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Comic books fly high
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March 6, 2000: 7:55 p.m. ET
Old comics may net super deal, but ignorance can be kryptonite to a novice
By Staff Writer Rob Lenihan
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Look, up in the attic! It's junk! It's garbage! It's your old comic book collection!
So you've just flipped open an old trunk that's been gathering dust since the Bronze Age and a flood of memories comes pouring out -- Batman, Superman, the Incredible Hulk and Spiderman -- every kind of caped or masked hero as they battle Lex Luthor, Dr. Doom and a whole slew of nasties, thugs and scoundrels.
And, you, sentimental old softie that you are, look down at this veritable pińata of your past and exclaim:
"Hey, is there any money in this?"
Why, yes, there is--or at least there can be. But experts warn that this is no place for novices. If you plan on paying your way through college by selling your old comic books, you might be in for a letdown. Knowledge, the experts say, is the greatest super-power of all in the comic book realm.
Superman's first appearance
The Golden Age
In 1938, DC Comics published a title called Action Comics featuring this guy with a red cape and blue tights. They called him Superman -- maybe you've heard of him? After all the movies, radio programs, TV shows, and every kind of product that has enough space for a red "S," Superman has become a part of modern culture.
That first issue carried a cover price of 10 cents. Today, depending upon the condition, you can easily get six figures for the same comic book.
"That's the Holy Grail," said Maggie Thompson, editor of Comics Buyer's Guide, a weekly publication. "The vital thing here is condition. If something is described as 'near mint', that means it looks like it came right off the newsstand as if nobody touched it."
Like archeologists, comic book aficionados divide their history, with the years 1933 to 1956 roughly defining the sector's golden age and the silver age running from 1956 to 1970.
"Those tend to be the highly collectible, auctionable type of items," said Matt Ragone, vice president of retail sales at Marvel Enterprises Inc. "They're part of American folklore and American consumer consciousness."
"It's an old friend," said Paul Levitz, executive vice president and publisher of DC Comics, a division of CNNfn's parent company Time Warner Inc. (TWX: Research, Estimates) "Comic books might have been the first thing baby boomers bought with their own money. They are a fundamental form of storytelling."
The Internet has provided another meeting place for collectors. A visit to online auctioneer eBay Inc. (EBAY: Research, Estimates) revealed that 109,650 comic book books were up for sale on that site, which Shire Levine, senior category manager, said was a typical amount.
"It's incredible," said Levine, who worked at DC Comics before joining eBay. "We are the largest secondary market for comic books on the planet."
Levine said eBay is planning to publish a comic book of its own that will provide readers with an adventure story as well as show them how to use the site.
A quick tour of the site found an early Donald Duck comic going for $350 and an edition of Famous Funnies from 1934 going for $7,600.
Thompson said comic books that introduce major characters have the potential to become collector's items. The Batman issue that introduced Robin, the Boy Wonder, for example, is a landmark.
"These will bring big bucks," she said.
Take that, evil-doer!
Okay, you've got your comic books and you want to know what they're worth. For starters, there's the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, described by collectors as the definitive guide to comic book pricing.
The Internet—including sites like eBay—is one source, allowing you to compare prices and get a feel for what your collection is worth.
Comics Guaranty wants to introduce some standards to the field. For a fee, the Parsippany, NJ-based company will inspect a comic book and give it a certification.
"The grade quality of a comic book is important," said operations manager Ed Cardona. "You can go to any comic book convention, ask 15 different dealers and get different opinions. We're a third-party. It's good for novices or for people who've gotten burned."
Comics Guaranty, which recently inked a deal with eBay, is part of the Certified Collectibles Group of companies and has similar services for coin and sports card collectors.
Thank you, Masked Man
Thompson from the Comics Buyer's Guide advises the novice collector to take it slow. It is unlikely you will make that big comic book score that will land you that yacht.
"Get in there and get your feet wet," she said. "Don't say 'I'm going to pay my way through college.' "
If you're buying off the Internet, don't buy comics sight unseen. You could wind up with damaged goods. Look for a photo of the actual comic so at least you're not buying blind and work with Web sites that will back you up should you get zonked.
Thompson also suggested buying reprints of old comics, so you can see if you'll be interest in the field without having to shell out too much money.
If you're selling your old comic books, here are a few pointers to keep in mind:
- Put comic in plastic storage bags available at comic book dealers or online.
- Write down the title, month and year of the comic book on a label—before you put it on the bag, genius.
- Make a list of what you've got and keep it handy.
- Research: go to the library; get online, light up the Bat Signal, whatever.
If you find your collection is not pulling down a heavy price tag, hold on to your utility belt. Thompson said you should put the whole thing away and wait a few years. Maybe your collection will get better as time goes by.
"There's no pressure," she said. 
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