Comics or Alibaba?

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Alibaba is the world's biggest IPO, and looks like it will open around $90/share.

 

As an investment, would you rather have 100 shares of Alibaba or,say, a lower grade Amazing Fantasy 15?

I take Disney stock long-term over them. Disney has been very good to me!

 

+1

 

I'm at +168% return on my Disney stock. That plus the dividend.

I love trading stock. But I only go for long term investment. Always look at dividend. Stocks with no dividend is a no go for me. (Of course look at other stuff too)

Just bought some SEAS stock. The massive drop is a dream for long term investment. Dividend over 4% and the stock will adjust upwards in a couple of months. (I could be wrong, but that's the risk. Even if I think minimum risk on this one.)

With Disney owning Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and ESPN the future looks good. (thumbs u

I'm sure bootlegs devalue the brand name.

How many would be skeptical of buying a Rolex from anyone except a dealer, and provenance shouldn't matter when buying a watch....

Alibaba did great out of the gate. Personally a Chinese company that is run in very secretive manner is a big worry for me. Eventually I think Wall Street with see that too.

Its going to do very well, but Disney is a much better attractive company for the price currently long term.

I'm sure bootlegs devalue the brand name.

 

How many would be skeptical of buying a Rolex from anyone except a dealer, and provenance shouldn't matter when buying a watch....

A Rolex or any other similar watch is a status symbol. Why anyone would want a fake status symbol is beyond me. It would be kool to have ten grand to blow on a watch, but I think its stupid to try and pass off a fake as anything but a fake.. Anyone who knows anything about Rolexes and their movements will spot a fake in a heartbeat.

I recently saw a house where the owner put up a fake brickfront ten feet on either side of the front, so as you drive down the road, the house appears to be twenty feet wider than it really is. I imagine that for the same money, he could have added a real room to the house. How insecure can you get.

Each and every day, I appreciate the time my parents took to instill in me the ability to recognize right from wrong and to do the right thing. I can only hope my kids learned their lessons too.

Myspace, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, seems every single app/website/ect is severely overvalued and plummets immediately after going public.

Myspace, Tumblr, and Instagram were never public companies. Twitter never fell below its IPO price, and was as high as 3X that amount. And while Facebook dipped a bit after its opening, it is now significantly more expensive than its IPO.

There are plenty of well established Chinese companies that have been profitable and paying dividends for years. You might hear about some "scam' stocks from time to time, but that's no different than the countless US companies that have gone bankrupt for whatever reasons. You've all got all those dot com busts with no revenue model; two companies in my area that aren't household names, Evergreen Solar went BK in 2011, A123 BK in 2012 after trading on the market for several years.

Look at the charts for this century and stocks like CEO and PTR completely destroy US oil king XOM. Over a 5 year chart BIDU and TCEHY both outperform GOOGL.

With BABA you are paying for potential, pure and simple, in the same way you would be going with an AMZN or TSLA. These companies if successful can scale very large, much more so than a DIS or an AF15.

I know you've had it in for me for who knows how long, I think because I criticized smutty comics, but to criticize my character over that just shows how petty you are. I was always up front about what I was selling, and I always offered a fair value for what people were getting. I educated them as well as I could along the way about bootlegs as well. Anyway, if you see anyone in a black Submariner at any car show anywhere in the nation, there's a decent chance it came from me. I like to pick up car mags and check the show coverage very carefully to see people's wrists.

 

Now, would you criticize someone's character for selling a slabbed bootleg TMNT #1?

If you check out that Spider-Woman cover thread, you'll notice that I was likewise criticizing that cover. That said, I also agree that selling bootlegs is unethical. So what's my ulterior motive here?

(BTW, I also think that selling a counterfeit TMNT, slabbed or otherwise, is also wrong.)

Alibaba did great out of the gate. Personally a Chinese company that is run in very secretive manner is a big worry for me. Eventually I think Wall Street with see that too.

 

Its going to do very well, but Disney is a much better attractive company for the price currently long term.

I know you've had it in for me for who knows how long, I think because I criticized smutty comics, but to criticize my character over that just shows how petty you are. I was always up front about what I was selling, and I always offered a fair value for what people were getting. I educated them as well as I could along the way about bootlegs as well.

 

This post neglects the financial hit companies and their employees take when bootleg versions of their products are sold. It also neglects the illegality of the importation of counterfeit products. Finally, it neglects the illegality of selling counterfeit products.

 

Congratulations for breaking the law and being proud of your character for doing so.

I didn't manufacture the watches, they were going to be imported and sold anyway. I didn't mislead anyone who bought from me. And I don't think I stole any seven thousand dollar Rolex customers with my fifty dollar bootlegs.

