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Least Collectible Comic Series?
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120 posts in this topic

On 9/26/2020 at 9:33 AM, valiantman said:

I once spent half an hour going through bargain boxes at a convention that were just twenty-five years of Legion of Superheroes (1970s-1990s) without a single book worth $1.

25 years of nothing.

Huge LoSH fan here, but it's true, once you get into the 80's, there's very little that will cost you more than a buck. And that includes the entire runs of Tales, the Baxter Series, the Five Years Later series, the Threeboot/Archie Legion, and the Abnett/Lanning Legion, the Waid/Supergirl series, etc.  It really is like 25+ years of books without a single key or hot issue.

There was a time when the two Baxter Death of Superboy issues commanded a premium, but they're dollar bin books now as well. I will occasionally see those two issues in a dealers bins for $10-$20, but ain't no body paying that when you can go to the booth next door and get them for a buck.

On one hand it's a shame, because that run from the Baxter series through 5YL is one of my absolute favorite comic series of all time, and I wish more people dug it. (I also really love the Moy/Threeboot books, they were super duper fun. I'm less enamored of Legion Lost/Worlds etc and the Waid stuff.) But on the other hand, I don't mind, because I've been able to put all of those runs together a couple of times now for a buck a book or less.

 

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Grendel is an interesting case because the first appearance, Comico Primer 2, is still one of the top dogs of the Copper Age, and very pricey in high grade. Also, the three issue Grendel miniseries is relatively expensive, and not something you see every day.

However, everything that followed is a big zero. The 40 issue Comico series has been quarter bin fodder for so very long. The last two issues, 39 and 40, can sometimes command a premium, as they are uncommon compared to the rest of the run, but again, it's not unusual to find them in the bargain bin with the rest of the series.

Then the various mini-series from Dark Horse, all of which are dollar bin books that no one seems to want. And what's more, Dark Horse went back and reprinted the Comico series, so those are reprints of books no one seems to care about in the first place, so you can imagine what those are worth.

And all in all, it's a real shame, because Grendel is one of the best series in comics. The scope is insane, as it moves across the centuries from Hunter Rose through everything that followed, in a crazy mix of crime, sci-fi noir with religious commentary and werewolves and vampires thrown in for fun. Man, what a great, great series. 

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9 hours ago, letsgrumble said:

I’m a run collector of many Marvel and DC mainstream titles.

With comic conventions cancelled this year, I’ve really missed digging through the bins. And with many years of doing this under my belt, I can readily see which titles are the slow movers that even I would pass over. Or which titles I am dumbfounded sitting in a bargain bin at a dollar. 

There are so many titles I would classify as bottom-tier, bargain-bin books that they need to be further classified into separate tiers. And these examples have to be restricted to Marvel and DC bronze to copper-age otherwise I'd be listing thousands of titles. So here goes:

TIER I – ABSOLUTE DREK: Titles devoid of collectability.

Examples:
All-Star Squadron (1981)
Arak: Son of Thunder (1981)
Phantom Stranger (1969)
Warlord (1976)
John Carter, Warlord of Mars (1977)
Power Man & Iron Fist (1974)
Sleepwalker (1991)
Wonder Man (1991)
X-Factor (1986)

 

Devoid? If you’ve never read Warlord you are missing out. Great stories and even better art.

Also Phantom Stranger may notnhave the best stories but the artwork is always a hit, covers and interiors.

Edited by comicginger1789
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5 minutes ago, comicginger1789 said:

Also Phantom Stranger may notnhave the best stories but the artwork is always a hit, covers and interiors

Jim Aparo did some really nice artwork.  Adams covers.

Edited by Ken Aldred
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3 hours ago, comicginger1789 said:

Devoid? If you’ve never read Warlord you are missing out. Great stories and even better art.

Also Phantom Stranger may notnhave the best stories but the artwork is always a hit, covers and interiors.

Maybe I should have put Phantom Stranger in my odd fellow tier. :smile:

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On 9/26/2020 at 9:09 PM, thunsicker said:

For comics that aren’t much collected, but are fun reads, I’ll nominate American Flagg!  I loved that back in the 80’s.

image.jpeg.fcd231abc17f796bf6730cda31b94157.jpeg

Came here to post this. 50 issues plus some specials. Great Chaykin story and art (until Mike Vosberg took over art duties, that is). I could see this as a TV series pretty easily.

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On 9/25/2020 at 11:47 PM, Ken Aldred said:

635003.jpg

I love this die cut gem! In all my years of diving I've only ever come up with two maybe three believe it or not.

This is another I always try to find if anyone's listening.Any comic that comes with a flexi disk really.

288842.jpg?597120686314816321pyramid-comics-omicron-astonishing-adven

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On 9/27/2020 at 12:55 AM, Ken Aldred said:

Dreadstar was a very good read as well, but again, bargain bin material.

I came back to mention this and John Carter.I found a twine bundled stack of Warlord of Mars(how exciting finding bronze age books in 'bum park' on the ground with needles and empty lager tins) near a local library box and they are GREAT reads a happy surprise.

