I have never collected comic books before. I have mainly purchased comic strip collections, like Calvin and Hobbes, Bob The Angry Flower and such. So because I have absolutely nothing better to do....

I am going to start collecting comics. Any tips for a n00b? How do you collect comics? what are your criteria?

Someone
Any tips for a n00b?

Find something you like to read. And buy it.

SteveMyers22

Someone
Any tips for a n00b?

Find something you like to read. And buy it.

Insightful!

Do not buy comics for the sole purpose of collecting them. It's the dumbest hobby I've ever heard of. Plus you're playing right into the hands of a dying desperate industry.

mlai is right. Buy comics you like and want to have in print not because they may have the potential of being a collectors item someday. The likelihood of that runs slimmer and slimmer everyday. If you want to truly collect a series (I collect Dark Tower) get warehouse editions and don't buy from the stand. From the stand is automatically knocked out of the mint edition category.

Other than that, if it makes you proud, buy it but don't waste money because so and so told you this was gonna be huge. You'll wind up in debt and totally dissatisfied. I find it more fun to support Indie comics before the big 2. (or 4 or whatever)

Vindibudd

SteveMyers22

Someone
Any tips for a n00b?

Find something you like to read. And buy it.

Insightful!

it's actually good advice. dont try to speculate on what's gunna be worth money. buy something you like to read and you'll be happy.

I buy mostly indie comics and CHEAP but GOOD comics from sales... Like a brand new Comes for 0,50 euro and so on. I'm a real predator, when a shop is about to be closed. Books get really cheap!

I used to collect manga, but let's face it. 8-25 euros/book is way too much, when it's all in a small size, B&W and has over 30 parts -_-;

Collect the kind of comics you like to read :D

Whoa, hold on, everybody, I am not going to collect them so I can make money with them. I was more asking along the lines of, do you collect comics that feature vampires? or do you collect comics that have female protagonists? or do you collect comics that have killer fight scenes? Or do you simply stick with one title and try to complete it?

I like Batman, if I were trying to collect every Batman comic so I could say that I had the entire story of Batman all in my other room there, then that is what I was talking about.

I have no interest in Batman specifically as collecting is concerned.

I think I am going to start trying to collect comics that are based on webcomics. Like I will probably start by buying all the Hero By Night issues.

Does that make more sense? This is a hobby for me, not a business venture. I'm not that dude on the Simpsons. lol.

Oh, and I will be collecting every Vindibudd Anthology when it debuts at the end of August. :-D

I like Graphic Novels for the fact that they're more substantial. At least good for a read on the train. Sandman might be a good place for you to start.

don't collect, thats the tip

the main reason why the old comics are expensive is because WW II had a paper shortage causing parents to recycle comics. less comics=rare= more expensive.

read a comic
don't collect

Vindibudd

SteveMyers22

Someone
Any tips for a n00b?

Find something you like to read. And buy it.

Insightful!

You'll see how it becomes a "collection" when that something you like to read is Silver Age Spider-Man comics.

;)

Vindibudd
Or do you simply stick with one title and try to complete it?

That's where it becomes a collection, imo. And ceases to be something you buy for the fun of reading (ala, you buy that latest issue of Hulk cause the fight scene was cool to look at).

I think you find a book (or books) you like, & because you like it you buy the next issue, & the one after that, & so on, & so on, until you don't like it & stop buying it.

I used to have every New X-Men issue from Giant Size #1 on, all the way into the high 300s (or maybe that was high 200s). Then one day I realized I never reread them because they were stupid (IMO) & I was *collecting* more like an addict than because they were good books.

Now I only collect what has a good "reread" value. A book that costs 3 to 4 bucks is a pretty crappy value (if it were a movie, and you were charged $3 for every 15 minutes, you'd be paying $18!), so I only *collect* books I'll read over & over (or, if it's an artist I love, look at over and over).

Find what you like & buy it until you don't like it any more or it wraps up.

Later,
Chip

Vindibudd
Whoa, hold on, everybody, I am not going to collect them so I can make money with them. I was more asking along the lines of, do you collect comics that feature vampires? or do you collect comics that have female protagonists? or do you collect comics that have killer fight scenes? Or do you simply stick with one title and try to complete it?

