I’m a collector first and a speculator second. What that means is that I speculate on “hot” or desirable books and sell them to provide me with seed money to buy books that will reside in my personal collection that I don’t intend to sell. Speculation funds my hobby.
People have been speculating on comics since at least the 1970s. How else are we running across multiple newsstand fresh copies of Hulk #181, Spider-Man #129. Lets not forget about the 80s - I know several people who bought multiple copies of Wolverine #1 (limited series) off the racks. Speculating has been around in comics as long people have been reselling used comics.
Recently, I've been reading a stack of RBCC fanzines from the mid-70s, and in several of them columnists complain about how the Overstreet price guide was turning the once-great hobby of comic collecting into a cash grab. And this was when you could get a decent-condition copy of Amazing Fantasy 15 for a hundred bucks.
If not for speculators I don’t think there would be a CGC or the ridiculous prices true collectors would have to pay for books. I for one do not submit to CGC because I LOVE being able to read my books as often as I like. Glad you’re back!
Thanks, and thanks for watching and commenting! Again, I would just challenge you with how we are throwing around the term "speculator," as there are many different ways to speculate on comics, outside of "flippers" worried about that quick flip. Also, you're using a very overgeneralized term by saying "true" collector, as many people that would consider themselves 'true' collectors still speculate to some extent. Speculation is what pushed Robert Overstreet to create the first Overstreet Price Guide back in 1971. Speculation is why back issue silver age comics were worth more than cover price even in the 60s. CGC is the product of comic books being seen as a "collectible," and not something to simply make a quick flip from. But essentially, yes, speculating on future value of a comic book is what drove comics to be a collectible that is worthy of investment. I cancelled my annual subscription with CGC last year. I've never been very big on slabs.
I strongly dislike most speculators. Many base their predictions on manipulated data and poor judgement. Additionally, some act as shills for big corporations, encouraging comic collectors to spend money on low-quality items. Especially, the so-called latest and greatest. Do not suffer FOMO!
For me, the question starts at why you buy the book? I think you'll see a higher number of readers that for the majority have comics, they enjoy reading and holding onto. If all you buy are keys and numher ones. In hopes of it going up and don't read it. That's an investor/speculatpr. They'll never buy the non keys. They would typically lose money.
Lerak! Thanks for watching. Again, I think we are looking at it way too black or white. Because the majority of collectors fall in between those two perspectives you listed. I buy to read, and I also love collecting runs, and I don't plan on selling most of my personal collection, as I want to pass it down, but I absolutely, 100% care about future value. Therefore, to some degree, I speculate. Speculating shouldn't be seen as such a bad word, and it doesn't simply belong to people that want to flip and dip or "pump and dump."
@JernosComicsPopCulture glad to see you back and hope you're doing the best you can. I've been through dark times. Just keep taking one day at a time. Be the light you're meant to be.
I remember an episode of the TV series Amazing stories that stared Mark Hamill titled gather ye acorns. Look it up if you haven't seen it. As a preteen I vaguely remember 8-12yr olds after the episode thought that they would be rich. A lot of us used to trade books around for reading and that episode was basically the end of that.
If you invest, then you speculate. Long term investing still consists of speculating on the future value of your purchases. I think what you might be saying is that you are not a flipper and that you don't buy into short term speculation, or live action speculation.
Glad you are back bro! Deshon Allen is an awesome member of the community! He is constantly posting things and interacting with the community and he’s always kind to everybody. He has been going hard everyday of his two years and loves it as much as the next guy. It’s pretty cool you picked him Chris! I hope he gets the opportunity to capitalize on some of the ignorance 🤙🤙
I enjoy speculating on comics but older comics long term. Like over decade and enjoy comics and love collecting. It’s all speculation to some extent if you’re buying grails especially. You want the price to go up with demand and low supply
Im a collector/speculator. I mainly collect what I love and I buy speculations while Im at the LCS for my monthly pickups. I will hold all of it for the next 15-20 years until I retire. Then I sell it all off. Yes, when the time comes, I know how to sell my collection. LOL But I collect what I love and buy specs at the same time. Most of my current collection are books I love, GI Joe, Transformers, ect. Id say about 20% of my collection is spec buys.
I think it’s OK to speculate as long as you can make a profit and are not going broke in the process. I don’t buy things that others are hyping because I don’t want to get stuck with it. There are certain books that are speculated on that sell out immediately off the shelf. I remember not being able to find Invincible 110 in shops. I had to go to eBay and pay up for it, I would of loved to pay cover but the speculators bought all of them. That being said I collect and read Invincible so it was worth it to me and the seller made a few bucks all good.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture The most I ever want was $75.00 on a $10 scratch off but if I add up all the times I lost I could have brought a new truck so yeah it's a complete scam and yeah there are a few people that hit jackpot on the lottery but you have to be lucky.
@@jarredsmith9187 Yeah I always think of people that buy lotto tickets religiously every day, if they just took that money and invested it into some mutual funds or something, that money would grow over time. It's crazy how people get addicted to it.
I would say if you buy new stuff for speculation rather than something you enjoy any gains will be wiped out by the 99 books that aren't worth cover price. Probably best to chase something thats already got traction and buy nothing new.
I comics today have alot lower print runs than what they were in the late 80's and 90's. I know newstands drove alot of that. Today most comics are sold mainly to collectors. The days of kids buying the latest comics from the spiner rack at the drug store or corn market are long gone. I wish books were still cheap. No one can l a huge stack anymore. I wish we could return to the days of affordable comics.
I know, the price of new comics is ridiculous. I guess one good thing is that many of them end up in back issue bins for lower than cover price at some shops that still care about moving units on the secondary market.
