Seriously frustrated with the elitism over back issue collecting

I've been trying to complete my run of a specific series from the 90s, and every time I ask for advice in groups, I get mocked for not knowing every single variant cover. Dude, I just want to read the stories, not flex about how much I spent on a hologram cover. It feels like some fans care more about clout than actually enjoying the medium. This kinda attitude is why new collectors get scared off. Just had to rant about it.

7 comments

7 Comments

tyler_clark1mo ago

'Age of Apocalypse' collecting faced identical variant cover elitism.

kim8191mo ago

Variant covers: the true villain of the Age of Apocalypse.

juliamorgan1mo ago

Honestly, @tyler_clark nailed it with the Age of Apocalypse example. Tbh, that variant cover snobbery totally warps what collecting should be about. Ngl, it just pushes away fans who are here for the actual comics.

ellis.uma1mo ago

Totally felt that pressure when hunting down old X-Factor issues lol. Started just grabbing the cheapest readable copies I could find, even if they were missing a foil stamp or whatever. The story was still the same, and my wallet wasn't screaming. Eventually found a couple chill local collectors who traded based on what you actually liked, not just guide value.

tessab481mo ago

Without variant knowledge, you're just a reader, not a collector.

-1

lily_barnes1mo ago

Ugh, that kind of gatekeeping is so frustrating, lmao. I've definitely been sidelined at conventions for not knowing every single ratio variant for an event. Like, my favorite X-Men run is worth more to me in nostalgia than any price guide could ever say. It sucks when people act like that's not valid collecting.

mason.holly1mo ago

Yeah, Julia's point about that snobbery warping what collecting should be about really hits home. I watched it happen with the whole 90s chromium cover craze, where suddenly a book's value was only about the shiny gimmick, not the story inside. It creates this weird gatekeeping where your enjoyment gets graded on a checklist you didn't even agree to. That pressure absolutely sucks the fun right out of just loving the characters and the art.