Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > Entertainment Discussions > Comic Book Talk
Reload this Page >

Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Comic Book Talk The Place to talk about Comics

Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Old 02-24-15, 09:17 PM
  #1  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Thread Starter
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,866
Received 670 Likes on 448 Posts
Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Please allow me to vent.

So as regular readers know, I'm a lifelong comic collector and a bit of a hoarder. I've been slowly switching to digital and going thru books trying to decide what to sell/donate.

Here are a couple random examples making this so hard (for me and my brain):

Marvels - I loved this book from day one and have the original single issues. They are probably worth at least a few bucks each, but even if much more or nothing at all, I'll probably keep them forever because I enjoyed them so much and have memories of the waiting for and reading them. I bought the trade paperback to save my singles from exessive wear (but never opened it as far as I can tell). I later bought the anniversary hardcover edition for the extras because I'm an extras fiend. As of yesterday I have them digitally as well. So I should sell at least two of the versions. But I want the singles for mainly sentimental reasons, can't sell the digital, want the hardcover for the extras; so I thought I'd sell the paperback for sure, but it looks valuable enough (first print and unread, so looks like $25 on Amazon) to not just give to Good Will. I hate dealing with ebay or Amazon buyers, so I have no clue what I'll do. Probably nothing.

Bone - Another all time favorite series. Pretty sure I own all the singles, all the trade paperbacks, and the big single edition. Went to put the single editions in the trade pile, but I see some introductions from some of my favorite creators in them, and I know they're not in the single volume. The insane completest in me needs those introductions, and not just scans. Do I give away the big volume? It probably has something exclusive to it. Sell the singles? Are the covers reprinted in color in the complete volume? Argh!

Mage - Another favorite where I own all the singles, some of the early trade paperback collections, and the newer deluxe hardcover. The ~1988 trades seem rare and collectible enough that somebody would appreciate them more than a Salvation Army drop off or Facebook giveaway/sell.

Ok, I know I'm totally rambling, as usual. I just hate taking the time (and seller risk) of putting these things on ebay; and hate them not going to a fellow collector who will cherish the rarity of some of these gems (in my mind). I guess I'll try to get it all together and try to sell them cheaply here, then on my Facebook, hoping to find good homes.
Old 02-24-15, 10:30 PM
  #2  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Inhumans99's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Fremont, CA
Posts: 4,852
Received 272 Likes on 227 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Oh man...let it go, let it go, seriously dude. This is coming from a really long time comic fan (since Uncanny X-Men 188 was on the stands, and this was when books seemed to have dates that were at least a month or two ahead of when they actually hit the stands, so it was actually 1983 when the comic bug really bit me, and I turn 44 this year). I would have had a dozen ulcers by now if I had regrets about all the physical books I have let go of on eBay (and Amazon, before it was kind of a pain the ass to sell as a small fry).

One, I find myself always needing to make space, so I go through a 1-3 times a year cleanse and list most of my books on eBay (and 90% of my collection is now in the form of trades / hcs), two...did I mention that it is nice to actually have space in your living quarters, and 3, did I mention the space thing? No, well let me point out...kidding!

I just shake my head that I let go of books that were once considered filler books by companies like Dynamite, such as New Mutants 98. At one point, I used to buy the Dynamite daily deals, and like 5 books would be signed, and the rest of the 15 books in the deal were regular copies, and inevitably, Dynamite would oftentimes throw in the Deadpool issues of New Mutants. I may have even tossed those in as freebies when someone would win more than one auction from me on eBay...yeah, I just have to look forward and take solace in the fact that not every book I sell is going to be worth 50+ times what I sold it for a couple years later.

If you are not a hoarder, and do not take everything you read on Bleeding Cool as gospel (even I sometimes believe that every other new Image / DC / Marvel comic is going to be worth 10 times cover price in 3 months, but then those speculator articles are great clickbait), it is shockingly easy to sell things off every once in a while in batches, which helps pay for my hobby (and can help you pay for all those digital books you buy).