My issue with a lot of speculators is they don't actually know what they are buying. They see a Comic Tom post saying there is a rumour that maybe possibly a film / streaming show about Hamster Boy might be in production in a couple of years. They rush out and buy as many copies of Hamster Boy #1 as they can. Ask them what they think about the character, the storylines, who is their favourite writer / artist and they will look at you blankly
I dislike speculators in general for the simple reason that you can see their effect on every other collectible market & they're the ones smiling to your face, preaching positivity relentlessly to cover up the fact they're purely monetarily motivated & do not care about the health of the market so long as it doesn't affect them. They're the ones to jump on the most toxic trends, so long as it's profitable in the short term & they're the section of any hobby with the weakest moral code. I also just do not respect the mindset when they pretend to care about what they're slanging, sure they usually know a lot but that's necessary and oftentimes just osmosis through exposure. What I don't mind is collectors that pay attention to the market to make the hobby pay for itself, because they're generally genuine. You can speculate and not be a total loser, but that part of any community is full of insincere fans and bad actors.
Thanks for sharing and I can overall agree with your sentiment. I think where clarity needs to be formed is, again, how we define the title "speculator," as all investors are essentially speculators. So when you say you don't like speculators, you're using a very broad term to describe a smaller set of individuals (which could be more accurately coined as flippers or short-term resellers).
Without speculators buying 10 copies of the same book ( variant & ratio covers etcetera) do you think anything below b tier books are viable? Not trying to pick a fight, Honest question.
This is a solid fair question. I think the answer would still be yes, but that "value" might not be that much. First, we have to still look at if we're talking modern books, new boos, bronze or silver ,etc. If we are solely talking about NEW books, I would have to say no, because 99.9% of new comics, again, depreciate in value.
I appreciate your videos, and enjoy them. That being said, your definition or personal definition of “speculator” is way off from what it actually means. No where in the dictionary does it say if you buy something and care about it then you are a speculator. A speculator is someone who makes wild claims without proof OR someone who invests in something to turn a quick profit.
Thank you for watching and for leaving your honest thoughts. But let me clarify: Never once in this video did I state that speculation is "buying something that you care about." I care about the chicken I buy at the store because it tastes good. I care about the tv I bought because I can watch cool movies on it. I care about the t-shirt I bought because it looks coll with my new shoes. So again, I did not say what you are stating. What I DID say, is that if you buy something and care in any way about the FUTURE value of that item, then you are to some degree speculating, and yes, if you research Finance and investment, there are clear defining distinctions to what Financial speculation means. It doesn't always equate to a "quick" profit. That is only ONE form. The "wild claim" definition is the definition outside of the Finance definition, that pertains to, for example, me speculating that the earth will run out of fossil fuels in 5 years!. That definition has nothing to do with what we're talking about. "Speculation refers to the act of conducting a financial transaction that has substantial risk of losing value but also holds the expectation of a significant gain." - This is only one way of stating how we define speculation. So, in closing, what I'm conveying to you and all of my viewers is not my "personal" definition, but the proper understanding of the term that pertains to the rules and the precedence of Finance and investing.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture Merriam-Webster doesn’t state that as the definition of speculator. I understand what you are saying, trust me, I do. I read everything you said, and while you didn’t specifically say this in this particular video, you have said that in the past. So me buying a comic book or video game and preserving it doesn’t equate to me being a speculator because it might appreciate in value over time. Someone might do that and sure, they’re considered a speculator. But the way you said it in previous video was what I felt was a blanket statement. That anyone who keeps their things in good shape or collects is a speculator. Maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to convey, and that’s my bad.
@@AngryStraightWhiteMale I'm going to make this clear, respectfully, of course, I never once said that buying something you care about is speculating. Never. If you believe I did, please provide me the exact quote or reference to this. If you are refering to the last video I posted, I do believe you are mistaking what I was saying. Because like I said, preserving my new nice white t shirt has nothing to do with monetary value. Preserving my nicely stained kitchen table has nothing to do with me speculating, it just means I want my things to look nice. Preserving a teddy bear you had since you were a child doesn't mean you're speculating. I need to make that clear. Preserving it in order for it to keep or gain value is what I was implying in that other video. THAT is speculating. As for Merriam-Webster not stating this as the definition, that is inaccurate as well. I am assuming you are using Google or their online site. If so, these definitions are simplified and not from the official dictionary. Secondly, I would refer to the Oxford Dictionary that has 7 different iterations dating back to the 16th century. Also, when speaking in the realm of Finance and Investments, you will find the most concrete iterations of terms in proper context in the Oxford dictionary of Banking and Finance. With that being said, here are some official iterations of the term "speculator" when speaking in Financial terms: - An individual or firm taking risks for the sake of expected profits (Oxford) - a person who buys goods, property, money, etc. in the hope of selling them at a profit: a currency/land/market speculator. (Cambridge Dictionary) - To risk money in a business deal in hopes of high profit (Merriam-Webster Reference Library) - A holder, venturer, gambler, or businessman (Merriam-Webster New World Funk & Wagnalls Edition) - One who attempts to anticipate price changes through buying and selling (Nasdaq) - An investor or firm that tries to profit from favorable movement(s) of the prices of securities. (Corporate Finance Institute) All of these industry credible sources speak exactly to what I'm saying. Will you find certain iterations of the definition that focus on "short term" gain? Yes. But again, that is merely one variable. Speculator does not begin and end with "short term." I just feel like there is a lot of cognitive dissonance surrounding this topic because people refuse to relearn what they've created in their minds through implicit biases or for whatever reason. I'm not here forcing an agenda or being arrogant with an uneducated opinion. I'm trying to present sound fact in order to simply educate people.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture so the quote is from the last video you posted, and I still disagree with you. “So for a collectible, we have to remember that most collectibles are collectibles because of speculators. If you collect anything and you want to preserve whatever it is you collect, comic books, sports cards, Pokémon cards, old clocks, old sports memorabilia, if you collect records to some degree you are speculating. Now some people might wanna collect records just because they want to listen to all of the music but if you care about preserving them, even if you have no intent to sell them ever in your life, maybe you wanna hold on to them, maybe you wanna pass them down to your children or somewhere in your family you are in a sense speculating. Because you care about the future value even if that value isn’t a monetary value to you.” I collect video games, comics, action figures, books and other things. I preserve them and keep them in immaculate shape and would like to pass them down. That isn’t speculating. All definitions of speculating that you listed, minus one, involve some form of monetary gain (profit). By my simply collecting, preserving and passing down to my family or friends does not make me or others of my ilk a “speculator”. Per your definitions listed, there needs to be some form of profit, monetarily. So respectfully, check and mate.
