what is your average comic book budget like?

[Jezebel Bond]

Mine is a couple hundred a month, sometimes more if I spot something good on eBay.

In terms of cost, it's great to get a good run of older books in high-grade condition with each individual book costing maybe 1/3 of what a new issue costs now.

I'd rather spend $100 on back-issues than buy 25 new books for the same money...but that's just me...

I'm not interested in many new issues anymore...there's a wealth of older material and I'm a big fan of the bronze-age era, when books had 20c - 50c covers.

Although I still buy the odd new issue, sometimes at market prices which are way above cover cuz I missed out...maybe I'll start paying more attention here.

[jlmoor]

Mine is a couple hundred a month, sometimes more if I spot something good on eBay.

In terms of cost, it's great to get a good run of older books in high-grade condition with each individual book costing maybe 1/3 of what a new issue costs now.

I'd rather spend $100 on back-issues than buy 25 new books for the same money...but that's just me...

I'm not interested in many new issues anymore...there's a wealth of older material and I'm a big fan of the bronze-age era, when books had 20c - 50c covers.

Although I still buy the odd new issue, sometimes at market prices which are way above cover cuz I missed out...maybe I'll start paying more attention here.

I just spent well over $1000 this summer catching up on everything marvel from 1996 to now. In addition to that I have 12 mail order monthly subs, and another 16 in my pull at my local comic store. Oh yeah, and don't forget the 1-shots and limited series that are always coming out. And that is just new stuff. So we are looking at about $100 at the comic store, add in the mail order and it is closer to $175, then the other misc. brings it to a little over $200, plus whatever back order stuff I find. Thank God I am a grown up and set my own allowance.

[Jezebel Bond]

Hi jlmoor...I don't like subscriptions simply because I'm anal about condition and prefer to hand-pick my own copies than get a polywrapped book with multiple dings in the spine...unless you order from a store that sends you your new books bagged, boarded and in a box :biggrin:

I sometimes hit the $'000 too if I come across a deal too good to pass up on...

[dupont2005]

mine is about to severely drop to almost nothing. i might be able to swing $10 a month or so. used to be $50 a month

[DubipR]

I'm about $20 a month, might be more if there's a TPB out there but likely not.

Frankly, comics (at least the superhero comics) are boring the piss out of me. I'm strickly Vertigo, with the exception of Jonah Hex (which feels like Vertigo)

[DeeSnider]

I try to keep my pull list down to 30 titles a month, and set a cap of $150 a month to spend on comics. But, on top of that, I always let myself spend $200-$400 every year when WonderCon comes to town. I also wind up with a couple of hundred per year in gift cards in one way or another, and they almost always go to comics. So probably around $2000-$2500 a year.

[jlmoor]

I try to keep my pull list down to 30 titles a month, and set a cap of $150 a month to spend on comics. But, on top of that, I always let myself spend $200-$400 every year when WonderCon comes to town. I also wind up with a couple of hundred per year in gift cards in one way or another, and they almost always go to comics. So probably around $2000-$2500 a year.

I'm flying in for Wondercon 2010!!! Can you tell me what to expect? Mostly comics sales? Up and coming artists selling prints/original stuff? Indie? Big name? I from from SF and am going home to see friends, but mostly to hit the Con. I would love any input you have.

[Yawn]

Honestly it's whatever I have on me,so it varies greatly.

[Sid]

At it's peak about $75 per month for my pull list, plus whatever trades or impulse purchases I made. So close to $100 per month then.

Now, $0 per month.

[mgs]

When I used to go every week, I tried to keep it to under 20 bucks a visit.

Now, when I go, about every 2nd, 3rd or 4th week, I still try for 20 and under, but on the days I don't get my member discount (only when I hit the 100 dollar mark) it can be like 40 dollars or more. But with the discount I can usually get a ton of books for like 15 bucks (which was my last visit).

[The Black Guardian]

$20 a week is my hard limit. I usually don't meet that, though, averaging around $17-18.

[prescribeddrone]

I try to keep it at 20-25 books a month. But I plan on trying to go with 15-19 books sometime eventually. So about 60-70 bucks a month. But like I said I'm aiming for $45-55 bucks very slowly. But thankfully I get a 15% member discount on everything so that helps a lot. I save 3-5 bucks a week which is great.

This isn't counting my random spending on trades which varies from time to time so I can't estimate that accurately.

[depnaker]

I don't spent money for comic. I treat the comic as the inventation.

