Does anyone here still buy comics?

[J Storm]

I've been downloading comics for about 2 years and it aint because they were "Free". It's because my local comic book store, which was under new management, thought that they could make more money focusing on Yu-Gi-Oh Card Games. I would go to my pull box to find out issues on my list were not there. They would always tell me to come back next week, they will have shit sought out. I would come back every week and I would see the same old shit on the shelves and only a few New Popular Titles. Like They would have new Spider-Man, X-Men but lets say if it was a big event Premiere issue like Sinestro Corp or a One-Shot, they wouldn't have it... Even thought I requested it.

Now Keep in mind, I knew about downloading comics for 5 years but I never fucked with it before 2 years ago because it felt unnatural. but being that my store stopped selling "special issues" I would then have no choice but to Download the comics.

Eventually my store Shut Down. I knew it would come to this because they were called "CHAMPION COMICS" but they focused more on Card Games. You can't make a living off of Kids. It was the Adults who purchased comics in Bulk every week who were the bread and butter. They thought selling rare Xzodia Cards would last forever but it didn't. When the Yu-Gi-Oh hyped died down, they had no customers. At this point, All my comics were Downloads. Yeah its Free but even to this day, 2 years later, it still feels UNNATURAL.

Yesterday, I went into my bin to re-read some Comics and noticed I had all 4 issues of JLA/AVENGERS that I purchased from a Con 2 years ago. I decided to start reading it. This was the first time I read a Paper Comic in about 2 years. I brought all the issues into the Bathroom, Sat on the Toilet.. and THIS SHIT WAS AN EPIPHANY! THIS IS HOW YOU READ COMICS!

So I'm looking for some advice. Do any of you still buy comics? If so why. Do any of you deal with mail order comic stores and if so, how long does it take to receive a comic? Should I just buy trades? Should I just buy Independent Brands? Because even thought Digital Comics are Convenient, Nothing beats holding an Issue in your hand while taking a shit.

 

[Megazell]

Yeah I still buy but I don't keep my books like I used to.

Several years back I started a ritual of donating my comics to children wards.

Mind you, I download a ton of comics. At this time I buy 5 comics regularly: The Walking Dead, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Aliens and Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Spider-man.

Now toward Christmas I do an inventory. Books that were lackluster or had other defects (late shipping, plot holes...), I cut off an edge or two, cut a triangle out of the cover and donate. I have a relationship with the local hospital were I get a detail receipt for tax-credit.

The books that are left-over I find a way to sell (Ebay, Craiglist and other methods) - Usually, all I want is cover, if I can get more...great. If not, no sweat.

I then make a hit list of TPB for those same books. TPB save space and have a complete arc in one book...which is ideal for me. In the end, I want the great stories that I can read to my kids and one day pass on. I can also find those TPBs for cheap during cons and store sales.

Comics is in the blood of my family. Some of the best moments with my kids is when I get the books on Wednesday...come home...and read them after dinner with my kids (if the books are not too graphic). That same feeling can't be had with digital books.

My oldest collects too and I love to have her read her books to me also: Archie, Spider-Girl (TPBs), Batman: The Brave and The Bold and CN

 

[killa kadafi191]

I don't buy single issues.

If I like a story arc I will buy the trade.

Example I was planning to buy Old Man Logan until the final issue release.

 

[145evil]

I still go to my local comic shop but the owner is thinking about closing down saying people aren't buying like they used to.

 

[sakinnuso]

I do occasionally. I buy trades, but rarely. Mostly Done-in-one complete story arcs. Rarely Marvel and DC anymore. If I do buy single issues, I read them and give them away to kids or whoever I pass near a comic shop.

Comics are BEST read in hand, though, and not online. Sadly, I just don't think that most are with the paper.

 

[O.Red]

I don't buy single issues.

If I like a story arc I will buy the trade.

Basically

 

[J Storm]

Good idea on giving old comics away because i got a ton of shit I know i cant get shit for on ebay.

 

[Megazell]

Good idea on giving old comics away because i got a ton of shit I know i cant get shit for on ebay.

Yeah. Remember to damage the book in some way - Hence, the cuts I make.

If you give the books in perfect condition Staff from the hospital may steal it from the kids thinking it's worth something or what not.

If you have an extra hour out of your day - Do a reading for the smaller kids with some of the books so you can pass them out - You also get a bonus towards your tax refund if it is documented.