I look for the art and story. Just like webcomics on here I list as favorites, the work has to stand out, for me. For me I also look for progression and watching a younger person developing. I think seeing that progression is incredible. Like watching my child learn new things...not saying said artist are chidren but the joy in seeing the talent evolve...super cool! When it comes to the printed medium I look more for the graphic novel or collection by specific artists and writers.

Start off with lite stuff, make sure you start off at the begging of a story arc. If you can get to a bookstore, find some trade paperbacks/graphic novels to get into. I'd reccomend The Watchmen, Batman Dark Knight Returns, and The Punisher Welcome Back, Frank. Those three are self contained, and are very good reads.

Did you know you can subscribe online? So you can get all your favorite comic books in the mail, occasionally BEFORE they go out to the comic book shops. Now thats awesome.

Another good thing to do, is slip a comic book guy money and then order through their service directly. Then just go pick up crates of comics once a month.

For real collecting of stuff, there is nothing that competes with EBAY.

what i find funny are toy collectors

they buy one to play with and 1 to keep in the package

Collecting Tip # God Knows What:
If you find a series you really, REALLY like you'll start a collection with out even realizing it.

Example, Bleach and myself:
I bought the first two books while I was on vacation in DC (there was a Borders in the metro station) and I fell in love. They had just built a Barns and Nobel in my area and I'm half the reason they started carring the series (they got sick of ordering them. XD) Now, only a few years later I have all 20 books in English and quite a few orignal Japanese copies (they still have the Japanese price tags and advertisements to watch the anime on them. >3) As soon as I get more money together I'm getting the art book. >o>

So just find a series you like and go for it. I'm not big on DC/Marvel stuff, but with manga I'd suggest buying the first two books in the series because sometimes the actual stories don't even start until the second book. (In iD_eNTITY/YUREKA! you don't even meet the title character until the end of the second book!)

marine
Start off with lite stuff, make sure you start off at the begging of a story arc. If you can get to a bookstore, find some trade paperbacks/graphic novels to get into. I'd reccomend The Watchmen, Batman Dark Knight Returns

If any comic book artist/writer has not read these already, they need to turn their pencils in.

Ugh... I just don't like buying comics in general, ESPECIALLY from the big 2. When you're reading a Marvel or DC book, it's always got the stupid star in the text bubble with the yellow box below that reads, "Iss. 23151". Which roughly translates to, "Hunt down and see if you can buy this out-of-circulation book, because we're not going to waste our time explaining things and you're just screwed." Really turned me off to paper comics at a pretty early age.

I ain't read what anyone else said coz i am tired, but listen to me buddy; buy something if you like the art or artist, writing or writer, or just the idea of it. But don't be sucker and by the comics, buy the graphic novels or collected editions. You get a great nugget of talent which collects anything from 4-6 issues or 12-24 issues of a series, all with no adverts. It works out cheaper in the long run. And they're the cheapest on amazon. It's also good to try and buy one off series in a graphic novel as you know it has an end and you won't be forever collecting.

Here are some recomendations of awesome comics:

Y: The Last Man
Pride of Baghdad
Watchmen
The Ultimates
Wanted
Chosen
Marvel Knights Spider-man V.1
Spectacular Spider-man (The Humberto Ramos and Paul Jenkins run)
Savage Dragon Archives V.1 (just for fun)
Powers
Bone: The complete (it's like 1000 pages!!!)
there's loads more, i just can't think..........

Oh marine is right! dark knight rules!!! Watchmen and Dark Knight changed the industry.

I collect comics only on those I could learn from or use as a reference for my own comics.

Examples would be some comics with really good perspective postures, inking styles, drawing techniques, ideas, etc.

junoblairb
mlai is right. Buy comics you like and want to have in print not because they may have the potential of being a collectors item someday. The likelihood of that runs slimmer and slimmer everyday. If you want to truly collect a series (I collect Dark Tower) get warehouse editions and don't buy from the stand. From the stand is automatically knocked out of the mint edition category.

Other than that, if it makes you proud, buy it but don't waste money because so and so told you this was gonna be huge. You'll wind up in debt and totally dissatisfied. I find it more fun to support Indie comics before the big 2. (or 4 or whatever)

This guy's right! I just used to buy anything, and then have no money. Now i'm ebaying all my stuff and just buying back the really good stuff i had in graphic novel form. I gave up caring about value and started caring more about the story, writing and art.

