The Design Community Hub

c/comic-book-fans

12

faith_smith•13d ago

The day I realized I was hoarding comics wrong for 15 years

I always bagged my silver age issues in regular mylar bags with standard backing boards. Thought that was the only way. Then last month at a shop in Portland, this kid behind the counter pointed out my 1967 Amazing Spider-Man #50 was starting to curl at the edges because the board wasn't acid-free. He showed me how the cheap boards literally ruin the paper over time. I must have 200 issues bagged wrong. Does anyone else use museum-grade boards for keys or just stick with whatever's cheapest?

9

alice_barnes35•14d ago

Overheard a kid at my LCS say 'why read old comics' and it hit me different

I was at my local shop last Saturday flipping through a dollar bin and this teenager told his friend 'why would anyone read old comics, the art looks weird.' It made me realize how much the hobby has shifted toward modern storytelling and digital art. I remember spending whole afternoons reading my dad's old X-Men issues from the 80s and loving the simple stories. Does anyone else feel like the older stuff gets overlooked now, or am I just turning into an old man?

18

wrenh79•15d ago

Pro tip: The guy who told me to start reading comics in chronological order was DEAD wrong

A dude on here named ComicTim42 said I should start Marvel comics from the 1960s to get the FULL story, so I bought a bunch of early issues and read through 1972. After 3 months I was SO bored and confused by all the old language and weird plots that I almost quit comics for good. Do you think it's better to jump into a modern run first or stick with the old stuff to really understand the characters?

24

patricia385•18d ago

I used to buy single issues but now I wait for the trade paperback

I started collecting comics back around 2005 when I was in high school, and I remember saving up my allowance to hit the shop every Wednesday for new Batman issues. There was something about that fresh paper smell and the thrill of getting the next part of a story right away. But over the last few years, Ive switched almost completely to waiting for the trade paperback collections. I mean, it saves me money since a trade usually costs around $15 for a whole arc instead of $3.99 per issue for six months. Plus, I don't have to worry about bagging and boarding each one or hunting down missing numbers. The downside is I miss out on talking about new chapters with friends at the shop week to week. Has anyone else made this shift or do you still prefer grabbing singles as they drop?

20

wrenh79•18d ago

Spent $80 on that omnibus everyone raves about and the binding split on page 60

I kept hearing how this was the definitive collection but the glue job was so cheap pages are literally falling out, has anyone else had luck getting a replacement from the publisher?

4

keith_henderson•22d ago

I used to think variant covers were a total scam, but then my LCS owner showed me the ASM #900 virgin cover in person

The metallic inks and linework on that thing were insane, totally different from seeing it online. Anyone else get swayed by holding a physical copy before you bought it?

9

hart.zara•22d ago

People keep calling every reader a 'fan' and it's driving me crazy

I was at a con last Saturday and heard someone say 'oh you're a real comic fan' to a guy who only read Watchmen once. Being a fan means you follow a series or creator for years, not just pick up one trade paperback. How do you draw the line between a casual reader and an actual fan?

25

keith_henderson•26d ago

The shift from serious collectors to variant cover speculators feels huge since 2019

Tbh I remember walking into my LCS in 2018 and everyone was talking about story arcs and writer runs, now it's all 'what's the print run on this virgin cover'. The ratio of actual readers to flip-and-sell guys has totally flipped in like 4 years. Do you think the speculator bubble is gonna pop like it did in the 90s, or is this just the new normal for comic fans?

8

taylor_barnes59•29d ago

Last Wednesday at my local shop, a guy argued that The Walking Dead comics are better than Invincible because they're 'more realistic'

I was standing there flipping through a Spider-Man issue and this guy just goes off for a solid 10 minutes about how Kirkman peaked with zombies. Said Invincible is just a gimmick because of the cartoon. I told him I've read both runs twice and Invincible has way better character arcs. He got quiet and walked away. Anyone else run into fans who rank comics based on weird criteria like 'realism' in a genre about superpowers?

19

uma_patel19•29d ago

Saw a kid at the comic shop finally get the courage to speak up about his pull list

After 6 months of watching him silently hand over his stack every Wednesday, he actually asked the owner for a recommendation on a new series last week, and it made me realize how much confidence can grow just from being in a welcoming space.

1

emmar75•1mo ago

My buddy from the LCS called me out on my pull list last week

He said I was just buying whatever had a #1 on it and not actually reading the books. It hit different because I looked at my stack and realized I couldn't remember the plot of half of them. How do you guys decide what to actually follow vs just grabbing for the novelty?

18

theamason•1mo ago

I finally figured out why my local comic shop's pull list system was driving me crazy

Used to just hand over a stack of floppies every Wednesday and hope they remembered what I grabbed. Then last month I actually sat down with the owner and asked how their back end works. Turns out my handwriting on those little cards was messing up the whole thing. Got a spreadsheet going now with issue numbers and it's been smooth. Anyone else ever find out their own habits were the problem at their shop?

