Help me

[G.A.tor]

Thanks for all the recommendations, guys. I'm going to look into getting the Gerber guides.

 

Still, no title recommendations? What weird golden age books do you guys like to collect?

hey AT....

I'll spread a little SEC Love around ....

one of the "best" GA runs I have found, has been Funny Stuff (animal humor)....I am a DC guy at heart, and All Star is a great run (you mention Wonde Woman, some good WW stories in AStar)....as mr "longhorn" Bedrock mentioned, Timely's are pretty darn good too (but they are contagious)....you have some great Centaur titles out there (Amazing Mystery, Keen Detective, etc)....if you already have some characters in mind (Wonder Woman, etc), take a look at that first....however, before you delve head first, spend a few days reading through ALL (and I mean ALL) the threads....there are some incredibly knowledgable folks here that have contributed so much, it will make your head spin....

 

the Gerber guides are great for cover collecting...and there is no shortage of favorites on this board....get your feet wet first, and don't be afraid to wade for some time, before you dive in

gator rick

[innocuous]

I suggest pre-Robin Detective Comics. Start with #27.

 

Also, there are so many TPBs out there now for the major titles, you can start there to find the stories you like.

[G.A.tor]

I suggest pre-Robin Detective Comics. Start with #27.

 

Also, there are so many TPBs out there now for the major titles, you can start there to find the stories you like.

let me upgrade a few first!

[showcase4]

But here is my question: Do you have any advice for a beginning Golden Age collector?

 

since there are SO many different titles/genres under the "Golden Age" umbrella, you may want to 1st come up with the criteria you are looking for, and then post it in this thread......... for example, if you answer these questions, it could help us eliminate certain titles, which will lead us to suggesting other titles that fit your deisred profile as a collector.

 

1. average price you can spend per book?

2. are you concerned with appreciation / investment potential?

3. restored, unrestored, or don't care?

4. CGC, raw, or don't care?

5.Superhero preference?...if not, other Genre's of interest..Horror? Romance? pre- code esoteric? Sci-fi?

6. Overall goal to achieve as a GA collector?....why GA for you?

7 prefer high grade, low grade, any grade?

8. prefer easy to find books or tough to find rarities?

 

We would be happy to help

Steve

[Timely]

As for All Star Comics, it's the JSA! I really, really want a copy of #13 and #14.

 

Nice choice on the All Star #13. Many collectors feel that is one of the best vintage story/art comics made, certainly one of the best in the run!

 

West

[whomerjay]

1. Read this forum every day.

2. Buy the 2 Gerber books.

3. Watch as many ebay, Heritage, and CL auctions/sales as you can.

4. Participate in a handful of auctions of low priced books in one or two genres you think you like and bid to win the book at a bargain price only. This will limit the rate at which you spend money, assure you can liquidate whatever you buy at what you paid for it, and give you an education on the books and sellers.

 

If you recognize this a 30+ year adventure and restrain from blowing big $ quickly, you can enjoy acquiring want you want and stay fiscally responsible.

 

Of course, if you have plenty of discretionary income and it's either books or booze, knock yourself out and just start buying up HG Bats, Supes, and Phantom Lady.

[Paratrooper]

Is this Gerber Guide available from amazon or similar online bookstores?

 

The Gerber guide is THE best place to start. There are excellent articles in the front and unbelievable color images of 22,000 comics.

web page

 

Other ideas:

 

Troll the Heritage website and comic link to see books you might like and to learn what they sell for. Ditto for Metropolis's comics featured items. If you want books about comics I'd suggest Ron Goulart, Greg Theakston and Mike Benton -- do ebay searches or check at shows for various books they've written. For magazines, buy old issues of Comic Book Marketplace.

 

Surf the boards -- there's a wealth of information like the link below.

 

Month in the Life of Comics

 

You forgot my thread and BZ's thread.....

[Point Five]

And also, what titles do you recommend? I'd like something off the beaten path, i.e. non-Superhero.

 

Let me suggest that you try some of the ECs from the 1950s: sci-fi (Weird Science, Weird Fantasy), horror (Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear), crime/suspense (Crime Suspenstories, Shock Suspenstories). Highly entertaining stories and a gold standard of comic writing and artwork. They are very easily available in reprint form, so you can test the water and get a ton of fun reading on the cheap before committing to go after the originals.

 

Whatever you decide, best of luck & have fun!

 

Jon

[Pirate]

Heritage catalogs are a free and easy way to see a bunch of great covers.

[Griz]

Be warned though that the book only contains covers and I don't think it would be helpful much in helping you determine what you like and what you'd like to collect. If anything, it would make you want to buy everything!

 

Absolutely the truth!

 

I concur. We are such visual creatures... I must resist, the pretty, shiny, colored books...

 

Once I started reading these boards I fell in love with GA and have felt like a kid who wants everything.