I think you need to start with some books that might ease you into the world of comic books and graphic novels. Try anything by Doug TenNapel, if for no reason than he does good stuff and his art style is very Watterson-ish. Also books like PvP and Liberty Meadows are published as comics but still retain the comic strip format.

My two cents.

What are those 1st-gen Image comics worth nowadays on eBay? I want to get rid of them and I don't care about profit.

mlai
What are those 1st-gen Image comics worth nowadays on eBay? I want to get rid of them and I don't care about profit.

Give them to me!!!!!

daniel_the_drummer
Give them to me!!!!!

If you're serious, I'll sell them to you if you want. I have some #1's and special covers, and a lot of them I collected until at least the first story arc is finished. I open and read all of them, but they're in plastics and in good condition.

mlai

daniel_the_drummer
Give them to me!!!!!

If you're serious, I'll sell them to you if you want. I have some #1's and special covers, and a lot of them I collected until at least the first story arc is finished. I open and read all of them, but they're in plastics and in good condition.

I'll take them off your hands if you'd like.

I'm assuming its Spawn #1, Savage Dragon #1, Young Bloods, Wildcats, Witchblade, that sort of stuff?

mlai

daniel_the_drummer
Give them to me!!!!!

If you're serious, I'll sell them to you if you want. I have some #1's and special covers, and a lot of them I collected until at least the first story arc is finished. I open and read all of them, but they're in plastics and in good condition.

Well, if you could send me a pic of them and/or a list of what they are, i'd deffinetly be interested. How much you looking to get for them?

subcultured
what i find funny are toy collectors

they buy one to play with and 1 to keep in the package

I usually just get one copy of stuff. I could give two shits if something is worth anything, because I'll probably never sell any of my stuff anyway. I've got a few of the marvel legends and chase variants of the marvel legends stuff. I think they're pretty nice. I've got some nice toys I think. I've thought about building the playsets or dioramas with some of my loose toys, but I got so few out of the box it wouldn't look as great. If I did that, I'd have to build a model or make something myself, and that seems dorky. It'd be cool to recreate iconic stuff from comics, like Spawn fighting Violator in a church, Spider-man catching gwen stacy and killing her from whiplash, maybe do legendary covers to comics with toys. Little ideas like that'd be what I'd do if I was a complete dork, but eh, ain't for me.

The real markets in sculpts and busts, those are the things that people are making a killing on. Anything thats a replica or labeled as "high qaulity" sells for at least a hundred bucks or more. I saw a thermal detonator (star wars grenade) replica in Wizard for like three hundred bucks. I instantly thought to myself "what the shit! Surely no one is THAT dorky to buy a star wars grenade replica?" But then I think, those are the same guys who walk around dressed up in those awful spandex outfits with their little walkie talkie badges.

Hapoppo
Ugh... I just don't like buying comics in general, ESPECIALLY from the big 2. When you're reading a Marvel or DC book, it's always got the stupid star in the text bubble with the yellow box below that reads, "Iss. 23151". Which roughly translates to, "Hunt down and see if you can buy this out-of-circulation book, because we're not going to waste our time explaining things and you're just screwed." Really turned me off to paper comics at a pretty early age.

Thats true of mainline books, but you don't want to start reading those just off. You'll want to start with self contained story arcs. I'd reccomend Garth Ennis's Punisher books, v3 of the Hulk about midways through has story arcs that you could pick up anywhere (even though having read previous ones or knowing a little about hulks villain the abomniation and doc sampson helps out), Wolverine's latest volume is like that too its almost all self contained story arcs of about 6 or 7 issues long. The best thing to do if you really want to go in knowing the backhistory is to wikipedia stuff. It has a vault of information on just about every character in marvel. I don't like DC that much, so I don't realy care what it says about them, but its probably the same. Even things like Civil War and House of M the "big crossover" of the year are made more simple ilke that. Speaking of a big crossover, if you pick up the Annilaion stuff, its almost all self contained. I had no idea who the hell Ronan the Accuser was or Drax the Destroyer, but now I've got a better idea of who they are as characters based on their apperances there. Most books now are out in trades so you can pick up EVERYTHING rather easily, and not have to have other tie-ins. Now if you want Spider-man stories that are easy to get into, try his marvel knights book or maybe marvel adventures.

Okay, well I've typed too much again...