How to Get Started Collecting Comic Books (2024)

Welcome to the exciting world of comic book collecting!

Comic books have a fascinating history filled with rich and beautiful artworkand stories that have reflected their times, from the fight against Nazis inWorld War II to the drug epidemic and the equal-rights movement of the 1960s,and even the 9/11 terrorism attack.

If you’re new to collecting comics, you might be wondering how to get started.Sit back and relax, and we will take you through a simple step-by-step guide togetting the best out of your collection!

Where do I buy comics?

You can use theCGC DealerLocatortool to find a shop nearest to you. In smaller communities, theremay not be as many brick-and-mortar shop options, but many online retailers arestill available, such asMidtownComics,Mile High Comics,Golden Apple Comicsand more.Hard-to-find collectors’ items can often be found oneBay, and watch for nearbycomic bookconventionscoming to your area.

What kind of books should I collect?

That can be a very personal decision and depends largely on your goals orinterests as a collector.

If you’re just looking for fun and exciting stories, think about the film andbook genres that you enjoy. If you likeMarvelandDCsuperhero films, there are plenty ofcomics to choose from. Do you like clean-cut good guys like Superman and CaptainAmerica, or darker vigilantes like Batman or the Punisher? But comics have somuch more than just well-known superheroes to choose from. Independentpublishers such asDark Horse,Boom! Studios,IDW PublishingandImage Comicshave become a fertile groundfor new creators telling unique and exciting stories that are often adapted tofilm.

Ask your friends what they like to read, and just look around the shelf to seewhat catches your attention. They say to never judge by its cover, but thosecovers probably didn’t have amazing artwork on them!

What’s the difference between a comic book, graphic novel and tradepaperback?

Comics are about storytelling, and those stories often run across multipleissues. For example: the Death of Superman story in 1992 was told over 13separate issues from five different titles. A “comic book” is a single issue ofthat story, and a “trade paperback” is a reprinted collection of all the issuesfrom the story published in one larger book.

Some people like to collect the individual comics as they are released, andothers prefer to wait for the trade paperback and read it all at once. Think ofit like watching an episode of your favorite TV show each week, versus bingingan entire series in one sitting. It’s like that.

If you’re collecting for value, you’ll find more in those individual books thantrade paperbacks.

The term “graphic novel” was coined by comic book legend Will Eisner as a termfor describing more mature and sophisticated comic book stories. Graphic novelsare often more pages than a comic and printed on premium paper.

Comic Slang 101: What does “speculation” and “key issue” mean?

If your goal is to collect comics for their potential value, that’s called“speculation.” Comics that feature a major event (first appearance, new costume,character death, etc.) are called “key issues.” You’ll want to find those keyissues and buy them before they go up in value.

For example, when the Disney+ TV series “What If …?!” introduced Peggy Carter asCaptain America, that increased demand for her first comic book appearance asCaptain America (Exiles #3) and the book’s value went up. Marvel Comics followedthat byintroducinga new “Captain Carter” comic book seriesand rumors of future filmappearances spread.

The earlier you know about major upcoming events in comics and comic-relatedfilms, TV shows, etc., the earlier you can find related key issues and buy thembefore they go up in value. But keep in mind that speculation always comes withrisk. There’s no guarantee that your book will go up in value. However, thelonger you stay with it, the better you’ll become at knowing what to look for.

You can follow news sites likeBleedingCoolfor trends and upcoming releases, and there are mobile apps likeComic GeeksandKey Collectorthat help you learnabout potential new key issues as well as speculative hot back issues for whichto keep an eye out. You can also follow your favorite publishers and comic bookcreators on social media to get the latest news and announcements about upcomingreleases.

Why are comics so valuable?

The most expensive comics are the older books from the Golden Age (1938-1956)and Silver Age (1956-1970). One of the reasons is the rarity of these olderitems — many were recycled during World War II or otherwise destroyed, leavingfewer in circulation today. A high-grade key issue from this era is sometimescalled a “grail comic” because it is so rare and valuable.

The comic book industry struggled in the 1990s and early 2000s, and there were alot of over-produced so-called collectors’ issues that saturated the market. Asa result, supply outweighs demand and many of those books are not highlyvaluable. Still, many of them have terrific stories from the leading creators ofthis era, and a few valuable key issues can be found.

Things turned around again in the early 2010s as comic books became more popularin film and television. This has brought a lot of renewed attention andexcitement to the market along with new collector opportunities. More people arebuying up books, and publishers are releasing rare variants, which makes manymodern books more difficult to find and more expensive.

How much should I spend?

If you let it, collecting comic books can be a very expensive hobby. New issuescan cost $5 each and more, and it quickly becomes expensive to maintain multiplemonthly titles at once, not to mention tracking down that rare collector’s itemand back issues.

