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Comic Collectors are people who collect comics or comic books (terms with considerable overlap). Many comic readers keep their comics for an indefinite period and have large accumulations, but a true collector differs in enthusiasm and degree; collectors will generally at least seek past issues rather than being content to read what new comics come along. // Controversy regarding the terminology Note: Although it takes the form of a plural noun, the common usage when referring to comics Scholars disagree on the definition of comics; some claim its printed format is crucial, some emphasize the interdependence of image and text, and others its sequential nature. ...
A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ...
Comic collectors have undergone as many changes as the medium they love over the years, as westerns and pulp horrors have given way to super–men and mutants, and comics have moved from disposable newstand monthlies to collectibles from specialized stores and now to trade paperbacks available at major–chain bookstores all over the country. Although sometimes portrayed negatively by popular media (such as the depiction of the character of Comic Book Guy in the TV show The Simpsons), comic book collecting is a wide–spread hobby, and popular venues such as the San Diego Comic-Con attract more than 80,000 fans over a four day period each year. Homer, a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, is a generally well-meaning buffoon whose short attention span often draws him into outrageous schemes and adventures. ...
Comic book speculation (the buying of a comic at its original price in hopes of reselling the issue at a later date for a significant profit) became a common practice as early as the seventies but hit an all–time high in the early–90s when a large and aging fan base eager to recapture the nostalgia of the comics from their youth gave rise to their own mythos of some lucky schmuck who finds a mint copy of a rare and valuable comic in their attic and reaps a fortune when a wealthy collector comes along and pays hundreds of thousands to acquire their comic. This ultimately led to a disappointing bust when expectations and actual comic book sales figures failed to coincide (see comic book collecting), but did lead to the interesting development of businesses devoted to comic book grading and comic book price guides. Comic book collecting is the result of an interest in antiquity, and nostalgia, as is all collecting by its very nature. ...
Companies such as CGC, which many collectors consider a hoax, and many consider the ultimate authority in determining a given comic’s value and worth, could not have existed without the obsessive grading and comic book preservation mentality that developed in response to comic book speculation. Interestingly, comic price guides such as Overstreet, The Comics Buyer's Guide, and ComicBase now serve not only as a reference for current comic values, but also serve as important record keepers of comic book history within and without a title/publisher's established universe. The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is widely considered one of the greatest authorities on the subject of comic book grading and collection values in the industry. ...
Comics Buyers Guide (CBG) is the longest-running periodical reporting on the comic book industry. ...
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