What kind of comic collector are you?

I am asking because I am trying to figure out what I am. I have been buying up trades and following one monthly title. There are so many years of comics/stories of characters that I am interested in that I am missing out on that I feel overwhelmed as a comic reader

I know how you feel. I only just recently got into comics as a whole and there's a massive backlog of classics I've never read. Of course, digital comic stores make it much easier to get what I want, but I only have so much money to spend so I can't just buy stuff all willy-nilly. It'll probably be years before I have a collection even half of what some of the guys here have.

I prefer trades, but I like having a few monthly books to look forward to, and some I'm just too impatient to wait for the trades.

I used to freak out if I missed a single issue and treat the comics and trades I had like priceless artifacts.

I've matured a lot since then and loan/give away older comics I know I won't re-read and buy more digitally in addition the single issues I order monthly.

I'm less concerned with "collecting" then enjoying good stories in any medium. If stuff is good I'll keep it and read it again. Otherwise it's a lot less precious to me.

I'm the charming kind.

I prefer reading print, I read digital (I'm in England so its cheaper and my nearest comic shop is half an hour to and hour away) and get my favourite stories in TPB.

I'm someone who want to have everything from #1 till the end.

Otherwise I like TPB because they most have a whole Storyarc in it and I hate nothing more then reading a great story and then be unable to finish it, because there's "one" Issue who isn't findable.

(with my luck, mostly the first or the last issue of a storyarc <__< )

Feel like I need to start buying omnibuses to be a true collector

I buy trades/hardcovers/collections of my favourite/older series and monthlies of everything else I'm following currently.

I try to trade wait The Walking Dead.

I have to have issus in first print. I have the whole newkryton in hc. A have the first trade of ultimate Spiderman but I want the entire series in monthly. I also want night wing in the entire collection of monthly. And for older stuff like man of steel all star and secret origin I buy it in the monthlys.

I'm with you on feeling overwhelmed. I recently got back into comics after not having read any since my childhood, and man there is so much to catch up on. But try not to feel that way or else it'll take the fun out of it. Just enjoy the medium in whichever way suits you best, not which way you think is expected of you.

For me personally, buying trades right now is a whole lot easier for catching up on characters and story arcs that I've missed out on over the years. It's a slow and frustrating process as I only have so much money, but I know I'll get there in the end. I'm just trying to enjoy the stories as opposed to worrying about my next purchase. I'm also picking up a few monthly titles though, mainly to check out some new stuff I hadn't considered before.

There was a time when I was maxing 15-20 comics weekly.

Yeah.

I've now gone down to 0. I'm reading trades right now.

I buy ever thing digital now. Since hurricane Katrina New Orleans only has one comic book store left, and it's way uptown. I live in mid-city, and don't own a car..... 

I prefer to read the trades. I like to have the whole storyline all at once when I read something. Though it is a long wait for the stories I want, I tend to enjoy reading them better in trades. Plus this way I don't have to worry about missing an issue.

@skookssaid:

I'm with you on feeling overwhelmed. I recently got back into comics after not having read any since my childhood, and man there is so much to catch up on

I am in the same boat. When I was a kid, I had 200 + comics and probably 40 trades. Sadly, I got rid of them along with my Sega Genesis/games and I now regret both decisions. I am now up to around 20 trades and a few single issues.

@spidermonkey2099 said:

I prefer to read the trades. I like to have the whole storyline all at once when I read something. Though it is a long wait for the stories I want, I tend to enjoy reading them better in trades. Plus this way I don't have to worry about missing an issue.

I feel the same way.

I'm the kind that wants to know the gist of what came before if it's not relevant anymore (i.e. I want to read crisis on infinite earths at some point, Imma get the graphic novel collection at Barnes and Noble), wants to read the entirety of stories that are still relevant (i.e. all Flashpoint graphic novels), and wants to collect every last issue of anything still printing (i.e. anything).

But, I usually don't collect Marvel.

I just, for some reason, cannot get into Marvel. It's a combination of things I suppose... Hard to figure out what to read/get first, hard to know what's going on, hard to find good stories that pique my interest. I do love the heroes and artwork that the company often has, but I just don't know what to read, so I stick with DC.

Old School.

The kind that waits for a series to end and buys the collected issues.

I have taken the New 52 as a chance to follow several titles and "collect" them on a monthly basis. I really enjoy OGN (original graphic novels) and have quite a collection of them. I do collect Batman only ( I mean the actual title Batman and not all Batman). I have from issue #178 to the most current issue. But I have also bought trades of stories that I have in individual format. Hush and Under the Red Hood come to mind. I rarely crack open a comic after I put it into a the sleeve and put it in the box.

