The Comic Book Fair was held in Debrecen for the fifth time, this time at a new location, in the gymnasium of the Csokonai Vitéz Mihály High School, after the event outgrew its former home, the large hall of the DEMKI Youth Center on Simonffy Street.
A change was also the fact that instead of the previous free admission, a symbolic ticket price of HUF 200 was established, for which, according to prior information, everyone received a key ring, and the receipt issued there could be purchased at the counter of the organizer, Grandmother’s Attic.
When I arrived, several billboards on the fence of the institution immediately stood out, so it was impossible to miss the location – for this, the organizers are to be commended. Twenty minutes after the opening, there were already many people at the exhibition stands. This also shows that this event has a right to be held.
Scanning the stands, I found that the collectors pursue this genre with a real passion, since in most places the comic magazines were very precisely sorted according to season and vintage, and they were also carefully foiled to preserve their texture. There was also a counter where the principle of bundling was very well applied: they also offered dossiers for comic books.
From Toldi to Naruto
Being a layman, when I heard the word comic before, I immediately thought it was DC or Marvel since dozens of film adaptations of many characters from the two franchises (Batman, Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, Venom, etc.) have already been made. But this world is much more complex and interesting than I thought. I also had a helper in this, in the person of one of my dear friends, József Csirke, who, by his own admission, is not a fanatical collector, but nevertheless keeps a few copies of the Star Wars series. I learned from him that comics can’t be made only about superheroes, demonstrating this by holding up a hardcover edition of Toldi. But I was even more surprised to see the volume about the painter Kosztka Tivadar Csontváry. I also took a look at a Marvel edition with an interesting concept, set in 1602, which required a lot of imagination and imagination from the author, Neil Gaiman.
The series of specials was expanded by a manga publication called Naruto, which is the Japanese equivalent of comics, and I was surprised that the book was not structured in the traditional way. I quickly got the answer: they read from right to left, so these publications have to be browsed differently.
Funko -Pop Madness
In addition to the comics, there were also some real specialties here, for example, I had never heard of the Funko Pop figures, which immortalize the most diverse celebrities as well as comic book and movie characters (Pikachu, Lewis Hamilton, Michael Jordan, Luke Skywalker, etc.) in miniature form. The most prominent features are the large head and the two black button eyes. It is based on a Japanese style called “chibi”, which means short and cute, which is what these figures really are at first sight. By the way, the seller told me that the whole Funko-Pop craze started with him acquiring the members of his favorite band, Green Day, and then, as he put it: “I started going downhill and there was no stopping!” – and got the different figures one by one, which really look good in their packaging. He also added that he couldn’t imagine what could be so good about all of this before, but then he got the answer.
Apart from him, I tried to question several exhibitors, but most of them couldn’t really tell me the reason, the reason for the collections. “It just happened,” they answered.
A private collection of a thousand pieces
At one table, not only superhero comics were offered for sale, but also Kockás and Bobo magazines from my childhood. I caught my eye on a Pif comic booklet that I love, and after we had successfully agreed, we had a pleasant conversation with Miklós Szabó, who works as a civilian beekeeper and comes from Szolnok.
Nála Pókember was the main driving force in the 2000s, and after fortunately acquiring a private collection of a thousand pieces in the capital, he began to deal more seriously with the whole thing. He also revealed that he has about the same collection of pieces at home that he refuses to part with.
He answered my question about the pricing, he has experienced over the years what there is more interest in, which he takes into account when setting the price, but of course, you can ask for more for the rarer pieces.
The most determined collectors were those who did not spare tens of thousands of forints in order to own a rare relic. The 3D-printed utilitarian or decorative objects were also at a similar price point, but those who wanted to leave with a smaller souvenir had the opportunity to buy wooden key holders made with pyrography, or at the end of the line, on several tables, you could choose from a large number of special and limited Lego figures.
The 5th Debrecen Comic Book Fair had a somewhat market-like atmosphere, as it was easy to reach a negotiable position with most sellers, so the success of each transaction depended practically only on the dirty material. Based on on-site experience, in most cases, the parties found a common denominator. If everything goes well, the event will be revived in the fall.
Translated from László Faragó’s article from the Debreceni Nap.
