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Collectors with Kids
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37 posts in this topic

30 minutes ago, Rick2you2 said:

If you really want to rationalize bigger purchases, save the shekels and stop making smaller purchases. Personally, I like my smaller purchases, in some case, more than the bigger ones. Cost and perceived value are not the same.

Already happening. After 4 years in the hobby I’m definitely in a consolidate and prioritize phase. That being said, I have a con coming up and I love commission hunting up and down artists’ alley. Otherwise covers and splashes are the focus. 

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2 hours ago, Bird said:

My oldest daughter is going into her Junior year at Pratt Institute, taking her to all those cons created an artist! $65K/year without scholarship but luckily taking her to all those cons created an artist and she got a $25K per year merit scholarship. I was definitely worried that despite planning and a healthy 529 (mostly via grandparent) that it would drown us but we have weathered it well. [Well, we will if I can get working again once NJ gets around to finishing my psychology license application which takes forever.] The younger daughter hopefully will choose Rutgers, where my wife is employed so that means $1 tuition a semester and a healthy check for her when she graduates! But my buying slowed down when eldest was approaching college and will likely ramp back up once youngest settles in and I am sure the bills are getting paid. But I am fortunate enough to have good mother-in-law who killed that 529 and have been able to buy some nice things even when not at full buying power.

 

Thanks - this is somewhat in line with what I was expecting - and good to know there can be positive outcomes to our enthusiastic collecting of comics. I wouldn’t mind a comic creator in the family. Here’s a pic of me and my daughter at her first con. The photo op was too good to pass up, and she played her part brilliantly...

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I started collecting comic art in 2013. My wife and I had our first child in 2014. I should’ve stopped collecting, but no. Then in 2016 we had a second one and should’ve stopped there, but no. I did stop reading weekly comics though. I used to take my daughter to smaller, less crowded cons. I frequently take my kids to comic shops though. 

That first year of collecting I bought 3 pieces of art (out of 97 posted in CAF) with real, paycheck money. Otherwise all my buying comes out of selling collectibles, comics, and whatever I can get money out of selling on eBay. So with the exception of the previous example, I don’t use “real” money to buy art. It’s money I already spent years ago. And of course, after collecting for a while, I do sell art in order to trade up or let go of pieces as my tastes change. Since I only buy with what I can raise, it puts a cap on my spending, and makes for a modest collection. It does, however, make me get creative and disciplined, putting together a collection. 

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18 minutes ago, Jay Olie Espy said:

I started collecting comic art in 2013. My wife and I had our first child in 2014. I should’ve stopped collecting, but no. Then in 2016 we had a second one and should’ve stopped there, but no. I did stop reading weekly comics though. I used to take my daughter to smaller, less crowded cons. I frequently take my kids to comic shops though. 

That first year of collecting I bought 3 pieces of art (out of 97 posted in CAF) with real, paycheck money. Otherwise all my buying comes out of selling collectibles, comics, and whatever I can get money out of selling on eBay. So with the exception of the previous example, I don’t use “real” money to buy art. It’s money I already spent years ago. And of course, after collecting for a while, I do sell art in order to trade up or let go of pieces as my tastes change. Since I only buy with what I can raise, it puts a cap on my spending, and makes for a modest collection. It does, however, make me get creative and disciplined, putting together a collection. 

We seem to have followed a very similar trajectory, except I started collecting after our kids were born. I put together a war-chest after losing everything I bid on in my first HA. Luckily, before OA, I had fairly modest tastes, and this war-chest probably represents a nice car for someone else or a down payment on a cabin somewhere. But I’m getting to the end of it, and can definitely see some trading in the future to continue building. I am enjoying the art of newer artists and the price point is better, as others have mentioned. Or I can save all those daycare payments...

Thanks for sharing your experience!

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50 minutes ago, dichotomy said:

The photo op was too good to pass up, and she played her part brilliantly...

Well, there is that sign that says "cosplay is not consent".

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11 hours ago, dichotomy said:

Ahem - I’ll just interject here to say that my original post had nothing to do with wives, only kids! 😀

FYI - my wife is great. She got me my first Alex Ross pieces for my 40th birthday and really threw open the door to my collecting. She is not active, but can appreciate some of the pieces, particularly the commissions with kids, and I got her a Mindy Lee Catwoman that she really likes. She tolerates my display of some pieces, and I’ve given her carte blanche to tell me if it gets to be “too much”. 

While wives may generally not get our ‘collecting bug’ in the same way, their tempering influence might be a good thing sometimes  

 

 

Can you post a photo of the Alex Ross?  Would love to see what she bought for you.

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I have two young children also.  My priority in finances is to put a set amount to go into their 529s and our retirement accounts along with the mortgage.  So the money I spend on art is not what we need to cut into those other areas.  

My wife is great.  She never bought me an Alex Ross or other art, but if it makes financial sense she is fine with what I buy.  

