This week Chris tells Walt all about this cool app Chris uses to help him in his comic book collecting, Walt seems a little lost at first but he comes around after hearing the benefits of these apps.
Please let us know what you thought of today’s show. Just leave a comment in the comments field provided; all we ask it that you keep things civil.
Do you use an app to manage your collection?
I use a similar app called ComicBookRealm, it’s a flat $22 fee forever. It lacks raw vs. slabbed values, but it’s organisation abilities are amazing, it’s values are not updated every day – so it misses that ‘stock trading’ CPG/CLZ thing – but honestly – I prefer monthly graphs. it has ‘reports’ for what Walt wants, value increases per book for example.
These apps are amazing at helping research and curating your collection and Walt’s point regarding education – I can easily discover that Neal Adam’s did 3 Flash issues with Green Lantern mini stories after his historic GL run with O’Neil…within seconds they are added to my want list!
I’ve also used an excel spreadsheet of my entire collection (it’s not that big!) for a few years, ever since I started importing books en masse from the great North – that way I can record what I’ve bought and where it’s located (I use a freight forwarder to collate my packages). My excel is also great for recording things like: Mylar bagged, interleaving boarded, condition issues and also what cleaning/pressing I’ve done to a particular book. Purchase source and price too – great for identifying trustworthy sellers.
I’m obviously on one side of the spectrum, there isn’t a single book I own that I don’t have extensive data on and the collection is very precise – but that’s just a reflection of my mind, it’s not to say it’s for everyone…
Now enough of science, lets move onto ART!!!
You all need to go and have a look at the cover of Avengers #45, recommended to me by Mel Taylor – what a gorgeous green cover by Big John Buscema & Vince Ciolletta…Walt, go grab a copy from the store and throw it up in next weeks sales review!
Spider! I tried using the ComicBookRealm app a while ago. I found it a little clunky. However this was years ago and I’m sure it has improved since. I was attracted to the CLZ app because of the ease of use. There is a built in scanner that allows you to quickly scan and enter your books. And you can input as much or as little data as you want.
As far as what Walt wants in reports, I’m not sure any app can satisfy that kind of craving.
Excel spreadsheet!!! Oh you have lots of patience…. I tried that years ago. Couldn’t do it. Went back to my paper lists in the wallet after that debacle. Good for you. I think Walt may have some comics for you to start cataloging if you have some time…
Cool Chris, I think a lot of these things are really dependent on the size of your collection, patience and if you actually enjoy the process. Someone that has 15,000 books unsorted is always going to put it off another day, the task is huge, someone with a few thousand curated books, no problem!
I’m a data driven guy in my occupation and it just seeps through into my collecting. Preservation, presentation and quality are important aspects to me – so a spreadsheet is vital. But my way isn’t for everyone.
Hey, can I call out…where the heck is Bud Plant?
Can we do a check in on him please…great guy, great comments, really added to the community. Walt, send it out on the OCGTC community – checking in on the Budmeister!!!
Spider! Bud is doing well, drops me an email now and then
I think he was having issues with the new log in to comment configuration
I’ll see if I can poke and prod him into getting it done
Walt, look, I love a good echo chamber as much as the next highly-privileged, rich, middle aged white guy (that’s self-depreciation humor folks)…the comments section seems to be mostly me…now, don’t get me wrong…I’m pretty damn wonderful, humorous and insightful…but perhaps….stick with me here…the comments log-on may have been an erroneous piece of dev if we’ve lost the guys with actual wisdom & experience: Eddy, Taylor & Plant (sounds like a law firm!).
But hey, maybe not: “ComicCulture with Walt, Chris & Spider’s scribblings” has a nice ring to it????
It does sound like a law firm. They would have to be better than Dewey, Cheetem and Howe. Or would they?
I wrote this in 2017 but the app has had some great improvements since then, along with the change to a subscription model.
https://www.comicbookdaily.com/collecting-community/bound-together/review-clz-comics/