I guess what I am trying to say is that you should not care if they end up in good homes, or the hands of someone who thinks you are a sucker and sold them books for a song that they can flip, all you can do is hope they end up in the hands of someone who might want to sit down and read the books before throwing them in a box (or, as I just mentioned, flipping them).

In fact, I say more power to the buyer if they can turn around and do as well as you did or better selling the books they just picked up from you for 3 shiny beads.

Let's face it...we are laughing when the few folks on this board have dared to say, I have XYZ titles in my collection that I think are worth something, what do you think a store would give for them. We usually say that most potential sellers will be lucky if the store owner does not laugh them out of their doors for trying to sell them their gems/precious books, and if they catch the owner having a bad hair day, they may have to dodge a shotgun blast or two for trying to sell their pile of valuable books from the 70s/80s/90/2000s.

With the exception of some of your Bone books (and maybe a handful of your Mage books), you would not get much if you took the above books into a store, so just do not stress that eBayers will be taking them off your hands for 50 cents and a $4 starbucks gift card (that only has 3.21 left on it), in fact, oftentimes I am grateful that they are freeing up clutter in my apartment, and it beats throwing them in the recycle bin, or just giving them away to a thrift store (and I suspect that with the exception of a short box or two worth of books they will accept from donors, they probably turn away donors who want to dump tons of books/comics on their doorsteps...well, half price might take them and bluntly tell you that they will give you nothing and donate them, and again, thank goodness they will do that for most book/comic collectors who realize they need to give away most of their collection before they get a knock on their door from the producers of Hoarders).

I was going to delete this monster post/rant (see what you started Trevor), but screw it, I am leaving it alone. It remains true to this day that 90% of most "collectibles" is junk, and 10% is valuable, why keep things in your collection that you may never have the time to enjoy again (and if you get the itch to revisit the stories, there is always digital).

Last edited by Inhumans99; 02-24-15 at 10:41 PM.
Old 02-24-15, 10:51 PM
  #3  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 4,051
Received 213 Likes on 140 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Consider that if you love these stories selling the extras to someone who wants them is a great way to share the enjoyment; I have the Bone big collection myself and my 7 year old wanted to read it - my first temptation was to snatch it away but then I considered 'why not?' let more people enjoy it.

No matter what it's unlikely you can experience these again like you did the first time - that value has already been lost and clinging to the printings won't change that.

If you feel tormented by collecting seriously consider taking a surplus copy of Marvels and destroying it, don't let the material be in control of you - rebel! It might seem silly, but it's a small price to pay to explore letting go... or go get a cheap random back issue and tear it to shreds as an outlet.
Old 02-24-15, 11:20 PM
  #4  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Nick Danger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 30,528
Received 1,432 Likes on 913 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Did you read the Landlord thread in the Other Forum?

If your stuff is an impediment of some sort, get rid of the stuff.

I understand the attraction of keeping stuff "just in case". Mrs Danger is currently reading my Grant Morrison run of Doom Patrol. I just got back my Sandman floppies that I lent to a friend. I'd like to read Bone someday. But honestly, how much of your collection has the re-readability of Sandman, and how much of it is just complete-ism?
Old 02-25-15, 12:56 AM
  #5  
DVD Talk Hero
 
PhantomStranger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: The Phantom Zone
Posts: 27,376
Received 783 Likes on 657 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Trevor, if you are serious about cleaning out comics of this nature with as much as you have, go and rent a space as a dealer one weekend at a con. You have stuff that is still valuable to the right reader and I suspect a motivated seller like yourself could probably move a lot of stuff with the right prices at a con.

That solves the problem of avoiding eBay, while also handing them off to people that will likely want them.

I bet it would be a lot more fun to sell off your extras this way. I don't think most have a big enough collection to handle it this way but you probably do.
Old 02-25-15, 06:32 AM
  #6  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Formerly known as Groucho AND Bandoman/Death Moans, Iowa
Posts: 18,282
Received 369 Likes on 263 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

For the introductions in the Bone volumes, maybe scan then so you have them, then unload them?
Old 02-25-15, 07:07 AM
  #7  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Josh-da-man's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: The Bible Belt
Posts: 43,743
Received 2,677 Likes on 1,847 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Here's what you do: Keep all of your Marvels, Bone, and Mage.

