Top 10 Reasons Why Collecting Batman SUCKS! 

I don’t go for the comic books but I read in collected editions. I have the same feeling just reading Batman. It’s enormous. All the reading I’ve done feels like a drop in the Atlantic.

Batman has a really high percentage of good stories. I've loved Superman and Batman since I was about 3, and I'm in my 50s now, but I think there are way more really good Batman stories than Superman stories. I collect stories, not issues, so don't mind if I own them in reprint format. I don't need to own them all, I just want to read all of 'em.

I’m happy to have what I have. But totally understand & agree with your points

In the late 70's Batman Family was selling quite well but Detective Comics was loosing money every month. They almost cancelled Detective Comics but in the end they combined the two titles for about a year and then fazed out the Batman Family part. I enjoyed those old Batman Family stories.

I get collected editions cuz I’m collecting to read the books, not for the value or appeal of the collection. This list only really pertains to people who collect issue by issue. If your looking for an easier way to collect, move to collect editions. Also don’t torture yourself thinking you have to read every issue under the sun from a certain era. Find the key story’s and then squeeze certain runs in between. I’m in the process of collecting stories from the modern era all the way to rebirth that’s not too insanely extensive but is also comprehensive.

"I've been collecting Batman for TEN years" "That's adorable" -Me at age 53 who's been collecting Batman since he was FIVE

I collect only what i like of batman.Its freedom of choice.I dont need every batman comic or every batman figure or batman statue.If im out and about and if i run into some batman items i can aford,then ill pick it up.I dont need everything.I say, life is short,so just enjoy what you can find and dont let batman stress you out.I dont let collecting stress me out.✌😀

Glad I grew up collecting in the 80's and a lot of the majors were just pure easy to get. I still have them and I appreciate them every day.

With books like DC27 I am fine with a nice reprint. Honestly I am fine with getting nice reprints for most books that get pretty pricey. Facsimile editions aren’t bad.

Starts collecting Deadpool. 1 month later- "what am I doing with these new mutants comics?"

This goes SOOOOO far beyond just Batman. I tried to get back into collecting new books about 5 years ago, as I was a big X-Men collector in the 90's. Man... all of the limited series with the SAME names as previous limited series, all of the new peripheral series like you describe with Batman/Robin/Detective Comics, etc. It was just so overwhelming, I gave up. Now I just collect silver age books. SOOOO much simpler and straightforward.

I only collect what I like and what I can afford, obviously I'm never gonna obtain Detective Comics #27 or any other golden age Batman comics when I can simply satisfy my collection with a nice reprint edition and I'm quite happy with my run of 80's Batman as that was my favorite era.

I narrowed down to Batman (1940) and Detective Comics (1937). Without spending atrocious amounts of money o think I have a pretty solid collection. Not too many golden age issues, but enough to keep me happy, and of course I'm always looking for more. Plenty of first appearances. And the hunt is a giant part of the fun for me!

The old age saying applies here "the richest person is the one who is happy with what they have!". You've got an amazing collection man, be happy.

Hilarious I would tell anybody getting into any collecting start slow dont get discouraged and collect what you like

i'm only collecting Batman 300-500 and detective comics 400-600

I've had these same conversations. Having to settle for 1st Silver Age appearance for most of the Rogue's gallery is a bit of a bummer. Batman is also a gateway drug into buying Golden Age, which are some scary waters! Great video Subbed. Karate Kev put me onto you. I have a channel as well.

I hate to say it, but you had to have "been there" to really make headway. I started "collecting" in 1984, but I had been buying Batman books since the 70's. As a result I own every Batman/Detective Comics from 1964 to present day (I had to pick a start point and the "new look" seemed like the best place). The real challenge is focus, as a result I don't own many Brave and the Bold, Justice League or World's Finest. I'm still going back and picking up harder to find, more expensive golden age books but prices have sky-rocketed in the last 10-15 years, especially since slabbing became popular. I know I'll probably never own a Batman #1 or Tec' #27, but I don't mind as I own many reprints of them. I'm more interested in reading the stories than slabbing them.