 

[J Storm]

Yeah. Remember to damage the book in some way - Hence, the cuts I make.

If you give the books in perfect condition Staff from the hospital may steal it from the kids thinking it's worth something or what not.

If you have an extra hour out of your day - Do a reading for the smaller kids with some of the books so you can pass them out - You also get a bonus towards your tax refund if it is documented.

Man, I already got 5 kids all under 11 (11,9,7,4 and 1) and they need all my attention. No extra hours out the day or at lease away from them. Thanks for the heads up again.

 

[J Storm]

I still go to my local comic shop but the owner is thinking about closing down saying people aren't buying like they used to.

So why do you think that store ain't getting traffic? Recession got folks cutting back?

 

[Megazell]

Man, I already got 5 kids all under 11 (11,9,7,4 and 1) and they need all my attention. No extra hours out the day or at lease away from them. Thanks for the heads up again.

Cool.

I got 2 myself. I bring them with me when I do volunteer work.

Do they collect comics?

 

[Megazell]

I still go to my local comic shop but the owner is thinking about closing down saying people aren't buying like they used to.

What area?

The comics stores I hit sell other stuff that keep up their sales: Comic Costumes, Comic Toys, Comic games, Comic novels, Comic movies. Comic clothing and such.

The t-shirts seem to be the top sellers when I talk to the local owner.

 

[LennyNero1972]

Nope, can't afford them. If I had money I would just buy the trades.

 

[Lady-Wiz]

I'm lucky enough to have two local comic shops. One I get my book s from on Wednesdays and one I get my bags boards and boxes from. Reading on the online comics are cool for when your on vacation or traveling but when your home sometimes you do just want to sit down read and enjoy the smell of the new crisp paper
Mail Order comics are cool there are a lot that offer the items at discount prices like mailordercomics.com but I'm a variant junky and you can't depend on the mailorders to make sure what you get is the variant you want. Unless of course they have the spefic option

 

[Lady-Wiz]

What area?

The comics stores I hit sell other stuff that keep up their sales: Comic Costumes, Comic Toys, Comic games, Comic novels, Comic movies. Comic clothing and such.

The t-shirts seem to be the top sellers when I talk to the local owner.

I think that's the same deal with the stores I go to they sell trades, t-shirts , figures , etc... and that keeps the sales up. Plus surprisingly my area has a lot of comic readers in the area. Surprise me to hear that

 

[Megazell]

I think that's the same deal with the stores I go to they sell trades, t-shirts , figures , etc... and that keeps the sales up. Plus surprisingly my area has a lot of comic readers in the area. Surprise me to hear that

My girl and I was saying the same thing. There are a lot of female readers in my area too. Very shocking when I first noticed it.

The real money in comics is in trades, collectibles, games and then the individual comics.

I'm still making a decent money on Heroclix and VS which are collectible games of comics because the niche for these games are strong.

 

[J Storm]

Cool.

I got 2 myself. I bring them with me when I do volunteer work.

Do they collect comics?

Nope, They don't collect because I stopped collecting. The Stories are too complex for them also. My Oldest 11 who could be into comics is mostly into video games.

 

[Megazell]

Nope, They don't collect because I stopped collecting. The Stories are too complex for them also. My Oldest 11 who could be into comics is mostly into video games.

My oldest - 8 - collects books but they are all from the children's section:

Spider-Girl, Archie, Batman: The Brave and The Bold, Tiny Titans, Might Robot...stuff like that.

Recently, she found my stash of Thundercats comics from the 80's and is liking those but thinks The Sword of Omens is too overpowered!

The only video games she play is Club Penguin, DDO and Starcraft.

I am always curious what other young kids are reading especially in comics because I like to make sure she gets lots of exposure to different art and story lines. 99% of the comics/novels I read are not appropriate for kids.

 

[NnubianN]

I stopped buying comics in the early 90s mainly for two reasons: Blood & Gore. I'm a throwback guy to the days where storytelling was the end all be all and gore was non existent. I thought the most extreme comic was Daredevil right around the time when Elektra came along; a pointed sword protruding out the other side of some guy with just the clothing keeping you from seeing the actual blade. No blood, no chunks but you got the 'point.' (Pun intended).

Then Punisher exploded big. I was into him in the 80s. I thought his brand of vigilantism was extreme but needed. I was hating John Gotti and the Furious Five (Families) at that time and wished that Frank Castle could do for NYC what he was doing for Marvel.

