It's a great hobby.

[ninanina]

So, before Bug leaves the forum, I figured I'd start a post on how great this hobby is. From what I here, the back issue market has exploded in the last couple of years in terms of total dollars spent. And, in spite of some negativity permeating in some of those other posts, it's not stopping.

 

I started buying comics on e-bay with a passion about 2 years ago and from what I can tell, most of the comics I got under guide 2 years ago appear to be selling for more now.

 

More people bidding on e-bay? Well, that's good.

 

Or, is the supply drying up. Well that's a good thing too if you like to see the value of your collection go up. Not so good, if your still looking for those issues. But it's definitely a symptom of a healthy market.

 

One thing that floored me was the FF 21 I go on e-bay a year and 1/2 ago in VF for $85.00. A VG/F copy sold recently for over $120.00. So as far as all this doom and gloom talk, I just don't see it.

 

And, have you noticed all the Silver Age X-Men selling for guide on e-bay? If not, take a look. Especially the early issues.

 

Here's to all you Doom and Gloom listen to my "negativitay" Cartman wannabees.

[BigMan]

So, before Bug leaves the forum, I figured I'd start a post on how great this hobby is. From what I here, the back issue market has exploded in the last couple of years in terms of total dollars spent. And, in spite of some negativity permeating in some of those other posts, it's not stopping.

 

I started buying comics on e-bay with a passion about 2 years ago and from what I can tell, most of the comics I got under guide 2 years ago appear to be selling for more now.

 

More people bidding on e-bay? Well, that's good.

 

Or, is the supply drying up. Well that's a good thing too if you like to see the value of your collection go up. Not so good, if your still looking for those issues. But it's definitely a symptom of a healthy market.

 

One thing that floored me was the FF 21 I go on e-bay a year and 1/2 ago in VF for $85.00. A VG/F copy sold recently for over $120.00. So as far as all this doom and gloom talk, I just don't see it.

 

And, have you noticed all the Silver Age X-Men selling for guide on e-bay? If not, take a look. Especially the early issues.

 

Here's to all you Doom and Gloom listen to my "negativitay" Cartman wannabees.

 

Doom and Gloom is happening slowly but surely. Okay the Back issue market is rising just because that is what it does for older books. People my age are now wanting to recollect some of the old comics we had when they were younger. The problem is though eBay thrives, the comic stores are dying. I have a huge oppurtunity to open a Comic shop in my area with very little to no competition, but there is no market either. Just not sure why that is....

[ninanina]

Doom and Gloom is happening slowly but surely. Okay the Back issue market is rising just because that is what it does for older books. People my age are now wanting to recollect some of the old comics we had when they were younger. The problem is though eBay thrives, the comic stores are dying. I have a huge oppurtunity to open a Comic shop in my area with very little to no competition, but there is no market either. Just not sure why that is....

 

 

You left this in the wrong post. Please move to the Doom and Gloom Post. That's where this "negativitay" belongs. There's some wonderful things going on in this hobby right now, and that's what I'd like to talk about.

 

 

 

 

 

[hogations]

I started buying comics on e-bay with a passion about 2 years ago and from what I can tell, most of the comics I got under guide 2 years ago appear to be selling for more now.

 

More people bidding on e-bay? Well, that's good.

 

The number of comic book auctions on eBay have grown tremendously since I first started on eBay. It's the biggest comic book convention there is! Sure, there have been some sellers who have taken advantage of novice eBayers, and grading inconsistencies can be a headache, but I tell you, it's been great hooking up some former collectors with old comic book memories. My original plan was to liquidate my entire collection on eBay over a period of time, but I've found that it's restored the collector in me, and my collection has matured nicely.

[Polyphemus]

I am happy to say that Ebay has gotten me back into the market. Now that I have some expendable income, I look forward to filling the holes in the collection I started when I was 10. With the exception of CSI, I haven't bought a new comic in 15 years (that's not a judgement, just where my interest lies).

 

I am also happy to say that my renewed interest has strengthened some friendships with my friends who also collect comics (i.e. our annual San Diego trip) and I've also discovered some small local shops that would otherwise have been way off my radar. Going to these shops...that smell of pulp or whatever...that was better and more welcome than a massage or a good dinner even. To me it will always epitomize nostalgia. Ironic that for a visual medium, it was the smell of the store that brought back the memories.

 

I'm even more proud of my collection now than when I was young, and that's saying alot.

 

Hugs.

 

 

 

 

[PovertyRow]

Great it is! Great great great!

[comicartfan]

I am relatively new to the hobby (2 years) , but if it wasn't for Ebay and the CGC thing, I probably wouldn't be as passionate as I am....I even got the tattoos to prove it !

[ArAich]

The problem is though eBay thrives, the comic stores are dying.

 

Gotta disagree with you there bub....it should read "the comic stores that don't try harder are dying"...

 

Example: Search for posts by Lighthouse in THIS thread...the guy owns a comic shop that is thriving...why???...Because he has a positive outlook and he tries harder...and to top it off...he loves the hobby...

Comic shops that are dying can only blame themselves, not the market...these are the best of times if you have the where-with-all and the positive attitude to capitalize on that...

