Hi, guys
Newbie to this thread. But longtime comics reader.

Re: comic shops
Mind Shop - yeah, the limited opening hour sucks but they're quite reliable if you're a member. 10% discount for members. Loads of back issues too.

Comixtra - auntie folded the business and sold her back issues to another guy who apparently opened his shop in PJ. The office/commercial block next to Toyota in Sec 14. Haven't been there myself. Not sure if it's still open.

Dream Hutt/Earth - I believe the former used to be owned by two guys but they parted ways and one of them founded Earth with his cousin. Shop is kinda small but back issues are aplenty. Haven't been there for quite a while, though. But I hear that they do not offer discounts, although I understand that some "privileged" ones get discounted prices. At different rates. Anybody care to confirm this?

Comics Corner - they've outlets in Subang, Bangsar (used to be in BSC, now Bangsar Village), D'sara Jaya (more like a tournament centre, not sure if it's still operational), Mont' Kiara, Yow Chuan (not sure if it's still in business). However, no more memberships. Comics sold at normal price, no more discounts.

Comics Mart - been there only a few times. Not sure about membership. I think you guys are right. Cater to TPB readers.

Diamond something something - in Sg. Wang. Still operational? Not sure. Quite pricey, IIRC.

Kinokuniya/Borders - TPB haven. 'Nuff said.

Well, considering that one half of Earth is owned by the guy who's been writing his comics review column for The Star every forthnight... He's been in the business for quite a while so obviously he's got quite a collection. Furthermore, I hear he's got contacts/relatives (?) in the States who could also source for back-issues/hot items for him.

Anyway, I used to buy a whole lot of comics. And by a lot, I mean, like I used to get 20 to 30 issues a week. Been a fan since the early 90s, though I missed out on the Image boom and bust era. Managed to get some of them later on.

But lately, I've been scaling down. Apart from Blackest Night (the main mini-series), I do not purchase most other stuff nowadays. Marvel's Dark Reign hasn't impressed me so far. I like Busiek's Thunderbolts better (and Ellis' run was awesome too). Besides, it feels like a "been there, done that" to me since the so called House of Ideas had an event called Acts of Vengeance a decade or two back.

I'm trying out Superman: Secret Origin, Ultimate Comics Avengers... but I guess I'll trade wait for the remaining of the issues.

So yeah, I do have quite a huge collection and who knows, I might want to get rid of some of them in the future and just get the trades since everything gets traded nowadays.

Most comic shops would be able to reorder back issues for you, provided that they're still available from Diamond and usually if it's still in stock, they system's quite dependable, meaning you'll get your issues two weeks or so from the time you place a reorder.

Otherwise, they would have to backorder from the publishers themselves via Diamond. This does not guarantee that you'll get the issues, though. However, backorders remain in Diamond's system for six weeks. If an issue is unavailable from the publisher, you'll have to find other alternatives, such as ordering from online comic book shops, usually based in the US and you'd have to pay for shipping and what-not, although sometimes they do offer discounts and bargains (normally for older issues, not the recent ones, especially the hot items which sometimes could go up in price even).

The safest bet is to "wait for the trade" these days as most comics are collected into hardovers and paperbacks nowadays. However, you'd have to wait till the entire arc's over, though. Marvel is more consistent with their collections, though they tend to push hardcovers first, usually a month or two after a particular arc or miniseries ends. Then six months or so down the road they'll repackage them into paperbacks. As for DC, they're kinda slow in this department, though with Blackest Night, I think they're at least collecting the GL and GLC issues faster than their normal practice.

Again, as I said, hardcovers and especially trade paperbacks take a while longer to be collected and printed so unless you're the patient type, then by all means "trade wait" is the way to go.

Otherwise, I'd suggest that you pre-order the ones that you want two months in advance when Diamond Previews catalogue is made available at the end of every month. This has to be done within the preorder period. Best to check with the respective shops on this time frame. Most comic shops are reliable and you'll at least be guaranteed of a copy when the particular issues hits stores later.

Hope I could be of assistance.

Have fun collecting!

Comic shops will have them. You can either browse at the counter or purchase one yourself. I think it's less than RM20. Alternatively, it's also available online. Here's the entire solicits for November 09: http://hovistocose.it/prev099.txt

Best to check with your friendly neighbourhood comic shop owners on reorders. They'd be the best persons to provide you with an accurate information about the availability of the issues that you're looking for.

Also, as far as I know, Marvel, DC and a few other publishers are already implementing the FOC (i.e. Final Order Cut-off) system so theoretically, we could place an order for an upcoming issue as close as 3 weeks (or is it 2?) before it ships to stores. HOWEVER, our local comic shop owners might not have such a system in place so again, I think it's best to check with them so that you do not miss out on the comics that you're interested in. Capish?

Like I said, best to check with your comic shop retailers. I'm unsure if they've such a system in place. As far as I know, the latest that you'd have to place an order is 2 weeks AFTER Previews, not two weeks or three BEFORE an issue ships.

I understand where you guys come from. Sometimes, when we order way in advance, we might not be able to know for sure if a particular storyline would appeal to us, especially if it's a new title or a mini-series or even a new creative team coming on board. That's why some of us trade wait these days. Or we get them when the particular issue hits. However, this doesn't mean that when an issue is available, there would be extra copies on the shelves for customers, even members as I know for a fact that most comic shops are scaling back, cutting down on their orders and most often times just order enough for members, leaving none for walk-in customers.

Of course you could argue that we could download nowadays but let's not go there now. It is, after all, illegal to do so.

In a nutshell, talk to your comic shop retailers, find out what's the best model that they can offer, decide on which ones you're comfortable with, most importantly, continue to spread the love. The comic book industry, like a lot of businesses out there, is a dying form, especially when things go digital, online and all that but a fan/collector gotta do what a fan/collector must. Most of us would still read comics in one form or another, be it in the monthly single issues, hardcovers/trade paperbacks or digital/motion comics (fyi, Marvel has an online system called Marvel Comics Digital Unlimited whereby you'd have to pay an annual subcription fee to read a whole wide collection of backissues, current issues as well as web-exclusive ones).

Blackest Night all the way! Just read issue #3. One word: "Wow!"

Yeah, HCs and TPBs are more cost-effective and more value for money in the long run. But I still need to get some titles on a monthly basis to get my fix.

Guys, do you know that Red Hulk's gonna be an Avenger soon?!





For the full story:
http://www.comicvine.com/news/off-my-mind-...vengers/141987/

and http://www.comicvine.com/myvine/ironspidy_...it-is/87-55275/ (scroll down a bit and check out the Dark Avengers fan art feat. Red Hulk as well!)

Cheers!

P/S - Anybody looking for MU Red Hulk? I have an extra carded that I wanna let go.

Hi, guys. Has any of you ordered from Book Depository? I know it's free delivery worldwide but just how efficient and reliable is it? Especially if it involves shipping to M'sia?

THat means they send via ship?

How's the package? Books in good condition?

Any type of genres can go through custom then?

Hey, guys. Do you know how does the free shipping offered by thebookdepository work? Is it really free? What kind of shipping options do we have? Anything else to take note of when it comes to ordering from this website? Other than the late delivery (2 weeks to a month or longer)...

Thanks in advance.

Thanks, sheva78. You're right. Prices on both sites are different. But how come a book of the same title costs differently on the same website? The price difference can be as much as $15 to $20. Is it because one is a rejected and/or damaged copy?

By the way, will orders incur any customs tax over here?

This post has been edited by lowyatben: May 6 2011, 06:04 PM