feature requests

It’s official: Bob Bretall has world’s largest comics collection (Comic Book Forums)

  • It’s official: Bob Bretall has world’s largest comics collection

Author Discussion
Canuck
I have no life
moderator
Canuck's avatar
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 10536
My Collection
  • Posted: September 10, 2014 3:12:33 pm
  • I know Bob is a member here on CBR, but I haven't seen him around for a while.
    Any way here is the story....
    http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2014/09/its-official-bob-bretall-has-worlds-largest-comics-collection/

    More than a year after the British media decreed Bob Bretall owns the world’s largest comic book collection, it’s now official: With 94,268 unique comics amassed over four decades — and still growing! — the 52-year-old Mission Viejo, California, man now holds the Guinness World Records.

    Bretall’s treasure trove weighs an estimated 16,800 pounds, or the equivalent of 118 grown men. Y’know, if you were curious.

    He began collecting at 8 years old with 1970′s Amazing Spider-Man #88, and never stopped. Bretall adds more than 140 each month, revealing on his Facebook page that since the official count on May 1, the tally has grown by at least 1,000.


    Asked by Guinness how much his collection is worth, Bretall replied, “I do not like to emphasize the monetary aspects of collecting comics. Too many stories about comics collecting focus on how many dollars everything is worth instead of the great stories and characters. I do not do it for the money and I don’t try to rationalize it as an investment and I’m not into it to make money. I have a regular job that pays the bills just fine. I’m never going to sell any of my comics, I’ll leave that to my kids when it becomes their inheritance to do with as they will (though I hope they’ll keep at least a few of them as a remembrance).”

    Bretall, who sent his proposal to Guinness in December 2012, is well aware plenty of people will insist there are larger collections than his, but he’s not concerned.

    “Queue up the posts by people who ‘know a guy’ that has more comics,” he wrote. “Records are made to be broken, those people can apply to Guinness World Records to break my record. When they do, I will congratulate them!”
    "Disliking everything is not the same thing as having an opinion"
junobeach
Wise Beyond the Years
moderator
junobeach's avatar
Location: Victoria, BC Canada
Posts: 2144
My Collection
  • Posted: September 10, 2014 6:45:00 pm
  • He must have a huge house. I have around 15 000 and it takes up so much room.
CrossoverKing
Teacher
CrossoverKing's avatar
Location: Johnstown, PA
Posts: 263
My Collection
  • Posted: September 11, 2014 8:26:38 am
  • From the photo in the link...does he realize he is damaging the books he loves by having them stacked on the floor like that?
Canuck
I have no life
moderator
Canuck's avatar
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 10536
My Collection
  • Posted: September 11, 2014 8:32:10 am
  • Chances are they are piled all over the place for the photo op...and I don't think he cares one way or another about the condition.
    "Disliking everything is not the same thing as having an opinion"
Rapha1978
Comic Guru
Rapha1978's avatar
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 936
My Collection
  • Posted: September 11, 2014 10:48:33 am
  • I applaud the man. That is an impressive collection. I love what he says in the article,... "Asked by Guinness how much his collection is worth, Bretall replied, “I do not like to emphasize the monetary aspects of collecting comics. Too many stories about comics collecting focus on how many dollars everything is worth instead of the great stories and characters. I do not do it for the money and I don’t try to rationalize it as an investment and I’m not into it to make money."
    We strike hard and fade away into the night
Abysslord
Wise Beyond the Years
Abysslord's avatar
lifetime member
Location: Wentzville, MO
Posts: 1888
My Collection
  • Posted: September 12, 2014 11:21:39 am
  • Here's a vid that shows his collection more:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olk2V0DEv6I

    Also, here's his site: https://comicspectrum.com/Home_Page.php

    I read his reviews because his opinion of books is usually close to how I feel about them. So if I passed on a book that he praises I usually check it out.

    He's the person responsible for me reading ~90 comics a month. He showed his pull list and I checked most of them out and realized there are a LOT of good books out there not published by Marvel/DC/Image.

    Last edited September 12, 2014 11:22:39 am
rpenny88
Comic Guru
rpenny88's avatar
lifetime member
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 733
My Collection
  • Posted: September 16, 2014 11:45:29 am
  • Congrats Bob! I saw this article on facebook a bit ago and thought it was cool that we chat with this guy!
Spa-fon
Wise Beyond the Years
Spa-fon's avatar
lifetime member
Location: Tampa Bay Florida
Posts: 3780
My Collection
  • Posted: September 20, 2014 2:23:31 pm
  • Wow, I guess with 25,000 I'm not even in the top 50! Shocked

    And mine take up most of 2 bedrooms...
    The joy is in the journey, not just the destination.
Don of the D.E.D
Wise Beyond the Years
Don of the D.E.D's avatar
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1154
My Collection
  • Posted: September 20, 2014 3:24:47 pm
  • Way to go Bob!! I wish we could have met up at Wonder Con a few years ago!
    Don of the D.E.DImage
Mr.Grimm
Teacher
Mr.Grimm's avatar
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Posts: 486
My Collection
  • Posted: September 20, 2014 5:29:07 pm
  • I like Bobs reply...smart fellow
    Comic Rarity
BobBretall
Teacher
BobBretall's avatar
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Posts: 347
My Collection
  • Posted: October 1, 2014 3:14:48 pm
  • Canuck said:
    Chances are they are piled all over the place for the photo op...and I don't think he cares one way or another about the condition.


