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Don't Be Me: What I Got Wrong About Collecting Comic Books
Look, I love comic books. I love them so much that at some point I let them take over my wallet, my weekend plans, and eventually, half of my living space. But after years of chasing keys, runs, slabs, and Wednesday releases like I was in some kind of panel-packed fever dream, I’ve gotta be real with you: I’ve made some serious comic book collecting mistakes.
And I’m not talking about “Oops, I bought two copies of Batman #612” kind of mistakes. I mean real, expensive, time-consuming, why-did-I-do-this mistakes. So if you're getting into collecting, or even if you're deep into the hobby and starting to question your life choices every time you see a stack of unread books — let me share some wisdom from the trenches.
Here are the biggest mistakes I’ve made while collecting comic books… so you don’t have to.
Mistake #1: Expecting Dealers to Care as Much as I Do
Early on, I had this fantasy that comic shop owners and con dealers were basically like me: collectors who just happened to turn their passion into a business. Nope. A lot of them are in this for business, not for nostalgia. They’re not there to trade books with you like you're at a Pokémon swap meet — they’re there to sell. Period.
I used to walk in thinking, “Hey, I’ve got cool stuff to trade!” and they’d look at my books like I brought in soggy receipts. Unless you’ve got high-grade key issues or something they know they can flip fast, most dealers aren’t interested. I don’t blame them. But dang, I wish I’d known sooner that most shops aren’t running a collector co-op — they’re trying to pay rent.
Mistake #2: Trying to Complete Long Comic Runs I Didn't Even Love
I got it into my head that I needed to complete runs. Not just read them — own every issue. Hulk. Fantastic Four. Spider-Man. Entire decades of storytelling. Which sounds cool until you're storing 25 longboxes of comics you’re not actually reading or emotionally attached to.
The worst part? Most people don’t even want full runs when it comes time to sell. Everyone’s hunting key issues. Dealers don’t want your 86-issue Fantastic Four filler arc. And all those "in-between" issues that took me forever to track down? They’re just taking up space and silently judging me.
Mistake #3: Thinking I Had to Be a Collector and a Flipper
The "make the hobby pay for itself" mindset is everywhere. YouTubers, IG influencers, that one dude at your LCS — they’re all talking about flipping books to fund grails. And sure, it works for some. But for me? It was stressful.
I tried it for a while. Bought collections, sold what I didn’t want, tried to hustle for that next key. But I realized fast: I don’t want to be a seller. I collect for nostalgia, for love, for the smell of old newsprint and the excitement of finding a weird one-shot in a dollar bin. The flip game? Not for me. If it’s not for you either, that’s totally okay. You don’t need to justify your hobby with profit.
Mistake #4: Slabbing Everything (Seriously, Chill on the CGC)
Ah yes, the slab craze. At one point, I was slabbing everything. Variants. Moderns. Books that had zero business being encased in acrylic. And then it hit me: I was spending $40+ a pop to lock books away that I couldn’t read, touch, or even appreciate unless I cracked 'em open (which defeats the purpose).
Unless a book is rare, vintage, in danger of deterioration, or super valuable, slabbing is optional — not mandatory. These days, I slab way less. I want to enjoy my comics, not entomb them.
Mistake #5: New Comic Book Day Got Outta Hand
Wednesday used to be my favorite day of the week. New Comic Book Day was a ritual — hit the shop, grab the week’s releases, talk shop with other fans. But let me tell you: weekly pulls add up fast.
Soon I had a towering stack of unread issues and no clue what happened last issue. If you don’t read books as they come out, they pile up — and good luck remembering what’s going on in an indie arc after 3 months. Now, I stick to trades or digital for weekly stuff and only buy physical copies if I really love the series. Save your space and your sanity.
Mistake #6: Not Consolidating Sooner
At some point, I looked around and realized: I had no idea what was in half my longboxes. That’s when I started thinking like a lot of older collectors do — "Man, I wish I just had two short boxes of the stuff I really love."
Quality over quantity is the move. Forget the filler, the random variants, and the "maybe it’ll be worth something someday" books. If you wouldn’t save it in a house fire, why is it still in your collection?
Mistake #7: Trying to Time the Market
Buying key issues during hype windows is the fastest way to overspend. Trailers, leaks, casting announcements — they drive prices into the stratosphere. I’ve done it, and I regret it every time.
The best time to buy a key? When nobody’s talking about it. After the movie drops. After the hype cools. When the buzz is gone, the price drops like a rock. Buy what you love — not what’s trending.
Mistake #8: Going All-In on Omnibus Instead of Trades
I love a big honkin’ omnibus as much as the next collector, but they’re heavy, expensive, and honestly awkward to read.
At one point, I had a shelf full of oversized collections I barely opened. These days, I lean into trade paperbacks — they’re portable, affordable, and way easier to read on the couch or in bed. Omnis look cool on a shelf, but if you're not actually using them… they’re just expensive paperweights.
At the end of the day, collecting comics should bring you joy — not stress, debt, or a room full of longboxes you barely recognize. I’ve learned (the hard way) that it’s totally okay to step off the hype train, ignore the market noise, and just focus on the stories and characters that actually matter to you. Whether you're hunting grails, flipping slabs, or just grabbing books that remind you of your childhood, collecting should feel good — not like a second job.
If you take anything from my ramblings, let it be this: you don’t have to collect like anyone else. Don’t let YouTube trends or dealer attitudes dictate how you build your collection. Go for quality, stay true to your vibe, and yeah — maybe leave a little room on your shelf for something unexpected.
🦸♂️ Keep your pull list tight and your heart full at Land of Geek Magazine!
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