1. Then find a bunch of comics and TPBs/HCs that you're never going to read again. I'm sure you have tons of stuff. Get rid of those. The more longboxes you have, the more shit you have that you'll never touch again. Say you have twenty longboxes; 90% of the comic books in those will never be read by you again.

2. Stop acquiring new stuff that will fall into that 90%.
Old 02-25-15, 08:47 AM
  #8  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Thread Starter
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,866
Received 670 Likes on 448 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Originally Posted by Inhumans99
<snip>
Great first response Inhumans. I just bought a bunch of Inhumans in the digital sale by the way.

I'm glad you didn't delete it. In fact, as I went to bed I thought I should change the title to make it a universal thread for all of us to rant on whatever comic related.

Yeah, I appreciate everyone's thoughts and will reply more later I'm sure. I will get rid of much of it; it's not at all about the money. I never buy anything with the thought of selling it. I'm just so detail oriented and OCD that selling it is too much work. Stopping before I keep ranting.....

But seriously, thanks everyone.
Old 02-25-15, 08:50 AM
  #9  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
hanshotfirst1138's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Livonia MI
Posts: 9,678
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 7 Posts
Given my compulsive collecting habits, this is why I never, ever got into issues and read everything in trades.
Old 02-25-15, 08:59 AM
  #10  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Spiderbite's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 16,043
Received 1,010 Likes on 616 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

I have run into this same issue with all forms of media over the last several years. Comics, books, DVDs, BDs, CDs, and on and on. It pains me to know how much I spent on some of this stuff when it was first released and now it is worth pennies. And I may even have two copies of the same thing or have never read/watched something before the "newer, better, shiner" edition comes out. And I want that too!

The good news is I am not a horder. I purge stuff constantly but it is the money loss that is starting to bug me which has been keeping my purchases in check lately. I've been selling consistently on Half.com/ebay for 15 years at least and it keeps a ton of stuff moving out of my house. But at the same time, why the fuck did I buy these things in the first place only to get rid of them a couple of years later? I irritate myself but I do feel I am getting better. It's all about learning my lesson and using self control.

I was in the Stephen King book club for many years and acquired all of his books. I tend to listen to audio books more than read nowadays (due to all the driving I do for my job and add in movies, magazines, video games, etc.) and actually sitting an reading novels has gone out the window for me. I now have a huge SK library and have read maybe half a dozen of them. It makes me sick.

So I decided to get rid of them all. Guess what? I will be lucky if I get 2 bucks a piece for the brand new books that have never been touched that I paid $18 bucks for. I realize it is my own fault and I am just going to keep myself from doing this shit in the future.

Regarding the old comics, I recommend giving them away to a kid (13 and under) who you know would appreciate them. I was one of those kids and when someone gave me some old comics way back then, I was in heaven and truly appreciated it. i would sit and reread them over and over.

I have every Star Wars action figure ever made (1977 to 1984) and all my old ships and junk. They were just sitting in my attic collecting dust in a box. When my son hit 5 or so, he was into Star Wars like so many kids are still today. I thought about their worth and then said fuck it. I took them all down and he played with them for 5 years (until he moved on). He got to enjoy them and I got to enjoy seeing him play with them. That was worth far more than the money I could have gotten for them.

So anyway...I feel your pain but you just have to quit buying. You need to clear shit out, suck up the loss, and as Josh said above me, stop acquiring stuff that you will just end up getting rid of eventually. The money you will save now and in the long run will be worth it.

Also, I recently discovered my public library. Why the fuck I never thought of the library as a resource for myself I will never know. It has helped me quit paying all the time for buying movies, books, graphic novels and even CDs. It pains me to think of all the things I could have just gotten for free through my library (like my goddamn worthless Stephen King collection. )
Old 02-25-15, 09:44 AM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 524
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

I'm in kinda the same boat. I don't have anywhere near as many books, but I find myself trying to consolidate to just books I REALLY want. These days, it consists of picking up the first work of artists/writers who I really enjoy, storylines that I've always loved and a few first appearances for characters who mean something to me.