I only buy the comics of characters that I like a lot. Anything else I just read the ones my friend bought. Comics are expensive nowadays.

The only series I buy are: Swamp Thing, Allstar Western, Aquaman, Thor, and Cap.

@JoeEddie said:

I am in the same boat. When I was a kid, I had 200 + comics and probably 40 trades. Sadly, I got rid of them along with my Sega Genesis/games and I now regret both decisions. I am now up to around 20 trades and a few single issues.

Sad day friend, sad day.

@JoeEddie said:

Feel like I need to start buying omnibuses to be a true collector

NO, trades/softcovers/hardcovers/ombibuses - they are still REPRINTS, not the authentic articles!

A true collector goes for the actual collectable COMICS, complete with authentic covers, possibly even starting from issue 1 - on, according to how much you're willing to invest on a single comic / back issue.

My budget limit on a single comic so far still stands at $20. Although in 2.0 - 4.0 conditions, but still actual content, actual issues, my Batman collection includes several Detective Comics early 300s and Batman pre-200s, as early as 1963.

Even if you can't find the entire story (parts 3 or 5 for instance) in one store, make it a "hunt" to find it, in other comicbookstores, secondhand bookstores, flea markets, ect, the thrill is in the "hunt for treasure"!

I buy new stuff (storylines I follow) as well as many back issues of the characters I love. I buy and have tons of TPB/Hardcovers and have just recently started getting into buying the digital comics.

I'm a digital-only collector. I can't make trips to the actual comic store, so I make do with the 'same-day-as-print' releases on my iPad.

Since I've lost some time, there's a part of me that wonders whether I should have backtracked and collected some highly -touted runs instead. Older issues are cheaper on Comixology. But I've found the New 52 and Marvel Now very accessible, and I like that a lot. I don't mind paying a little extra just so I know what's going on.

I have a few monthly issues i like to look forward to. I just recently started to collect comics again after a very long hiatus, and for the comics I have already read I actually hang and cover the wall with them (my girlfriend actually came up with the idea). I've really gotten into Deadpool nowadays because I couldn't get my hands on the comics back in my youth. I always started in the middle issue wise and then backward then forward (asinine I know).

@ngroove said:

@JoeEddie said:

Feel like I need to start buying omnibuses to be a true collector

NO, trades/softcovers/hardcovers/ombibuses - they are still REPRINTS, not the authentic articles!

A true collector goes for the actual collectable COMICS, complete with authentic covers, possibly even starting from issue 1 - on, according to how much you're willing to invest on a single comic / back issue.

My budget limit on a single comic so far still stands at $20. Although in 2.0 - 4.0 conditions, but still actual content, actual issues, my Batman collection includes several Detective Comics early 300s and Batman pre-200s, as early as 1963.

Even if you can't find the entire story (parts 3 or 5 for instance) in one store, make it a "hunt" to find it, in other comicbookstores, secondhand bookstores, flea markets, ect, the thrill is in the "hunt for treasure"!

I meant like collector of stories

Buy mostly single issues instead of trades. Probably about a 10-1 ratio. I go in once month,(Usually the last Thursday of each month) it's not important to me I get the issues the day they come out. If it's an old story line that i wasn't interested in when it came out, I will try and find a trade first. I try and keep my comics in top condition, but don't go beserk if one gets a wrinkle in it. 90% of them will never really go up in value anyhow.

I trade wait. It makes it easier to manage, and I find it cheaper. I used to buy comics like crazy. I would spend like 40 bucks a month. Now I spend 50-70 every 2-3 months.

(+)

@JoeEddie said:

@ngroove said:

@JoeEddie said:

Feel like I need to start buying omnibuses to be a true collector

NO, trades/softcovers/hardcovers/ombibuses - they are still REPRINTS, not the authentic articles!

A true collector goes for the actual collectable COMICS, complete with authentic covers, possibly even starting from issue 1 - on, according to how much you're willing to invest on a single comic / back issue.

My budget limit on a single comic so far still stands at $20. Although in 2.0 - 4.0 conditions, but still actual content, actual issues, my Batman collection includes several Detective Comics early 300s and Batman pre-200s, as early as 1963.

Even if you can't find the entire story (parts 3 or 5 for instance) in one store, make it a "hunt" to find it, in other comicbookstores, secondhand bookstores, flea markets, ect, the thrill is in the "hunt for treasure"!

I meant like collector of stories

Still stickin' to what I say!

