Comic Collecting Software

[FFB]

I would suggest you look at Comicbase.com, in a few months (maybe sooner) I think they will become the big (even bigger) name in comic book software (think CPG & software combined, especially if you want to sell and buy).

 

I have the deluxe version of ComicBase 9 and it sucks. While it has some good functionality and a lot of cover scans built in, it is useless for valuing your collection and it is a pain in the rear to enter grades on the 10.0 scale, since the defaults aren't done that way in the software. You can edit the grade ranges manually to go along with the 10.0 grading scale, but then it screws with the software's ability to value your collection appropriately based on its built-in price guide -- which you might also be able to edit manually, but then you're talking about a lot of extra work that should have been done by the designers in the first place. And then there's the problem that the built-in price guide is even more off-base than the Overstreet Guide's prices on high demand and/or high grade books. Printing reports is also next to useless, since what you get as a printed document is not consistent with what you see on the screen. You can't really export it to an Excel file either, if you want to save the headings for your information. I don't know if they've fixed this in later versions, but suffice it to say that I was not satisfied with what I got when I paid $299 for the deluxe DVD archive version of ComicBase 9.0.

 

The new GPAnalysis solution looks amazing! I like the fact that valuations will be done based on actual GPAnalysis sales results, too. Hopefully, George, your service will have the ability to export the data into a perfectly formatted Excel file that I can download onto a PDA and take with me to a convention. As PDAs become more ubiquitous among convention buyers (something that is already happening gradually), I believe that there will be quite a bit of demand for a collection management solution that allows this. I'll pay for that service when it is available for comic collectors!

[Sid]

I like to just go through my boxes. Ah the sweet smell of old books.

 

Yeah that is nice to a point but too easy to duplicate issues.

 

I arrange as I go on. It's the fun part in my opinion. Sometimes when I buy a large lot I have to shift entire sections back and forth and I do enjoy that. Maybe I'm just a weirdo

[bandwidth_bandit]

I like to just go through my boxes. Ah the sweet smell of old books.

 

Yeah that is nice to a point but too easy to duplicate issues.

 

I arrange as I go on. It's the fun part in my opinion. Sometimes when I buy a large lot I have to shift entire sections back and forth and I do enjoy that. Maybe I'm just a weirdo

 

Nope, but you are probably the guy that prefers pen and paper to the computer ------ just kidding.

[bandwidth_bandit]

but suffice it to say that I was not satisfied with what I got when I paid $299 for the deluxe DVD archive version of ComicBase 9.0.

 

Yeah I can understand that - I just looks an compared the express to the deluxe and the express won't even export data to HTML. Shoot even my browser does that. These guys really want a bundle of $$$$.

[sterlingcomics]

What about Mac users? What do you all use?

 

I don't have a mac...but look at my post...it has a program you can try.

[sterlingcomics]

The new GPAnalysis solution looks amazing! I'll pay for that service when it is available for comic collectors!

 

It does look intriguing...valuation based on real life, up to date info. Couldn't ask for anything more! I'd be happy to beta test it...

[mica]

Printing reports is also next to useless, since what you get as a printed document is not consistent with what you see on the screen. You can't really export it to an Excel file either, if you want to save the headings for your information. I don't know if they've fixed this in later versions, but suffice it to say that I was not satisfied with what I got when I paid $299 for the deluxe DVD archive version of ComicBase 9.0.

I enjoy printing out each run from my CollectorZ. And I look forward to printing out a few sections for my May Convention trip.

 

Early on svndst and I sent each other our files and compared notes.

[bandwidth_bandit]

I have the deluxe version of ComicBase 9 and it sucks.

 

I assuming when I purchase comicbase then all the covers and details show up in the software? I am using the free download and it doesn't have hardly any details or covers in the program.

[FFB]

I would suggest you look at Comicbase.com, in a few months (maybe sooner) I think they will become the big (even bigger) name in comic book software (think CPG & software combined, especially if you want to sell and buy).

 

I have the deluxe version of ComicBase 9 and it sucks. While it has some good functionality and a lot of cover scans built in, it is useless for valuing your collection and it is a pain in the rear to enter grades on the 10.0 scale, since the defaults aren't done that way in the software. You can edit the grade ranges manually to go along with the 10.0 grading scale, but then it screws with the software's ability to value your collection appropriately based on its built-in price guide -- which you might also be able to edit manually, but then you're talking about a lot of extra work that should have been done by the designers in the first place. And then there's the problem that the built-in price guide is even more off-base than the Overstreet Guide's prices on high demand and/or high grade books. Printing reports is also next to useless, since what you get as a printed document is not consistent with what you see on the screen. You can't really export it to an Excel file either, if you want to save the headings for your information. I don't know if they've fixed this in later versions, but suffice it to say that I was not satisfied with what I got when I paid $299 for the deluxe DVD archive version of ComicBase 9.0.

