• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

n2wdw's Tales of the Comic Book Room
15 15

1,369 posts in this topic

Adding Shelf Space to the Comic Room

My latest project in my comic room was to add shelf space for more large Star Wars and Star Trek action figures.  I bought a bunch at the Steel City con last month (pics below).  Since then, I've updated my want list and I've realized I'm close to completing the sets.  So hopefully I'll be buying more in the near future.  But that means I need more shelf space to store them.

IMG_3106.thumb.jpg.61a59b4ce1f77211b08cfd7b201c1b33.jpgIMG_3107.thumb.jpg.79c7628b867dc293b4e246b23464eef2.jpg

 

At the moment, I store the large AFs on top of shelves, as a backdrop to part of my statue collection (see pic below).  But, I'm running out of space there.  On top of that, I'd like to re-position some of those action figures to make room for new statues in the future.

IMG_0044.thumb.JPG.187c4e72b31ec8e300234c69f7c75dfd.JPG

 

My comic room is small, but it does have a high ceiling.  So, I decided to build a shelf above my desk (that I use as a home office).  This is shown in the map of my comic room.  See below, where the new shelf I want to add is shown as a shaded box.  The shelf would be supported by Shelf 3, that already exists, and Shelf 10, that I had to build. 

238607535_ComicRoom2018-06-05.thumb.jpg.4bc5cd2353619328fb3d18ccf80e3f85.jpg

 

Building new Shelf 10 was easy, as I just re-used Ikea shelving I had left over from my old comic room.  I like this shelving as it bolts together and is very sturdy.  Below is a picture of new Shelf 10.  I store 9 short boxes underneath the lowest shelf.  Those boxes were already there, so I essentially build Shelf 10 on top of the boxes.

IMG_4449.thumb.jpg.8b113a7c6f9f8f2110903fa2ba8f407b.jpg

 

So then I was able to install the new high shelf on top of Shelves 3 and 10.  See below, where I'm looking up at the underside of the new shelf while I'm sitting at my desk.

IMG_4473.thumb.jpg.965e37ce0f1811c7d916d3ad4d6dc5df.jpg

 

In this next picture, I show how I've re-positioned some of my action figure collection (in this case, Captain Actions) onto the new shelf.  Because the ceiling is vaulted, I'm able to use the vertical space to store stuff.  At this point in my life, I'm very selective on new purchases of action figures.  Because of that, I'm pretty sure I've solved my action figure storage problem for the rest of my life (knock on wood).

IMG_4510.thumb.jpg.631561262ae11b0eff2bf68e2fd074b3.jpg

 

This last picture shows the shelf space I gained by moving the Captain Action boxes.  You see that empty shelf behind the Harleys?  It used to be completely packed with the Captain Actions.  Now I have a huge amount of room to buy and display more statues. 

Thanks for reading.

IMG_4513.thumb.jpg.6df2527f9a90548b996d22bdc0167691.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man, that's one full comic room!  I just instituted a new rule. Many of my comic boxes are full or near full. Instead of just adding a new box, I have to sell books to put new ones in. Kind of liberating as many GA books, I can really live without anyway. I've had the same thing for toys for a while. At least 75% of my stuff is on display. Now if I want to put something in a case or shelf, something has got to go. Once you start parting with stuff, it's not really that hard...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Man, that's one full comic room!  I just instituted a new rule. Many of my comic boxes are full or near full. Instead of just adding a new box, I have to sell books to put new ones in. Kind of liberating as many GA books, I can really live without anyway. I've had the same thing for toys for a while. At least 75% of my stuff is on display. Now if I want to put something in a case or shelf, something has got to go. Once you start parting with stuff, it's not really that hard...

I haven't gone that far, but I am more strict with what I buy.  I've stopped buying action figures, other than completing my existing sets.  I have a few comic titles I'm still working on, but I'm not adding anything big.  I've scaled way back on buying books and trades.  The other day I got an offer to buy the complete run of the Spirit magazine.  In years past I would have jumped for that.  Now I had to pass as I don't have the room to store all those mags.

Nowadays I mostly collect keys and GGA, so I'm collecting issues rather than titles. But I'm spending more on comics now than ever (Bakers, keys, GGA classic covers, etc., are expensive).  I don't get the visceral satisfaction of checking off want lists like when I was collecting big titles like ASM and FF, but overall my collecting now goes for quality over quantity, and I'm having more fun now than ever (being in my "peak earning years" and having more money to spend is a big part of that).  And anyway, I've completed the titles I really want (like ASM and FF), so I feel like I've got a good foundation of a collection and now I can go for individual issues rather than titles.

