Buying Comics
One of the most important aspects of maintaining a collection from an investment standpoint is the buying and selling of your comic books. This is also one of the most dangerous parts of the process, so some careful thought is key here. If you rush in to buy a comic off an auction site or through a dealer with out doing the proper research and background checking, then you may be in for a shock when the product is less than desirable or not what you thought it is worth.Right now, there are probably a couple of good avenues when looking at buying comic books. The first is to buy high end comic books that will retain their value over the long haul and go up in price over time. The other is to buy current comics that have a high interest and turn them for a quick profit.
High End Comics
When looking at buying high end comic books there are some essential things to consider. Only then will it be able to be considered a wise purchase.
- Is the comic book a well known item? Classic titles by Spider-Man and Superman are good bets that your investment will grow in value over time. The obscure title may be valuable to a certain few, but for your investment to truly grow in value, the purchase should have a wide fan base.
- Old does not equate being worth lots of money. I went to a garage sale one time (great place to find comic treasures) and saw a sticker on an item that read, “Old -$10.” Just because something is old, does not make it valuable. Old, sought after, and in pristine condition are the markers for a wise investment.
- Ratty comic still equals tons of cash. Many people will pull out that classic comic and say that it is the prize of the collection. Granted, it has no cover, and the pages are yellow and torn, but it is still worth thousands of dollars, right?
- Ebay Ebay has become the largest online auction site. You can find a great many of deals and items here. One of the most popular places to buy and sell comic books.
- Heritage Comics has been around for over 30 years and even has entries in the Guinness Book of World Records, one of which is for selling the Nicholas Cage comic book collection, getting more than $5 million dollars, making it the highest earning comic book collection in history.
- Mile High Comics has been around for over 25 years and has a large supply of Golden Age comics.
Current Comics
Another way to turn a profit with comic books is to look for current comics that have a large interest and become highly sought after. 30 Days of Night is one such series, with the original first three issues now going for as much as a hundred dollars. Other current showstoppers has been comics like Mouse Guard, which has quickly gained the limelight as well as top prices going for over fifty dollars, and this is a comic that has come out this year.
Here are some tips for looking to buy current comic books.
- Variant Covers – Variant covers are typically a hot item and can be a great way to get a higher price then the normal comic book.
- First Issues – The first comic book in a series will often be the most sought after comic book in a series. Watch out for those comics that are highly pushed by publishers as they will publish too many for the comic book to truly rise in value. X-Men #1 was a good example, as you can still easily get the comic book for around ten dollars.
- The Hot Comic – As mentioned before, those sleeper hits such as Mouse Guard can quickly gain in value. The trick is to be on top of what is coming out and anticipate what will be worth something later on. This can be tricky, but if you watch for new comics by hot artists and writers, or for new and unique series, then you have a shot.
- CGC Comics – One of the latest trends in the comic book industry is the Comics Guaranty Company. They will grade comics for you and place a grade on them, from zero to ten. Naturally, higher graded comics will sell for a much higher price. This is also very true for new comics. A Civil War #2 Variant recently went for $450 dollars.
As you can see, there are many options when it comes to making money with comics. The trick is to be savvy about what you buy. The next, and most crucial, step is to know when to sell your comic.
