Relationship of Golden Age books to New Collectors?????

[NoImSpartacus]

Relationship of Golden Age books to New Collectors??

It has been stated many times in one form or another that Golden Age books are no longer collected by the new or current generation of comic fans. Many say Silver or Bronze books are where these collectors spend their hard earned money due to a number of reasons. Reasons such as the high price of Golden Age books or because they were born after the Golden Age period and wish to collect what they grew up with.

 

Lets get a more indepth perspective regarding this!?!?!?!?!

Too all those on the board who do not collect Golden Age books.

 

Question # 1

Suppose you were offered a Golden Age book at half guide on a worthy Superhero or really neat cover.

Would you keep it or would you sell it off at retail and then purchase one or more silver or bronze age books with your new higher return on your money? Or, would you say "Hey, Ive finally got my first cool Golden Age book and keep it forever".

 

Question # 2

If prices of Golden Age books were lower and were closer to Silver or Bronze would you stick with Silver or Bronze or start to move some of your money over into buying Golden Age books.

 

Question # 3

Would you collect Golden Age if you could?

 

I am asking these quetions only because I am trying to determine if less collecting in the Golden Age era is do more to out of reach pricing or just because you do not care for the stories or material as compared to Silver and/or Bronze. I put this question here only cause I figured it was a generalized question.

Good collecting, Jeff

 

 

 

 

[fantastic_four]

1) I'd keep it

2) I'd buy more Golden Age

3) I can collect Golden Age if I want to, but since I don't like them quite as much as the Marvel superheroes and since they cost more, I don't look to buy them and instead have decided to focus on continuous upgrading of my Marvels.

[delekkerste]

Question # 1

 

Sell it if it was a corny GA superhero book or keep it if it was a cool pre-code horror book.

 

Question # 2

 

Stick with the later stuff. It's not a matter of price - I want to collect stuff that I either grew up with and/or that I can relate to. I can barely stand reading even most Silver Age stuff (most of the early stuff is too hackneyed/hokey for me), so the "golly gee whiz" dialogue of the GA just doesn't do it for me.

 

Question # 3

 

No. For those kinds of dollars, I'd much rather buy nice original artwork from the Bronze and Modern ages.

 

Gene

[blowout]

In general, I collect comic books because of their nostalgia value. Golden Age books don't fit into this catagory for me, therefore I don't collect them.

Having said that I would be interested in owning some GA books containing the origins of Marvel characters that I like/collect. Timely Cap's/Subby's would interest me at some point, but not before I have completed all my SA and BA wants.

[ninanina]

1) I'd sell it and buy some Silver Age I need.

2) I collect Silver Age and Bronze because that's what interests me. If Golden Age were cheaper, I could be converted - as early JSA and Marvel Subby's and Captain Americas have some appeal to me.

3) I could certainly buy Golden Age now if I wanted to, it's just that I still have too much in Silver Age to get.

 

Good set of questions as it really made me think about why I pass on Golden Age comics.

[joe_collector]

Right off the top I'll state that I've got a huge stack of GA books right here (no jokes Darth) and they're about as interesting to me persoinally as a pile of Good Housekeeping. I collect what I grew up with and nothing more.

 

1) No time for buying and flipping GA.

 

2) Stick with Bronze.

 

3) Now way Jose.

 

For me, I don't find any real connection with the material, and this even extends into the Silver Age. Early on, I'd nab Silver and Bronze (Modern to me then) but my "Golden Age" was 75-78 and I don't really find any "collecting bug" to material pre-70 or so.

 

For example, I lost a pile of books on a holiday mishap when I was a kid, and it's always a kick to get one back. I bought a few Power-man comics and a few of them were from the "lost pile" and it was a nostalgia trip, and more fun than buying Golden or Silver Age comics.