Edited by n2wdw
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Part 2 of Adding Shelf Space to the Comic Room

When I built Shelf 10 (see arrow 1 in the map below), I left space in the front to build another shelf, called Shelf 11 (arrow 2). 

870529284_ComicRoom2018-06-05.thumb.jpg.288393390c1031dadf5b99a8c7e8e18d.jpg

 

Here's Shelf 10 before I built Shelf 11:

IMG_4449.thumb.jpg.ef9c0842a0f4f21fadbc97035c03766c.jpg

 

And now, here's Shelf 11:

IMG_4461.thumb.jpg.79600167c7ea38bf60553fdf11122a90.jpg

 

I sized Shelf 11 for comics in Mylar.  They are not tall enough to hold CGC slabs.  By doing this, I was able to add an additional shelf.

I left space underneath the shelves to store books on the floor.  For anyone who is space-challenged like me, storing books on the floor is an extremely good use of space.  Of course you can't store anything high grade there.  But these books are ones that I read so I'm not worried about grade.

IMG_4462.thumb.jpg.7abaa872643c066fc0839ed5e2876f00.jpg

 

So why did I build Shelf 11?  You see this shelf as soon as you walk into my comic room, and I wanted a prominent place to display key comics that I've decided not to slab.  For example, here's a comic I recently bought from @skypinkblu, Wilbur 5.  This comic has the first appearance of Katy Keene.  Because of the chunk out of the cover, I bought the comic knowing I wasn't going to grade it.  Also, I didn't want to slab it so I can read it from time to time.  So this key comic is one that I plan to display on my new Shelf 11.

406829979_PhotoScan(8).thumb.jpg.6a262cc14bb04a5a1937b7b93e603e1e.jpgIMG_4534.thumb.jpg.02731eb0daafeb1c213799b7726922f4.jpg

 

 

Edited by n2wdw
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 Hours At the SDCC 2018 - Part 1

This is my journal of the San Diego comic-con.  In the lottery, I only won Thursday and Sunday tickets.  I thought about trying to get Friday and Saturday tickets through various means (of which I will not discuss in public, if you know what I mean), and then I thought about just being a tourist in SD on Fri and Sat between my Thur and Sun forays at the con.  Finally I decided to just go Thursday.  I'll fly into San Diego on Wednesday, spend all day Thursday at the con, and then Thursday night I'll take the red-eye home to the east coast. 

Whew!  Just writing that makes me exhausted!  But I've already done this West Coast-One Day con madness with Terry's con in Anaheim this year.  So what the heck, I decided to go for it. 

Since this is my first SDCC since 2014, I'll post this journal of pre-con and post-con thoughts, as well as providing a report of my Thursday at the con.

Today I got my Thursday and Sunday tickets.  They came in a cool collectible box:

IMG_4519.thumb.jpg.287d8e6e474c9dc94f2d4cb967180fb6.jpg

 

This is what you see when you open the box;

IMG_4521.thumb.jpg.2b55e31c7d07023bde66051da1d84045.jpg

 

The tickets come in 2 parts.  First, a badge.  I'm happy to get the Walking Dead badge, but I wonder what the other variations are.  Second, the actual tickets with your name (in my case, Thursday and Sunday).

IMG_4522_thumb_jpg_6a571d9e805a97e65d79667a121b5247.jpg.bc7595a46556d87444292827c81c5289.jpg

 

Then underneath the badge and tickets, they give you a very cool pin.

IMG_4523.thumb.jpg.5312444c338ac29e5991ef3ade2274d7.jpg

 

Under the pin is an information booklet:

IMG_4524.thumb.jpg.286bd541020f323f225c24023090a18a.jpg

 

Finally, here's what the inside of the box looks like once you take everything out of it:
IMG_4531.thumb.jpg.00d424cf3c486fb685d7d979d4e5126e.jpg

 

My immediate thought was, now that they give people their badges and tickets ahead of time (rather than making you prove your ID via the in-person registration of the past), how can they prevent people from selling their tickets?  There's at least one website that's selling SDCC tickets (https://www.viagogo.com/Theater-Tickets/Exhibitions/Comic-Con-Tickets/E-2325452). But, let me just say I have no idea if this website is legit or if the tickets will work.  Also, I have no plans to sell my Sunday ticket, even though I won't be using it.  Because, I want to keep the badge as a souvenir.

Edited by n2wdw
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, jr81784 said:

I think this thread is my favorite on the boards-love the amazing glimpse you have given us into your collecting, travel, etc. Always look forward to your updates. :applause:

Thanks!

