Comic Book Collecting

[geezer butler]

The comic book market is really two different markets: 1- New Comics, 2- Back Issues

Most collectors buy both new issues and back issues, but a few like myself are only interested in the back issues. There will always be a back issue market with millions of comics in existence. If new comics stopped being published it would force many comic shops to close, but the back issue market would still be there. I believe there will always be demand for back issues due to the popularity of the characters. These characters are ingrained in the psyche of the public, and this is constantly reinforced by the many movies and TV shows which will continue to be made. Also, it's likely some new comic book stories would continue to be published probably in the trade paperback format.

The comic book market will continue whether new issues are being published or not. The new issue market seems unsustainable as it stands, but we'll see if Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Image, and the other publishers finally give up at some point. I'm after the issues I still need from the Bronze Age and earlier (and a few from the '80s/'90s), so it wouldn't dampen my enjoyment of the hobby at all if new books stopped coming out.

Would anyone else care to discuss the future of the new comic book market, or the back issue market?

Great discussion guys. I stopped collecting in my high school yrs. That continued throughout my college yrs and most of my 20s too. Just different place in life, plus didn't really have the cash or space. Once I became more secure in my profession, got married, and bought a house, I started collecting again. At first I went back and only bought back issues from the 70s and 80s, trying to complete the sets I left off many yrs ago. But the more you go into the comic shop, the more you see the newer stuff and eventually I became hooked. So i've been reading contemporary books too for the last ten years or so. I know the prices are insane ($5-$10 a book), but I like the stories, characters, and artwork. Some really cool horror stuff in that time. During their "New 52" run, DC put out Swamp Thing, Justice League Dark, Constantine, Phantom Stranger, Frankenstein, I Vampire, Resurrection Man, Demon Knights, and Dead Man among other horror titles. They don't compare to the classic versions, but I still thought it was fun to read those characters in new stories. Once in a while Marvel will put out mini-series runs for Morbius, Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing, and Legion of Monsters. I collect those too.

But anyhow, yeah it's tough for the shops. I talk to some of these owners. You have a few places that are like institutions. They've been around a long time, embedded in the community, and are destination places. These kind of shops will last. But some of the younger shops tell me they don't make any money selling new books. They make some $ selling trade books, but not the weekly releases. So to survive they're transitioning to selling more collectibles (i hate to tell some of you guys this, but it's the Funko stuff where they make money). They're also transitioning to the card game stuff. I don't really understand what that is or how it works, but the Magic cads and D & D kind of thing.

Either way, I hope some brick and mortar places survive.

[Hepcat]

I also remember being transfixed by this house ad for Sea Devils 2 that appeared in the issue of The Flash 124 for which I'd traded:





While I never acquired a copy as a kid, I have one now:





In fact I like both the ad and the cover so much that back in about 2003 I had the ad custom printed for myself on the front of a T-shirt with the cover on the back!

[horrorhunter]

I also remember being transfixed by this house ad for Sea Devils 2 that appeared in the issue of The Flash 124 for which I'd traded:





While I never acquired a copy as a kid, I have one now:





In fact I like both the ad and the cover so much that back in about 2003 I had the ad custom printed for myself on the front of a T-shirt with the cover on the back!

That's cool. I never had a custom T-shirt printed of a favorite comic book cover but I should have.

As a kid I enjoyed a few issues of Sea Devils. I also bought some Tomahawk and Metal Men issues, as well as any comic with a dinosaur on the cover. Ape covers were big too, but the dinos were what drew me the most. As I remember DC was huge with apes. I did buy a few issues of Batman and Wonder Woman back then, but I mostly liked the non-Superhero DCs the best.

DC produced many great gray-tone covers in the '60s. Those gray-tone covers are striking and eye-catching. I'd still go after more of those if I had more to spend these days.

[horrorhunter]

My copies of Swamp Thing #s 3-5:

1st full Patchwork Man in #3:


Classic Wrightson werewolf in #4:




For years my early Swamp Thing issues were mid grade or worse (with the exception of #s 1 & 2 bought from Overstreet) and I finally decided to upgrade them in the '90s and early 2000s. Those issues mean a lot to me since they feature the classic Wrightson art. Initially I had copies bought from used book stores and flea markets in my early collecting days. My #8 could still use an upgrade (from FNish) but overall I'm good with them being mostly in the VF range or better.

I think Wrightson did better zombies than anyone else in comics history, even "Ghastly" Graham Ingels (and that's saying something). Wrightson also excelled in illustrating werewolves. Here's the awesome spectacle Wrightson wrought in ST #4. Feast your eyes:

[horrorhunter]

Finally finished my Power Records Marvel Monsters Book and Record Sets with this Man-Thing eBay auction win.





I already had the Dracula, Werewolf, and Frankenstein Monster sets, so this finishes the four. There are some Superhero and Planet Of The Apes sets, but I was mainly after the monsters. eBay sellers have been asking $30-$50 or more for these things the last few months so I just waited for an auction and picked this up for $13 and cheap shipping. It took a couple of years for a chance at a good deal, but being patient pays off sometimes. I'm not a big Buy-It-Now guy when it comes to stuff like this. BIN prices on eBay have gotten very expensive. I usually pass on BINs unless it's something I want that comes up infrequently or it's mistakenly priced too low.