[SilverAgeGuy]

1) If it featured the right hero, or was on the right subject I would keep it (Captain America, Sub-Mariner, WWII patriotism/propaganda etc)

 

2) It is and it isn't a price thing. The books I buy are expensive enough that I could just as easily be collecting Golden Age, but when I started collecting as a kid (the late 70's), GA was well out of my reach, so I collected what was current, and I saved my pennies for the 60's books, happy every time I could buy just one of them in VG or Fine. The result being that today, Im a tried and true Silver Age collector, and while I have some interest for the GA, I just never got into it. There is just too much good stuff from the 60's.

 

3) I would collect Golden Age if I had just about everything I wanted from the Silver Age. More than once I've thought it would be cool to pick up a GA Cap or Subby, but the funds aren't unlimited, so I stay focused on my collecting priorities.

 

Finally, I'd like to say that it's not that I dont care for the stories or material, it's just that, for the most part, I haven't even been introduced to it.

[Shield]

1. I would keep it and add it to my vastly growing golden age collection!

 

2. I only generally go after MLJ/WWII books; due to the great stories, best artwork, and the fact that the last "good" war was going on when they were printed. No stupid code to adhere to, and watching artists develop their style and character development interest me greatly. You can keep your "riddled with ads" books; I'll take a golly gee whiz book any day of the week.

 

3. See #2

[Verbow]

You can keep your "riddled with ads" books

 

The thrill of Spidey tackling a second-rate baddie using only Hostess Fruit Pies...an Opie lookalike touting the financial rewards of selling Grit...reliving visions of creating a little race of SeaMonkeys to make them do my bidding...

 

I wouldn't want to give up my "riddled with ads" books!

[blutobc]

Question # 1

I'd keep the GA book in order to own a little piece of history.

 

Question # 2

Would loved to have gotten in on the precode horror and EC books before they took off. Just to much money now, and would have to greatly curtail current spending on silver, bronze, and modern.

 

Question # 3

Send me the cash and I'll buy them.

 

 

 

[TomG]

 

Question # 1

 

Keep it because there are some really great Golden Age books out there.

 

 

Question # 2

Depending on what you are looking at some Golden Age is Cheaper that Silver Age or Bronze currently. Yes, I would buy Golden Age.

 

 

Question # 3

Yes

 

I personally collect what I like, but I also look at the history of comics. The best thing to do is to collect what you like, but as be open to looking at other areas that you are not currently interested in. I became interested in a lot of different areas of collecting by doing this.

 

 

[Warlord]

I have some GA, but not many. Not really selling them, so I guess that means I collect them. However I don't seek them out aggressively. The only reason is cost -- I don't typically drop a huge bundle on a single comic.

 

If they were cheap, I'd have every issue of Superman, Batman, Action, Detective, Wonder Woman, Flash etc. And if they were cheap, I'd be buying lots of other GA that I have less familiarity with too, but the major DC titles would be what I'd target first!

 

That said, I do pick up a GA comic infrequently. Usually a bargain bin kind of find, something that's low grade and therefore low cost. I've gotten a few older Superman issues this way, but of course that approach will never yield anything close to the full series.

 

[aardvark88]

3. I don't find the writing particulary good in any GA title. Would rather funnel the $$$ into orig. comic art from the 60s, 70s or 80s.

I enjoy Barks' writing but Disneys have been reprinted many times in 70s Gold Key or later editions. I already have a long box of these.

[Darthdiesel]

First off, for a Modernite Mouthpiece, I own Golden Age books as well. Great bondage covers, but not much by way of a read...just not my interest...sex sells! Only reason I picked it up... I may be interested in Golden Superhero/ Timely/ Subby and Torch and the covers with racial/politically incorect violent covers...

