There was a core of comic bloggers I followed. They hated the dealers and shop owners charging over the top prices. They were fans and loved comics.
I've just seen another who "put my game face on" and got comics -which he knew were being sold for high prices- for $1 and 75c each. He got duplicates of some. You think, because these guys always want to "upgrade" old copies with better quality copies.
No. "These I'll sell on Ebay" and "Don't like these but I hear they go for high prices on Ebay!"
The "true comic fans" (both I've seen recently -one today) have become the hated dealers....except they ain't, of course, because they are, in their minds, just making a buck as a comic fan. Dealers.
Sad.
I've just seen another who "put my game face on" and got comics -which he knew were being sold for high prices- for $1 and 75c each. He got duplicates of some. You think, because these guys always want to "upgrade" old copies with better quality copies.
No. "These I'll sell on Ebay" and "Don't like these but I hear they go for high prices on Ebay!"
The "true comic fans" (both I've seen recently -one today) have become the hated dealers....except they ain't, of course, because they are, in their minds, just making a buck as a comic fan. Dealers.
Sad.
Hi Terry,
ReplyDeleteI don't understand most of this. I guess I'm missing the context.
The part I did understand was they were buying things, not to read, but to resell at a profit. That doesn't sound too bad. Is it like the stories I read about Broadway plays, where there are tickets advertised for $75 but they're always sold out? You have to pay 10 times as much to a scalper.
Thanks!
It's basically that these are a core of "True comic fans" who hated dealers and over priced books, bought comics only to read and collect and took a moral high ground. What they do now -but it's "okay" because they are not speculative dealers or greedy store owners- is see a rare or mint book or even collection and "put their game face on" and proudly boast how they conned (sorry, "persuaded") the owner to part with said books at a low price. "I'll boost this up on Ebay see what I can get" and buying two copies of a book "I hear these are going for $80-90 on Ebay -we'll see" and it's the really greedy look and smiles. I have no problem with people making money from selling their comics because, as I know too well, often if you are into comics the only way you can make money when you really need it is to TRY to sell comics (I've never succeeded yet). Its what you know. But if they said "I collect comics but if I can upgrade an issue ans make some money from the old copy" no problem. One in particular now says he has sold full runs for high money when a comic becomes "cool" -movie tie in or what ever. So he's speculating. Okay,say so. I do NOT like the moral high ground stance when it is false and you may say "I probably read that wrong" but when you see and hear it....see, my problem is that I AM too honest. I could never buy a comic for $5 and say to someone "It's a very hot book -you can have it for $50" -that would kill me!!! If you collect but also speculate say so. I've seen true collectors who will not even sell off the seven old copies of a comic issue they just upgraded -they squirm at the very thought but if they do they look (their faces!) like they are trying to sell their mothers. Buy, collect and sell.
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