Question:
Comic Book stores have ruined the industry. However, there are
lots of ways to get good , valuable comics at way less than you would
pay at a comic store.
1) Auctions
2) Used Book stores
3) Local Buy/Sell
4) FLea Markets/Garage Sales
Answer:
-Comic stores haven't ruined the industry. IDIOTS who RUN comic stores have
ruined the industry, just the same way as they ruined the sports card
market before.
There are a lot of good comic stores out there that base their prices on
what they pay for a book, not what it arbitrarily lists for in some price
guide. Find those stores. Frequent those stores keep those stores in
business.
You don't have to pay too much. Like any other open market, shop around.
If you didn't have comic stores, you wouldn't have a lot of the great
self-published comics out there.
Do you really think a flea market dealer is going to get Cerebus or Bone
consistently?
-Although I agree that the 4 ideas offered are good alternatives to finding
cool comics at reasonable prices, Comic Book stores have not ruined the
industry! (I prefer to call it a hobby) The comic book makers have. With
massive story lines, overproduction, "premium comics" and generally being
out of touch with their own markets.
If you have paid too much at the stores you've been going to, find another
store. There are as many fair dealers as there are greedy ones. There are
also hundreds of mail order comic businesses that offer huge discounts on
both regular and "alternate versions" of comics.