[Eric D.]

hmm...

between $100.00 to 130.00 monthly for all of mine and my wifes subs, with the occasional hardback Graphic Novel thrown in for good measure.

[BillR]

Like 30 bucks a month, and trying to scale it down further.

[Jezebel Bond]

I don't spent money for comic. I treat the comic as the inventation.

:confused:

[janthonyh]

My limit is supposed to be 50 bucks a month, but I usually go over it. It's hard when you have 21 ongoings and 6 minis that you want. Not to mention oneshots and back issues.

[Jezebel Bond]

I've found one good way to 'cheat' budgets...buy comics, sell comics, make a profit and subsidise your own comic-book bill.

I usually turn $300-$500 in eBay buys into almost twice that, and the people I sell them to still get them below guide prices and can see what they're getting upfront. That's why I adore eBay...getting books at below 25% of guide prices (sometimes 10% - 15% if no one else bids). And I only buy books that are guaranteed to resell.

Nothing wrong with turning a hobby into a profitable venture that pays for itself.

[jlmoor]

I've found one good way to 'cheat' budgets...buy comics, sell comics, make a profit and subsidise your own comic-book bill.

I usually turn $300-$500 in eBay buys into almost twice that, and the people I sell them to still get them below guide prices and can see what they're getting upfront. That's why I adore eBay...getting books at below 25% of guide prices (sometimes 10% - 15% if no one else bids). And I only buy books that are guaranteed to resell.

Nothing wrong with turning a hobby into a profitable venture that pays for itself.

I always say I buy them as an investment, but then there is no way in hell I would sell any of my collection:smile:

[Jezebel Bond]

I get around that too by buying duplicate copies.... :wink:

[Fabio13]

I average around 75-80 dollars a month. The month of October my bill will be $70 actually. For the forseeable future it looks like it will be like that since I'll be getting around 18-19 books a month.

[Mormel]

:confused:
It's probably a spammer or advertiser. Seems like they're getting smarter, using anime avatars.

On topic, my budget is back to about 50 euros a month. I had drifted away a bit from reading comics this past year, but now I'm into Marvel's cosmic titles, and I've more spare money to spend on back issues and Masterworks again. I'm interested in collecting Avengers and Spider-Man Masterworks, now.

[Frazzy]

I spend anywhere from $50-200 a month at my local comic book shop.I collect alot of titles.

[Richard Bishop]

On new monthlies, I am down to about $35-$40 per month.

On back issues, typically spend about $50-$60, depending on what the few LCS I frequent have gotten in (I've picked most of their older stock clean, so I have to wait until they get new collections or else I just save the money).

In the spring, I save up from January to April so that I can attend the Pittsburgh Comic-Con and drop a couple hundred at one time on one day, since there is much greater selection and because I love to negotiate on pricing, which is hard to do at the LCS if I know the owner well; I feel bad about asking for discounts when I know the guy, but much less so if it is a dealer from out of town.

[celticwarlord]

I usually spend around $25 or $30 per month on comics, maybe up to $50 if there are back issues I'm buying as well. I could easily work it into my budget to spend way more than that per month, but I honestly don't like following too many stories at once. I have lots of other stuff I read as well - subscriptions to The Smithsonian and Archaeology, I always have one or two books on European history that I'm reading, with novels and short stories thrown in to boot (there's lots of time in the day when you don't own a television). With the titles I'm reading now I'm about where I want to be as far as how many series I'm following.

[Plex]

Up until Blackest Night and the preludes started, I was spending about $50 dollars a month. As of the preorder for Dec '09 I was up to about $80 dollars a month. That doesn't include the things I haven't been preordering like Batman, Superman, Action, New Krypton, and Supergirl. When you add in those books, I'm closer to $100 dollars a month before discount. (20% off if paying with cash.)

Once Blackest Night is done I'll drop back down to, I hope, the $60 dollar range.

I was spending a bit more this fall as I went on a back issue hunt for Superman, Action, New Krypton, and Supergirl comics that lead into the New Krypton story and up until this month. I also went back and bought TPB's of Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corp that started with the Sinestro Corps Wars and went to Rage of the Red Lanterns in GL and Sins of the Star Sapphire in GLC.

Other than the Supes and GL stuff I mentioned above, I don't really buy back issues. Heck I don't even buy backers, bags, and boxes.

I am seriously starting to consider buying TPB's only because I feel you get more bang for the buck and they are easier to store and lend out. The thing holding me back on this is that I collect mostly DC and they are really slow at getting the superhero TPBs out. (Though they seem to do better with the Vertigo stuff and I do get a lot of that too.)

