Regret Selling My Comic Books

[BobbyH]

I used to collect comic books when I was around 10-14 and ended up with a small collection of about 300. Several months ago I decided to sell them all because I hadn’t looked at them in many, many years. And to be honest, I was never really that into them anyway. I had fun collecting them and going to Comic-Cons but I barely read any of the issues I had. I would mostly just look at the artwork.

Anyway, a couple days after I sold them to a local comic book shop, I started to regret selling them. For some reason I wanted them back so I could read them and I also got the urge to watch a bunch of superhero movies. I can’t really explain this other than maybe just feeling nostalgic about them and like I threw away part of my childhood. I eventually called the owner and asked him if it would be possible to get them back and he said he already sold some of them and whatever was left over would be in the boxes in the back. I actually went there to sift through them but they weren’t really organized that well and there were so many boxes, so I just left. Now, when I think about watching superhero movies it just reminds me of my comic book collection that I abandoned and depresses me!

Has anyone else experienced something like this? I wonder if I hadn’t sold them if I’d even care about having them. I was thinking about buying some comic books again, maybe in paperback or ominubis form, but it seems pretty dumb to rebuy stuff I already sold. Also, just knowing they aren’t the exact same copies I had as a kid bothers me. Yes, I know this sounds crazy! :P

[Kirby101]

Not silly. I sold a much bigger collection because I had to keep them in storage and didn't have free access to enjoy them. It was the prudent think to do. But I still miss them. They were a big part of my youth. Nostalgia for things that brought us joy.
Remember the good times reading those books and the happiness they brought you.And yes, those particular issues were mine, many bought off of the comic racks, so I don't want other copies. You can read them again digitally or by the reprint volumes.

[Tami]

I have. I sold my first comic book collection and have regretted it ever since. I'd advise anyone who has a collection, to think carefully about selling them. Not saying not to do it, only that you need to put some thought into it before you do. Don't sell them on impulse.

[Spike-X]

I had to sell a bunch of comics many years ago when I was desperate for money. Nothing really important, just stuff like Simonson's Thor, Perez's Wonder Woman, Stern and JR jr's Amazing Spider-Man...

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

I started really collecting comics in the mid-nineties and trust me, I couldn't give my first collection away. Image comics really let me down.

[The Whovian]

I have had to sell some of my comics once. Both my wife and I lost our jobs in a one month period, so we didn't have that much income coming in.

We had to max out our credit cards and I ended up selling all of my silver age runs of Avengers #1-100, Captain America #100-200, my Daredevil run of #150-380 (this one really hurt), and many more.

Did I regret selling them? Absolutely. But it was a necessity at the time. There's no way I could possibly buy all of those issues again, not would I want to. I enjoy collected editions now. The only comics I REALLY regret is selling my DD collection. That still bugs me.

[marvelmaniac6169]

Are there a few issues/titles that really stand out in your mind from your collection?
If so you can find copies of those issues and have a smaller but more important part of your collection/memories back.

It is never too late and you are never too old to read/collect comic books.
Find what you like, read and ENJOY!!!

[Personamanx]

I've sold a significant portion of my collection over the years, mostly runs of books I had no particular attachment towards, and wasn't likely to read again. But I wish I had been more careful, whenever you sell a lot of comics you want to make sure you know what you're selling. Sometimes something that has sentimental/monetary value slips in, and then you're in regret-town.

Just earlier in the year I paid nearly $100 Canadian for a copy of Runaways #1 as I accidentally sold my copies of the first volume in an assorted lot a few years ago for $20. By, and large I was selling my comics for spatial reasons, but it still ended up costing me for mistakenly selling it.

Hell, just last night I realized I must have sold the first appearance of Miles Morales in a similar lot from around the same time. In that case I regret having sold it for monetary reasons.

Moral of the story is make sure you know what you're selling. You may lose something precious if you're the sentimental type.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I have sold minor books and crap I don't really want or need. I am clearing out like 100-200 books I really don't want in my collection to get rid of. I like keeping my big event books , 1st appearances and death issues. So I try and keep them.

[From The Shadows]

Not silly. I sold a much bigger collection because I had to keep them in storage and didn't have free access to enjoy them. It was the prudent think to do. But I still miss them. They were a big part of my youth. Nostalgia for things that brought us joy.
Remember the good times reading those books and the happiness they brought you.And yes, those particular issues were mine, many bought off of the comic racks, so I don't want other copies. You can read them again digitally or by the reprint volumes.

That's what I had to do when I had to move in with someone. I could only afford a small storage space so I gave away my DC and Image comics but kept my Marvel since I favored them only a tad more. What really sucks is that it ended up they would have fit and I really didn't even try I just did it haphazardly. I gave away a lot of good stuff too. The thing is I really haven't thought of it until recently. Now that I have my own apartment I'm looking at the space left next to my Marvels where they should be. Sigh. I try not to think about it too much or I'll get upset.

[BobbyH]

Are there a few issues/titles that really stand out in your mind from your collection?
If so you can find copies of those issues and have a smaller but more important part of your collection/memories back.

It is never too late and you are never too old to read/collect comic books.
Find what you like, read and ENJOY!!!

Well, the ones that stick out in my mind are The Uncanny X-Men, the X-Men Vol. 2 series that started in the early 90s, various issues of Batman and Superman, The Amazing Spider-Man, and the Spider-Man series from the early 90s. I can’t really pick certain issues because I barely read my comics. I just liked to collect certain titles and look at the art usually, and sometimes watch cartoons with these characters. This has more to do with childhood nostalgia than anything else.

I actually kept two comics because I wanted to get them graded by CGC. I have two copies of San Diego Comic-Con #2 that seem to be in excellent condition.

Also, I got an early Christmas gift from my brother, who also used to collect comics. He gave me a copy of X-Men: Mutant Genesis 2.0, which collects the first seven issues of X-Men Vol. 2.

I just wish I hadn’t sold those 300 comics in one transaction. I think that was too much all at once. Maybe if I slowly sold them on eBay I would’ve been more comfortable parting with them, or maybe I would’ve realized I actually wanted to hang on to what I had left.

[frankiedetroit]

Absolutely. Years ago -- around 1993 or 94, a guy wanted to buy all my DC comics. I sold them for $300 and for years after I would jokingly (kinda) say they were stolen.

That said, I have given away hundreds of comics through the years to kids and schools and don't regret those transactions at all.

[Tugger]

In the past I have sold, given away or dumped all my paper comics.

I can't say I've ever regretted it but about two years ago I did get nostalgic for some of the issues, so I just bought digital versions of everything I wanted to read again. Sorted.

No space or paper mite issues and they look great on my Fire10.

[Duskman]

I gave a lot of mine away then chucked the rest in the bin. It sucked in that the collection took a while to build but I wasn't reading it anyway. Now with digital its easy to rebuild.

[Scott Taylor]

There was a fire a few years back that took many of my comic books. The ones I salvaged were in pretty bad shape! Then my kids came along and ruined some more of them. But I was happy to see them enjoy the same medium I grew up with. Those experiences combined made me value the floppies less overall I would say, because they forced me to let go.

I'd seriously get rid of a lot more of them that I have lying around if it were easier to do. Its almost more of a hassle to do that, it seems, than it is to just keep them.