How do you know it's the right time?

[Reno McCoy]

This may seem to be a silly question to many of you since the OA prices are such that collecting doesn't allow for people with little disposable income. But for those on a budget, how do you decide that now is the time to pull the trigger and buy a piece?

 

I'm in the mood to buy another piece of OA, and I'm willing to increase my budget a bit (let's say, up to $300). Since I'm on a budget, I can't just buy every piece I want. At the same time, however, I've done some research and found some art I'd like to own. But with so much to choose from, and with more coming out every day, how do you decide that now is the time to buy? I find myself hesitating. I don't want to buy something just to buy it. At the same time, there's some pieces that I really liked in printed form that I've found the OA of but I'm suddenly second guessing myself because maybe, just maybe, there'll be something better tomorrow.

 

So for those of you who have a limited budget, how do you make sure the piece your interested in is the one that's worth buying and not something that will simply satisfy your need to buy?

[micmack]

It's the same when you happen to get a huge chunk of change to spend. Right now I have been tempted to buy anything and everything, but I've been able to curb those impulses and stick to a basic plan. I'm also coming from a position where I DIDN'T have the instant resources and was forced to only observe auctions and dealer offerings. This gave me some knowledge whether the likelyhood a similar piece will turn up or not.

 

My advice is this: If it is a nostolgic page from your youth, it may be worth the extra $ or 2 to pull the trigger. Your insticts are giving you your answer. If you are hesitating, then it's not the time to do it. You will know when it is the time. When the right piece at the right price comes, the money wont be pulled out fast enough!

[*paull*]

Is it an artist that you love and foresee enjoying for a long time to come?

 

In my case, I only buy work from artists that I know I will always enjoy. Since their work is so expensive, I know I can't waste my money on other lesser artists.

[Reno McCoy]

Well, there are three or four things I'm looking at now.

 

I bought a comic for the cover art about a year ago. Turns out, that image is for sale for $350. My gut told me to go for it immediately. Then I calmed down and realized that the comic itself doesn't have any deep meaning to me. I just really like the cover. So I'm still debating.

 

There's a line of books I really like, not well known. I like the art. The artist said the two-page spread is for sale. I like it, but do I NEED it? Unsure. But I'm sure it won't be that expensive. It's actually a slippery slope. Something inexpensive seems like a better buy at first, but is it really?

 

Another artist I really like and have had my eye on for sometime has some art available. But again, the book it comes from, while I enjoyed it, isn't near or dear to my heart. I like the art. Looks great. But it doesn't have any real meaning.

 

You might see a theme here. It's almost as if I'm hesitating because the art has no meaning to me. I don't have a story to tell about the art. But if that's my criteria, I'll never buy anything.

[*paull*]

These are some questions I would ask:

 

1. Do you love the artist?

2. Do you love the individual piece?

3. Do you enjoy the story that the art is from?

4. Do you foresee owning and enjoying the piece for a long time to come?

5. Will buying this piece prevent you from buying something you like better?

 

Don't let your money burn a hole in your pocket.

[micmack]

Sounds like you are only being offered items that are not right for you. You have this hesitancy because you may think, "hey, this may be my only chance" blah blah blah. I've been through that before. My suggestion is to go back you the comics that ment something to you. Use them like a "shopping guide" and then go and see what is out there.

 

Recently it has just happen to me. Had been looking for a classic Bill Sienkiewicz Moon Knight page, an lo and behold, the climactic scene for issue 24 (my favorite issue) was being offered. It may have been a hundred or two more than the going rate, but I didn't hesitate, because it's very special to me. That's what is important.

[Thomas]

You will know when it is the time. When the right piece at the right price comes, the money wont be pulled out fast enough!

 

This is the absolute truth. Don't buy something just to buy it, you'll know when that piece you must have comes up. Save the money until this happens and then you'll be glad you did.

 

I see a lot of pages that I'd like to buy but very few that I really want.

[heartened]

This may seem to be a silly question to many of you since the OA prices are such that collecting doesn't allow for people with little disposable income. But for those on a budget, how do you decide that now is the time to pull the trigger and buy a piece?

