The thrill is gone. 7 7

[Funnybooks]

2 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Like jumbo shrimp! 

What you said is bittersweet 

[James J Johnson]

6 hours ago, shadroch said:

I've been collecting comics since 1972 and they have been a major part of my life. I've owned two comic shops, managed a third, done countless shows and been buying and selling on the internet since the day after I got my first webtv.

Two years ago, I decided to move from Las Vegas to Bisbee ,with the intention of opening a shop that would have a large comic presence. I ran into a few roadblocks and then the virus came along setting me back further.  

I never dreamed I would be in a position of almost no money coming in for 18 months and I also realized I no longer really want to work. It's been six years since I worked more than an occasional part time gig and the thought of opening a shop and being there fulltime simply isn't appealing anymore.

Two weeks ago, I decided I would break into my " retirement vault" - my 100 books worth at least $1,000 each, and sell five of them. In 2016, circumstances forced me into the same situation and I really agonized over which two books to sell. It was like ripping a child out of my arms. 

This time it was different. Avengers 1 was my pride and joy, now I look at it and see $3,000. My Avengers 4- signed by Stan and Joe Simon-that one I will hold onto. Captain America Comics- I love the Schomburg covers, but I have an original painting and two lithos that are much nicer.  I'm still finding a few books I have an emotional tie to- Defenders 10, Captain America 3, the Legion Adventures, Judge Dredd 1, but increasingly I look at the rest and I just see dollar bills. Even when one lives alone, sixty plus comic boxes take up a lot of space.

I'm reminded of my friends Mom. Her husband worked for Con Ed and over the course of his career, managed to buy $250,000 worth of stock in the company. I'm sure he intended that to provide for his family, but when he died the mother refused to sell the stock. She insisted that her beloved husband scrimped and saved to buy them the stock and it would dishonor his memory if they were to sell them. He ended up leaving CW Post to go to a state school because they didn't have the money.

 

My son, whom I am not close with, and my nephews, who I am close to , have zero interest in my books. If I die, they would be a burden on my nephew to sell. In my will, I leave my books to a comic industry charity. but they can have what is left over. 

I also have underestimated what these book are going for.  A GS X-Men I bought on these boards for $300 sold for $920 even when it turned out to be restored , and another copy I bought from MCS for $410 just sold for $1400.  While I don't "need" the money, those two books just allowed me to buy a nice patio set. 

I've thought about selling out in the past, but I'm pretty sure this time I will go thru with it. 

I look at my two bookcases full of Omni's , Archives and Masterpeces and realize I will most likely never get around to reading them.  Time to pass them along to someone who will appreciate them. 

I think I will still bargain hunt when I can, but 99% of my collection no longer means much to me. 

Forgive my rant, I thought writing this might make me feel different but it didn't.

 

 

 

 

[comicginger1789]

3 hours ago, NoMan said:

I dunno. I've got a major key entombed in plastic sitting in a Safe Deposit Box and sometimes I wonder what the point is. I have no children. My nieces and nephews are spoiled sh*ts who wouldn't care one way or the other and if they got a hold of it they would just cash out and add a bag of money to their already silver-spoon spoiled ungrateful lives. Right now in my will it's left to a 22 year old friend of the wife's who doesn't like me and I don't like him. And no he doesn't give a sh*t about comics.

I seem to be of a minority opinion here but I believe this stuff has a shelf life if you're talking about collecting for selling later. I don't care about the movies. I know of no young person that reads comics. It's nostalgic for us, not them. Yes I understand your children read comics and books because they're special. Most kids today don't read tangible print. Try telling a kid today you've got the first Roy Rodgers action figure still in the box. Who cares?

If I sold book I could probably buy a Porsche or two and that seems as if it would be more fun. But no, I made a commitment to the 20-year grand experiment and if I arrived at the idea, it'll probably fail.

 

I hear ya.

As a kid of the 90s and early 2000s I feel I was the only 7-10 year old during that time buying and reading comics from the 60s, 70s and 80s. For whatever reason my dad, who is not a comic collector at all, took me to a comic shop when I was 7 and I remember looking at whatever was on the shelf in ‘96 or so and thinking “this doesn’t look right”. However when I dig into the back issue bins and saw Peter Parker The Spectacular Spider-Man I knew that was the stuff for me.

