OA collecting - how big is the hobby, really?

[r100comics]

When I was selling some of my comics,one collector asked for the serial numbers on them so he can check the grading notes,so if it's a 9.2 on the label and he saw that the grading was 9.2 9.2 9.0 with a slight non color breaking crease on the bottom left corner and a small spine crease. He didn't feel it was a 9.2 so he passed even though only 5 have been given a 9.2 and only 2 in 9.4 and nothing higher

 

What can I say, I've always been a buy the book and not the label type of guy.

[Kevin76]

When I was selling some of my comics,one collector asked for the serial numbers on them so he can check the grading notes,so if it's a 9.2 on the label and he saw that the grading was 9.2 9.2 9.0 with a slight non color breaking crease on the bottom left corner and a small spine crease. He didn't feel it was a 9.2 so he passed even though only 5 have been given a 9.2 and only 2 in 9.4 and nothing higher

 

What can I say, I've always been a buy the book and not the label type of guy.

 

So why buy CGC graded? why not just buy them raw if you don't like what your seeing?

[r100comics]

So why buy CGC graded? why not just buy them raw if you don't like what your seeing?

 

I prefer to buy raw high grade, when I can find it. Unfortunately, you just don't see that many NM Silver Age books outside of a CGC holder anymore.

 

I respect CGC's consistency and grading abilities above 90% of the dealers out there, but that doesn't mean that when i buy a CGC'd book I can't be just as dilligent as I would be if the book were raw.

[Timulty]

So why buy CGC graded? why not just buy them raw if you don't like what your seeing?

 

I prefer to buy raw high grade, when I can find it. Unfortunately, you just don't see that many NM Silver Age books outside of a CGC holder anymore.

 

I respect CGC's consistency and grading abilities above 90% of the dealers out there, but that doesn't mean that when i buy a CGC'd book I can't be just as dilligent as I would be if the book were raw.

 

And this is the way, it should be done. I have bought 9.6 books with horrible miswraps that when resold, do not even yield me my money back!! You can trust the grading but it doesn't change the fact that you should look at the book and decide if it is, in fact what you want. There are things, the label just doesn't tell you!!

[Kevin76]

Seems like the cgc silver age back issue market is in the doghouse.

[Picasso69-migration]

Makes me think, KK wasn't as much a selfish-jerk, as I thought. This is an interesting thread, thanks for posting it, Cap.

 

Everything KK said is now universally accepted as obvious. Ironic. Yet, we still have knowitalls like Delicatessen (a classic pseudo-intellectual & the Diane Chambers of the OA board, imho) clamoring on and on about 'return to means' and 'contrarian indicators'.

 

The OA market has so much upside its not even funny yet Delicatessen keeps ranting 'niche market, niche market', as if this term holds magic revelatory significance. The fact of the matter is, as was predicted, people ARE realizing that purchasing ephemra for tens of thousands of dollars is lunacy when the market valuation scheme is ENTIRELY predicated on an unrealistic expectation, namely that paper doesnt naturally degrade[comics**cough**cough**].

 

Valuations on OA will continue yielding high returns for the best examples [think continued 20% - 25% annual growth on the best examples and 8%+ on average material] as new money finds its way into this very small market and demand outstrips supply. Add in an inflationary environment in which hard assets are a hedge and the obvious becomes more obvious. But,..I think this was all said already by someone?, no?

 

 

[delekkerste]

Do we have to start this all over again, KrazyMat, uh, I mean, KrazyKat?

 

Don't you and your buddy Forman need to go save Lambda Lambda Lambda again or something?

 

[Picasso69-migration]

Do we have to start this all over again, KrazyMat, uh, I mean, KrazyKat?

 

Don't you and your buddy Forman need to go save Lambda Lambda Lambda again?