Nothing's more gratifying than knowing having the COMPLETE story in their authentic, original, episodic, collectable comic formats! for instance, I myself have the complete BATMAN RIP (Batman 676-681), BRAINIAC (Action Comics 866-870), and it's still not too late, if you are a DC or Marvel reader, to be able to have a copy of every issue, from issue 1-up, of your favorite New DC or Marvel Now! title. I myself can boast with comic-nerdy pride I have the first twelve issues and issue 0 of SUPERGIRL volume six! Added with issue 1 of the following as well: Detective Comics, Batman, Batgirl, Catwoman, Batwoman, and Batman Incorporated, even issue one of latter in volume one!

To me, "trades" are only for "graphic novels", original stories created under that format of thick books, such as "Death of Captain Marvel" or "Batman: the Killing Joke" or "Arkham Asylum" or "Superman: Earth One".

I still feel overwhelmed by the amount of comics that are out there.

@reignmaker: I felt the same. I use Marvel Unlimited. The app is **** but the PC version is alright enough. For $10 a month, most marvel comics that are over a year old can be read. New 52 is a reboot so you don't need to do much reading up beforehand. Boom, you can now spend the rest of your money on Marvel now and New 52 while looking over old Marvel titles to catch up now and then.

I used it for AvX to get the full experience out of Marvel now and the fact it's really expensive on Comixology. As an added bonus nearly all of the early Marvel Now titles have a issue on Marvel Unlimited so you can see what some of the other titles are like.

When I was earning I would get at least 2 comics a week on top of the 4 or 5 I was following at the time, that lasted for a bit then I decided to go to uni so cut down my pull list to 3 a month and (somehow) I managed to keep that up all the way through. It's taught me to appreciate waiting a month and having nothing to fill the gaps in between.

Like everyone here I feel like there is a lot I'm missing out on, both classic and modern and so I make a note of trades I really want to get when I have the cash. I think that even when I do have some cash I might stick to just a few a month and treat myself to a trade on top.

@maccyd: Yeah, I actually ended up subscribing to MU when my comics budget decreased. Still, switching from Comixology to MU is like trading in your Ferrari for a mini van when it comes to the navigation experience. Comixology is just so much smoother, and most everything is in HD.

I can't deny the money I'm saving with MU though. There's still a few things I'm picking up new with Comixology, but I've been reading a lot of Marvel back issues. The library they've included is quite impressive.

@joeeddie

I'm a wait-for-trader, period.

I pick up the occasional floppy if it's for an issue I'm interested in, but for the most part, I wait till the trades roll out. I don't care about having the original issues (though my B&R 1-16 run is pretty tight) so much as just being able to read the stories, that's what matters to me. Trades save up on space and money, they're less likely to fall apart, it's a lot easier to bring them anywhere (as opposed to a bunch of issues), they look nice on the shelf, they give the complete story, they don't have annoying ads in between, and you can find them in bookstores too.

The only advantage floppies have is that if you have a nice LCS, it can be fun to drop by, and of course you get all the latest stories. But having a pull list is also mad expensive. Trades are just the easier and the more economical choice, and while yes, you have to wait a really long time before the newest trades pop up, it's worth it. Plus, you can just buy older trades while waiting for the newer ones to come out.

I think if you feel overwhelmed, you might need to take a breather and have a different mindset. One does not need to read every single comic out there, and keep up with every single event. Be happy with what you have, and read comics that you enjoy or that really savor the experience. I know what you mean too, right now there are so many comics on my list that I want to try out, but you have to realize this is a gradual experience. Enjoy it, read a few select books, and then move on to the next.

I read mostly floppies. Just recently found a cool website for trades at 45% off and made my first purchase so hopefully that goes well enough I can use them again. I'm buying all of Geoff Johns GL run . I do prefer monthlies because I hate waiting. I have pull list with 30-33 comics a month on it so the month goes by pretty quick with plenty to read so I'm not waiting 4 weeks for that "next issue of Batman to come out its been so lonooong!" I buy a few digitally but only on sale and than only to check them out to see if I want to buy the floppy. I like having them all on my ipad but I don't like how you don't really "own" them. Having a pull list can be expensive but I don't have any other vices so its no problem for me. One piece of advice is don't be so caught up in getting all of the issues that you don't want to drop a book. If it starts to not be as good as it was in the beginning you should try and drop it, there's so much out there you'll find something else that's great. And don't get caught up with every "event" that comes down the pipe. They do a good job of making you feel like in you're missing out on something huge but its ok. I try to get the smaller ones that don't have a lot of crossovers with comics that I don't usually buy. Anyways that's my 2 cents . It looks like a lot of you read trades so here's that website if you're interested. I'm definitely going to buy older stories in trades.

http://www.instocktrades.com/

Only get tpb if i badly want to rad the story but usually get the paperbacks if i liked the story