 

10 hours ago, skypinkblu said:

WOW, what a wonderful room...I'm beginning to rethink my closets method of storage;) Love that Wilbur and Katy have a shelf:):foryou:

Part of the fun of my comic room is organizing and reorganizing things, and always looking for how to store and display more stuff.  I remember a comic store I used to go to, Barbarian Books and Comics in Wheaton MD.  The store was packed with bookshelves that went up to the ceiling and were bursting with stuff.  There were piles of comics and magazines everywhere.  Soundtracks of musicals were always playing in the background.  At the front of the store was a long counter and it was also packed with shelves in the back and stuff on the counter.  There was barely any space behind the counter, for the owner Carl to ring people up at the cash register.

I loved the feel of the old Barbarian Comics.  I say "old" because the last time I was there (years ago), the store had been converted to be more like a typical comic store, and Carl told me he had sold the store and was now working as an employer.  But the old Barbarian is one of the inspirations of the organized chaos of my comic book room, along with the hideouts of my childhood like the one in the Three Investigator books.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Robot Man said:

Whaaa? I thought I missed it...:devil:

Seriously, how can you do much of anything in one day? It used to take me at least two days to box dive that show. Times have changed I guess.

I plan to get through the entire show floor.  I'm not sure how much comic buying I'll do.  Most of what I do buy will probably be in artist avenue.  I'm going mostly to soak everything in, and get a feel of what SDCC is like after not going for 4 years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, n2wdw said:

I plan to get through the entire show floor.  I'm not sure how much comic buying I'll do.  Most of what I do buy will probably be in artist avenue.  I'm going mostly to soak everything in, and get a feel of what SDCC is like after not going for 4 years.

My feet hurt just thinking about your trip. I haven't been to San Diego in years. When I did go, I was sitting on the floor waiting for them to open for hours, and it reminded me of the subways in NYC...something I tried to avoid;)

There was a nice park behind the convention center, I remember going there with a friend just to sit on a bench without being in a crowd, lol. The weather is always lovely, that's a huge plus:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/21/2018 at 6:27 AM, skypinkblu said:

My feet hurt just thinking about your trip. I haven't been to San Diego in years. When I did go, I was sitting on the floor waiting for them to open for hours, and it reminded me of the subways in NYC...something I tried to avoid;)

There was a nice park behind the convention center, I remember going there with a friend just to sit on a bench without being in a crowd, lol. The weather is always lovely, that's a huge plus:)

For years I did exactly that, sit on the floor for hours waiting for the con to open.  I watched movies on my phone or tablet and worked on my computer.  The last time I went 4 years ago, I relaxed and ate breakfast at a Mexican place and then walked directly into the con about 15 minutes after it opened.  I wonder if that still works.  Does anyone know?  If not, then I will wait the hours to get in, since I only have the 1 day for the show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 Hours At the SDCC 2018 - Part 2

 

I just re-read my trip report from my last trip to SDCC in 2014.  I had forgotten, but that time I only went for 2 days (Thur and Fri).  So perhaps just the single day this time (Thur) will be enough.  I was kind of jaded during that last visit too.  For anyone who's interested, here's my con report for Thursday of SDCC 2014 (this is from my old format journal):

 

San Diego 2014 Thursday

Took the boat from Coronado to a dock behind the Marriott Marina (where I wish I was staying!). In past years I've waited in the long lines to get in, but this year I've decided to hang out and then try to walk in when the con opens at 930am. That's worked before, which makes you wonder the point of waiting in line unless you're at the front and planning to race for an exclusive.

So I wonder why I'm here. The sidewalks are incredibly crowded, I can only imagine what it will be like inside the con in 35 minutes. I think back to last year and the relative calm and laid back atmosphere of WW Chicigo.

But you can't beat SDCC for the total immersion in comic and popular culture. There are huge building size banners everywhere, there are more each year. Here's one on the hilton right across the street from the con, that I snapped while walking to get breakfast at Rockin' Baja for breakfast. I had to text this one to two of my kids who are into Walking Dead with me.

445f0d12c7227057e5282949bebbe2b9_zps0f9e1fa5.jpg

 

The breakfast at RB was good, Huevos Rancheros:

143130c282915ebecc6184857a1e3500_zps6bd6b384.jpg

 

Update at 940, the crowd 10 minutes after the con opening:

d66e6622d52a97313f83aa400703a196_zps4ca76c94.jpg

 

San Diego 2014 Thursday #2

I'll post more observations later, for now here are some cosplay pictures I took:

077f792aab0d46bb8c7a1d81fef8312b_zps6628eb44.jpg

1168488abd48a839d2fd305225a0b4d9_zps300adf72.jpg

32226ec068dbcb031f0ee5fe9de83f5a_zpsb7c3bbfb.jpg

3ec2ef592f7dd1f57df19e820756ff05_zps9f5294c0.jpg

 

The last was of the young girl helping Joe Benitez at his booth. A CGC witness helped me out with signatures at Joe's booth. It took some time though. I apologized to the witness and he said "Yeah, you forced me to look at the pretty girl longer." Ah, youth ...

