by Pamela Siegel
Comic books have been entertaining children and adults alike since the 1930s. The first examples featured reprints of popular newspaper comic strips like The Shadow, Dick Tracy, and Flash Gordon. But the real birth of comic books as we know them today came about in 1938. That’s when Action Comics No. 1 was published introducing Superman.
Replica edition of Action Comics No. 1 issued in 1974
There was ample debate about the adult situations and vehemence in early comics, as noted by the National Museum of American History. Despite those who protested, publishers kept introducing character after character into the 1940s and beyond. Many of those early superheroes are now pop culture icons spurring new generations to consider the hobby of comic book collecting.
How to Begin a Comic Book Collection
Whether you’re an adult captivated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe and wanting to explore a few origin stories in more detail or guiding a child interested in growing a collection, there are some basic steps to consider as you get started. The first thing to keep in mind, as with most collectibles, is to buy what you like. If you prefer vintage Richie Rich or Archie over current Batman and Daredevil issues, there’s no shame in that game.
Several Harvey Comics titles, alternatives to superhero comic books
Secondly, as aptly mentioned by Reddit users, setting goals as you collect is a good idea. Do you want to acquire complete sets based on a character, theme, or storyline? Do you want to focus on obtaining rare or highly graded comic books? Knowing what you’re trying to accomplish builds a better collection than randomly buying anything and everything.
As you grow your collection, you can decide whether you need to focus on dollar bin finds at comic book shops to stay on budget or if you can afford to get into a bidding war for a rare comic book online. Most collectors fall somewhere in between holding a range of bargain books that are fun to own mixed with some splurge “holy grail” acquisitions in their collections.
You’ll also discover that there are many places to shop for comics. There’s nothing like visiting a comic book show, or maybe even a Comicon, to immerse yourself in the world of collecting and learn from the pros. Local comic book shops offer a way to get your feet wet in a less overwhelming environment while still getting valuable guidance from store owners. Many collectors also turn to online resources like AuctionNinja to grow collections and find rarities.
Grading Comic Books
Grading comic books refers to two different aspects of the hobby, and both are important. One involves sending comics off to a grading service where they are evaluated by a professional in the same way that trading cards are graded. They are returned to the collector “slabbed,” which alludes to being permanently enclosed in a plastic case. There is also a label affixed to the case showing the name of the comic, the publisher, the assigned grade, and a serial number that has been entered into a database. One well-known grading company serving comic book collectors is Certified Guaranty Company (CGC).
Graded Spider-Man comic book
One of the drawbacks to having comic books professionally graded is that once they’re in a slab you can’t read them anymore. Many collectors who value being able to leaf through their comics whenever they like shy away grading anything other than rare or perfect examples since they’re not going to handle those much anyway. Of course, buying and selling comic books that aren’t graded by a pro leaves condition up to interpretation.
To make the grading process a bit more transparent, there’s a one to 10 scale most collectors follow ranging from “poor” to “gem mint.” As you consider books to buy and evaluate those already in your collection, know that few comic books ever rate high enough to be graded gem mint, as mentioned on Sell My Comic Books.
Many, however, are in poor condition with rusty staples, creases, detached covers, stains, tape, and lots of general wear and tear due to their age and from being read multiple times. Missing pages or torn coupons usually completely devalue a comic for anything other than reading it.
Unslabbed Supergirl comic book
There are also tons of comic books that fall in between those two extremes, rating from “fair” to “mint.” Many comics purchased for collections rate “fine” to “very fine minus” or 6.0 to 7.5 on the scale. This is usually the spot serious collectors rank as their basement for a suitable grade. There may be some minor creases and overall wear, but the cover gloss is still there in this range.
Comic books good enough to get a “very fine” range, or 8.0, bump up into a higher range as far as pricing goes. In some cases, they can be worth twice as much as a “fine” example. These essentially are very close to being mint but have one noticeable issue such as a crease, or they might have a couple of minor blemishes. Many inexperienced collectors get hung up in this area by grading “fine” books as “very fine,” so that’s something to keep in mind as you’re learning.
The upper grades from 9.0 to 9.8, or “very fine/near mint” to “mint,” have very little to nothing wrong with them. Spine breaks, minor fingerprints, and small corner creases are some common single issues that bring down values at this level. That means a comic book won’t have more than one of these things wrong, and the less noticeable it is, the higher the grade.
Examples graded 9.9 or 10.0 are known as “mint” and “gem mint” respectively. These are usually comic books that were protectively stored as soon as possible after purchase. It is important not to open these books to peek inside as that can result in stress to the spine that will immediately bring down the grade.
Valuing Comic Books
When figuring out how much comic books are worth, many collectors look to price guides. One of the most highly recommended is “Overstreet Comic Price Guide,” as noted on Sell My Comic Books. If you’re solely focusing on graded comics, however, you might find an online resource called GP Analysis for Comics more useful. It is refreshed as sales are made, and many large purveyors of comic books report results.
2022 edition of Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide
The other most common way comic book collectors find values is through researching comparable items online. Be sure to look for prices of items that have already sold rather than asking prices to get a real picture of worth. You’ll want to take grading into careful consideration matching the grade of your comic books as closely as possible to the sold listings you’re perusing. Even a half a point increase in grading can make a big difference in value.
The Most Valuable Comic Books
Now you know that most of the comic books you’ll run across while shopping for your collection won’t measure up to elite status. Nevertheless, it’s still fun to think about walking into a garage sale and finding a gem mint holy grail title waiting for you.
Most of the comic books breaking sales records, according to Wealthy Gorilla, date from the late 1930s through the early 1960s. These often feature the first appearance of a major character. This includes the one that started it all, Action Comics No. 1, which as of 2022 held the record for most expensive comic book ever sold, topping out at $5.3 million. This usurped a 2014 sale of this title that brought in $3.2 million.
Some other issues making the top 10 list of valuable comics are Batman #1, X-men #1, and Flash Comics #1. These rare titles in excellent condition have all sold for more than $450,000 when highly graded.
Ready to start a comic book collection? Browse our comic book auctions on AuctionNinja.com.
Written by:
November 30, 2022 Updated 01:06 PM
As a freelance writer, Pamela Siegel covers lifestyle topics ranging from antiques and collectibles to interior design and everything around the home. Her work appears on The Spruce where she shared tips and research as the site’s antiques expert for many years. She also writes for House Digest, Kovels Antique Trader, Worthpoint, and Mashed. In addition to penning thousands of articles for online resources and print-based pubs, Siegel authored several books including “Warman’s Costume Jewelry” and “Buying & Seling Antiques and Collectibles on eBay.” She also shares her expertise with other magazine writers along with doing television, radio and podcast interviews. As often as possible, Siegel loves shopping flea markets and estate sales for her next great find, home decorating, foodie pursuits, and exploring the world on cruise ships.
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