 

I'm in the mood to buy another piece of OA, and I'm willing to increase my budget a bit (let's say, up to $300). Since I'm on a budget, I can't just buy every piece I want. At the same time, however, I've done some research and found some art I'd like to own. But with so much to choose from, and with more coming out every day, how do you decide that now is the time to buy? I find myself hesitating. I don't want to buy something just to buy it. At the same time, there's some pieces that I really liked in printed form that I've found the OA of but I'm suddenly second guessing myself because maybe, just maybe, there'll be something better tomorrow.

 

So for those of you who have a limited budget, how do you make sure the piece your interested in is the one that's worth buying and not something that will simply satisfy your need to buy?

 

We all have the same problem, even if our budgets are higher! I go through the same thing. Let's say I have 10K to play with. Typically, most items I'd be interested in are in the 3-10K range (some higher, some lower). If I buy an 8K piece today, then I find myself praying that nothing comes up for a little while so I can recoup my funds. So, the problem is there for all of us, just on different levels. And, I for sure go through that same angst each time I commit to buying something.

 

Basically, buy things that you know you've gotta have in your collection, and that you know you'd be sorry if you missed the opportunity. That's what I do, and it always works!

[*paull*]

I look at it the same way. My maximum price is less than Hari's, but if I end up buying something higher than half of my max, I hope that nothing else comes along that I really want. I try to buy with disposable income, not from savings.

 

I recently bought a piece that took me off the buying market for a while. And something did come up on Heritage that I really wanted which cost far less, however I couldn't bid up to my full potential because of the recent large purchase. I normally would have bid double what I did on that lesser piece.

[jjeanius]

Avoid any and all purchases that are "iffy". Even if you get them, and nothing comes along for awhile that you'd rather have, there's a good chance that when something you REALLY want comes along, you'll be more than happy to sell the lesser piece to help get it.

 

If you are as obsessive as some of the rest of us, you will KNOW when you have to have a certain piece. For me, it starts with foaming at the mouth, and progresses to rationalizing spending over FMV for the piece if need be. These are two telltale signs that I want the piece very badly for art's sake, and not just as an investment.

 

It may not seem like it all the time, but there is so much nice art out there to be had, no one will ever have a problem spending their money (regardless of budget). OA is a hobby where it pays to be patient and selective.

[*paull*]

I agree... I bought a piece recently that left me willing to sell off a bunch of other stuff I owned in order to pay for it. I had to have it. I knew that there would be little chance of something I wanted more popping up in the near future.

[RaccoonRaccoon]

EXCELLENT thread!! Thanks to Powajemes for starting it and thanks to everyone that responded.

 

I am in a similar situation. My OA budget is limited to a few hundered $$$ for hopefully at least 2 pages. I could spend more, but this will be my FIRST PURCHASE so I want to start off slow.

 

I only collect ASM comics and so I would love to own ASM OA. The pages I see are either too much $$$$$ or not very appealing to me. I did however see some pages with Spiderman on them, but they are not ASM. They are from secondary titles such as Marvel team-up, Web of Spiderman, Ultimate Spiderman, etc.

 

My dilema:

- I am anxious to buy my first piece of OA

- The pages do not take my breath away, but they are pretty cool

- They are not from the title I want, but do have my character on them or at least a major villan

- The prices are affordable, some of the pages are less than $100, so I could probably buy 2 or 3.

 

Do I make the purchase and get nice looking pages with my character but not the title I want. Also,while owning the art is primary, I would like to see prices increase for the OA I own over time, in case I want to sell. It seems that everyone loves ASM, but the secondary titles are iffy.

 

Or, do I wait for the pages that really excite me and are exactly what I want?

 

What to do? Any thoughts?

[*paull*]

"Pretty cool" isn't enough, in my opinion.

 

I personally think it's a bad idea to buy something based only on the character. The artist is the most important thing about the piece.

[Thomas]

Or, do I wait for the pages that really excite me and are exactly what I want?

 

I'd recommend this and a side benefit is that you won't ever have to worry about their value as you love the pages for what they are. Don't 'settle' when you can realistically get what you really want within your price range. You'll be happier for it in the long run.