It may be worth digging around Facebook to see if there are any groups of comic collectors in your area. I ended up stumbling across one in CO and it's full of people who just love comics. They even organize a group swap meet every 6 weeks or so and it's all about sharing the love of books. If you can find something like that, I would think it would be less of a headache than selling online and you have a better chance of the new owner being a diehard fan. Just an idea.
Old 02-25-15, 10:50 AM
  #12  
DVD Talk Limited Edition
 
madcougar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Houston
Posts: 6,691
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

A year ago, I began what I call the great purge after my collection reached 36 boxes. Basically, I've only kept series I love that I don't think I can get a fair price for (such as Starman Vol. 2) and series I love that I can't find in digital format (Static Vol. 1). Everything else is fair game. I've also "tightened" up my collectibles collection and have decided to focus on just a couple of things instead of anything that catches my fancy as was the case before.

Honestly, as I've gotten older, I've come to the realization that someone is going to have to deal with all this shit I've collected.

The one real plus of this has been that the more I let go of things, the easier it becomes. And second, I've used the proceeds of things I've sold to buy key issues I've always wanted that may actually be worth something some day and should be easy for my wife/kids to sell after I'm gone.
Old 02-25-15, 08:18 PM
  #13  
Banned
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 760
Received 20 Likes on 12 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

As a long-time comic book collector as well, I can sympathize with the OP & anyone else who is trying to get rid of comics, even if they don't really want to.

Here are my own personal rules - and this may work for you:

-If I have floppies (individual comics) & I also have the collected edition(s) (which typically has superior paper quality & color) of said floppies, I unload the floppies. No need for them, since my go-to volume re: reading these issues will be the collected edition(s), not the floppies.

-If I have comics that I may have liked at one time - but don't like anymore - and will never read again - I unload them.

Re: unloading them, I would recommend either the library or a local charity. It's fairly effortless, and will be appreciated.

However, if you think you can make money selling these, go for it - that being said, I personally don't have the time nor the energy to try to sell these online or at a flea market, etc. And, most comic books from the last 25 years are probably worth less these days then they were when you bought them anyway....

Just my .02...
Old 03-24-15, 01:00 PM
  #14  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Thread Starter
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,866
Received 670 Likes on 448 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Organizing a few magazine boxes today. Can't believe some of the crap I've saved over the years, yet, I can't throw most of it away.

First issues have always been a big thing for me. Here are some of the random first issues I save:

Discover
U.S. Weekly
National Geographic World
Microsoft Magazine 1994
Stuff
Home PC 1984
Cue News - Egghead Software's flyer
my homeowner association's newsletter from 1990
Videogaming Illustrated 1982

I could go on and on. Most are magazines that lasted less than a year and no one has heard of again. I should recycle them all and save maybe two or three 'gems' like Discover or US.
Old 03-24-15, 01:13 PM
  #15  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Nick Danger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 30,528
Received 1,432 Likes on 913 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Recycle bin.

A few years ago, offered about three feet of old motorcycle magazines for free on Craigslist. No one cares.
Old 03-24-15, 01:21 PM
  #16  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,973
Received 1,886 Likes on 1,456 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

I saved almost an entire run of Next Gen magazine, and while I've gotten rid of almost everything else I haven't touched them yet. Of course, they're buried in a magazine box somewhere.

