Collect Comics for Profit

Comic books originally were published as a means to redistribute comic strips. With the development of original characters such as Superman, they became recognized as a medium in their own right, and with their renewed popularity from the 1960s onward, they have become collector's items. While many collectors collect comics for the stories or the art, some collectors choose to collect comics for profit. Making money from collecting comics can be difficult, but it is possible to do so if you understand what makes a comic collectible and what makes a collectible comic valuable. The steps below will help direct you in what to collect, what to avoid, where to buy and sell comics for profit, and how to protect your collection if you want to collect comics for profit.

Steps

What to Look For

  1. Look for first appearances of seminal characters. The most valuable comic books historically have been those that featured the first appearance of characters that have had a major impact on the genre. A partial list of such comics is given below:
    • Action Comics #1 (June 1938): The first appearance of Superman.
    • Detective Comics #27 (May 1939): The first appearance of Batman.
    • Superman #1 (June 1939): The first comic devoted to the Man of Steel, and the first comic book named for a superhero character.
    • Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939): The first appearances of the original Human Torch (Jim Hammond) and the Sub-Mariner. (First title published by Timely Comics, which would eventually become Marvel Comics.)
    • Flash Comics #1 (January 1940): First appearance of the original Flash (Jay Garrick) and the original Hawkman.
    • More Fun Comics #52 (February 1940): First appearance of the Spectre, the first ghost superhero
    • Batman #1 (Spring 1940): Besides being the first comic devoted solely to the Caped Crusader, it also introduced Robin, the Boy Wonder, and arch-foe the Joker.
    • All-American Comics #16 (July 1940): The first appearance of the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott).
    • Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961): First appearance of the team of that name, composed of Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and the Thing. (This was the first title published by Marvel Comics under that company name.)
    • Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962): First appearance of Spider-Man.
    • Other first appearance issues include All-Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940/41), the first appearance of the Justice Society of America (the first superhero team); All-Star Comics #8 (December 1941), the first appearance of Wonder Woman; Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940), the first appearance of the original Captain Marvel; Captain America #1 (March 1941), the first appearance of and Police Comics #1 (August 1941), the first appearance of Plastic Man.
  2. Consider the age of the comic book. Older comic books are more valuable than newer comics because of both their age and their relative rarity compared to newer comics. Comics published during the Platinum and Golden Ages are particularly valuable, while comics less than 20 years old have more intrinsic than monetary value to collectors. Comic book ages are described below, with the beginning and ending years:
    • The Platinum Age (1897 to 1933): These comics predate the superhero era, featuring characters such as the Yellow Kid, the Katzenjammer Kids, Buster Brown, and characters featured initially in comic strips and reprinted in comic book format. Only a select group of dealers deal in comics this old.
    • The Golden Age (1933 to 1955): While some consider the Golden Age of comics to have begun with the premiere of Superman in Action Comics #1, others begin the Golden Age sooner to include predecessors to the Man of Steel created for comic books, such as Doctor Occult, premiering October 1935 in New Fun #6. These comics are typically 4-color comics 64 pages in length, declining to 48 pages by the end of the era.
    • The Silver Age (1956 to 1969): Many consider the Silver Age to have begun with the premiere of the second Flash (Barry Allen) in Showcase #4 (October 1956), while others consider the premiere of the Martian Manhunter in Detective Comics #225 (November 1955) to be the starting point. Older Silver Age comics are 48-page 4-color comics, with later titles declining to 32 pages.
    • The Bronze Age (1970 to 1985): Comics became more mature during this period, with heroes such as Green Lantern and Green Arrow confronting social issues along with super villains and Iron Man confronting his alcoholism instead of his heart condition.
    • The Iron Age or Modern Age (1986 to present): Comics became still more mature, and story continuity became more important. Comics companies increasingly turned to sweeping story arcs that crossed through their entire line of comics, such as DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour and Marvel's Secret Wars and World War Hulk. Story arcs that encompassed only a single character or team were and are frequently collected and reprinted as graphic novels. Many comics of this era are printed on slicker, higher-quality paper than comics of the previous eras. (Some comic book historians use the term "Modern Age" to encompass both the Bronze and Iron Ages of comics.)
  3. Consider the historical context of the comic book when it was published. An understanding of the time period in which a comic book was published can help you understand which comic books are more valuable than others. Captain America was predated by several patriotic-themed heroes, including Mr. America and the Shield. Because his premiere showed him punching Hitler's jaw, he became more famous than his competitors and so became the more enduring character. Likewise, Wonder Woman's premiere near the start of America's entry into World War II, coupled with her powers, patriotic costume, and self-reliant attitude made her the foremost super heroine in comics, even though several super heroines predated her.
  4. Look for older comics in good condition. The better the condition the comic book is in, the more it can earn when sold to another collector. Comic book condition is affected by how often the comic has been read and the way it has been stored. Condition is rated 2 ways, with a set of verbal grades and with a numeric scale.
    • The term "Mint" refers to comics which show the least wear and tear, and progresses downward through "Very Fine," "Fine," "Very Good," "Good," and "Fair." The worst comics are graded "Poor"; these comics are missing their covers and some of the pages. You'll find these terms in comics guides such as the Overstreet Price Guide.
    • Numeric grades run as high as 10.0 to as low as 0.5. These grades are used by comics grading services such as the Comic Guaranty Company (CGC) and Professional Grading Experts (PGX). These grades are more precise than the verbal grades and have accordingly caused the verbal scale to be modified with sub-grades to better correspond to the numeric scale.

