I feel the same way. I turned 47 this year and at this point, long term spec is out the window. I’ve also started doing several comic book shows/cons the past 1.5 years to sell parts of my collection and some recent collections that I have picked up.
Sorry @Bill for your job loss. Ugh, this year is rough for many all around.
So much going on here, I am glad we are all having this discussion. Last week I was thinking to myself how different this year feels now compared to the beginning. Comics were hot…. and now they are not. We went from Ultimate Spider-man blowing up and it felt like the roaring speculation in books was coming back. But with a few lack luster months in a row now, the “hot lists” just don’t look hot to me. I severely cut back on the number of comics I bought this year and I kind of joke that I’ve made more money doing that than chasing books to flip only to get stuck with 4 copies of the character of the week that nobody will remember in a few months. I’m going on 47 and I was thinking about long term spec. Trying to flip a book 20 years from now isn’t how I want to spend my time or energy. Man, I love you guys. I thought I was having some mental crisis or depression or something but you guys are echoing all the things I’ve been wrestling with lately.
I echo the sentiments of so many here. I’m also in my mid-40’s and have drastically cut down on every single one of my collecting hobbies and am also considering my exit strategy. I’ve gone from spending hundreds per month to maybe $50 per month. Nothing really attracts me anymore and I’m extremely picky with what I buy now. I do still enjoy the hobby but my priorities have dramatically changed with my kids (and me) getting older. I spend more on experiences and trips with the family, and am now an avid golfer (can’t get enough of this game!). Thankfully, I started collecting many many years ago and don’t need to sell anything, so I can play the long game, but I totally get what everyone here is saying. I’ve been wondering for the past year if I was the only one who felt this way, but it seems that is not the case. I’m sure there are many who are still heavy collectors and like playing the spec game, but personally speaking, it just feels different now. Interesting to see how this hobby will look 10 to 20 years from now, especially if the youth indeed fail to develop a “true” interest in the hobby.
Same here. Im 43. Ive cut back ALOT. Actually debating on just stop buying for good. My tastes and attitude towards the hobby has changed.
Maybe you guys have different experiences at your LCS’s, but I don’t see many kids or teens buying comics. They come for game nights/socials. When I saw Batman in 1989 I got into comics and was hooked. The stories now in current comics overall suck and so many classic characters are so far from their original source material. I can’t see how anyone new could get really tied to this stuff. Avengers End Game followed by COVID shut downs ended what to me looked like “youth” being into comics. MCU Phase 4 has been sooooo bad and DC still struggles to get its $hit together. Without a new cohort coming into the hobby, it will experience another mid ‘90’s blow out where almost everyone leaves and things remain dormant until a new catalyst a decade or two later restarting the cycle. You know why X-Men 97 was so popular? Good story telling with the characters being portrayed the way they were meant to be. Comics need more of that. As much as people piss on the 90’s, at least Amazing Spider-man was readable and Batman was Batman.
I have been collecting over 37+ years and I never miss Wednesdays (or Fridays back in the day) at my LCS. This week I got sidetracked with work and life and did not go in. It is Saturday and I still have not made my way there and I’m really in no rush…just not a lot out there for my personal taste anymore. My purchasing has decreased mightily this past year and may end all together in the near future.
Same. Been buying/collecting for 27 years. Nothing in the comic world interests me much anymore. Maybe thats why the comic industry is in the gutters.
We’ve all been collecting long enough to know that publishers are just recycling old stories now…and pumping out new characters every week
We had a local comic/toy show today where I was a vendor at, and I will say the amount of people that came through were lackluster. The guy that was running it has his own shop and promoted the hell out of this show. I at least made my table and was able able to make about $250 from the show, which by my past standards is not good, but at least it wasn’t like a few other shows in the past year where I barely even made table. I was even having a hard time trying to move books that were properly and underpriced.
The real telling tale for me will be in 3 weeks when I am going to be at FanExpo Chicago, lets see how sales go there. I only brought my 25 top slabs at this show today and didn’t even bother to bring the rest of them like I usually do at shows and tried to just focus on the raw books. I didn’t even sell 1 slab today either which at shows I normally do sell a few.
I agree that Ultimate Spider-Man seemed like it was going to reignite the comic industry, and then it just has fizzled out. I know many are feeling that the story has lost some steam. The only title being consistent has been is Transformers from Skybound but it is more of a niche type of title. It is still getting some hype, but has also dropped off a bit in hype albeit still being a solid book.
What I want to do before I exit this hobby, is get my favorite books signed and graded… Then I can die a happy person lol.
I went from spending $4-5k per year on comics during 2018-2022 to $800 in 2023 and $90 so far this year. I haven’t been collecting for long. I am bored of superheroes and I want more M-rated comics. I only buy certain indies and covers that are probably not done by AI. I’ve passed on books because the artist has no proof of work. I’m currently only looking to buy 2 back issues to add to my collection.
What titles are you looking for/collecting?
I am looking for a VF/NM copy of Sonic the Hedgehog #0 1993. The other book is limited and I don’t want to say. I was able to get all of the Wulf and Batsy books and Rogues’ Gallery by Flops for cheap, so I’m happy about that.
I’m right there with you. I’ve been primarily focused on the long-term, but I’m at a point now that I mostly have the keys I want that I could afford, and there are some books that I will never own and that’s the way it is.
As much as I enjoy my area LCSs and want them to stay successful, I just don’t have the space or desire to keep buying new titles. I go weeks between visits now.
I also worry about having a future generation of collectors to sell to down the road. I have high hopes for the MCU X-Men to help, but I remain skeptical of the Fantastic Four or Gunn’s DC bringing in young readers.
Long-term holds work better if you have an account. At least this way you can still make money just selling for cover price. Get some extra copies if you want and pre-sell as much as you can. Also not a good idea to overextend for incentives
Sold 4 books yesterday. Nearly fell off my chair when i heard the cash register sound.
I found a copy of Ultimate Universe 1 just sitting on the shelf about 2 weeks ago at my LCS. Don’t know why it was just sitting there when it was “sold out” for months at the shop. They must’ve put a copy out to coincide with the new Ultimates title launch. Snatched that up and listed it.
There were multiple sales of it for $50 so i listed mine for $50 or best offer + shipping. I got a low ball offer of $29. Before i could respond i got a message that the offer has been retracted. The same buyer then sent me another offer, this time for $25. Apparently his first offer was too extravagant and had to revise it. I decided not to dignify his offer with a response and just let it expire.
Yesterday someone purchased it for the full amount $50+$7 shipping without making an offer. Feels good.
The simple things in life that brings me amusement.
People finally going after the Maystorm cameo
If this is solely a money making venture, it’s probably a losing effort. I’m buying far fewer spec books and more books I like to read/collect. Virtually zero super-hero books on the pull list.
My feeling is if this hobby dries up entirely tomorrow and I have boxes of kindling, I’m ok with that. To me, the fun has always been hunting and reading. If I can sell some along the way, cool.
I will say that the shows and cons we have here in the MPLS area are always busy.
I have like 10 copies of it. The Third Eye Variant. Paid less than $5 each.
He’s been putting out alot of Kickstarter exclusive covers lately
That’s a sweet deal. I ended up paying <$8 shipped.