[Shellhead]

Except for the '90s, when I stopped buying comics for several years, I have generally only spent $20 a month on comics. In the '70s, that was lots of new comics plus some back issues. Now it's just a few comics. And once in a while, I buy a trade paperback.

[_Radjack_]

I try not to spend more than 50€ a month, but most of the time I go a little up mainly because of some new tpb's or some back issues.
Now I have less pre-orders than before, one year ago I would spend at least 100€ each month on comics. The result? I would buy too many crappy things that I didn't really enjoy that much. I'm happier with fewer but better comics now.

[Avenger08]

My budget varies greatly, depending on my visits to my comic shop per month.

If I only pain for the titles I reserve, right now It'd be like 20 bucks per month.
However, each time I visit my comic shop I spend at least 30 bucks.
If I visit twice a month, Ill get al my 20 bucks worth of titles reserved, plus probably spend 50-60 bucks overall.
I know that doesn't make much sense, but it is a wierd system.

[Elayis]

I spend around $140 a month, plus the odd trade here and there. I'd really like to spend around $35 a week, but I almost always spend around $25.

I also just bought about $400 worth of trades and back issues, but that only happens in October (PFD time in Alaska; basically, the state pays you to live here, anywhere from $1100-2200). I also usually spend more on trades in December and May (Christmas and my birthday).

[dupersuper]

Horrifying. :eek:

[jlmoor]

Horrifying. :eek:

At least your pull list fits in your sig:wink:

[BobMarket]

Yeah you people are making feel like a maniac.

I spend between 40-70 bucks a week on books.

And ultimatejezebel, buying duplicates, selling them on ebay? way crappy. it's people like you are the reason I get crap when im picking up books (at a store where I don't have my pull list) and i buy two, one for me, one for my girlfriend, and I have to get the stink eye from the clerk, because of people who are re-selling them on ebay, and then also, that's the reason some stores sell out, so someone who made it to the store, after you've been there, buying multiple comics, to sell on ebay, now have to go to you to get it.

That's one of the cancers that's killing comics. The multiple copy buying/ebay flip over scum bags and the internet scanners/internet comic download scumbags.

I support my local comic shop, not skeezy internet slime balls.

[Jezebel Bond]

Yeah you people are making feel like a maniac.

I spend between 40-70 bucks a week on books.

And ultimatejezebel, buying duplicates, selling them on ebay? way crappy. it's people like you are the reason I get crap when im picking up books (at a store where I don't have my pull list) and i buy two, one for me, one for my girlfriend, and I have to get the stink eye from the clerk, because of people who are re-selling them on ebay, and then also, that's the reason some stores sell out, so someone who made it to the store, after you've been there, buying multiple comics, to sell on ebay, now have to go to you to get it.

That's one of the cancers that's killing comics. The multiple copy buying/ebay flip over scum bags and the internet scanners/internet comic download scumbags.

I support my local comic shop, not skeezy internet slime balls.

You can go fuck yourself you ignorant ass. Many people choose ebay because they can't get the books in comic stores to begin with for any amount of reasons. In many instances, BELOW COVER PRICE. It's simply the laws of supply and demand and not you talking through your ass.

[BobMarket]

You can go fuck yourself you ignorant ass. Many people choose ebay because they can't get the books in comic stores to begin with.

Keep telling yourself that.

[Jezebel Bond]

Keep telling yourself that.

I think it's laughable that you go to a store that seems to maintain a one-per-customer policy. Get fucking real. Better stores order many more copies to facilitate multi-purchases as well as get the variant covers which come with higher orders. And distributors are fucking glad when they move over 50,000 copies of a book. That's what keeps the title alive, not your whining.

Your holier-than-thou bullshit is fit for the dustbin. :biggrin:

[BobMarket]

I think it's laughable that you go to a store that seems to maintain a one-per-customer policy. Get fucking real. Better stores order many more copies to facilitate multi-purchases as well as get the variant covers which come with higher orders. And distributors are fucking glad when they move over 50,000 copies of a book. That's what keeps the title alive, not your whining.

Your holier-than-thou bullshit is fit for the dustbin. :biggrin:

Whatever. I said that it's when I'm not going to my usual store is when I run into problems.

"Dustbin"? what are you british? and you're going to accuse me of holier-than-thou bullshit?

