Comic Shames (and a question about shipping)

[Aaron King]

I'm trying to pare my comic collection down to things I actually like. I realized I had years of New Mutants/X-Force that I liked when I was young but can't even read now. I assume this is a regular part of collecting any sort of pop culture (books, music, comics, movies). What comics are you ashamed of?

(Also, does anyone know how much it would cost to ship 70 comics, mostly bagged and boarded?)

[shaxper]

I regularly "thin out" my overwhelmingly large collection by doing exactly what you've done. As a result, there's nothing particularly embarrassing in my collection, though there are several runs I've lost touch with. I just let my Groo collection go, and will likely be unloading my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Elfquest, and Albedo runs soon (yes, I will be keeping Albedo #2-4 for Usagi Yojimbo). I just don't enjoy going back and reading any of these anymore.

[MichikoS]

(Also, does anyone know how much it would cost to ship 70 comics, mostly bagged and boarded?)

Aaron, basically, postage costs depend on (1) how much the stuff you are sending weighs, (2) from where and to where you are sending, and (3) how quickly and securely you want your stuff to arrive.

A bagged and boarded regular modern comic weighs about 3 oz. Therefore, 70 regular comics with bags & boards would weigh a little over 13 pounds. Add in the weight of the carton and some packing and let's say 14 pounds. This is what the Postage Calculator on the USPS site gives for various shipping options at that weight. I chose Sacramento, CA to Boston, MA as a sample to/from. This doesn't take into account special services like insurance, delivery confirmation, etc. Your mileage, as they say, may vary.

Comics are generally considered eligible for the Media Mail rate (there is some disagreement about the ad content of comics disqualifying them for Media Mail), and are always eligible for the BPM rate. So there you have it.

Postmaster Michi

Domestic Services

Mailing Services Speed Price
Express Mail® Overnight to most areas $47.20
Priority Mail® 2 Day(s) $27.45
Parcel Post 8 Day(s) $23.02
*Additional Postage May Apply
Bound Printed Matter 8 Day(s) $8.68
*Restrictions Apply
Media Mail (Book Rate) 8 Day(s) $6.85
*Restrictions Apply

[Aaron King]

As always, Michi seems to strike directly to the heart of my problem and then fill me with more than I could ever expect. Thank you. Also, shaxper, if you got rid of your Usagi Albedos, I would be so sad.

[swinebread]

I've never slimmed down my collection so it's honkin' huge.

Really bad comics I still have...
Mildly Micro-waved Kung Fu Gophers
Geriatric Jitsu Gerbils
Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters
Secret Wars II
Reagan's Raiders #1
How to draw the TMNT
Laffin' Gas
Ex-Mutants
Fallen Angels
Robotech Defenders
Marvel Age
Last Starfighter adaption
and Many More I'll add later! :eek:

[Aaron King]

Marvel Age... those were those newsletter-type things that Marvel did, right? Self-hype propoganda? Some guy brought some into a comic shop I worked at, convinced that they were worth money. I looked through them out of curiosity because I'd never seen one. They seemed pretty trashy to me. Of course, some of the comics I'm getting rid of are really trashy, too, so I'm not knocking your collection.

Sir Tim/Aaron-Who-Is-Not-Me, would it be cool to post some of the not-as-trashy things that I'm getting rid of? I'd love to trade them rather than sell them, but I don't know where to go to do that. Maybe someone could point out a place to trade back issues.

[Sir Tim Drake]

Sir Tim/Aaron-Who-Is-Not-Me, would it be cool to post some of the not-as-trashy things that I'm getting rid of? I'd love to trade them rather than sell them, but I don't know where to go to do that. Maybe someone could point out a place to trade back issues.

As it happens, I can:

http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?t=630

[swinebread]

A few non-gems

Guerilla Groundhog
Samurai Squirrel
Boris the Bear
DC Challenge
This is Wild Dog #1
Some of the Comics Greatest World
Power Pack
Captain Carrot (OK I still like this one)
Dakota North Investigations
Gnat Rat
Heros for Hope
Iron Jaw #2
The Life of Pope John Paul II
Marvel Saga
Obnoxio the Clown
Phaze
Questprobe
Secret Defenders#1
Team Yankee
Zero Hour

[Reptisaurus!]

I've got a 40 issue run of Transformers, which is a little embarassing.

[glue]

I've got some Stone Cold Steve Austin mini. I never read it, but I saw it for cheap (maybe $2) when I was really into wrestling so I got it.

I've got some Star Wars comics that I can't explain as I hate all things Star Wars other than Ewoks (screw you, they're cute).

I've got some Pokemon comics. I never liked the franchise, but they characters are cute. The comics are black and white (which hurts the "cute") abysmal.

I've got some Power Puff Girl comics, too. Some might consider them embarassing but I enjoyed them.

[Aaron King]

Thanks for the link, Tim.