Flash forward almost twenty five years and I’m still stuck in that era, having read only a very very minor amount of stuff published between 1990 and now. I’ve met other collectors my age who read current stuff or stuff from the 90s but no one who has read (or bought) stuff like Combat Kelly or Red Wolf or Spider Woman or Marvel Chillers or whatever. But I feel at hone talking about the days of old with the older collectors. I love absorbing knowledge and feeling as though I was there living it when they did, buying the stuff off the stands. 

[DWL]

8 hours ago, shadroch said:

I've been collecting comics since 1972 and they have been a major part of my life. I've owned two comic shops, managed a third, done countless shows and been buying and selling on the internet since the day after I got my first webtv.

Two years ago, I decided to move from Las Vegas to Bisbee ,with the intention of opening a shop that would have a large comic presence. I ran into a few roadblocks and then the virus came along setting me back further.  

I never dreamed I would be in a position of almost no money coming in for 18 months and I also realized I no longer really want to work. It's been six years since I worked more than an occasional part time gig and the thought of opening a shop and being there fulltime simply isn't appealing anymore.

Two weeks ago, I decided I would break into my " retirement vault" - my 100 books worth at least $1,000 each, and sell five of them. In 2016, circumstances forced me into the same situation and I really agonized over which two books to sell. It was like ripping a child out of my arms. 

This time it was different. Avengers 1 was my pride and joy, now I look at it and see $3,000. My Avengers 4- signed by Stan and Joe Simon-that one I will hold onto. Captain America Comics- I love the Schomburg covers, but I have an original painting and two lithos that are much nicer.  I'm still finding a few books I have an emotional tie to- Defenders 10, Captain America 3, the Legion Adventures, Judge Dredd 1, but increasingly I look at the rest and I just see dollar bills. Even when one lives alone, sixty plus comic boxes take up a lot of space.

I'm reminded of my friends Mom. Her husband worked for Con Ed and over the course of his career, managed to buy $250,000 worth of stock in the company. I'm sure he intended that to provide for his family, but when he died the mother refused to sell the stock. She insisted that her beloved husband scrimped and saved to buy them the stock and it would dishonor his memory if they were to sell them. He ended up leaving CW Post to go to a state school because they didn't have the money.

 

My son, whom I am not close with, and my nephews, who I am close to , have zero interest in my books. If I die, they would be a burden on my nephew to sell. In my will, I leave my books to a comic industry charity. but they can have what is left over. 

I also have underestimated what these book are going for.  A GS X-Men I bought on these boards for $300 sold for $920 even when it turned out to be restored , and another copy I bought from MCS for $410 just sold for $1400.  While I don't "need" the money, those two books just allowed me to buy a nice patio set. 

I've thought about selling out in the past, but I'm pretty sure this time I will go thru with it. 

I look at my two bookcases full of Omni's , Archives and Masterpeces and realize I will most likely never get around to reading them.  Time to pass them along to someone who will appreciate them. 

I think I will still bargain hunt when I can, but 99% of my collection no longer means much to me. 

Forgive my rant, I thought writing this might make me feel different but it didn't.

 

Thank you for sharing.  Hopefully even just posting this might help vent a little.  These are tough times and many people are feeling overwhelmed. 

I would echo what Mitch said, hang in there brother. 

Try to enjoy Bisbee, I am pretty confident you will figure out the best way to proceed. 

[WolverineX]

5 hours ago, NoMan said:

I dunno. I've got a major key entombed in plastic sitting in a Safe Deposit Box and sometimes I wonder what the point is. I have no children. My nieces and nephews are spoiled sh*ts who wouldn't care one way or the other and if they got a hold of it they would just cash out and add a bag of money to their already silver-spoon spoiled ungrateful lives. Right now in my will it's left to a 22 year old friend of the wife's who doesn't like me and I don't like him. And no he doesn't give a sh*t about comics.

