Thoughts on collecting comics

[stevezodiac]

Were you sure that you didn't already have those issues of Shoot, Steve?

I probably have as I am only interested in the period 1969 to about 1974 and I have most of those. She had some late 70s issues but to me the golden age of British football was over by then. I have almost every issue of Goal too.

[Adam Eterno]

"This is often used as an advertising technique. When a company releases, for example, a new perfume, instead of advertising it on billboards and t.v. they start "whisper advertising". This is where they only tell a few people about the product, and naturally word will be passed around. This would lead to people buying it on sight because they've heard that it's very hard to come across."

Couldn't agree more. Whisper advertising has been used for years especially with designer labels. There are clothes shops in London that you would never have heard of but are so exclusive that they sell belts at £1k!!

Regarding comics, I have found myself contemplating bidding on a comic or comic gift because I know it's really rare but I know that I wouldn't dream of reading it! Thankfully, I slap myself for being an idiot and pass on it.......usually. Part of it for me is whether I have the patience to wait for the comic/gift that I really want to come up for sale again or do I pay over the odds to get it now.

I did that last year buying a Commando #1 in great condition but pretty expensive as I had the money and didn't want to wait for a cheaper copy to come on the market in case it never did.

[suebutcher]

Do any of us who write or draw comics collect comics for inspiration? That, and nostalgia for my early years of reading, is why I buy them. I draw funnies, so it's mostly funnies I go for, but I'll collect other genres if I like the art, and the comics aren't too expensive. I don't try to complete runs of comics unless by chance I've found an almost complete block of them. All things come to those who wait!

[Phoenix]

Here's a quote from the wikipedia page on whisper campaigning:

Thanks for the reply, George.

[Nagorama]

Wow, I had never heard of that advertising technique George... Thank you for taking the time to post about it.

Here's a quote from the wikipedia page on whisper campaigning:

"Alcohol and tobacco companies have used whisper campaigns to promote their products since the early 20th century. Liquor companies have, and in some areas still do, send attractive people into bars to order specific drinks in voices that can be overheard. Other tactics include "buying" drinks, or giving away cigarettes to patrons, without making known that the benefactor is a representative of the company. More recently, companies are also paying bloggers to mention products or causes. Also, companies can hire employees to post comments on blogs, forums, online encyclopedias, etc. that steer online conversations in desired directions, as a form of astroturfing."

This is just stuff I've learnt in psychology. Here's a link to an article I found:

https://thornleyfallis.com/whisper_campaigns/

I suppose it's like product placement. For example, House of Cards (excellent show by the way) has Diet Coke cans everywhere. People will subconsciously see them and want a Diet Coke, or the can might stand out next time in a store.

[Kashgar]

Collecting comics, like the collecting of just about everything, tends, I think, to be an evolutionary process. Like ripples in a pool the initial intention is often overtaken by ventures into areas that were not part of the goal originally intended. Or the initial goal is expanded in ways that you would not have dared to imagine at the outset by an interplay of patience, dogged determination, financial considerations and downright luck.
For instance, 42 years ago, when I bought a copy of Beano No 326 little did I imagine that, of January this year, I would have amassed a collection of Thomson comics that includes everything they have published comic wise in the last 75 years!

[Adam Eterno]

For instance, 42 years ago, when I bought a copy of Beano No 326 little did I imagine that, of January this year, I would have amassed a collection of Thomson comics that includes everything they have published comic wise in the last 75 years![/quote]


Wow! How many approximately are we talking about? How do you possibly store them? I dread to think how you would insure them as well as although not priceless, they would be almost impossible to replace.

[Kashgar]

They are stored with as much care as is possible although it has to be said some are easier to access than others and truth to tell Adam these are but the huge tip of an even larger iceberg given that I also have complete runs of all the Thomsons boys picture papers and complete runs of all their boys story papers from the early 1940's onwards too. And this is not even starting to include my complete runs of many Fleetway/IPC titles.

[Phoenix]

And this is not even starting to include my complete runs of many Fleetway/IPC titles.