This isn't cosplay but still very cool, RASL from Jeff Smith's booth:

b03ae21686f736c81468fb1f1de4a00e_zps04cdbdd5.jpg

 

San Diego 2014 Thursday #3

The crowds were not nearly as bad in the comics area. Here's a picture around 945am on Thursday.

ab06dcf11fefb5c111c8fda88e36b617_zps81137e4a.jpg

I've been to SDCC about 10 times and each year there are less comic dealers. There seem to be a good number of the big national silver/gold dealers here. But the smaller comic dealers from years past -- the ones with inexpensive low and mid grade silver and tables and tables of dollar comics sorted in alphanumeric order -- and the ones where you might be able to get a good deal on high grade silver and SA/GA keys -- those dealers are not here. I assume it's because of the high cost of attending SDCC.

I go to one big con in the summer (I'd love to go to more but too many family commitments), and I bounce back between SDCC and WW Chicago. Last year I went to WW, and comparing the 2 cons for comic shopping, WW is the clear winner.

That's not to say the con isn't alot of fun. I've just changed focused and decided not to focus on too much comic buying.

The key to any con is learning how it works. For example, WW Chicago has a back door into the con. They'd be long lines at the front door, while you could walk right in at the back door. Unfortunately the con shifted space last year so that door didn't work.

At SDCC there are a couple things I've figured out. One, you don't have to wait in line to get in, unless you want to. And it can be fun to wait in the long line because there's alot of excitement and energy there. But you don't have to. Yesterday the con opened at 930 and I (along with alot of other people) walked right in at 930. So I probably got in before alot of people who'd waited for hours in the long lines.

Another key to SDCC happiness is bag check. Each year they have 2 or 3 bag checks. It costs $2 for each bag and it is really a savior. I bought a few statutes and a number of books, and rather than having to lug them around or waste time going to the hotel, I checked them into bag check. The problem is the bag checks get full pretty early. But the staff does a good job of rearranging things to open up new space. Today I ended up checking 4 bags and it really made the con alot more fun not having to carry around all that weight.

Now walking around the con ...

The Lego booth had a bunch of these message boards. I texted it to my kids and my 17 year old immediately noticed the "yaoi."

 

f5a65f072c3677750947541884c6220c_zps0d8f7bff.jpg

 

One of the art dealers had this original Vargas. The price? $85,000.

f5caf439f3aea705f39ca4271f49aeef_zps856db2b7.jpg

 

San Diego 2014 Thursday #4

More walking around the con:

This is a cool Game of Thrones original painting. It wasn't for sale, the display said it was on loan from George R. R. Martin's collection:

IMG_0268_zps8b74743f.jpg

 

They have the Walking Dead Terminus you can walk through. I'm hoping to do that Friday.

IMG_0249_zps5b234416.jpg

 

Big banner for the next Hunger Games movie:

IMG_0269_zps31f611a1.jpg

 

Here are a few things I picked up. I got the new Campbell MJ and Gwen statutes:

IMG_0277_zpsffd11e9b.jpg

 

I got these Schomberg covers. The dealer (the fooz ball guy, although he didn't have his table this year) gave me a nice discount off the sticker prices.

IMG_0281_zps5de76295.jpg

Edited by n2wdw
Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 Hours At the SDCC 2018 - Part 3

San Diego comicon is only a week and a half away, so I need to get serious with my preparations.  Even though I'm only going to attend for 1 day (on Thursday), I want to get my want lists up to date.

The last time I went in 2014, it was incredibly crowded and even the line to get a t-shirt was long.  So I wasn't able to get a t-shirt.  This time though, you can pre-order a t-shirt (and other SDCC merchandise) and then pick your stuff up at the Marriott.  I think this is a big upgrade, and I ordered myself a t-shirt and baseball cap.  (The only t-shirt with the year was the Catwoman version, so I ordered that one.)

898391884_SDCC2018pre-ordermerch.thumb.JPG.7d8e8a81a8b3fb5a046eed0cebb9ea5f.JPG

 

Lately I've managed to pick up a few nice comics.  Like this one, the first appearance of Torchy.

