Helping You Decide To Become A Comic Collector
The comic collector is an intriguing specimen. While collecting postage stamps (philately) and books (bibliophilia) have been popular hobbies for decades, it wasn’t until the 1980s that comic book series collecting (panelology) became popular. Today, the “pannapictagraphist” collects primarily out of pride, out of love for graphic novels and comic book art, rather than to drum up a quick profit. Many collectors simply held onto all the comic books of their youth and decided to fill in the gaps later on. While some of the first editions are worth a pretty penny, the capriciousness of the market (including the near-bankruptcy of Marvel comics in 1997) has made comic book collecting a somewhat unreliable speculator market.
If you’re a comic collector who already has a decent comic book collection, then you will need methods of preserving your treasures. High humidity, temperature fluctuations, lighting, poor air circulation, pets, dirt and mold can all hurt your precious comics if you’re not careful. Therefore, it is recommended that you store your gems within PET film, polyethylene or polypropylene storage bags. Some collectors prefer corrugated plastic boxes to give added protection against moisture damage. The newest way to protect comics is with submitting your comic books to the Comics Guarantee LLC, where your comic book collection will be inspected for flaws, graded and sealed using Barex, a plastic polymer in a process called “slabbing.” However, acid-free backing boards and mylar sleeves are said to be just as good for storage by many critics. It’s really all up to the individual. To fetch top dollar on your collection, you’ll need to know the rating and condition of your collection, through the CGC.
There are many places where a collector of comic books can buy or sell a comic book collection. Buyers can check comic book stores, the publishers’ websites (Marvel, DC Dark Horse, IDW), www.ebay.com, www.craigslist.org, www.milehighcomics.com, www.g-mart.com, www.comics-db.com, www.mycomicshop.com, www.amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. As can be expected, sellers can also unload their collections at many of these same places. At www.comicshoplocator.com, you can find a place to trade-in your old stash for quick cash, although this isn’t the way to make the best money. Auction houses are sometimes good, particularly if you have a full collection of a comic book series. You can find some at www.comics.heritageauctions.com, www.morphyauctions.com and www.christies.com. However, by far, the best way for a patient and savvy collector to sell is an internet auction like www.ebay.com, where top prices can be commanded.
So now for the golden question burning on a comic collector‘s mind, “How much are old comic books worth?” Actor Nicholas Cage reportedly had a comic book collection comprised of 400 magazines that stretched into seven-figures! So far, the highest price paid for a comic book on www.ebay.com is $350,000 for Marvel Comics #1, sold in November 2001, although the same issue also sold in 2008 for $28,000 on eBay, which shows the very real discrepancies in value at any given time. It’s best to check several different sources, such as The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, or sites like www.comicbookrealm.com and www.gpanalysis.com, to get a rough idea of what’s hot on the market right now.
