What comics to keep???

[Michael Anden]

First world problems, guys... let's think ourselves lucky we can afford to have them!

[Marionette]

don't sell any, you'll regret it at some point.

It depends on the comic and the emotional attachment you have to it. I had some early Golden Age comics that I recently sold, and honestly, I was glad that I did. They were too fragile to take out of their bags, and I had good quality reprints anyway. Keeping them shut away in a box just so that I could have the satisfaction of owning them was silly.

Now I have some money to spend on comics that haven't been reprinted.

[Phoenix]

Keeping them shut away in a box just so that I could have the satisfaction of owning them was silly.

I have recently, and quite reluctantly to be truthful, come round to this view too. I will not part with any Thomson story paper that I might need to consult, indeed I'm still buying them in, but I do have so many other story papers, American DC comics, bound volumes and one particular room full of books and magazines of all shapes, sizes and content that I would be perfectly happy to see the back of. I have already bought some electronic scales so that I can state accurate p&p costs on my eBay adverts. Now I just need to bite the bullet and sell my hoarded items without weeping as I pack them.

[r3tr0_gam3r]

I'm only looking to sell the comics which I have more than one copy of the same issue, so I don't see that I will regret it. As has already been stated by others, I will now have more space and money to buy and store comics!

[Muffy]

My younger brother has a solution to this – keep all the comics that he wants to keep with our octogenarian Dad. About 4 big boxes. His wife won’t let him bring these and another 40 big boxes of film memorabilia to their 5 bedroom mansion with vast empty loft storage space. She doesn't let the nephews keep their stuff either.
I had quite a number of the other ones he didn't care for in 1986 and have slipped some of these back into his boxes at Dads.

I remember around 1982, I swopped a raggedy, yellowed issue of Monster Fun missing the centre pages for 5 other miscellaneous comics that at the time were good and interesting, I think one was a Crunch, a Plug and another was Dracula Lives 55. Of course by 1987 I had a hankering for the one Monster Fun issue I no longer had, not a replacement, but that issue from my young childhood. I still have the other Monster Fun issues I had, but have had to make do with a VFN replacement, hardly any yellowing, crisp pages/spine and with centre pages ever since from LTS off Denmark St.

You see Mum, who is no longer with us, bought that issue for me on the ferry to Calais in the Summer of ’75 and she loved my collection and often said 30-years ago, “They will be valuable one day”. The reason why that issue was so raggedy and worn was due to my reading and loving those cheap web-press printed paper pages over and over until I knew every story off by heart, 'Brainy and his Monster Maker', 'Major Jump Horror Hunter', 'Gums', 'Teddy Scare', 'Martha's Monster Make-up' and all my/our other favourites. That issue may only be worth a quid, but it was/is valuable – to me for all those nostalgic reasons. If you remember when it rained after those long-hot summers in the ’70s you know what I mean.

So when your wife or mum or girlfriend says chuck out your childhood. “Just say no.” (The words of Zammo from Grange Hill, sorry Generation Y if this means nothing). Treasure them; read them to yourself, your children/grandchildren/young nephews/distant cousins; scan them; number them; box them and ask your loved ones to stuff as many of your very best ones as they can in the coffin with you when the time comes. For we’ll never really know what will be handy in the afterlife.

[geoff42]

I know exactly where you are coming from, muffy. Nostalgia plays a very big part in one's collection. The trouble is that one wishes to expand on said collection, see and read the serials that were never read as a child. The experience opens doors to undiscovered treasures. I just wish that I had more money. Given the finance, I would buy every comic available in history.

[abacus]

Finding room is not too much of a problem so far, as well as comics and annuals I've collected Victorian books and everyday books that I find interesting.Recently had a clear-out of newish books which are not of any value and also US comic books that are serialised as I prefer comics with complete stories.I will carry on in this way for now ,removing stuff of no value.

[DavidKW]

I've been having a clearout today in case I end up having to move.