[Jezebel Bond]

Whatever. I said that it's when I'm not going to my usual store is when I run into problems.

"Dustbin"? what are you british? and you're going to accuse me of holier-than-thou bullshit?

Definitely....get real, your one-per-customer policy is beyond stupid in this day and age where comic shops are glad to sell any amount of copies. Go open your own, you'll be bankrupt and a milestone in one of Chuck Rozanski's memorials :wink:

[BobMarket]

Definitely....get real, your one-per-customer policy is beyond stupid in this day and age where comic shops are glad to sell any amount of copies. Go open your own, you'll be bankrupt and a milestone in one of Chuck Rozanski's memorials :wink:

Are you even reading anything I'm writing?

-I don't have a store. I don't have a one per customer policy. I don't agree with it. I don't like it.

BUT. I see the reason it exists, when a store sell outs of books, because of one or two "entrepreneurs" who want to rip people off over the internet, come in and buy all the books.

My "holier than thou" attitude as you put it, comes from supporting a local business and paying for my books through actual work.

[Jezebel Bond]

Are you even reading anything I'm writing?
BUT. I see the reason it exists, when a store sell outs of books, because of one or two "entrepreneurs" who want to rip people off over the internet, come in and buy all the books.
.

Rip people off? Is anyone arrested? Do you go into back-issue stores and cry about price-gouging too?

Your whinging about principles is hopelessly outdated. Unless copies are reserved for customers who pre-ordered them, it's open game when titles are available for sale. You're out of place to denounce those who have the foresight to pick up all 25 copies of a book. And if a dealer stops me from picking up multiple copies, I'd simply find another store....believe me, most stores accept my $200 when I buy books.

[Jezebel Bond]

Bob needs to understand that it's because of 'sleazy internet slimeballs' like me, a kid who paid $3 for his Ultimate Spider-Man #1 can go on eBAY and sell it to someone who's glad to pay $60+ dollars for it. I don't hear either that kid, or that buyer complaining....only Bob, because someone else with $3 beat him to the store. :biggrin:

[BobMarket]

Rip people off? Is anyone arrested? Do you go into back-issue stores and cry about price-gouging too?

Your whinging about principles is hopelessly outdated. Unless copies are reserved for customers who pre-ordered them, it's open game when titles are available for sale. You're out of place to denounce those who have the foresight to pick up all 25 copies of a book. And if a dealer stops me from picking up multiple copies, I'd simply find another store....believe me, most stores accept my $200 when I buy books.

No, I don't go into back issue stores and cry about price gouging. I buy books that are reasonably priced from dealers I like, and occasionally splurge on some more expensive back issues. I wouldn't go into someones store and cry foul, then again, that person is running a store, that costs rent and has upkeep, not rushing to the store, to ruin everyones day, by buying a huge pile of comics, with the sole intent of going online and overcharging people for them, that, plain and simple, is scummy.

It's people like you who ruin flea markets and conventions, who are constantly seeing dollar signs on everything, who need to amass as much "things" to sell, who look at comics as potential little money signs for their bank account and not as stories, not as things we love and collect, but as little pound notes (dollar signs for the across the pond folk, but still, a scumbag by any other name, eh?).

You say "foresight" I say "scumbag". Do you rush out to the stores, to buy the seasons hottest toy, to rip off desperate parents at the holidays too? I mean, don't they have the foresight to constantly live trying to get over on people?

Really, just exist in your scummy world of rip offery and call it a day, we won't agree, so let it go.

[Jezebel Bond]

It's people like you who ruin flea markets and conventions, who are constantly seeing dollar signs on everything, who need to amass as much "things" to sell, who look at comics as potential little money signs for their bank account and not as stories, not as things we love and collect, but as little pound notes (dollar signs for the across the pond folk, but still, a scumbag by any other name, eh?).


You truly are a joke, because I read the comics I buy. I'm a collector, I sometimes make over $1,000 a month trading in comics which in turn goes into my own back-issue buys. But someone with a mind as closed as yours is too blind and ignorant to understand that.

Why would I be on a comic book forum if I don't know anything about them and just want a quick cash turnover? It's people like you who get to vote and scare me.

Enjoy your own little dreamworld, and by all means, continue to eat the dust from others who beat you to the store...believe me, their fistful of dollars goes into sustaining the store far more than your pittance.

[BobMarket]

Right. Fair and decent=close minded.

I'm glad I don't live on your backwards island. Pip pip cheerio. Enjoy the lonely life of the desperate "pound" chaser.

