If with the no-longer so-new interest in comics, your attention is turning to these, either because you have a modest collection inherited from your parents, or because you recently bought some assorted comics, or because you want to start collecting them and need to know more about their possible value, learning about the factors that precisely affect the latter is fundamental if you don’t want to overspend or lose money during the process.
Condition status and grading.
First things first, the condition a comic book is in is extremely important to its value. As in many aspects that have to do with the state in which an object is presented, particularly of collection, the condition of the comics is subject to a classification by grades that goes from grade 0, which has the worst characteristics, such as missing pages, broken covers, etc., to grade 10, whose characteristics are almost the same as when the comic comes out of the printing press, being very difficult to find such comics nowadays, even recently released from the factory.
Today, many websites function as price guides for comics, classifying them by condition grade, as well as considering the story’s own characteristics to place a buying and selling price. In addition, some companies such as the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) are in charge of receiving, studying, valuing, classifying, and preserving objects of great collectible value, such as comic books. Many times, this process further enhances the value of the book.
Considering the value that certain comics can have, protecting them from the passing of time and environmental factors is essential if you want to preserve the condition of a comic book as much as possible. With this in mind, plastic or Mylar sleeves and comic boards are available to achieve this goal.
Comic book history, storyline, and related characteristics.
As with anything old, or considered vintage, many of the most valuable comics are those from the golden age of comics, the period between 1938 and 1956, when many of the major characters were created and first introduced to the public.
Their value is so high because very few of these copies still exist, and those that are available are not in the best possible condition. It is a matter of offer and demand, really. The fewer of these comics exist, the more their price will increase.
And it was this same thought that almost drove the comic book industry into bankruptcy in the 90s, when all the people started buying them because they thought they were all worth a lot of money. Seeing that their value did not increase over time, they stopped buying comics, which seriously affected the industry.
But it’s not just older comics that are worth money, some more recent ones that can be worth quite a bit. In reality, this depends a lot on the characteristics of the story itself, with comics that include first appearances, deaths, crossovers, and major events, among other aspects that would increase the value of the issue. Also, nowadays, cover variants are very popular, especially if they belong to first issues or special editions.
Additionally, the cinematographic representation of the characters in a comic can significantly increase its value, something that is happening very frequently today with all the momentum that the film industry has taken in relation to comic book storylines.
Indeed, the people involved in the creative process of comics have a lot to do with their value. For example, when a well-known writer or cartoonist takes over the reins of a comic, or when the author dies, this can increase its prestige.
It is usual to want to start collecting something to earn money, and the case of comics is no different. However, it is always advisable to start collecting comics for their creative value, rather than their monetary value. In the end, if you are going to collect something, it should be for passion and fun.