 

Question # 1

I'd "fleece" a Golden Age collctor and sell it to them b/c 1) they theoretically have money, more than younger collectors. 2) they may be senile enough to just turn over their retirement for my hyped up "one-of a kind" Golden Age collectible 3) they'll die within the next 5 years anyway from old age, so I might as well make $$4 off them while they are alive

 

Question # 2

Stick with newer age books. Buying Golden Age that are not keys like Action 1, 'tec 27, mm's, etc. or have no connection with today's generation (Who's Bulletman or Kaanga?) will drop in price once those keeping up the price with their obssesions have died, which will be too soon, IMO, to profit considerably from using the old "hold anf flip" method.

 

Question # 3

I could but why bother? all the stuff I'm interested in is in the later ages. There is more than enough material in there for me to spend ten lifetimes collecting and reading.

[Shield]

Buying Golden Age that are not keys like Action 1, 'tec 27, mm's, etc. or have no connection with today's generation (Who's Bulletman or Kaanga?)

 

Wow. I couldn't disagree with you more on this topic! That's the reason I collect golden age books! To keep the memory of "how it was" afloat! Nothing is more fun than pulling out an old Pep Comic and people say "Wow, that was Archie? He sure looks different!" "Who's this Shield character? Oh, he was around 14 months before Captain America? "Wow, those are great Montana/Biro/Novick/Fujitani/Ashe/Lucey covers!" You see, if we only acknowledge and remember books that were popular or still exist today, then aren't we ignoring/forgetting how things really were? Aren't we painting an alternate reality? I know the cliche's of "History is told from the victor's side" but the Golden Age wasn't about introducing only major characters that survived until modern times. It was about creativity, and rough ideas being laid down on paper. They often didn't have the luxury of 2 prior decades of similar ephemera to base their ideas on; they were the pioneers of a format that they made successful without them there'd be no silver/bronze age. Golden Age comics were an escape from the harsh realities of war, and propaganda against it. Like them or hate them, they are comics in the purest form; pre-commercialization with no censorship code holding them back. A true flow of creativity and ideas. Sure, some stories are not fun to read (Marvel "Sleeper" Mysteries, anyone?) but the fun is watching ideas that took hold and ones that didn't.

 

I've often thought about collecting other titles that are even more obscure (Nedor, Better, Fox) just to find out what made those birds 'tick'....

 

 

Darth, I welcome you to visit my site, and read some Hangman/Top-Notch/Jackpot Comics. PM me and I'll give you full details....

 

 

[Fan4Fan]

1. Sell it and buy Silver and Bronze.

 

2. Probably stick with Silver and Bronze.

 

3. I wouldn't collect Golden Age. Mostly, it is the art style that just isn't to my liking.

 

That said, I did read some of the the Wonder Woman Archives (I wish Marvel would use the same off-white paper with less gloss for their Masterworks) and found the experience much like watching a movie from the same period.

 

In fact, I am beginning to see the strong connection between how comics of a given era parallel movies of the same time period.... which is probably why I'm not liking today's comics as much (since they are getting dumbed down and drawn out like a lot of today's movies).

 

Anyhow, I am reading some of the Golden Age Archives from the local library, so I may yet change my mind (tho' All-Star Volume 5 didn't do anything to change it).

 

Thanks,

Fan4Fan

[Darthdiesel]

Buying Golden Age that are not keys like Action 1, 'tec 27, mm's, etc. or have no connection with today's generation (Who's Bulletman or Kaanga?)

 

Maybe my quote was vague but, the two examples you stated STILL have a connection to characters of today ( Archie and Cap America). There is something good to be said for prototypes. I can get with that idea. However, it is the obsolete that I have little interest or use for. I'm sure Platinum/Victorian Age comics are interesting to some, but are not for me. I can't justify spending big money on something "just to keep the memory of how it was" afloat. I would have to sink money into something I personally enjoyed. I took the question posed to me as "Would Golden Age be a worthy investment for the future?" and answered in my opinion.

 

 

Wow. I couldn't disagree with you more on this topic! That's the reason I collect golden age books! To keep the memory of "how it was" afloat! Nothing is more fun than pulling out an old Pep Comic and people say "Wow, that was Archie? He sure looks different!" "Who's this Shield character? Oh, he was around 14 months before Captain America? "Wow, those are great Montana/Biro/Novick/Fujitani/Ashe/Lucey covers!"