[Rex fury]

Nice find! Are these original stories or reprints from comics? I have a Spider-Man version which, i think, is from the first Man-Wolf appearance. I've had it for years and never really looked at or listen to it, so I'm not sure about the content. I wish I'd picked up the record versions of the early Marvel stories back when I was collecting the comics that were issued with them. My only copy of JIM 83 comes from those sets.
RF

[marsattacks666]

Finally finished my Power Records Marvel Monsters Book and Record Sets with this Man-Thing eBay auction win.





I already had the Dracula, Werewolf, and Frankenstein Monster sets, so this finishes the four. There are some Superhero and Planet Of The Apes sets, but I was mainly after the monsters. eBay sellers have been asking $30-$50 or more for these things the last few months so I just waited for an auction and picked this up for $13 and cheap shipping. It took a couple of years for a chance at a good deal, but being patient pays off sometimes. I'm not a big Buy-It-Now guy when it comes to stuff like this. BIN prices on eBay have gotten very expensive. I usually pass on BINs unless it's something I want that comes up infrequently or it's mistakenly priced too low.

Great score, H.H.
Power Records are awesome. I collect Planet of the Apes.

[Hepcat]

Finally finished my Power Records Marvel Monsters Book and Record Sets with this Man-Thing eBay auction win.

eBay sellers have been asking $30-$50 or more for these things the last few months so I just waited for an auction and picked this up for $13 and cheap shipping. It took a couple of years for a chance at a good deal, but being patient pays off sometimes.

I bought a bunch of the superhero ones back in 1982-83 marked down to $3-$5 at Sam the Record Man in downtown Toronto. Here are a few photos of my Batman Book and Record Sets including some of the interior pages:











Here are a few photographs of my Superman Book and Record Set:













And here are pictures of my Wonder Woman LPs:

















All of the above feature Neal Adams artwork.

[horrorhunter]

Nice find! Are these original stories or reprints from comics? I have a Spider-Man version which, i think, is from the first Man-Wolf appearance. I've had it for years and never really looked at or listen to it, so I'm not sure about the content. I wish I'd picked up the record versions of the early Marvel stories back when I was collecting the comics that were issued with them. My only copy of JIM 83 comes from those sets.
RF

As far as I know they're reprints, but the pages are altered in some cases to change the story around. The Man-Thing Record Set I posted about is from Man-Thing #5. I haven't compared it with the original but I know some of the others were changed somewhat from the original artwork and dialogue.

Most of those old comic book records, and most old monster record albums, are on You Tube. So, it's easy to listen to them even if you can't play the record.

[Rex fury]

I'll have a look at YouTube. I'd love to hear the adaptations of the comics and would get a kick out of hearing Famous Monsters Speak again after a lot of years!
RF

[geezer butler]

Finally finished my Power Records Marvel Monsters Book and Record Sets with this Man-Thing eBay auction win.





I already had the Dracula, Werewolf, and Frankenstein Monster sets, so this finishes the four. There are some Superhero and Planet Of The Apes sets, but I was mainly after the monsters. eBay sellers have been asking $30-$50 or more for these things the last few months so I just waited for an auction and picked this up for $13 and cheap shipping. It took a couple of years for a chance at a good deal, but being patient pays off sometimes. I'm not a big Buy-It-Now guy when it comes to stuff like this. BIN prices on eBay have gotten very expensive. I usually pass on BINs unless it's something I want that comes up infrequently or it's mistakenly priced too low.

That's bad ass double H. I have the Man-Thing and Frankenstein sets.

[geezer butler]

I found this cleaning out my grandparent's basement the other day. I vaguely remember having this as a child. I bet this record has been down there since the late 70s.

2020-12-18_11-47-25 by geezer2014, on Flickr

2020-12-18_11-47-33 by geezer2014, on Flickr

[horrorhunter]

The Brave And The Bold #31 featuring Cave Carson Adventures Inside Earth is posted at Monster Magazine World: https://monstermagazineworld.blogspot.com/2020/12/the-adventures-of-cave-carson-brave-and_27.html



Every page is posted including ads, etc. Issues 32 and 33 also featuring Cave Carson are posted there as well. Cool glimpse into early Silver Age DC. Cave Carson must have been inspired by Verne's Journey To The Center Of The Earth and some of Burroughs' tales.

[marsattacks666]

I found this cleaning out my grandparent's basement the other day. I vaguely remember having this as a child. I bet this record has been down there since the late 70s.

2020-12-18_11-47-25 by geezer2014, on Flickr

2020-12-18_11-47-33 by geezer2014, on Flickr

Power Record(s) are a fun listen.

[Rex fury]

So the snow is  falling and recent surgery is keeping me from my normal routine. What better day than today to work on my disorganized comic collection? I decided to tackle bagging and boarding my run of Spectacular Spider-Man. I'd forgotten how good some of those old issues were. This title had a nice infusion of horror as well as superhero storytelling. Anyone remember when the Vulture, posing as a funeral home director, attempted to cremate Spidey ? Or how about the introduction of Carrion by Frank Miller in issues 27 and 28? I really enjoyed revisiting the covers provided by Miller, Hannigan and Milgrom too.
While I don't really go in for alternative covers, I have to admit a certain fondness for the one on issue 240. It depicts Peter and a very pregnant Mary Jane. A Jack o lantern in the foreground sets the Halloween mood. It's subtle and powerful at the same time!
RF