What are you collecting these days? I've gone Golden Age and subscribed to Marvel Unlimited

[nycjadie]

New Valiant is generally not my jam. I'm not excited about new Marvel/DC. Old comics is where I'm at.

I've been focused on golden age books, and I'm across the map. I'm totally fine with low grade, but sometimes I'll get some higher grade stuff.

My favorite acquisition is New Adventure Comics 12 (the precursor to Adventure Comics). It's a 1937 Jerry Siegel book that predates Superman but has a character in it name Jor-El (spelled Jor-L), which is the same name as Superman's dad. The book is a 6.5 and is labelled to be in the collection of Ruben Blades.

I've been buying some really early Famous Funnies, one of which is Famous Funnies, A Carnival of Comics from 1933. This book is either the first or second true-American comic book ever published. Whatever it might be, it's a super cool and rare book.

I've also been picking up some silver age goodness.

I subscribed to Marvel Unlimited to increase my reading, since I'm often on the go. I'm halfway through Tales of Suspense. Who knew Doctor Strange was a mindless villain?

What are you guys collecting?

[greg]

My favorite acquisition is New Adventure Comics 12 (the precursor to Adventure Comics). It's a 1937 Jerry Siegel book that predates Superman but has a character in it name Jor-El (spelled Jor-L), which is the same name as Superman's dad. The book is a 6.5 and is labelled to be in the collection of Ruben Blades.

That's great!

The last "big book" that I purchased was Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936) with the first part of the "Koth and The Seven" storyline where Siegel and Schuster took the Dr. Occult "Dick Tracy" knock-off and made a new style of story with elements of Superman, Batman, Giant Man, and Dr. Strange, years (or decades) before those were created. Dr. Occult was renamed "Dr. Mystic" for the first pages.

It's recognized as the first Superman prototype in comics.



Comics Magazine (publisher) became Centaur Publications, so that's another first that's neat about this book.

[greg]

I've been buying some really early Famous Funnies, one of which is Famous Funnies, A Carnival of Comics from 1933. This book is either the first or second true-American comic book ever published. Whatever it might be, it's a super cool and rare book.

I've seen that one in museums - very cool that you own one.

[greg]

What are you guys collecting?

I've always tried to be where the masses aren't... so I've been buying up graded sportscards that were my childhood favorites in lower condition (8 instead of 9 or 10) for barely over the price of the grading fees alone. There's not much demand right now (or there's too much supply, or both).

Cards like 1988 Topps Football Bo Jackson (or 1986 Topps Traded Baseball Bo Jackson) were favorites on my wish list when I was 12 years old, but I didn't own them back then. For about $25, you can get a PSA 8 of either one (or both for $50, or a dozen at $25 each), so it's a no brainer to add a little stack of those to my collection for a few hundred dollars. They make me smile like CGC 9.4 Pre-Unity books. Not particularly valuable, but nice, clean books/cards from "back in the day" that I remember wanting (and not getting) when I was young.

[nycjadie]

My favorite acquisition is New Adventure Comics 12 (the precursor to Adventure Comics). It's a 1937 Jerry Siegel book that predates Superman but has a character in it name Jor-El (spelled Jor-L), which is the same name as Superman's dad. The book is a 6.5 and is labelled to be in the collection of Ruben Blades.

That's great!

The last "big book" that I purchased was Comics Magazine #1 (May 1936) with the first part of the "Koth and The Seven" storyline where Siegel and Schuster took the Dr. Occult "Dick Tracy" knock-off and made a new style of story with elements of Superman, Batman, Giant Man, and Dr. Strange, years (or decades) before those were created. Dr. Occult was renamed "Dr. Mystic" for the first pages.

It's recognized as the first Superman prototype in comics.



Comics Magazine (publisher) became Centaur Publications, so that's another first that's neat about this book.

I thought about this same book that you shared previously, Greg, and I thought, would I regret not getting it? The answer was yes!

[nycjadie]

What are you guys collecting?

I've always tried to be where the masses aren't... so I've been buying up graded sportscards that were my childhood favorites in lower condition (8 instead of 9 or 10) for barely over the price of the grading fees alone. There's not much demand right now (or there's too much supply, or both).

Cards like 1988 Topps Football Bo Jackson (or 1986 Topps Traded Baseball Bo Jackson) were favorites on my wish list when I was 12 years old, but I didn't own them back then. For about $25, you can get a PSA 8 of either one (or both for $50, or a dozen at $25 each), so it's a no brainer to add a little stack of those to my collection for a few hundred dollars. They make me smile like CGC 9.4 Pre-Unity books. Not particularly valuable, but nice, clean books/cards from "back in the day" that I remember wanting (and not getting) when I was young.