 

The new GPAnalysis solution looks amazing! I like the fact that valuations will be done based on actual GPAnalysis sales results, too. Hopefully, George, your service will have the ability to export the data into a perfectly formatted Excel file that I can download onto a PDA and take with me to a convention. As PDAs become more ubiquitous among convention buyers (something that is already happening gradually), I believe that there will be quite a bit of demand for a collection management solution that allows this. I'll pay for that service when it is available for comic collectors!

 

Just to be clear, since I know George is reading this and might even take customer feedback into account during the design phase (I kid, of course -- I know he takes beta-testing feedback very seriously), here are the things that are important to me in a comic management solution (your own opinions may, and probably will, vary):

 

1) Ease of data entry. The less typing I have to do per book, the better. The new version of ComicBase 11.0 has barcode scanner compatibility. That is great, although it doesn't help me for older books. But for newer books (copper and newer), it probably is a real time saver. For most well-known comics, the information concerning the comic itself (writer, artist, first appearances, etc.) should appear automatically when I enter in the title and issue number. There should also be a place to customize things like variant covers, signature series books, etc.

 

2) Easy customization of data display. The easier it is to customize the display to show me only the information I want and not the information I don't want, the better.

 

3) Accurate pricing information in grade. Ideally, I'd like to see GPA data where it is available, and Overstreet pricing where GPA is not available. Most of my books aren't slabbed.

 

4) Consistent use of the numerical grading scale. My biggest complaint about ComicBase 9.0 was the truncated grading scale that was the built-in default. You couldn't differentiate between 9.2, 9.4, 9.6, 9.8, 9.9, 10.0, and many of the other points on the grading scale unless you altered the defaults, and then once you did that, it threw the pricing information out of whack. The entire Overstreet/CGC numerical grading scale should be built into the system as the default. If people prefer the letter grades, have the preferences programmed such that the user can change the display with the push of a button to show numerical grades, letter grades, or both, as the user prefers.

 

5) Pricing linked to the grading. For raw books, if I enter an Amazing Spider-Man #161 in raw 9.0, the program should automatically assign a "value" of whatever Overstreet 9.0 is on the book. If it is a CGC 9.0, then it should assign a GPA value of whatever that book sells for in CGC 9.0, with whatever averages, last sales price, etc., the user wants it to display. For raw grades not having a directly corresponding Overstreet value (whether it be 6.5, 8.5, or 9.6), the defaults should be set at a rational point between the grades for which Overstreet does provide a value, or above the 9.2 grade which is the Overstreet maximum, and these default percentages should be modifiable by the user.

 

6) The ability to upload scans for a particular book and attach them easily to the book's entry in the database. Self-explanatory.

 

7) The ability to print and export reports in a user-friendly way. I want to be able to print out a hard copy report that shows me what I have in my collection, and I want it to be presented in an easy-to-read format. I also want the ability to export a report to an Excel file that someone else can read even if they don't have the same collection management software that I do. I also want to be able to export a report to my PDA so that I can take it with me to a convention.

 

Everything else is gravy.

[FFB]

I have the deluxe version of ComicBase 9 and it sucks.

 

I assuming when I purchase comicbase then all the covers and details show up in the software? I am using the free download and it doesn't have hardly any details or covers in the program.

 

I don't know about the current version, but for version 9.0, you have to buy the super expensive version in order to get the database of covers.

[djpinkpanther67]

The new GPAnalysis solution looks amazing! I like the fact that valuations will be done based on actual GPAnalysis sales results, too. Hopefully, George, your service will have the ability to export the data into a perfectly formatted Excel file that I can download onto a PDA and take with me to a convention. As PDAs become more ubiquitous among convention buyers (something that is already happening gradually), I believe that there will be quite a bit of demand for a collection management solution that allows this. I'll pay for that service when it is available for comic collectors!

 

Can you post or PM me an informative link on GPA? It sounds promising...

[FFB]

The new GPAnalysis solution looks amazing! I like the fact that valuations will be done based on actual GPAnalysis sales results, too. Hopefully, George, your service will have the ability to export the data into a perfectly formatted Excel file that I can download onto a PDA and take with me to a convention. As PDAs become more ubiquitous among convention buyers (something that is already happening gradually), I believe that there will be quite a bit of demand for a collection management solution that allows this. I'll pay for that service when it is available for comic collectors!

 

Can you post or PM me an informative link on GPA? It sounds promising...

 

www.gpanalysis.com

 

It is the single greatest pricing tool in the hobby for CGC graded books. In my opinion, it is the most groundbreaking development in the comic book collecting field since the Overstreet price guide was created.

