How to Start a Comic Book Collection
It's easy to start a comic book collection. At first it may seem intimidating, since some series date back several decades, but you don't have to rush it. There are issues that are going to be hard to find but, if you're one of the lucky collectors, you might find something rare and underpricedlike ''Action Comics, No. 1'', which sells for half a million on average.
Comic Book Pricing
Pricing can sometimes be tricky. The key factors that could affect prices include age, condition, printing mistakes, and recalls.
'''Age'''
The age refers to the time period in which a comic was printed, and it helps to determine its value (the older and rarer issues have more value than the newer, more widely printed ones). Here, we'll discuss the age categories (though certain time frames are approximate):
* '''Victorian/Platinum''' (1828-1933): The materials produced during this time were mostly magazine and/or political comics, manuals, and miscellaneous humor.
* '''Late Platinum/Early Golden''' (1933-1940): It was during this transitional period (specifically 1938) that Superman made his debut in ''Action Comic, No. 1''.
* '''Golden''' (1940's-1950's): We can thank this era for the popularity of Batman, the Flash, Aquaman, Captain America, and Wonder Woman. The Human Torch also appeared during this time (though not the one from ''The Fantastic Four'').
* '''Silver''' (1950's1'>Fantastic Four.
* '''Bronze''' (1970 to 1980's): During this era, authors began to shift their focus from fantastic to realistic, though superheroes were still popular, too. In fact, the
Building Your Fortress of Geekitude
Since you personally do not have super powers, you can't go back in time to collect from the beginning, but if you're a fan of a specific superhero, you can start your collection with that superhero's recent series. If you're familiar with comicverse (i.e. comic book fiction), you may prefer to follow a certain author or artist. Just remember that regardless of how you start, you are only at the first step of the process, and the material is going to be new and confusing. Therefore, do not feel overwhelemed when characters make cameos in other series. This happens often (like with the Earthdaredevil'>''Daredevil''), and you will naturally pick up the flow after some time.
Reaching The Promised Land: Navigating Comic-Con
The differences in Comic-Cons are a result of location variations, and you'll probably go to the con closest to you (a position you should not disclose, because you never tell anyone the whereabouts of your secret lair). The biggest one is in San Diego, though the ones held in New England and New York are also popular (and none of them are affiliated).
With Great Collections Comes Great Responsibility
One of the most important parts of starting a comic book collection is ensuring safe storage. When you start out, you should probably buy some protective sleeves, a binder, and maybe a few boxes. These things will keep everything nice and neat so it will last.
Top Sellers
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