What comics do you want in 10 years?

[followtheleader]

Classics is probably not the best criteria to use. For instance, I consider the Watchmen a classic. But there are tons and tons of them. They've never really been worth anything and probably won't ever be. But they are superb reading. I do believe it is one factor, out of many, that increases the likelihood of a valuable book.

 

Concerning the 600,000 print run. Many of the Kirby Thors had runs close to 60,000 in the sixties. Many ate the big one or the condition is so low to be worth nothing more than a reader copy. What value has it produced? Very little. The books aren't worth a whole lot of money even in the relatively high grade (ie 9.0-9.2). Go up to 9.4 or higher, and they are okay. Just an example so you see that 600,000 copies (10 times the Thor Kirby stuff) would take an eternity to be worth something. And even then, the chance of similar destruction and condition devaluing is not as remotely likely as it was in the 60s. Just something to think about.

 

As many have said, collect for fun. Or if investing, stick to books that have an actual attempt at financial value. This tends to drop Modern and Copper Age books right out the door.

 

Pat

[valiantman]

Or if investing, stick to books that have an actual attempt at financial value. This tends to drop Modern and Copper Age books right out the door.

 

Buy "high" and you need "really high" to make any money.

Yes, Amazing Spider-Man #1 is a nice investment...

but when will it double (or triple) when it starts so high to begin with?

 

Buy "low" and you risk it being "low forever".

(Lots and lots of books that are extremely cheap... hoping for surprise winners.)

 

My advice would be to buy "medium" and hope for a nice growth, some maybe becoming "high".

It costs less, you can get more (diversify) and you have a better chance for a nice return.

(If the books are "medium", then they're already worth something to someone,

so fewer chances for long-term duds that start and stay worthless.)

 

In that case, Copper Age books (which are 15-25 years old)

are a good place to buy "medium" looking for relatively inexpensive keys.

You would have done well with this advice 10-15 years ago buying Bronze Age "medium",

known keys for Bronze, which were "worthless" compared to Silver.

That magic 30-year-zone seemed to work well for mid-1970s keys

in the past 5 years.

 

What books are 15-20 years old... already considered keys (for the era),

and still affordable vs. Bronze, Silver, or Golden age keys?

Those books have potential... they'll be 30, then 40, then 50...

Keys for an era don't stay "relatively cheap" forever... Silver didn't. Bronze didn't.

 

Moderns are a total gamble because 10+ years are needed to know if a book matters.

Speculating on a book printed in the last few years (or this month) is lunacy...

The cream-of-the-crop must have time to rise to the top.

[valiantman]

Post-1980 books need to have two components to be a successful investment.

1) A print run that is low enough to make the book hard(er) to obtain in high grade

2) A following, particularly a cult following, that is not likely to "give up" even if the title ends

 

Your list above seems to be a good list for capturing both components.

Primer #2

Grendel 1-3 (bw)

Miracleman (all)

Flex Mentallo 1-4

Flaming carrot #1 mag size

Visions 1-5

some of the Valiant books

 

... as well as TMNT and Albedo mentioned earlier.

 

Just realized that Cry For Dawn wasn't in the list and needed to be added,

along with first prints of early Bone, and the first series of Strangers In Paradise.

[lou_fine]

What comics do you see today that you would like to have in 10 years as investment type copies, say for example you knew that in 1974 that hulk 181 would be a good comic to have.

Some of a few come to mind let me know if you agree or disagree

Civil war

house of M

NYX #3 first X-23

marvel zombies

 

Most definitely none of these books.

 

I certainly would not be putting the word "investment" next to any of these books. A much better term to apply to these types of books would be "Wizard flavors of the month". I certainly don't see any long lasting value in these types of books, especially in relationship to other more investment quality books.

 

Based upon the above selection, like another poster has already stated, the best investment type books 10 years from now for this collector would probably be the ones that are going to be published in the years 2015 and 2016.

[lou_fine]

For the record, I'm talking about "hobby investment", not "retirement investment". If anyone is investing retirement dollars into ANY comic book of ANY age, that's just kooky.

 

Disagree strongly. Why not invest some retirement dollars? A very small amount, and an amount you'll not afraid of losing, but why not? If I put $10,000 of retirement money into comics over the next 10 years, where I feel I know the market as well as anybody ( ), what's the difference between putting that money into a higher risk stock fund? (yes, I know, besides liquidity..) Or buying jewelry as an investment? Or a classic car? Or any other "collectible"? All investments, outside of t-bills, carry an inherent risk factor, and I can live with it.

 

Is the market going to tank? Probably. Do I believe there are blue chip comics that will retain value and show a 10-15% average annual rate of return? Definitely. Why shouldn't I "invest" a small portion of my retirement money into it? Again, I believe I know the market as well as anybody, and believe I know what I'm buying.

 

Donut;

 

I actually don't see anything at all wrong with your point of view above.

 

My theory is that if you are betting all your retirement dollars into any one thing,whether it be the stock market or comic books, then that's just kooky. Your retirement dollars should be well diversified between various retirement vehicles such as the stock market, bonds, government pension, company superannuation plan, real estate, etc. This way, if any one of these baskets gets dropped, it shouldn't affect your overall retirement plans to a significant extent.

 

In the above scenario, I personally don't see anything at all wrong with having comic books as one of your retirement investment baskets. Just as long as you have them in investment quality type comic books. And by this, I don't mean Spawn #1 or MacFarlane's Spidey #1 book.

[blowout]

Just as long as you have them in investment quality type comic books. And by this, I don't mean Spawn #1 or MacFarlane's Spidey #1 book.

 

 

This was just a VERY funny statement. I really hope that there's no one out there that needs this spelled out...

 

I agree totally with your entire post Lou.