Some people have mentioned that they get their comics in monthly subscription, some from trade paperbacks, and some by the magic of the internet. I am curious how most people get their comics on here. I have not had any monthly subscriptions in a couple of years. I don't usually buy the trade paperbacks, but I read them at Barnes and Noble which is where I do my majority of reading. I do have many comics from downloads as well.
I buy TPB on... that online auction site... a lot :P
I get mine at the Things From Another World website. www.tfaw.com (http://www.tfaw.com)
Occasionally they have some pretty good deals and their "nick&dent" copies are 50% of regular price. By nick&dent they obviously mean not mint. But being that I by them for reading not for saving, I don't care that their not mint. And at the worst one I've gotten had a slight crease in the corner of the cover.
I was in Delaware at the end of the summer last year and there was this little bookstore that had a huge pile of TPB's that were at ridiculous prices, like 25 cents to a few dollars so I picked up a bunch there. Some were series I'd never heard of and others were like Ultimate Spider-Man books. I do love owning original comics though. There is just something about the feel and the smell of the book that I love.
Back in the day (mid-90's) I collected tons of comic books (mainly Marvel and a few Image titles) from local comic book shops. The past couple of years I've stopped buying regularly but every now and then I'll catch up and buy them in bulk, particularly at Comic Con.
I've never been to a con! I would really love to go to one. A comic one, a card game one, an anime one, something great like those. It seems like it would be very exciting.
I usually just pick up my subscriptions from the local shop and will buy back issues online if there is one I can't find locally.
So many of my local comic shops closed up which frankly was the main reason why I stopped collecting regularly. Over time I felt so behind on my collections that it made it worse. So many comic shops have closed all over my area ever since the economy went bad. The nearest comic store to my house is like 40 miles away and the owner is so unfriendly that I've boycotted it. >:( When I get a chance to visit friends in Las Vegas I always stop by their comic shops. They've got really great ones there. :)
Quote from: Nate Grey on April 16, 2011, 02:38:04 AM
So many of my local comic shops closed up which frankly was the main reason why I stopped collecting regularly. Over time I felt so behind on my collections that it made it worse. So many comic shops have closed all over my area ever since the economy went bad. The nearest comic store to my house is like 40 miles away and the owner is so unfriendly that I've boycotted it. >:( When I get a chance to visit friends in Las Vegas I always stop by their comic shops. They've got really great ones there. :)
I've run into this same sort of problem. It's as if the remaining shop owners are blaming me for never having come into their store before... it's like, if I'd have come 4 years ago, things would be going well for them, or something ???
Quote from: ncannelora on April 16, 2011, 03:04:03 AM
Quote from: Nate Grey on April 16, 2011, 02:38:04 AM
So many of my local comic shops closed up which frankly was the main reason why I stopped collecting regularly. Over time I felt so behind on my collections that it made it worse. So many comic shops have closed all over my area ever since the economy went bad. The nearest comic store to my house is like 40 miles away and the owner is so unfriendly that I've boycotted it. >:( When I get a chance to visit friends in Las Vegas I always stop by their comic shops. They've got really great ones there. :)
I've run into this same sort of problem. It's as if the remaining shop owners are blaming me for never having come into their store before... it's like, if I'd have come 4 years ago, things would be going well for them, or something ???
Print media is dying and a lot of people and companies haven't adjusted to that fact yet. I read all my books electronically at this point but I still know people who are like "But I really wan to hold a book in my hand" which is so much like "But the music sounds better on vinyl". Of course once these same people get a Nook/Kindle/Smartphone they don't buy physical books anymore. DC/Marvel/et al need to switch to an ebook method as their primary form of distribution.
I hit up my local comic store every Wednesday. I used to get some books from a mail order service, but I found that I was buying too much and not enjoying it, so I cut way back and buy everything in the store now.
Quote from: Kal-el on April 19, 2011, 01:56:30 PM
I hit up my local comic store every Wednesday. I used to get some books from a mail order service, but I found that I was buying too much and not enjoying it, so I cut way back and buy everything in the store now.
I tried the mail subscriptions once but sometimes I wouldn't get the books on Wednesdays and I'd be so anxious to get my hands on them that I just couldn't wait and buy them at the store anyway. I quickly let my subscriptions run out after that. ;D At my peak of collecting, I was also buying way too many and finding it hard to store them. Now I'm just interested in a handful of titles (mostly Avengers-related and some X-Men stuff).