I seem to be of a minority opinion here but I believe this stuff has a shelf life if you're talking about collecting for selling later. I don't care about the movies. I know of no young person that reads comics. It's nostalgic for us, not them. Yes I understand your children read comics and books because they're special. Most kids today don't read tangible print. Try telling a kid today you've got the first Roy Rodgers action figure still in the box. Who cares?

If I sold book I could probably buy a Porsche or two and that seems as if it would be more fun. But no, I made a commitment to the 20-year grand experiment and if I arrived at the idea, it'll probably fail.

 

Dude. Sell it and get the Porsche.  Life is short

[James J Johnson]

8 minutes ago, Wolverinex said:

Dude. Sell it and get the Porsche.  Life is short

This!! 

[spidrvacc]

I had that same feeling a few years ago. I love the joy in my youth of hunting for comics. But after 20 years of sitting in a box in my parents basement i felt like it was time.  I had about 3 thousand books. My feeling were im almost 45 , they're just sitting there for 25 years. And unlike other hobbies, cards, art they sit in a box. I also realize I like the characters more than the books. Im a fan of iron Man and Spider-Man. I don't need the comic books there's a lot of other things to collect. Figures statues etc. So that's what I did. I sold 2500 of the books . ( Kept keys) . Got statues figures etc. I can display them. I can see them everyday. Not sitting in a box and worry about damage floods fire etc. For me the best thing I ever did. I still love the hobby and I expanded it into other things. Now I want to get rid of the 500. Keep 10 or 15 of my favorite. And yes alot has to do with that pandemic. Really did make me think about what's important in life. Those 500 books I have left can  buy me a car or a down payment on the house.  Pay my sons college Instead of sitting in a box in my parents basement. I said back in March as soon as pandemic is over I was selling the rest. And that's my plan.  I don't think twice about that idea.again I will collect Spider-Man iron Man stuff just not these expensive books.

 

in case anybody was wondering I keep my books in my parents' basement because they've been stolen for me before. I had  an old friend who found that I collect the comics  come over and steal some of my books . So i leave them at my parents this way anybody who knows I collect some expensive books , well they're not in my house. Another worry out of the way. Parents live in another state, retired,  and dont really go out so there pretty safe there.

Edited November 29, 2020 by spidrvacc

[Mercury Man]

At the end of the day, it's just 'stuff.

My Dad passed away in November or 2019, after a 5 year bout with Dementia/Alzheimers.   Towards the end we had to put him into a VA facility.   When he passed, we boxed up what was left of his 'estate'- a few articles of clothing, and the rest were some momentos of his time in the Air Force, Police Force, his fishing hobby, and a few odds and bobs.   

We really come in with nothing, and leave with nothing.  

[blazingbob]

So many different things I could comment about in this thread.

I wouldn't say that I get a "thrill" from comics.  I love what I do.  I love the art of the deal,  the art of the sale.  I take pride in my business and how I conduct it.  I constantly strive to learn and to create change.  I am constantly striving to implement new ideas into my business.  I miss the shows but I still try to make efforts into creating relationships outside of just selling someone books.  For the one that may make you question why you do this there are 99 others that you actually enjoy dealing with.  I have hobbies outside of just comics.  I don't just rely on information from just the internet.  If the "thrill" is gone sometimes a break is needed.  If you are only doing it as a job and you hate it maybe it is time to move on.  Covid 19 has created a situation where you implement or you don't.  If you are not bringing any money in based on a store only business model well maybe the model is wrong.  I'm going fishing this morning.  I actually enjoy it.  I watch stupid fishing video's.  I have something new to learn how to do.    

[Waylander]

I thought the "thrill" had gone for me, but I remembered why I got hooked in the first place - the stories, the art and remembered the excitement of getting the next issue of a series to complete a story. I did decide to give up collecting new books as the stories for me were not there and I am widening my bronze and copper collection, where I find the stories and characters stronger.

For me, they are not an investment, though I would be foolish not to see the investment potential, but its the joy to read the stroies and get lost (however so briefly) into another world.