When I started dating my wife, I took her to the San Diego Comic Con so she would hopefully understand what I liked.  At her first convention I introduced her to Bill S and had him do a commission of her in a Catwoman outfit as best as possible.  He did a great job and she liked it and started to get art.  It is framed in our bedroom.  I started showing her art and the trends.  She is an MBA so it had to make financial sense to her, so I would mention to her what I was buying.  At one point she wanted bitcoin, so I told her to buy bitcoin and I would buy art and let's see who did better on a small amount of money.   I won that competition even though my win was theoretical since I didn't sell.  But she started to see the benefit of what I was doing.  I do collect for what I like.  But now with kids, I also collect what they may like and what may be of value in the future.  

 

 

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29 minutes ago, Peter L said:

Can you post a photo of the Alex Ross?  Would love to see what she bought for you.

Oh man, she was really charmed by Sal. Apparently she picked a piece but somehow it was misplaced or sold to someone else, so he sent the below by way of apology. And not to get Sal in trouble, but my wife can also be very polite and charming! 

 

I’d love to see the Bill S piece! My wife’s 40th is coming up and I really wanted to get her a Bill S commission of Leonard Cohen (her favorite) but I just couldn’t make it happen. 

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In the first 3 or so years of marriage my wife bought me this one

12p9.jpg

 

I think that it was $40 at the time. I have been a HUGE Starman fan since the series came out, a great legacy series. The Golden Age got me hooked on James Robinson and I went right into the Starman series out of Zero Hour.

 

Then a few years later she got me this one for my birthday, communicating directly with BWS and his studio. The love in the gift makes me overlook the sig. It was not $40! 

 

BWSarcherarmstrong.jpg

 

 

 

 

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47 minutes ago, Bird said:

In the first 3 or so years of marriage my wife bought me this one

12p9.jpg

 

I think that it was $40 at the time. I have been a HUGE Starman fan since the series came out, a great legacy series. The Golden Age got me hooked on James Robinson and I went right into the Starman series out of Zero Hour.

 

Then a few years later she got me this one for my birthday, communicating directly with BWS and his studio. The love in the gift makes me overlook the sig. It was not $40! 

 

BWSarcherarmstrong.jpg

 

 

 

 

Absolutely stellar! You're a lucky guy. It's hard to give gifts to collectors. I'm blown away by the effort! 

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I’ve been collecting well before getting married and kids. Kids both have 529’s that are well funded and both have 10+ years until school. We both have a decent amount in our retirement funds as well. That being said, I spend too much and know it lol Thankfully since all things are covered the wife doesn’t bother me much with art or other collectible purchases. She’s seen me sell them for good money as well so she’s aware of what the stuff is worth. While she has never bought me art, I gave her this for our anniversary years ago. It was a double gift 😜

4A1E1355-0AAC-4860-BB8C-20E22DFF8555.jpeg

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6 hours ago, dichotomy said:

Already happening. After 4 years in the hobby I’m definitely in a consolidate and prioritize phase. That being said, I have a con coming up and I love commission hunting up and down artists’ alley. Otherwise covers and splashes are the focus. 

I think that good quality panel pages are really overlooked and undervalued. If an artist is able to move the story along with creative graphics, it demonstrates to me a skill level going well beyond draftsmanship. Obviously, they don't have the impact of covers or splashes, but as hobbyist in this field, where story flow is essential, they can really make a difference. So, don't overlook something clever, attention-getting and containing a logical flow.

In terms of funding, I am in a similar situation to Bird, except the last of my 3 is at U. of Wisconsin at Madison, where a years worth of room, board and tuition is now over 50K and there is no scholarship. So, I get your predicament. Just scrape a little more here and there. Shop Costco, pick up their credit card, accumulate those points, stuff like that. 

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27 minutes ago, dichotomy said:

Absolutely stellar! You're a lucky guy. It's hard to give gifts to collectors. I'm blown away by the effort! 

Yeah. She done good!

Now at 25 years married I tell her to not give me bills and end up with Marvel glasses and such! But I buy myself presents too!

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9 hours ago, Rick2you2 said:

I think that good quality panel pages are really overlooked and undervalued. If an artist is able to move the story along with creative graphics, it demonstrates to me a skill level going well beyond draftsmanship. Obviously, they don't have the impact of covers or splashes, but as hobbyist in this field, where story flow is essential, they can really make a difference. So, don't overlook something clever, attention-getting and containing a logical flow.

In terms of funding, I am in a similar situation to Bird, except the last of my 3 is at U. of Wisconsin at Madison, where a years worth of room, board and tuition is now over 50K and there is no scholarship. So, I get your predicament. Just scrape a little more here and there. Shop Costco, pick up their credit card, accumulate those points, stuff like that. 

Totally agree on the panels. I’m MR thrifty. Uber pool, walking, Trader Joe’s - I never craved anything too fancy until OCA - now all my saving has a focus!

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