@@AngryStraightWhiteMale Thank you for sharing that quote. Now, go back and read every word of that quote. How do I end the quote? "Because you care about the future value even if that value isn't a monetary value to you." I can understand how that can be perceived out of context, but you have to remember that in the beginning of the video, I stated more than once that the key point is "future value." So what I meant was the "preservation of any item, even if you don't plan on selling it, with a focus on that items FUTURE VALUE." Lastly, I'm not playing a game of chess here for you to "check mate" met. Your problem is that you are arguing with me based on you misquoting me and misunderstanding me (from a video that isn't even this one). My point isn't that complicated whatsoever. Everything that I said in regards to speculation CLEARLY involves monetary value... I keep repeating myself and you're going back to thinking that I believe speculating in some way could exist without the care about money.. So, I'll say this one more time, but I think this is the last time because repeating myself now would just be crazy. Preserving any item, with any focus on that items FUTURE VALUE, is speculating. Example: I want to pass my comics down to my kids, but part of my reasoning in doing so is so that they have something that will gain value. That is speculation. I want to preserve my comics due to their FUTURE VALUE. Again, do I preserve my white t-shirt and call it speculating? NO. So.... if YOU preserve your comics the same way that I preserve my white t-shirt, then no, you are not speculating. I really do hope I've cleared that up.
First off, love the channel, so please don't take this as me being salty or shitting on your take... You're playing at semantics a little bit here. Regardless of the dictionary definition, you know good and well when people say "speculators" they do not mean, people buying and holding onto forever keys or stuff that will always be foundational books. They mean, people spec-ing on movie stuff, ridiculous variants that comic shops pay to have done, etc. That all has ripple effects throughout both production and collecting. Some good, some bad. People can buy what they want of course, but we all know that Comic Shop reprint variant #732 of ASM300 isn't going to be worth shit in a year or two (if that long). I think the potential to burn out new people exists with that kind of stuff and that can suck for keeping people in the hobby which should be the goal, imo. A huge majority of people doing the modern spec thing are literally just sneaker flippers who discovered comics during covid and will be gone now that the bubble has burst. It's easy to buy new variants at wholesale or retail and pump and dump. It's harder to low ball actual comic people on meaningful books to flip, that delta on that margin no longer exists or is so slim its not worth the effort. THAT is why people who have been into comics forever hate it. There's no love in their game. Look at Whatnot, the number of sellers on there to whom comics are anything more than a line item of stock on a shelf is proportionally very low. I pick up collections off and on and the number of people "getting out of comics" and trying to dump their failed plague times spec books is craaaazy. Either way, its a weird thing for people to get super tilted about, people are going to buy what they want, everyone collects different. *shrug* Glad you're doing better and back at it man, videos are always a good watch.
Great comment! Actually, I don't disagree with you at all besides your statement about semantics. The thing is, what you explained about how people use the term is exactly why I'm calling it out. That's like calling every Latino person "Mexican," and when you get called out and say, um... they are actually from Guatemala, and then responding, "whatever, same thing! Semantics!" No, Mexican and Guatemalan are completely different. See my point? The written and spoken word is one of the most powerful tooks out there, and with social media giving more power to every Joe Shmoe to have a voice, being accurate with our words is extremely important. If we aren't, instead of focusing and pinpointing real issues (in this case within comics), we blanket statement everything, we generalize everything, and stereotype everyone, and all it does is create counterproductive rhetoric that does nothing but divides people. Clear and concise language is the only way that we will be able to evolve and communicate productive solutions to the problems that exist in this hobby. Because I agree with everything you said about the state of collecting. I think it would be a great podcast/video discussion.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture Disagree on the analogy. Again, you are using a dictionary definition for a very specific use case where it doesn't exactly apply. We can WANT "Speculator" to strictly follow Websters in reference to the comic industry, but we all know it doesn't. Expecting it to just because we want it to doesn't work. I understand your point, but that's not a hill to die on. Language and nuance change based on, well basically based on everything. If someone was looking in from outside the comic space I would say it makes sense for them to want the dictionary definition to apply, for anyone in it, we all know what someone is talking about when they say speculator. A more apt analogy would be Real Estate Investor vs Real Estate Speculator. Those mean VASTLY different things in that space, just like they do in comics and they fall into the same lines of thinking. One is buying things that historically have long term value, one is buying things for the quick flip.
@@monkeyg0d Agree to disagree, but I'll still add on here. No, language simply just doesn't "change over night." This type of change you are talking about is a change that takes time and builds on precedent. The idea that the comic hobby sees speculators solely as basically "dirty flippers" has only been around for the last few years, and blew up during COVID due to the term being coined in such fashion on social media. That echo chamber using "speculator" as this sensationalized buzz word is definitely not enough to change 50 plus years of precedent. For 50 plus years, the term "speculation" or "speculator" has meant a much more nuanced meaning within comic books, and has never been solely correlated to a "short term flipper." Also, if people want to stray from the dictionary meanings, and look at comics as a Financial market, there are very strict Finance terms that aren't so easily bent, and even then, the term speculator in comic collecting wouldn't simply mean short term flipping. So, let's go back to my analogy that you disagree with. Ther term Latino is like the term Speculator. That's the macro term. The micro within Latinos, are Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Peruvians, etc. The micro within Speculator are flippers, long term collectors, collectors that speculate to fund the hobby, etc. etc. All of those examples are examples of Latinos, but they have their own label as well. Just like all of the terms used for comics fall under the macro umbrella of "speculator." I will die on this hill because this hill is simply a pile of loose dirt perpetuated by a minority group of collectors that have loudly protested on social media for the last few years. And why will I die on this hill? Because that same minority will act like "speculation" is something new that is "destroying the hobby, and then they perpetuate this rhetoric to new collectors who then have a misconception of the history and precedent of comic collecting.
