Comic Books
Who doesn't love relaxing on the hammock 
with a great comic book in hand? Kids, adults; whoever you are, surely there was a time in your life when you sat down to digest a great read. Whether you got into them hardcore or simply read one or two, there's no time like the present to start your own collection or to give one as a gift.
Comic Books as Gifts
- Do your research! This means two things: find out what the recipient tends to read and what the particular type of comic that you want to buy is worth.
- Find out the person's interests in comics and see if he or she has a collection going and which titles are missing from it. That gives you an easy place to start when shopping.
- If you are already into comic books youself, finding a good one won't be difficult, since of course, you know all the great sites on the Web where you can find advice on pricing, auctions, and more. You might even subscibe to a comic book magazine.
- If you are a newbie to the world of comics, do be sure to talk over your purchasing possibilities with a knowledgeable comic store salesperson and do some research ahead of time too. There's nothing as safe as being prepared to bargain for that one-of-a-kind comic that you just have to get your hands on.
Collecting Comic Books
- Educate yourself on the comic book industry. Do research on the titles, toys, posters or other items that you are looking for.
- There's a lot of information out there such as the Comic Buyer's Guide magazine or download Robert M. Overstreet's Comic Book Price Guide (not a free download).
- The best way to identify comics is through the indicia: a small block of text on the inside front cover or on the first page that contains the issue number, publication date and exact title.
- Since comic book heroes often cross platforms and have multiple titles, the indicia is one of the true ways you can match information.
- Remember that the most important element to collecting is the passion that you have for a particular series, character, time period, or storyline.
Comic Book Basics
The two major brands that compete for the top spot in the comic world are DC and Marvel Comics. Other comic brands include Image Comics, Fantagraphics, Disney, and Archie. Don't forget international comics such as Asterix (france), Mortadelo y Filemón (Spain), and the Smurfs (Belgium).
Comic Books for Kids
Comic books are an excellent gift for kids, especially those that aren't big into reading. By immersing them into a world of fantasy and imagination, they will quickly become interested in reading what happens next. Often this is the first step to get kids to enjoy reading. Below are some of the top picks for comic books for kids.
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Calvin and Hobbes
Funny, quirky, and easy for a kid to relate to; these stories wind through the days that six-year old Calvin shares with his imaginary friend, Hobbes. |
Pedro and Me
Part comic, part non-fiction in an auto-biographical exposé, this is a book recommended to get a kid to transition from comic book addiction to reading novels. |
X-Men
Popularized on the silver screen, this ongoing saga is even better on paper. Exciting plots, interesting characters, and plenty of action. Ideal for slightly older kids. |
Walt Disney
Perfect for the youngest of the bunch. These are colorful, light-hearted comics that can be read to a child or that they can read on their own. |
Garfield
The fat cat is back at it again, lasagne included. This easy to read comic is great for young kids and is guaranteed safe for young eyes. |
Comic Book Grading
When buying or selling comic books, the item's condition is the most important factor in determining price. Books in the best condition will have little signs of wear, still retain good color, sharp edges and few creases. Often the buyer and seller will disagree over the exact condition -- it's personal bias to grade higher something you're selling, and if you're buying, it's often the opposite. This can cause problems since there needs to be some sort of mutual agreement before the transaction, but luckily there is a service that provides independent grading.
- Comics Guaranty is a third-party grading service specializing in comic book grading.
- CGC will examine any comic book you submit to them, check for restoration and give an opinion on the item's condition.
- They also assign grades and place book in tamper-proof plastic.
- Look for sales that have been graded by this service.
- For CGC's grading guide click here.
History
Comic books have a longer history than just Spiderman. In fact they date back to the mid-1600s, the so-called Victorian Age of comics, but it wasn't until the late-1800s that comics assumed a more recognizable aesthetic, in the form of comic strips in newspapers and later reprinted in album form. These were the early beginnings of the modern comic book.
The Golden Age of comics: 1938, Action Comics #1 introduced Superman to the comics world and the action hero world exploded until the end of World War II. Action heroes largely died out around this time, replaced by the Atomic Age of crime and horror comics, but were later revived in the 1956 with the advent of the Silver Age of comics. Here Spiderman, Daredevil, Fantastic 4 and The Hulk were born. The period from 1970 to 1980 was known as the Bronze Age, where many new comic books were created and the face of the industry was transformed with the talent of a lot of young guns.
So why is this important? Because comics from our present Modern Age (from 1980 on) basically have no value. Collectors hoarding large numbers of comic books anticipating a big boom in the collecting industry created an artificially high demand and rendered issues from this time period virtually worthless. The most valuable comic books range from the introduction of the superhero theme (Golden Age) to the end of the Bronze Age (1979).
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