14

theabennett•1mo ago

Went to a big con in Chicago versus my local shop's small signing

The con was packed and I barely got a minute with the artist, but at the local spot I had a real 10-minute chat about his process on 'Daredevil'. Which kind of event actually gives you a better fan experience?

34

evana71•1mo ago

Heard a kid at the con say he only reads comics for the movie connections now

That made me shift my view on gatekeeping. I used to get annoyed when people skipped the source material, but if it gets them into the shop, maybe it's fine. How do you handle new fans who start with the adaptations?

32

briannguyen•1mo ago

My comic shop had a fire drill during a big signing

I was at the signing for the new Spider-Man artist at my local shop in Denver. The alarm went off and we all had to stand outside for 20 minutes, holding our books in the rain. What's the worst timing you've had at a comic event?

21

briannguyen•1mo ago

Used to think bagging and boarding every single issue was mandatory

For years I'd buy a pack of 100 boards and bags every few months, spending maybe $40 each time. Last fall I realized I only actually re-read about 10% of my modern floppies. Now I only board and bag keys, first appearances, and stuff I know I'll pull out. The rest go in a long box with a sheet of acid-free paper between issues. Saved a bunch of money and shelf space. Does anyone else have a 'no-bag' threshold for certain books?

27

val_taylor•1mo ago

Overheard a guy at the convention say he only reads comics for the movie connections now

I was in line for a signing at Emerald City Comic Con last weekend, and the guy behind me told his friend he dropped all his monthly pulls except the ones tied to upcoming Marvel or DC movies. He said, 'I just need to know the backstory for the films.' It made me think a lot of new fans are treating the source material like homework instead of stories that stand on their own. Has anyone else noticed this shift, or is it just my local shop?

9

dylan124•1mo ago

I used to keep all my comics in cardboard boxes in the garage, but after a pipe leak ruined my Amazing Spider-Man #300, I switched to a $200 waterproof storage bin system.

What's the best way YOU protect your collection from random disasters?

12

matthewbarnes•1mo ago

I used to think collecting every issue of a run was the only way to be a real fan

My buddy in Milwaukee said he just reads the stories he likes on Marvel Unlimited and it clicked that I was gatekeeping myself. Anyone else get too caught up in the 'collector' mindset and miss just enjoying the comics?

12

wadeyoung•1mo ago

Overheard a guy at the comic shop say he only reads new stuff now

He was telling the clerk he doesn't bother with anything older than five years because 'it's all been done better since.' Made me realize how much amazing history and context you miss with that mindset. What's the best older story you've read that a new fan might skip over?

18

nancy3•1mo ago

Question about the whole 'gatekeeping' thing. I thought it was just online drama until my local shop in Omaha had a whole scene over a new reader asking where to start with Spider-Man.

Guy came in, maybe early 20s. Asked a simple question at the counter. The clerk just sighed and started listing like 60 years of continuity. Made it sound impossible. Saw the guy's face just fall. He left without buying anything. I used to think people complaining about gatekeeping were just being sensitive. But seeing it happen right there, turning someone away from the hobby... that convinced me it's a real problem. How do shops near you handle new readers asking basic questions?

8

robert_bennett29•1mo ago

Appreciation post: My local shop's newbie night vs. just diving in alone

Honestly, I tried getting into comics by just grabbing random #1 issues for about 6 months and felt totally lost. Then I went to the new reader night at Gotham Comics in my city and the staff helped me find a complete arc, which made everything click. Has anyone else had a way better experience with guided help versus trying to figure it out solo?

20

wrenh79•1mo ago

My $80 lesson in grading comics from a YouTube video

I bought a mid-grade copy of X-Men #129 for $80 online, trusting a seller's video that made it look near mint. When it arrived, the spine had a half-inch color-breaking crease the camera never showed. What's the best way to check a book's real grade before you pay?

20

the_leo•1mo ago

Bought a $75 'rare' variant cover that turned out to be a fake

The seller swore it was a legit print from a small shop, but the colors were off and the paper felt wrong. I should have checked the issue number online first. Has anyone else gotten burned on a fake comic lately?

7

dakota_rodriguez•1mo ago

At a con in Chicago, I saw a fan get yelled at for asking a simple question.

This was at C2E2, maybe three years back. A kid, maybe 14, asked an artist about a character's backstory. The artist snapped, said 'Read the book, it's all in there.' The kid looked crushed. Everyone around just shrugged. I don't care how busy you are, that's no way to treat a new fan. Since then, I make a point to be extra patient with new people at signings. Anyone else see stuff like that and just feel sick?