A manufacturer suffers when the availability of bootleg (illegally imported) and knock-off (counterfeit) products are sold to customers who would otherwise consider buying the legitimate products.

I know you've had it in for me for who knows how long, I think because I criticized smutty comics, but to criticize my character over that just shows how petty you are. I was always up front about what I was selling, and I always offered a fair value for what people were getting. I educated them as well as I could along the way about bootlegs as well.

 

This post neglects the financial hit companies and their employees take when bootleg versions of their products are sold. It also neglects the illegality of the importation of counterfeit products. Finally, it neglects the illegality of selling counterfeit products.

 

Congratulations for breaking the law and being proud of your character for doing so.

Like I said, take it on down to the Copper Age forum and say the same to everyone with a fake Cerebus.

 

I didn't manufacture the watches, they were going to be imported and sold anyway. I didn't mislead anyone who bought from me. And I don't think I stole any seven thousand dollar Rolex customers with my fifty dollar bootlegs.

You didn't manufacture the watches but you're selling them. Rolex has spent a lot of money developing their product and their reputation and selling counterfeits is illegal. If you'd spent your life developing, patenting, and producing a product you'd be pretty pruned if someone made copies and sold them.

Saying that other people sell fakes, that someone else would sell these watches if you didn't, that you didn't mislead anyone who bought from you etc doesn't change the fact that you're breaking the law.

So, 110 shares of Alibaba would be about a $10,000 investment. That is, if you pulled the trigger right now.

 

On the other hand, there's a 3.0 Amazing Fantasy 15 on Metropolis at $10,000 (that seems high since one sold on Comiclink last month for $9100, but still, it's there for the taking right now).

 

All it takes to buy either is a mouse click - but which would be smarter? Short term, I have to think the Alibaba would be a better investment. Long-term, who knows?

 

edit: And yes, any single comic costing $10,000 would serve the same purpose for this discussion. I just chose AF 15 since most think of it as a "blue chip" comic investment.

The only problem with collectibles as investments over stocks is that it's much harder to liquidate and realize maximum value/profit potential with collectibles.

If you have a comic worth $10,000, you're going to have to find a buyer willing to pay $10,000. If you have a stock worth $10,000, generally it's easy to sell the stocks for that price through your broker.

It becomes a bigger pain point if you have $1,000,000 invested in collectibles across 10,000+ pieces and have to figure out a way to sell them either individually to maximize profit, through auctions, or wholesale 'em out to dealers offering lower prices so they could then resell 'em... whereas if you had $1,000,000 in stocks, you'd be able to log on, click a few buttons and for the most part get cashed out quicker.

So, from a timing of liquidation standpoint, it's easier to draw out money from stocks than the perceived value of collectibles.

Some stocks also give dividends, where comic books are built upon a medium which, yes goes up in value but the material itself (paper) continues to age and potentially diminish in value if not properly taken cared ot.

The upside of collectibles is

1) You can enjoy 'em, more so than looking at a stock certificate or a list of positions you own on a computer screen.

2) If you sell 'em, the taxation issues are tougher to source, and there's lots of cash transactions that occur that some circumvent capital gains through.

3) If you have something truly "hot" and put it up for auction, it can easily outperform the market value and you may be surprised by astronomical profits

4) They're generally not subject to huge bankruptcy styled swings in value, where the market rarely crashes unless you're investing on speculation (i.e. those variant covers and other "get rich quick" schemes)

I know you've had it in for me for who knows how long, I think because I criticized smutty comics, but to criticize my character over that just shows how petty you are. I was always up front about what I was selling, and I always offered a fair value for what people were getting. I educated them as well as I could along the way about bootlegs as well.

 

This post neglects the financial hit companies and their employees take when bootleg versions of their products are sold. It also neglects the illegality of the importation of counterfeit products. Finally, it neglects the illegality of selling counterfeit products.

 

Congratulations for breaking the law and being proud of your character for doing so.

Like I said, take it on down to the Copper Age forum and say the same to everyone with a fake Cerebus.

 

I didn't manufacture the watches, they were going to be imported and sold anyway. I didn't mislead anyone who bought from me. And I don't think I stole any seven thousand dollar Rolex customers with my fifty dollar bootlegs.

 

You didn't manufacture the watches but you're selling them. Rolex has spent a lot of money developing their product and their reputation and selling counterfeits is illegal. If you'd spent your life developing, patenting, and producing a product you'd be pretty pruned if someone made copies and sold them.