Great video! I too am a Batman collector and I couldn’t agree more. This bubble in the market isn’t helping at all plus the fact a lot of people think all comics are worth at least $100 😂.

Millionaire playboy vs teenager photographer

I got into comics with Batman, started from the Grant Morrison run (omnibus edition) a year and half ago and i’m now in the rebirth era. I have every single new 52 title in cronological order and that was so hard to understand in the beginning, it took me like 6 months to find a proper reading order. Luckily i collect everything in English, in my country (Italy) i just couldn’t find anything before Rebirth and i think that’s insane. But man collecting comics in general it’s just so hard!

I've been collecting for nearly 3 Years now and I agree with all these points. Great Vid man!

I've been collecting Batman for 5 decades. Timing helps. I didn't set out to own every comic or toy but do own Grails, including a tec27 & bat1 (×2). I agree, it's a challenge to display a ton of keys but I just displayed 243.

This is why I do my best to limit my collecting to a few characters... But, when I buy in bulk I end up with other characters. Then I'm like "Well I guess I could collect that title too".

First Spider-Man came out in 62 in Amazing Fantasy 15.

I just stick to comics that came out in my lifetime. It keeps me from going crazy, gives them more sentimental value, and fortunately since I was born in 85, it covers most of the best events.

Could you maybe give a returning batman reader some advice? I read some batman over the years, but mostly the graphic novels here and there and never so consistent. But I really wanna get back into it. The new court of owls omnibus looks great and so does the one after that. (Eternal or something i think?). But idk if i should start there? Ive read killing joke, hush, under the red hood, dark victory and long halloween, all of war games, man who laughs and TDKR. But i really wanted to read knightfall too cause of the fanous bane story but damn theres three omnibus’s of that! Like what? And than theres a batman and robin omni bus and the grant morrison ones and idek where to start and i feel lost. Any help? It seems easier to stick to omnibuses since they compile everything but i wanna be able to understand what im reading if i need adequate backstory cause ive heard theres a lot going on in between the court of owls omnibus and the new eternal one

Great video and your are 100% spot on! My daughter found my Batman comics from the 80's & 90's and she wanted to start collecting them. Well, we have bounced around different Batman at first but now we are focused on how many graded Vol 1's we can get. It does suck knowing there is a big portion of the set we will never get but it's still fun and we get to do it together which is the best thing about it.

Used to collect Turok

A different kind of problem that frustrates me is comics with multiple variant issues. This sort of turned me off to Venom comics(a character I love). Variants accomplish 2 things...They make it all the more difficult and expensive to ever have a truly complete collection. And they confuse new collectors on what it is they’re buying and what it’s fmv should be. I really hate them!

Yeah, I once considered trying to collect JUST the Adams/O'Neal era, but…just too expensive for my level of commitment to single issues. Finally decided I could "get by" with the beautiful HC collections of that stuff.

I feel this, which is why I decided I am only going to religiously collect certain runs of Batman outside of some keys I may get lucky on. Currently working on getting all the 400s since it is one of my favorite periods of Batman. My favorite Batman pick up though has been that I bought a copy of that Scarecrow's first Silver Age App sometime last November for like $100. I decided to send it to CGC because it was pretty mint looking outside of the fact it had been owned by a soldier so he wrote his name and address on the cover in-between the bird and Scarecrow's hand that's holding the cape in pen because they were forced to do that. and at some point to hide the address he put paint or ink over the address. Leave it to the military to almost ruin such a beautiful copy of this book. Well, it's like 6 months later and CGC still hasn't sent it back to me for one reason or another but I'm excited to see what I get since this is probably the closest I'm getting to a nice Silver Age key of a Batman issue for a long while with how everything has shot up. I'm seeing graded 4.5 copies of this book now selling for like $500 so I must have gotten lucky getting this for only $100 when I did. I absolutely hate what the speculators have done to the prices of some of these books, especially back issues that were only fun readers until now that their very minor appearances have been dug up as the next grail for an unannounced movie or show.