You wrote another post about the number of slabs for Something is Killing the Children 8th printing. I think about that, and the less than $500 I spent on a copy of the first or second comic book ever published, and I feel like I'm collecting in the right place (at least most of the time).

I have increased my interest in silver age. I got a Hulk 6. That was pretty cool. The first I've ever seen in the flesh!

[greg]

... less than $500 I spent on a copy of the first or second comic book ever published ...

Less than $500?

What's the story there?

[nycjadie]

I bought it at my LCS. I’m a regular and friend. Someone brought in some old old slabs and this was one of them. I bought a handful of GA books and this was one of them. Some really old Famous Funnies, Adventure Comics, etc. The seller doesn’t price his graded books like those you might see on eBay or HA. He prices them according to Overstreet grade. Therefore, I either overpay or grossly underpay for a book. I got the good end of this, I think. HA auctions ending today were 3X what I paid. Not that I focus on that. I do have my moments!

[grendeljd]

I find myself drifting away from collecting very many comics lately - for new books, I am mainly picking up just a few Image titles. Still reading new Shadowman but generally not excited about new Valiant. The only DC book I like right now is “The Nice House On The Lake”, which I think is only a miniseries (I’m not much of a DC superhero fan anyway). For Marvel, I’m just reading Ghost Rider & the latest HULK series, but I’m going to drop out on HULK after the current story arc. It is just too much of a jarring stylistic change following on the heels of the superb Immortal Hulk run - while I am a fan of Ryan Ottley’s work, it just looks and reads like a really juvenile title at the moment. Not into it.

I have been feeling an urge to get into some Dr Strange from the 70’s era - love the look of Frank Brunners artwork. I found a copy of #4 and kinda want some more of that. I am generally feeling like there just aren’t many gaps left that I want to plug in my bronze/silver age favourites though. Last year I blitzed a bunch of ASM issues from the 200’s up to the McFarlane run that I wanted, but I’m done with that now. There’s just 2-3 issues of Conan (1970) that I still want to complete that set, and only a few issues of Uncanny X-Men as well (still want a copy of 94 as part of that, but I think it’s out of reach for me now). I had been wanting to get more of the Neil Adams issues (only have #59), but since he passed away recently I expect those will all see a sharp price increase too.

Probably the main reason why I’m drifting away from comics at the moment is because I generally get far more enjoyment out of collecting original comic art these days. I tend to have taste in books that fly under the radar of the average collector, and I have been able to buy art from comics that I *love* for very affordable prices despite the insanity that has struck pricing on the majority of more traditionally popular characters and books. Also, if I have money available for collectibles at the moment I generally just want to funnel it into trying to acquire original art pages before anything else.

Believe it or not, I am currently working on securing an original cover piece by *John Byrne* through a very generously extended layaway plan this year. Nothing else I'm collecting feels anywhere near as thrilling than that!

[nycjadie]

John Byrne cover!

[grendeljd]

John Byrne cover!

Yup

It doesn’t feel like it’s really happening. Never in my wildest dreams was I expecting to be able to get such a thing!

I’ll share here when I complete the layaway and have it in hand

[lorddunlow]

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk

[possumgrease]

I've been putting together a run of Cerebus, needing only a handful of the early issues to complete that.

I'm also working on a slabbed run of Invincible.

Recently completed the run of the Official Guide to Marvel Universe. Not sure why I wanted those, but it scratched an itch. See I had found a mostly complete, clean run for cheap at an antique mall and then I had to complete it. I'm sure many on this board suffer from an similar mental impairment.

Other than that, I buy old X-men when the price is right and then whatever else I my thumb purchases once I've fallen asleep on WhatNot.

[Joshua]

I'm buying Valiant, G.I.Joe, Transformers, Usagi Yojimbo, D & D, Conan/Cimmerian and Bad Idea when it's available but I might drop that. I'll collect older Marvel from the 60s to 90s.

[IMJ]

John Byrne cover!

It's funny this came up here. I've been buying John Byrne runs on basically any title whenever I see them lately. Most recently it's been his Fantastic Four and Superman stuff.

I've also been all-in on the newest Iron Man run with CAFU and Cantwell. The book has been terrific again for the first time in more than a decade. I'm in so deep that I'm building the entire run, all issues, all variants as a CGC 9.8 set.

Still buying special limited edition or bookplate signed trades when I find them, but as for new comics? I order maybe between 3 to 6 titles a month now, but I still dig in on all of the variants for Iron Man, Canto and the occasional "other" (i.e. "Silver Surfer Rebirth").