[Jezebel Bond]

Right. Fair and decent=close minded.

I'm glad I don't live on your backwards island. Pip pip cheerio. Enjoy the lonely life of the desperate "pound" chaser.

That's right, keep posting, it brings out your stupidity very well. :wink: Have you tried Jerry Springer? It's made for morons like you.

[BobMarket]

That's right, keep posting, it brings out your stupidity very well. :wink: Have you tried Jerry Springer? It's made for morons like you.

Right. Again. Equating stupidity with a value call, well done indeed.

This is a moral argument were having, not an intelligence one. We're both stupid for getting into an internet argument in the first place, but my argument with you is on morality and you are coming at it from the business side.

I apologize for the name calling, I do believe at one point this could've been a civil discourse. Let's agree to disagree and resume our normal message board routines.

[Frequency]

My biggest purchases come with gift cards I get from family members during the holidays. Other than that I usually spend about $25 every couple of months.

[Jezebel Bond]

Right. Again. Equating stupidity with a value call, well done indeed.


No, I equated it with your foolish island comment and cheerio call. When I as a Brit (I'm currently in the caribbean but I'm 100% UK) buy over $1000 worth of US comics I am helping YOUR economy far better than those 2 copies you picked up.

You're wrong to believe only your values are fair and moral. Because if I pick up 20 copies, they're still going to 20 collectors who have NO PROBLEM purchasing them. That's 20 people...compared to one groaner...you.

Have a good week junior.

[BobMarket]

No, I equated it with your foolish island comment and cheerio call. When I as a Brit (I'm currently in the caribbean but I'm 100% UK) buy over $1000 worth of US comics I am helping YOUR economy far better than those 2 copies you picked up.

You're wrong to believe only your values are fair and moral. Because if I pick up 20 copies, they're still going to 20 collectors who have NO PROBLEM purchasing them. That's 20 people...compared to one groaner...you.

Have a good week junior.

Not sure where the "junior" comes from, but, how about this?

Are all those threads you started from general interest or market research?
And I'm glad 20 people are happy to be ripped off by you as opposed to who knows how many people are disappointed when they get to the shop to find the comic sold out because some money crazed piece of shit (yeah, lets go back to childish name calling since you dont seem to want to stop) got there first.

And you never answered my question about ripping off parents at the holidays. I wonder why. It's too bad the whole world doesn't think like you, I mean what if someone else with more "foresight" (read=cold black shit in their heart) got to the shop before you? Then what would you do!? Oh noes! Now those 20 collectors online would have to just go to the next desperate, pathetic, money grubbing asshole and give them their business instead! The horror!

Enjoy your week old lady (opposite of junior right?)

[Jezebel Bond]

Not sure where the "junior" comes from, but, how about this?
Enjoy your week old lady (opposite of junior right?)

Actually I'm in my late 20s but am obviously dealing with a snot-nosed child. You drew first blood...live with the consequences. I just posted some pics of some old classic high-grade X-Men books with 25c...the type you'd want to offer a quarter for because that's the cover-price and it would be so 'immoral' to charge more. Perhaps you'd get lucky at a thrift store getting them at cover price....

[BobMarket]

Actually I'm in my late 20s but am obviously dealing with a snot-nosed child. You drew first blood...live with the consequences. I just posted some pics of some old classic high-grade X-Men books with 25c...the type you'd want to offer a quarter for because that's the cover-price and it would be so 'immoral' to charge more. Perhaps you'd get lucky at a thrift store getting them at cover price....

I'm not talking about buying "classic comics" you stupid cow. I'm talking about comics coming out right now, and people paying cover price right now, for a comic that right now costs whats on the cover right now, and you, over charging them for it on the internet, that's what were talking about.

Yeah you may be in your late 20s, but you think like one of those sour, bald, fat, bearded old men, like, Oh! Like the comic book guy on the simpsons! That's who you are! Yeah! So, enjoy that.

[Jezebel Bond]

I'm not talking about buying "classic comics" you stupid cow.

You're not talking, you're hee-hawing like a jackass...but you're making my thread grow each time I bait you....fool.

You stupid boy, you're so gullible.....

Better run to that comic shop Bob, before some slimeball speculator gets your copy of Asshole Illustrated.

[BobMarket]

You're not talking, you're hee-hawing like a jackass...but you're making my thread grow each time I bait you....fool.

You stupid boy, you're so gullible.....

Better run to that comic shop Bob, before some slimeball speculator gets your copy of Asshole Illustrated.