I actually enjoyed going through old Wizards and seeing what was 'hot' at the time, but I've since found them digitally so I don't miss them too much.
Old 03-24-15, 01:32 PM
  #17  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Hokeyboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 20,387
Received 680 Likes on 419 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Tossed 95% of my comics when I moved in 2007 and never looked back.
Old 03-24-15, 01:46 PM
  #18  
DVD Talk Legend
 
The Valeyard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Building attractions one theme park at a time.
Posts: 10,800
Received 82 Likes on 49 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

If you're going to toss any comics, send 'em my way first.
Old 03-24-15, 01:47 PM
  #19  
DVD Talk Hero
 
Join Date: Aug 1999
Posts: 43,973
Received 1,886 Likes on 1,456 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Shipping is a killer, though.
Old 03-24-15, 01:55 PM
  #20  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 456
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Originally Posted by Trevor
Cue News - Egghead Software's flyer
I remember Egghead Software's B&M stores from when I was young. That will be a a get-off-my-lawn story to tell future children one day.

"You used to have to go to a store to buy computer software!"

"What's software?"

"You know, programs that run on a computer."

"What's a program?"

"Basically an application."

"Application?"

"An app..."

"So it wasn't instantly downloaded into your brain?"

". . ."
Old 03-24-15, 02:09 PM
  #21  
DVD Talk Godfather
 
davidh777's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Home of 2013 NFL champion Seahawks
Posts: 52,459
Received 987 Likes on 818 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Damn, Egghead Software flashback!

Old 03-24-15, 02:34 PM
  #22  
DVD Talk Hero
 
slop101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: So. Cal.
Posts: 43,861
Received 439 Likes on 307 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

I read the thread title, and I assumed it was going to be a rant about how difficult it is to find people to buy your shit, not how you can't let go. This is an entirely different issue, as it it deals with your mental well-being; something that you might be able to work out with some heavy therapy to figure out what happened in your life that makes you a hoarder, ascribing your own meaning to meaningless things, unable to let them go.
Old 03-24-15, 02:36 PM
  #23  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 1,481
Received 10 Likes on 7 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Not really what thread is about, but...

I think I'm going to end up having to throw out a bunch of my comics. I need to downsize and I'd like to sell them or donate them somewhere but no one really wants them.


Several years back, I took a short box to my local comic shop once to try to get rid of some, and this is the exchange that occurred:

Me: "Hey, I got some comics and I was wondering if you would be interested in any of them"
Him:*looks through box* "Okay, how much are you gonna give me to take them?"
Me: "Huh?"
Him: "Well, I just wanted to cover the cost of the gas I'm gonna burn driving these to the dump." *laughs*

That was also when it first really dawned on me that buying any comics after the mid-80s or so for investment is an incredibly stupid thing to do.

Last edited by Bob_Bobbson; 03-24-15 at 02:44 PM.
Old 03-24-15, 04:59 PM
  #24  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Thread Starter
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,866
Received 670 Likes on 448 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

I found some old programs from sporting events in the boxes and opened a Harlem Globetrotters program from 1981 for the first time since then perhaps. I got a bunch of their signatures! Also see that at one time I planned to collect every Super Bowl Official Program.
Old 03-24-15, 05:03 PM
  #25  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
Thread Starter
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,866
Received 670 Likes on 448 Posts
Re: Comic Book Rant - Hard to get rid of anything

Originally Posted by The Valeyard
If you're going to toss any comics, send 'em my way first.
Yeah, I have a couple longboxes of mostly early 90s Image and Marvel crap to get rid of, but no way you'd want to pay shipping for any of it. Local pickup it's all yours! But otherwise they are going to goodwill or a hospital.
Originally Posted by Bob_Bobbson
Not really what thread is about, but...

I think I'm going to end up having to throw out a bunch of my comics. I need to downsize and I'd like to sell them or donate them somewhere but no one really wants them.


Several years back, I took a short box to my local comic shop once to try to get rid of some, and this is the exchange that occurred:

Me: "Hey, I got some comics and I was wondering if you would be interested in any of them"
Him:*looks through box* "Okay, how much are you gonna give me to take them?"
Me: "Huh?"
Him: "Well, I just wanted to cover the cost of the gas I'm gonna burn driving these to the dump." *laughs*

That was also when it first really dawned on me that buying any comics after the mid-80s or so for investment is an incredibly stupid thing to do.
Goodwill takes them, at least my local one does. And perhaps a children's hospital?

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.