 

Saying that other people sell fakes, that someone else would sell these watches if you didn't, that you didn't mislead anyone who bought from you etc doesn't change the fact that you're breaking the law.

 

I guess different people draw the line at different points. You'd high five me if I had screwed a little old lady out of an Action #1.

Is that against the law, too?

I guess different people draw the line at different points. You'd high five me if I had screwed a little old lady out of an Action #1.

 

Is that against the law, too?

Where do you get your moral compass from? A piece of paper? The result of legislature? A deal between lobbyists and congressmen? At a time slavery was legal, but it was always wrong. Currently in some states it's illegal for a doctor to tell you what's in your tapwater. Is it unethical? I'd say the law is unethical. Currently it's legal for a health service provider to deny care to a sick child because they can't pay. Is it right? In some states you're fined for using solar power while gasoline is subsidized. Every law is always perfect as is right this very moment.

Are there any laws you want passed? Any you want repealed? Or is the world just perfect the way it is? Are you about to argue that me selling a product, in full disclosure, at cut rate price, after extensive quality control (something you don't get on Alibaba, I took a loss on broken product, which I estimate to be at about fifteen percent), with a months warranty (something else you don't get on Alibaba) and even disclosing my wholesale price and providing their contact info upon request is wrong, but an old lady out of a life changing windfall through deceit with pure greed as motivation is okay, because of laws? Go right ahead then. While I'll always disclose everything I sell (even purchase price on high priced items. Ask the guy who bought my Dead@17 #1, never lied about that) I'll take whatever criticism comes my way from people who have multiple eBay accounts because they need to hide their flips and keep customers in the dark while they pinch their very last penny while they dream of the day they can rip someone off and become an overnight millionaire. Those people's opinions carry zero weight in my mind.

And if it's really a big deal, take it up with every watchmaker with a classic style diver. Invicta, Seiko, Croton, hell, even Omega and Tag Heuer. They all have a Submariner knockoff. You can buy a sterile one at Walmart right now. Yeah, the ones I sold violated copyright. You think anyone here downloads comics? Movies? Music? Same thing. I didn't hurt anyone's R&D investments because the watches are only superficially similar. My watches couldn't go underwater. They didn't share the same movement, or even a clone movement. The only thing that was really ripped off was the little crown logo. Now tell everyone who gets a poster of a comic cover printed without express written consent from Marvel and DC the same thing you're telling me. Everyone who provides commissions of trademarked characters without cutting Time Warner in.

Like I said, take it on down to the Copper Age forum and say the same to everyone with a fake Cerebus.

Anybody in the CA bragging about selling thousands of fake comics?

On the one hand you are claiming to be a small time hustler, but then you say if I see anyone wearing a fake Submariner, chances are you sold it.

At least you aren't selling crack, right?

You say alibaba has to stop selling this sort of stuff if it ever wants to go legit, but seem to think its okay for you to sell them.

Its a victimless crime. Right?

Somebody would sell them anyway so why not you.

Its a dumb law anyway.

Alibaba is the world's biggest IPO, and looks like it will open around $90/share.

 

As an investment, would you rather have 100 shares of Alibaba or,say, a lower grade Amazing Fantasy 15?

I take Disney stock long-term over them. Disney has been very good to me!

 

+1

 

I'm at +168% return on my Disney stock. That plus the dividend.

I love trading stock. But I only go for long term investment. Always look at dividend. Stocks with no dividend is a no go for me. (Of course look at other stuff too)

Just bought some SEAS stock. The massive drop is a dream for long term investment. Dividend over 4% and the stock will adjust upwards in a couple of months. (I could be wrong, but that's the risk. Even if I think minimum risk on this one.)

With Disney owning Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and ESPN the future looks good. (thumbs u

What is the name of the stock that Disney owns? I prefer this one over Alibaba.

Anybody in the CA bragging about selling thousands of fake comics?

I should have just ripped off an old lady and gotten my round of high fives.

If I ever get a fake Cerebus I should CPR and sell without disclosing, because whose business is it anyway?

What I should really do is hire a pornographer to draw smut featuring children's heroes and then market those same heroes toward kids with Saturday Morning Cartoons and such. Then I'd have an army of supporters threatening to rape anyone who disagreed with me.

A heaping pile of excuses and straw-man arguments with no relevance to the fact that you engage in criminal behavior, cause harm in doing so, and think it's ok by you and should be ok by others.

As to the original question, I'd buy an AF15. Not because I think it'll be a better investment (since I don't think comics should be anything more than a small part of my net worth), but because I think it'd be cooler owning it. For an investment I'd go elsewhere, and be more diversified about it.