What to choose?

[ultimatevenom]

Hi all

 

I am having a hard time deciding what title to collect, i have gotten it down to two titles

 

Batman

Marvel Mystery

 

At the moment i cannot afford to buy both.

 

I know it is supposed to be about what I enjoy, but i am having a hard time deciding.

 

Can you please give me your opinions on the matter

 

What are the pros/cons of each one?

 

Thanks

 

Danny

 

[Aman619]

Im not a Timely collector...and they are very avid and vocal about their love for Timely's. So I wont base my opinion on the art, stories, etc. But IMO, Batman is the blue chip of the two. He will "always " be around (for our lifetimes anyway) and back issues will continue to increase in value. The same can certainly be said for Marvel Mystery - - but Torch and Subby just arent in the same league as Bats. Batman is an accepted part of Americana to a far greater degree than they are...or will be. So as cool as those MMs are, Bats is the safer/smarter choice to me. If the collecting fanbase of one were to peter out first - - Ill bet it wont be Batman.

[Zonker]

Danny,

 

Here's a way to look at it (by the way, you're right, it does all come down to what you prefer, but you might not have considered this as part of your choice):

 

 

Would you rather have an easily achievable goal (given the funds), or would you rather have the thrill of the hunt to occupy you for many years?

 

Each are equally valid. If you're the type who likes to have a goal that can be systematically planned and completed within say a year or two, then choose Batman. Do a quick search of eBay to see what's out there now, peruse Gerbers estimate of Scarcity Index for the various issues, check out the CGC census, and then run over to the Metropolis Comics website to see their impressive inventory of Batman golden age books. Within a few days, you'll be able to come up with a budget and (very likely) a timeline for meeting your goals. I would predict your success will only be limited by your funds, not the availability of the books.

 

Now Marvel Mystery/Comics is another matter entirely. I'm not a Timely collector, but the Timelys are legendary for having more collectors chasing them than books readily available. Do a comparision of the above-mentioned resources and get a feel for the relative scarcity. So if you're the type that enjoys a single goal with no defined end-point, and one you will happily pursue for many years, then choose Marvel.

 

Just my thoughts.

[BachelorOfComix]

Buy one of each. Try to make a decision based on what you see & read. You may like one better than the other or you may like both.

[PedigreeMan]

Danny,

 

What's your main goal for this collection?

 

The stories / artwork? If so, then I would say grab the MMs, since the early Batmans are available reprinted in DC's "Archive Editions." Good luck finding any of those early MM stories in convienent reading form!

 

Investment? Then it becomes a toss-up. As you state, Batman is a character that isn't going anywhere. On the other hand, as Zonker points out, Timelys are rather scarce in comparison to early Bats. Also, just to add fuel to the fire, I've heard that Timelys are printed on worse paper than DCs of the same time period. (Can anyone confirm or deny this?) If true, long-term storage may be an issue and you may find yourself with a pile of brittle books when the time to sell comes around.

 

Admiring of the covers (say, if they're locked up in a slab)? Then the MMs, hands down. Those Schomburg covers blow away any Batman ones (IMHO, of course!).

 

Alan