As a Batman fan who's been collecting since 1973 I can certainly say that I've had my ups and downs where Batman is concerned.

That is why I don’t really collect older comics, the most I’ve spent on a comic was $65 and it is already graded, I buy cowls, movies, actual books and newer comics but I can’t spend too much money on anything, luckily my dad collected stuff from 70s, 80s, and the 90s, because he was some good stuff that is worth like $500 on eBay which I stupid for something that he bought for 25 cents

I decided to torture myself too and am working on building full runs of Batman and Detective from the beginning of the silver age (Martian Manhunter and Ace). It's been quite the undertaking!

This is so true 😂 I've collected Batman main title from Year One to Knightfall, but now I have some random 'tec comics from this era due to crossovers... so that'll be my 2nd big run 😂

I've been collecting Batman since I was 10 years old. I've never missed a month of the main title. Im 43. Thats 33 years. And starting in the late 80s had its advantages but a lot of this is true. I have most all of tge family titles and Batman side books (same could be said about the X-titles and I have most of all the main books of them too) and while I'm okay knowing I'll never get the complete main title run...its the displaying that gets me the most. I do think after I buy a run or a key or a gorgeous cover that its just going into a long box and probably won't be seen again.

I snagged Batman 423 in very nice condition at a pawn shop a few years ago. For $1. I'll never get that lucky with Batman again.

Drives me crazy when I go to buy a Batman 394 and fair market value has that book at 5 or 6 bucks and everyone wants 10 dollars or 15 dollars for it cause it’s “Batman”

I've been collecting ONLY Batman Rebirth era and it's been two years. When are we talking?! 1:23

I would take your number 5 a step further and say speculators are ruining comics in general. And I agree with your statement that they buy up all the copies they can find and then start spec'ing to drive the prices up so they can sell for profit. They don't care about the comics. They don't care about the characters or the stories or the art. They only care a out how much money they can make. And it makes it more difficult for those of us who collect and don't flip to get ahold of some of these keys. Now it's most often based off of what's the next MCU movie coming out. Sad.

I love collecting Batman …. But then decided to only collect from Bronze Age Batman so I started with issue 200 and going up … much more attainable

Interesting video. Admit it, haven't you had a whole lot of fun? That's really what it's all about. Honestly feel I'll never grab onto an FF 48, with all of the endless movie speculation. The FF spec started pre-covid and the movie just got bumped to 2025. Gahh!! I see what you mean.,,, Why the Black Panther shirt on your Batman video?

I know that this posted three years ago. I collect Batman, but I focus only on Neal Adams books, 1st appearances, and Joker covers. I don't buy modern age books and their variants.

I tried to get back into reading comics when The New 52 started. I decided I was going to read Batman and related titles, Superman and related titles, and Justice League. In all I was buying 12 titles a month. With the Court of Owls, they were extending that into All Star Western which I wasn't buying. The same with Superboy. They were extending his storylines into Teen Titans, which I wasn't buying. At that point I decided I was done. I now subscribe to DC Infinite Universe.

Batman was my gateway drug in 1989 when the movie came out. I tried to focus on Brave and the Bold but those keys quickly got beyond my reach (a lower grade 34 was my best). I love the Bat, but it makes me sad to think I'll never own any of his top books. I've switch to Usagi Yojimbo and even that I realize Albedo 2 will likely never happen for me. Sigh. Maybe I should just collect Deadpool...

Agree with all these...my uncle had the Guinness world record for 2013-2016 and he just gave up and sold it...I am a super Batman fan and if I see it and like it I get it...

Yeah all true but not exclusive to Batman at all. Main thing is realizing you’ll never have it all and it’s never going to stop. Just get what you genuinely like enjoy want and of course can afford. If you can find a smaller niche within which you can be completist in and it’s satisfying, great. That’s enough. Im content knowing I can never own an actual Det #27. Logistically fir many reasons it’s not possible and that’s ok. Hell, it’s be hard even if money wasn’t the issue. I have what I consider to be a pretty enviable collection, but with something as vast as Batman there’s no such thing as having a “complete” one. The biggest hurdle is easily space. Probably even more so than $. I’ve had no choice but to periodically cull and downsize and alter my collecting etc.