But then shit got crazy. I can't pinpoint the exact issue but it was right around the time when Punisher went after Spider-Man in a crossover. The violence began increasing on a steady pace. It got to the point (for me) where violence was used as a handy way to wrap up incomplete SLs...maiming and gore and guts and chunks. Then it spread to other comics. Heroes who had been knocked through buildings, slammed by mountains, bashed with small planets and recovered with barely a scratch were now bleeding from a fist to the face. Blood for the sake of blood. Once the violence started overshadowing the storylines it was time to stop.

I know why the violence increased, but for someone like me who had been reading comics since Clark Kent was wearing a Fedora, watching the innocence of comics grow up to reflect/parody the world we lived in...I guess the fantasy was finally over. PLUS...there were now so many new heroes it was impossible to keep up. With one hero having 5 titles, crossovers, tie-ins, must have mini series and steadily increasing prices, grabbing comics became an expensive hobby. The last comic series I actually bought was The Death Of Superman.

Even now I only ready a select few titles. The goddamn violence is just too damn heavy

 

[Megazell]

I stopped buying comics in the early 90s mainly for two reasons: Blood & Gore. I'm a throwback guy to the days where storytelling was the end all be all and gore was non existent. I thought the most extreme comic was Daredevil right around the time when Elektra came along; a pointed sword protruding out the other side of some guy with just the clothing keeping you from seeing the actual blade. No blood, no chunks but you got the 'point.' (Pun intended).

Then Punisher exploded big. I was into him in the 80s. I thought his brand of vigilantism was extreme but needed. I was hating John Gotti and the Furious Five (Families) at that time and wished that Frank Castle could do for NYC what he was doing for Marvel.

But then shit got crazy. I can't pinpoint the exact issue but it was right around the time when Punisher went after Spider-Man in a crossover. The violence began increasing on a steady pace. It got to the point (for me) where violence was used as a handy way to wrap up incomplete SLs...maiming and gore and guts and chunks. Then it spread to other comics. Heroes who had been knocked through buildings, slammed by mountains, bashed with small planets and recovered with barely a scratch were now bleeding from a fist to the face. Blood for the sake of blood. Once the violence started overshadowing the storylines it was time to stop.

I know why the violence increased, but for someone like me who had been reading comics since Clark Kent was wearing a Fedora, watching the innocence of comics grow up to reflect/parody the world we lived in...I guess the fantasy was finally over. PLUS...there were now so many new heroes it was impossible to keep up. With one hero having 5 titles, crossovers, tie-ins, must have mini series and steadily increasing prices, grabbing comics became an expensive hobby. The last comic series I actually bought was The Death Of Superman.

Even now I only ready a select few titles. The goddamn violence is just too damn heavy

I hear you. The only book that I know of that seems "throwback"-ish is "Batman: The Brave and The Bold."

Though I hear you I am on other side that welcomes this violence. I think you are right that their are some characters in which this does not really fit in and it seems forced.

The Question has always been one of those characters that I think about that used to and should be fighting crime in a unique way. He use to collect evidence and then setup the crooks to be found out by the authority. Then recently he went from noir to gore with no transition phase...Which ruined his character and then the editors made the choice of killing him to "fix" it.

On the other hand, violence is inherit in myths. Comics are an extension of the myths. Villains make the book. If the villains is not a threat....a barrier for the hero to overcome...there is very little interest in the book.

Comics is also a form of media. Media has matured over the years. Or should I say has matured again. Some of the original comics which were western stories were very violent. Then the books became more docile as the media itself began to "take the high road" and leave a lot of gory details out of the press.

Then the 60's came - TV was now a force that was gaining people's attention and violence was now on the screen in every home. At time progressed, those nice stories could not hold the attention of the readers as much. That is why in the 70's and 80's you get a surge of corrupted stories, violence and more IN THE SUPERHERO STORIES...this stuff was always in other books (Horror, Noir, Westerns...).

There was a great illusion that world seemed like a nice place for a time (50's) so those books of simple hero and crook are gone when violence slowly reminded people that world is a fact more stranger/real than fiction.

 

[NnubianN]

I hear you. The only book that I know of that seems "throwback"-ish is "Batman: The Brave and The Bold."

Though I hear you I am on other side that welcomes this violence. I think you are right that their are some characters in which this does not really fit in and it seems forced.

