Does anybody collect these old Previews Catalogs? 0

[M. Coleman]

I am doing some thinning of my comics and ran across some of these Previews Catalogs, they take up a lot of space and want to get rid of them. I checked ebay and some were selling. Is their a market for these? Can CGC even grade these? They are about 3/4 in thick. Here are a few photos. Not the best photos I apologize.

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[wardevil0]

CGC can't grade Previews from this era, they're just too thick.  I don't think anyone really collects "Previews," per se, but if someone were a big fan of a particular property, they may want the Previews cover feature for completion's sake.  The Hellboy cover, for example, is probably the most marketable of these.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 5/31/2024 at 12:21 PM, wardevil0 said:

CGC can't grade Previews from this era, they're just too thick.  I don't think anyone really collects "Previews," per se, but if someone were a big fan of a particular property, they may want the Previews cover feature for completion's sake.  The Hellboy cover, for example, is probably the most marketable of these.

I've picked up a few Previews for my collection. I have the one where the Milestone comics line was initially solicited, as it included a poster and a story about it. (It was also the issue where they launched Simpsons comics, so that issue costs a bit.) In some cases, Previews contains comic stories that are more than just an excerpt from the solicited book. (The Image series Lazarus had a short into story in Previews, making Previews the first appearance of the main character.)

But most issues aren't going to be particularly collectible.

[DougC]

I never collected many of the previews outside of a couple with interesting inserts (Defiant #0) but I did have a pretty sizable stack of Mile High Futures prior to a storage unit flood. These have proven pretty difficult to replace despite being almost worthless.

[BuraddoRun]

I kept the issue that had that exclusive Bad Idea preview in it, with "first appearances." It was a story all about first appearances. But anyhow, I'm sure there are collectors out there, but finding them may be difficult. Like someone said above, if any of yours have key significance, say in a first published preview or ad or something, or a cover with exclusive art, or just a cool cover in general, you might be able to find an interested buyer.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 6/21/2024 at 11:48 PM, BuraddoRun said:

I kept the issue that had that exclusive Bad Idea preview in it, with "first appearances." It was a story all about first appearances. But anyhow, I'm sure there are collectors out there, but finding them may be difficult. Like someone said above, if any of yours have key significance, say in a first published preview or ad or something, or a cover with exclusive art, or just a cool cover in general, you might be able to find an interested buyer.

I've got that one too, and one with the Valiant/Image Deathmate Preview with the bound-in comic.

[SpineTic]

What about Comic shop news or others?

[awakeintheashes]

On 6/22/2024 at 9:36 AM, SpineTic said:

What about Comic shop news or others?

I think it's similar to what was posted above about first or early character appearances, but on a much smaller level. So niche of a niche market. With that said, I use the comic shop news papers to wrap comics in when I ship, so they will likely be worth a million dollars each down the road knowing my luck. 

[jdandns]

This one has some value:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285747736717?itmmeta=01J111GGQRGCQ4H8DDRXS9G9K5&hash=item4287e4708d:g:f0MAAOSwWwtl5mqi&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4M%2BWlf2tR8GfbzHv9K8h%2FpXRK9xKyY3R%2B3%2Fx4rEp2uUfdV%2FPXimluMzR1MIua%2FsbRR84ngiRv8uPE98NJhJ9Ke%2BkMK%2Bov15DxrNu57nBxX56CPaxuPN23P01oJFW%2B%2B19VdvVIWqt2%2FXkl3D3%2FNI%2FwzWRkFrnNE6fZkWsZhBygloVK3BlPEZz%2FE9jpsKrufpEMkBY0zlxfZsWsX1AFCtkuN1IoySlbAP2KyUqEhxkYG4OzY6PUAlabArnRlCackdKFmIY%2BC0PoZyvEJXKoXoZza5eDFXAXxW0e9TkxcJ0sSja|tkp%3ABk9SR5KMwqGIZA

And it's likely cooled now from when the TV series was at it's all-time high, but the issue that featured the pre-order info for the first issue of "Walking Dead" also commands a premium

[Qalyar]

On 6/22/2024 at 5:39 PM, jdandns said:

This one has some value:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285747736717?itmmeta=01J111GGQRGCQ4H8DDRXS9G9K5&hash=item4287e4708d:g:f0MAAOSwWwtl5mqi&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4M%2BWlf2tR8GfbzHv9K8h%2FpXRK9xKyY3R%2B3%2Fx4rEp2uUfdV%2FPXimluMzR1MIua%2FsbRR84ngiRv8uPE98NJhJ9Ke%2BkMK%2Bov15DxrNu57nBxX56CPaxuPN23P01oJFW%2B%2B19VdvVIWqt2%2FXkl3D3%2FNI%2FwzWRkFrnNE6fZkWsZhBygloVK3BlPEZz%2FE9jpsKrufpEMkBY0zlxfZsWsX1AFCtkuN1IoySlbAP2KyUqEhxkYG4OzY6PUAlabArnRlCackdKFmIY%2BC0PoZyvEJXKoXoZza5eDFXAXxW0e9TkxcJ0sSja|tkp%3ABk9SR5KMwqGIZA

