A blog by Marcel – Shortbox Comics
Sometimes collecting happens naturally — and sometimes it happens a little too naturally. Your collection box grows, you claim and feel bad afterwards, you preorder an entire list without really thinking, and before you know it, collecting feels more like a chore than a hobby.
That’s a shame, Collecting shouldn’t feel like admin or a burden — it’s supposed to be a hobby.
Here are my honest, practical tips from a collector who dealt with serious collecting issues himself and now has a shop and wants to keep collecting fun and healthy.
1. Collect what you genuinely love — dare to choose
Not because everyone else buys it. Not because the Key Collector app screams it’s a “KEY ISSUE!”. Not because it's a ratio variant that might be valuable someday according to Covrprice.
Ask yourself: does this genuinely excite me or make me curious?
If yes – perfect, claim it or buy it. If not – skip it.
Simple. Honest. Effective.
2. Set a monthly budget
It sounds boring, but it works brilliantly. Pick a monthly amount that feels comfortable and allow yourself a small “impulse/FOMO percentage” so you don’t feel guilty when you claim something in the moment.
You’ll avoid regret buys and enjoy the books you do choose much more. Keep track easily with a Notes app on your phone or use ChatGPT.
3. KEEP / DROP / LET GO (my favourite preorder system)
This is the system I use and recommend to a lot of collectors. It’s simple, honest and extremely effective.
KEEP
These are the titles that truly make you happy — the books you read the moment they arrive. They stay in your pull list and in your collection.
Add them to your tracking list on PreorderComics.nl or in the League of Comic Geeks app so it’s easy to follow them each month.
DROP
These are the “meh” titles — the ones where you realise:
- You don’t really miss them
- You don’t read them straight away anymore
- You’re following out of habit, not joy
These should leave your monthly selection. That instantly creates room to discover new series or to focus on back issues you really want. Need advice on new fun series? Follow our Instagram channel!
LET GO
This is where real relief kicks in: LET GO = create a dedicated Shortbox for everything you’ve stopped collecting.
One box. One place. No chaos. No doubt.
When the box is full, set it aside for a month. After that “cooldown period”, go through it again with a calm mind. If nothing has changed, bring it to us and trade the contents in for store credit at Shortbox Comics.
Fresh energy. Clean shelves. Better collecting.
4. Think in short “seasons”, not endless “runs”
Read 4–5 issues of a series and then decide honestly:
- Still loving it? → KEEP
- Lost interest? → DROP
This prevents endless pull lists and keeps space open for new discoveries.
5. Keep your collection organised
Chaos kills enjoyment. A bit of structure goes a long way:
- Use clear labels on your boxes
- Keep series and publishers together
- Plan a quick clean-up every quarter
You’ll see very quickly which series still spark joy — and which ones are just filling space.
6. Write off what you’ve read and don’t want to keep
Comics are entertainment. You don’t need to keep everything forever.
If you’ve read something and think: “Fun, but this doesn’t belong in my permanent collection.”
— then let it go.
You can:
- Sell it yourself
- Trade it with other collectors during 'Comics in the Middle of Nowhere" at 14th of June 2024
- Donate or gift it to 'de goede doelen veiling van Frank Schonewille
- Or let Shortbox take it and turn it into store credit
7. Claiming comics & FOMO — the “in the moment” trap
Let’s be honest: claiming comics during a live sale or WhatsApp sale is exciting. The fast reactions, the chat, the energy — FOMO is part of the fun.
But sometimes that excitement turns into serious impulse claiming:
- Someone else claims a book and you follow
- You grab something “just in case”
- You’re afraid to miss out on a variant or a key issue
And the next morning you check your claim list and think:
“Did I actually want this?”
It happens to nearly every collector. The trick is recognising this pattern and building a bit of control: Claiming should be fun — not stressful. When you understand your FOMO triggers, you stay in control.
How Shortbox helps you keep collecting fun
At Shortbox we understand hype, FOMO, collecting chaos and “pulling because you’re already in it”. That’s exactly why we love helping collectors stay on track.
We help you with:
- Not offering subscriptions on preordercomics.nl but making you choose smartly (not blindly) your tracked series list
- Buying comics you no longer want
- Bringing structure and peace to your collection
For us, it’s not about selling as many comics as possible. It’s about the hobby, the passion, and the joy of reading something you truly looked forward to.
If you need help sorting your collection, managing claims, or clearing a Shortbox full of “Let Go” titles, just send us a message — we’re here to help.