As for some of the shames posted so far: DC Challenge? I have a few issues of this. It's a pretty bizarre storytelling technique that quickly got out of hand, but I like the issues I have just for their uniqueness.

Ewoks are cute.

Powerpuff Girls is a pretty tight little comic, much like the comics based on the DC animated universe.

[MDG]

Slash Maraud

[Shawn Hopkins]

There's nothing in my collection I'm really ashamed of. In fact, I sort of revel in bad comics. The only thinning my collection has ever gotten is when I give stuff away to kids and when I do that I try to only give away good, age appropriate stuff. That means all my issues of Hari Kari, my Comics Greatest World books, my Brigade colllection and my New Universe books stay in my boxes.

I do have comics in my collection I really dislike, like Boris the Bear, but since I hate it so much I don't really want to inflict it on someone else and I haven't been able to bring myself to throw it away.

Oddly enough, I have been buying great quantities of New Mutants, from the first issue on, and X-Force lately. They're enjoyable on sort of a cheesy level. I always get a good chuckle when there's a caption talking about cable's "outlaw band of mutant rebels."


Also, swinebread's list disturbs me. Not because I have most of the titles on it, but because if I saw the ones I don't have in a quarter of 50 cent box, I'd probably buy them. The Life of Pope John Paul II? Score!

[Scott Shaw!]

A few non-gems
Captain Carrot (OK I still like this one)


What a coincidence, so do I!

Aloha,

Scott!

[theflyingfrogunderdog]

Elf Warrior

Ex-Mutants

Grips

Dragonring

Troll Lords

Red Fox

Shuriken

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Gizmo

Life Brigade

Elf-Lord

Justice Machine

Fish Police

The Adventurers

Eb'nn the Raven

Reagan's Raiders

:o

[swinebread]

What a coincidence, so do I!

Aloha,

Scott!

Thanks Scott,
Love your stuff.
That was my stealth pick to drum up conversation. I've always liked Captain Carrot. Earth C rules! (and so does Earth C-). Hope, we get a mini-series soon. The appearance in Teen Titans was too short.

[Aaron King]

C'mon guys. Captain Carrot is great fun. And Fish Police?! I'd trade Wolfman/Perez Teen Titans for Fish Police.

[glue]

What is REAGAN'S RAIDERS? Please tell me it's some sort of propoganda crap.

[swinebread]

What is REAGAN'S RAIDERS? Please tell me it's some sort of propoganda crap.

Reagan's Raiders, brought to by Solson. It was a three-issue comic about how Ronald Reagan and his cabinet became superheroes, kinda' a cross between Captain America and Rambo. I’m not sure if its propaganda but it is crap. It’s a parody that’s not funny, and the writer really wants you to think Ronny really is superheroic. Its bad bad, not good bad. I've only got the first issue.
http://www.hellblazer.com/media/ReagansRaiders.01.jpg
http://www.struat.com/justin/reagans-raiders-panel.jpghttp://www.progressiveruin.com/images/rr2b.jpg
http://superherouniverse.com/articles/ronald_reagan/raiders.jpg

[Jake Lockley]

I regularly "thin out" my ... collection...

What is this "thin out" you speak of? :p

I'm with shawnh on this one. I rarely part with any of my comics, and then it's usually because I have duplicates. I've gotten some real stinkers over the years too, most of them when I'd buy a box of comics at a yard sale or something like that. Of course I have to take the blame for intentionally buying some of them at full cover price as well. *sheepish*

Okay, here are some of them, without listing ones already covered:

Marvel Fumetti Book
Crystar
Team America
Bolt & Starforce Six
The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl
Starriors
Marville

[founder81]

I regularly "thin out" my overwhelmingly large collection by doing exactly what you've done. As a result, there's nothing particularly embarrassing in my collection, though there are several runs I've lost touch with. I just let my Groo collection go, and will likely be unloading my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Elfquest, and Albedo runs soon (yes, I will be keeping Albedo #2-4 for Usagi Yojimbo). I just don't enjoy going back and reading any of these anymore.

There's nothing embarrassing about having runs of Groo or Elfquest.

and

Re: Boris the bear
I love that book (speaking only from the 1st 12 issues).

I do a pretty good job of keeping the junk out of my comic boxes. (Which just means they get moved to the flea market box. )

[glue]

Reagan's Raiders, brought to by Solson. It was a three-issue comic about how Ronald Reagan and his cabinet became superheroes, kinda' a cross between Captain America and Rambo. I’m not sure if its propaganda but it is crap. It’s a parody that’s not funny, and the writer really wants you to think Ronny really is superheroic. Its bad bad, not good bad. I've only got the first issue.


Thanks. I'd say that's probably propoganda. And if it's making Reagan out to be heroic how can it be a parody? I would think making fun of the superheroes wouldn't make sense if you're trying to present Reagan in a positive light while portraying him as one. But I'm rambling.