I was going to post this in the odds and ends thread but felt it had good information for those getting into the hobby. Get your popcorn ready.
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That was a good watch.
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I was at my LCS recently hanging out talking to the regulars and employees there and one regular told us that his buddy bought a GSX 1 for 100k (Canadian). This would’ve been at its peak and he thought it was a sound investment because these blue chip keys can’t possibly go down. Don’t know where he was getting this advice from or he was making this assumption on his own. Don’t know if he’s still in this hobby. You’ll need to sell a lot of books to recoup your losses.
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I think new “collectors” should stop treating hobbies like an investment. Sports cards are on life support and the way people are “investing” in Pokemon it is bound to have its day too. The flipper wins and the modern investor loses. Read previews/prh/lunar, preorder what you think might be good, and get a 35% discount.
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The guy is spot on.
Anyone buying those books that those Youtubers highlighted back then are likely eating crow now.
Rule 1 is never ever ever purchase anything they show, even if not pushed, as it has an unintended consequence on the books value.
I had been buying tons of Disney, TV show, and Four Color books during the MCU heyday and now that Mint Hunter guy just put out a video today on them. So now I’m done as thousands will see that video. I’d been making real good $$$ of that stuff. But in the words of Peter Sellers “not anymore!”
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Uggg…I hate when I see that sort of thing as well (and you and I tend to be on the same page with what we collect). Leave my focus alone!!! 
Frankly, that Mint Hunter fellow falls right in line with the folks that video above talks about. Making his list of books to look for, buy, etc, etc…then runs his youtube sales streams with a bunch of fodder books and absurd prices. May be the nicest guy on the planet but just seems like a used car salesman with his videos and all.
Great thing about comics…always something I can start looking for and hoarding while the masses cast their eyes upon the most recent shiny object.
The whole Dave Stevens trend comes to mind…I’ve never seen as many Stevens books offered up as I have recently and certainly not for the prices they are going for. Good Lord…I love Stevens but please, please please don’t buy that stuff right now unless you are finding it in cheap bins digging.
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Trust me. I have been buying Bronze Age horror books for a while. Now it’s in everyone’s streams for what to buy. Caused jacked up prices and now I don’t focus on collecting them nearly as much.
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Yep - when these Youtubers post something, … anything. That’s the time to get out and call it a day.
It is a punch to the gut when I see something completely non Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, Boom, IDW, etc… related.
When I see Four Color, Disney, Charlton, etc… spotlighted somewhere, the wind is taken out of me
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I do love Charlton horror books from the Bronze Age. Could find many of them for $1-2 bucks. Not any more.
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I’ve noticed a change in KCC recently. If you look at their future keys or keys or the week, it’s usually between 5 to 10 books now. About a year ago it used to be about 40 “keys” per week. I saw many YouTube creators talking about how KCCs list of keys are trash. I also don’t see Nick pushing store exclusives that much now. I know he got a lot of heat for pushing ComicTom’s exclusive book as a key of the week.
It was around that time when I was seriously contemplating if I even need KCC anymore. It was essential for me in the beginning but if they’re putting out misinformation or worse disinformation, then it’s time I need to dump this app.
I’ve been looking to support more patreons and being a paid member from some of the content creators that I trust.
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Bought these raw during the heyday of the MCU when folks weren’t targeting these.
From memory, less than the cost of a dopey Marvel store variant
Last I checked, one of them was highest grade on census at a 9.2! Crazy stuff
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Thank you @SpicyWasabi for this
StickyGoose Comics, he thinks exactly like I do. Love that guy. Gonna have to subscribe to his channel.
The pump and dump started, what, 10 years ago. Youtubers & CBSI, pumping the shit out of the store variant crap. It grew because every scam bro saw $$$$ and had no morals. It has declined somewhat, hopefully disappears.
If you got into this hobby 5 years ago, that was the height of hype. Bad time to get into comics. Ive been collecting for 25 years; can smell bullshit a mile away.
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I accidentally cancelled my $1.99/month subscription…and haven’t re-activated it, lol.
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You’re not missing much. Their weekly trending 20 list is a list of books that some of these spec channels are spotlighting and a few of “Nick’s Picks” that somehow made the list.
Key alerts are Tuesday CHU spoilers and headlines by the Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
This week’s Hot 10 will be the 6 million dollar Action Comics 1 that has the one sale. We can get all these information elsewhere and much sooner. What do we even need KCC for anymore? Especially if they’re feeding us fake information to pump books (exclusives)
im so tired of people calling ever book that ever hot hot for a week (if that) a key
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Yes, I have noticed the same thing. And that is why I haven’t felt the need to keep it going. I feel like people here are knowledgeable enough and willing to share information that I don’t need the “breaking news” they offer…
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It is hot, but I doubt most of us can afford that level of heat, lol!
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Finally had a moment to sit and watch the video. I generally agree with what he’s saying, but I also don’t watch the videos of these individuals either. Comic Tom gives off that used care salesman vibe. never even heard of Mint Hunter before this.
I do watch Very Gary video, but only the ones where he showcases a collection he recently bought or the covrprice “where are they now” videos. I like to see what people have collected and are giving up…and the Covrprice videos give you a good sense of how the market has responded the past 2-3 years…I don’t partake in his live sales (maybe that’s what this guy is referring to that he’s a bad influence?), and I’ve visited his booth at coms and he generally doesn’t stock what I’m interested in. He’s also into having specific artists sign and remark modem books witnessed by CGC in excess. I’m not sure how that is a money maker. But he must have people who use him to attain signed books for cons they can’t attend.
And on that topic I think witnessed signature books are some of the worst “investment” buys a novice collector can make. Right up there with buying on FOMO because a obscure character may appear in a movie or investing in store exclusives. It’s the next domino to fall in this post covid money market. Signing a book is essentially damaging the book. So unless it’s a personal experience, or a rare signature, i don’t understand it. Especially with the going rate on signatures…who is buying these newly signed books on the secondary market?
Anyway…it’s an interesting video. I don’t disbelieve him, but he should include clips of the people saying what he’s accusing them of as evidence backing up his message. Don’t put word bubbles against their likeness, have them actually say the words.
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LIke you were saying, don’t buy signed books as an investment. I think that novice collectors should only be buying signed raw books and put them in mylar for the pc. Go to comicsandcards, midtowncomics, and check out whatnot after cons. I’ve gotten great deals on signed raw books from all of them in the $5-$10 range per book. Probably ain’t gonna be worth a dang thing in the end, but that’s not why you are buying them in the first place. It’s best to steer clear of remarks unless you know you are going to get something nice. Many artists draw some terrible memorized sketches that even I can recreate.
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I don’t look to purchase books signed by the folks that do the convention scene all year long (and seemingly every single year).
However, I DO have searches for comics signed by the legendary deceased creators. (John Buscema, Nick Cardy, Al Plastino, Curt Swan, Gil Kane, Kirby, John Romita Sr., etc…)
Or by living legends that are never seen or ever do CGC signings. (think Barry Windsor Smith, Mike Ploog, etc…)
I’m on the constant lookout for deals and opportunities for them
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