[the blob]

Your budget is the key consideration.

 

If you're like most 22 y.o.s, you don't have a ton of money.

 

So, are you in the market to pick up a sub-$50 Jumo/Jungle Comics with Good girl art, a beater 1940s Wonder Woman, coverless All-Star issues, a decent looking Captain Marvel once or twice a month or save your sheckles and buy 1 or 2 "nice" books a year? It's tough to be patient though. Alas, getting cheap low grade copies of these books is a lot more expensive than 5-7 years ago when you could get many on ebay for $5-$10 each. Now UGLEES are often $25-$50.

 

Also, there are deals to be had on mildly restored GA books if you want to own for the fun of owning. There's no good reason that a book should be worth less than its pre-restoration value after a bunch of work (if done well) has been done to it, but that's exactly what's often happening now. While I think at today's fair market prices many of these books will hold their value and do well long-term, liquidity is always an issue. It might take more time to find a buyer.

[Comicdey]

Let me suggest supersnipe if you want a non mainstream book, that's not too expensive, has some classic covers, appearances, and is a great early parody of the GA superheroes.

 

Cheers.

[AuburnTiger]

Your budget is the key consideration.

 

If you're like most 22 y.o.s, you don't have a ton of money.

 

So, are you in the market to pick up a sub-$50 Jumo/Jungle Comics with Good girl art, a beater 1940s Wonder Woman, coverless All-Star issues, a decent looking Captain Marvel once or twice a month or save your sheckles and buy 1 or 2 "nice" books a year? It's tough to be patient though. Alas, getting cheap low grade copies of these books is a lot more expensive than 5-7 years ago when you could get many on ebay for $5-$10 each. Now UGLEES are often $25-$50.

 

Also, there are deals to be had on mildly restored GA books if you want to own for the fun of owning. There's no good reason that a book should be worth less than its pre-restoration value after a bunch of work (if done well) has been done to it, but that's exactly what's often happening now. While I think at today's fair market prices many of these books will hold their value and do well long-term, liquidity is always an issue. It might take more time to find a buyer.

 

I think I'm pretty patient. I'm saving my money for a copy of All Star Comics #13 or #14. I don't want anything less than a 4.0. Also, page quality is more important to me than strict grades. I'd take a 6.0 with white pages over an 8.0 with cream to off-white pages.

[rodan57]

But here is my question: Do you have any advice for a beginning Golden Age collector?

 

since there are SO many different titles/genres under the "Golden Age" umbrella, you may want to 1st come up with the criteria you are looking for, and then post it in this thread......... for example, if you answer these questions, it could help us eliminate certain titles, which will lead us to suggesting other titles that fit your deisred profile as a collector.

 

1. average price you can spend per book?

2. are you concerned with appreciation / investment potential?

3. restored, unrestored, or don't care?

4. CGC, raw, or don't care?

5.Superhero preference?...if not, other Genre's of interest..Horror? Romance? pre- code esoteric? Sci-fi?

6. Overall goal to achieve as a GA collector?....why GA for you?

7 prefer high grade, low grade, any grade?

8. prefer easy to find books or tough to find rarities?

 

This is good advice from Showcase. Especially 3, 4 & 8.

 

You should probably take for granted that your taste will change, becoming more refined, over time.

 

If you make mistakes don't worry. During my first two years back into the hobby, I figure I probably spent between $400-$900 dollars on books I would not have touched by my current standards. BUT, compared to the costs of information and hobby seminars these days, my off-the-cuff experiences cost a bit of money but returned real insight as I defined and re-defined my interests and understanding of comic books and pop culture.

 

Best of luck -- it will be fun.

 

Dennis

[AuburnTiger]

I just ordered The Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books by Gerber from Bud Plant! Thanks guys for recommending these.

[Norrin_Radd]

Have you read any reprints of the stories? DC has archives, Marvel has masterworks, EC has reprint annuals, and even some of the Phantom Lady stories have been reprinted.

 

I enjoy reading the GA stories without having to pay high prices. Then, I can decide what issues I want to collect.

[AuburnTiger]

I've read some of the Superman archives and All Star Comics archives. I prefer All Star in terms of story, but I'd still like to own both.

[Scrooge]

<snip> even some of the Phantom Lady stories have been reprinted.

 

I enjoy reading the GA stories without having to pay high prices. Then, I can decide what issues I want to collect.

 

Speaking of, check out the Previews for July, Verotik is resoliciting their three volumes: Phantom Lady, S&K's Blue Bolt and Black Angel.

[Norrin_Radd]

Another GA reprint series is Golden Age Greats.

 

[nearmint]

I just ordered The Photo-Journal Guide to Comic Books by Gerber from Bud Plant! Thanks guys for recommending these.

 

Those 2 volumes will knock your socks off. You're gonna love them.