Comic book collecting tips for beginners

Collecting, above all else, should be fun.  If you're into comic books for profit, well, that's sort of important, too, because sooner or later, you may want cash for all sorts of things.  But the perspective I'm going to share will be pretty basic and guided by my personal philosophy about this hobby:  do it because it's fun, not because you need to pay the bills.  That's just me.  All right, here goes some advice:

1. Buy what you like.  Number one golden rule.  Comics are meant to be enjoyed.  Back in 1993, I bought this one comic because I loved The Batman Animated Series.  I collected about the first 25 issues of Batman Adventures.  Loved the cover.  It sat in my comic box in my mother's home for another twenty years.  When I cleared out the closet, I sold some of my comics at a yard sale.  But I kept this one copy because it brought me joy every time I pulled it out to look at it.  Turns out my Batman Adventures #12, the first appearance of Harley Quinn, is one of the most popular issues being sought out by comic book fans.  I still have it, now slabbed, and it still brings me joy.

2. Research, read, and, um, read as much about the market as possible.  Now, comics can get expensive.  I sure don't want to overpay what I'd like to have.  There are enough websites that you can find and determine for yourself how popular a particular issue is.  You can go on eBay, GPA, etc., to find information on recent sales.  The questions that I ask myself are:  how badly do I want it? Is it within my budget? Is the comic undervalued or overvalued?  If it is priced right, should I go ahead with the purchase?  If I pass, will I regret my decision fearing that the price will rise beyond what I can afford?  If I choose to resell it, what will be my estimated hold time and how much profit am I aiming for?  You may have different questions more relevant to your circumstances, and that's cool.  I guess what I'm trying to get across is that I take my collecting seriously because it costs money.

3. Have a budget.  This is something you should always practice no matter what you do in life.  For me, I have a Paypal account funded entirely through sales via eBay.  If I can't afford what I want, I will not fund it through a transfer of monies from any of my other financial accounts.  I have to sell what I have to buy it.  This practice has helped to keep my perspective on this hobby.  Hey, it can get addictive, and no one is gonna rein you in except you.  A budget helps me to focus on what I truly want.  It doesn't mean I haven't made stupid purchases.  I have.  And those failures remind me of how important every dollar counts.

4. Hit as many yard sales as you can.  Comics in comic book stores are not cheap.  They have what you want, but they know that and will price accordingly most of the time.  Yard sales, tag sales, whatever sales out on the streets...they require you to work the hardest but they can give you an opportunity to find gems that the sellers don't know or don't care about.  I once found an X-Men #94 this way.  Price: $7.  It's not common, but it can happen to you.  Accept that you will fail most of the time.  But if you enjoy the hunt, then that's important, too.  Just remember to do your chores and take care of your family.  They should matter most of all.

5. Be nice to comic book store employees and dealers.  I bear no grudges against these folks who are in this business.  I respect them.  I talk to them as a fan.  I buy from them when the prices are decent. I don't get into arguments.  If the price is too high, I thank them and walk away to deal with them another day.  Sometimes, they remember me and they may be nice in return, offering me a lower price.  

6. Beware of chasing comics you don't really want.  Yeah.  Websites today have many folks sharing their thoughts on which comics are expected to rise in demand.  I found myself with dozens of comics I didn't really care for nor could I resell them.  Remember your core values, your want list, your Grail comics.  You'll be happier with comics you really want.

7. Ask yourself:  are you going to keep all your comics forever?  For me, the answer is no.  I live in a small apartment with my family.  I can't buy more comics than I have a place for them.  So I sell some, give some away, and keep the ones I want to hold onto for a long time.  I have fun doing all three.  I find no joy in hoarding.  But again, that's just me.

So, these are my thoughts on this Sunday evening.  Happy collecting!

$1 bin pick up - Rust #1 Special Edition - first Spawn

As of this writing, Todd McFarlane's Spawn is at issue number 264, an amazing run for any title, no less one from the most successful Indie comic publisher in history.  Think about it.  This title has been in print since 1992.  For 24 years, dedicated fans have been filling nearly two long boxes worth of stories about a man who, after having been betrayed and murdered by his best friend, comes back to life in the form of a demon and battles all sorts of evil.  But all stories have a beginning, and for collectors, it is the first appearance that matters most.