What to Avoid

  1. Avoid special reprint comics. Although helpful for those collectors who collect comic books for the stories or the artwork, reprint comics such as "Famous First Editions" have nowhere near the monetary value of the original issues they are reprints of.
    • The only reprint exception is Superman #1, which reprinted the Superman story in Action Comics #1. It was the first comic named for a superhero character, however, and subsequent issues featured original stories of the Man of Tomorrow.
  2. Avoid gimmicks. As comic book companies became aware of the collector market, they began pandering to it with various gimmicks designed to boost sales. Although these gimmicks made money for the comics companies, these comics were produced in large enough quantities that they provide little value for collectors who collect for profit. Such gimmicks include:
    • Shipping new comics pre-bagged. Although collectors bag their comics to preserve their value, buying a comic already bagged forces the buyer to choose whether to keep the comic in its bag to preserve its value or open the bag to read it and reduce its value. The hope was that buyers would buy 2 copies, 1 to read and 1 to keep.
    • Variant covers. Some comics were released with 2, 3, or even over 50 different covers, each representing a different scene in the story inside. While some of these are incredibly valuable, without knowing what you are looking for, you could spend money on books with virtually no value. Since the mid-2000s, most variants are either released tied to an event (comic-con, or store release), or limited based on the number of copies of a comic that a store orders (1 variant per 100 copies of the normal cover that the store purchases). Knowing how rare a book is an how many were printed makes all of the difference in the value potential.
    • Gimmick covers. In addition to variant covers, other cover gimmicks used include holograms, foil stamping, or glow-in-the-dark covers. Some gimmicks may have been tied to milestone issues, such as the silver foil cover for Issue 25 of Valiant's "Magnus, Robot Fighter," but in most cases, the stories were not notably better than those in issues without the gimmicks.