@@monkeyg0d Also, this isn't just "Webster's definition." Here are many reputable references: An individual or firm taking risks for the sake of expected profits (Oxford) - a person who buys goods, property, money, etc. in the hope of selling them at a profit: a currency/land/market speculator. (Cambridge Dictionary) - To risk money in a business deal in hopes of high profit (Merriam-Webster Reference Library) - A holder, venturer, gambler, or businessman (Merriam-Webster New World Funk & Wagnalls Edition) - One who attempts to anticipate price changes through buying and selling (Nasdaq) - An investor or firm that tries to profit from favorable movement(s) of the prices of securities. (Corporate Finance Institute) None of these terms pigeon holes the term, even pertaining to comics, as a "short term flipper."
Appreciate you watching and for the kid words of support. To your discernment, the real problem here is that this is not preaching, nor is it my opinion. Calling the way we use our words a "paradigm" simply ignores the true linguistics and language behind how we speak. Just because a handful of individuals want to take a term and overgeneralize a small population of people by throwing that term on them to define their actions, doesn't change the decades of precendent that the term holds. Here is a reply that I left for someone else who had a similar response to you, that explains why what I'm speaking is simply a "matter of fact:" Simply put, if you buy something and care in any way about the FUTURE value of that item, then you are to some degree speculating, and yes, if you research Finance and investment, there are clear defining distinctions to what Financial speculation means. It doesn't always equate to a "quick" profit. That is only ONE form. "Speculation refers to the act of conducting a financial transaction that has substantial risk of losing value but also holds the expectation of a significant gain." - This is only one way of stating how we define speculation. So, in closing, what I'm conveying to you and all of my viewers is not my "personal" definition, but the proper understanding of the term that pertains to the rules and the precedence of Finance and investing.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture It would be simplistic to approach language and communication with the preconceived idea that the recipient of the message understands the contextual application of the jargon being used. In the youtube comics video watching audience, some of the viewers certainly do understand the way you apply the term 'Speculating' in a financial context. But I would strongly doubt the entirety of your audience are from solely that mindset. Many people would understand speculating as simply having a hunch or a gut instinct on something, willing to give it a go, and simply speccin' that this might be a pay off. They might not necessarily have financial gain in mind, of course. The increase in potential 'Fame' or, like potentially Lobo, 'Infamy' of a comic in question might be enough reward. There are potentially many reasons apart from financial gain for speccin on a comic.
@@noahidecomics Your comment almost contradicts your initial argument. First off, if my audience doesn't understand the proper context in which to use "speculating" when pertaining to comics, then this is exactly why I'm making videos like this: to properly educate them. Secondly, this topic of discussion has nothing to do with the non-financial definition of the term, whatsoever. The initial argument was that speculators or "speculating" was simply people who "flip" comics, and that it is some new crazy thing in the hobby. And my "simplistic" reply was, no, flipping is merely one FORM of speculating, where the entirety of the term involves ANYONE that makes a purchasing decision with the future value of the book in mind. Period. Something collectors have done for well over 50 years. The definitions of these words have been around since the 1500s in the Oxford texts. So, no matter if we use the Finance definition or the standard definition, both would not negate the facts of my argument. Lastly, when you explain that people can "speculate" on comics without financial gain in mind, I think the majority of the comic community would (respectfully) almost giggle at that notion. Because while you're essentially right, we would put that into action, for example, by doing this: "I am really loving this new Spider-Man series and I think they are going to introduce a new villain in issue 32 and I'm so excited to see what type of villain it is so I'm going to make sure I'm at my LCS on Wednesday to get my copy!" In essence, you can coin that this individual is "speculating" that a villain will show up, making him excited about purchasing the book, without it being about financial gain. But you have to be lying to yourself if you're really going to come here and act like anyone here on RUclips is talking about something like that when they throw the word "speccin'" around. Speculating and speculator have become dirty words that people now use as buzzwords to define people that flip comics or people that they think only buy comics to "pump and dump." And most of these people who use spec as a dirty word in some way, shape or form, care about the future value of their own comics, so again, my argument is to show them that most of them, are also speculating, AND it's not new whatsoever, as many of them think. I hope that clarifies things.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture There aren't really rules we impose in things like Hobbies such as comic collecting mandating they should interpret the use of the term speculating in the manner you seem to insist on. That will only form a divisive faction. Speculate means to consider. It also can have a financial meaning.
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I’m a collector first and a speculator second. What that means is that I speculate on “hot” or desirable books and sell them to provide me with seed money to buy books that will reside in my personal collection that I don’t intend to sell. Speculation funds my hobby.
People have been speculating on comics since at least the 1970s. How else are we running across multiple newsstand fresh copies of Hulk #181, Spider-Man #129. Lets not forget about the 80s - I know several people who bought multiple copies of Wolverine #1 (limited series) off the racks. Speculating has been around in comics as long people have been reselling used comics.
Recently, I've been reading a stack of RBCC fanzines from the mid-70s, and in several of them columnists complain about how the Overstreet price guide was turning the once-great hobby of comic collecting into a cash grab. And this was when you could get a decent-condition copy of Amazing Fantasy 15 for a hundred bucks.
Exactly.