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20 hours ago, comicginger1789 said:

Devoid? If you’ve never read Warlord you are missing out. Great stories and even better art.

Also Phantom Stranger may notnhave the best stories but the artwork is always a hit, covers and interiors.

well he DID say he pulled that list out of his you know what, so...

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On 9/27/2020 at 10:05 AM, letsgrumble said:

I’m a run collector of many Marvel and DC mainstream titles.

With comic conventions cancelled this year, I’ve really missed digging through the bins. And with many years of doing this under my belt, I can readily see which titles are the slow movers that even I would pass over. Or which titles I am dumbfounded sitting in a bargain bin at a dollar. 

There are so many titles I would classify as bottom-tier, bargain-bin books that they need to be further classified into separate tiers. And these examples have to be restricted to Marvel and DC bronze to copper-age otherwise I'd be listing thousands of titles. So here goes:

TIER I – ABSOLUTE DREK: Titles devoid of collectability.

Examples:
All-Star Squadron (1981)
Arak: Son of Thunder (1981)
Phantom Stranger (1969)
Warlord (1976)
John Carter, Warlord of Mars (1977)
Power Man & Iron Fist (1974)
Sleepwalker (1991)
Wonder Man (1991)
X-Factor (1986)

TIER II – DREK SOME PEOPLE LOVE: Titles that would be devoid of collectability if it weren’t for some of you odd fellows out there.

Amethyst (1983, 1985)
Kamandi (1972)
Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes (1976)
Alpha Flight (1983) 
Cable (1993)
Cloak and Dagger (1985, 1990)
Darkhawk (1990)

TIER III – SO, WHOS ACTUALLY BUYING THESE BOOKS? Titles we assume as collectable but sit unsold in bargain bins.

Superman (1939), post-200 issues
Marvel Comics Presents (1988)
Mighty Thor (1966), post-200 issues
World's Finest Comics (1941)

TIER IV – THE HARD TRUTH: Titles that are and will be regular run-of-the-mill bargain bin fodder until further notice.

New Teen Titans (1980)
Avengers (1963), post-200 issues
Daredevil (1964) yes, even the Frank Miller issues
Defenders (1972) 
Doctor Strange (1974)
Hulk (1968), post-200 issues excluding McFarlane
Invaders (1975)
Iron Man (1968)
Ka-Zar (1974)
Marvel Team-Up (1970)
Marvel Two-In-One (1972)
New Mutants (1983)
West Coast Avengers (1985)

TIER V – FLICKER OF HOPE: Titles, commonly found in bargain bins, now showing some life or renewed interest.

DC Comics Presents (1978)
Avengers (1963)
Conan the Barbarian (1970)
Eternals (1985)
Fantastic Four (1961), post-200 issues
Marvel Fanfare (1982)
Marvel Tales (1964)
Master of Kung-Fu (1974)
Moon Knight (1980)
Namor, the Sub-Mariner (1968)
Sensational She-Hulk (1989)
Wolverine (1988)

TIER VI – IT’S GOLD JERRY, GOLD: Titles that have graduated out of the bargain bin and into the sanctity of collections.

The Flash (1959, 1987) late bronze to copper
Wonder Woman (1942, 1987) late bronze to copper
Amazing Spider-Man (1963) later post-McFarlane issues no longer considered drek.
Captain America (1968)
Eternals (1976)
Ms. Marvel (1977)
Uncanny X-Men (1963) post-Byrne to issue 300

Disclaimer: I’m pulling all of this out of my . I have no credibility and write this with my own personal bias. I've also rushed this list so I can get ready for today’s NFL football games.
 

I think you're being a little harsh on Phantom Stranger.  He has a very sizeable cult following among which I'm a member.

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46 minutes ago, Slab Bulkhead said:

Count me in! I'm a big Jim Aparo fan and have PS #1 - 30 and another "worthless" run of his in Brave & Bold #100 - 200.

Phantom Stranger is awesome.

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On 9/27/2020 at 2:00 PM, F For Fake said:

Huge LoSH fan here, but it's true, once you get into the 80's, there's very little that will cost you more than a buck. And that includes the entire runs of Tales, the Baxter Series, the Five Years Later series, the Threeboot/Archie Legion, and the Abnett/Lanning Legion, the Waid/Supergirl series, etc.  It really is like 25+ years of books without a single key or hot issue.

There was a time when the two Baxter Death of Superboy issues commanded a premium, but they're dollar bin books now as well. I will occasionally see those two issues in a dealers bins for $10-$20, but ain't no body paying that when you can go to the booth next door and get them for a buck.

On one hand it's a shame, because that run from the Baxter series through 5YL is one of my absolute favorite comic series of all time, and I wish more people dug it. (I also really love the Moy/Threeboot books, they were super duper fun. I'm less enamored of Legion Lost/Worlds etc and the Waid stuff.) But on the other hand, I don't mind, because I've been able to put all of those runs together a couple of times now for a buck a book or less.

 

Isn't a Five Years Later Omnibus coming out?

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