OoOoOh! I making your thread grow! Is there someway you can rip people off through that too?

[Jezebel Bond]

OoOoOh! I making your thread grow! Is there someway you can rip people off through that too?

Since when are you 'people' bob?

Perhaps if you studied economics, supply and demand, the logistics which go into compiling data into comic guides like Overstreet, comicpriceguide.com etc, instead of only reading whatever you can find left on the shelves, you'd write a more intelligent post.

Make it 60 and counting Bob.... :wink:

[BobMarket]

Since when are you 'people' bob?

Perhaps if you studied economics, supply and demand, the logistics which go into compiling data into comic guides like Overstreet, comicpriceguide.com etc, instead of only reading whatever you can find left on the shelves, you'd write a more intelligent post.

Make it 60 and counting Bob.... :wink:

Get this! If you employ people without paying them, you can make even more money! What? Haven't you studied economics?

"supply and demand", that's like using the "she was asking for it" defense in the case of a rape.

Once again, you haven't answered my questions, once again you've deflected and tried to make it some kind of fun, coy thing, you're exploiting of people, bravo.

Also, maybe you didn't get my point, about the bonus of getting a lot of attention to your thread, what's the upside of that? And then see, I referenced your history of ripping people off, making light of the silliness of being proud that your stupid threat got a lot of hits.

And again, you're obviously not reading anything I'm writing. I have a pull list, I get all the books I want every week. Other people, don't, and they, what, should be penalized for that? For not being cut throat pieces of shit?

[Jezebel Bond]

And again, you're obviously not reading anything I'm writing.

Is anyone? I don't speak moronese bob, only you can understand what you're saying. Make it 60.... :evilsmile:

[Elayis]

Damn, that's a lot of bitching...

Anyways, I'd just like to see what your opinions on CGC grading are. For? Against?

[jlmoor]

How did a fight break out on this topic? This is as strange as the smack down that went on in the "I Saw Where the Wild Things Are" thread.

My comic budget has increased. I added 4 titles this month and the damn Realm of King thing. All in hopes of them bring back a character I know they won't:mad:

[raskal66]

I used to spend around $30 a week or so depending on the titles and / or trades that would come out in a given week.

I dropped it down to around $10 a week because I refuse to buy a $3.99 book that only has 22 pages of story, and I don't count a co-feature since the second story isn't why I'd buy the book normally.

I do a lot more trade waiting now then I ever did before. Floppies feel more and more like extortion each week when they can be had without the ads on sale many times.

[goof]

It's around $65 a month. The library and "waiting for the trades" has kept it below that lately. Also, I've found stuff in the bargin bins and at the half price bookstore that keep me occupied.

[pmpknface]

Around $200 from DCBS (and that's a LOT of books) and $50 or so at the LCS, which doesn't have as big of a discount.

Then I may or may not get a few things off of ebay or a new mini-bust of statue here and there...

Recently I got:
- an FF #112
- a MB
- and hit a con 4-6 weeks ago.

[KiplingKat]

I used to average 60$ a week on both back and new issues. Now it's under $20. Subscriptions are big money saver. Uncanny also sucks right now and I have zero interest in the Second Coming event, so that helps my budget too.

[Trey]

I keep it near $100 a month, all Marvel and DC. And occasionally buy 3-4 trades about every 2 months.

[Crabman]

My budget used to be a little higher but since all my school loans (and my wife's for that matter) can out of deferment last month I have had to drastically cut down my comic money. I try to keep it around $25 a month, but there are a few small splurges here and there. Can't totally cut myself off. Comics are my one getaway from life!

Damn school loans:evilangry: You never think about repayment when your signing all those loan papers.

[Libaax]

There is no week hauls for me, interational reader it takes a week 6 days after US realese to get your monthly. So i just go and make a big monthly haul.


Right now i'm at my lowest level ever cause of tight money issues. Which is circa 40 bucks a month. Down to 10 monthlies.

Thats as low as i can go since i have saved only the biggest favs. I'm hoping to go back my normal budget which is like 100 dollars a month and 15 monthlies. I was close to expanding to 20 comics. It depends on the recent monthlies,new series. Sometimes there are many good things to read, other a new writer can ruin a quality comic.

The dollar being weak,the higher prizes makes it less comic for you buck.

[Jezebel Bond]

My budget went over US$1,500 in the past 30 days... :eek:

But I finally added 3 Golden Age books to my collection.

