Want to start comic book collecting? Need a new favorite past time? People with hobbies know that spare time is not to be spent but enjoyed. If you have a past time you enjoy, you will never look at your spare time in the same way again. Hobbies have been found to be therapeutic. They relieve stress and get the mind active. If you don’t have one, why not consider comic books collecting as a hobby?
With so many comic book adaptation to box office movies, the recent one being Joker and Harley Quinn: Birds Of Prey. Comic characters, comic books and even comic-related action figures have suddenly become so popular.
The popularity of comics also reminded the childhood days where everything was just about fun. Reading a book is not ok, but when it comes to comics, it was fun. The art was just awesome and the unique way a comic can present a story and engage a young child is simply amazing.
What Is Comic Book Collecting?
According to Wikipedia:
Comic book collecting is a hobby that treats comic books and related items as collectibles or artwork to be sought after and preserved. Though considerably more recent than the collecting of postage stamps (philately) or books (bibliophilia), it has a major following around the world today and is partially responsible for the increased interest in comics after the temporary slump experienced during the 1980s. Among comics fandom, the study of comics as a medium and an artform are sometimes referred to (individually or collectively) as panelology and people who collect comic books are known as pannapictagraphists.
Do People Still Read Comics or Collect Comics?
Comic book collecting has also grown in recent years. With the number of comics sold increasing, it seems like there’s a new generation starting to pick up this rewarding hobby.
According to Comichron, estimated comics shipped to North American Comics Shops based on reports from Diamond Comic Distributors, the overall USD sales for the year 2019 is around $529.66 Million. Up 2.54% year-over-year.
That is from the world’s largest distributor of English-language comic books. At a time where digital comics can be accessed easily, physical comics sales are still increasing.
How I Started Collecting Comics?
As a kid, comic book collecting was a routine activity. Help out on household chores and later be rewarded with a comic on the next visit to the newsstand. It later developed into a hobby. At one point, it was almost an obsession, but as I grew older, I started to stick to a few titles.
Back then I would get anything I liked based on the front cover art, but now, I only follow a few titles namely the X-Force, Justice League, and a few others.
While most of us take up comic book collecting collecting as a mere passion, there are people who are also making money from it.
How To Start?
For collectors who are just starting out, there are a few way you can start. Some people are simply fans of a particular superhero or publisher. Comics are bought for their own entertainment and the pleasure of reading comics. They are not concerned with the after-market value of their comics.
There are others who concentrate on acquiring limited edition, rare comics, first issues or even comics with the first appearance of a character for the sake of achieving a return on their investment. This requires skills and knowledge of the market and you need funds to make the purchases.
It is important to know how to get your collection graded and where to sell them. Prices for comic books rise with age and a complete collection will always fetch more than random individual comics. The resale value of your comics depends largely on the condition and its rarity.
Either way, you must not forget to get the basics right – comics bags and boards, plus a box when your collection starts to stacked up.
If you started your comic collection at the time DC restarted the New 52 or Rebirth, then it is not a problem. Everything starts with issue #1, but if you did not start at that time, then building a good comic collection is possible only if you know the right sources to find them. When looking for back issues try comic conventions yard sales and also used book stores. Searching online on ebays could also help.
It’s not difficult to start a comic book collecting hobby and it can also be fun. So, why not?