saiyanzzrage

I can relate to you. I look through all my stack when I get them and make sure to check spine, bends etc. Have you have though of getting the trades? That would help you with making sure about the spine and bends.

For one reason or another, I've got it stuck in my head that every comic book I buy needs to be in near-mint condition (and that I need to maintain that condition). It's almost become borderline OCD for me: I am apprehensive about reading books more than once (even though I really want to), I try to move my hands often while holding/reading a comic to avoid oily-residue from marking/staining my book, and I dont open the book all the way in fear of damage to the spine.

On Wednesdays when I buy my new books, I am "that guy" that goes through all the books of a particular issue until I find one I am satisfied with, and doesnt have any creased corners, cracked spine, etc..

Am I going too far? I don't envision myself selling my collection in the future, but I am fairly certain my obsession with keeping comics in near-mint condition is attached to the worth or value of any given book. Heck, I'd be thrilled if 40-50 years from now one of my books is worth a few thousand dollars, but I highly doubt any of the books I have will ever be worth that much. In other words, I think the lengths to which I go to maintain the condition of my books is irrational, not to mention the longboxes, bags, and boards I have spent so much money on to keep the comics in the shape I want them to.

How do you handle your comic books? I have considered going completely digital just to not have to worry about the condition anymore, and can re-read them whenever I want without fear of damaging them...

Any advice? I do read the books and do so for enjoyment, I just dont get why I am being so OCD about them.

@Glitch_Spawn: That actually sounds like an awesome idea..

I already said one of the requirements when we buy a house is a spare room i can use as my man cave, and thats where everything will stay

One thing I was considering is buying only the marvel books i read in floppy form, and the dc and image books digitally, since most of my comic loyalty lies with marvel and the x-men....an idea for now

dang!!!! this post has made me worried....only silver lining is that i m 22 so at least 8 years of bachelorhood to go.... hopefully...lol

Oh I totally understand. I just bad a baby a couple months ago and space is definitely becoming an issue and it's just going to get worse as my collection grows and as my son gets older. I think I will stop getting the "floppys" that are not just amazing and buy them in trade or digitally ( if the prices go down, I just cant see myself paying full price for a download). But I will continue to purchase the comics that are, in my opinion,"5 Star Comics".

@saiyanzzrage:

Oh I think about it quite often...I just never can think of an answer to what I'm going to do with them all.

My solution: Trades. Easier to keep track of.

Not sure what got me thinking about this lately, maybe its all the recent "life events" that have happened to me (turned 31, got married, now looking for a house with new wife, and talking about kids in the next year or so) but it got me thinking. 

Quick background, I was born in 1980 and started collecting in the early 90's, and quickly became a marvel junkie, especially x-men. I collected for a few years, and for whatever reason just dropped off. A few years ago, I walked into a new comic shop that opened near my office in NYC, and I was back in action. 

Right now I pull about 23 books a month, all print form, and have 4 1/2 long boxes filled in one of the bedrooms in our 2 bedroom apartment. So I started thinking. Am I going to collect comics forever? Id like to, but my concern is storing the physical books. Have you guys ever thought about getting older and maybe going digital only so not to have to store the books? Or cutting out alot of what you read to have less to store? I read comics not only to read, but to also collect. Do I collect thinking they will one day pay for my kids college? No, but I would one day like to give these to my kids and at that point maybe they will be worth something. 

Yes, when we get a house I will have a ton more room than we have in our current 2 bedroom apartment, but do I really want to have a wall of longboxes somewhere? Part of me does (the ocd collector part of me) and the other part says its a little ridiculous

So I am curious, do you guys ever think about this? Sorry if it seems like I am rambling, I am trying to get all my thoughts out as fast as I can...