[pmpknface]

My budget went over US$1,500 in the past 30 days... :eek:

But I finally added 3 Golden Age books to my collection.
Congrats! What books? Are they your 1st GA books?

I just uploaded my DCBS order form for November. I will still end up getting $50-60 worth at my LCS, but that form + weekly shipping was $189.

[Jezebel Bond]

Congrats! What books? Are they your 1st GA books?

Yes they are...and at the risk of being laughed at...they were all early Archie :biggrin: Oldest one was a PEP from 1946. I dropped my finicky grading standards to a minimum VG+ but one of them is a F/VF from 1950.

If I bought GA DCs....my budget would have to go closer to $2000....maybe early next year. Archie is dear to me, been reading them since I was small....

[pmpknface]

Very cool. I've got a small (60-75) Golden Age books. Mostly they are made of LB Cole covers and are between GD to FN- range. Great stuff though!

[Jezebel Bond]

Damn, that's a lot of bitching...

Anyways, I'd just like to see what your opinions on CGC grading are. For? Against?

I almost missed this...

I can understand both sides of the argument for and against. Those against it consider slabbing a 'plastic prison'. Those who are for it consider it both preservation and investment, and also know there's always a lower-grade reading copy available...or a reprint/TPB to read the actual story. With that in mind, I'd CGC my prized-books.

What I'm against is the over-inflated premium attached to a CGC graded book. I don't see why unslabbed high-value items have to double or triple in price just because of a CGC grade. It costs under $40 I think to have a book graded, and yet a NM $10,000 book becomes $25,000 or more if it's CGC graded...is that $15,000 premium justified?

[dupont2005]

if you slab a book worth a dollar, does it become worth 31 dollars? when the wrapper outvalues the product 30 fold, something is seriously wrong. personally, i don't care what people do with their comics, but i'm not paying for a slab. and i do suspect very soon these slabs will be totally worthless, any justification i have ever heard for them mirrors the justifications for buying youngblood #1 by the crate 15 years ago. may have taken a while for those falling into the speculation aspect to learn that comics aren't really worth shit, and they will learn it again very soon i believe.

[Cerebro]

I don't spend anymore than 60 bucks a month on monthly issues at my LCS. As for trades, I but them all on Amazon.

[Jezebel Bond]

if you slab a book worth a dollar, does it become worth 31 dollars?

Hell no...and lots of CGC speculators who slab anything that looks 9.6 to 9.8 are finding this out the hard way when they try to resell on eBay and don't even recover the slabbing cost.

I've seen lots of CGC books sell for under $20.00....some closer to $10.00.

I'd only consider slabbing books that are worth investing another $25 or so per comic. Ultimate Spider-Man #1, definitely, #5...okay...but regular issues that retail for as low as $1 in NM? Nah...

[Jezebel Bond]

when the wrapper outvalues the product 30 fold, something is seriously wrong.

Well, not every slabbed book is automatically worth 30x an unslabbed copy. In many instances, slabbed lower to mid-grade copies don't sell for huge premiums. Neither do 9.6 copies of regular books that can be bought for under $10 on eBay. However, a hot book that's certified a high-grade will always be in demand by those willing to pay for it. I think the 30x multiple would only hold if the grade awarded is in itself scarce. There's currently no Ultimate Spider-Man #1 CGC 10.0 as far as I know, (2000 series) but if one should appear, many will be interested...who knows, maybe my copy will get it when I submit it lol....

[dupont2005]

Well, not every slabbed book is automatically worth 30x an unslabbed copy. In many instances, slabbed lower to mid-grade copies don't sell for huge premiums. Neither do 9.6 copies of regular books that can be bought for under $10 on eBay. However, a hot book that's certified a high-grade will always be in demand by those willing to pay for it. I think the 30x multiple would only hold if the grade awarded is in itself scarce. There's currently no Ultimate Spider-Man #1 CGC 10.0 as far as I know, (2000 series) but if one should appear, many will be interested...who knows, maybe my copy will get it when I submit it lol....
yeah i get it. highest grade bumps it up. i just don't think it will last. could the difference between a 9.6 and a 9.8 be seen by the naked eye? i have never even seen a slab up close, and i heard that a lot of their grading is a little iffy. pre-cgc days there was simply "nm", which i think falls in the range of anything between 9.0 and 9.9. so all those 9.9 comics that are fetching crazy prices would have been selling for the same as a raw 9.0 a couple years ago.

