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Single issues vs tpb
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25 posts in this topic

Back again with another question.

So I’m a big modern collector with a few other ages here and there but nothing I’d consider substantial. 

My question: in terms value and cost, which is better to invest in for long term prospect, the single issues or the compiled tpb? I’m sure I know the answer, but figured I’d ask the more experienced. Thanks!

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Too many variables.  Define investment.  My experience buying hardcovers like the marvel omnibus series is that those types of books will only increase once marvel puts them out of print or takes forever to reprint them.  For the most part, the paperbacks gain value even less than hardcovers.  I only buy tpb/hc for the reading material. 

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In the end, you'll spend less money on TPBs, leaving more for you to invest in real investments.

The beauty of TPBs is that since you have already shown the patience to wait for the collected story, you might have the discipline to wait and buy the TPBs when they inevitably  get marked down. I can only think of two TPBs I've paid full price for- The Death of Superman and  the Alan Moore Supreme one. Rest I find for under $5. 

Edited by shadroch
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By investment I mean resale value, so if selling becomes necessary which is better for gain. Selling is looking like more of a reality at the moment.

I’ve got short boxes full of single issues, but I’m running out of space and need to start prepping for other life changes. So space is a must. I don’t mind waiting to read stories if needed. 

In short, I need to conserve and make more space.

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Its like buying or leasing a car.  You can buy the car brand new upfront and have everything in perfect shape and pay double.  You can find really nice condition used books and sell it for roughly the same or slightly less than you bought it for, or you can lease it (digital monthly subcriptions) and never own anything but you can still use it whenever.  Depending on how many books you read a month I would decide on which is cheaper, used or digital.

If your goal is just reading material and not speculating on new characters etc then avoid singles at all costs.  Most new $3/$4 books end up unsold in $1 or less bins after a few months.  In that case, it might be better to hunt those $1 bins instead at your local comic shows.

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18 hours ago, rogue14 said:

Back again with another question.

So I’m a big modern collector with a few other ages here and there but nothing I’d consider substantial. 

My question: in terms value and cost, which is better to invest in for long term prospect, the single issues or the compiled tpb? I’m sure I know the answer, but figured I’d ask the more experienced. Thanks!

Since you are a modern collector. That means newer comics. The question you need to ask yourself. Are you collecting single issues for the value investment or for to read? For me, there is no great value to collect modern single value after 1990. So if I want to read, I buy cheap or used TPB volumes for the reason. TPB volumes don’t have collectible value in there anyway.

Again, there is also the question of space to keep your comics. It is all about value versus space. You want to maximize value as much with little space. A room of all $1.00 modern comics by value in boxes that will never see great value ... or a few boxes of high value older vintage comics that will increase value over time?  I certainly don’t want lug so many boxes of $1.00 books all the time. It gets old fast and too much anyway. Why work so hard for so little?

Having a good bookcase of great TPB books to read is the way to enjoy your time reading, not having to worry about their value. 

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Yea, it’s looking like tpb is the way I’ll be going from now on. I like to read my books.

If I get older ages books I don’t usually read them just hang on to them for value, but not many in my collection.

Might attempt to sell a few from my boxes on here or eBay to make space for better things. Planning for the future..

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I use marvel unlimited. Great to catch-up on older copies, and they say they are 6 months behind, but they don't always post things older.

There are a few missing issues on more obscure titles that are incomplete (X-man).

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I can't picture looking at a two page spread on a computer screen, or a tablet.  It'd be like watching a movie on your cell phone.  If I have to squint, or scroll, or zoom, I can still read it, but I won't enjoy the experience.

For resale of TPB's, $5 each seems to work well enough at cons and craigslist, but you might not sell everything.  The other option is the LCS.  They may be interested in buying clean TPBs at $2-3 each to refill their shelves, or use as backstock, as long as they see enough books that they sell regularly.  I think you might get a stronger offer on a long box of TPBs than you would a long box of modern singles, but I'd consider both as disposable entertainment, rather than a safety net if you need cash.  

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17 hours ago, rogue14 said:

I’ve tried and unfortunately, digital books don’t work for me. There’s something about being able to hold and flip the pages of an actual book. I’m a tactile person. 

I'm pretty much exactly the opposite. 

The tablet I use is extremely light, large, and I enjoy reading comic books and the daily news on it.

Just a different type of tactile. :smile:

Edited by Ken Aldred
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Everytime I go into a comic book store I shake my head at anyone who spends $3.99 on this garbage new stuff.  Most of it now it worse than the 90's with bad storylines & art, besides Image comics why do any of you buy single issue and waste your $?

When I see a guy spending $60-80 dollars a week on new stuff it makes me laugh. Use that same $ and buy real back issues and buy TPBs.  You will save $ and space in your house.  Most of the time within 2 months those news books are put right into a dollar bin. haha

Edited by NewWorldOrder
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2 minutes ago, NewWorldOrder said:

Everytime I go into a comic book store I shake my head at anyone who spends $3.99 on this garbage new stuff.  Most of it now it worse than the 90's with bad storylines & art, besides Image comics why do any of you buy single issue and waste your $?

When I see a guy spending $60-80 dollars a week on new stuff it makes me laugh. Use that same $ and buy real back issues and buy TPBs.  You will save $ and safe.  Plus most of the time within 2 months those news books are put right into a dollar bin. haha

Wake up and stop being completely stupid with your $.

 

If everyone did that then marvel, dc image, and you name it would go into the great beyond. That's horrible advice (tsk)

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The spiderman omnibus is hard to read laying down. It weighs 20 pounds. Some say the color is different in the tpb vs floppies. I like to read the original comics. Time period ads, letters, house ads

Im doing that with an xmen run now. It's really expensive and kinda stupid. But exspensive and stupid is my specialty. 

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16 minutes ago, NewWorldOrder said:

Everytime I go into a comic book store I shake my head at anyone who spends $3.99 on this garbage new stuff.  Most of it now it worse than the 90's with bad storylines & art, besides Image comics why do any of you buy single issue and waste your $?

When I see a guy spending $60-80 dollars a week on new stuff it makes me laugh. Use that same $ and buy real back issues and buy TPBs.  You will save $ and space in your house.  Most of the time within 2 months those news books are put right into a dollar bin. haha

What's a "real back issue?"

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Can't really see how you're not reading real comics if you're reading in digital format.

A bit like saying that comic book artists who create their work digitally aren't real comic artists because they don't use traditional board and pencil and inks.

Something of a dinosaur attitude, really.

As much as I enjoy trade paperbacks and Archive / Omnibus hardcovers- and I have a lot - I can enjoy reading comics from all eras just as much, if not more comfortably, from a large-size, ultra-light, non-cumbersome iPad Pro.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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On 10/28/2017 at 1:59 PM, Fan Boy said:

Since you are a modern collector. That means newer comics. The question you need to ask yourself. Are you collecting single issues for the value investment or for to read? For me, there is no great value to collect modern single value after 1990. So if I want to read, I buy cheap or used TPB volumes for the reason. TPB volumes don’t have collectible value in there anyway.

Again, there is also the question of space to keep your comics. It is all about value versus space. You want to maximize value as much with little space. A room of all $1.00 modern comics by value in boxes that will never see great value ... or a few boxes of high value older vintage comics that will increase value over time?  I certainly don’t want lug so many boxes of $1.00 books all the time. It gets old fast and too much anyway. Why work so hard for so little?

Having a good bookcase of great TPB books to read is the way to enjoy your time reading, not having to worry about their value. 

Hi Just curious if you feel the same way nowadays in 2019 as you did then ? Since prices go up quickly nowadays on some modern books .

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