My mom bought me a few subscriptions a few years ago. They would get all folded and bent by the post office and then two of the series got cancelled so they just started sending me something else instead. I didn't renew any of them.
Quote from: Nate Grey on April 23, 2011, 07:32:21 PMI tried the mail subscriptions once but sometimes I wouldn't get the books on Wednesdays and I'd be so anxious to get my hands on them that I just couldn't wait and buy them at the store anyway. I quickly let my subscriptions run out after that. ;D At my peak of collecting, I was also buying way too many and finding it hard to store them. Now I'm just interested in a handful of titles (mostly Avengers-related and some X-Men stuff).
Storage was a big issue for me too. I was collecting a pretty good percentage of all DC books and they were just piling up. When it became a chore for me, I knew I had to cut back. Now I'm pretty much just reading Superman books.
The LCBS industry is quite healthy in my neck of the woods. The store I frequent is within a 5 minute walk from my house. And it's really great, because not only are the guys that work their nice, they don't act like snobs if you're not reading the "right" stuff. Nothing worse than nerd elitism.
Quote from: Palatinus on April 16, 2011, 06:22:28 AM
Quote from: ncannelora on April 16, 2011, 03:04:03 AM
Quote from: Nate Grey on April 16, 2011, 02:38:04 AM
So many of my local comic shops closed up which frankly was the main reason why I stopped collecting regularly. Over time I felt so behind on my collections that it made it worse. So many comic shops have closed all over my area ever since the economy went bad. The nearest comic store to my house is like 40 miles away and the owner is so unfriendly that I've boycotted it. >:( When I get a chance to visit friends in Las Vegas I always stop by their comic shops. They've got really great ones there. :)
I've run into this same sort of problem. It's as if the remaining shop owners are blaming me for never having come into their store before... it's like, if I'd have come 4 years ago, things would be going well for them, or something ???
Print media is dying and a lot of people and companies haven't adjusted to that fact yet. I read all my books electronically at this point but I still know people who are like "But I really wan to hold a book in my hand" which is so much like "But the music sounds better on vinyl". Of course once these same people get a Nook/Kindle/Smartphone they don't buy physical books anymore. DC/Marvel/et al need to switch to an ebook method as their primary form of distribution.
This is crazy talk. I find that I can concentrate on the material, and actually absorb it much easier when reading a book, not off a screen. If I had to switch to e-reading entirely, I think I'd go crazy. Probably swear off learning, and become a fisherman or something.
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:35:29 AM
This is crazy talk. I find that I can concentrate on the material, and actually absorb it much easier when reading a book, not off a screen. If I had to switch to e-reading entirely, I think I'd go crazy. Probably swear off learning, and become a fisherman or something.
But . . . Fishermen aren't illiterate and uneducated. That's a really unfair generalization.
Quote from: Palatinus on May 15, 2011, 05:27:38 PM
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:35:29 AM
This is crazy talk. I find that I can concentrate on the material, and actually absorb it much easier when reading a book, not off a screen. If I had to switch to e-reading entirely, I think I'd go crazy. Probably swear off learning, and become a fisherman or something.
But . . . Fishermen aren't illiterate and uneducated. That's a really unfair generalization.
I'm sure he didn't mean it as a slight against fishermen.
Quote from: DaGreatNameless on May 16, 2011, 06:36:32 PM
Quote from: Palatinus on May 15, 2011, 05:27:38 PM
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:35:29 AM
This is crazy talk. I find that I can concentrate on the material, and actually absorb it much easier when reading a book, not off a screen. If I had to switch to e-reading entirely, I think I'd go crazy. Probably swear off learning, and become a fisherman or something.
But . . . Fishermen aren't illiterate and uneducated. That's a really unfair generalization.
I'm sure he didn't mean it as a slight against fishermen.
Holy over-reaction Batman.
The only point I was trying to make is that becoming a fisherman is like learning a trade. You learn skills, you practice them, you do your job. No theoretical learning involved. Not to say they are illiterate at all.
Quote from: Kyle on May 17, 2011, 02:23:21 AM
Quote from: DaGreatNameless on May 16, 2011, 06:36:32 PM
Quote from: Palatinus on May 15, 2011, 05:27:38 PM
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:35:29 AM
This is crazy talk. I find that I can concentrate on the material, and actually absorb it much easier when reading a book, not off a screen. If I had to switch to e-reading entirely, I think I'd go crazy. Probably swear off learning, and become a fisherman or something.