If not for speculators I don’t think there would be a CGC or the ridiculous prices true collectors would have to pay for books. I for one do not submit to CGC because I LOVE being able to read my books as often as I like. Glad you’re back!
Thanks, and thanks for watching and commenting! Again, I would just challenge you with how we are throwing around the term "speculator," as there are many different ways to speculate on comics, outside of "flippers" worried about that quick flip. Also, you're using a very overgeneralized term by saying "true" collector, as many people that would consider themselves 'true' collectors still speculate to some extent. Speculation is what pushed Robert Overstreet to create the first Overstreet Price Guide back in 1971. Speculation is why back issue silver age comics were worth more than cover price even in the 60s.
CGC is the product of comic books being seen as a "collectible," and not something to simply make a quick flip from. But essentially, yes, speculating on future value of a comic book is what drove comics to be a collectible that is worthy of investment.
I cancelled my annual subscription with CGC last year. I've never been very big on slabs.
I strongly dislike most speculators. Many base their predictions on manipulated data and poor judgement. Additionally, some act as shills for big corporations, encouraging comic collectors to spend money on low-quality items. Especially, the so-called latest and greatest. Do not suffer FOMO!
I hear you, but I would again not generalize the type of individuals you are speaking on as simply speculators, as all investors speculate.
For me, the question starts at why you buy the book? I think you'll see a higher number of readers that for the majority have comics, they enjoy reading and holding onto. If all you buy are keys and numher ones. In hopes of it going up and don't read it. That's an investor/speculatpr. They'll never buy the non keys. They would typically lose money.
Lerak! Thanks for watching. Again, I think we are looking at it way too black or white. Because the majority of collectors fall in between those two perspectives you listed. I buy to read, and I also love collecting runs, and I don't plan on selling most of my personal collection, as I want to pass it down, but I absolutely, 100% care about future value. Therefore, to some degree, I speculate. Speculating shouldn't be seen as such a bad word, and it doesn't simply belong to people that want to flip and dip or "pump and dump."
@JernosComicsPopCulture glad to see you back and hope you're doing the best you can. I've been through dark times. Just keep taking one day at a time. Be the light you're meant to be.
@@lerak8452 Thank you!
Nice to hear your voice again brother! 👊
Appreciate you!
I remember an episode of the TV series Amazing stories that stared Mark Hamill titled gather ye acorns. Look it up if you haven't seen it. As a preteen I vaguely remember 8-12yr olds after the episode thought that they would be rich. A lot of us used to trade books around for reading and that episode was basically the end of that.
I will definitely look that up!
Well said as usual Jerno. Great convo and vid. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Im glad to hear your feeling better bro 🙏🏾 keep doing what you need to do one piece at a time, much respect ✌🏾
thank you!
After missing like a half dozen books I really wanted, I learned from the Internet how to create a pull list. Problem solved
me personally....ive been collecting for 40 years and I'm a collector and investor....i am not a speculator.....i leave that to other people.
If you invest, then you speculate. Long term investing still consists of speculating on the future value of your purchases. I think what you might be saying is that you are not a flipper and that you don't buy into short term speculation, or live action speculation.
Glad you are back bro! Deshon Allen is an awesome member of the community! He is constantly posting things and interacting with the community and he’s always kind to everybody. He has been going hard everyday of his two years and loves it as much as the next guy. It’s pretty cool you picked him Chris! I hope he gets the opportunity to capitalize on some of the ignorance 🤙🤙
Thanks, Shaun!
I enjoy speculating on comics but older comics long term. Like over decade and enjoy comics and love collecting. It’s all speculation to some extent if you’re buying grails especially. You want the price to go up with demand and low supply
Im a collector/speculator. I mainly collect what I love and I buy speculations while Im at the LCS for my monthly pickups. I will hold all of it for the next 15-20 years until I retire. Then I sell it all off. Yes, when the time comes, I know how to sell my collection. LOL But I collect what I love and buy specs at the same time. Most of my current collection are books I love, GI Joe, Transformers, ect. Id say about 20% of my collection is spec buys.
Welcome back!
Thank you!
Talking about speculation I heard that dark hawk #1 is taking off right now.....
lol
I think it’s OK to speculate as long as you can make a profit and are not going broke in the process. I don’t buy things that others are hyping because I don’t want to get stuck with it. There are certain books that are speculated on that sell out immediately off the shelf. I remember not being able to find Invincible 110 in shops. I had to go to eBay and pay up for it, I would of loved to pay cover but the speculators bought all of them. That being said I collect and read Invincible so it was worth it to me and the seller made a few bucks all good.
Great perspective!
Happy to see you making new videos again, man! Welcome back!
Thank you!
Jerno comics,I don't speculate on comics cause I buy the books I like and screw speculation cause it's a total gamble just like the lottery.
I won five dollars on a scratcher once! Lol
@@JernosComicsPopCulture The most I ever want was $75.00 on a $10 scratch off but if I add up all the times I lost I could have brought a new truck so yeah it's a complete scam and yeah there are a few people that hit jackpot on the lottery but you have to be lucky.
@@jarredsmith9187 Yeah I always think of people that buy lotto tickets religiously every day, if they just took that money and invested it into some mutual funds or something, that money would grow over time. It's crazy how people get addicted to it.
Good one bro
Thanks for stopping by and watching!
I would say if you buy new stuff for speculation rather than something you enjoy any gains will be wiped out by the 99 books that aren't worth cover price. Probably best to chase something thats already got traction and buy nothing new.
I agree!
I comics today have alot lower print runs than what they were in the late 80's and 90's. I know newstands drove alot of that. Today most comics are sold mainly to collectors. The days of kids buying the latest comics from the spiner rack at the drug store or corn market are long gone. I wish books were still cheap. No one can l a huge stack anymore. I wish we could return to the days of affordable comics.
