"Comics probably worthless" article

Batwing · 11-01-2013, 06:25 PM

http://www.businessweek.com/articles...ably-worthless

I have never viewed my comics as an "investment" and the most valuable comic I own is really Avengers #118, which was the first Marvel Comic I owned at age 4 but is maybe $8 in value only.

Still, this article is kind of depressing.

Discuss.

PureInvasion · 11-01-2013, 06:50 PM

this is pretty much why I don't buy comics as an investment or bother with CGC, etc...most of the time it just isn't worth it. For every one gem you own there are about 1000 that are worth $0.10 if you're lucky

When I get my monthly books, I read through them. Stories I enjoy (regardless of value) I store in a longbox. Stories I found poor get placed in a pile where 2x per year I'll donate them all to a local kids hospital.

I only have about 500-600 comics actively in my collection right now (just over 2 longboxes) so I get rid of a ton of what I purchase. Oh well...

moon_knight1971 · 11-01-2013, 07:16 PM

I disagree with some points made in this article because the basic arguement could apply to anything. Stocks, art, stamps, coins, etc. With the economy we're having what really has held on and increased in value aside from gold and apple stock? Every day items and basic living costs increase taking away from the secondary market. My house in Vegas was $405K in 2005 and sold for $155K in 2010. People just need to make smarter choice then be patient...

VaultMan · 11-01-2013, 07:44 PM

I wonder if the person that wrote that article has ever been to a con to see some of these books move?

**nbr3bagshotrow** · 11-01-2013, 07:48 PM

I quit buying comics and now just do TPBs

ReplicantSavior · 11-01-2013, 09:09 PM

Stupid article. Few things really have value. The writer probably titled it as such to get viewers. Also, the article not once mentions condition. This is key. I've sold and traded junk comics for decent prices. If they were NM I could have received a lot more. And something like the Spawn comics I sold could have been more (and would have sold quicker) if I went to CGC.

But a lot of people (me included) missed the really high prices for I guess you could say normal back issues when things collapsed in the 90s. After that the focus really shifted to those rare, high quality issues and other key issues both old and modern. I was surprised to see that some of the New 52 #1s are worth a bit.

Wizard (thankfully no longer in print) is partially responsible for people thinking normal comics would be worth a lot. I don't think they published conditions. But every issue would have these high prices for comics. Especially during the Image days. Remember comics like Youngblood #1 were in the $100s I believe. You are lucky if you get close to cover price today. That Death of Superman was another over hyped one that's full of problems. I read somewhere that the bag actually damages the comic.

ratchet · 11-01-2013, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moon_knight1971

I disagree with some points made in this article because the basic arguement could apply to anything. Stocks, art, stamps, coins, etc. With the economy we're having what really has held on and increased in value aside from gold and apple stock? Every day items and basic living costs increase taking away from the secondary market. My house in Vegas was $405K in 2005 and sold for $155K in 2010. People just need to make smarter choice then be patient...

It is a flawed article at best - there are plenty of silver age comics that are doing quite well. Whoever wrote it doesn't know much about comics at all, in my opinion.

Batwing · 11-01-2013, 10:48 PM

The writer is definitely ignorant about comics. Still, the laws of demand and supply as well as changing buying patterns does factor in. How many truly valuable, high-in-demand comics do we really have? I have had challenges selling stuff because if this.

Potential opening of a can of worms: at one stage Bowen mini-busts were as prized as gold but look at the MB market today, or where it has been (no pun intended) for the past few years.

**MONSTER** · 11-01-2013, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nbr3bagshotrow

I quit buying comics and now just do TPBs

Ditto.

risingstar · 11-01-2013, 11:28 PM

Like anything else, my thinking is that the where, when, and how you sell makes a big difference. While you can bet that 95% of comics published in the last 25 years are available for a song, I think we can all agree that there still is a market for books published prior to that. However, that market appears to be sinking as I suspect that those most interested in older comics are getting older and their interests and priorities are changing. More and more tables at comic cons sell merchandising and less and less sell comics. It's a shame as I remember growing up with comics quite fondly. I looked forward to spending an entire afternoon catching up on what was going on with Spidey, Hulk, Thor, and so on. Nowadays, there's too much competition for everyone's (kids and adults) time and dollar. As for adults, most seem to buy out of habit now as they've long voiced a disdain for these mega-crossover which seems to have defined comics since the fall of the mutants.

I see some of the writing on the wall for statues too. I'm been selling quite a few of them lately while I still can get close to top dollar. Now that statues inch closer to $500 each, understandably, people are starting to turn away as the product doesn't feel as worth it.

I wonder how the comic art world will respond once the flood gates will open with all sorts of artwork which has stayed in collections for decades suddenly becomes available all at once.