 

We'll have to agree to disagree here I had no fun reading through my Jungle comics and old Dell Westerns or any Dell , other than a Disney reprint - who can resist Donald, Uncle Scrooge and Mickey? Archie for me was something I read on the supermarket line in little digest and enjoyed it in that format. Why would I spend uber-bucks for a Golden Age Pep comic when the content has been reprinted in several cost efficient formats over the years. You'd have to have a real love for Golden Age to do that, and unfortunately I don't share that love as much as I do for Moderns...my list of must see artists' covers would read "McFarlane/Campbell/Jim, Jae, Pat Lee/Salvador LaRocca/Maleev/Ross/Adam Hughes/Tony Daniel/Marc Silvestri/Dell'Otto" To each his own here...

 

You see, if we only acknowledge and remember books that were popular or still exist today, then aren't we ignoring/forgetting how things really were?

Some of the Golden Age I read is better off forgotten IMO... any decent stuff worth remembering has been reprinted for later generations to appreciate so don't worry if I don't pick up Golden Age. The

 

Aren't we painting an alternate reality? I know the cliche's of "History is told from the victor's side" but the Golden Age wasn't about introducing only major characters that survived until modern times. It was about creativity, and rough ideas being laid down on paper. They often didn't have the luxury of 2 prior decades of similar ephemera to base their ideas on; they were the pioneers of a format that they made successful without them there'd be no silver/bronze age. Golden Age comics were an escape from the harsh realities of war, and propaganda against it. Like them or hate them, they are comics in the purest form; pre-commercialization with no censorship code holding them back. A true flow of creativity and ideas. Sure, some stories are not fun to read (Marvel "Sleeper" Mysteries, anyone?) but the fun is watching ideas that took hold and ones that didn't.

 

Beautifully put and once again, this shows you are a true Golden Age conossieur and you have a genuine love for the stuff. I, however, feel towards Golden Age like someone would towards someone in an arranged marriage. Just because I'm getting into this arrangement, I feel forced to love the spouse no matter how many flaws I see in the other In reality, I may grow to tolerate her but never truly share that genuine love. Yes Golden Age were full of pioneers, but definitely had room for improvement and that is how I see Silver and later ages and Modern Age is the current evolution of this trend. The subsequent Age thankfully culls out the inferior art/stories and ideas and progresses on and reflects the culture of the current time period, presenting the cream of the crop to the next generation. Reminiscing has its place, but for me, that personal connection ends no earlier than the Bronze Age.

 

I've often thought about collecting other titles that are even more obscure (Nedor, Better, Fox) just to find out what made those birds 'tick'....

 

 

Darth, I welcome you to visit my site, and read some Hangman/Top-Notch/Jackpot Comics. PM me and I'll give you full details....

 

 

I've always been interested in the EC stuff and the books that caused Wertham to bring a full blown estorm on the comic industry...but more for reading value than collecting.

 

My main point is I can tolerate Golden Age, read it for informative purposes, but would not COLLECT it like I do other Ages...

[Mister_Comics]

#1 The few golden age books that I would like to get are so high priced even at half cost it would be out of my price range. The golden age I have in my collection I plan on keeping for a while. Only because of near complete runs.

 

#2 Again the few that I need are out of my price range. If the prices for golden age were lower (which will never happen) I believe most collectors would be interested in buying some golden age comic of interest to them.

 

#3 I collect golden age BATMAN comics of all sorts only because I've been collecting a long long time.

 

I see less interest in golden age comics from young kids of today. Sure they'll buy a new comic, but unless they are collecting, then I believe is the only way they would be even the slightest interested in golden age comics. You need to be a collector in order to have any interest in the golden age stuff. And I don't think any kid just starting with comics will show any interest in golden age because of the high prices and the hard-to-find sitution of golden age books.

