no, it's never been really soft and Heritage didn't do anything to
change the field's direction
but it's a classic bubble hobby.. they keep thinking it only goes
up-up-up and if you read the comic boards, that is the general
sentiment. Anyone who challenges that thought is roundly admonished
by the complete majority of the dealers & collectors - even though
the number of comic stores has decreased by 75% (or more) during the
last 15 years and publishers are printing less comics.
As a matter of fact, I had dinner with a longtime friend who used to
be one of the top five comic distributors and we discussed it. there
may be less than 15% of the number of comic stores there were in
1990, but the only company that could show the proof is Diamond and
they won't tell. As a matter of fact, they keep trumpeting the hobby.
Sean and I have been involved in that hobby for 45+ years (in my
case. 40+ as a dealer) and 25+ (in Sean's case)
seeing as both of us have more faith in movie posters - I think that
says alot about the hobby and Bruce as well was a big person in the
hobby in the 70s. Moreover, when you go to comic conventions, there
is almost nobody under 35 except longtime dealers and a very tiny %
of collectors. By and large, the great population of older collectors
has disappeared as prices have increased, and so - the likelihood of
golden age books from third-world publishers becoming
non-sought-after issues is increasing. Surprisingly, the large part
of the hobby dismisses this as well, which is proof that the hobby is
populated by the perfect people - those who wear blinders where money
is concerned..
Rich
At 01:57 PM 4/3/2010, Kevin Conway wrote:
I am no comic book expert, but was once a moderate
collector. Wasn't the comic book market quite soft until Heritage
entered the market in a "big way" and heavily promoted the comic
book industry about 7-10 years ago ??
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Halegua Comic Art
Sent: Apr 3, 2010 3:07 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MOPO] An excellent thought provoking article: Ten
Signposts to Identify Endangered Collecting Categories
it's a fantastic article that reports things we as longtime dealers
already know and that comic book collectors need to examine
in comics right now, there is much talk about Action comics #1 CGC
8.0 grade sold for $1mil, then Heritage sold Detective #27 8.0 for
$1,075,000 and just this week Action #1 8.5 sold for $1.5mil.
Because comic collectors seem (to me) purposely ignorant that a
reckoning is coming to the greater part of the hobby, they all point
to these sales & say "the comics hobby is super-healthy.. prices
will never go down". Prices in comics don't reflect decreases
because both dealers and the publishers of the price guide are in
bed together on the one hand, and they have a stranglehold on the
hobby off the other hand. The fans are also complicit in this sham
as they 1) go for it hook-line-and sinker & 2) they choose to ignore
the obvious signals.
Action Comics #1 will always sell for big bucks. It is after all the
single most important comic book there is. It has interest outside
the comic collecting hobby and most copies over time will find their
way into museums where they will remain on permanent display. Action
comics #2, 102, or 502.... sorry... down the road, these books will
be collected by very few as the entire comics hobby will continue to
deflate over many long years until almost no-one collects them, with
the exception of the top items like Action #1, Spiderman #1 and the like.
Movie posters will no doubt follow them in great part (especially as
posters themselves stop being printed in favor of digital displays).
The only difference in posters is that, unlike a comic book, a movie
poster is likened to an artwork, can be framed and displayed in a
home, while it is unlikely that Coo-Coo Comics #1 will ever get
displayed for company to view when they come over for dinner
that doesn't mean that all posters will be collected.. Sadly, the
collecting of posters to the great majority will focus on the top
titles, the top stars and the big hits.. Much of the rest will just fade away.
Rich
At 08:28 AM 4/3/2010, Bruce Hershenson wrote:
Ten Signposts to Identify Endangered Collecting Categories
by Harry Rinker (03/16/10).
<http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/ten-signposts-identify-endangered-collecting-categories?utm_source=WorthPoint+Insider+List&utm_campaign=cf94b34d78-insider-7&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=cf94b34d78&mc_eid=9c7686e1e6>http://www.worthpoint.com/blog-entry/ten-signposts-identify-endangered-collecting-categories?utm_source=WorthPoint+Insider+List&utm_campaign=cf94b34d78-insider-7&utm_medium=email&mc_cid=cf94b34d78&mc_eid=9c7686e1e6
Does it apply to movie posters? Comic Books?
Bruce
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Kevin Conway
Conway's Vintage Treasures
www.CVTreasures.com
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