The question is not difficult. All a fan has to do is pick their favorite version of the character and begin. The end. It all depends on where one's interest lies. It can be exciting. It will never suck if ur really interested

So I own a copy of Batman #1 (First appearance of both Joker and Catwoman) CGC graded 3.0. Found it raw at a garage sale along with an Incredible Hulk #1 Graded 6.5. payed $50 for a box with a hundred comics, those two were the best. so it is possible to get your hands on the rare Batman books, with a little luck.

Speculation is killing all comics not just Batman... I'm at my LCS most Wednesdays within an hour or so of opening, I ask for such and such book and he doesn't even have them to put out in the shelf, all sold to pre-orders that they take online. Total BS!!! A brick and mortar store should hold back at least a handful of copies for its regular customers and not cater to someone in a different state who they're shipping it out to only to have it resold on eBay the day it arrives!

Hi I watched your videos today. I have been collecting Batman comics and memorabilia since 1964. I purchased all the Batman titles new from newsstands and then comic stores. I also purchased all the Batman back issues. I have my Batman 1-100 and Batman 101-200 collection as a registered set on CG and I show these old comics on my RU-vid channel.

I just collect DC, but i only collect what i know I will enjoy reading. Im not collecting because i think something is going to be worth alot. I see so many youtubers who make comic content and they never seem to read them and basically its something to set on a shelf and have bragging rights that they have a complete set or collection. Same goes for video games or action figures, i will say i have more batman than anything else in my collection. Batman has been my favorite character since i was a child, I dont own the the silver or gold or bronze because i really don't like older comics from that period, they arent bad but they arent for me. I read everything i own, at some point. But i have been buying certain ones lately, ones that are out of print and pretty cant find cheap. I wanted Batman Arkham Saga omnibus, i finally found one and a collector who doesn't read comics sold it to me for 400 dollars. I hate things like that, people who get into our hobbies just to make a buck. Yeah thats capitalism but i dont have to like. So long story short, dont let anyone tell you that you have to have this or that. Buy what you know youll enjoy reading, the artist made comics to enjoy and not for bragging reasons or just to set on a shelf.

A few years ago I went to a DC/Superman exhibition in the UK (where I'm from) I picked up amongst other things a Superman Tee-shirt depicting the cover of Superman #201 a comic I had owned before selling my whole collection, about 4,500 back in '84 when I was 27. I did start collecting again in '87 and endeavoured to get the ones I missed for the 3 years before. But buying that tee-shirt got me thinking about buying that issue again, which I did, and then I thought about buying Action as well as Batman and Detective back to the early 60's late 50's duplicating those 4 of many other collections that I had. I've managed to get Supes and Action back to 1961 through to the present day. But Batman as you've said is a different animal all together, I've managed to get back to #230 with Batman, including a couple of facsimiles, I'm sure you can guess which ones! Detective I've back to #401 to the present day, with two exceptions, again I expect you know which ones! I've now got to the stage of wondering why I started this again, as shortly I will be 65, and have no one to leave them to? But hey-ho, once a collector always a collector I suppose!! Sorry this was so long, just to tell you I completely agree with all your points! I do also have most of the Batman family titles as well as all the in between Batman titles, but I was buying them as they came out, so no hunted needed!

I collect the Newsstand Canadian Price Variants in the highest grades which is really rewarding and tough to find like heck

Stellar vid brother. This is why I switched to graphic novels 5 years ago. I discovered I just want to read great stories. But that’s just me. Fortunately for me, there’s no right or wrong way to collect.

I’m glad I started collecting Batman back in 1986. Starting now would suck if you want every title including keys. I’m satisfied with having Batman 103- to now and Detective Comics 310- up. My advice to new collectors is start with New 52, then maybe get some of the vintage keys.