Dug out all my old Crisis comics. Been unable to sell them anywhere and I want rid for space and remove reminders of a not too pleasant past, so it looks like the charity shops for these. (spoke to dealers who all say they can't sell them and "every tom dick & harry started keeping their comics published round this time" c.1988).

Also found my old Viz comics from number 19 onwards; someone said at a comic fair that only those up to number 12 are of any real value. Still when I sell them I'll want a little something for them.

Found a copy of Brain Damage plus 2 Ziggy; Viz pretenders perhaps not worth much but I feel new topics relating to these coming on.

[Muffy]

David those old Viz’s are very valuable. Try them on ebay with the oldest ones split up and the later ones as lots.

Also thanks geoff42 for the lovely reply and good luck collecting every comic in history.

My favourite old Viz issue was the 'Free packet of crisps' (I think possibly No 25). For your free crisps you had to ask the greengrocer (remember those) for an old potato that they don’t want then chop it into thin strips and fry them until hey-presto you have all the crisps you need.

Has anyone else kept their old early Viz issues?

[japandroid]

All of the early Viz are worth money up to the point where they had better distribution around '87? Numbered in the mid 20's at a guess. My wife and I have a box of Viz including all the early collections and issues 25 to 50ish. They get an airing every few years or so they never get old. I bought the 1st collection (The Big Hard One although mine was soft!) from Forever People in Bristol along with the 1st Calvin & Hobbes, Bug & Drugs 1 and Watchmen! Must have been early '88. I don't get many shopping days like that anymore that's for sure.

[abacus]

Most of the comics we bought growing up had a huge following and to collectors were well known I can envisage in the future a lot of today's comicbooks great though they may be unless they are tied in with some movie or tv show being known only to a few people and therefore as a collector may have to be sold off at a financial loss.It's probably best to keep this in mind and just buy comics You'll enjoy reading without any thought of selling at a later date.

[Lew Stringer]

Most of the comics we bought growing up had a huge following and to collectors were well known I can envisage in the future a lot of today's digital comicbooks great though they may be unless they are tied in with some movie or tv show being known only to a few people and therefore as a collector may have to be sold off at a financial loss.It's probably best to keep this in mind and just buy comics You'll enjoy reading without any thought of selling at a later date.

It's an interesting thought. It hadn't crossed my mind that people would consider digital comics as appreciating in value. I can't see it happening myself but time will tell.

[abacus]

It's an interesting thought. It hadn't crossed my mind that people would consider digital comics as appreciating in value. I can't see it happening myself but time will tell.

As a comic enthusiast you're up to date with best selling comics but myself as a general reader I hear little publicity about comics.Just by accident read The Frozen child 3 vol comic which I thought was brilliant and I'm sure it will not be known by too many.
This is basically what I mean that apart from a few people I woudn't have thought many people would spend a lot of money on comics they knew nothing about.Could be wrong.

[DavidKW]

I would try to sell those old Viz on E Bay but I can't as: 1. I don't own my own computer as I can't afford one (every time I'm near to it the bills come in & I'm scuppered) 2. I'm a bit of a technophobe; don't understand a lot of computer jargon on servers etc & don't know how to scan photos so would need to buy a mentor 3. Selling on E bay is a full time job itself and I work for a living 9 to 5 (sitting in fronyt of a computer) & leisure time is often taken up with other things (inc. rebuilding social life & comic readings).

So when it comes to selling comics I often have to do face to face.

[DavidKW]

I did try to sell those old Viz to 2 shops in Manchester - one said no to any sort of Viz and other offered me a measly joke amount for the lot.

Did also ring to try to sell/exchange them & some other comics with 30th Century Comics prior to my maiden visit there; they weren't interested but strongly advised me to hang on to them & not be hasty and comic markets are unpredictable.

I did try to do all sellings in January - not the right time perhaps?

As for ;ate 80s Uk Crisis comics - no dealers want them and they couldn't get rid of ones they did stock. All say fit for charity shops!?