My area had what I consider to be it’s first “larger” Comic-Con yesterday. We have had some varied small comic book “shows” back on schedule for a few months, but this was the first major draw “con”.
Pretty heavily advertised, multi-faceted, large venue, etc.
These are simply my observations and generalizations.
You know I’m wordy, I’ll try to be more succinct. My usual caveat: I simply post to be informative and give insight into what a fellow collector is doing/buying/seeing, not as a look at me.
- The show was extremely well attended, consistent crowds, tons of families and kids. Lots of cosplay. Folks like me that are there on a mission for comics/collectibles seemed be the exception vs the rule.
- This Comic-Con (as seems to be the rule anymore) have become anything but “comic book” related. I would say that overall, comic book vendors were about 30-40% of the tables/displays, etc. Toys, art, crafting, and Funko pops took over the rest. Man do folks love those damned Funko pops.
- It has become immediately apparent who is at a Con to sell comic books vs. there to show off their comic books. If you are like me, you get to know who is always at cons and the new vendors. It’s so easy for me to just skip over the “every weekend” dealers. Same stock, same prices, books have been rifled through, etc.
- An exception to the above, I will still quickly hit those vendors mentioned above for very recent, quick hit spec books. Case in point, Amazing Spiderman #209–recently hot, easily found in beautiful condition for $6 (which I got for $5).
- Move quick, scout the entire place for opportunity and then start your digging accordingly.
- I do not see expensive, heavy hitter graded books moving. They look great on walls. People love to ask to see them, ask price, etc…but I do not see folks buying them. They always appear to be greatly overpriced as well. I think that is more the issue—inflated pricing on them as I think back.
- The current/very hot indy books just aren’t very present/available (for the most part). SIKTC,Dept of Truth, Ice Cream man. I feel like the books on the walls the most have already run their course and just sit. Falcon &winter soldier, Loki, Wandavision—that ship sailed…folks aren’t buying them now or understand they really aren’t worth those inflated prices now that the FOMO ship sailed.
- Still so many vendors that don’t take cards…saw soooo many lost sales. Great for me as I’m a cash guy at cons, but uggggg. Do what you have to do, but it was harsh watching some vendors lose out.
- Related to the above, because of the no card thing, and lost sales, I could really wheel and deal with cash so that is the plus side.
- I continue to believe in the mantra- buy multiple books, and let the seller make the offer. This continues to work out very, very well for me.
- I suppose I should mention, I’d say I saw about 5% of attendees wearing masks. It was jam packed, and no distancing type stuff in place whatsoever.
- Cons continue to reinforce my believe that folks from the “spec” community are the huge minority relative to comics. I found some very key books in dollar bins midway through the day that never should have gotten to me. Can’t believe folks didn’t grab them. Not complaining…just shows that folks aren’t aware.
- Oh, continuing the trend…finding back issues of Spawn (outside of 1-60ish) remains nigh impossible. I was happy to just get that #301 as it has already gotten pricey. #302-307 are ghosts in the wild for me/shows which is really interesting.
Ok, so…I brought 1k with me to this show (which was funded by the sale of 25 shares of AMC stock).
I promised myself going in that I had to walk away with a few “older keys” that were grade worthy. I also wanted to pay particular attention to some books I believe will make good future spec grading choices. I did decent on this front.
I paid far less than asking price on all of these, most were bough in bundles, and I came home with $80 bucks lol.
The best was the picture which contains the Star Wars books/Final Crisis, etc. That dealer had boxes of absolutely beautiful comics all in boxes priced at either $5, $4, $2. Every comic in that pic was found for that (and a deal on top of the low prices to boot). The Dawn of the Jedi books #0, #1 after grading will pay for much of total expense alone.
I found all of those books about 2 hours into the show—crazy.
I love Werewolf by Night and all things horror. The Dr. Strange and the WWBNs are all fantastic, grade worthy copies. I’d say 9.2–maybe even 9.4 after clean/press. Got a fantastic deal by buying all of them.
Getting those books achieve my primary goal of buying sound investment type books.
My own FOMO burned me on that darned “Books of Doom”. I can’t find that book, wanted it, and although I paid a fair price, I didn’t take the book out and examine it and got burned. Horrible color rubs on the back. Book is prolly like a 7.0 at best. My one mistake. I should have avoided the Dark Reign Young Avengers book as well. Prolly overpaid, but that book has also been a ghost for me and I just like it. Can’t win em all. Not a bad buy or book…but prolly money better spent elsewhere looking back.
Very happy with that Skottie Young Riri variant, EVE virgin variant, and the New Agents of Atlas #2 (second print). Off to grading for those. SIKTC #6 is the only book I didn’t have in that whole run (for some reason I missed it).Honestly very pleased with what I bought and feel I was wise with my spending.
Anyway…here is my haul. Again, any prices on books are not remotely close to what I paid.