Batman is the main thing I collect. Because of similar points that you stated I also collect Master of Kung Fu and Ghost Rider because collecting a full run of those is much more obtainable

Yup, it’s a long haul but stick with it. You’ll get there. Or you won’t, and that’s gotta be okay, too. I started collecting ASM thinking “maybe I’ll sell these one day to help fund my Batman collection”. Now I’m hooked on ASM. It’s a never ending obsession....but constant fun!

I just buy collected editions and random issues that I come across. I don't go for a "collection" per se just buy whatever I find. I just love Batman.

I’m a Deadpool collector and I always hop on a new book when a number 1 comes out but Deadpool only has like 2 expensive 🔑

This is why I collect graphic novels and omnibuses. Lol I'm not an elitist comic collector

As a kid in the 80s and 90s I made the wrong decision and chose to collect detective comics over Batman, I should have just collected Batman lol so much more keys in that run

Yes. Batman is hard to collect. I was born in 67. In the 70s, I had the RC Mego, the Janex talking alarm clock, a 45 that came with a Batman story that had a B side song called "Batman's Grandmother", something I can't even find on eBay, now. I had that metal blue battery operated Batmobile that is occasionally popping up on ebay for $700 - $1000. Yep, I've been a fan for my whole life, but really didn't have the collector's mindset and now, time and time again, I see reminders of what I should've kept for the notable increase in value. So, I find resolution in the thoughtline of Deep Purple. "It's not the kill. It's the thrill of the chase."

See, this is why I collect Captain Marvel/Shazam. Most I ever paid was $400 for issue 6.

I only collect silver age & golden age Batman & Detective comics.

You should do a video starting with batman 1, and then go through your collection showing your let’s say 50-100 earliest issues. Would be fun to watch

I like there is a lot of stuff. I don't have to have and read it all to pick something up at the shop, take it home and enjoy it. If I really am itching to read one of those old crusty books I'll look online, no biggie.

Why everything has to do with keys? Jesus! 🤦🏻‍♂️ I don’t see the point of that. Just buy, read and enjoy. That’s what I see since collecting comics.

Why would I want to collect something that is easy tho? You can never run out of Batman and related books

This was really good Totally light hearted negative but good information and very true

Remove the background music, only your voice is enough, I can't hear you!

what are your thoughts on foil covers, reprints, and "remastered" edition covers?

Just collect Aquaman like a Chad

Fascimiles aren’t too bad. It’s not the same but you get the cover for cheaper

feeling pretty good as a punisher collector rn

Do you have a video touring all the comics you own?

I've been following your channel for a few months and this video popped up. I've been collecting comics for 32 years. My first comic was a newsstand copy of Batman 443. A few years ago, I decided to stop buying most new books and to focus on collecting Batman and Detective Comics down through the month I was born, March 1970. That means collecting Batman to 220 and Detective to 397. I only need about seven Detective Books and 10 Batman books, but oh boy, they are expensive issues.

The comparison between Amazing Spider-Man and Batman is spot on

I spent $200 trying to get the complete KnightFall 25th anniversary set just because prodigal and troika (the final two parts) are insanely rare and expensive online. The first seven parts are still easy to find

When he said minors i thought he meant children instead of minor keys haha

This is why I stick to collected editions for DC and only collect single issues of Spider-Man lol

Batman can NEVER be overrated, PERIOD!

Sometimes I wonder (when I was a kid) what if I didn’t let sticker shock stop me and saved thousands of dollars for Batman keys when they were still obtainable 🤔

