c/comic-book-fans

My comic shop in Portland used to have a strict 'no bags' policy for new releases.

Back in 2019, I'd walk out holding a mint copy of Immortal Hulk #1 with my bare hands, sweating the whole way home. Now, after seeing a guy drop a stack of books in a puddle, I bring my own Mylar bags and boards every Wednesday. Anyone else have a local shop rule that made you change your collecting habits?

Found a cheap way to protect my old comics from sun damage

My Amazing Spider-Man #300 was fading on the shelf, so I tried using UV filtering window film from the hardware store. It cost about $15 and stopped the colors from washing out. Anyone know other ways to keep books safe without spending a ton?

I used to think collecting variant covers was the only way to be a real fan

A friend at my local shop in Milwaukee told me I was missing the actual stories by chasing every #1 issue variant. He said I spent over $200 last month on covers I never even read. Now I only buy the main cover and actually read the comics. Has anyone else shifted from collecting to reading?

Our local shop's Wednesday crowd went from 5 people to over 30 in a year

I was at Comic Cave (the one on 5th) last week and it was packed. A year back, you could hear a pin drop on new comic day. The owner told me the shift started when they began hosting a weekly drawing workshop for beginners. Now the place is full of people actually talking about art and story, not just grabbing their pulls and leaving. Has your shop seen a similar change with more events?

Tbh I regret buying all those polybagged 'collector' comics in the 90s

Honestly, I spent about $300 on them thinking they'd be worth something, but most are still worth cover price. I kept them sealed for 25 years for nothing. Anyone else have a box of 'investments' that just took up space?

My local shop had a $50 sale on back issues and I finally filled a gap in my X-Men run

It felt great to get those missing issues, but now I'm staring at the shelf thinking about how much more I need. Anyone else get that mix of victory and dread when you complete one chunk of a collection?

I finally stopped trying to read every single comic event.

For months I felt behind because I skipped the big summer crossover. Then a friend in my local group, Mike, said he only reads the tie-ins for characters he actually likes. That clicked for me. I was buying books just to be complete, not because I wanted them. Now I pick maybe two titles from an event and save about $25 a month. Anyone else get stressed trying to keep up with everything?

My brother told me to skip the big two for a year

He said, 'Just read Image and Dark Horse for twelve months, trust me.' I did it, and found books like 'Saga' and 'Black Hammer' that I love now. It really broke me out of only following Marvel and DC events. Has anyone else tried a publisher switch that worked for them?

I thought the 'no polybag' rule for back issue storage was just gatekeeping until my copy of X-Men 141 got a permanent crease.

I kept a mint 1981 issue in a cheap grocery bag for years, but moving it to a short box last week made me see how much pressure those flimsy bags actually put on the spine over time.

Showerthought: People keep calling my Miles Morales hoodie a 'Spiderman costume'

I was at the grocery store last Tuesday wearing my black and red Miles hoodie, and this guy in line goes 'cool Spiderman outfit'. I had to explain it's not a costume, it's just a hoodie based on a specific character from a different universe. It's happened like three times this month. Does anyone else get this mix-up with casual comic gear?

Stopped by the old comic shop in Tacoma yesterday and the back issue bins were gone. Just a single rack of graphic novels.

Got into a full blown argument with a guy at a con over the 'right' way to be a fan

I was at a signing in Austin last year, just waiting my turn, when the guy behind me started loudly judging everyone's purchases. He said real fans only buy single issues, not trades, and that reading digitally 'doesn't count.' I finally turned around and told him that was a garbage take, and that gatekeeping like that is what pushes new readers away. It got pretty heated, with him saying I was watering down the hobby and me saying he was being an elitist jerk. The whole line got quiet, and the creator at the table looked super uncomfortable. I ended up just walking away from the line because it wasn't worth it. Honestly, it ruined the whole day for me. Has anyone else had a con experience totally soured by another fan's bad attitude?

I was at a small con in Omaha last year and a guy in line for a signing said something that made me stop collecting variant covers.

My local shop had a big sale on back issues and it was a total mess

Last Friday, my comic shop in Dayton announced a 50% off sale on all back issues. I got there right when they opened, but the place was already packed. People were grabbing stacks without looking, and I saw a guy rip a cover on a 1990s X-Men book because he was in such a hurry. It felt less like a fun hunt and more like a fight. Has anyone else had a sale day turn bad like that?

