This week Chris and Walt talk about the art of hunting for comics, in the old days it was ads in the papers, these days it’s online. But today, just like back then, getting out and about is still a tried and true comic hunting strategy.
Please let us know what you thought of the show, leave a comment in the comments field below, and please keep it civil.
What’s a successful comic hunting strategy for you?
I don’t think Chris hit the on button….
Gerald! It should be working. I can hear it via the website.
Great show.
I basically only do “real” hunting by watching graded books at auction. I just don’t have the time for any other approach, and when I’ve tried other approaches I pretty much have come up empty. A few years ago I used to watch MyComicShop post new books for sale, and I found some good ones, but now the market is just too efficient. If a particular issue hits my radar, which happens every now and then, I will quickly cover the waterfront online (Walt has been the beneficiary of this just recently), but that’s basically the only time I look at “for sale” comics.
I still like to do old-style hunting – and I have the same thought as Chris about old stashes when I drive through small towns – but for me this is like playing the lottery. This is consumption of fantasy, not a business or investment strategy. I have never found anything truly extraordinary doing this – usually it’s been the overpriced VG stashes/old Superman experience you guys described. I just recently indulged in this old-style hunting on vacation – a used book shop had about twenty short boxes. This was not an out-of-the-way place, so from the outset I was resigned to finding nothing extraordinary. I did come away with four books, including some pretty decent ones from the Adams GL/GA run – which sad to say cost me about as much as they would have in 1980. (They will have their day!) I have decided if/when the pandemic wanes to spend more doing this – coming off the Covered 365 exercise – and just buy what I like as long as the price point is low. For the collection I get to keep when I have to sell the rest off…
I guess at the time all of those backroads trips might have felt like living a bit too close to the bone, but now that all’s well that ends well, we desk jockeys can envy your experience.
Thanks Chris, hunting is hunting and auctions are full of game and they can be especially effective if you do some scouting ahead of time and bagging a few off the radar gems that the others missed because they were too busy looking at all the shiny things. And its hard not to try a little treasure hunting if you are traveling say up the coast of Maine. – “For the collection I get to keep when I have to sell the rest off…’ – I really like that sentence.
Chris, Black Goliath…great book and it’s another one I can blame Walt on, his Power-man #24 (and #25) were so good it lead me to that series!
Gerald, I had difficulties getting access on my phone to the recording, tried the desktop and it worked!!!
Thanks Spider… thats what I did and four browsers later….great show! Yes… I agree sometimes even online I am excited by the chase… although far less lately! I have experienced all the highs and lows of trying to get THAT book! Sometimes when I miss out though… I think… “Thank God!” as I realized after it was simply the chase spurring me on!
Comic stores have had their aspects as well! I have had comic store owners I really liked…and ones that offered 30% off everything only to find what I picked wasn’t! I have been to comic stores that went under for being too expensive and ones that did the same for being too cheap! I had comics shop owner try to steal my bicycle and one that had one eye that surely belonged to a goat… great comics but a little disconcerting to look him in the eye! I even went to the comic shop that really would have benefited from being in the shadow of Superman in Metropolis Illinois…it was so hot… and the languid horseflies trailed around the shop… ah yes… the chase!
ah, great stories Gerald, keep em coming!!!