OMGoodness it is a gateway drug. lol

I got Batman’s first appearance at comic con

At least there are reprints I'm good with a reprint of 1st Batman

Never looked at it that way. I completely agree, great episode.👍

I'll be the detractor. I don't think it sucks. I think that the perspective here is flawed. The 10 issues can be boiled down to just a few. Mainly, it is difficult to collect all the comics, because of the eras, rarity, value, and the size of the library. Thing is, no one has to collect it all. It isn't the core point of collecting. Collecting is the journey, not the destination. I think this comes down to a philosophical difference of age. You've been collecting for 10 years, which is a long time for a hobby, but there are people who have been collecting for 30 years and don't have it all, and are fine with that. Comics are not erroneously overvalued, it's a market. If no one buys at a price, the price goes down. If everyone buys at a price, price goes up. Yes there is competition, Batman is the most popular comic book character of all time. It's difficult to get it all, but there is also lots to get and more that comes out. As far as trying to get every appearance, you are looking at just under 10,000 comics with every appearance, which would fit in half a bedroom sized wall of short boxes. Nothing wrong with Huntress, and Tim Drake is the best Robin. The key to the age thing though is trying to see a conclusion, a finish line. Collecting, as long you are having fun, have the means, and want to, should never end. You may never get a Detective 27, but a car collector mayor never get a Lamborghini but can still collect cars. Just get what you like, get what you can afford (never go over 10% of your budget a month), and have fun. If you are doing this hobby and not having fun or are stressed, you aren't doing it right. Yes, you probably won't ever have every single issue, and if you go play golf you probably aren't going to play as good as Tiger Woods, but it doesn't mean you can't have fun. As far as getting key issues, older books, the difficult things, it wouldn't feels as satisfying if they were all cheap and easy. If it was easy to get Batman 251, it wouldn't be Batman 251, it would be Batman 456. Never feel like you HAVE to collect anything, HAVE to get it all. Just get what you want and have fun. Stop looking for the finish line and just enjoy the run. -Brad Ladner

I started out collecting Batman in the late 1980s, but there were too many comics to collect, even back then, so I switched to Daredevil, which was much easier to collect. I could NEVER find Death in the family #1. I could find #2, 3, qnd 4. So I know why he put Death in the Family on his desk. I looked all over for it when it first came out...couldn't find it. But the next month, Death in the Family #2 was everywhere. There were too many yearly holes in my Batman collection - like Death in the Family 1, so I simply stopped buying Batman and switched to Daredevil, which even the old comics were everywhere back then.

I started collecting batman when the patterson movie came out. Im working on 100 to new 52. I have everything from 182 to 713 except 241 242 313 386 423 610 and 635. It only took me about two years to get this far. My best batman key is 251. I also collect asm and have 1 thru 900 to current except fantasy 15 which came out in 1962.

So damn accurate…great (and depressing) video!

Part of the beauty of being a batman fan I'd knowing you can't do it but you still do it and you buy another comics because batman is the best

You can't collect them all so get the ones that interest you

Pretty much spot on lol. I love sick Grayson but I know his first appearance is way out of my price range. But I do have his first appearance as Nightwing which is my favorite version of the character. Constant renumbering/ relaunches are a pain too. Say you need Batman and Robin #5 and you get 8 different matches.

Some hunters just enjoy the thrill of large game.

Pls can you make a video on amalgam comics

Been collecting for two years and you hit the nail on the head! I almost think people feel obligated to collect Batman if they collect DC or comics at all, and that has caused all these issues. I collect Batman but it's a pain. I mean I couldn't get the variant for legends because after I pre-order for $30, they upcharged it to $200. But I also think you have to consider that's not just Batman, you're hitting a lot of points that are true for the issues with speculation buyers period

Well so I only have collected the batman title Vol 3 Vol 2 complete and Vol 1 I have a complete run from 160 to 713 am just going to keep collecting has high as I can go

I add another age between COIE and New 52 and that's Zero Hour. I collect mainly Joker Family appearances (although not all of them - I passed on all Suicide Squad runs from the New 52 on except Tom Taylor's run) but I have a F/VF Batman 251 and the Chronicle Books reproduction of Batman #1 from 2000, I had to sell my newsstand 1st Harley a few years ago. One of my many, many foci are 1st & Deaths of Joker adjacent characters...so the 1st Boffo (The Last of the Jokerz) is Batman Beyond v6 #37 (also the 1st Batwoman Beyond (in costume) so it's semi-expensive. Also the 1st Joker in Batman Damned #1 is expensive because of the 'Batawang'.