Guest Post: Barry Pearl's Tales Of The Marvel Age - Part Three...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

 

How Howard the Duck changed my comic collecting!

 

By the end of 1975 I had been buying my comics in a local Queens comic store for several years.  I even did some favours for the owner, Joe, such as running an errand to Pennsylvania and running off his price list in my office.

The local comic stores made money by selling old and new comics.  Joe, in particular, was friendly to his customers because he wanted something from them.  Most comic book buyers will eventually cut down on their buying and then stop collecting.  Joe then wants to then buy their collection for the cheapest price possible and people gave in to him all the time.  In fact, Joe and the many other  owners would often ask serious collectors what comics hey had, looking to buy them.  Joe knew very well of my collection.

I was buying about 30 comics a month from Joe:  Regular comics, King Size and Annuals, and, at that time, Marvel had the more expensive magazines out.  By today's standards that would be about $100 a month.  (Then, maybe $20.)

The comic book store got the comics in a week or so earlier than the local candy store and they would put the comics you ordered away for you.  So I came in excited to get, with my weekly order, Howard the Duck #1.

When I was given my stack, I saw no Howard and the following conversation ensued.

 

Me:  "Is Howard out yet?" 

Joe:  Yes, but I'm not selling it.
Me:  Huh?  What's up?
Joe:  I've made an agreement with all the comic stores in Queens.  This is a popular comic and we deserve more money.  We're holding onto all the Howard the Duck copies for three months and then we're going to sell it for $1.  (That's four times the cover price of 25 cents.)
Me:  You know that's illegal.  That's called "restraint of trade".
Joe (laughing):  Take us to court.
Me:  I've been a steady customer for years and even done favours for you.  Sell me the damn comic.
Joe (he really said this):  This isn't The Godfather, I don't "owe" you a favour.  I don't want to owe you a favor.

I bought my comics and left.  The very next Tuesday I went to pick up my daily newspaper at the local candy store.  Right above the newspapers the new comics were on display and there was Howard the Duck for 25 cents.  I bought it.

 

I no longer wanted to deal with Joe, but I felt I needed to go in that week and get the comics I'd ordered.  (I wouldn't feel that way today.)  When I picked up my comics the next week, I told Joe not to order any more for me, that I would come by and select them.  This really wasn't true, I had no intention of returning to his store.  Joe saw an opening - he thought I was giving up collecting.  He knew what comics I had.

Joe:  Giving up buying?  Let me buy your collection.  (He became rather insistent, but I left.)

For the next 6 months I bought my comics at a store near where I worked in Manhattan.  By the end of the year I had given up buying comics.  About three years later, I passed by Joe's store and went in to see if any new hardcovers had come out (Graphic Novels, EC reprints, Flash Gordon, that sort of thing).  When Joe saw me he quickly, without a word, went to the back of the store, just to let me know he was ignoring me.  About six months later I went in and the same thing happened.  Soon, I moved out of the neighbourhood.

25 Years Later...

As I mentioned in an earlier post, having picked up the Overstreet guide, I now had an idea of how much my comics were worth.  About 2002 I was in line at a locksmith in my old neighbourhood when I saw that the person behind me was Joe!

Me:  Hey Joe! Remember me, I used to buy comics at your store.
Joe:  Of course I remember you!  Most collectors cut down on their buying and then sell me their collections. You just stopped buying one day.
Me:  Well, I stopped collecting.
Joe:  Do you still have your comics?  Did you ever sell them?
Me:  No, I still have them.
Joe (with a straight face now - he knew what I had):  Well, you know that people don't buy old comics now.  That stopped years ago.  They only buy new comics today.
Me:  Only new ones?  Nothing for the old ones?

Joe:  Nothing.  Hey, for old times' sake, sight unseen, I'll buy your entire collection for $1,000! Sight unseen!  (He knew I had Fantastic Four #1, Amazing Fantasy #15 and so on.)

Me:  I can't believe that people only by new comics.
Joe:  Yeah, the time of collectors wanting old stuff has long passed.  They only want the new.  You're one of the few keeping their old comics, everyone else has gotten rid of them.
Me:  Well, I liked them.  And still do.
Joe:  Let me know before I change my mind!  (He gave me his card.)

How low can you go?  Today, I wish I'd led him on, but I was so surprised I just got my key made and went on with my life. I presume that Joe crawled back under his rock.

 

 

Posted in: Cartoons