What Sells: Collectible Comic Books

Online marketplaces such as eBay have dramatically changed the market for comic books; many collectors claim that these marketplaces have significantly devalued their collections by increasing the supply of available comic books. Still, many people buy and sell comics online.

Some extremely rare comics, like the first Superman comic (Action Comics #1, published in June, 1938) are worth tens of thousands of dollars or more. Age alone doesn’t make a comic valuable, however; condition and rarity are both very important factors. Generally speaking, the older and better the condition of the book the more valuable it is.

Comics are divided into several distinct time periods:

Early Period (1897-1937) – The first comic strips appeared in newspapers.

Golden Age (1938-1955) – Superman, Batman and other superheroes are introduced, along with crime and romance comics. Comic books from this era are among the most valuable.

Silver Age (1956-1969) – Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, Green Lantern, and other heroes are introduced.

Bronze Age (1970-1979) – The X-Men, Fantastic Four and other heroes are introduced, along with Star Wars books.

Modern Age (1980-present) – Includes graphic novels by Art Spiegelman, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore.

Comic books are often sold in lots or as entire collections. Group them by series, character or theme. It’s okay to include duplicates, since lots are often purchased by people who plan to resell them (e.g., comic book store owners looking to restock their shelves).

Related collectibles like toys and action figures based on comic book characters are also sometimes valuable, usually only if they’re still sealed in their original packaging.

The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (published annually) is the industry standard for determining value and condition. An online version of the book will be available soon at http://www.gemstonepub.com/ocpr/. In the meantime, you can purchase a copy through this site or at a comic book store. Due to the infrequency of publication, the Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is more useful for older (Golden Age, Silver Age) back-issues that show little fluctuation on a monthly basis. Wizard Magazine and Comic Buyer’s Guide both publish a comic book price guide with every monthly issue; these guides are generally concerned with current trends and “hot” recent issues.

Comicspriceguide.com is an online resource that tracks current pricing for back-issue comic books. Visit the website at http://www.comicspriceguide.com.

Note the following signs of wear:

• Rips and tears
• Creases or “dog-eared” pages
• Missing pages
• Yellowed pages
• Writing or other marks
• Water damage
• Musty odors from storage
• Overstreet grade and guide value (if known)

For an in-depth grading scale for comic books, visit the website at http://www.teako170.com/grade.html.

Accurately grading a comic can be challenging for novices, so you might consider having an item professionally graded. Grading services can charge as much as $20 per comic, however, so this is best reserved for only the most valuable comics.

Comics graded by CGC (Comics Guaranty, LLC) show significant increases in sale prices and represent the industry standard for graded comics. CGC graded comics are inspected by professional graders, assigned a numeric code and “slabbed” and sealed in a protective sleeve. Visit the website at http://cgccomics.com/.

For valuable comics, be certain to include photos of the front and back covers of each book in your listing.

Comics should be individually “bagged and boarded” (sealed in a clear poly bag with a thick, acid-free, paperboard backing). You can purchase bags and boards online or at a comic book store. Make sure the boards are archival quality (acid-free).

Place each comic carefully in a Mylar or poly bag with a backing board. Do not use the Mylars that have a flap at the top. The comic should be in the bag or Mylar sleeve with the top of the book closest to the opening. One piece of tape is sufficient for a poly bag (affixed so the tape is on the BACK of the comic) Do not use tape to seal a Mylar sleeve.

Place no more than five comic books at a time between two firm pieces of cardboard and secure the cardboard to provide support on top, bottom and sides of the comics. Pack these in a bubble wrap mailing envelope or a small box with plenty of cushioning material all the way around to protect the books from damage during transit.