I know, the price of new comics is ridiculous. I guess one good thing is that many of them end up in back issue bins for lower than cover price at some shops that still care about moving units on the secondary market.
My issue with a lot of speculators is they don't actually know what they are buying. They see a Comic Tom post saying there is a rumour that maybe possibly a film / streaming show about Hamster Boy might be in production in a couple of years. They rush out and buy as many copies of Hamster Boy #1 as they can. Ask them what they think about the character, the storylines, who is their favourite writer / artist and they will look at you blankly
You bring up a solid issue of concern, although this goes way beyond watching a Comic Tom video. But this is the mentality that perpetuates the FOMO.
I dislike speculators in general for the simple reason that you can see their effect on every other collectible market & they're the ones smiling to your face, preaching positivity relentlessly to cover up the fact they're purely monetarily motivated & do not care about the health of the market so long as it doesn't affect them. They're the ones to jump on the most toxic trends, so long as it's profitable in the short term & they're the section of any hobby with the weakest moral code. I also just do not respect the mindset when they pretend to care about what they're slanging, sure they usually know a lot but that's necessary and oftentimes just osmosis through exposure.
What I don't mind is collectors that pay attention to the market to make the hobby pay for itself, because they're generally genuine. You can speculate and not be a total loser, but that part of any community is full of insincere fans and bad actors.
Thanks for sharing and I can overall agree with your sentiment. I think where clarity needs to be formed is, again, how we define the title "speculator," as all investors are essentially speculators. So when you say you don't like speculators, you're using a very broad term to describe a smaller set of individuals (which could be more accurately coined as flippers or short-term resellers).
@@JernosComicsPopCulture that's how I define the subset of speculators I don't like actually so yeah, spot on, u dig it
Without speculators buying 10 copies of the same book ( variant & ratio covers etcetera) do you think anything below b tier books are viable? Not trying to pick a fight, Honest question.
This is a solid fair question. I think the answer would still be yes, but that "value" might not be that much. First, we have to still look at if we're talking modern books, new boos, bronze or silver ,etc. If we are solely talking about NEW books, I would have to say no, because 99.9% of new comics, again, depreciate in value.
I appreciate your videos, and enjoy them. That being said, your definition or personal definition of “speculator” is way off from what it actually means. No where in the dictionary does it say if you buy something and care about it then you are a speculator. A speculator is someone who makes wild claims without proof OR someone who invests in something to turn a quick profit.
Thank you for watching and for leaving your honest thoughts. But let me clarify: Never once in this video did I state that speculation is "buying something that you care about." I care about the chicken I buy at the store because it tastes good. I care about the tv I bought because I can watch cool movies on it. I care about the t-shirt I bought because it looks coll with my new shoes. So again, I did not say what you are stating.
What I DID say, is that if you buy something and care in any way about the FUTURE value of that item, then you are to some degree speculating, and yes, if you research Finance and investment, there are clear defining distinctions to what Financial speculation means. It doesn't always equate to a "quick" profit. That is only ONE form. The "wild claim" definition is the definition outside of the Finance definition, that pertains to, for example, me speculating that the earth will run out of fossil fuels in 5 years!. That definition has nothing to do with what we're talking about.
"Speculation refers to the act of conducting a financial transaction that has substantial risk of losing value but also holds the expectation of a significant gain."
- This is only one way of stating how we define speculation. So, in closing, what I'm conveying to you and all of my viewers is not my "personal" definition, but the proper understanding of the term that pertains to the rules and the precedence of Finance and investing.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture Merriam-Webster doesn’t state that as the definition of speculator. I understand what you are saying, trust me, I do. I read everything you said, and while you didn’t specifically say this in this particular video, you have said that in the past. So me buying a comic book or video game and preserving it doesn’t equate to me being a speculator because it might appreciate in value over time. Someone might do that and sure, they’re considered a speculator. But the way you said it in previous video was what I felt was a blanket statement. That anyone who keeps their things in good shape or collects is a speculator. Maybe I misunderstood what you were trying to convey, and that’s my bad.
@@AngryStraightWhiteMale I'm going to make this clear, respectfully, of course, I never once said that buying something you care about is speculating. Never. If you believe I did, please provide me the exact quote or reference to this. If you are refering to the last video I posted, I do believe you are mistaking what I was saying. Because like I said, preserving my new nice white t shirt has nothing to do with monetary value. Preserving my nicely stained kitchen table has nothing to do with me speculating, it just means I want my things to look nice. Preserving a teddy bear you had since you were a child doesn't mean you're speculating. I need to make that clear. Preserving it in order for it to keep or gain value is what I was implying in that other video. THAT is speculating.
As for Merriam-Webster not stating this as the definition, that is inaccurate as well. I am assuming you are using Google or their online site. If so, these definitions are simplified and not from the official dictionary. Secondly, I would refer to the Oxford Dictionary that has 7 different iterations dating back to the 16th century. Also, when speaking in the realm of Finance and Investments, you will find the most concrete iterations of terms in proper context in the Oxford dictionary of Banking and Finance.
With that being said, here are some official iterations of the term "speculator" when speaking in Financial terms:
- An individual or firm taking risks for the sake of expected profits (Oxford)
- a person who buys goods, property, money, etc. in the hope of selling them at a profit: a currency/land/market speculator. (Cambridge Dictionary)
- To risk money in a business deal in hopes of high profit (Merriam-Webster Reference Library)
- A holder, venturer, gambler, or businessman (Merriam-Webster New World Funk & Wagnalls Edition)
- One who attempts to anticipate price changes through buying and selling (Nasdaq)
- An investor or firm that tries to profit from favorable movement(s) of the prices of securities. (Corporate Finance Institute)
All of these industry credible sources speak exactly to what I'm saying. Will you find certain iterations of the definition that focus on "short term" gain? Yes. But again, that is merely one variable. Speculator does not begin and end with "short term."