I had read some time ago that interest was growing for Rust #1 because it had the first published image (no pun intended) of Spawn:  it was in the form of an advertisement.  The blog spawncomics.wordpress.com makes a very clear argument for it and all readers should take some time to review it.  Some collectors scoff at the idea that an ad should count as an appearance at all.  But I say that the market guides us on what collectors really want. 

There are two versions of Rust #1, and the market seems to gravitate towards the Special Limited Edition version.  With roughly about a 10,000 print run, each issue is also individually numbered.

My copies have pretty low numbers, but I have seen one on eBay numbered "004."

Collectors of all types love low indentification numbers.  When I think about it, it is silly:  why should a book that was fresh off the printing press be more valuable than its tenth, thirtieth, or thousandth sibling?  It is for the simple fact that the number "1" has a magical quality that signifies the first is above all, for no other reason that it is, well, the first.  Not the best.  Or most unique.  Just The First.

So my copies are close to "001."  Better than "8600," a copy that is also on sale on eBay, but not as good as the "004" on sale.  Still, it is nice to have my copies which I would value, conservatively, at around $25 each.  Not a bad rate of return.

$1 bin finds

Ultimate Spider-Man #160 variant cover.  I was lucky to find this pair in such high grade condition.   The Ultimate Marvel Universe is gone now, of course, but I think many fans had fond memories of this Spider-Man run.

Some call this the "Spoiler" variant although the title of this story arc probably gives the end away.  Not a high-worth comic but it does sport a beautiful Mark Bagley moment.  There is enough black on the cover for his autograph, though.

Before Hugh Jackman, there was...Dougray Scott as Wolverine?

Yup.  I went picking for more Wizard magazines and came upon this still-polybagged issue with all sorts of free stuff and a movie guide...

I turned it over and saw something weird about the casting of the first X-Men film.  As we all know, Scott would drop out of the role of Wolverine and Hugh Jackman would take it on.  Of course, he then became one of the biggest stars in cinematic history.  And that, as they say, is history!

Wizard Magazines - remember them!?!

It's been a while since I last posted.  During this hiatus, I discovered various communities on Google+ and other internet websites.  I learned about about which artists and comics were in high demand.  I became a bit of a speculator from time to time.  But I also became a little more discerning in what I wanted to have for my personal collection.  Collecting really is all about what makes you happy, and this hobby should be fun.  I have certain comics on my "want list," but I also have a budget, and what I am reminded during this time is that, like any investment strategy, I have a risk comfort level beyond which I dare not venture.

This hobby is my escape.  It recharges me.  I don't smoke and rarely drink.  When I discover a hard-to-find comic or a "hot" book in the wild, I chalk it up to being 50% lucky, 25% persistent, and 25% aware.  When I say aware, I mean that the time spent researching and reading anything shared by other comic book hunters often pays off when I come across an unrecognized gem tucked inside a neglected long box.

So here I am today, on a Sunday morning, and I'd like to share what I recently found:

Yeah, boy!  Wizard magazines, #83 and #94!  With covers by Adam Hughes!  And they are still polybagged!  Are the worth anything?  Maybe.  If you go to Hughes's website at http://shop.justsayah.com/category/Magazines.html, you can see that he is retailing his other Wizard cover for $15.00.  On eBay, the unpolybagged #83 sells for around $4.00 while #94 had a recent polybagged version sell for about $10.  #94 has two covers:  the one by Hughes, and another with Mike Meyers as Dr. Evil.  I don't know what print runs are, but I am assuming that the AH! version is probably 1/2 the print run for #83.  So I am going to value my finds at about $10-15 each.  Not bad considering I paid a dollar each.  And I love Adam Hughes.  So win, win!

So here is how research helped me when I came across boxes of old Wizard magazines:  I remembered reading about the AH! covers from a June 8, 2015 posting found on the Comic Book Speculation and Investing website, Comicbookinvest.com.

What will these be worth one year, five or ten years from now?  Who knows.  But that's the fun of collecting.  Maybe you'll see these on eBay soon.  If so, then I'll really know what the market value will be!

Have a great hunt, readers.