Why Collect?

[Marionette]

For me too, a large part is because I want to read them. But it's also because I want to preserve them. I hate the idea of great stories and art being lost from the world. The comics themselves I don't care much about. Ninetly percent of the time I'd rather have a good quality reprint volume than the original tatty and fading comic. But there's so much that has never been reprinted.

The other ten percent is where I'm interested in following the development and evolution of a comic and how it was affected by the world in which it existed. But for the most part, if you offered to trade me my complete collection of Spellbound for a set of reprint volumes, I'd go for it without a second's regret.

[DavidKW]

I agree with all that Marionette says above - because I want to read them and because so little is reprinted, and I wish all would be before being lost forever (and so others in another gereration can discover).

I'd like to use what I read for some other great use - like to help inspire me tto write things - like ideas for TV shows which I do just for fun.

I admit I do prefer to collect things I've not read or seen before and want to find more about - like to get the thrill of reading that new edition of comic you went out and first brought as a child.

Part of the fun of reading old comics is finding ones that help give you a real "feel" of the time of when they were published (I lke my social history and trying to get a feel of the sensation of a time passed).

As regards to childhood nostalgia - there are many I'd read and lost from my childhood I'd like to see again, but then perhaps only once. The thing is I once broght an edition of the Beezer I'd once owned years ago - and whilst it intially felt good to see again, then I found it just didn't feel as good or funny as when you first saw it as a child.
Add to that it then broguht back a few memeiries of an unhappy childhood I'd like to move on from. So I do prefer to collect what's not tainted and can provoke things I'd rather forget.

Having said that I only started collecting 3 eyars ago, intending just a few editions for research - then the collecting bug bit.

[TwoHeadedBoy]

Yeah, collecting always seems to happen by accident. For years I was just picking up the odd bits wherever I saw them, before I knew it I had labelled boxes and a spreadsheet and everything.

I agree with the earlier points regarding "catalogue homes" - where's the fun in that? A house is supposed to be a place that's comfortable, and personal. Not a place to keep tidy and be bored in.

[abacus]

As a comic collector I am always trying to find that rare comic or annual and to me that is one of the pleasures of collecting.Because most british humour comics are made up of one or two page stories I also like to print out some of the these pages from the various blogs and these I keep in folders to re-read now and again.The sad thing is that athough many of the golden age US comics have some fabulous stories now online ,it would be too expensive to try printing many of these out.My hope is that sometime in the future you will be able buy ink cartridges that can print hundreds of pages and not cost a fortune.
Footnote: I had a disc from the states bought for me for my birthday last week a 148 issues of capt Marvel .Read the first jssue on screen but to be honest I prefer the old fashioned turning of pages.

[TwoHeadedBoy]

Printing out pages... That's a really good idea! Like making your own "best-of" book, right?

[abacus]

Printing out pages... That's a really good idea! Like making your own "best-of" book, right?

True,you finish up with a book of all your favourite stuff. You finish up with a Dennis Gifford type book.You just need a printer and a folder with plastic sleeves.

[TwoHeadedBoy]

I could always use the library printer, think it was 20p per colour page last time I was there...

Could potentially put together a 72-page "book" for £14.40, this is exciting

[alanultron5]

I done it via library printer and have all Sparky `I.Spy` stories in sheets all for reading! You have to be gentle with comics spine though - which is why I use spare 2nd copies where applicable when copying.

[abacus]

Printing images from the internet.
Here are some photos from my printed images I have gathered from various blogs over the last couple of years.

http://pho.to/8dVyd

Apologies for picture quality they were taken with my Samsung pad.I have created several printed folders from the internet these include full books and other things that interest me .My present comic folder consists of over 200 A4 pages and I hope to create a similar one for US golden age comics.I use a HP wi fi Printer plugged to my old pc.The lowest priced HP printer cost around £39.99p and comes with ink cartridges and that's the one I use.To answer a previous question I'm not sure exactly how many full pages can be printed because family members ask for various things to be printed.I would think around 100 black and White and less with colour that is because it depends on the density of the colour to be produced.more can be produced with pale colours than with strong colours.