 

 

Nope. No need to show you're a clueless twit. Everyone can figure that out for themselves by witnessing how nothing you say ever materializes as factually relevant while my predictions have been SPOT ON. I like to think anyone following the debate knows you just like to hear yourself talk while I actually have successfully predicted the downfall of comics and the rise of OA. Moreover, I am no prodigal son such as yourself, I have led by action, LINKING the flow of comic hobbyists $$$ to the OA market. As I have said before,..the rest is INEVITABLE.

[delekkerste]

Nope. No need to show you're a clueless twit. Everyone can figure that out for themselves by witnessing how nothing you say has materialized while my predictions have been SPOT ON.

 

 

That's funny, I don't recall making any predictions with a shorter lifespan than a tsetse fly. And, yeah, your predictions have been "SPOT ON" all right - if you divide all the auction results you've predicted by 2.5, they would have been perfect!

[westform]

Gene (I think that's your name, but have forgotten as you never sign your posts); why are you lumping me in with KK or anyone else? I have never given crazy predictions of pricing and don't spend much time pumping up the hobby unless it is called for. I do however know this hobby inside and out which I'm afraid is more than can be said for you based on much of your negative rhetoric. Doesnt make you a bad guy, just someone I would not take advice from...

 

But, the truth is you may have hit on something here. I guess I should be proud of the nerd comparison. In fact, you could probably rename the whole hobby 'revenge of the nerds'. By definition, we have to be somewhat nerdy to enjoy this material... and we've had our major 'revenge' in that many of us have made a boat load of $ just by obsessing, collecting and doing what we do best.... so, I accept your insult.. I mean complement!

 

To the group- this stuff is pretty simple; buy what you can afford on the best you can afford and you won't go wrong. No one can read the future, but the past is 20/20. And it only points up!

 

... by the way, I wouldn't give 5k for the Spidey cover Burkey won on Ebay! It may be worth a bit more than that, but for 20k I'd rather have a Romita!... or a good Romita panel page for 5k.

 

Do we have to start this all over again, KrazyMat, uh, I mean, KrazyKat?

 

Don't you and your buddy Forman need to go save Lambda Lambda Lambda again or something?

 

[westform]

p.s. Gene; where is the long, long overdue apology to me and the group for your ridiculous insistence that KK was Brad Savage. Anyone who disagreed with you was a insufficiently_thoughtful_person...., and now you are calling him Matt or Mat (I've seen both now). I know Brad and told you and this group that it was not him, and you bullied and ranted about how you were right. Well, have you changed your mind.... my God, where you wrong!!! Or, do you think Brad's middle name is Matt?? Give us the scoop my boy, don't be shy....

 

... of course, I expect nothing but back peddling and more attacks on me from you, but at least I tried. Dan F.

[delekkerste]

Gene (I think that's your name, but have forgotten as you never sign your posts)

 

Again, what's with all of the insinuations? I used to sign most/all of my posts and got tired of it. Now I don't. Almost everybody here knows who I am. My name, background and likeness have been out there all over the place, from these Boards to fan publications and websites to all the various in-person comic book and comic art social events. You make it sound like I'm in hiding or something.

 

 

I do however know this hobby inside and out which I'm afraid is more than can be said for you based on much of your negative rhetoric. Doesnt make you a bad guy, just someone I would not take advice from...

 

I never claimed to "know this hobby inside and out", though I certainly know a lot more than you are trying to make it seem, if only by virtue of the fact that I have a lot of communications with collector & dealer friends and acquaintances who do know this hobby inside and out. I also know, from people who either know you or have dealt with you, that you never shy away from boasting about your own knowledge, connections and influence in this hobby.

 

And I still don't know what all the "negative rhetoric" you're talking about is - so I haven't endorsed (1) comic art as fine art and (2) comic art as a good investment. Is that really "negative"? I do know a little bit about art and more than a little bit about investments, so I think I'm as qualified as the next guy to voice my opinion. You are, of course, free to disagree, but your histrionic responses to my posts tell me that you're way too vested in this hobby on all sorts of levels if you feel the need to constantly vilify me for some pretty tame criticism (if you can even call it that) about the hobby, where I have otherwise been an enthusiastic participant.

