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Post by driver1980 on Sept 9, 2024 18:36:16 GMT -5
I really enjoy seeing people’s photos in the “What Classic Comics Have You Purchased” thread. There really is something to be said about the thrill of the hunt, and I should contribute more. Recent purchases of mine include Archie Meets the Punisher and a UK reprint of the Police Academy comic.
I recently cancelled my Marvel Unlimited account. It was a good 3+ years, but there were times when the availability of practically anything meant I might spend 10, 15 or even 20 minutes *thinking* about what to read rather than actually reading something. Be careful what you wish for. I was able to catch up on a thing or two, but, as with certain streaming platforms, when you spend a lot of time pondering what to read, it can become a “poisoned chalice”. Do I continue reading The Champions? Or should I start on that Darth Vader comic? Hang on, I’ve spotted that they’ve added ‘The Nam. It can feel like the indecision can become counter-productive.
Can we really appreciate ubiquity on a platform like Marvel Unlimited? Do we really - deep down - appreciate getting through ‘The Nam in a month or two as much as we appreciate, say, getting our hands on those 3 UK Superman annuals that showed up cheap on eBay?
What are your personal feelings about this?
There’s also the issue of curation. Sometimes, the decision being out of my hands is a good thing. Companies like Eaglemoss and Hachette have done graphic novel/trade paperback collections - and in a way, it’s been a relief to let an editor curate stories for you, which can lead to discovering some great stories; it also means there aren’t any nights where 10 or 15 minutes is spent wondering which of the tens of thousands of Marvel Unlimited issues to read.
It’s funny because as a kid, most of us probably imagined how fun it’d be to have virtually every major comic available, but when it became a reality, I did feel that the fun wasn’t always there when you read a comic after spending many minutes deciding what to read.
I also wonder how much we value something when it is so accessible and cheap (I think Marvel Unlimited costs about six quid with exchange rates when you first sign up). I once read of a rich man who wanted to offer free seminars to would-be-entrepreneurs, but very few signed up as they associated a free seminar with the word “cheap”. Only when he charged did the would-be-entrepreneurs come. That story may well be apocryphal, but when I did read about it, it made sense.
Everyone’s tastes will differ, but could it perhaps be argued that the £10 or $10 1980s annual you acquired, and that you spent time hunting for, might mean more - a little more - than if you’d simply browsed the annual over breakfast while logged on to Marvel Unlimited?
I think my future now, and I did enjoy having Marvel Unlimited for a time, is one of curation via any collections out there - and me deciding what I really want, and then going out and finding such things. (Yes, please, to any eBay sellers who want to sell me some Conan reprints).
What does your future involve? Do you find the ubiquity of the likes of Marvel Unlimited to be a curse as well as a blessing? Is there perhaps more enjoyment in having fewer books in your home, but with the knowledge that those are the ones you want - and not just another title to read on Marvel Unlimited?
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Sept 9, 2024 20:44:38 GMT -5
I care nothing for the thrill of the hunt. Having spent most of my life living in small towns where it could be utterly impossible to find the things I wanted, no, I don’t find having “too much choice” to be a bother. The more that’s available the more opportunity to consume quality products.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 9, 2024 21:08:52 GMT -5
I often found the hunt for a comic more engaging than reading it; but, at the same time, having a large digital library is far more convenient than the physical space for my much smaller, though numerous in its own right. I can explore whatever tickles my fantasy, at any time. That beats having to find said comic. Since I tend towards some eclectic tastes, having those digital files is much easier than hunting down a one-shot or couple of key issues, from a lesser series, at an small independent company. It took me a long time to find the Missing Mister X issues, from Vortex; but, a quick download to have the whole series. I enjoyed Ron Fortier's Boston Bombers; but, good luck finding it in your average comic shop.
Some things were surprisingly easy to locate; I got all of the Noble Comics Justice Machine issues at my local store, in Charleston, SC, while I was stationed there; plus, the Comico issues and bought the series new, when it went over to Innovation (with the horrible costume redesigns). I only had to hunt for the Texas Comics Annual, with the THUNDER Agents crossover and the debut of The Elementals, but found it at a small convention, in Augusta, GA. Digitally, I am still missing issue #3, which is one of the rarer physical ones, which means no one has scanned it. Warrior Magazine proved surprisingly easy, as I got about half to 2/3 from Heroes Aren't Hard to Find, in Charlotte, NC, during a big warehouse sale. I got the missing ones from Joesph Koch's mail order catalogue.
Choice is always a fine thing. I always kept lists of things I wanted to find or read, which helped focus when I encountered variety. A reading list aids in deciding what to try, in a streaming service or on-line reading app. That's also how I acquired the bulk of the European works I had collected, by either searching for specific works or specific artists. There was a documentary series, shown on Yorkshire TV and sold on VHS in the US, called Comics, The 9th Art, covering the history of the comics, globally. One of the volumes focused on Europe, from the 60s and 70s and I wrote down artists whose worked would flash on screen and looked intriguing...like Vittorio Giardino, Francois Boucq, Enki Bilal, Caza, Libertore, Georges Best, Igort, and Peelaert. I then found volumes, in English, from Catalan Communications, NBM or via Heavy Metal and/or Cheval Noir.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Sept 10, 2024 6:28:08 GMT -5
I've never done Marvel Unlimited because I'm a pessimist about such things and I assume what I want just won't be there. I have no basis for this but Murphy's law, and my experience with the library.
