So what do you think of this direct / newsstand thing? 7 7

[FlyingDonut]

17 hours ago, DavidTheDavid said:

Same. Also, price ‘variants’ and double covers. Zero collector’s interest to me.

Good. More for me.

[ttfitz]

I don't much understand the direct/newsstand collecting thing, but I learned long ago not to judge someone else's collecting preferences. (Okay, I actually WILL just, just not say so out loud)

But it's always hard to tell how these things will go. In the early 80s when I started back up collecting comics (after taking the obligatory break - at the time - when starting junior high and comics became "kid stuff") I discovered that most people considered a part of my collection as inferior - because instead of a big "DC" in the corner, there was a big "W". Those "Whitman, pahtoo" versions were not "real" issues. And I bought into the idea, marking anything I had that was a Whitman as missing from my collection.

But then when I started paying attention even slightly to collecting trends, I found that NOW those Whitman versions were sought after as "rare variants". So who knows what the future holds?

[waaaghboss]

2 hours ago, ttfitz said:

I don't much understand the direct/newsstand collecting thing, but I learned long ago not to judge someone else's collecting preferences. (Okay, I actually WILL just, just not say so out loud)

But it's always hard to tell how these things will go. In the early 80s when I started back up collecting comics (after taking the obligatory break - at the time - when starting junior high and comics became "kid stuff") I discovered that most people considered a part of my collection as inferior - because instead of a big "DC" in the corner, there was a big "W". Those "Whitman, pahtoo" versions were not "real" issues. And I bought into the idea, marking anything I had that was a Whitman as missing from my collection.

But then when I started paying attention even slightly to collecting trends, I found that NOW those Whitman versions were sought after as "rare variants". So who knows what the future holds?

I mean, back in the mid 90s when I left comics for a bit, 2nd prints were worthless.  Now people are grading like asm 361 2nd print and getting actual cash for it.  Heck, im now actively collecting dc universe upc books.  Had you told me in 92 id be actively seeking out dc comics I was getting in packs id have laughed. 

[valiantman]

6 hours ago, ttfitz said:

I don't much understand the direct/newsstand collecting thing, but I learned long ago not to judge someone else's collecting preferences. (Okay, I actually WILL just, just not say so out loud)

But it's always hard to tell how these things will go. In the early 80s when I started back up collecting comics (after taking the obligatory break - at the time - when starting junior high and comics became "kid stuff") I discovered that most people considered a part of my collection as inferior - because instead of a big "DC" in the corner, there was a big "W". Those "Whitman, pahtoo" versions were not "real" issues. And I bought into the idea, marking anything I had that was a Whitman as missing from my collection.

But then when I started paying attention even slightly to collecting trends, I found that NOW those Whitman versions were sought after as "rare variants". So who knows what the future holds?

Just wait until you get to Whitman "yellow W" vs. Whitman "white W". 

[Ares]

The collector side of me does not care. 

The Finance side of me sees that Newsstands in 9.8 going for stupid money and I want to sell them to finance future purchases.

I have Newsstand and Direct Copies of both ASM 298 (1st McFarlane) and 361 (1st carnage) I say sell and profit and plow back into collection

[icp004]

I’m not sure I have a good reason for preferring newsstand over direct. Since most of my early collecting was spinner rack purchases I guess newsstand just seems right.  It would upset me when making a mail order purchase to fill in gaps and receiving a spidey box, diamond price box or bar code with a slash.  
         
A few years back I displayed this set in my office. It is the birth month issues of ASM for me, my wife and our children.  The 331 and 367 were directs.  It bugged me to even look at it so I eventually replaced with newsstands. 
    
I honestly would prefer not to be wired this way. 🤪

 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

12 hours ago, FlyingDonut said:

On 10/7/2020 at 8:21 AM, DavidTheDavid said:

Same. Also, price ‘variants’ and double covers. Zero collector’s interest to me.

Good. More for me us.

Fixed that for us. 

[Ablation Steve]

2 hours ago, Ares said:

The collector side of me does not care. 

The Finance side of me sees that Newsstands in 9.8 going for stupid money and I want to sell them to finance future purchases.

I have Newsstand and Direct Copies of both ASM 298 (1st McFarlane) and 361 (1st carnage) I say sell and profit and plow back into collection

Careful, only the 9.8s are seeing the bumps. People don't care nearly as much about the 9.6.