I am honestly predicting that unless something amazing is announced whenever it is that they relaunch Iron Man again, that once Cantwell has completed his run on the book my days of buying monthly comics could be wrapping up. It might've happened already but Marvel pulled a rabbit out of their craphat with that CAFU and Cantwell run on Iron Man. Donny Cates Thor has been great too, but that won't last forever.

On another note, I've been buying "archetype slabs" from when I was a kid a lot. I just picked up a gorgeous 9.8 newsstand of Ghost Rider #15 (the GITD cover). I've been down for those standout books lately - that, Silver Surfer #50, etc. Just the ones that really struck me as a kid.

[nonplayer]

I only get xo as everything else I've enjoyed has been canceled.
Bad idea rarely intrists me but I do get what does.
Making knives now.

[Chiclo]

Making knives now.

Pics!

[nycjadie]

I bought some oldies recently. The best of the bunch, in my view, is More Fun Comics 14 from 1936. It contains a Dr Occult appearance which some refer to as a Superman prototype created by Simon and Shuster. What makes this issue fun is that Occult here dons a superhero outfit and cape, which are blue and red. He also flies in the book.

There are only 22 blue label books graded for this key book 10 of which are below 3.0), with a 7 being the top grade. Mine is not graded and you have to assume there are others. Still, it seems really low for such a key book. Heritage has only had 9 sales, all of them graded.

[greg]

I bought some oldies recently. The best of the bunch, in my view, is More Fun Comics 14 from 1936. It contains a Dr Occult appearance which some refer to as a Superman prototype created by Simon and Shuster. What makes this issue fun is that Occult here dons a superhero outfit and cape, which are blue and red. He also flies in the book.

There are only 22 blue label books graded for this key book 10 of which are below 3.0), with a 7 being the top grade. Mine is not graded and you have to assume there are others. Still, it seems really low for such a key book. Heritage has only had 9 sales, all of them graded.

More Fun Comics #14 is a major book that most people have never heard about, second only to Comics Magazine #1 in terms of Superman prototype issues. If more than a couple dozen big money collectors ever decide they want either book, they would skyrocket. Rarer than Action #1 in both cases.

You can read the 1936 Dr. Occult pages from Comics Magazine #1 and More Fun #14 on droccult.com

[nycjadie]

Thanks for sharing Greg!

[greg]

Thanks for sharing Greg!

I'd like to pick up a More Fun #14 sometime, but I've got too many expensive items on my home improvements list right now.

[nycjadie]

Thanks for sharing Greg!

I'd like to pick up a More Fun #14 sometime, but I've got too many expensive items on my home improvements list right now.

Honestly, I never thought I could get books like this. It's kind of a dream. Your Comics Magazine 1 is on my wishlist, as is a Famous Funnies 1 and More Fun 8. They just don't come up very often and it only takes 2 interested people to drive it up.

[mkb28]

I am still buying Valiant Deluxe Hardcover Editions and TPB’s if they won’t be collected in a HC. I keep collecting, but I really haven’t read many comics lately. Just focusing on a book here and there that interests me.

I have also started buying up as many hardcovers and trades from Marvel’s Daredevil series. Started with the Omnibus HC that collects the first 40 issues or so and just kept going. I hope to sit down and read some of these stories soon. I have read some of the Frank Miller run and enjoyed it. The latest Chip Zdarsky run looks amazing too.

Finally, just picking up titles that interest me. Here are a few that come to mind:

“The Boys” Omnibus Hardcovers 1-3
“Primordial” by Jeff Lemire and Sorrentino
“Manifest Destiny” Picked up the latest trades I was missing.
“Descender” and “Ascender” by Lemire and Sorrentino
“What’s the Furthest Place From Here”
“Dune: House Atriedes” Bought several TPB’s of the series.
“Dark Blood”
“Nightwing” Trying to put together a complete run of the Nightwing series. I enjoyed the character in the TV series “Titans” and want to read more stories.
“A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance”
“Southern *SQUEE*” picked up the trades I was missing.

Cheers!

Michael
Mkb28

[nycjadie]

Michael - I read the Miller Daredevil run about 18 months ago. I liked it very much, although, those old "newsies" that I read as a kid are less interesting to me these days.

I also read the first half of the Iron Man run from Tales of Suspense.

I'm still collecting new Valiant issues, but man, they are so poor that I've essentially lost interest.

My current interests are in platinum age stuff, and I'm enjoying the silly, dated, racist, and amusing humor from back then (which honestly, sometimes goes straight over my head with some references).

[JCP]

Someone on the board a while ago gave fair warning that once you start collecting original art, it’s addictive. I dipped my feet in that water a year or so ago and fully agree. I’ve picked up some Mike Allred, David Lapham, and Marguerite Sauvage pages and just can’t stop looking for more OA.