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Terry Hooper-Scharf

Tuesday 26 May 2015

Ever Shown Off Your Comic Collections? If Not -Why Not??


As most people know, I like to study...people.  I watch, when I'm not working or just need to relax because I am worn out, You Tube video blogs (vlogs) from comickers -mainly from the United States because the large number of UK comic vloggers has fallen by at least 90% in the last year.

I call these "transit comickers" -basically, yes, they got into comics because it was trendy.  What they said about comics, characters and companies showed their lack of any real knowledge.  But everyone has to learn, right?  So where there were BIG errors I used to correct them and I even got "thank yous" in return. But after a year, or less, it began.

"I'm not going to do any more vlogs on comics or reviews. I do really still care passionately about comics but can't get the inspiration to do more videos....."  and then "I've managed to buy an old style record player and there is a shop not too far off where you can buy all sorts of junk -including old LPs!"

At that time "old school" records and record players were a bit trendy.  It never lasted.  It never lasted with this vlogger either as a few videos later: "I finally managed to get what I always wanted -a motorbike!" and a couple videos later.....no more.

I've not seen this just once, or twice for that matter.  I had a huge list of channels I subscribed to on You Tube of comic people. Out of 25 only 4 are still going after two years -and they were always into comics.

After writing yesterday's post about how often comickers read their comics, I decided to search around and see whether the situation was any different in Europe.  Well, for one thing, there seem to be hardly any comic video bloggers on The Continent.  I find that near unbelievable. I hope I missed links somewhere!

I then looked at the USA where, yes, comic bloggers are dropping in number.  Many seemed to think comic vlogging was a way to get further TV media work even though they all seemed to use the same nasaly, high-pitched annoying voices.  The men all seemed to be clones and ditto the female vloggers though, I only mention this, cleavage seemed highly important (the comments of "You arec REALLY hot!" as well as some less savoury ones were all greeted by "Hi! Thanx!"

Comicgirl19 is probably the only comic vlogger who has never veered from her interests -comics, TV, movies and associated media.  It would take a massive amount of commitment and work to even try to match her work.

"Geek" and "Nerds" are so easily spotted.  They MUST have large spectacles, the comic t-shirts and their rooms are almost identical in the way they have arranged their collection amassed in the last year.  Or as one put it "I decided to jump into this comic geek-schtick and got myself glasses and purchased a load of boxes of comics and comic merchandise from thrift sales!"  Oh, and I love this: "I got about a dozen issues of Hulk comic which is a spin off from the successful Avengers movie!"

There are even, some badly done, "How to spot a geek/nerd" guides online.  

Amusement of another kind is hearing that some comic shops that pushed comics as an investment have been getting some angry responses from customers who have expressed the belief that they were "conned" because their comics are not worth what they paid for them three years ago.  One shop owner enrage a fomer geek by stating the comics would need "maybe 30-40 years to accrue value!"  Sorry, has a bull defecated somewhere?

That big comic implosion is coming.

I decided that, as no one really bothers reading what I write and takes notice, I would try to look at how real comickers store their collections.  I always find this fun when discussing it with other comickers and I think I have over exposed how I keep my collection!

Europe....I cannot find any images or blogs in which comic collectors are showing off their collection.  Even fellow blogger Subzero of Tales From The Kryptonian has never shown his collection online.  After two hours of searching today I gave up.

The UK, again...a couple photographs of someone holding up a Beano or comic annual and that is it. Really? Come on you Brits -show us your collerctions!


Above -American Robert Minshall and some of his collection.   See? This is how it's done.

In the US comics are "a thing" and collectors tend to like showing off their collections -see for instance vlogs by captainstrangelife or hippycollectables (on blog roll) or even Canadian Koestenbraunstar.

In Europe, particularly France and Belgium, comics or Bandes Dessinee are a cultural thing.  They probably think it rather silly showing off their collections!

But come on, UK -show what you've got!  Prove it isn't all about play-acting a "Geek/Nerd" or cos-play but about the comics themselves!

Seriously, do not make me show off my comics again!

2 comments:

  1. I´m waiting on a new Bücherregal for my comics so right now I have huge piles of comics on my desk waiting to be sorted. Maybe I should take a picture before I remove them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. YES! A "before and after" set of photos!!

    ReplyDelete