Where to Buy and Sell Comics For Profit

  1. Visit your local comic book shop. In addition to their racks of current titles, many comic shops also feature boxes of older comics as well as bagged rarer issues. Buying from a comics shop may cost you more than from other sources, though, because you're also paying for the dealer's overhead.
  2. Deal with an auction house. Some estate sales may include a collection of older comics, and auction houses also provide a way to advertise a collection you're trying to sell. However, these promotional services come with a price, which usually includes an auctioneer's fee; many auction houses therefore prefer to deal with older, rarer comics.
  3. Advertise in newspapers and trade publications. General-circulation newspapers and specialty trade publications are both places to advertise that you're looking for certain comics issues to add to your collection or that you have issues to sell.
  4. Check out second-hand markets. A number of second-hand bookstores and flea markets sell comic books as part of their inventory; many of them also buy comics to resell to others. You can also buy comics at yard sales.
  5. Go to comic book shows and conventions. Conventions dedicated to comic books began in the late 1960s, providing comics fans the opportunity to buy and sell comics, as well as to meet their favorite writers and artists and the actors who have portrayed their favorite characters. Smaller shows run a half-day or full day, while larger conventions run 3 to 5 days.
    • The largest comic convention is Comic-Con, held in San Diego in July. Other major comic conventions are held in New York and Chicago.
    • If you can't make a comic book convention, many science fiction conventions feature a comics programming track and include one or more comic book dealers among the vendors in their dealers' rooms.
  6. Go online. There are several ways you can buy or sell comics online.
    • Many comic book dealers have online storefronts. As with brick-and-mortar comics shops, however, you may be paying for dealer overhead as well as the comic book itself.
    • You can buy or sell comic books through online marketplaces such as Craigslist or Amazon.com or auction sites such as eBay. In addition, there are specialized comic book auction sites as comiclink.com and comicconnect.com.
    • You can network with other comic book fans through online communities and forums devoted to comic books. These forums will provide you with the chance to learn more about the comic medium and get advice on where and how to buy and sell comics.

Preserving Your Collection

  1. Bag your comics. Using a protective plastic bag will keep your comics from being exposed to atmospheric pollutants such as dust and harmful gases. Bags are available for most comic book sizes and in materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or Mylar. Polyethylene and polypropylene bags are designed to last for 3 to 5 years, after which time they should be replaced, while Mylar bags are designed to last for longer periods. Whichever type of plastic bag you use, be sure to buy bags that are acid-free to prevent damage to the comic inside.
  2. Use backing boards. Backing boards help keep your comics flat in the bag. As with bags, choose boards that are acid-free and insert them in the bag with the comic slowly, with the shiny side facing the comic book. Backing boards should be replaced every 3 to 5 years to remove any contaminants that may have gathered while the comics were in storage.
  3. Tape the bags shut. You can use either a regular tape or double-sided tape, provided it is acid-free.
  4. Box up your bagged comics. After bagging your comics, place them upright in a protective box. The best boxes to use are acid-free cardboard boxes made for the purpose.
  5. Store the comics in a safe place. A "safe place" means not just safe from prying eyes, but also somewhere safe from environmental damage. Store your comics somewhere cool, dry, and dark, away from both sunlight and fluorescent light. A closet on the main level is best, with a dry basement a good second, but an attic subject to temperature and humidity fluctuations throughout the year is the worst storage location.
    • Keep the storage box at least 5 to 10 inches (12.5 to 25 cm) off the floor, with space around it to allow air to circulate and prevent the growth of molds and fungi.
  6. Inspect your comics periodically. Even with the best storage, it's still possible for comics to get damaged. The surest way to prevent lasting damage is by checking your comics over every so often.
    • When handling comics, use cotton gloves if possible as if you were handling historic documents in an archive, as in a sense, you are.

Tips

  • Reliable sources of comic book price information include the Overstreet Price Guide, published annually since 1970, the monthly Comics Buyer's Guide, Wizard Magazine, and websites such as comicspriceguide.com, comicbookrealm.com, nostomania.com, and GPAanalysis.com. (GPA tracks only those comics that have been bagged with backing boards, however.)
  • Some collectors for profit who are also comics fans have both a bagged, high-grade copy of a comic and a lower-grade version of the comic to read. You can now also download digital copies of many comics in either PDF format or in formats requiring a reader program such as CDisplay.
  • At this point in time, the most likely place to obtain collectible comics is from another dealer or collector. The era of finding them dirt cheap by chance in flea markets or garage sales is now a thing of the past. They've just about all been accounted for at this point.
  • As a rule of thumb, don't consider anything after the Silver-Age (which ended in 1969). Post Silver-Age comics are common and easily obtained. Golden and Silver age comics don't fluctuate in worth as much as Bronze and Modern-Age comics do.

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