Could you list those as well please, Ray. I'm sure someone else would have asked if I hadn't. In my case I've barely dipped my feet in the water in comparison. I have a reasonable number of the early issues of Tiger, including number 1, a decent sequence of both Tiger and Roy Of The Rovers in the late seventies because I bought one for Andrew and one for me to save. I read his with him. I have plenty of issues of Girl from her first issue in 1951 up to roughly the end of 1957, and most issues of School Friend also as far as 1957, again from number 1 in 1950. I also have a few issues of Sandie, including number 1, Sally, Jinty, Tammy, and lots of issues of Girls' Crystal from its text story days in the war through to about 1952, plus a bound volume of the first three months of 1955. Of course I do also have quite a number of titles for girls from the thirties. A reasonably representative collection I think.

[Lew Stringer]

For instance, 42 years ago, when I bought a copy of Beano No 326 little did I imagine that, of January this year, I would have amassed a collection of Thomson comics that includes everything they have published comic wise in the last 75 years!

Wow! That's an incredible achievement. Well done, Ray! I knew you had a lot but didn't know you had almost everything. That's amazing! One question comes to mind though; have you read them all? (If so, that's even more impressive. )

[big bad bri]

[]

For instance, 42 years ago, when I bought a copy of Beano No 326 little did I imagine that, of January this year, I would have amassed a collection of Thomson comics that includes everything they have published comic wise in the last 75 years!

That is an amazing achievement which i will never ever come close to and even i i won the lottery would never be able to get hold of that lot.well done you should be so proud and its good to see someone trying to keep this country's great comic history alive which i dare say is even more impressive than america as we used to churn quality comics out on a weekly basis not monthly like majority of american stuff. your stuff should be stored in a vault somewhere after you have gone Ray so future generations can see what a great history we had in the comics industry and maybe some of your stuff can be used to reproduce future graphic novels/books etc i'd love to see some pics of your collection in fact all the top guys on here collection,we should do it as a new topic

[Phoenix]

Just realised that I also have plenty of issues Scorcher and of Valiant.

[Kashgar]

Wow! That's an incredible achievement. Well done, Ray! I knew you had a lot but didn't know you had almost everything. That's amazing! One question comes to mind though; have you read them all? (If so, that's even more impressive. )

Can't admit to being that impressive Lew. I've certainly read a lot of them but I gave up on the idea long ago that I would ever be able to read them all. However this means that I am still discovering long neglected gems even within my own collection.

[Kashgar]

Could you list those as well please, Ray. I'm sure someone else would have asked if I hadn't. In my case I've barely dipped my feet in the water in comparison. I have a reasonable number of the early issues of Tiger, including number 1, a decent sequence of both Tiger and Roy Of The Rovers in the late seventies because I bought one for Andrew and one for me to save. I read his with him. I have plenty of issues of Girl from her first issue in 1951 up to roughly the end of 1957, and most issues of School Friend also as far as 1957, again from number 1 in 1950. I also have a few issues of Sandie, including number 1, Sally, Jinty, Tammy, and lots of issues of Girls' Crystal from its text story days in the war through to about 1952, plus a bound volume of the first three months of 1955. Of course I do also have quite a number of titles for girls from the thirties. A reasonably representative collection I think.

Hi Derek,

My AP/Fleetway/IPC collection includes the following complete runs
Lion
TV Fun
Tiger
Buster
June
Valiant
Hurricane
Big One
Champion (1966)
Giggle
Smash
Scorcher
Score & Roar
Cor
Thunder
Jet
Shiver and Shake
Vulcan
Tornado

I also have complete runs of these titles to their last issue.

Champion (1945-1955)
Chips (1950-1953)
Comic Cuts (1950-1953)
Film Fun (1950-1962)
Radio Fun (1950-1961)
Knockout (1950-1962)
Tip Top (1950-1954)
Jingles (1950-1954)

[Phoenix]

That is a fantastic collection, Ray. You really must make an attempt to read methodically the ones you haven't already read. Just think for a moment about all those comics and story papers muttering to themselves What on earth am I doing in this pile, in this box, on this shelf, in this cupboard? I'm just getting browned off. Is he never going to read me? If he isn't, why did he buy me?