 

 

p.s. Gene; where is the long, long overdue apology to me and the group for your ridiculous insistence that KK was Brad Savage. Anyone who disagreed with you was a insufficiently_thoughtful_person....

 

I already admitted in an earlier post that I was duped by Matt, as were a lot of us, because the guy was intimating that he was Brad Savage, much as Saddam Hussein was acting like a guy who had WMDs when it appears he actually had none. In fact, KK told me via PM that he was Brad Savage and played the part to the hilt.

 

And don't act all innocent, you identified KK as Matt (last name withheld to protect the guilty) in one of your early posts and then decided to have your bit of fun with us by hinting that KK was Brad Savage (or don't you remember your "don't BS me BS" line as well as backtracking on your own insistence that KK was not Brad Savage). Ha ha, you got us Dan and Matt, good on you guys.

[Picasso69-migration]

 

I didnt get 'us' - I got 'you',...all 'you'. Let's not deflect the stupidity. I put a chunk of biscuit dough on a hook and like an unthinking Bass you swallowed whole. Than I reeled you in like a brainless guppy. It was than that I said to myself,.'dont ever take anything this guy says as holding much value' as how can one respect and expect someone who so readily chomps on junk bait to understand what is REALLY going on. I honestly dont think you have a clue. For some reason you are intent on 'calling' this market. I got advice for ya,..the rally will continue for the next 25 years as OA is in a protracted bull run.

 

PS - You really do owe the board an apology for being such a gullible & sloppy thinker. And Saddam did have WMD, they were smuggled into Syria.

[westform]

Gene; I wasn't insinuating anything about you not signing your name. I just didn't remember and didn't want to be taken to task if I got it wrong. I was being literal, sorry if anyone thought I was dogging on you for that; many around here don't sign and I don't really care it just becomes a problem when trying to address someone. Dan

 

p.s. the rest of my post speaks for itself. And... was that an apology... or, an attack on me like I called.? If I missed your previous apologies to the list maybe someone could post so I could read em. Thanks.

[delekkerste]

 

No one is buying into your revisionist history, slander, lies, misrepresentations, half-truths and punctuation errors, shill boy. There were many people who believed you were Brad Savage, and not just because I initially thought so. There were even more people who believed you were sad and pathetic for singing the same tune over and over and over again ad nauseum regardless of your identity.

 

It'll be a cold day in hell before I take anything you have to say seriously, let alone your inane/insane market predictions. Frankly, I don't know too many people here who'll be lining up to follow the advice of someone who misrepresents who he is, won't reveal his name and background, won't show any of his artwork, consistently overestimates auction results by a factor of at least 2 and hides behind shill accounts on an Internet message board.

[Picasso69-migration]

 

No one is buying into your revisionist history, slander, lies, misrepresentations, half-truths and punctuation errors, shill boy. There were many people who believed you were Brad Savage, and not just because I initially thought so. There were even more people who believed you were sad and pathetic for singing the same tune over and over and over again ad nauseum regardless of your identity.

 

It'll be a cold day in hell before I take anything you have to say seriously, let alone your inane/insane market predictions. Frankly, I don't know too many people here who'll be lining up to follow the advice of someone who misrepresents who he is, won't reveal his name and background, won't show any of his artwork, consistently overestimates auction results by a factor of at least 2 and hides behind shill accounts on an Internet message board.

 

Why you insist on imagining yourself a 'fantasy spokesman' (ie: "no one is buying into your blah, blah, blah") for this board is really quite mystifying. Fact of the matter, you are a total bore and a clumsy enemy. You are my 'Paste Pot Pete'. Good luck with your endeavors!

[delekkerste]

 

I genuinely feel sorry for you, living in your imaginary world where you think people believe anything that a cowardly shill like you says. I wish you all the best in therapy and in whatever mental institution you end up residing in.