But . . . Fishermen aren't illiterate and uneducated. That's a really unfair generalization.
I'm sure he didn't mean it as a slight against fishermen.
Holy over-reaction Batman.
The only point I was trying to make is that becoming a fisherman is like learning a trade. You learn skills, you practice them, you do your job. No theoretical learning involved. Not to say they are illiterate at all.
I was just kidding. It is actually a little funny though. I mean, I bet there is a lot of theoretical learning involved, like learning migration and spawning habits, understanding population regrowth rates, how to get a tv show made after how dangerous your job is. Those kind of things. But I really didn't think you were being mean to fishermen.
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:33:19 AM
Nothing worse than nerd elitism.
Must... resist...adding....as another sig. LOL! ;D
Quote from: Nostalgic on May 17, 2011, 03:57:38 PM
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:33:19 AM
Nothing worse than nerd elitism.
Must... resist...adding....as another sig. LOL! ;D
Do it! Do it! That's an awesome quote. ;D
Quote from: Nate Grey on May 29, 2011, 02:15:55 PM
Quote from: Nostalgic on May 17, 2011, 03:57:38 PM
Quote from: Kyle on May 15, 2011, 02:33:19 AM
Nothing worse than nerd elitism.
Must... resist...adding....as another sig. LOL! ;D
Do it! Do it! That's an awesome quote. ;D
First I have to agree - its a great quote!
Second if anyone is ever in Indiana we have a great little comic book shop in the town I work in - I say that becuase I live about an hour from where I work and the comic shop in my home town smells, has rude people, and crazy prices ??? but the one in the town where I work is pretty awesome. The guy started it up a few years ago simply because he liked this type of stuff - thats it! He does great with comic sells, discounts on old (as in old old and a few months old) comics and he has tons of tournys for everything - Magic, Heroclix, Warhammer, Warmachine, Malifaux, Redditch..........if anybody is close I know he would totally start setting up OP tournys ;) ....just sayin....... If you're ever this way let me know and I will point you in the right direction.
Where are you in Indiana? I'm in Wisconsin but drive through relatively frequently going to Cincinnati.
I live in Evansville, which has a couple large game/comic shops but the one I recommend is in Huntingburg, IN it is called GAMEKNIGHT. If you're ever down that way during your travels I recommend it as a great place to stop and shop 8)
Quote from: Jesse on February 01, 2012, 05:50:12 AM
I live in Evansville, which has a couple large game/comic shops but the one I recommend is in Huntingburg, IN it is called GAMEKNIGHT. If you're ever down that way during your travels I recommend it as a great place to stop and shop 8)
Interesting. My best friend went to school there, but I never thought to check out the comic shops in the area.
The shops themselves aren't bad in Evansville or Huntingburg - its just that the ones in Evansville are a little more on the "dirty" side and have rude employees that seem irritated anytime you try to buy something or ask for something. These are Book Broker and Comic Quest if you're curious.
I used to fulfill all of my CCG and comic needs here (http://www.centerfieldcardsandcomics.com/) until I gave everything up around 2001 or so. I got back into comics a little bit last year with some TPB's from Amazon, but got back into them pretty heavily last month (or about a month and a half ago now, I guess) via ComiXology when I got my 3rd gen iPad.
I'd love to frequent my old LCS every week, but I don't have the money or the space for it. I've settled on getting the bulk of my comics online and collecting only a very small handful of TPB sets for stuff that I really like, are well packaged (Spawn Origins HC's come to mind), and have worthwhile extras. And I get them on Amazon because I think cover price is asking too much and I know a local bookstore or LCS won't budge much (or as much) on the price. Also, no omni's. As much as I'd love to get some of those monsters like the AoA one, they're too expensive for my wallet even with the discounts.
I really dont buy that many comics anymore (too expensive). I do buy TPB's once in a while. When I do buy anything it is at the world famous FRANK & SONS. I am mostly into displaying Marvel Legends figures. :o
Whilst there are a few stores in my area (Inland SoCal), I usually buy from eBay (one seller I've been a patron of for years now will let me go up to 6 months of auctions and then do a giant box shipment to save on fees)
mailordercomics.com. Best customer service, best packing practices (important if you want your comics and graphic novels to look nice!), best prices. What more could you want?
I supplement this with Amazon Prime and eBay, but MOC is always my first option.