Comic Book Collecting - Starting a collection
With Comic book - Superhero Movies bringing a reemergence of Superhero interest many people may be thinking about buying, selling and collecting comic books, so here is a short guide on starting. Have fun and find a local store that participates in Free Comic Book day to pick up your first comic book for free.
Start with 1 or 2 comic heroes, villains or teams (X-Men, JLA) that you have an affinity for. I personally enjoy Batman and Punsiher as they do not have any powers and so could theoretically be real life heroes/vigilantes. After you have chosen a comic character you enjoy, realize, just like the movies that do not always have the same story lines, neither do the comic books. There are alternate universes so just because one comic series has one story of who killed Bruce Wayne's parents for example, another series may infer it was another villain. So unless you have a specific story line you wish to follow, it may be better to start with a subscription to the recent issues for example the DC Comics The New 52 series. One daunting issue concerning new collectors is the high issue numbers of long-time ongoing series'. When you want to read a book about a particular character you may feel like you are coming in too late.
At this point you may begin running into cross-overs. Where Punisher for example is is introduced in the Spiderman series or Wolverine in the hulk. Now you are learning more about the universe and may pick up another hero or two you want to follow. Or even run into a fact about the character you wish to know more about and want to begin catching up on the back-story that you have missed. This is where the interest in a hero can become the beginning of an actual comic book collection. You will want to go to your neighborhood comic book store and ask the clerk if they have issue relating to a specific series of events that have peaked your interest.
Now not all older comics are worth something, so you should be able to get some back issues for about the same price as the current release issues. This is also the point where you go from reading to collecting and storing. You may even spend a chunk of change on a back issue that has peaked your interest, especially if you are trying to get an issue of a character's first appearance. This is when you decide if it is just an interest or going to be a hobby and collection. You do not want to spend $20 dollars on a back issue and not take the proper steps to protect it with bags and boards allowing it to continue to increase in value rather than becomes torn and money down the drain.
If it is just an interest, a cheaper way to catch up on story lines is to collect Trade Paper Backs (sometimes referred to as TPBs). Trade Paper Backs are reprinted collections of issues and can be purchased new or used. If you are more interested in reading comic books and less interested in collecting comic books digital comics are becoming a nice alternative. Some comic book publishers such as Marvel and DC are now put digital copies of their books online, some can even be read for free.
Comic Book Care
Caring for you comic books is important if you ever want to pass them on to your children or even resell them at a profit (or at least what you paid) in a few years. The easiest way is to purchase boxes, bags and boards for you comic books from the comic book store. You also do not want your comics to sit in a garage or non temperature controls storage location as heat will brown the pages and make the comic books fragile. Store your boxes in a air conditioned location like a closet or cooled storage unit.Comic book database
Take note of each comic books that you buy, easiest way is with a spreadsheet application on your computer. Keep track of your collection, noting the publisher, date, cover price, collector's estimated value, title and any notes of interest (like "batman gets his back broken"). Mycomichop.com also gives you the ability to keep track of your collection and even sell off issues.Be cheap as a beginner
Be on the lookout for cheap comics: some places where you may find deals on comics in a variety of ages and conditions are yard sales, swap meets, and flea markets. Be careful at these places because they are also places you might have buyers remorse. If you are still new to comic books and do not understand comic book grading, or do not have an idea of what comics from different ages might be worth. Take a smart phone with you and go to Mycomicshop.com and look up what you are looking at before laying money down. Also mind the condition, as worn comics lose value just like action figures removed from packaging. Such salesmen may not be bad people, they just may think this is 15 years old so it has to be worth something and if you are buying it they may assume you know it's value. Do not be afraid to make an offer that you see as fair. If you are collecting for your own personal reading enjoyment you probably don't want to be spending more than a dollar per back issue on comics. However, if you are looking for a collection to grow in value, you must watch what you buy and spend wisely.Comic book conventions
Attend a comic book convention:Doing so will allow you to interact with other comic book collectors and maybe to make a friend or two sharing the same interest of a character. Here you will have the opportunity to meet the writers and artists of your favorite comic books in person, maybe even a signature. This brings up a debate of having the comic book signed or just the plastic protective bag. This depends on who you plan on reselling to later. Some people feel the signature defaces the comic and others feel it increases the value. Some people also want the book, but are not willing to pay the extra added cost of being signed.
Growing a collection of value
Look for first appearances of characters. Historically, the more valuable comic books are those that featured the first appearance of character:
Action Comics #1 (1938): Superman's first appearance.Flash Comics #1 (1940): First appearance of the Flash and Hawkman
Batman #1 (1940): Introduced Robin and arch-vilian the Joker.
Superman #1 (1939): The first comic book named after the superhero.
They do not have to be issue #1 either:
Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962): Spider-Man's first appearance.Detective Comics #27 (1939): Batman's first appearance.
The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1974) Punisher's first appearance.
Incredible Hulk #180/181 (1974) Wolverine's first appearance.
Older comic books are more valuable than newer comics:
Age and rarity play a big part as well, Comics less than 20 years old are usually less valuable.The Golden Age (1933 to 1955): The Golden Age of comics began around Action Comics #1. These comics are typically 4-color comics 48-64 pages in length.
The Silver Age (1956 to 1969): Silver Age of comics began around the premiere of Barry Allen (the second Flash) in Showcase #4. Silver Age comics are 32 to 48 page 4-color comics.
The Bronze Age (1970 to 1985): With comic heroes like Green Arrow's sidekick dealing with drug issues (Green Lantern/Green Arrow #5) and Iron Man confronting alcohol (Iron Man #128), many of these comics confronted social issues along with villains.
Building a Valuable Comic Book Collection – Expert Tips for Beginners
If you're serious about comic book collecting, it's essential to understand how to spot valuable issues, properly store your comics, and strategically invest in key editions. Many collectors focus on first appearances of iconic superheroes, limited print runs, or issues with major storyline shifts. Classic key issues like Amazing Fantasy #15 (Spider-Man's first appearance), The Incredible Hulk #181 (Wolverine's debut), and Detective Comics #27 (Batman’s introduction) are highly sought after in the collector’s market. Additionally, keeping comics in mint condition by using acid-free bags, boards, and climate-controlled storage can significantly increase their future value. Whether you're collecting for passion, profit, or nostalgia, knowing where to find rare issues—through comic book stores, conventions, online marketplaces, and estate sales—can help you build a worthy and valuable comic book collection over time.