[DavidKW]

I was thinking of this thead a while back:

When I recently queued for the Manchester Comic Fair I heard a guy behind me talking of how his deidcated collecting and reading of Spider Man comics have helped wean him off his drink and drug problems. The collecting has been a great way to take his mind off things and reading them is always a positive experience.

This reminded me that collecting comics has been something of a therapy for me. Colleccting them has been a great way of both getting out and meeting people and visiting places with a purpose: and the reading of them always is a positive experience.

Comics have sure helped cure of of when I'm in depressive moods, and cut down on my drinking; when I used to listen to my CDs I'd often want a beer when at home, but I often now listen when rerading comics (Cds/tapes often from era of comic I'm reading).

Comcis are quite therapeutic in theor own way.

[stevezodiac]

I've never forgotten a letter in a late sixties or early seventies Marvel comic that began "Comics are the most important thing in my life..." when I read it at the time I didn't find it hard to agree with as I felt the same way.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I am currently looking through stacks and stacks of vintage 'war' comics--some go back to the late 50s.

I feel I am getting to appreciate the work of these skilled artists from this bygone era, even if the subject-matter is not exactly my main interest within this field.


Lots of these artists will be long dead, but I am sure that they would have liked the idea that somebody in the future was getting to see their stuff.

I do not read all of these stories but good artwork ---and indeed story-telling of course-----will always be good.

[paw broon]

There are some thoughtful and thought provoking posts turning up. The therapeutic effects of reading - comics or books - cannot be underestimated.
Why do we collect? The idea of wishing to save as many comics as possible before they rot away or can no longer be found is a fine example.
I feel close to the idea from abacus about looking for obscure material, although, I suppose to many non-collectors, most comics are obscure. But finding obscure superheroes and masked mystery men was what started me. Then it progressed to searching out pocket libraries and GG Swan publications, but as I can do this electronically nowadays, as well as looking for physical issues, it has become more exciting and rewarding. Mind, elastic shelves would help.
The problem can be that it all gets out of hand. In my case, given my love of pocket libraries, I started tracking down and buying European pocket libraries, particularly French reprints of Captain Hornet, Janus Stark, King Cobra, Steel Claw etc., and Italian series incl. Kriminal, Zakimort, Diabolik. So as well as taking up even more space, I was also spending more hard earned cash. Is it worth it? Yes, of course. Fortunately, as I also embrace digital comics, I don't need physical space to accomodate my recent interest in the S. American Fantomas title and a few other S.A. superhero titles that I have discovered.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Paw:

the digital revolution means that some of us can now access material in a way unthinkable relatively recently: and as you say, space at home is a premium for some of us at least; digital comics are nowhere near as comfortable or natural to read, but I have gotten used to it.

Today, I am getting to see literally thousands of comics I never 'loved' enough to shell out a fortune for the paper copies, whatever anyone thinks of the ethics of comics on disc.

I personally appreciate ammassing masses of previously unaffordable material-----and and I really do appreciate seeing this stuff, taking the time to look through it, and not just collecting for the sake of it.

I very rarely buy paper comics these days. I already have hundreds here and have problems with space in my small flat----I cannot afford a batch of 1000 plus comics, I don't love VICTOR [for example] enough to hunt down a full run of the original comics, as well as problems with storing all this material, but a few discs of this material is much more practical, and great for looking through---I would likely never see these items again otherwise---- if not ideal.

[Lew Stringer]

Today, I am getting to see literally thousands of comics I never 'loved' enough to shell out a fortune for the paper copies, whatever anyone thinks of the ethics of comics on disc.
.

I know from past discussions that we have different attitudes to copyright infringement Rab and I'm not trying to change your mind but what I'm curious about is: where do you draw the line? Would you buy pirated scans of new comics or ones that are still in print? If so, how would you feel if the bootlegger started selling illegal discs of your cartoons without your permission, and without you receiving a penny from them?