Collecting comic books wont make you rich, nor will it make you respectable. If anyone has any suggestion or advice, i would greatly appreciate it. It was the comic book that started me on my path to collecting, he says. Not shown is my columns for publication date, place of publishing and a checklist so i know if its. A comic book letter column is a section of an american comic book where readers letters to the publisher appear. Oct 03, 2019 while many collectors collect comics for the stories or the art, some collectors choose to collect comics for profit.
Ginocchio chronicles his comiccollecting adventures at. My passion has always been batman and the xmen, with a primary focus on villains. Follow these 10 commandments and i guarantee youll have a great comic collection that youll. Chuck palahniuk shares writing advice guest column. Not only is comic book collecting fun for enthusiasts, theres a robust market for used comic books on sites like ebay. The funny thing about collections is that eventually they simply become too big to be properly enjoyed. Oct 26, 2017 when do you know its worth cgc grading a comic. Lcs showing customers how diamond sent them their batman 89s. Comic book collecting is a hobby that treats comic books and related items as collectibles or. Collecting comic books last column i went over three factors which hamper the comic book speculator. The second driver of value for comic books is condition.
Rarity, title, issue, and condition determine value, although often one of those variables is far more important than the others. The 44th edition of the overstreet comic book price guide came out several weeks back and id like to take this a bit tardy opportunity to chime in with some thoughts. The second and third generation comic creator were at their zenith and the comic shelves were bursting. Ign, a great comic book website, voted him the best western comic book character of all time.
Comic book letter columns are also commonly referred to as letter columns or lettercols, letter pages, letters of comment locs, or simply letters to the editor. In other words, it takes a dealer time to sort, bag, board and price any comic book. Comic book price guides, like overstreet, have a minimum price for comic books. Click here for the leading comic book speculation and investing resource.
Comic collector live buy, sell, organize comic books. For, ultimately, that is my advice to any comic book collector. I want to share some tips and insights ive learned along the way and id like to learn a thing or two through the comments i hope some of the topics will generate. Dont let hollywoods lousy movie adaptation fool you.
The page in question also has an early mention of comic book collecting. The first issue of a longrunning comic book series is commonly the rarest and most desirable to collectors. Within, you will find information on comics history, how to store, preserve and care for your collection, a guide on grading and evaluating the value of your comics, buying and selling, popculture conventions. Other than my family comics are the most consistent part of my life. If youre like me and enjoy having comic books to call your own, here are some tips for getting started on a collection. Platinum 18971937, golden 193855, silver 195669, bronze 197079, and modern 1980present. Apr 14, 2020 collecting the 12issue comic book miniseries from 2019, the new fight club 3 collection features the entire story, along with david macks painted covers, and is in stores today.
Some have sold for millions see what comic books are worth. I first began collecting comics in the late 70s and they quickly took a. I was going to title this column selling your collection, but after some thought i felt it best to use the imperative that you see above. Adults seek out comic books, paying five, even sixfigure amounts for a book that originally retailed for about 10 cents. I was going to title this column selling your collection, but after some thought i. For comic book collectors the overstreet comic book price guide is the one resource that is needed above all others. In the end, it is an intertwining of these three things. Backmatter and the golden age of comic book letters columns. Key issues key issues lot of 100 approx vintage comic books 1950s to 1980 some 10 cent dc etc. Collecting the 12issue comic book miniseries from 2019, the new fight club 3 collection features the entire story, along with david macks.
Starting a comic book collection concept comic vine. Jan, 2020 the yet to be named column will champion informed comic book collecting. A comic book or comicbook, also called comic magazine or simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. With so much to catch up on, i dont need to read the newer books. Alternatively, you can tell someone in store what you like, and ask for a recommendation. Gene luen yangs first book with first second, american born chinese, is now in print in over ten languages and was a national book award finalist and winner of the printz award. Oct 30, 20 it was the comic book that started me on my path to collecting, he says. The ten commandments to collecting comic books youtube.
The yet to be named column will champion informed comic book collecting. May 09, 20 despite the comic book show you see on tv nowadays, they will not make you famous. It was a page from kravens last hunt which is my favorite storyline. Starting or even just expanding an existing comic book collection can seem a little daunting. His investigative reporting on behalf of readers, often against nearly insurmountable obstacles, has earned him a reputation as every consumers best friend. Also, might be a good idea to invest in a current overstreet price guide if you plan on collecting seriously, it will pay off to know what price rage youre looking at and also if a vendor is trying to swindle you. For comic book collectors the overstreet comic book price guide is the one resource that is needed above all. The third comic book secret ill let you in on, one requirement of reading comics, is that you surrender yourself to the story, just a little, and trust the creators to take you for a ride. Bottom line is that most successful comic book collection owners engage in the hobby because they truly enjoy collecting and reading comic books.