Start with one or two monthly titles and slowly build yourself up to more. Set amanageable budget for yourself and try not to exceed it.

Comic Slang 101: What’s a pull list?

Comic shops will let you create a list of titles and issues you’d like them topull back for you. This is a great and easy way to ensure you find the booksyou’re looking for, and it also helps build a relationship with your local comicbook shop. Be aware that some shops might require you to leave a credit cardnumber on file to immediately charge you for those books once they’ve beenpulled.

How can I be sure I’m paying a good price?

If you aren’t sure whether or not you’re paying a good price for a book, look upits value on sites likeComics PriceGuideorGoCollect. You can also searcheBay sales history to see what others are paying for the same book.

What's the difference between raw and graded values?

A graded (or “slabbed”) book means it has been inspected by a professionalthird-party grading service such as CGC,given a grade of1-10and preserved in a hard case. This preservation, along with a guaranteefrom the grading service that the book is authentic, can greatly increase thevalue of the comic book and make it easier to sell one day.

A raw book is one that has not been professionally graded or encased in plastic.Raw books can be valued on the same grading system, but without professional,third-party inspection, the raw grade of a book is subjective and might differfrom one collector’s opinion to the next. Professional certification eliminatesthis problem.

Learn more about the process of grading by watchingthis helpful video by CGCPresident Matt Nelson.

Can I buy raw books and have them graded?

Yes! One of the best ways to protect your investment is to buy books at theirlower raw value, and thensend them to CGC forgradingto potentially increase their value. CGC is the premier gradingservice for all of your comics and pop culture collectibles, and CGC also offersopportunities to have your books signed by your favorite creators andauthenticated through itsSignature Seriesprogram.

You can also use the CGC website toverify a graded comicor signup as a member tosearch through theCGC Censusto see how many graded copies exist.

Why are some CGC labels different colors?

A blue CGC label means the book is a “Universal Grade,” and it is one of thebest colors to receive on your book.

A yellow CGC label means the book is signed and authenticated by CGC. This is auniversally accepted certificate of authenticity that assures the signature onyour book has been verified and is authentic.Signature Seriesbookscan potentially increase the value of your graded book even above the priceguide value because of the authenticated signature.

A green CGC label is for books that are “Qualified,” which means the book has asignificant defect that needs explaining, or an unverified signature. The issueidentified by a green CGC label can reflect a substantial difference in valuecompared to a comic book with a blue CGC label.

A purple CGC label indicates the book has been “restored.” Examples includereplaced staples, color touch-up or a replacement cover. Restoration is a greatway to make your old, beaten comic look new again, but it can also negativelyaffect the value of your book.

Learn about all the different colors and meanings on theCGC labels page.

Comic Slang 101: What does it mean when a book says 1:25 or1:100?

That is called a “ratio variant,” or sometimes an “incentive variant.” To getone of these variant covers, the retailer has to order a minimum number ofcopies. So, for example, 1:25 means they can get one variant for every 25 copiesof the standard cover ordered. The higher the ratio, the rarer (and likely moreexpensive) a variant will be.

Comic Slang 101: What is a virgin cover?

A virgin cover means it only has the cover art without any title logos,lettering or barcodes obstructing the art. Virgin covers are often rareincentives for retailers and can potentially be more valuable than standarddressed covers.

Similarly, there are also covers called “limited trade dress” or “minimal tradedress” that have no logos but might have the title of the book written in small,plain letters to identify the book.

How do I protect my comics?

Comics should always be kept sealed inside a protective bag with a cardboardbacking. Mylar bags are more expensive than polypropylene (“poly”) bags, butthey offer more protection. Keep tape away from the bag to avoid accidentallydamaging your book, and only buy self-sealing bags. You’ll also want to be surethe sticky is on the back of the bag and not on the flap, or else it could stillaccidentally stick to your book and damage it.

Comics should be kept in a cool, dark space. Direct exposure to sunlight willfade your books over time. There are plenty of options for comic book storageavailable on the market, ranging from cardboard long boxes to hard-shell storagecases. There are even storage boxes specifically designed for larger gradedbooks. When you submit a book to a third-party certification service like CGC,encapsulation in a clear, protective holder is included in the fee for theservice.

How can I keep track of all my books?

There are many good reasons to keep a list of all the books in your collection.It can help prevent you from buying duplicates and show you what books you need.Some people keep lists for insurance purposes. You can do this in a notebook, orsome people create spreadsheets. The CGC Comics Registry is also avaluable resource for categorizing and keeping track of sets in your collection,plus you’ll be eligible for recognition and prizes each year.

You can also check out inventory apps and programs likeComic Collectorz,Comic Geeks,GoCollectandComics Price Guide.