag with staples of that run without paying through the nose, it seems. 

Indeed. Gone are the days when you could manage to put that run together. I bought and sold a few Spidey runs over the years, always replacing not too long after selling when I realised my mistake. I wish I'd kept the last 1-200 run now, and all the variations that I gathered. It saddens me to know that, short of a lottery win, I won't be doing that again 

On 12/12/2023 at 10:02 PM, JazzMan said:

Maybe it's not a question of stopping but of refocussing.

Which is where Charlton comes in... 

[stormflora]

On 12/12/2023 at 5:02 PM, JazzMan said:

I don't generally collect moderns, so for me it's not a matter of picking up a weekly/monthly pull from the comic shop.  I've dabbled into being a completist because it's the thrill of the hunt that motivates me.  I began big and quickly found that it's better to focus on runs like 1-100 or story arcs.  Recently I've focused my collecting on bronze age marvel titles.  These are ideal because there were so many titles from my youth that were short lived in the 70s.  Now, some are longer than others...Defenders was 152 issues, Marvel 2 in 1 was 100 but there were lots of 75 and under issue runs like Rom, Ms. Marvel, Nova, Invaders, Amazing Adventures, and so on.  As a contrast I started with ASM 1-100, which I did ultimately complete and sell but those were different days 20 years ago...high grade ASMs were still affordable.  I can't buy a rag with staples of that run without paying through the nose, it seems.  Maybe it's not a question of stopping but of refocussing.

 

On 12/12/2023 at 5:35 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

Indeed. Gone are the days when you could manage to put that run together. I bought and sold a few Spidey runs over the years, always replacing not too long after selling when I realised my mistake. I wish I'd kept the last 1-200 run now, and all the variations that I gathered. It saddens me to know that, short of a lottery win, I won't be doing that again 

Which is where Charlton comes in... 

Scarcity. As time passes by, more and more comics go out of circulation for various different reasons. Obviously, if you were there from the very first few years, I'm sure the comics probably costed you at worst no more than lunch to buy. If everyone knew that Action Comics #1 would end up being worth millions, you'd bet that every single person back then would buy hundreds of copies to hold and pass onto their heirs until now.

Life goes on. Speculation is speculation; we will never know what the future holds. If everyone knew that Amazon or Microsoft or Google would become trillion dollar companies, they would've bought millions of shares after the dot com bubble and held them forever. Or they would've bought millions of Bitcoin when it was worth less than tenths of a cent.

We cannot dwell over opportunities that we missed. Because we simply did not know, and could never have known without taking a gamble.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 12/12/2023 at 11:13 PM, stormflora said:

 

Scarcity. As time passes by, more and more comics go out of circulation for various different reasons. Obviously, if you were there from the very first few years, I'm sure the comics probably costed you at worst no more than lunch to buy. If everyone knew that Action Comics #1 would end up being worth millions, you'd bet that every single person back then would buy hundreds of copies to hold and pass onto their heirs until now.

Life goes on. Speculation is speculation; we will never know what the future holds. If everyone knew that Amazon or Microsoft or Google would become trillion dollar companies, they would've bought millions of shares after the dot com bubble and held them forever. Or they would've bought millions of Bitcoin when it was worth less than tenths of a cent.

We cannot dwell over opportunities that we missed. Because we simply did not know, and could never have known without taking a gamble.

To be clear, I've never actively speculated on comics. I only ever bought what I loved. And sold, alas, sometimes, hence the earlier advice. Comparatively, I've always been an odd collector. Monetary value in comics is nice of course, but it has never been a primary focus for me. This is why collecting Charltons, Kings and Gold Keys is such fun. They aren't worth a shitake mushroom to 99.9% of people in the hobby so the competition is rarely fierce when the rare ones deem to pop up. After several decades of Spidey completism my focus now, happily, is firmly where other people's is not.

[stormflora]

On 12/12/2023 at 6:30 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

To be clear, I've never actively speculated on comics. I only ever bought what I loved. And sold, alas, sometimes, hence the earlier advice. Comparatively, I've always been an odd collector. Monetary value in comics is nice of course, but it has never been a primary driver for me. This is why collecting Charltons, Kings and Gold Keys is such fun. They aren't worth a shitake mushroom to 99.9% of people in the hobby so the competition is rarely fierce. After several decades of Spidey completism my focus now, happily, is firmly where other people's is not.

I am totally in the same boat. I've collected Chip 'n' Dale and now finishing off with Tom and Jerry. Prices aren't ridiculously high, and runs are realistic to collect.

I actually enjoy the hunt and the comics as well, without being too pressured about having to fork out hundreds for a handful of issues