Edited November 29, 2020 by Waylander

[KCOComics]

 

I would echo what others have said.  If you don't need to sell,  take a break,  feel things out and make a decision in 2022. Covid has flipped the world on its head. Your perspective may change as life regains some level of normalcy. 

If you do decide to sell,  then I hope it brings you and your family allot of happiness. That's what this hobby is all about.  @Robot Man has told the story of selling major keys to put his kids through college and weddings.  

I always thought that was such a great thing. This hobby, that has brought you a great deal of happiness,  can be extended to improve the lives of you and your family.

[PetuniaGrimm]

There are some excellent, heartfelt, and thought provoking posts in this thread. I think of my own situation. I collected as a kid, sold everything at 16, and then in my early 40's was browsing Ebay, saw a Fantastic Four lot, and in a fit of nostalgia, bought them. That reignited my passion for comics. Now as an adult I had some decent disposable income and in about 2 years I had a complete set of FF from issue 1 to current (books I used to stare at on the walls of comic shops as a kid and dream of owning). The next two years was spent upgrading 95% of the books I had bought in the previous two years. Along the way I grabbed a few other titles and various books. Now it's been probably three years since I have bought anything (There was a time when I was getting five plus boxes in the mail a day), and the thought of selling crosses my mind from time to time. I recently returned to the boards so I could immerse myself in the comic world again and truly explore whether or not I really want to sell them. The plan is now to wait till the new FF movie comes out and decide what I want to do based on any movie bumps in prices. Like others have said, there is not another generation of kids like we were following behind us, and I believe one day prices will tank, and I don't want to be left holding the hot potato that is now cold. I may just sell the upgraded collection where the real money is and keep the under copies for myself as that will allow me to free up some significant money for whatever else I want, but still have a nice collection of midgrade books. I'm setting aside a few hours tomorrow to go through all my boxes and look, touch, smell, and read a few of them again and see what that does for me (Plus take some pics so I can post them here).    

Edited November 29, 2020 by PetuniaGrimm
Correcting mistakes

[comicwiz]

19 hours ago, shadroch said:

I've been collecting comics since 1972 and they have been a major part of my life. I've owned two comic shops, managed a third, done countless shows and been buying and selling on the internet since the day after I got my first webtv.

Two years ago, I decided to move from Las Vegas to Bisbee ,with the intention of opening a shop that would have a large comic presence. I ran into a few roadblocks and then the virus came along setting me back further.  

I never dreamed I would be in a position of almost no money coming in for 18 months and I also realized I no longer really want to work. It's been six years since I worked more than an occasional part time gig and the thought of opening a shop and being there fulltime simply isn't appealing anymore.

Two weeks ago, I decided I would break into my " retirement vault" - my 100 books worth at least $1,000 each, and sell five of them. In 2016, circumstances forced me into the same situation and I really agonized over which two books to sell. It was like ripping a child out of my arms. 

This time it was different. Avengers 1 was my pride and joy, now I look at it and see $3,000. My Avengers 4- signed by Stan and Joe Simon-that one I will hold onto. Captain America Comics- I love the Schomburg covers, but I have an original painting and two lithos that are much nicer.  I'm still finding a few books I have an emotional tie to- Defenders 10, Captain America 3, the Legion Adventures, Judge Dredd 1, but increasingly I look at the rest and I just see dollar bills. Even when one lives alone, sixty plus comic boxes take up a lot of space.

I'm reminded of my friends Mom. Her husband worked for Con Ed and over the course of his career, managed to buy $250,000 worth of stock in the company. I'm sure he intended that to provide for his family, but when he died the mother refused to sell the stock. She insisted that her beloved husband scrimped and saved to buy them the stock and it would dishonor his memory if they were to sell them. He ended up leaving CW Post to go to a state school because they didn't have the money.

 

My son, whom I am not close with, and my nephews, who I am close to , have zero interest in my books. If I die, they would be a burden on my nephew to sell. In my will, I leave my books to a comic industry charity. but they can have what is left over. 