[Kramerica]

I'm planning an inventory this Spring. Ugh. I haven't done one since, oh, you don't want to know. I was thinking about purchasing some comic inventory software and the most important component I was looking for was the ability to import OSPG values annually. How can there not be any software out there that does this? I would think that Overstreet themselves would come out with software like this.

[bandwidth_bandit]

Well after all this and evaluating both Collectionz and Comicbase I have almost decided not to purchase either. Comicbase obviously has a better database but not worth a flip unless you purchase the $300.00 version (I really don't want to buy stock in the company - just inventory my comics). This is almost as bad as having to upgrade my Windows OS then finding out the $300.00 I spent only entitles me to lease the software, oh yeah I don't own it. Finally Collectionz is not as power packed but at least I get the cover pictures, etc... the only problem here is I have to enter more books manually because the auto enter database isn't as up to date as Comicbase but then of course it's not as pricey either.

[djpinkpanther67]

The new GPAnalysis solution looks amazing! I like the fact that valuations will be done based on actual GPAnalysis sales results, too. Hopefully, George, your service will have the ability to export the data into a perfectly formatted Excel file that I can download onto a PDA and take with me to a convention. As PDAs become more ubiquitous among convention buyers (something that is already happening gradually), I believe that there will be quite a bit of demand for a collection management solution that allows this. I'll pay for that service when it is available for comic collectors!

 

Can you post or PM me an informative link on GPA? It sounds promising...

 

www.gpanalysis.com

 

It is the single greatest pricing tool in the hobby for CGC graded books. In my opinion, it is the most groundbreaking development in the comic book collecting field since the Overstreet price guide was created.

Thanks FFB!!!

[FFB]

I'm planning an inventory this Spring. Ugh. I haven't done one since, oh, you don't want to know. I was thinking about purchasing some comic inventory software and the most important component I was looking for was the ability to import OSPG values annually. How can there not be any software out there that does this? I would think that Overstreet themselves would come out with software like this.

 

Overstreet/Gemstone would need to license the data to whatever software company was going to build that into their program. I doubt Gemstone would do that, even if their current plans don't include writing such software. I don't get the sense that Gemstone has the same modern-day view toward licensing income that a lot of tech companies do in other fields. They seem to be stuck in the stone age when it comes to incorporating their data into modern technology. The fact that the PDF version of the Overstreet guide is so clunky supports me in this view, I think.

 

If they were smart, however, they would license their data this way and enjoy that revenue stream for a few years. They could use the knowledge they gain from having some other company experimenting with the market to see if the software would be viable from a commercial perspective, and then if there were enough of a market for it, Gemstone could either build its own software that would allow a prior user of the other company's software to convert their database to Gemstone's new software, or Gemstone could just buy the software company that licensed its data after a few years if the market were truly big enough to support that.

[sterlingcomics]

Well, look at the GCD web service in Realms of Wonder...Gemstone could create a web service with the database (so no one needs to key it in) and simply have subscribers at different levels, which would entitle you to that information. Then, comic programs (or freestyle users) could simply use the service, just like GPA. Of course, if they could track real time sales for raw they would have the other half of the comic sales story.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if a competitor to Overstreet who "gets it" shows up for making dynamic raw comic pricing available electronically. This static "the data is old months before it goes to print" format is ludicrous in this day and age....as a backup...maybe.

 

One of the reasons why I don't think they will participate is to control market conditions...

 

I have a dream.

[sterlingcomics]

To be perfectly honest...I purchased all of the whiz bang programs, only to find out I want to track only certain things...the best way to do that is to DIY (do it yourself). Most people can do this easily within access or excel (standard database or spreadsheet packages).

 

There are a number of free/shareware programs that are more restrictive if you don't want to DIY...the key thing is to be available to export the info so in the event you jump ship you won't have to start over. The problem is...every program stores different info and matching it to the new system will give you a headache....hence the fact that many just say spreadsheet etc is b/c they want to be able to share it easily.

 

I'm looking at Realm of Wonder's program: it's only $15 and integrates into the GCD to save on typing for titles/issues. It looks like it needs a visual overhaul but it looks pretty decent. I'm inquiring to see if they can also download the artist and story information too...cause if they do, they have a buyer.

[sterlingcomics]

Bingo! I didn't see the tab, but it does in fact download artist information and story information from GCD. I did find a bug in that for anthologies it only downloads creative information for the first story...I'm contacting the author for a fix. If he can fix it, I'm buying it! Doing less and getting more is where it's at.

 

[innocuous]

Related: it would be real nice if there were a db or xls version of the overstreet guide. A downloadable pdf just doesn't cut.

 

I keep everything in a simple xls file. Fields are:

- Title

- Issue

- Grade

- Notes