Buddy at the shop told me I was babying my collection too much by keeping everything bagged and boarded

He said comics are meant to be read and traded, not stored like museum pieces, so I finally cracked open that first issue of Sandman I had sealed for 15 years and honestly the spine still looks fine and I actually enjoyed the story more than just owning it, has anyone else felt guilty about reading a valuable issue?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.brian23d ago

Guilty about reading it? That's a bit much, don't you think... it's a comic book, not a Faberge egg. People act like opening a bag is the same as setting money on fire, but the thing is, most of those "valuable" copies aren't as rare as folks think. Unless you've got a graded 9.8 that's gonna pay your rent someday, it's just paper with ink on it. Reading actually increases the odds you'll remember why you bought it in the first place... otherwise you're just a hoarder with a plastic collection.

the_claire22d ago

Two years ago I had a near-mint copy of Uncanny X-Men #137 that I never opened, and when my nephew asked to borrow it I nearly said no. But he read it cover to cover and told me about the Phoenix scene in a way I'd forgotten was even in there. That bagged book meant nothing to me until he gave it back with a crease and a story, so now I just read everything I buy.