I also have underestimated what these book are going for.  A GS X-Men I bought on these boards for $300 sold for $920 even when it turned out to be restored , and another copy I bought from MCS for $410 just sold for $1400.  While I don't "need" the money, those two books just allowed me to buy a nice patio set. 

I've thought about selling out in the past, but I'm pretty sure this time I will go thru with it. 

I look at my two bookcases full of Omni's , Archives and Masterpeces and realize I will most likely never get around to reading them.  Time to pass them along to someone who will appreciate them. 

I think I will still bargain hunt when I can, but 99% of my collection no longer means much to me. 

Forgive my rant, I thought writing this might make me feel different but it didn't.

 

I've had to consider selling off stuff in the past and can empathize. Three years ago, it was a large fragment of my toy and comic collection. Like you intend to do, I hung on to quite a bit of it, and am now out of room again. In the past 8 months, the first 6 or so months of it, I was selling doing pick-up from my home and that was unexpected since the world was dealing with a global pandemic. The last two months I began listing it online.

If you're on Facebook, there's a great group for moving some of the key stuff. It's not a comic specific group - it actually started out as a Star Wars themed group, but comics have been selling very strong, and it's the listing format that I find makes it conducive to items moving. I've sold quite a few things in the past two month that went above what I would have expected.

Edited November 29, 2020 by comicwiz

[comicwiz]

3 hours ago, blazingbob said:

I'm going fishing this morning.  I actually enjoy it.  I watch stupid fishing video's.  I have something new to learn how to do.    

Made me chuckle. I was where you were about 25 years ago. Got really into it, but then it just became a hassle to get out in the water, so I got into "dirt-fishing" (aka metal detecting). Now I'm still doing what you do, and you won't believe how similar the two hobbies can be. I thoroughly enjoyed fishing, but metal detecting turned out to be one of the best hobbies I ever got involved in.

[Tec-Tac-Toe]

Like many, my interest in reading, collecting, and having CGC grade some of my comic books ebbs and flows. Presently, I am again enjoying purchasing a few new comic books and sending those whose covers I like to CGC for grading. I also submit to CGC for grading, on occasion, some of my original owner and back issue purchased comic books from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s as the great bulk of my original owner and back issue purchases from the gold to copper ages are stored in another state and I will very likely not fully delve into those boxes again until my retirement. I only ever keep the comic books I have had graded as I have yet to ever sell a single one/comic book, displaying them as it strikes me.

As I noted, my interest in comic books, and, for that matter, my other hobbies, rises and falls as is, arguably, to be expected. Still, thus far, I always return to them sooner rather than later. Perhaps the OP will at some point again find his "comic book interest" peaking.

[Timely]

38 minutes ago, comicwiz said:

Made me chuckle. I was where you were about 25 years ago. Got really into it, but then it just became a hassle to get out in the water, so I got into "dirt-fishing" (aka metal detecting). Now I'm still doing what you do, and you won't believe how similar the two hobbies can be. I thoroughly enjoyed fishing, but metal detecting turned out to be one of the best hobbies I ever got involved in.

The thrill of the hunt, either way you look at it.

[1Cool]

Great post Shad.  We hear a ton about the highs of the hobby (steal of the week, getting that rare sig, etc) but we don't usually hear much about the low times.  If the thrill is gone I think it's perfectly ok to sell stuff off and go do something else that brings you passion and joy (like fishing is to Bob).  Glad you decide to get out during a huge spike in key books and you will have a ton of cash to do something else!  Whatever you do - have fun and I hope you keep checking back in to see how this crazy hobby is doing.

[1950's war comics]

it's never a bad time to sell when the markets are high and you need money ...

[MatterEaterLad]

I feel this post so much.

My kids like comics, but they don't have nostalgia and memories connected to the books the way I do and never will. 

 

[Randall Dowling]

FWIW, I personally don't recommend making any major life decisions during this pandemic.  It's gone on for way too long and can start to feel like the new normal.  It isn't.  It will end.  And when it does, life will look and feel very different than it does now and than it did before the pandemic.

Wait until it's over if you can.  I've also gone through cycles of interest and complete disinterest and the one lesson I've found is that sooner or later, everything comes back around.