The Question has always been one of those characters that I think about that used to and should be fighting crime in a unique way. He use to collect evidence and then setup the crooks to be found out by the authority. Then recently he went from noir to gore with no transition phase...Which ruined his character and then the editors made the choice of killing him to "fix" it.

On the other hand, violence is inherit in myths. Comics are an extension of the myths. Villains make the book. If the villains is not a threat....a barrier for the hero to overcome...there is very little interest in the book.

Comics is also a form of media. Media has matured over the years. Or should I say has matured again. Some of the original comics which were western stories were very violent. Then the books became more docile as the media itself began to "take the high road" and leave a lot of gory details out of the press.

Then the 60's came - TV was now a force that was gaining people's attention and violence was now on the screen in every home. At time progressed, those nice stories could not hold the attention of the readers as much. That is why in the 70's and 80's you get a surge of corrupted stories, violence and more IN THE SUPERHERO STORIES...this stuff was always in other books (Horror, Noir, Westerns...).

There was a great illusion that world seemed like a nice place for a time (50's) so those books of simple hero and crook are gone when violence slowly reminded people that world is a fact more stranger/real than fiction.

I'm a fan of the tv show "Law & Order." Most of the blood spilling is either implied or has already occurred by the time NYPD shows up. Don't misunderstand me; all vanilla all the time is about as exciting as watching two roaches fucking in the kitchen in the dark with a pin light. I understand that poweful heroes need powerful adversaries. They've always had them. It's expected to have battles with the opposing side; makes for good storytelling and some real nice kick-ass moments.

The difference today as opposed to 25 years ago is comics are more adulterated to a degree (IMO). Instead of being hit by a beam or juiced by high voltage they're being shanked in the back with their guts hanging on the protruding blade, having their bodies ripped open, their heads exploding or their extremities blown off. Before you accuse me of being an Ostrich, let me simply state that my eyes and ears are very much open and attuned to what's going on around me...in the street, the community and in today's media.

Violence sells comics; it sells newspapers; it sells tv and reality shows. Violence is a fact of every day life. Conflict is what determines our character. The same for comic characters. It's the severe degree/intensity of conflict/violence that has turned me away from many of today's titles. The last two generations have become desensitized to how much violence is going on around them in almost every media stream. I haven't. Until civil unrest flips the Apocalypse switch, I probably never will.

But that's who I am. Can't change. Won't change

Peace

 

[killa kadafi191]

Also we have to consider the times we are in now.

I mean I have 200 comics on my phone alone. I can read a comic any time and any where I want. I have them on my comp.

My graphic novel collection is at 130 right now.

buying single issue comics can cause a lot of junk.

 

[God-Of-War-420]

I don't buy single issues.

If I like a story arc I will buy the trade.

Example I was planning to buy Old Man Logan until the final issue release.

 

[Megazell]

Also we have to consider the times we are in now.

I mean I have 200 comics on my phone alone. I can read a comic any time and any where I want. I have them on my comp.

My graphic novel collection is at 130 right now.

buying single issue comics can cause a lot of junk.

Agreed.

That's why I donate. It has to be a really really really good story for me to keep it.

 

[Goingmark40]

i havent bought a comic in about five years. i might download one every now and then to check up on my favorite characters. somewhere along the line storylines got weak and predictable to me and i started trying to find a new character to follow. so i'd buy that number one issue then it would last thru the first story arc. i still got a huge collection i look thru tho sometimes

 

[Megazell]

i havent bought a comic in about five years. i might download one every now and then to check up on my favorite characters. somewhere along the line storylines got weak and predictable to me and i started trying to find a new character to follow. so i'd buy that number one issue then it would last thru the first story arc. i still got a huge collection i look thru tho sometimes

You have to do some offbeat books to get into the unpredictable storylines like this one:

‘We called them ‘the crazy years‚’ New York City was spreading like a pool of urine across a subway platform. Even rats caught diseases there.’ Welcome to the world of Miss, a bold new journey into crime graphic novels from Humanoids Publishing. Set during the early 1900s in New York, Miss tells the tale of two unlikely partners in crime, Enola and Slim. Enola is a poor white girl who has learned to survive by hook or by crook since being expelled from the orphanage. Slim is a black pimp with an uncertain past, trying to keep one foot out of the grave. When their paths cross, and their options run out, Enola and Slim forge a partnership as murderers for hire. This is their story ... what it takes to survive when all you have is a gun.