[drbanner]

...it's been great hooking up some former collectors with old comic book memories. My original plan was to liquidate my entire collection on eBay over a period of time, but I've found that it's restored the collector in me, and my collection has matured nicely.

 

Yeah, it's a great hobby that was reinvigorated by ebay, and made safer by CGC. And the main reason is liquidity - instant access to collectors/sellers all over the world, all from the convenience of your home or office! Those previously impossible-to-find gems have now become available, and those duplicates or long-lost collections that were simply gathering dust in a closet somewhere are being brought to market for other collectors to enjoy.

 

The internet itself makes for a strong back-issue marketplace, and the same appears to be in the cards for the foreseeable future...happy happy joy joy, happy happy joy, happy happy joy joy, happy happy joy, happy happy joy joy, happy happy joy, happy happy joy joy, happy happy joy...

[hogations]

Okay...I gotta know...where are you guys getting all these extra smiley icons? Am I missing something here?

[Zonker]

Okay...I gotta know...where are you guys getting all these extra smiley icons? Am I missing something here?

 

Psss.... if you're running Windows & Internet Explorer, right click your mouse on top of the graphic, scroll down to "Properties," click on that, and you'll see a window pop up containing among other properties the URL where the poster grabbed the gif or whatever from.

[Arty]

Trick is to link a gif-picture (from another webpage) as an image.

 

here's a link

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/images/smilies/respec.gif

 

That's how it looks posted as an image

 

If you want to see where some of those smiley icons are from, right click those icons and choose properties. (I took that link from drbanners post above)

 

 

[drbanner]

Here are 2 links for more smileys:

 

Smiley link #1

 

Smiley link #2

[jonnydouble]

Here are 2 links for more smileys:

 

Smiley link #1

 

Smiley link #2

 

Ummm...Those are gay smileys......you really can't tell by just looking at them though.

 

J.D.

[drbanner]

Those are gay smileys...

 

Hey, what they do in the Matrix is their business...

[BigMan]

The problem is though eBay thrives, the comic stores are dying.

 

Gotta disagree with you there bub....it should read "the comic stores that don't try harder are dying"...

 

Example: Search for posts by Lighthouse in THIS thread...the guy owns a comic shop that is thriving...why???...Because he has a positive outlook and he tries harder...and to top it off...he loves the hobby...

Comic shops that are dying can only blame themselves, not the market...these are the best of times if you have the where-with-all and the positive attitude to capitalize on that...

 

Okay that might be the possibility that the cause of their demise has something to do with the lack of the owners thirst and hunger for the industry. But in my neck of the woods I do not see thriving comic markets anywhere. There has not been a new shop in at least 5 years or more here. I do not want to see doom and gloom but when your surrounded by it there is nothing else to see. I seriously wished the market was better and that I could open a shop here but honestly its almost certain death no matter how hard I would try and my investment part monetary and part love for the industry seems to be best returned on eBay for now. I would love to open a shop so lets tell the companies to get off their butts and promote what they are selling more. A good place to start would be in the Superhero movies themselves Hello

[minutekev@50]

The closet comic shop(s) to me is exactly one hour away. One of the owners said he was actually contemplating opening a second store in my town, so I gather that he must be doing pretty well...He has a pretty solid back issue stock, but also has new comics, Bowen busts, Magic Cards, Action Figures, Trades, Posters, etc.

But of course, about four months ago, he was thinking of selling his store and moving to Florida.

[jbud73]

Well not sure if I'm doom and gloom or positive, probably a bit of both. I have regular conversations with 3 dealers in my area who have store fronts. I think that they have had to branch out a bit into toys and those yiugi-man what ever cards, bu they are doing well. Personally I think that Ebay is doing what was sorely needed, that is weed out the good from the bad. If you are a good dealer and trat your customers well,then you will still prosper, but now if you are some big dealer that got paid cause they ruled the market and were the only access to back issues for miles and miles, then your little kingdom is over Of course there are good and bad on Ebay too. I have to say that having left because of tuition in 1994 only to return in 2001 a job and disposable income. The market is definitely on an upswing and boards like this only further the community of collectors, which is a good thing. I wish the market was a little worse, so I could buy more books haha, but I guess you have to take the good with the not so good.

[Darthdiesel]

Example: Search for posts by Lighthouse in THIS thread...the guy owns a comic shop that is thriving...why???...Because he has a positive outlook and he tries harder...and to top it off...he loves the hobby...

 

1. Lighthouse stocks up on porn comics, which he calls manga, thereby doubling as the main porn outlet for Bumblefook, oregon.

 

2. He's got Goth princess working the johns...err, comic connossieurs up front.

 

3. "You put your weed in there..." is the most used answer by his comic staff to patron's inquiries about Moore and Bowen statues.

 

4. Lighthouse is the Russian comic mafia don, so his comic business is subsidized by his profits off his Russian mail order bride business and sales of Russian historic memorabilia (chunks of Chrenobyl reactors and Sputnik clones...)

 

5. He is still on the Texas Most Wanted List for liquor and convenience store holdups in the San Antonio area...

 

Come on Rick...these are his main reasons for thriving... selling comics is just a front...to help launder his dirty cash

[ArAich]

Geez Darth...I never realized until now how much you and Lighthouse actually have in common...