My library is great... here in Mass. the libraries are all networked, so when I look for a book, I'm really search for it in all the library is my area, not just my town. Then there's an extended 'Commonwealth catalog' the searches the whole state.
I still can't get 1/2 the old sci fi I look for. I just assume Marvel Unlimited will be like that for me.
I get plenty to read with my pull and Epics.
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Post by driver1980 on Sept 10, 2024 6:35:15 GMT -5
Expensive though it’d be, I’d also like to complete some collections (or try), and some of Marvel Unlmited’s titles are incomplete, e.g. New Universe, The ‘Nam, etc.
I also know we won’t be seeing licensed stuff on that app, so spending time and energy finding issues of Marvel’s Star Trek would be a more satisfying thing for me to do. I know we won’t ever see those on the app.
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Post by rich on Sept 10, 2024 7:16:30 GMT -5
As a child I loved the collecting aspect. I would use my father's work computer to track what I wanted in a little spreadsheet, which I'd print out and keep with me. We often travelled to different towns on weekends, and I'd keep an eye out for a comic shops or market stalls with comics, and I'd see what they had and what I could afford. I had a couple of missing issues of Transformers that eluded me at an affordable price for what seemed like forever- literally from age 5 to age 16 😅.
In the very early 90s I started picking up some American comics, but only a few because of the price. Mostly just Jim Lee era X-Men, and some Spider-Man. It was great fun filling in the blanks of stories I'd read but missed a piece of. I'd read somewhere that Frank Miller's Daredevil was amazing, so I picked up the later issues of that run cheaply. I wasn't going to spend a whole £10 for a near mint copy of his first issue or the first Elektra, that was crazy money. 😅
Compare that to 2001, when I was able to go on eBay and buy a run of 150 Incredible Hulk comics on eBay for about £75. There was no thrill in the chase- I've still never even read them, though I know Peter David apparently did a great job. Sometimes it works nicely, like when I bought the whole run (minus a couple of issues) of Tomb of Dracula- that would be a nightmare to piece together bit by bit as a kid in England- but it still feels too easy. "Look at me, my salary lets me pick up these runs all in one go!" It's also to do with scarcity- if you only own a grand total of 200 comics that you love and re-read over and over and fill in blanks it's super special. When you have maybe 7,000 and many hundreds of trades it takes a lot to excite you!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 10, 2024 8:43:05 GMT -5
I'll be honest, I don't think I ever used the word 'ubiquity' in my life. I just used it on my dealer and sent him rifling through his dictionary.
I don't mind thrill of the chase sometimes....but there are times when I do want to complete a run of something and don't have the patience. Especially when some books in higher grades are a pain in the arse to find. (Fast Willie Jackson, I'm pointing at you...). That's when I sometimes fork out (above) market-value rates...but that's the nature of the game and besides, I retail too so I make my money back.
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Post by commond on Sept 10, 2024 16:48:58 GMT -5
Collecting was fun, but it was fueled by a desire to have everything. Now that folks can, literally, have everything, they miss the thrill of the hunt. It's hard to be satisfied either way. Personally, searching for new comics fills the gap. I'm quite happy to spend hours compiling comic book recommendations. To be honest, I'm not sure if I'd enjoy being sent back to the 80s. I figure the novelty would wear off quickly and the shortcomings would be more transparent. I'd rather stick with the memories.
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Post by Icctrombone on Sept 10, 2024 19:23:52 GMT -5
I love Marvel Unlimited. I find myself reading what I already have because of the convenience of not having to dig through boxes and the comic lying there after I read it.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2024 6:40:37 GMT -5
I don't think I'd like to have "everything" at my hands (and I don't enjoy reading things digitally anyways). I've always enjoyed the "hobby" aspect of comic books, coming up with lists of what I own, what I'd like to own. Interacting with dealers at comic book shops and conventions, ordering stuff online and having the box show up, all stuff I enjoy so much. I like that older comics connect me directly to history, and I tend to reflect on the time period I'm holding in my hands (what was going on in my life at that point, or if from earlier than when I was born, what it might have been like for the original owner).
There was recently a Golden Age Mary Marvel story that came on my radar that I hadn't read but looked really interesting. I could have read it online sure, but I didn't. It was really fun finding a copy at a dealer, a little beat up but nice reading copy, and it was nice that I had something to look forward to in the mail. I don't need instant gratification for everything, I find slowing down in life and just savoring things is much more enjoyable for me these days.
I do enjoy collected editions too, so sometimes having a DC Archive, or Marvel Epic Collection, or similar is a very fun way to read several issues at once (and without the prohibitive costs original issues might be in cases). But it's still not "unlimited" access, and I don't like to buy new ones until I've read the ones I've already bought which again I find keeps things at a nice leisurely pace.