The cover price is $24.95 - Worth ever penny - I picked it up for $4.00 @ the comic con.

 

[Shurnuff]

I Started collecting comics when the cover price was just 35 cents
cover price!!!
In my heavy days collecting at $1 cover price, I use to go to the comic book store and just go down the line and grab one of almost each copy that came out that week.
But as the price increase I cut back on the titles I collected to the point where all the "gimmick" age of comic was very costly(nearly $5 per book)and no good story with in the book or That series(Get ready for a Thread on this).
So I just totally lost all interest with the high price, poor stories lines, and all the gimmick covers
Brought a few books a few years ago to get back into collecting but after reading it' I was like who are these people???
It was very hard to get back into

 

[Tazirai]

I tend to support what I think are good books, and download the rest.

 

[Upgrade Dave]

Yeah. Remember to damage the book in some way - Hence, the cuts I make.

If you give the books in perfect condition Staff from the hospital may steal it from the kids thinking it's worth something or what not.

If you have an extra hour out of your day - Do a reading for the smaller kids with some of the books so you can pass them out - You also get a bonus towards your tax refund if it is documented.

Good info. I just started giving my books away to local barbershops and hospitals would be a good idea.

I still buy comics and I never download for the same reason stated in the OP. My local shop is basically WWE to the few other shops in town (Heroes Aren't Hard to Find in Charlotte). Sheldon (the owner) never got caught up in the side shit like Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh. He did have some MAGIC shit for a while but never invested heavily so he's still around while everyone else got killed off when the bubble burst.
The fact that I buy my comics in bunches like I haven't read half of "Blackest Night" because I like to have all or at least most of the completed story before I read it. So I end up with a small stack of books at home that haven't been read and another small stack in my pull box at the store that I don't buy because I don't have any place to put them or they'r parts 1 and 2 of a 5 part story/series. Trades have really helped me save money and space.

 

[Upgrade Dave]

I stopped buying comics in the early 90s mainly for two reasons: Blood & Gore. I'm a throwback guy to the days where storytelling was the end all be all and gore was non existent. I thought the most extreme comic was Daredevil right around the time when Elektra came along; a pointed sword protruding out the other side of some guy with just the clothing keeping you from seeing the actual blade. No blood, no chunks but you got the 'point.' (Pun intended).

Then Punisher exploded big. I was into him in the 80s. I thought his brand of vigilantism was extreme but needed. I was hating John Gotti and the Furious Five (Families) at that time and wished that Frank Castle could do for NYC what he was doing for Marvel.

But then shit got crazy. I can't pinpoint the exact issue but it was right around the time when Punisher went after Spider-Man in a crossover. The violence began increasing on a steady pace. It got to the point (for me) where violence was used as a handy way to wrap up incomplete SLs...maiming and gore and guts and chunks. Then it spread to other comics. Heroes who had been knocked through buildings, slammed by mountains, bashed with small planets and recovered with barely a scratch were now bleeding from a fist to the face. Blood for the sake of blood. Once the violence started overshadowing the storylines it was time to stop.

I know why the violence increased, but for someone like me who had been reading comics since Clark Kent was wearing a Fedora, watching the innocence of comics grow up to reflect/parody the world we lived in...I guess the fantasy was finally over. PLUS...there were now so many new heroes it was impossible to keep up. With one hero having 5 titles, crossovers, tie-ins, must have mini series and steadily increasing prices, grabbing comics became an expensive hobby. The last comic series I actually bought was The Death Of Superman.

Even now I only ready a select few titles. The goddamn violence is just too damn heavy

Uncanny X-men 133, when Wolverine gutted those Hellfire Club guys, that was followed by Watchmen, and Punisher got his own book. Even then, I thought it was cool because it was realistic. It's when every team had a Wolverine-type character and every company had their Punisher clone. For me, it wasn't the violence, it was the lack of creativity. But I've never stopped buying even when a certain girlfriend found it to be a distasteful hobby. She gave up that fight and now as my wife buys my books for me when I don't have any money.

 

[Upgrade Dave]

The fact that I don't download or even read the books in any type of timely fashion is why I, an acknowledged, proud comic geek, rarely participate on this board.

You dudes don't throw a nig enough spoiler alerts.

 

[SuchATease]

Yeah I do, but it's moreso cause I'm a collector of a lot of things. I read them once or twice and they go in the plastic. It helps that my spot has mailboxes so I don't have to deal with my favorites running out....