How to Collect Comics for Profit
Look for first appearances of seminal characters., Consider the age of the comic book., Consider the historical context of the comic book when it was published., Look for older comics in good condition.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for first appearances of seminal characters.
The most valuable comic books historically have been those that featured the first appearance of characters that have had a major impact on the genre.
A partial list of such comics is given below:
Action Comics #1 (June 1938):
The first appearance of Superman.
Detective Comics #27 (May 1939):
The first appearance of Batman.
Superman #1 (June 1939):
The first comic devoted to the Man of Steel, and the first comic book named for a superhero character.
Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939):
The first appearances of the original Human Torch (Jim Hammond) and the Sub-Mariner. (First title published by Timely Comics, which would eventually become Marvel Comics.) Flash Comics #1 (January 1940):
First appearance of the original Flash (Jay Garrick) and the original Hawkman.
More Fun Comics #52 (February 1940):
First appearance of the Spectre, the first ghost superhero Batman #1 (Spring 1940):
Besides being the first comic devoted solely to the Caped Crusader, it also introduced Robin, the Boy Wonder, and arch-foe the Joker.
All-American Comics #16 (July 1940):
The first appearance of the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott).
Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961):
First appearance of the team of that name, composed of Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and the Thing. (This was the first title published by Marvel Comics under that company name.) Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962):
First appearance of Spider-Man.
Other first appearance issues include All-Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940/41), the first appearance of the Justice Society of America (the first superhero team); All-Star Comics #8 (December 1941), the first appearance of Wonder Woman; Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940), the first appearance of the original Captain Marvel; Captain America #1 (March 1941), the first appearance of and Police Comics #1 (August 1941), the first appearance of Plastic Man. -
Step 2: Consider the age of the comic book.
Older comic books are more valuable than newer comics because of both their age and their relative rarity compared to newer comics.
Comics published during the Platinum and Golden Ages are particularly valuable, while comics less than 20 years old have more intrinsic than monetary value to collectors.
Comic book ages are described below, with the beginning and ending years:
The Platinum Age (1897 to 1933):
These comics predate the superhero era, featuring characters such as the Yellow Kid, the Katzenjammer Kids, Buster Brown, and characters featured initially in comic strips and reprinted in comic book format.
Only a select group of dealers deal in comics this old.
The Golden Age (1933 to 1955):
While some consider the Golden Age of comics to have begun with the premiere of Superman in Action Comics #1, others begin the Golden Age sooner to include predecessors to the Man of Steel created for comic books, such as Doctor Occult, premiering October 1935 in New Fun #6.
These comics are typically 4-color comics 64 pages in length, declining to 48 pages by the end of the era.
The Silver Age (1956 to 1969):
Many consider the Silver Age to have begun with the premiere of the second Flash (Barry Allen) in Showcase #4 (October 1956), while others consider the premiere of the Martian Manhunter in Detective Comics #225 (November 1955) to be the starting point.
Older Silver Age comics are 48-page 4-color comics, with later titles declining to 32 pages.
The Bronze Age (1970 to 1985):
Comics became more mature during this period, with heroes such as Green Lantern and Green Arrow confronting social issues along with super villains and Iron Man confronting his alcoholism instead of his heart condition.
The Iron Age or Modern Age (1986 to present):
Comics became still more mature, and story continuity became more important.
Comics companies increasingly turned to sweeping story arcs that crossed through their entire line of comics, such as DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour and Marvel's Secret Wars and World War Hulk.
Story arcs that encompassed only a single character or team were and are frequently collected and reprinted as graphic novels.
Many comics of this era are printed on slicker, higher-quality paper than comics of the previous eras. (Some comic book historians use the term "Modern Age" to encompass both the Bronze and Iron Ages of comics.) , An understanding of the time period in which a comic book was published can help you understand which comic books are more valuable than others.
Captain America was predated by several patriotic-themed heroes, including Mr.
America and the Shield.
Because his premiere showed him punching Hitler's jaw, he became more famous than his competitors and so became the more enduring character.
Likewise, Wonder Woman's premiere near the start of America's entry into World War II, coupled with her powers, patriotic costume, and self-reliant attitude made her the foremost super heroine in comics, even though several super heroines predated her. , The better the condition the comic book is in, the more it can earn when sold to another collector.
Comic book condition is affected by how often the comic has been read and the way it has been stored.
Condition is rated 2 ways, with a set of verbal grades and with a numeric scale.
The term "Mint" refers to comics which show the least wear and tear, and progresses downward through "Very Fine," "Fine," "Very Good," "Good," and "Fair." The worst comics are graded "Poor"; these comics are missing their covers and some of the pages.
You'll find these terms in comics guides such as the Overstreet Price Guide.
Numeric grades run as high as
10.0 to as low as
0.5.
These grades are used by comics grading services such as the Comic Guaranty Company (CGC) and Professional Grading Experts (PGX).
These grades are more precise than the verbal grades and have accordingly caused the verbal scale to be modified with sub-grades to better correspond to the numeric scale. -
Step 3: Consider the historical context of the comic book when it was published.