Since i got back into collecting i have bought a total 1 panel page of comic book art. A comic book letter column is a section of an american comic book where readers letters to the. Collecting the 12issue comic book miniseries from 2019, the new fight club 3 collection features the entire story, along with david macks painted covers, and is in stores today. Synchronize your comic data between the desktop software, mobile apps and the connect webapp. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. To help protect his comic book collection, which consists of every issue of amazing spiderman ever published since 1963, mark ginocchio makes sure every comic has an appropriately sized backing boarda product that keeps comic books from bending. Some collectors advise against storing comics in cardboard boxes, or using backing boards, as these are both sources of.
Sometimes, your local comic book store might have a sale on for some really old comics. Similarly, under the guidance of editorinchiefpublisher stan lee, marvel comics also decided to print readers home addresses in the letters. Comic book database software, catalog your comic collection. Comic book collecting buy sell trade public group facebook. There are collectors who focus on collecting comic books of a certain figure or of a certain writer or illustrator. While many collectors collect comics for the stories or the art, some collectors choose to collect comics for profit. For the comic book collector, you can find comic bags and storage boxes to protect your collection. Nov 05, 2010 the ten commandments to collecting comic books. Search for your graphic novel, then select sold listings in the lefthand column. However, if your comic books arent in good condition, you could be missing out on money, according to robert scott, owner of comickaze comics books and more and head of the comic book industry alliance.
In 2016, marz joined with comics artist bart sears to relaunch ominous press. Comic collection tips from a real comic book man wired. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and written narrative, usually, dialog contained in word balloons emblematic of the comics art form. After receiving numerous requests seeking advice about comics collecting, i crafted this column to answer many of the questions. Its a great book to learn the general value of the books youre hunting and also important info about key issues. 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. Log into facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Comic books have been published for more than a century, and collectors categorize them into five ages. Discover the rich world of visual arts, including drawing, painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, and more. As with any hobby, collecting comic books can be expensive.
Your complete guide on where to start with comic books for beginners. Topics will vary widely in subject matter about comic book collecting and in length. Bcw supplies shop display cases for collectible comics. If youre lucky, it will be big enough to have some creators there, but at minimum you should have a number of dealers and you will be able to see more a convention that anywhere else, which will give you the ability to familiarize yourself with the breadth of whats available.
This has definitely continued into my oa collecting habits. Obviously, if the book collection has a lot of 10 and 12 cent cover price comics, you are looking at an old collection of comic books, which means they could be expensive. Major comics companies have titles with histories that span decades of publication, and if you are new to a particular arc, it can be hard to even decide where to start. By christopher elliott columns lifestyle and advice. Even just browsing the shelves of a used book store can help you narrow in on the comics you enjoy, and methodically build a collection.
The top ten tips on collecting comic books hubpages. Collecting comic books tips and ebay advice part 1 of 2. Frank gorshin hosts an overview of the major history of comic books, comic book companies, comic book controversy, and care of comic books. Jul 15, 2019 comic reading friends and comic book store employees often love to talk about their hobby, so they can be a great source of advice for a beginner. Many collectors regard a comic book signed by its creator as valuable. Christopher elliott is an awardwinning author, consumer advocate and journalist. Mar 27, 2020 ive been an avid comic book reader since the late80s, and made my transition from comic book collecting to original art collecting in 2016.
As far as i am concerned though, the highest value is what each comic book is worth personally to each owner. From 2010 to 2016, marz wrote the shelf life column for comic book resources, giving his insiders perspective into the comic book industry. Hex was the only dc western character to flourish in the 1970s and 1980s. You can probably also get a sense if cbh is for you by taking a look at some of my columns. In this video i discuss my 10 commandments that i stick to when it comes to collecting comic books. Even that didnt last long as being a panel page it just didnt do enough for me appearance wise and i used it as partial trade for a painting. Captain marvel is a name synonymous with comic books. The title is unpopular, or was bought in quantity during the speculation bubble of the early 1990s, and is now being dumped by collectors.
Make offer 50 comic book huge lot marveldcindependent free shipping. In the column comic book vitamins on the project fanboy website, steven sykora discussed preserving. Ive been an avid comic book reader since the late80s, and made my transition from comic book collecting to original art collecting in 2016. Though considerably more recent than the collecting of postage stamps or books bibliophilia, it has a major following around the world today and is partially responsible for the increased interest in comics after the temporary slump experienced during the 1980s.
Not sure where you live, but a local comic convention is the next logical step. Comic book collecting buy sell trade has 28,467 members. Ive recently started searching for valuable comics in garage sales, book stores, etc its a very addicting hobby and i find myself wanting to send everything i find to cgc. Comic book collectors are often lifelong enthusiasts of the comic book stories, and they usually focus on particular heroes and attempt to assemble the entire run of a title. Letter columns appeared early on in the history of comic books themselves, and their growing prevalence. From garfield to dear abby, sudoku to solitaire, has. If you truly dont love the artwork and literature that goes behind each one of the issues that were made, dont start collecting. Many times, this does not and can not have a dollar amount attached. I dont know where archies death will take the stories, and its hard to say. In brief, they are ancillary costs, scarcity of older issues, and the chance aspect.
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