I just feel like there is a lot of cognitive dissonance surrounding this topic because people refuse to relearn what they've created in their minds through implicit biases or for whatever reason. I'm not here forcing an agenda or being arrogant with an uneducated opinion. I'm trying to present sound fact in order to simply educate people.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture so the quote is from the last video you posted, and I still disagree with you.
“So for a collectible, we have to remember that most collectibles are collectibles because of speculators. If you collect anything and you want to preserve whatever it is you collect, comic books, sports cards, Pokémon cards, old clocks, old sports memorabilia, if you collect records to some degree you are speculating. Now some people might wanna collect records just because they want to listen to all of the music but if you care about preserving them, even if you have no intent to sell them ever in your life, maybe you wanna hold on to them, maybe you wanna pass them down to your children or somewhere in your family you are in a sense speculating. Because you care about the future value even if that value isn’t a monetary value to you.”
I collect video games, comics, action figures, books and other things. I preserve them and keep them in immaculate shape and would like to pass them down. That isn’t speculating. All definitions of speculating that you listed, minus one, involve some form of monetary gain (profit). By my simply collecting, preserving and passing down to my family or friends does not make me or others of my ilk a “speculator”. Per your definitions listed, there needs to be some form of profit, monetarily. So respectfully, check and mate.
@@AngryStraightWhiteMale Thank you for sharing that quote. Now, go back and read every word of that quote. How do I end the quote? "Because you care about the future value even if that value isn't a monetary value to you." I can understand how that can be perceived out of context, but you have to remember that in the beginning of the video, I stated more than once that the key point is "future value." So what I meant was the "preservation of any item, even if you don't plan on selling it, with a focus on that items FUTURE VALUE."
Lastly, I'm not playing a game of chess here for you to "check mate" met. Your problem is that you are arguing with me based on you misquoting me and misunderstanding me (from a video that isn't even this one). My point isn't that complicated whatsoever. Everything that I said in regards to speculation CLEARLY involves monetary value... I keep repeating myself and you're going back to thinking that I believe speculating in some way could exist without the care about money..
So, I'll say this one more time, but I think this is the last time because repeating myself now would just be crazy. Preserving any item, with any focus on that items FUTURE VALUE, is speculating. Example: I want to pass my comics down to my kids, but part of my reasoning in doing so is so that they have something that will gain value. That is speculation. I want to preserve my comics due to their FUTURE VALUE. Again, do I preserve my white t-shirt and call it speculating? NO. So.... if YOU preserve your comics the same way that I preserve my white t-shirt, then no, you are not speculating.
I really do hope I've cleared that up.
First off, love the channel, so please don't take this as me being salty or shitting on your take...
You're playing at semantics a little bit here. Regardless of the dictionary definition, you know good and well when people say "speculators" they do not mean, people buying and holding onto forever keys or stuff that will always be foundational books.
They mean, people spec-ing on movie stuff, ridiculous variants that comic shops pay to have done, etc. That all has ripple effects throughout both production and collecting. Some good, some bad. People can buy what they want of course, but we all know that Comic Shop reprint variant #732 of ASM300 isn't going to be worth shit in a year or two (if that long). I think the potential to burn out new people exists with that kind of stuff and that can suck for keeping people in the hobby which should be the goal, imo.
A huge majority of people doing the modern spec thing are literally just sneaker flippers who discovered comics during covid and will be gone now that the bubble has burst. It's easy to buy new variants at wholesale or retail and pump and dump. It's harder to low ball actual comic people on meaningful books to flip, that delta on that margin no longer exists or is so slim its not worth the effort. THAT is why people who have been into comics forever hate it. There's no love in their game. Look at Whatnot, the number of sellers on there to whom comics are anything more than a line item of stock on a shelf is proportionally very low.
I pick up collections off and on and the number of people "getting out of comics" and trying to dump their failed plague times spec books is craaaazy.
Either way, its a weird thing for people to get super tilted about, people are going to buy what they want, everyone collects different. *shrug*
Glad you're doing better and back at it man, videos are always a good watch.
Great comment! Actually, I don't disagree with you at all besides your statement about semantics. The thing is, what you explained about how people use the term is exactly why I'm calling it out. That's like calling every Latino person "Mexican," and when you get called out and say, um... they are actually from Guatemala, and then responding, "whatever, same thing! Semantics!" No, Mexican and Guatemalan are completely different. See my point?
The written and spoken word is one of the most powerful tooks out there, and with social media giving more power to every Joe Shmoe to have a voice, being accurate with our words is extremely important. If we aren't, instead of focusing and pinpointing real issues (in this case within comics), we blanket statement everything, we generalize everything, and stereotype everyone, and all it does is create counterproductive rhetoric that does nothing but divides people.
Clear and concise language is the only way that we will be able to evolve and communicate productive solutions to the problems that exist in this hobby. Because I agree with everything you said about the state of collecting. I think it would be a great podcast/video discussion.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture Disagree on the analogy. Again, you are using a dictionary definition for a very specific use case where it doesn't exactly apply. We can WANT "Speculator" to strictly follow Websters in reference to the comic industry, but we all know it doesn't. Expecting it to just because we want it to doesn't work. I understand your point, but that's not a hill to die on. Language and nuance change based on, well basically based on everything. If someone was looking in from outside the comic space I would say it makes sense for them to want the dictionary definition to apply, for anyone in it, we all know what someone is talking about when they say speculator.
A more apt analogy would be Real Estate Investor vs Real Estate Speculator. Those mean VASTLY different things in that space, just like they do in comics and they fall into the same lines of thinking. One is buying things that historically have long term value, one is buying things for the quick flip.