[Ares]

9 minutes ago, Ablation Steve said:

Careful, only the 9.8s are seeing the bumps. People don't care nearly as much about the 9.6.

They were in great condition to begin with and I am getting them CPS.

[DavidTheDavid]

1 hour ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

Fixed that for us. 

You guys are weirdos! Weirdos!   

[ttfitz]

8 hours ago, valiantman said:

Just wait until you get to Whitman "yellow W" vs. Whitman "white W". 

Wait, what?

[Warlord]

2 hours ago, ttfitz said:

Wait, what?

Yep, Whitmans that sold in the multipacks had yellow Ws!.  Whitmans that sold in comic shops had white Ws!

 

[Hollywood1892]

This is an interesting thread...I don't really know what to make of it. I understand that it was harder to preserve newstand then direct because let's face it newsstand are exactly that....and not cared for like a direct

I don't know what the print runs are so that could factor in too...if I want a book I'm good with either

[MGsimba77]

The collector in me most definitely values a 9.8 newsstand over a direct not only for the scarcity but the experience the book went through. And yes its worth the cost imo. A newsstand copy of any given copper age had ample opportunity to suffer damage even before making it to the spinner rack. It was likely sitting in a pile of other comics under who knows what squeezed in shrink wrap on a pallet that may or may not have been transported with care. Imo there's value in a top graded copy that saw some risk as opposed to just sitting behind a counter somewhere under protection. Even collectors could have bought those barcodes to use as readers oblivious to their future potential while storing away the direct copy.

So yeah there's a good reason people will pay a healthy premium for an ASM 300 9.8 barcode copy! I think people becoming aware of this is a good thing and the reason they've been getting some attention. It'll become a "fad" when we start seeing the ratio of available 9.8 barcodes vs direct edition decrease substantially. Particularly coppers.

I'll kind of go off topic here a little but I always thought there's some value in a particular book's experience. Just an example, if I knew for a fact (silver age comic x) was owned by someone who had it sitting on a coffee table in front of his TV while he was watching something like the moon landing I'll go for that over a similar copy that just sat in his drawer. I mean I wouldn't pay some crazy premium for that but would still value that story as a collector. So there's my 

 

Edited October 9, 2020 by MGsimba77

[Crushingame]

On 10/7/2020 at 9:17 AM, comicginger1789 said:

The thing I would like to know more about is the supposed "experts" saying that 50-80% of newsstand copies "did not survive". A recent video by a Youtuber and some info on a certain app have stated that for some 90s books, print runs of direct copies were around 1 million copies, with newsstands being anywhere from 20-30% of that, or say 250 000 copies give or take. How they come up with more than half being "lost, destroyed, damaged or just gone" is interesting. If I see some hard data, okay that makes sense. But some people speculating, thus driving up prices, concerns me. 

I get that it could very well be, I just don't know if it is truly that high. That being said, I do believe that very high grade newsstands are scarcer but I am still blown away at the prices people are willing to spend for a barcode. 

do you happen to have the YouTube link for that video?

[Crushingame]

11 hours ago, Ablation Steve said:

Careful, only the 9.8s are seeing the bumps. People don't care nearly as much about the 9.6.

Unless it’s an ASM 300 CGC 9.6 WP Direct Edition (because I have one).  It’s about a $1500 book now. 
 

[Arkham]

Changed my mind...

I want a Batman #457 Newsstand. 

[Bird]

On 10/7/2020 at 11:20 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

So, @Ablation Steve, another newsstand thread and you've got two pages and 40 post to read when you come back.

Bottom line, I can get this comic very easily any day of the week:

This, not so easily.

All good fun 

I am really bothered by this spidey head. Is it Man-Thing under there?

[valiantman]

4 minutes ago, Bird said:

On 10/7/2020 at 10:20 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

So, @Ablation Steve, another newsstand thread and you've got two pages and 40 post to read when you come back.

Bottom line, I can get this comic very easily any day of the week:

This, not so easily.

All good fun 

I am really bothered by this spidey head. Is it Man-Thing under there?

I think Spider-Man is having trouble trying to battle the bad guy and avert his eyes from Black Widow's "points of interest" at the same time.

[october]

I understand why people go for them. Collectors LOVE a challenge, and anything that makes the chase tougher and more interesting is going to appeal to a pretty big subset of us. 

Newsttands, price variants, multiple covers never did much for me, but newsstand plus double covers? That's the way to go. My extensive collection of these shown below: