The first step for your personal sanity is calling it collecting instead of investing. Comics as a path to investin is wildly volatile and removes a lot of the joy of collecting.
Also it's a lot harder to make money. If I buy a stock all I need to do is watch it. Once it goes up I sell. For comic books I have to buy the book, possibly get it cleaned and pressed, get it graded and thsn put up for sale. After all the time and expenses I could have made more om the stock market. With that said I'm a collector not investor.
@@danceswithcomicbooks7733 I mean, I can buy a graded ASM 129 (especially in the current economy), watch it on my shelf and then sell it in 2-4 years for a healthy profit. Bluechip comics are a thing. Its not that hard if you're buying solid books that will always have a demand. Even with the current economy, my comic collection STILL has a higher RoR than my stocks...
@@wizardingreen8642 so many people are scared of stocks but they really are a great way to make money. No packing snd shipping and no buying and selling of comics. It's a lot less work.
@@johnnydropkicksIt's pretty much time to get out. The movies are no longer must see and are starting to lose a ton of money. The speculating will not be nearly as great as it was In the last 10 years. The gravy train is over. You can still make money with the hobby but it's going to be much harder and nit as profitable. The studios killed the goose that laid their golden egg and yours. It's pretty much over.
@johnnydropkicks the anomaly of 2020 isn't the norm.. if you're investing you're not collecting Green Lantern Blackest Night.. you are investing in proven blue chip books.. and there are only so many blue chip books worth investing in.
@@danceswithcomicbooks7733 What do you mean by, “it’s pretty much time to get out?” Are you suggesting that it’s time to stop investing in comics, or that it’s time to sell them; or both?
I'm a collector, not a dealer or money guy. I'm okay with either, so long as folks aren't cloaking one role under the other. When folks try to thread the needle between both is when I take issue.
If you didn't buy any books 2020 - 2022 it doesn't feel like books are crashing IMO. I was so broke during COVID when people were going nuts and didn't buy a thing. Just started buying again middle of 2023 and it kind of feels like things are right where i left off.
I am both a collector and seller, I utilize the books to fund what I want to collect. I started a few years back with a small amount of seed money and have a substantial collection, you can be both a collector and investor! It’s not one or the other….
I'm I. That same boat. I don't think it should frowned upon if you can sell or flip certain comics for that sake of keeping your hobby going. I don't make enough in this economy to buy everything without a care. So you bet your sweet dollar I scour on a low bid on some miles morales first apearances to flip .... green lantern and whiz comics don't come cheap to put up on my wall lol
Looking at your wall over the last few years, i had thought to myself , all cash and flash, all the gear but no idea. Now I'm not knocking your collecting habits, or how you go about things, but i personally would be emotionally invested in the titles up there before displaying them. Your channels content has been informative and entertaining and engaging. This truthful approach is refreshing and gives us viewers insight to the inner workings of Sticky G's mindset. The best thing of all is the turn around, love what you own. Question: house fire...what is the 1 item you would try to save from your collection?. Keep up the good work. Britain 🇬🇧 could do with a sticky G.
I can’t say I feel sorry for investors. They have pushed books so much that even though their prices have come down, I’ll probably still never be able to afford comics and characters I love.
You only have one life. Think how much money you spend on things you don't need. Take away, snacks, clothes, etc.... drop those things and save, eventually get the things you want. Go without, but focus and determination will get you what you want. Sacrifices must be made. We may never own amazing fantasy #15, but someone does, how did they do it?.
There’s an awful lot of people who say they aren’t in it for money, but you see a lot of books (on various platforms) that refuse to adjust their prices to the market. Seems like there are a lot of fibbers out there lol, so it’s honestly refreshing to hear you just be upfront about why you started collecting.
This is such a great video, I hope other channels view it and take your lead. Very cool that your have many keys with value, but even cooler that you have your favorite characters now that you follow, and backtrack to pickup their earlier stories, like Animal Man. Not everyone likes the same characters or storylines, which makes collecting comics such a unique & personal endeavor.
This is the realest comic video I’ve watched on TH-cam.. I just subscribed because I absolutely feel like I’ve went on the same journey since I started collecting..
It certainly does take some of us time to realize what our collecting goals are. I've been back and forth multiple times. Collector, flipper, investor, collector, seller. I still don't know exactly what I want to do in this hobby, but I've realized I don't have the patience to wait 5 to 10 years for a book to appreciate in price, so investing is out. I don't read the books much, so collecting runs is out. Like you, I feel a connection to certain characters, storylines, and covers. Those books make me happy and are all I'm after at the moment.
I have never collected for profit. I read and collect what I like. Almost all of my collection is from my childhood, and I get them graded just to keep them from getting damaged anymore.
Comic Book collecting is fun and an enjoyable hobby but the ONLY people that make money with comics are the Dealers. When you build a collection the only person that can buy your collection is a dealer - because no collector will need or want all the books you have - so you will sell your collection for 50% of what you paid if you’re lucky - and then the dealer will resell it again to a new collector that enters the hobby. The dealer sells the book 📕 to the collector for full value - and then buys it back for a fraction of its value when the collector inevitably needs or wants to get out. It’s a never ending cycle.
Once the MCU gets ahold of them it will be unaffordable it will skyrocket to the moon and you’ll never have the chance to buy!! I remember so many videos from influencers like that!! After some years I realized these guys are out here just hoping and guessing like the rest of us.. glad I didn’t get burned to badly
I don't even understand why someone would think "investing" in collectibles is a good idea in the first place. I've monetized my collection a few times when I was dead broke, but otherwise it's just for fun. Second, I have no sympathy for any investor in anything unless they were scammed - all investments entail risk.
I recently got back into comics. Long story but anyway. Collect what you love. I am a major Batman fan, so I'm reading modern and searching for older Batman family titles to collect. Just got the Tim Drake Keys finished. Not worth much but make a great addition to the Batman Family History Wall.
Im 48. I had a long box FULL of late 90's to early 2000's #1's/ Alot of Image new #1's and Marvel renewed storylines with new #1's. I really have never been a huge Super Heros fan, they are cool but I was in love with the comics books themselves. I sold my long box for $600 about 12 years ago. After watching Transformers Rise of the Beasts, the end credits scene showed GI Joe vs Transformers as the next big movie. I immediately started buying up all of the GI Joe vs Transformers comic books. Then along the way I instantly fell back in love with my childhood love for GI Joe and Transformers. So no I have the full runs for ARAH marvel and IDW, im working on any GI Joe I could find in the meantime. Im also buying up all the Transformers I can too. I also have a ton of Classified GI Joe figs and Transformer figs. My plan is to collect and build them until I retire. When I receive my first retirement/ social sec check then I will post my collection for what I feel it is worth and attempt to sell it off as a whole collection or in partial chunks of complete runs. A retirement plan. After GI Joe and Transformers I want to branch out to Masters of the Universe.
Funny enough, I got into comics (again) in late 2021 through sports cards during the collectibles boom of 2020-2021. A sports card influencer posted a CGC-slabbed FF 52 and I was curious because I knew about Black Panther via the Marvel movies. From there I started getting back into comics and pulling out stuff that I had from my previous stint in comics from 2013-2014.
I wonder how long these investment channels will last now that all the free money is gone. Glad to see that you have found a place in comics. It makes your life a lot better. Thanks!
I mean now is the absolute best time to START "investing" in comics. If you can afford it, buying major keys now is like buying stocks or real estate in 2010. The major vintage comic market will eventually recover giving anyone that's buying now a solid Rate of Return.
I remember read a digest of the arcade saga of X-Men by Claremont and Byrne ( the one with Proletarian Colossus) and then a 90s X-men Annual in which storm battles the leader of the Morlocks or something, those things hooked me into comics. After a first trial trying to collect what a could find in Panamá, comics where a truly niche thing in some magazine stores by the 90's, then suddenly stopped by 1998, and the went back to comics at the beginning of 200s with Geoff Johns and EVS Green Lantern Rebirth, and I havent stoped collecting since. After the first wave of DC Rebirth of DC , and immortal Hulk and Aarons Run on Avengers, I decided to stop collecting floppies (monthly issues) and focused on collected editions, while updating my favorite runs that are not key issues to tpb or harcover editions. I have selled, even given away many of my issues, and seen the joy in the people that find a good story in them brings me joy. Yeah you can get in for the investment, but hope for whatever reason you do get into comics, you have fun with all the narratives they can bring. Saludos.
Welcome to our world, the world where we love comics for the stories, characters and artwork and not the money. I buy and never sell because I love comics so much.
a coupla things id say are 1-completists,...if its your thing go for it, but it will cause storage space problems at some point,.....and also holding onto a large amt of issues that are not worth a lot. back in the 60s, i just collected keys, certain mini-runs, and cool covers, my collector friends said no way, had to have 1-100 or whatever. today, they collect as i did, me too.... 2-everythings crashing, i see some of what your saying, esp. modern books for instance but if you start buying pre-code horror or other key atomic books, i bet youll notice a different trend,... 3-as far as comics being especially liquid in bad times,...they arent for the most part,.....youre right- dont depend on t hat,... 4-do keep some books raw for gosh sakes b/c reading the stories and enjoying the art is really what its all about...... 5-advice---ride out the storm, this is no time for a fire sale
Finally come around to being a book fan and actually enjoying the works! I still love the art and read everything I buy regardless of whether it's something I'm into or not. Buy what you love and it will never make you regret and if it happens to increase in value, that's a plus. #SilverAgeSucker
CGC opened themselves to being easily scammed. They didn't have basic security in place and just waved reholders through without inspecting them. Their 'secure' cases can be popped open with a hair dryer... THEIR fault. @@samuelcatoe1927
Why not blame both? The company whose job is to validate comic books wound up validating at least hundreds of books that were not what they seemed. The scammer took advantage of poorly designed slabs and poorly designed processes and will be prosecuted. One of these relied on reputation and the other...not so much!
I'm a new comic collector, I mainly collect cool covers or interesting key issues. To be honest I got bored collecting 1/10, 1/4 statues and 1/6 figures like Hot Toys etc... For now comics will keep me busy until I get bored ( from zero comics now I own 30 slabs and around 100 raw books in 14 days) I think I need slow down, that's my problem when I start on something new I go hard and fast. All the stuff I collected through out the years are all keepers including my Kenner Star Wars collection and all my retro video games from the 70's to modern. Someday all my stuff will pass on to my wife and kid.
I collect comics for pure love of the characters and the stories. Investment was never part of the plan. I mean if people buy comics for investment, cool. To each their own but for me I feel like buying comics for investment was a waste because I think alot of people who dont even bother to actually read the story and just see dollars signs as you described are missing out. But as many of us say there is no wrong way in collecting comics. But I think it's awesome that you saw the light so to speak and began to love the characters and the story and immersed yourself in the hobby full time. :D
I think the value of comics is tied to nostalgia. Millennials that were into comics in the late 80's and early 90's who are now in their late 30’s and early 40’s have money to scratch that nostalgic itch. What I hope is that kids who grew up with the MCU will also get that itch in the 2040’s and 50’s when millennials are retiring and looking to cash out.
I believe that if indeed the comic market is tanking, we should organize a comic book collective. This would be where the collector would meet and TRADE not sell, and not buy this way, nobody suffers a loss...you can trade one tanked book for another
You gotta zag when everybody else is zigging. Ignore the 'Blue Chip' keys and find some great bronze&silver-age comics that haven't been highly-promoted yet. A lot of overlooked 1960-70's DC comics in high-grade have been making price gains for years (and have room for much more). They are tougher to track though, because many don't come up for sale very often. A disproportionate # of TH-camrs grew up on 1980's/90's/modern comics with huge print runs and will tell you to invest in ASM #252/300, Hulk #340, Wolverine #1, X-men #266, Spawn (which are the first comics to go down in price when everybody wants to sell). Then we have to hear the TH-camrs cry like Chicken Little, "We're Doomed! Comics are over!" Yeeesh. Discover some lesser-printed books with room to grow. Love your collection.
Wow! Such a dark background in your previous vids. Haha! It’s cool you can admit where you are vs where you were. You’re def right about comics not being a good investment. I do this because it’s fun and a great hobby with many facets like hunting books and reading them. Keep at it!
There are so many comic dealers that have a TH-cam channel these days that no scam or negative rumor about the hobby goes unnoticed. The latest was the tip of the iceberg. These days as a collector you know that if you hold out a little bit longer or search a little harder the comic you want is selling at 50% discount to current market rates somewhere. You can't even trust a blue label SA high grade online for fear of being trimmed. Purple labels with slight restoration may be the way to go going forward.
I love you man, telling the truth about not doing it solely for investing: bad move. Collecting out of true love for the series you but and love, or the singles/Omnis you love. I wish my LCS got in more Marvel Omnibuses, personally. Do you enjoy the Marvel ones?
Ummm even blue chip stocks have dropoff periods. That is the time to BUY or HOLD. That how ANY investment category works. You buy low, sell high. To act like major keys aren't going to eventually recover just like any other investment on a long enough timeline is asinine. In fact, Comics are probably one of the more solid commodities that have taken a hit in this economy. My collection has taken about a 25% overall hit from the absolute peak it saw in 2022 which considering how bloated those prices were, is not that much. To say that people are doing it "wrong" if they invest in comics, especially if they are buying now to sell when the market goes back up, is completely disingenuous.
Whenever I say I like to collect sets, not just keys, some people think I’m crazy because thats not where the money is. What can I say? I like putting together sets/runs, it’s fun. The idea that some actor hitting his girlfriend can swing the value of a 60 year old classic comic book, thats what I call crazy. A lot of my favorite comics are not my most valuable ones but it seems like everyone now only seems to focus on the investment aspect
When a comic book goes up a thousand times or more of what you paid for it and then in a year it drops 25 to 50% I still look at making huge profits if I ever sell the collection I started 57 years ago it's all about the Long Haul
Great video as always. I think before anybody starts trying to invest in comics with a lot of their money, they should try the stock market first. Learn about opportunity cost, dividends, liquidity etc. Comics are still a viable way of storing value if you buy well. You can also make money if you are really really good at speculating, and know that you can also sell.
It's great that you fell in love with comics after initially being an investor! Collect what you like, whatever way you want to make yourself happy! Sometimes you can buy, sometimes, sell, and sometimes just enjoy the history of characters, writers, artists, and companies! Make the hobby your own and reach out to other collectors when you want to talk about it - hint hint! Happy New year and stay in touch! 😃
What I have liked has changed over the years. I am sentimentality attached to some, but not all of my collection. I'm into collecting as a love and as an investment. I try to buy low and sell high and use the difference to upgrade my collection. Will I own every book I've ever wanted? Absolutely not. Will I own some of the books I've always wanted? Absolutely.
There was several times about 4 years ago where I came from work to watch something on Netflix and get some escapism and I was not allowed to. Was constantly being beat over the head with Woke politics. Had a run of about 5/6 shows or movies that was promoting Woke shit. So I had to go somewhere else. At the time I knew about Comicsgate but never really backed there books or listeded, I started there, they got a really cool community of people who love comics. Now I read Comics everyday. Buy old/New stuff, indie or Mainstream. When getting into it ,it's hard to kind of navigate what you should buy or not buy, who got opinions closer to yours. Now I'm a "the book is better" kind of GUY.
Well Goosie, comic investment for a fellow like you should be a long-term prospect. You are quite young. I've been into comics my entire life. I'm also about investments. I'm going to retire in a few years, and I'm building a good business base currently. I want to supplement a fixed income in the future. I still buy books that will never be worth anything significant. I have a ton of books I'll never sell. I have a few that are going to be worth some money. In 1975, when I was 10, you could get a really significant book that goes for 10s of thousands today or even in 2019, pre-boom, for well under 1000. I've flipped a giant sized x-men #1 I bought for under 100 pre 200 for $500 in 2004. Now that same is $8000. Holding on to desirable rarities when you're young is a good outlook. Collect for the love of comics, but invest as well.
Sentiment changes alongside the market. When the market is down, we learn to enjoy the comics for what they are or remember what we love about them. When the market is up, we tend to look at them more as investments. But these views are at odds, because it's hard to sell something you are attached to. Investing is for those who can separate emotion. Just enjoy the journey, learn, adapt, grow and dont get stuck in a shame spiral around past decisions.
Great video dude, when I first started I was very into the money aspect but now I enjoy it for collecting. Im heavy into silverage and love the history and art.
I have very very few singles I do have three slabs. But they aren’t for value they are because I love the characters and wanted sweet art. But I love the stories over all.
I got into it in hopes of having books in the future for investment, that has changed I get a major thrill from collecting now. I love my books and don’t know that I would get rid of my PC unless I absolutely had to. You have books behind you that I can’t wait to get my hands on. You are also very right I have watched some major keys drop in price and at first I was like oh shit but now it’s exciting because I might have a shot at get one lol. Thanks for your honesty sticky.
Good video! I'm a "Completest" and have been collecting runs for years. But, I don't look down at you for not doing that: I look at myself and say "What's the heck is wrong with ME?" I'm the one who's nuts! You are normal. Believe me.
I started out buting comics for investment as well but i still think everyone needs to buy keys cause those are the books that have the best chance of going up in value.
As a collector with almost 40 years of experience: profit is a bonus, that’s all. Nothing more. A nice thing that might happen and if it does or doesn’t shouldn’t matter.
I also buy up all the Logans run..issue #6 is the first solo Thanos story. One day they will ALL be mine. Well, not the rags. You all can fight over those. Logans Run #1 through 7 but especually numver six im calling dibs. They arent easy to find in the wild and i make it harder and harder all the time. Muhahaha!
I been holding from 89 in the hope some will be worth something one day lol. Maybe my kids kids will have something worth $$$ oneday...but probably not.
I collect for fun, have been since the 1990’s but I do buy and sell to help the hobby fund itself, I’ve had some decent sales over the years, if you can turn a profit doing it, good for you and keep it up!
Comic books are not an investment. Mutual funds are investments. Comics may increase in value, however they are speculative collectibles. I love comics and I have purchased thousands of them, but they are not investments.
I only buy what I enjoy and it’s not an investment to me. I really don’t care what the market does because I don’t look at it as funding my eventual retirememt.
Love this video, buy comic books which mean something to you personally. An s&p 500 index fund would generally be a much better investment and more liquid if that’s the priority
If you did not unload every single book you bought as an investment by now, you’re either stuck with it or taking a loss. Gravy train’s over boys! It’s gonna take hard work now. It will take a true reader to make intelligent guesses on what characters or storylines the movies could be using, and thus get to books before they see bumps.
I fell in love with comics and kept them , read them more than once and stacked them unboarded and unbagged before they were even invented ! over the decades I became an investor and now I hate graded comics and dumb people who think 9.8 is an investment . I only keep the comics I like and pass on the trash .
I gotta be completely honest and let the hate comments come in I could care less… I take joy in watching someone who uses this hobby purely to try and make a financial gain crash and burn 🔥 🤷♂️
I have 10 copies.of silver surfer #1..if I see the book in good condition it's mine. Lately I've been buying up every Darth Vader I can get my hands on. It's not about money or investing. It's about love and preventing others from obtaining the books I love. The books I love become like my wives and I don't want anyone else to have them. It's a sick sick game I'm playing and I can't stop. If one day people wonder what the hell happened to all the copies of silver surfer #1...I've got them. Muhaha !
People who get into comic books as an investment don't know anything about either. Glad you've come around.
The first step for your personal sanity is calling it collecting instead of investing.
Comics as a path to investin is wildly volatile and removes a lot of the joy of collecting.
Also it's a lot harder to make money. If I buy a stock all I need to do is watch it. Once it goes up I sell. For comic books I have to buy the book, possibly get it cleaned and pressed, get it graded and thsn put up for sale. After all the time and expenses I could have made more om the stock market. With that said I'm a collector not investor.
@@danceswithcomicbooks7733 I mean, I can buy a graded ASM 129 (especially in the current economy), watch it on my shelf and then sell it in 2-4 years for a healthy profit. Bluechip comics are a thing. Its not that hard if you're buying solid books that will always have a demand. Even with the current economy, my comic collection STILL has a higher RoR than my stocks...
This. Get into stocks if you want to invest.
@@wizardingreen8642 so many people are scared of stocks but they really are a great way to make money. No packing snd shipping and no buying and selling of comics. It's a lot less work.
i got into comics for the women
If you are collecting for profit.. you've already lost..
What if you are purchasing comics for investing (profit) and not collecting?
@@johnnydropkicksIt's pretty much time to get out. The movies are no longer must see and are starting to lose a ton of money. The speculating will not be nearly as great as it was In the last 10 years. The gravy train is over. You can still make money with the hobby but it's going to be much harder and nit as profitable. The studios killed the goose that laid their golden egg and yours. It's pretty much over.
@johnnydropkicks the anomaly of 2020 isn't the norm.. if you're investing you're not collecting Green Lantern Blackest Night.. you are investing in proven blue chip books.. and there are only so many blue chip books worth investing in.
@@theayatollahofrockandrolla also comic book movies that fuel a lot of the comic book market are tanking. Lol
@@danceswithcomicbooks7733 What do you mean by, “it’s pretty much time to get out?” Are you suggesting that it’s time to stop investing in comics, or that it’s time to sell them; or both?
I'm a collector, not a dealer or money guy. I'm okay with either, so long as folks aren't cloaking one role under the other. When folks try to thread the needle between both is when I take issue.
If you didn't buy any books 2020 - 2022 it doesn't feel like books are crashing IMO. I was so broke during COVID when people were going nuts and didn't buy a thing. Just started buying again middle of 2023 and it kind of feels like things are right where i left off.
Bro same. seeing comics back to 60 bucks for some vintage stuff is my marmalade
I am both a collector and seller, I utilize the books to fund what I want to collect. I started a few years back with a small amount of seed money and have a substantial collection, you can be both a collector and investor! It’s not one or the other….
I'm I. That same boat. I don't think it should frowned upon if you can sell or flip certain comics for that sake of keeping your hobby going.
I don't make enough in this economy to buy everything without a care. So you bet your sweet dollar I scour on a low bid on some miles morales first apearances to flip .... green lantern and whiz comics don't come cheap to put up on my wall lol
Looking at your wall over the last few years, i had thought to myself , all cash and flash, all the gear but no idea. Now I'm not knocking your collecting habits, or how you go about things, but i personally would be emotionally invested in the titles up there before displaying them.
Your channels content has been informative and entertaining and engaging. This truthful approach is refreshing and gives us viewers insight to the inner workings of Sticky G's mindset. The best thing of all is the turn around, love what you own. Question: house fire...what is the 1 item you would try to save from your collection?. Keep up the good work. Britain 🇬🇧 could do with a sticky G.
Stickygoose gets it right. Best comic book channel on TH-cam. All hail Sticky Goose.
this is sticky gooses alt account
I can’t say I feel sorry for investors. They have pushed books so much that even though their prices have come down, I’ll probably still never be able to afford comics and characters I love.
You only have one life. Think how much money you spend on things you don't need. Take away, snacks, clothes, etc.... drop those things and save, eventually get the things you want. Go without, but focus and determination will get you what you want. Sacrifices must be made. We may never own amazing fantasy #15, but someone does, how did they do it?.
There’s an awful lot of people who say they aren’t in it for money, but you see a lot of books (on various platforms) that refuse to adjust their prices to the market. Seems like there are a lot of fibbers out there lol, so it’s honestly refreshing to hear you just be upfront about why you started collecting.
This is such a great video, I hope other channels view it and take your lead. Very cool that your have many keys with value, but even cooler that you have your favorite characters now that you follow, and backtrack to pickup their earlier stories, like Animal Man. Not everyone likes the same characters or storylines, which makes collecting comics such a unique & personal endeavor.
This is the realest comic video I’ve watched on TH-cam.. I just subscribed because I absolutely feel like I’ve went on the same journey since I started collecting..
It certainly does take some of us time to realize what our collecting goals are. I've been back and forth multiple times. Collector, flipper, investor, collector, seller. I still don't know exactly what I want to do in this hobby, but I've realized I don't have the patience to wait 5 to 10 years for a book to appreciate in price, so investing is out. I don't read the books much, so collecting runs is out. Like you, I feel a connection to certain characters, storylines, and covers. Those books make me happy and are all I'm after at the moment.
I have never collected for profit. I read and collect what I like. Almost all of my collection is from my childhood, and I get them graded just to keep them from getting damaged anymore.
Comic Book collecting is fun and an enjoyable hobby but the ONLY people that make money with comics are the Dealers. When you build a collection the only person that can buy your collection is a dealer - because no collector will need or want all the books you have - so you will sell your collection for 50% of what you paid if you’re lucky - and then the dealer will resell it again to a new collector that enters the hobby. The dealer sells the book 📕 to the collector for full value - and then buys it back for a fraction of its value when the collector inevitably needs or wants to get out. It’s a never ending cycle.
Once the MCU gets ahold of them it will be unaffordable it will skyrocket to the moon and you’ll never have the chance to buy!! I remember so many videos from influencers like that!! After some years I realized these guys are out here just hoping and guessing like the rest of us.. glad I didn’t get burned to badly
Greed and vanity has ruined the hobby and don’t forget the story and art are the most important over value!
Always appreciate the honesty Daniel. As a lifelong collector most of my years in the hobby revolves around books and characters I truly love.
Dollar bins will bring in all kinds of profit allllll kinds
I don't even understand why someone would think "investing" in collectibles is a good idea in the first place. I've monetized my collection a few times when I was dead broke, but otherwise it's just for fun. Second, I have no sympathy for any investor in anything unless they were scammed - all investments entail risk.
I recently got back into comics. Long story but anyway. Collect what you love. I am a major Batman fan, so I'm reading modern and searching for older Batman family titles to collect. Just got the Tim Drake Keys finished. Not worth much but make a great addition to the Batman Family History Wall.
SG, you gonna pop that asm129 to make sure its got the MVS >.>
Im 48. I had a long box FULL of late 90's to early 2000's #1's/ Alot of Image new #1's and Marvel renewed storylines with new #1's. I really have never been a huge Super Heros fan, they are cool but I was in love with the comics books themselves. I sold my long box for $600 about 12 years ago. After watching Transformers Rise of the Beasts, the end credits scene showed GI Joe vs Transformers as the next big movie. I immediately started buying up all of the GI Joe vs Transformers comic books. Then along the way I instantly fell back in love with my childhood love for GI Joe and Transformers. So no I have the full runs for ARAH marvel and IDW, im working on any GI Joe I could find in the meantime. Im also buying up all the Transformers I can too. I also have a ton of Classified GI Joe figs and Transformer figs. My plan is to collect and build them until I retire. When I receive my first retirement/ social sec check then I will post my collection for what I feel it is worth and attempt to sell it off as a whole collection or in partial chunks of complete runs. A retirement plan. After GI Joe and Transformers I want to branch out to Masters of the Universe.
good luck super steve
Funny enough, I got into comics (again) in late 2021 through sports cards during the collectibles boom of 2020-2021. A sports card influencer posted a CGC-slabbed FF 52 and I was curious because I knew about Black Panther via the Marvel movies. From there I started getting back into comics and pulling out stuff that I had from my previous stint in comics from 2013-2014.
Agree with all of this. Well said.
I wonder how long these investment channels will last now that all the free money is gone. Glad to see that you have found a place in comics. It makes your life a lot better. Thanks!
I mean now is the absolute best time to START "investing" in comics. If you can afford it, buying major keys now is like buying stocks or real estate in 2010. The major vintage comic market will eventually recover giving anyone that's buying now a solid Rate of Return.
I remember read a digest of the arcade saga of X-Men by Claremont and Byrne ( the one with Proletarian Colossus) and then a 90s X-men Annual in which storm battles the leader of the Morlocks or something, those things hooked me into comics. After a first trial trying to collect what a could find in Panamá, comics where a truly niche thing in some magazine stores by the 90's, then suddenly stopped by 1998, and the went back to comics at the beginning of 200s with Geoff Johns and EVS Green Lantern Rebirth, and I havent stoped collecting since. After the first wave of DC Rebirth of DC , and immortal Hulk and Aarons Run on Avengers, I decided to stop collecting floppies (monthly issues) and focused on collected editions, while updating my favorite runs that are not key issues to tpb or harcover editions. I have selled, even given away many of my issues, and seen the joy in the people that find a good story in them brings me joy. Yeah you can get in for the investment, but hope for whatever reason you do get into comics, you have fun with all the narratives they can bring. Saludos.
Welcome to our world, the world where we love comics for the stories, characters and artwork and not the money. I buy and never sell because I love comics so much.
Your honesty is refreshing, this is why I subbed waaay back.
a coupla things id say are
1-completists,...if its your thing go for it, but it will cause storage space problems at some point,.....and also holding onto a large amt of issues that are not worth a lot.
back in the 60s, i just collected keys, certain mini-runs, and cool covers, my collector friends said no way, had to have 1-100 or whatever. today, they collect as i did, me too....
2-everythings crashing, i see some of what your saying, esp. modern books for instance but if you start buying pre-code horror or other key atomic books, i bet youll notice a different trend,...
3-as far as comics being especially liquid in bad times,...they arent for the most part,.....youre right- dont depend on t hat,...
4-do keep some books raw for gosh sakes b/c reading the stories and enjoying the art is really what its all about......
5-advice---ride out the storm, this is no time for a fire sale
Finally come around to being a book fan and actually enjoying the works! I still love the art and read everything I buy regardless of whether it's something I'm into or not. Buy what you love and it will never make you regret and if it happens to increase in value, that's a plus. #SilverAgeSucker
Not a gold mine unless you bought specific books decades ago for very little.
Things done changed since CGC just wrecked itself.
CGC didn't wreck itself. Someone scammed CGC and others, and y'all decided to blame CGC rather than the thieves.
CGC opened themselves to being easily scammed. They didn't have basic security in place and just waved reholders through without inspecting them. Their 'secure' cases can be popped open with a hair dryer... THEIR fault. @@samuelcatoe1927
CGC didn't wreck itself, but it did get "played."
@samuelcatoe1927 agree 👍🏿 if they don't want to use CGC then don't. Simple and plain
Why not blame both? The company whose job is to validate comic books wound up validating at least hundreds of books that were not what they seemed. The scammer took advantage of poorly designed slabs and poorly designed processes and will be prosecuted. One of these relied on reputation and the other...not so much!
I'm a new comic collector, I mainly collect cool covers or interesting key issues.
To be honest I got bored collecting 1/10, 1/4 statues and 1/6 figures like Hot Toys etc...
For now comics will keep me busy until I get bored ( from zero comics now I own 30 slabs and around 100 raw books in 14 days) I think I need slow down, that's my problem when I start on something new I go hard and fast.
All the stuff I collected through out the years are all keepers including my Kenner Star Wars collection and all my retro video games from the 70's to modern.
Someday all my stuff will pass on to my wife and kid.
@@richardolney1822 I did buy some bigger keys in slabs and some golden in raw. But I do need to slow down for sure. 👍
Thank you because I feel like I’m drowning most days I have my Dads hoard of comic. He saw it as an investment not a hobby.
I collect comics for pure love of the characters and the stories. Investment was never part of the plan. I mean if people buy comics for investment, cool. To each their own but for me I feel like buying comics for investment was a waste because I think alot of people who dont even bother to actually read the story and just see dollars signs as you described are missing out. But as many of us say there is no wrong way in collecting comics. But I think it's awesome that you saw the light so to speak and began to love the characters and the story and immersed yourself in the hobby full time. :D
I think the value of comics is tied to nostalgia. Millennials that were into comics in the late 80's and early 90's who are now in their late 30’s and early 40’s have money to scratch that nostalgic itch. What I hope is that kids who grew up with the MCU will also get that itch in the 2040’s and 50’s when millennials are retiring and looking to cash out.
I believe that if indeed the comic market is tanking, we should organize a comic book collective. This would be where the collector would meet and TRADE not sell, and not buy this way, nobody suffers a loss...you can trade one tanked book for another
Can we like it all? Like to collect…like to watch the movies..like to buy the statues…like to read the weekly comics
You gotta zag when everybody else is zigging. Ignore the 'Blue Chip' keys and find some great bronze&silver-age comics that haven't been highly-promoted yet. A lot of overlooked 1960-70's DC comics in high-grade have been making price gains for years (and have room for much more). They are tougher to track though, because many don't come up for sale very often.
A disproportionate # of TH-camrs grew up on 1980's/90's/modern comics with huge print runs and will tell you to invest in ASM #252/300, Hulk #340, Wolverine #1, X-men #266, Spawn (which are the first comics to go down in price when everybody wants to sell). Then we have to hear the TH-camrs cry like Chicken Little, "We're Doomed! Comics are over!" Yeeesh. Discover some lesser-printed books with room to grow. Love your collection.
Wow! Such a dark background in your previous vids. Haha! It’s cool you can admit where you are vs where you were. You’re def right about comics not being a good investment. I do this because it’s fun and a great hobby with many facets like hunting books and reading them. Keep at it!
There are so many comic dealers that have a TH-cam channel these days that no scam or negative rumor about the hobby goes unnoticed. The latest was the tip of the iceberg. These days as a collector you know that if you hold out a little bit longer or search a little harder the comic you want is selling at 50% discount to current market rates somewhere. You can't even trust a blue label SA high grade online for fear of being trimmed. Purple labels with slight restoration may be the way to go going forward.
I love you man, telling the truth about not doing it solely for investing: bad move. Collecting out of true love for the series you but and love, or the singles/Omnis you love. I wish my LCS got in more Marvel Omnibuses, personally. Do you enjoy the Marvel ones?
Ummm even blue chip stocks have dropoff periods. That is the time to BUY or HOLD. That how ANY investment category works. You buy low, sell high. To act like major keys aren't going to eventually recover just like any other investment on a long enough timeline is asinine. In fact, Comics are probably one of the more solid commodities that have taken a hit in this economy. My collection has taken about a 25% overall hit from the absolute peak it saw in 2022 which considering how bloated those prices were, is not that much. To say that people are doing it "wrong" if they invest in comics, especially if they are buying now to sell when the market goes back up, is completely disingenuous.
thanks for sharing your personal journey. Most people start with the love then build their collection but I'm glad you got there in your own way!
Whenever I say I like to collect sets, not just keys, some people think I’m crazy because thats not where the money is. What can I say? I like putting together sets/runs, it’s fun. The idea that some actor hitting his girlfriend can swing the value of a 60 year old classic comic book, thats what I call crazy. A lot of my favorite comics are not my most valuable ones but it seems like everyone now only seems to focus on the investment aspect
When a comic book goes up a thousand times or more of what you paid for it and then in a year it drops 25 to 50% I still look at making huge profits if I ever sell the collection I started 57 years ago it's all about the Long Haul
Great video as always. I think before anybody starts trying to invest in comics with a lot of their money, they should try the stock market first. Learn about opportunity cost, dividends, liquidity etc. Comics are still a viable way of storing value if you buy well. You can also make money if you are really really good at speculating, and know that you can also sell.
It's great that you fell in love with comics after initially being an investor! Collect what you like, whatever way you want to make yourself happy! Sometimes you can buy, sometimes, sell, and sometimes just enjoy the history of characters, writers, artists, and companies! Make the hobby your own and reach out to other collectors when you want to talk about it - hint hint! Happy New year and stay in touch! 😃
What I have liked has changed over the years. I am sentimentality attached to some, but not all of my collection. I'm into collecting as a love and as an investment. I try to buy low and sell high and use the difference to upgrade my collection. Will I own every book I've ever wanted? Absolutely not. Will I own some of the books I've always wanted? Absolutely.
There was several times about 4 years ago where I came from work to watch something on Netflix and get some escapism and I was not allowed to. Was constantly being beat over the head with Woke politics. Had a run of about 5/6 shows or movies that was promoting Woke shit. So I had to go somewhere else. At the time I knew about Comicsgate but never really backed there books or listeded, I started there, they got a really cool community of people who love comics. Now I read Comics everyday. Buy old/New stuff, indie or Mainstream. When getting into it ,it's hard to kind of navigate what you should buy or not buy, who got opinions closer to yours. Now I'm a "the book is better" kind of GUY.
Well Goosie, comic investment for a fellow like you should be a long-term prospect. You are quite young. I've been into comics my entire life. I'm also about investments. I'm going to retire in a few years, and I'm building a good business base currently. I want to supplement a fixed income in the future. I still buy books that will never be worth anything significant. I have a ton of books I'll never sell. I have a few that are going to be worth some money. In 1975, when I was 10, you could get a really significant book that goes for 10s of thousands today or even in 2019, pre-boom, for well under 1000. I've flipped a giant sized x-men #1 I bought for under 100 pre 200 for $500 in 2004. Now that same is $8000. Holding on to desirable rarities when you're young is a good outlook. Collect for the love of comics, but invest as well.
Sentiment changes alongside the market. When the market is down, we learn to enjoy the comics for what they are or remember what we love about them. When the market is up, we tend to look at them more as investments. But these views are at odds, because it's hard to sell something you are attached to. Investing is for those who can separate emotion. Just enjoy the journey, learn, adapt, grow and dont get stuck in a shame spiral around past decisions.
Yo buddy nicely done👊👍🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Budget and plan the approach to your fun. That is all I would add here.
I see you put that Crow 1 up. Nice. I finally got my copy
I’ve always collected for the love of the comic. Never for monetary gain.
Great video dude, when I first started I was very into the money aspect but now I enjoy it for collecting. Im heavy into silverage and love the history and art.
I have very very few singles I do have three slabs. But they aren’t for value they are because I love the characters and wanted sweet art. But I love the stories over all.
Great perspective on everything Sticky! Loved the video.
I got into it in hopes of having books in the future for investment, that has changed I get a major thrill from collecting now. I love my books and don’t know that I would get rid of my PC unless I absolutely had to. You have books behind you that I can’t wait to get my hands on. You are also very right I have watched some major keys drop in price and at first I was like oh shit but now it’s exciting because I might have a shot at get one lol. Thanks for your honesty sticky.
Parkersburg wv?! Thats awesome I live right across the river and my wife is from there.
It’s funny because my local comic book store owner told me the same thing... he now owns 3 stores.. go figure.. 🤔
Good video! I'm a "Completest" and have been collecting runs for years. But, I don't look down at you for not doing that: I look at myself and say "What's the heck is wrong with ME?" I'm the one who's nuts! You are normal. Believe me.
I started out buting comics for investment as well but i still think everyone needs to buy keys cause those are the books that have the best chance of going up in value.
X I bought the whole stack of She-Hulk ones at 7-Eleven at 35 cents a piece
Good stuff :)
Drama gets the clicks, positivity retains the viewers/subs. Can definitely have both, just find a balance. Good, good stuff.
Nice, you got the 1st Animal Man!
Well said I can respect that 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Yes. Preach it, brother.
As a collector with almost 40 years of experience: profit is a bonus, that’s all. Nothing more. A nice thing that might happen and if it does or doesn’t shouldn’t matter.
As long as YOU are happy !
I also buy up all the Logans run..issue #6 is the first solo Thanos story. One day they will ALL be mine. Well, not the rags. You all can fight over those. Logans Run #1 through 7 but especually numver six im calling dibs. They arent easy to find in the wild and i make it harder and harder all the time. Muhahaha!
Don't forget Darkhawk #1
@@Geoffreydarcy-pv4mq not on my list. Should it be? Be careful..I'll go and buy them all up if there's a good reason to love darkhawk #1..I'm all ears
I been holding from 89 in the hope some will be worth something one day lol. Maybe my kids kids will have something worth $$$ oneday...but probably not.
I collect for fun, have been since the 1990’s but I do buy and sell to help the hobby fund itself, I’ve had some decent sales over the years, if you can turn a profit doing it, good for you and keep it up!
Comic books are not an investment. Mutual funds are investments.
Comics may increase in value, however they are speculative collectibles.
I love comics and I have purchased thousands of them, but they are not investments.
I have achieved so many comics for cheap so to me price is irrelevant. I buy based on cover artist and pencil ink.
Embrace the pain. Let's you know your alive.
Actually She-Hulk was Stan’s last creation.
I only buy what I enjoy and it’s not an investment to me. I really don’t care what the market does because I don’t look at it as funding my eventual retirememt.
Love this video, buy comic books which mean something to you personally. An s&p 500 index fund would generally be a much better investment and more liquid if that’s the priority
Are you worried about the light hitting those expensive comics and fading them ?
If you did not unload every single book you bought as an investment by now, you’re either stuck with it or taking a loss. Gravy train’s over boys! It’s gonna take hard work now. It will take a true reader to make intelligent guesses on what characters or storylines the movies could be using, and thus get to books before they see bumps.
i buy omnibuses to read too, i dont collect runs either, moving short boxes full of runbooks is not my idea of fun
When u collect runs *gasp* keys come out in those
Almost sounds like this is your zen moment and your as we say good.🎉
Stocks are a much better investment and much less work to get the payoff.
Never into invest always enjoyed reading the books like original avengers from #4 to #150 my favourite issues now read in master works.
Nothing wrong collecting for profit….. to buy more comics. it’s part of your collection to grow. Buy and sell.
Sticky should chuck this comic investing sham and just start a pan’n-fer-gold channel in the mountains of West Virginia… need that thumbnail… please??
So you didnt really "get into this", so much as you received a collection from someone else close to you, it was handed to you?
lol young you !!! 😂
I fell in love with comics and kept them , read them more than once and stacked them unboarded and unbagged before they were even invented ! over the decades I became an investor and now I hate graded comics and dumb people who think 9.8 is an investment . I only keep the comics I like and pass on the trash .
I gotta be completely honest and let the hate comments come in I could care less… I take joy in watching someone who uses this hobby purely to try and make a financial gain crash and burn 🔥 🤷♂️
7:03 easy to say when you accumulated keys
I have 10 copies.of silver surfer #1..if I see the book in good condition it's mine.
Lately I've been buying up every Darth Vader I can get my hands on. It's not about money or investing. It's about love and preventing others from obtaining the books I love. The books I love become like my wives and I don't want anyone else to have them. It's a sick sick game I'm playing and I can't stop. If one day people wonder what the hell happened to all the copies of silver surfer #1...I've got them. Muhaha !
😂 I love it!
Unfortunately one did get away from you Silver Surfer #1, I bought one few days ago. 😮
@@retroforce6919 it's definitely a tough pill to swallow..he belongs with me. Damn you. Lol
@@AarnessMusic 🤣
10 is such a tiny drop in the bucket, especially for #1. How many #4s do you have?
Hey, Hey, Hey!!!! You're using the term Comic Journey a little to much Mister.
Cut your losses and only buy comics to read and enjoy from now on.
I see you know expose Tom 101 and fellas...Was that really necessary? 😮