 

PS. I hate the term GOLDEN AGE. Can we do away with all the ages please. I'd like to meet the guy that started that. Golden age, silver age, bronze age, sheech!!! (Topic for another time)

[Lantern]

...offered a Golden Age book at half guide...

 

I would buy it and then quickly sell it. I would then look at purchasing original art or more comics that fit my collecting style and interest.

 

If prices of Golden Age books were lower ...would... you move some of your money over into buying Golden Age books.

 

No. Unless I thought that the decrease in prices and valuation were a brief decline. Then I might purchase some of the key GA books solely to turn a profit later when the valuations go back up.

 

Would you collect Golden Age if you could?

 

I can and I do not. I have looked at adding pre-code horror, GA Bat books, GA Superman books, and even GA GL books to my colection, and they just do not appeal to me. I agree with the previous post that said that the art and story lines just do not appeal to my comic interests.

 

On a side note, 90% of my collecting is for reading purposes. I agree with Darth in that the GA books I have read were not that good. These books hold no real nostalgia for me and the story lines were not written with me as a target audience, therefore, I find no interest in them.

 

Second side note, it has been a very recent decision that I decided not to collect any GA books. You can thank Chrisco for that, if he had never gotten me interested in original art I would probably be answering these questions differently. In todays collecting environment I find original art is a better place for me and my money to be.

 

[Shield]

I took the question posed to me as "Would Golden Age be a worthy investment for the future?" and answered in my opinion.

 

 

See, to me it sounded as if you were giving advice to others, which is the reason why I responded in the first place. "Buy this, but don't buy that". "Invest in this". I felt the original question wasn't posed from a speculative point of view, merely from a collector's. I didn't realize you were referring to yourself and NOT giving out advice.

 

We'll have to agree to disagree here I had no fun reading through my Jungle comics and old Dell Westerns or any Dell , other than a Disney reprint - who can resist Donald, Uncle Scrooge and Mickey? Archie for me was something I read on the supermarket line in little digest and enjoyed it in that format. Why would I spend uber-bucks for a Golden Age Pep comic when the content has been reprinted in several cost efficient formats over the years.

 

Actually, those early Pep stories weren't ever reprinted. The Archie digests that started in the early 70's only went back to the early 1950's stuff, sans some Montana strips printed in local newspapers. So no, other than a story here or there, none of that stuff has ever been reprinted due to the incredible lily-white image Archie Co. has today. There's stories from the 1940's where Archie & gang brutally stab a mannequin, and lots of other 'risqué' stories. See scan:

 

 

 

But, I don't want you to view this as me trying to 'sell' you into collecting golden age books. They're for the esoteric collector, especially when you shy away from Timely and DC. Look, I grew up wearing Spider-Man Tee-Shirts and having Spider-Man sleeping bags (I'm 29) so I understand the love for the silver stuff. I guess the turn-off for me is stepping back and saying "Well, I have a complete run of X-Men". So what? How many other people have a full run? Hundreds if not thousands? I don't know ONE PERSON that has a full run of MLJ. I'm close with a couple of people that have many titles I'm missing, and if we merged collections it'd be complete. I know one could counter this by saying "Oh yeah? How many people have a CGC NM 9.4 run of X-Men?" Like Shania Twain , "that don't impress me much". Anyone with 9.4's or higher can't actually read these books and NOT worry about damaging them, so what's the point? Sometimes I think some of you guys are label collectors and nothing more.

 

In continuing my diatribe, I feel you can have different views of what is truly scarce. If there are 1000 known issues of a book, and only 2 of them are 9.6 or higher, then that book is scarce in 9.6 or higher for sure. But so what? What piques my interest is finding a book and owning it that only a handful of copies are available in ANY grade.

To each is own, my brother! See? People can politely disagree with one another one here without trolling and name calling!