With so many comic books, it can be hard to know where to start working out which ones are valuable. How do you go about understanding which ones are potentially a goldmine, and which ones are just a good read? Collectors spend their entire lives trying to work out the real value of a comic, so there are some tips and tricks that can offer a helpful guide.
We’ve assembled these below, but as any true collector knows, nothing is for certain. Even if every one of the tips below applies to one of your comics, don’t rush out and put a deposit on a Batmobile.
The comic book still might not be worth much of anything. The market is trickier than the Riddler – and sometimes crueller than the Joker – and sometimes the value for a title can rise and plummet just as fast.
Age
Forget aging like a fine wine, any true collector knows the real value likes in aging like a fine comic book. One of the most important factors that will likely affect the worth of your comic is its age.
Much like there was the swinging 60s and the roaring 20s, comic book eras are also categorised: the Golden Age of Comic Books covers comics published between 1938 and 1956, the Silver Age is considered to range from 1956 to circa 1970, the Bronze Age covers 1970 to 1984 and the Modern Age covers 1984 to present day.
Generally, comics from the Golden and Silver Ages are likely to be more valuable.
Condition
If you’re a true collector, it’s likely you already them in good condition – and we’ve got some tips for you on that front.
Well, that effort you’ve put into maintaining your Marvels or the detail you’ve shown your DC titles could pay off. Big.
Any little creases, page yellowing, and marks can really affect price. This is never clearer than in the difference in prices two issues of Action Comics #1 fetched based on their condition; one sold for $1.5 million, the other sold for $3.2 million.
Both would have your bank account feeling a bit Bruce Wayne, but you wouldn’t want to miss out on just under two million because of improper care.
Issue number
Usually when it comes to a comic book, the lower the issue number the better. This is less important as it used to be, however, as many publishers have started rebooting franchises and starting the count from the beginning again.
Combining a low issue number with a comic published in the Golden or Silver Ages is the only way to potentially have a valuable comic in your collection.
First appearances
It’s probably no surprise, but original issues which include the debut appearance of a popular character are some of the most sought after, valuable publications.
The first appearance of Superman in Action Comics #1 and the first appearance of Spiderman in Amazing Fantasy #15 are still the most expensive titles ever sold – each fetching in excess of $1 million.
Who wrote or illustrated it
One tip to make sure you’re getting the most out of your sale is understanding your market.
A bit of research could find that, though your issue might not be worth loads in itself, there could be some serious collectors looking for works by a specific artist or writer. This could also apply to having an issue that might complete a series.
This is where POW! comes in – we’re a marketplace for comic enthusiasts. People who care about comics, people who know the true meaning of a comic, people who won’t just jump at the first offer.