 

Paull is correct as well. For me the character is less important than the artist. Although my favourite artist drawing my favourite characters makes it that much more desirable to me. For example I have a Joker page by Byrne in my collection. I don't really care for the Joker any more or less than the next villain but I liked John's work on that page which prompted me to buy it.

[jjeanius]

One thing you'll quickly learn is that the "pretty cool" pages outnumber the "FANTASTIC, gotta have it!" pages by a factor of about 100 to 1. You're much better off waiting for something that really SPEAKS to you (and you will know it when it happens). In the meantime, save your money in case the really nice piece is a bit pricier. In the long run, you'll be much happier with quality rather than quantity. One only has to look at Hari's collection to arrive at that conclusion. :-)

 

It's also nice that the pages worth waiting for generally end up being the better investment, as well.

[wenson-migration]

I'm in Racoon-squared's position. I've decided to only buy Spider-Man pages. I do have a couple of artists that I really enjoy looking at and if I can buy a spider-man page from one of those guys all the better.

 

I base my pages on what the page does for me. I've bought a couple of pages from a title that I read with my daughter. I like the art, it's got spidey on it, and it holds some sentimental value as well. Other pages I've bought because I think, that's an awesome shot of spidey! If I like it, then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about it.

 

The bottom line is that it's YOUR collection. So it should include stuff that YOU like.

 

I think it's okay to get pages based simply on the character, especially for the newer collectors like me to get our feet wet. Eventually, we may like a certain artist's style and branch out, or we may just stick to Spider-Man!

[Reno McCoy]

I hear what everyone's saying and I appreciate the information. But let me throw something out there. A specific detail.

 

I bought New X-Men #3 because I loved the cover. I don't have any strong tie to the artist (Randy Green) although I love his art. I don't even know the name of the character. But man, it's a great cover.

 

 

So, I recently found the OA. First instinct was the throw the money on the table. But after further reflection, I'm not sure if it's enough. It's not a favorite character (Warlord, John Carter, Batman) and it's not a favorite artist (Cho, Hughes, Lark). But dang, it's really cool. But cool enough? That's the delimna.

 

[wenson-migration]

Powajames...if you don't read the title, don't know the character, don't really know the artist, but the cover stopped you in your tracks and made you buy the cover, I'd say pick up the art.

 

The problem that I've run into is that I tend to over think. There was a page that I really wanted. I mean really wanted it. I kept thinking and thinking about whether I should get it. I went through all of the things that were discussed in this thread.

And then, when I went back to look at the page again to make my final decision, I found that it had been made for me.

 

The page was sold!

[Reno McCoy]

Powajames...if you don't read the title, don't know the character, don't really know the artist, but the cover stopped you in your tracks and made you buy the cover, I'd say pick up the art.

 

The problem that I've run into is that I tend to over think. There was a page that I really wanted. I mean really wanted it. I kept thinking and thinking about whether I should get it. I went through all of the things that were discussed in this thread.

And then, when I went back to look at the page again to make my final decision, I found that it had been made for me.

 

The page was sold!

 

That's one of my problems. I over think. I believe there's a fine line between not enough thinking and too much. Unfortunately, I've been burned on both sides of that fence.

[RDK]

As someone who's just getting started in OA again and who was spoiled by buying a Neal Adams page for $75 back in the early 80s, my feeling is that it might be best to test the waters with some cheaper pages. Let's face it - we're all gonna make some mistakes early on, so buy cheap and get it out of your system. I've been scouring Ebay and various dealers for pages - and bought two nice pages for around $200 each - but then i just picked up two okay but very cheap pages from Heritage for a total of $60, including buyer's premium and shipping. To be honest, they're not "wow" pages, but they're not a bad way to start a collection, especially since one is a Rick Vietch Swamp Thing page from a book i fondly remember. Paid all of $30 for it.

 

 

Sure, I may grow tired of it quickly, but for that price I don't think I'll ever have any regrets buying it. And now with a few cheaper pages under my belt, I might find it easier to focus on the more expensive pages that I really want (but that's just me).