@@monkeyg0d Agree to disagree, but I'll still add on here. No, language simply just doesn't "change over night." This type of change you are talking about is a change that takes time and builds on precedent. The idea that the comic hobby sees speculators solely as basically "dirty flippers" has only been around for the last few years, and blew up during COVID due to the term being coined in such fashion on social media. That echo chamber using "speculator" as this sensationalized buzz word is definitely not enough to change 50 plus years of precedent. For 50 plus years, the term "speculation" or "speculator" has meant a much more nuanced meaning within comic books, and has never been solely correlated to a "short term flipper." Also, if people want to stray from the dictionary meanings, and look at comics as a Financial market, there are very strict Finance terms that aren't so easily bent, and even then, the term speculator in comic collecting wouldn't simply mean short term flipping.
So, let's go back to my analogy that you disagree with. Ther term Latino is like the term Speculator. That's the macro term. The micro within Latinos, are Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Peruvians, etc. The micro within Speculator are flippers, long term collectors, collectors that speculate to fund the hobby, etc. etc. All of those examples are examples of Latinos, but they have their own label as well. Just like all of the terms used for comics fall under the macro umbrella of "speculator."
I will die on this hill because this hill is simply a pile of loose dirt perpetuated by a minority group of collectors that have loudly protested on social media for the last few years. And why will I die on this hill? Because that same minority will act like "speculation" is something new that is "destroying the hobby, and then they perpetuate this rhetoric to new collectors who then have a misconception of the history and precedent of comic collecting.
@@monkeyg0d Also, this isn't just "Webster's definition." Here are many reputable references:
An individual or firm taking risks for the sake of expected profits (Oxford)
- a person who buys goods, property, money, etc. in the hope of selling them at a profit: a currency/land/market speculator. (Cambridge Dictionary)
- To risk money in a business deal in hopes of high profit (Merriam-Webster Reference Library)
- A holder, venturer, gambler, or businessman (Merriam-Webster New World Funk & Wagnalls Edition)
- One who attempts to anticipate price changes through buying and selling (Nasdaq)
- An investor or firm that tries to profit from favorable movement(s) of the prices of securities. (Corporate Finance Institute)
None of these terms pigeon holes the term, even pertaining to comics, as a "short term flipper."
Problem with Jerno he preaches his comixology as Gospel. He's one of the best but often doesn't grasp other paradigms.
Appreciate you watching and for the kid words of support. To your discernment, the real problem here is that this is not preaching, nor is it my opinion. Calling the way we use our words a "paradigm" simply ignores the true linguistics and language behind how we speak. Just because a handful of individuals want to take a term and overgeneralize a small population of people by throwing that term on them to define their actions, doesn't change the decades of precendent that the term holds.
Here is a reply that I left for someone else who had a similar response to you, that explains why what I'm speaking is simply a "matter of fact:"
Simply put, if you buy something and care in any way about the FUTURE value of that item, then you are to some degree speculating, and yes, if you research Finance and investment, there are clear defining distinctions to what Financial speculation means. It doesn't always equate to a "quick" profit. That is only ONE form.
"Speculation refers to the act of conducting a financial transaction that has substantial risk of losing value but also holds the expectation of a significant gain."
- This is only one way of stating how we define speculation. So, in closing, what I'm conveying to you and all of my viewers is not my "personal" definition, but the proper understanding of the term that pertains to the rules and the precedence of Finance and investing.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture The word 'Speculation' is not limited to finance and investing.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture It would be simplistic to approach language and communication with the preconceived idea that the recipient of the message understands the contextual application of the jargon being used. In the youtube comics video watching audience, some of the viewers certainly do understand the way you apply the term 'Speculating' in a financial context. But I would strongly doubt the entirety of your audience are from solely that mindset. Many people would understand speculating as simply having a hunch or a gut instinct on something, willing to give it a go, and simply speccin' that this might be a pay off. They might not necessarily have financial gain in mind, of course. The increase in potential 'Fame' or, like potentially Lobo, 'Infamy' of a comic in question might be enough reward. There are potentially many reasons apart from financial gain for speccin on a comic.
@@noahidecomics Your comment almost contradicts your initial argument. First off, if my audience doesn't understand the proper context in which to use "speculating" when pertaining to comics, then this is exactly why I'm making videos like this: to properly educate them.
Secondly, this topic of discussion has nothing to do with the non-financial definition of the term, whatsoever. The initial argument was that speculators or "speculating" was simply people who "flip" comics, and that it is some new crazy thing in the hobby. And my "simplistic" reply was, no, flipping is merely one FORM of speculating, where the entirety of the term involves ANYONE that makes a purchasing decision with the future value of the book in mind. Period. Something collectors have done for well over 50 years. The definitions of these words have been around since the 1500s in the Oxford texts. So, no matter if we use the Finance definition or the standard definition, both would not negate the facts of my argument.
Lastly, when you explain that people can "speculate" on comics without financial gain in mind, I think the majority of the comic community would (respectfully) almost giggle at that notion. Because while you're essentially right, we would put that into action, for example, by doing this: "I am really loving this new Spider-Man series and I think they are going to introduce a new villain in issue 32 and I'm so excited to see what type of villain it is so I'm going to make sure I'm at my LCS on Wednesday to get my copy!" In essence, you can coin that this individual is "speculating" that a villain will show up, making him excited about purchasing the book, without it being about financial gain. But you have to be lying to yourself if you're really going to come here and act like anyone here on RUclips is talking about something like that when they throw the word "speccin'" around.
Speculating and speculator have become dirty words that people now use as buzzwords to define people that flip comics or people that they think only buy comics to "pump and dump." And most of these people who use spec as a dirty word in some way, shape or form, care about the future value of their own comics, so again, my argument is to show them that most of them, are also speculating, AND it's not new whatsoever, as many of them think.
I hope that clarifies things.
@@JernosComicsPopCulture There aren't really rules we impose in things like Hobbies such as comic collecting mandating they should interpret the use of the term speculating in the manner you seem to insist on. That will only form a divisive faction. Speculate means to consider. It also can have a financial meaning.