How to choose?

[snappahead]

Hey Guys. I'm still fairly new to OA and I'm finding I'm having a hard time choosing what to buy. I like everything. It sucks to like everything, cause it's impossible to make a decision. I like new, I like old..I like panels, splashes and covers. I like Marvel, I like DC and I like almost anything in between if it's well done. I guess this wouldn't be as big an issue if I wasn't on such a strict budget, but I am. I truly envy the collectors that have a narrow vision of what they want and collect. Is that a discipline or are you just fortunate not to like everything?

 

My other problem is choosing to go big or small. Do I collect in greater volume to make my gallery grow or do I go for broke on one at a time? If I go for broke, I'll only be able to buy a piece a few times a year. That'd be tough. I know most collectors go through this when they start, so I thought I'd seek the wisdom of the vet collectors on this board. What to do...I don't know.

 

I'd love to hear what your opinions are on these things. Maybe even a story or two on how you were able to focus in on something.

[mister_not_so_nice]

Snappa, Like you, I like EVERYTHING also. I just love art. I could go on ebay right now and find at least 10 pieces I'd like to bid on. You'll get the "buy what you like" suggestions later, but I say buy what you read. If I don't read title, I won't buy a page from the title(or at least think about it alot longer). There is SO MUCH good art out there you'l never get it all, so I used the "it's not a title I read" excuse to help me make my decisions(and console myself).

 

If you don't set guidelines early you'll run out of money even earlier

 

 

Mike

post #1331

[irchooker]

This is how it goes (in 99% of cases): newbies spend about a year going crazy and buying anything they can get their hands on. Then they look at the collection and hate most of what they bought. (Is hate too strong a word? How about, they wonder why they ever bought such a page when they've seen many better pages and wanted those instead.) Then they sell the pages off, hoping to make back what they spent, using the money to acquire pages they actually desire. They step up into the next bracket of spending and become more discerning.

 

That's how it goes. There is only one way to learn in this hobby, and that's the hard way. Everyone will tell you that dealing with a certain pair of dealers is a pain in the neck, but you'll try. Or they'll say that trying to trade with another dealer is the equivalent of getting bent over in a prison shower, but he's got the cutest T-shirts that advertise milk, or something like that.

 

Get out there and earn your licks, like the rest of us.

[*paull*]

My suggestion would be to wait a bit to find out what you really like the best. You may like everything, but what do you want to own most?

[snappahead]

Thanks Mike. I've been trying to do something similar to what you did and come up with a way to have an excuse not to buy certain types of art..It's hard to stick with it though:)

 

Thanks for your honesty irchooker. Something tells me your'e tired of giving that speech. I understand..I do. I'm the opposite of most new collectors though. I'll think, think and rethink a purchase..and then I'll walk away. I have the hardest time pulling the trigger. If you see my gallery, I've only got around 8 pieces after over a year of collecting. I'd love to know the names of those dealers that are hard to deal with though:) Anyways, I appreciate the feedback.

[snappahead]

Good point, paull..I don't know. I do find myself looking at older art more and more. Buckler, Andru,Tuska, the Buscemas, Colan etc. Maybe that's my calling.

[lmiller]

snappa. iam an old school collector, bought my 1st page in 1975 but got out of the hobby in the late 80.s and just getting back into the hobby in the last four years.

 

there is a lot of great art and artist.s out there i don,t read many new title.s so i tend to try to collect artist.s i grew up with . but most silver age stuff and some bronze is really out my price range. so i try to hang back till i see that perfect page in my budget and strike while the iron is hot. i can tell this you can,t buy every thing unless your bill gates. and there is nothing wrong with having a small collection with 8 page if you love what you have.

 

the next page you may want to buy should really speak to you. where you don,t mind looking at it every day and it brings a big smile to your face and you don,t see your self trading or selling the page away in six months. and if you do down the road get rid of it , hopefully it would be an upgrade to a better page.

 

good luck on your collecting and let the games began.

 

larry ;]

[matewan1990]

This is how it goes (in 99% of cases): newbies spend about a year going crazy and buying anything they can get their hands on. Then they look at the collection and hate most of what they bought. (Is hate too strong a word? How about, they wonder why they ever bought such a page when they've seen many better pages and wanted those instead.) Then they sell the pages off, hoping to make back what they spent, using the money to acquire pages they actually desire. They step up into the next bracket of spending and become more discerning.

 

That's how it goes. There is only one way to learn in this hobby, and that's the hard way. Everyone will tell you that dealing with a certain pair of dealers is a pain in the neck, but you'll try. Or they'll say that trying to trade with another dealer is the equivalent of getting bent over in a prison shower, but he's got the cutest T-shirts that advertise milk, or something like that.

 

Get out there and earn your licks, like the rest of us.

 

I can honestly say that is exactly what I did when I first started. I was making decent money and had no bills, so I went crazy and bought up everything I could get my hands on. I bought several pieces really cheap and held onto them for awhile, then wondered why I had gone so nuts over them. I ended up trading them and getting a nice profit on each. But, it taught me a lesson — patience is a virtue.

As I went along, I developed a wait-and-see attitude. I didn't jump at the first thing I saw. I waited patiently and got several nice pieces a lot cheaper in the end.

Buy what you like.

If you were a fan of 1970s art, then buy 1970s art.

I am a fan of the 1980s, so I tend to focus my collection in that area.

Mike B.

[helionaut]

I'm kind of the opposite. I wanted to get into OA for years, but for one reason or another I didn't buy my first page until last spring, and I finally bought a second page a month ago, and that was after long, exhaustive searches and cautious evaluation. A decent page goes for $100-500 from most of the artists I like, and I rarely spend that much on a single hobby item that isn't for an immediate flip, so that's the main issue I have. I'm cautious with my money just because I want to be sure I'll be satisfied with what I buy. Now I'm looking at getting a page of one of my all-time top 5 artists, spending weeks and weeks trying to decide first whether or not to spend $500 on a page, and if so, which page? Meanwhile, I know someone will swoop in and buy whichever I decide on first, tainting all the other pages still available.

 

Anyway, I'm of the opinion that you can't like EVERYTHING, and of the things you do like, you must like some things more than others. I look first for my preferred artists from books I've read or own, quality of the image, and lastly the importance of what's depicted.

[snappahead]

Thanks for the responses guys. Good to know at least that I'm not alone with this problem. You all said some things to think about. It's nice to have the few that I do and I'm happy to own all of them..still have a hard time when comes to choosing what to get. Oh well, as some of you have said..it's almost like a mandatory process of learning when you first start. At least there's the chance that I can trade pieces I'm no longer crazy about for things I am. Well, thanks and wish me luck:)