PSA: The 'no true fan' gatekeeping at my local shop is getting out of hand

I heard a guy at Gotham Comics in Toledo tell a new reader they weren't a 'real fan' because they only watched the movies, which is a toxic attitude that actively shrinks our hobby and community.

Unpopular opinion: I switched from collecting single issues to just getting the trade paperbacks

I used to chase every #1 variant, but missing a key issue in a run for the third time convinced me. Anyone else just find the collected editions way less stressful?

My local shop had a 'no price tags' sale and it was a total nightmare

They decided to run this event where you had to ask for the price of every single back issue. I spent 45 minutes trying to find a decent copy of Amazing Spider-Man #300, only to be told it was $400 when I finally asked. The guy behind the counter got visibly annoyed after my seventh price check. Has anyone else's shop tried something this annoying?

Spent $80 on a 'graded' copy of Amazing Spider-Man #300 and it's a fake slab

I bought it from a seller at a con in Cleveland, thinking it was a good deal for a 9.0. The case looked right, but the label font was off and the hologram was wrong. I'm out the cash and stuck with a worthless book. Has anyone else gotten burned by a counterfeit grading company case recently?

I thought the new 'Batman: The Animated Series' comic was just a cash grab

I saw the first issue at my local shop, Gotham Comics, and almost passed because the show ended years ago. But the story by Paul Dini picks up right where the show left off, and the art is spot on. It actually feels like a lost episode, which totally won me over. Has anyone else been surprised by a comic they thought would be bad?

A weird thing I saw at the local comic shop last month

I was at The Dragon's Hoard in Springfield last month, and I noticed something new. A group of four people, all in their 20s, were just sitting at a table in the back, not really looking at comics. They were all on their phones, talking about some movie trailer. The owner told me later they come in every Wednesday, buy nothing, and just hang out for an hour. It's like the shop is their free lounge now. Has anyone else seen this kind of thing happening where you go?

Was at the big comic con in Chicago last month and noticed something about the crowd...

I was in Artist Alley for like two hours, and I swear I saw maybe three people over the age of 50. The whole vibe was super young. I get that new fans are the lifeblood, but it made me wonder... is the hobby getting too focused on the newest generation? I saw a guy, maybe 60, looking at some classic Silver Age art pages, and he just seemed kind of out of place. On one hand, comics need to evolve and bring in new readers. On the other, it feels like the history and the older fans who kept things going for decades are getting sidelined at these big events. What do you think? Are cons becoming less welcoming to longtime collectors?

My cousin told me to skip the big Marvel movies and start with the comics, and I'm glad I listened

My cousin Mark, who has a huge collection, told me last year to stop just watching the MCU films and actually pick up a comic. He said the movies are fun, but you miss the real heart of the characters. He handed me a copy of 'The Amazing Spider-Man' issue 33, the one where Spidey lifts the heavy machinery. I read it in his living room in Toledo and it just hit different. Seeing the art up close and reading the old dialogue made me connect with Peter Parker in a way the movies never did. Now I visit my local shop every month and I'm working through some classic X-Men runs. It changed how I see being a fan. Has anyone else had a person point them toward the original comics that made it click for them?

Shoutout to the guy at the Portland comic shop who saved my whole week

Last Tuesday was a total bust. I went to three different shops hunting for a specific back issue of 'The Amazing Spider-Man', issue #252, the first black suit appearance. Every place was either sold out or wanted like $300 for a copy in bad shape. I was ready to give up. Then on Friday, I walked into Stumptown Comics, and the guy behind the counter, Mike, saw me looking. He said, 'Hang on a sec,' and pulled out a short box from under the register. He had a copy, not mint but really solid, and he let it go for $75 because he knew I was a real fan, not just a flipper. That kind of service is so rare now. Made me remember why I got into this hobby. Has anyone else had a shop employee go out of their way to help you find a grail?

Finally found a copy of that weird 90s Ghost Rider annual after looking for a year

My local shop in Tacoma had it in a dollar bin, and the owner just gave it to me for free. Anyone else have a grail that turned up in the most unexpected place?

Heads up about back pain from those long convention days or reading sessions

If you're like me and can sit for hours at a booth or reading a stack of new books, start paying attention to your posture now. I just got diagnosed with a pinched nerve from years of hunching over, and my doc says it's super common in our crowd. The cheap folding chairs at cons and our own couch setups are basically designed to wreck your lower back. It's a slow build but really not fun to deal with when it finally hits you...