My Year in Comics: 2006
I give a lot of thought to finances, and for the last couple of years I've taken a cue from Augie de Blieck, and kept an Excel spreadsheet recording my comic purchases. Now with 2007 starting up, it's time to take a look back at 2006.
I spent just shy of $650 on comics in 2006, down over 30% from 2005, and even slightly less than I spent in 2004. I averaged $12.50 per week.
21 series and mini-series rotated in and out of my pull list during the year, 13 of which are currently on the list. (This doesn't include titles that didn't ship in 2006, such as Herobear/Decoy, which edges out Daredevil: The Target for longest delay, now 4 1/2 years between #1 and #2.) Two titles were cancelled, six I dropped. Seven of my current titles are monthlies. I spent a total of about $350 at my local shop, to which I made 21 visits during the year.
I bought 116 new issues, 51 back issues, and 27 tpbs/HCs/graphic novels. I bought comics off eBay just twice the entire year. My interest in back issues has fallen off a lot lately; looking back, not many stand out in 2006. I discovered Warren Ellis' Fell; I completed the runs of a couple of mini-series; and last week I randomly stumbled across a copy of Amazing Heroes #68, featuring Ambush Bug.
Favorite series added to my pull list: probably X-Factor, the first X-book I've ever had on my pull list in my 14 years of comic buying. Dini's Detective Comics comes close, but the Poison Ivy issue pulls it down. Greg Weisman's Gargoyles is also worth mentioning, but it's been slow coming and hasn't gotten to original stories yet. Biggest disappointment would be Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters, a mini I dropped halfway through even though I loved the introductory short story.
I spent about $285 on the 27 books with spines. They included five Showcase Presents volumes (but only one Essential), three Fables books, and three Uncle Scrooge trades. Best volume of the year is a no-brainer: Absolute New Frontier. Most money I've ever spent on a comic, yet still worth every penny.
If anyone's interested in keeping a similar record for themselves in 2007, just drop me an e-mail and I'll send you a sample of my spreadsheet. It's a great aid for budgeting as well as keeping track of your collection.
I spent just shy of $650 on comics in 2006, down over 30% from 2005, and even slightly less than I spent in 2004. I averaged $12.50 per week.
21 series and mini-series rotated in and out of my pull list during the year, 13 of which are currently on the list. (This doesn't include titles that didn't ship in 2006, such as Herobear/Decoy, which edges out Daredevil: The Target for longest delay, now 4 1/2 years between #1 and #2.) Two titles were cancelled, six I dropped. Seven of my current titles are monthlies. I spent a total of about $350 at my local shop, to which I made 21 visits during the year.
I bought 116 new issues, 51 back issues, and 27 tpbs/HCs/graphic novels. I bought comics off eBay just twice the entire year. My interest in back issues has fallen off a lot lately; looking back, not many stand out in 2006. I discovered Warren Ellis' Fell; I completed the runs of a couple of mini-series; and last week I randomly stumbled across a copy of Amazing Heroes #68, featuring Ambush Bug.
Favorite series added to my pull list: probably X-Factor, the first X-book I've ever had on my pull list in my 14 years of comic buying. Dini's Detective Comics comes close, but the Poison Ivy issue pulls it down. Greg Weisman's Gargoyles is also worth mentioning, but it's been slow coming and hasn't gotten to original stories yet. Biggest disappointment would be Uncle Sam & the Freedom Fighters, a mini I dropped halfway through even though I loved the introductory short story.
I spent about $285 on the 27 books with spines. They included five Showcase Presents volumes (but only one Essential), three Fables books, and three Uncle Scrooge trades. Best volume of the year is a no-brainer: Absolute New Frontier. Most money I've ever spent on a comic, yet still worth every penny.
If anyone's interested in keeping a similar record for themselves in 2007, just drop me an e-mail and I'll send you a sample of my spreadsheet. It's a great aid for budgeting as well as keeping track of your collection.
posted by Loren | 11:50 PM |
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