IMG_4627.thumb.jpg.1ca84ef90df383a884ad748238aa1c56.jpg

 

I've also been playing around in my comic room.  I added more ways of displaying CGC books.  Here's one of them.  Right now it only has Diary Secrets 19 (one of my favorite Matt Baker covers), but you can see there's a lot of space for more comics.

IMG_4675.thumb.jpg.61cc8e18c00ee6e73ba3be252c0ab5c7.jpg

 

I'll end with my latest food obsession, Middle Eastern Tah Dig.  This is the macaroni version.  It's incredibly easy to make, and the combination of crispy and soft noodles is really something.

IMG_4663.thumb.jpg.9d2ac4249d2b8d25ab332bf324267918.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/26/2018 at 7:29 PM, n2wdw said:

24 Hours At the SDCC 2018 - Part 2

 

 

I got these Schomberg covers. The dealer (the fooz ball guy, although he didn't have his table this year) gave me a nice discount off the sticker prices.

IMG_0281_zps5de76295.jpg

The Foosball guy is Phil Schlaefer  of Champion Comics in Sunnyvale, CA.  If you can beat him in Foosball, you get a discount.  Nobody has ever beaten him at SDCC.  He used to bring a pinball machine and Foosball table to SDCC.

1155462979_PhilSchlaefer.jpg.412c496f5291bed84662c9a12df75bc1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, BitterOldMan said:

The Foosball guy is Phil Schlaefer  of Champion Comics in Sunnyvale, CA.  If you can beat him in Foosball, you get a discount.  Nobody has ever beaten him at SDCC.  He used to bring a pinball machine and Foosball table to SDCC.

1155462979_PhilSchlaefer.jpg.412c496f5291bed84662c9a12df75bc1.jpg

I just checked and I'm pleased to see that Phil and Champions is setting up again this year (in the same spot if I remember right).  He'll definitely be one of the first places I go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 Hours At the SDCC 2018 - Part 4

My prep for SD is about done.  I've got my want lists on my iPad with backup paper copies.  My schedule next week is hectic.  I fly to SF on Sunday, and then have work meetings Monday and Tuesday.  I'll fly from SF to SD on Wed, then spend the day in Gaslamp.  My main goal on Wednesday is to pick up my pre-orders (t-shirt and baseball cap).  I'll be at the con all day Thursday (930am - 7pm).  Then I'll head to the airport for the flight back to the east coast.

So what to do at the con?  On Wednesday I plan to see a movie at the Horton Plaza.  It's what I always do when I go to the SDCC.  I haven't decided on the movie. Maybe Antman or Ocean's 8.  I might see a second movie too, maybe Jurassic Park.

On Thursday at the con, I plan to hit the comic dealers first.  The golden/silver pavilion, and the small press area.  Then artist avenue.  Then everything else.  I WILL hit all the dealers on the floor.  I'd like to see a panel or two (comic related, rather than media), but we'll see if I can get into anything.  Ideally it'll be around lunch time, so I can eat a hot dog or something while I'm at the panel (which is a great use of time). I'm not willing to wait in a long line since I have to get through the entire exhibit floor.

What do I hope to buy?  Well, I have limited space to bring stuff home (just a suit case).  So that means no action figures, no statues, a limited number of books.  I can buy comics though, and I hope to pick up 1 grail.  That's my goal, one grail.  But we'll see.  I'm sure dealers have to up their prices to offset the higher costs of SDCC, so if I can get the book cheaper on eBay then I'll pass at the con. 

I'll close with a picture from my comic room.  This is the new shelf I built, that I talked about above.  The idea of this shelf was to showcase comics I intend to keep as raw, rather than graded.  You'll see I have some Torchys, Sherrys and GI Janes, high grade Harveys, the first Katy Keene, and what I hope will be Millie the Model 1-10.  Maybe I'll pickup something for the shelf in SDCC.

IMG_4604.thumb.jpg.c9dad2ab0ce249398bd76dedf6078bd2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like a crazy schedule Mike. Have fun! Do you know any of the dealers? Maybe one of them could get you in on preview night. Get a jump on comic buying. It won't matter much though because us LA guys are going to do our best to clean out all the dealers at the Torpedo Con on Sunday...:devil:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/21/2018 at 6:00 AM, n2wdw said:

I remember a comic store I used to go to, Barbarian Books and Comics in Wheaton MD.  The store was packed with bookshelves that went up to the ceiling and were bursting with stuff.  There were piles of comics and magazines everywhere.

I love these kinds of places. :cloud9:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
15 15