And it's likely cooled now from when the TV series was at it's all-time high, but the issue that featured the pre-order info for the first issue of "Walking Dead" also commands a premium

It helps that those fairly early Previews are, well, a lot smaller. There are even a couple dozen of those v2#3s in CGC magazine-sized cases. Needless to say, you're not fitting the more recent Previews in a CGC anything-sized case.

I think we all eventually recognize that this hobby takes up a lot of space. Even when there are preview appearances or sidebar articles about relevant comics and characters, it's a tough sell to collect chonkers that could pass as a small city's phone book. Now, having said that, I'm sure somewhere there's a Previews full-run collector who will jump in to comment. Any moment now...

[MrWeen]

I think people have jumped on because almost every solid cover by Diamond is no longer available at mcs.  That invincible one you have could be the first cover for Invincible.  There are some worth grabbing.  Certain issues have full comic strips like The Goon and Rick and Morty.  I am not even sure the Goon strips were ever reprinted.  There are many issues that hold some pretty cool nuggets, you just have to do some research. As for storage, they all fit inside comic mag boxes so I see no reason not to collect them if that is your thing.

[M. Coleman]

On 5/31/2024 at 8:21 AM, wardevil0 said:

CGC can't grade Previews from this era, they're just too thick.  I don't think anyone really collects "Previews," per se, but if someone were a big fan of a particular property, they may want the Previews cover feature for completion's sake.  The Hellboy cover, for example, is probably the most marketable of these.

Thanks for the comment. I just checked with the post office and I can't even mail them media mail. I packed one in a gemini mailer just to see how much it would cost and it was $18. No way I am selling these on ebay unless I have a really sought after issue.

[wardevil0]

On 6/28/2024 at 12:36 PM, M. Coleman said:

Thanks for the comment. I just checked with the post office and I can't even mail them media mail. I packed one in a gemini mailer just to see how much it would cost and it was $18. No way I am selling these on ebay unless I have a really sought after issue.

It's up to interpretation whether or not they can be sent by media mail... media mail excludes material with advertising in it, because the idea is that selling ads is how you pay for the shipping of the item, but YOU didn't sell those ads and get any money from it. There's a policy where advertising is considered expired (same reason you can't force the comic book shop to sell you a Giant Size X-Men #1 for cover price of 50 cents), but you run the risk of having to try to explain that policy to any/every postal inspector along the way...

Alternatively, it looks like mycomicshop.com would buy most of these for $2-3 each, depending on condition.  You might could flat-rate box these to them and get a little ahead, or they may have a buyer nearby who would pick them up.  

[ThothAmon]

This guy sold for $350, raw. 
 

[Qalyar]

On 6/28/2024 at 12:17 PM, wardevil0 said:

It's up to interpretation whether or not they can be sent by media mail... media mail excludes material with advertising in it, because the idea is that selling ads is how you pay for the shipping of the item, but YOU didn't sell those ads and get any money from it. There's a policy where advertising is considered expired (same reason you can't force the comic book shop to sell you a Giant Size X-Men #1 for cover price of 50 cents), but you run the risk of having to try to explain that policy to any/every postal inspector along the way...

Maybe your local postmaster is a softie. But, from the USPS DMM regarding Media Mail qualification: "Books, including books issued to supplement other books, of at least eight printed pages, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography, or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books." There's no exclusion there for "advertising matter that is old enough that the specific products, services, prices, or even companies so advertised are no longer valid or available" or anything like that.

 

[M. Coleman]

On 6/28/2024 at 11:30 AM, Qalyar said:

Maybe your local postmaster is a softie. But, from the USPS DMM regarding Media Mail qualification: "Books, including books issued to supplement other books, of at least eight printed pages, consisting wholly of reading matter or scholarly bibliography, or reading matter with incidental blank spaces for notations and containing no advertising matter other than incidental announcements of books." There's no exclusion there for "advertising matter that is old enough that the specific products, services, prices, or even companies so advertised are no longer valid or available" or anything like that.

 

The person I checked with at the PO had a list of items. Catalogs were on the list and it specifically mentioned vintage catalogs also. That being said all of the sales I saw on ebay had shipping for under $9  and some under $5 so they HAD to be shipping them media mail. I might try that and see what happens.