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Step 4: Look for older comics in good condition.
Detailed Guide
The most valuable comic books historically have been those that featured the first appearance of characters that have had a major impact on the genre.
A partial list of such comics is given below:
Action Comics #1 (June 1938):
The first appearance of Superman.
Detective Comics #27 (May 1939):
The first appearance of Batman.
Superman #1 (June 1939):
The first comic devoted to the Man of Steel, and the first comic book named for a superhero character.
Marvel Comics #1 (October 1939):
The first appearances of the original Human Torch (Jim Hammond) and the Sub-Mariner. (First title published by Timely Comics, which would eventually become Marvel Comics.) Flash Comics #1 (January 1940):
First appearance of the original Flash (Jay Garrick) and the original Hawkman.
More Fun Comics #52 (February 1940):
First appearance of the Spectre, the first ghost superhero Batman #1 (Spring 1940):
Besides being the first comic devoted solely to the Caped Crusader, it also introduced Robin, the Boy Wonder, and arch-foe the Joker.
All-American Comics #16 (July 1940):
The first appearance of the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott).
Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961):
First appearance of the team of that name, composed of Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Girl, the Human Torch (Johnny Storm), and the Thing. (This was the first title published by Marvel Comics under that company name.) Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962):
First appearance of Spider-Man.
Other first appearance issues include All-Star Comics #3 (Winter 1940/41), the first appearance of the Justice Society of America (the first superhero team); All-Star Comics #8 (December 1941), the first appearance of Wonder Woman; Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940), the first appearance of the original Captain Marvel; Captain America #1 (March 1941), the first appearance of and Police Comics #1 (August 1941), the first appearance of Plastic Man.
Older comic books are more valuable than newer comics because of both their age and their relative rarity compared to newer comics.
Comics published during the Platinum and Golden Ages are particularly valuable, while comics less than 20 years old have more intrinsic than monetary value to collectors.
Comic book ages are described below, with the beginning and ending years:
The Platinum Age (1897 to 1933):
These comics predate the superhero era, featuring characters such as the Yellow Kid, the Katzenjammer Kids, Buster Brown, and characters featured initially in comic strips and reprinted in comic book format.
Only a select group of dealers deal in comics this old.
The Golden Age (1933 to 1955):
While some consider the Golden Age of comics to have begun with the premiere of Superman in Action Comics #1, others begin the Golden Age sooner to include predecessors to the Man of Steel created for comic books, such as Doctor Occult, premiering October 1935 in New Fun #6.
These comics are typically 4-color comics 64 pages in length, declining to 48 pages by the end of the era.
The Silver Age (1956 to 1969):
Many consider the Silver Age to have begun with the premiere of the second Flash (Barry Allen) in Showcase #4 (October 1956), while others consider the premiere of the Martian Manhunter in Detective Comics #225 (November 1955) to be the starting point.
Older Silver Age comics are 48-page 4-color comics, with later titles declining to 32 pages.
The Bronze Age (1970 to 1985):
Comics became more mature during this period, with heroes such as Green Lantern and Green Arrow confronting social issues along with super villains and Iron Man confronting his alcoholism instead of his heart condition.
The Iron Age or Modern Age (1986 to present):
Comics became still more mature, and story continuity became more important.
Comics companies increasingly turned to sweeping story arcs that crossed through their entire line of comics, such as DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour and Marvel's Secret Wars and World War Hulk.
Story arcs that encompassed only a single character or team were and are frequently collected and reprinted as graphic novels.
Many comics of this era are printed on slicker, higher-quality paper than comics of the previous eras. (Some comic book historians use the term "Modern Age" to encompass both the Bronze and Iron Ages of comics.) , An understanding of the time period in which a comic book was published can help you understand which comic books are more valuable than others.
Captain America was predated by several patriotic-themed heroes, including Mr.
America and the Shield.
Because his premiere showed him punching Hitler's jaw, he became more famous than his competitors and so became the more enduring character.
Likewise, Wonder Woman's premiere near the start of America's entry into World War II, coupled with her powers, patriotic costume, and self-reliant attitude made her the foremost super heroine in comics, even though several super heroines predated her. , The better the condition the comic book is in, the more it can earn when sold to another collector.
Comic book condition is affected by how often the comic has been read and the way it has been stored.
Condition is rated 2 ways, with a set of verbal grades and with a numeric scale.
The term "Mint" refers to comics which show the least wear and tear, and progresses downward through "Very Fine," "Fine," "Very Good," "Good," and "Fair." The worst comics are graded "Poor"; these comics are missing their covers and some of the pages.
You'll find these terms in comics guides such as the Overstreet Price Guide.
Numeric grades run as high as
10.0 to as low as
0.5.
These grades are used by comics grading services such as the Comic Guaranty Company (CGC) and Professional Grading Experts (PGX).
These grades are more precise than the verbal grades and have accordingly caused the verbal scale to be modified with sub-grades to better correspond to the numeric scale.
About the Author
Gloria Nguyen
Gloria Nguyen has dedicated 5 years to mastering education and learning. As a content creator, Gloria focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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