The "thrill of the hunt" for me is continuing to seek out interesting things to read, but having to really think about making the purchase and what to prioritize. I love having that big box of Lonestar back issues or similar show up at my doorstep. I feel like a kid every time tearing into the stack of new stuff to read, I would hate to lose that feeling honestly.
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Post by driver1980 on Sept 11, 2024 6:50:09 GMT -5
The "thrill of the hunt" for me is continuing to seek out interesting things to read, but having to really think about making the purchase and what to prioritize. This is such an important point for me, I feel. Having to really think? Yes. When the entirety of Marvel Unlimited is there for you, and I did enjoy it, not much thinking is required. And it’s easy to get distracted. I realised at one point I hadn’t continued my reading of The Champions for about four months. Yet had I purchased individual copies of that book, or any collections that are out there, and prioritised paying for it over something else, I might have a) read it to its completion, and b) appreciated it more. Instead, it became the digital equivalent of the unopened DVD boxset you bought 4 years ago and forgot about. I recently acquired Archie Meets the Punisher, some UK reprints of the US Police Academy comic, plus some Eaglemoss collections, including Batgirl: Year One and Batman: Strange Apparitions. I prioritised those things recently as part of my “leisure budget”, and they are my priority now. I feel I appreciate them more. But if, say, the Police Academy comic was simply one of tens of thousands of comics available on Marvel Unlimited, would I care too much or appreciate them in the same way? Maybe not. I think there’s an argument for the fun of spontaneity, too. I have spotted a pile of Hachette’s Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection in a shop around here. The guy is selling each of them for £4. And he has a lot. Now, when I next have some spare cash, I will have to prioritise which ones I buy (“Democracy Now!” might be at the top of my list), but I like that I’ll have some time to think about it - and when I go back, there’ll be a limited amount to choose from. I’ll probably buy five as they are £4 each. But I know I’ll appreciate and read them. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2024 7:03:26 GMT -5
I think there’s an argument for the fun of spontaneity, too. I have spotted a pile of Hachette’s Judge Dredd: The Mega Collection in a shop around here. The guy is selling each of them for £4. And he has a lot. Now, when I next have some spare cash, I will have to prioritise which ones I buy (“Democracy Now!” might be at the top of my list), but I like that I’ll have some time to think about it - and when I go back, there’ll be a limited amount to choose from. I’ll probably buy five as they are £4 each. But I know I’ll appreciate and read them. So true! Week after next, I'm going to be taking my daughter into a different art school once a week for a class and will have a couple of hours on my hands while I wait. Two minutes down the road happens to be an old favorite comic book shop I haven't been able to visit much anymore since my job turned mostly remote. I plan to head there each time and scrounge through the dollar bins and whatever else they have. They are great guys there and partially I'm looking forward to just chatting with them, but also totally excited to see what surprises I might find. I have no plan going into it, I might end up with next to nothing, or I might be overwhelmed with some choices of what to buy. But I love the spontaneity of it all as you say...no matter what I know it's going to be fun. Congratulations on your new purchases as well, and love hearing you have some choices to think about in the near future! Keeps things fun for sure  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2024 7:09:21 GMT -5
As a child I loved the collecting aspect. I would use my father's work computer to track what I wanted in a little spreadsheet, which I'd print out and keep with me. We often travelled to different towns on weekends, and I'd keep an eye out for a comic shops or market stalls with comics, and I'd see what they had and what I could afford. I had a couple of missing issues of Transformers that eluded me at an affordable price for what seemed like forever- literally from age 5 to age 16 😅. I did the same thing! My dad had a work computer at home (green monochrome monitor and all), and I'd use Lotus 123 to create my lists and the old dot matrix printer to print it out on. I thought it was the coolest thing ever |
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Post by rich on Sept 11, 2024 7:49:01 GMT -5
I did the same thing! My dad had a work computer at home (green monochrome monitor and all), and I'd use Lotus 123 to create my lists and the old dot matrix printer to print it out on. I thought it was the coolest thing ever We didn't even have a printer at home- my dad had to print it in the city and bring it home for me, or sometimes we'd use his friend's fax machine on the weekend, but the fax paper sucked. Haha. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2024 11:06:11 GMT -5
They are great guys there and partially I'm looking forward to just chatting with them, but also totally excited to see what surprises I might find. I have no plan going into it, I might end up with next to nothing, or I might be overwhelmed with some choices of what to buy. But I love the spontaneity of it all as you say...no matter what I know it's going to be fun.
Spontaneity is fun. My mum-in-law in particular has gone into garage sales, thrift stores, or mom & dad 'brick & mortar' stores that carry books and she hits me up on whatsapp if there's something interesting. Kind of fun being a couple of thousand miles away, having a trusted sharpie in your corner and browsing through a box of comics that hasn't been opened since Moses was a baby. It's because of her I started to build a collection of books she was familiar with, (all those humour titles like Millie, Binky, Debbi etc...)
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