As an avid comic collector the best advice than a prospective buyer should look for in the puchasing of comics is to understand the reason you are looking to purchase a comic in the first place. Is it a hobby? Is it an investment? Once you have truthfully answered this, you should base your decisions accordingly.

• IF IT IS A HOBBY

Know what you want and how much you are willing to spend to get it! Too often a buyer is unsatisfied with a purchase of a comic that is advertised as either “rare” or in a condition that is somewhat suspect (the grading of comics is very subjective, even by the paid professional grading services). If you set a price limit prior to bidding or purchasing a comic that you wish to add to your collection, make certain it is within your budget. Often a collector can get the same comic at a better price if only by biding their time. It is impossible to outbid some collectors because they will pay whatever it takes to get a certain comic at CERTAIN times. Patience is the key when collecting within a budget.

• IF IT IS AN INVESTMENT

For investment purposes, comics are indeed a functional part of your portfolio. Having researced this for years, one can expect about a 5% annual increase on the value of SOME comics. This is an average. Sometimes less, sometimes more. You have to know the content of the comic prior to making a purchase decision. Comics do not increase in value in proportion with their age. They do, however go up in value based on their condition (again subjective) and more often than not, their creators. Most comics that are consider valuable are so because of their artists and writers. It may take a while to determine the value of a comic based on the written story; although some are noted as such in their descriptions. Many comics are adaptations of written novels or stories from popular writers and this can , for the most part be an advantage.

The main reason a comic can be a good or great investment is the artist. No other medium has the type of artwork that comic books have. Since art is subjective to opinion, it would be best for an investor to scan the web first for comic book artists profiles. Many of the best investment opportunities for comic books based on artwork come from testimonials at these sites. My rule is simple. If you like what you see, can appreciate the talent and craftsmanship that was made in producing it, then you probably don’t need a second opinion. One last piece of advice for an investment collector: Get an appraisal and get it insured. We just never know what can happen with any of our valuables. If you are in it for the money, protect it!

I consider myself a collector with an investment. Comic books are also a hobby of mine. I hope you find this useful! It is fine art at its finest!