[Jezebel Bond]

yeah i get it. highest grade bumps it up. i just don't think it will last. could the difference between a 9.6 and a 9.8 be seen by the naked eye?.

A 9.6 would have an extra minute flaw that cost it a 0.2 downgrade compared to the 9.8 copy. To someone indifferent, anything 9.4 up looks good, but then there are those who nitpick and handpick the best copies (I'm guilty of that lol...my dealer likes me so I get to ferret through the entire pile to pick my copy).

To me, it's harder to differentiate books that grade 5.0 - 6.5...but fortunately, 95% of my collection would grade between 8.0 and 9.8 (and that's being conservative..)

[jdart666]

My weekly average is about $20-30 dollars a week. I try to cut down but it only last for so long.

I can take a book off my pull list...but every once in a while I'll see myself picking it off the shelf and eventually adding it back to the list. Ex: Deadpool: Merc with a mouth and Team-Up.

My favorite week are the one that I buy the book on my pull list with a extra trade or two to boot.

[TwinPistols]

I spend a real modest $50-60 a month tops. That's enough for about 16 floppies a month (most at $2.99). Very affordable compared to what I'm seeing here.

-But I will, occasionally go over that if I have a taste for something. Like, I recently, just impulse-bought three Savage Dragon trades from Instock trades. So, that brought me closer to $80.00, but that's a rare deal...


-Pistols :smile:

[Ned McDodd]

40-50 $ a month for single issues and maybe another 10-20 $ for tradepaperbacks at the moment.

[dancj]

My budget is £46 (currently $67) a month - though in reality I never spend that little, so I have to rely on selling old comics and occasional windfalls to stay afloat.

That budget goes a surprisingly long way when I do my shopping on eBay and never spend more than £4.37 (postage included) on a TPB.

[Barcus]

Too much. I spend about $30 a week on new releases, maybe one TPB a month, and maybe $50 on back issues at the most (sometimes nothing, just depends on what eBay deals I see). So usually in the $150 a month ballpark.

[HeroxMatt2.0]

I'm around $45 AU, depending on the week, but with mini-series finishing, I should have it lessened pretty soon.

[Ribbonz]

$100-$150 a week... What?... I promised myself if i stoped drinking booze, all the money i saved would be spent on comics... Don't look at me like that... Stop JUDGING ME!! *Pulls flask from pocket and takes a mouthfull* Arhhh... It makes the pain go away...

[mplscyclone]

After seeing the budgest that people post, it's comical that some think that the price of comics ought to go down from a business standpoint.

[BillCarson]

10 bucks every Wednesday

[trodge]

A slow week, 30-$40, but then I throw in a few trades.

A heavy week, around 70-$80, god help me if I see a trade I want or pick up a variant.

Those are the weeks when I just say, jesus I really have to cut down, but then there are so many stories I want to read and enjoy.

[pmpknface]

I'm going thru Previews and filling out the latest DCBS sheet. Thank GOD for discounts, but it still only helps so much. 3 Blackest Night HC's will be $45 right there.

[Plex]

Down to $70 per month after discount.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Depends. Used to pretty hefty -- not including my TPBs.
Now, I'm lucky to spend $15-20 a week. Loeb's forever ruined Hulk for me, I haven't touched X-Men since 2005, and the Avengers since Perez left.
I'm down to Hercules, Pak's Incredible Hulk, ASM and X-Men Forever.
Anything else depends on funds.

[Knatty Dreadnok]

Hmmmm, I'd say around $200 annually, maybe $250. I've become extremely patient when purchasing comics. I'll wait until a run is finished or a series is over, then buy it on "Ebay" for little or next to nothing compared to paying shelf price.

[Melissa N]

Now that I'm gainfully employed once more, I spend an average of $100-150 a month on comics. All on trades/hardcovers/omnibuses, though. I gave up floppies while I was unemployed, and now I find myself having no desire to pick them back up again.

[Ferago]

I usually spend around 20 a week. Sometimes up to 40.

I spend the most when only one or two comics I like came out that week, so I make up for it by buying a trade as well.

[Zach J.]

I suppose I spend something around $30 a month.

[Niel, Agent Of SHIELD]

For this month, I assume something like $10 for the month, but I'll still have to find PTDC#5 & Booster#30. Also, based on Gishler's writing on PTDC, I might drop the Way DP series & pick up Merc. Or not. Whatevs.

There's also Revolution Of the Mask, about 80 cents an issue, but that has a more sporadic release schedule. It's also on the internet, so...