    You are correct.

    No comics were harmed in the creation of this picture :-)

    Comics were carefully stacked to make a dynamic picture showing a volume of books. After they were done everything was put back away, I don't keep huge piles of comics all over the floor. (and the "good stuff was just the top/visible books....most of those stacks are 90s Marvel & Image books, so no great loss if they we damaged.... ba-dum-bump!)

    Read more here:
    https://comicspectrum.com/Guinness_World_Record.html

    See more pics here - https://comicspectrum.com/Bobs_Comic_Room.php (Canuck added link)
    Bob Bretall
    Image
BobBretall
Teacher
BobBretall's avatar
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Posts: 347
My Collection
  • Posted: October 1, 2014 3:15:39 pm
  • Don of the D.E.D said:
    Way to go Bob!! I wish we could have met up at Wonder Con a few years ago!


    I'll be at Comikaze in a few weeks and at WonderCon again next spring...
    Bob Bretall
    Image
Rapha1978
Comic Guru
Rapha1978's avatar
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 936
My Collection
  • Posted: October 2, 2014 11:24:29 am
  • That's awesome Bob. Your place looks like a dream comic book shop.
    We strike hard and fade away into the night
Canuck
I have no life
moderator
Canuck's avatar
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 10536
My Collection
  • Posted: October 2, 2014 12:14:51 pm
  • BobBretall said:
    Canuck said:
    Chances are they are piled all over the place for the photo op...and I don't think he cares one way or another about the condition.


    You are correct.

    No comics were harmed in the creation of this picture :-)

    Comics were carefully stacked to make a dynamic picture showing a volume of books. After they were done everything was put back away, I don't keep huge piles of comics all over the floor. (and the "good stuff was just the top/visible books....most of those stacks are 90s Marvel & Image books, so no great loss if they we damaged.... ba-dum-bump!)

    Read more here:
    https://comicspectrum.com/Guinness_World_Record.html

    See more pics here - https://comicspectrum.com/Bobs_Comic_Room.php (Canuck added link)



    Bob,
    I added that 2nd link so everyone can really get a feel of how massive your collection is and I'm not just talking comics...Shocked
    Looks like you painted that room recently as in the other photos it's white and now it's blue.
    Congrats sir, good to see a collector that does it for the sheer enjoyment and not as just an investment. Applause
    "Disliking everything is not the same thing as having an opinion"
37Jumper
Grasshopper
37Jumper's avatar
Location: Pennslyvania
Posts: 186
My Collection
  • Posted: January 24, 2015 11:57:37 am
  • bob is my Hero
37Jumper
Grasshopper
37Jumper's avatar
Location: Pennslyvania
Posts: 186
My Collection
  • Posted: January 24, 2015 12:01:40 pm
  • BobBretall said:
    Canuck said:
    Chances are they are piled all over the place for the photo op...and I don't think he cares one way or another about the condition.


    You are correct.

    No comics were harmed in the creation of this picture :-)

    Comics were carefully stacked to make a dynamic picture showing a volume of books. After they were done everything was put back away, I don't keep huge piles of comics all over the floor. (and the "good stuff was just the top/visible books....most of those stacks are 90s Marvel & Image books, so no great loss if they we damaged.... ba-dum-bump!)

    Read more here:
    https://comicspectrum.com/Guinness_World_Record.html

    See more pics here - https://comicspectrum.com/Bobs_Comic_Room.php (Canuck added link)
    hey it looks like you picked up some similar storage racks like mine for your comics.
16 posts • Page 1 of 2
World Community Grid Logo
ComicBookRealm.com: 70 years, 354 days, 15 hours of Run Time
Help projects like: Smash Childhood Cancer, OpenZika, Help Stop TB, FightAIDS@Home - Phase 2, Outsmart Ebola Together, Mapping Cancer Markers, FightAIDS@Home
Join World Community Grid today!
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
  • Newest
  • Scout Comics's eJunky Issue ashcan
  • PS Artbooks's PS Artbooks: Web of Evil Facsimile Edition Soft Cover # 4
  • Star Cross Studio's The Relentless Tin Soldier Issue # 1
  • Marvel Comics's What If Dark Carnage Issue # 1c
CBR.com member auction items ?