How to Get Started Collecting Comic Books

Welcome to the exciting world of comic book collecting!

Comic books have a fascinating history filled with rich and beautiful artwork and stories that have reflected their times, from the fight against Nazis in World War II to the drug epidemic and the equal-rights movement of the 1960s, and even the 9/11 terrorism attack.

If you’re new to collecting comics, you might be wondering how to get started. Sit back and relax, and we will take you through a simple step-by-step guide to getting the best out of your collection!

Where do I buy comics?

You can use the CGC Dealer Locator tool to find a shop nearest to you. In smaller communities, there may not be as many brick-and-mortar shop options, but many online retailers are still available, such as Midtown Comics, Mile High Comics, Golden Apple Comics and more. Hard-to-find collectors’ items can often be found on eBay, and watch for nearby comic book conventions coming to your area.

What kind of books should I collect?

That can be a very personal decision and depends largely on your goals or interests as a collector.

If you’re just looking for fun and exciting stories, think about the film and book genres that you enjoy. If you like Marvel and DC superhero films, there are plenty of comics to choose from. Do you like clean-cut good guys like Superman and Captain America, or darker vigilantes like Batman or the Punisher? But comics have so much more than just well-known superheroes to choose from. Independent publishers such as Dark Horse, Boom! Studios, IDW Publishing and Image Comics have become a fertile ground for new creators telling unique and exciting stories that are often adapted to film.

Ask your friends what they like to read, and just look around the shelf to see what catches your attention. They say to never judge by its cover, but those covers probably didn’t have amazing artwork on them!

What’s the difference between a comic book, graphic novel and trade paperback?

Comics are about storytelling, and those stories often run across multiple issues. For example: the Death of Superman story in 1992 was told over 13 separate issues from five different titles. A “comic book” is a single issue of that story, and a “trade paperback” is a reprinted collection of all the issues from the story published in one larger book.

Some people like to collect the individual comics as they are released, and others prefer to wait for the trade paperback and read it all at once. Think of it like watching an episode of your favorite TV show each week, versus binging an entire series in one sitting. It’s like that.

If you’re collecting for value, you’ll find more in those individual books than trade paperbacks.

The term “graphic novel” was coined by comic book legend Will Eisner as a term for describing more mature and sophisticated comic book stories. Graphic novels are often more pages than a comic and printed on premium paper.

Comic Slang 101: What does “speculation” and “key issue” mean?

If your goal is to collect comics for their potential value, that’s called “speculation.” Comics that feature a major event (first appearance, new costume, character death, etc.) are called “key issues.” You’ll want to find those key issues and buy them before they go up in value.

For example, when the Disney+ TV series “What If …?!” introduced Peggy Carter as Captain America, that increased demand for her first comic book appearance as Captain America (Exiles #3) and the book’s value went up. Marvel Comics followed that by introducing a new “Captain Carter” comic book series and rumors of future film appearances spread.

The earlier you know about major upcoming events in comics and comic-related films, TV shows, etc., the earlier you can find related key issues and buy them before they go up in value. But keep in mind that speculation always comes with risk. There’s no guarantee that your book will go up in value. However, the longer you stay with it, the better you’ll become at knowing what to look for.

You can follow news sites like Bleeding Cool for trends and upcoming releases, and there are mobile apps like Comic Geeks and Key Collector that help you learn about potential new key issues as well as speculative hot back issues for which to keep an eye out. You can also follow your favorite publishers and comic book creators on social media to get the latest news and announcements about upcoming releases.

Why are comics so valuable?

The most expensive comics are the older books from the Golden Age (1938-1956) and Silver Age (1956-1970). One of the reasons is the rarity of these older items — many were recycled during World War II or otherwise destroyed, leaving fewer in circulation today. A high-grade key issue from this era is sometimes called a “grail comic” because it is so rare and valuable.

The comic book industry struggled in the 1990s and early 2000s, and there were a lot of over-produced so-called collectors’ issues that saturated the market. As a result, supply outweighs demand and many of those books are not highly valuable. Still, many of them have terrific stories from the leading creators of this era, and a few valuable key issues can be found.

Things turned around again in the early 2010s as comic books became more popular in film and television. This has brought a lot of renewed attention and excitement to the market along with new collector opportunities. More people are buying up books, and publishers are releasing rare variants, which makes many modern books more difficult to find and more expensive.

How much should I spend?

If you let it, collecting comic books can be a very expensive hobby. New issues can cost $5 each and more, and it quickly becomes expensive to maintain multiple monthly titles at once, not to mention tracking down that rare collector’s item and back issues.

Start with one or two monthly titles and slowly build yourself up to more. Set a manageable budget for yourself and try not to exceed it.

Comic Slang 101: What’s a pull list?

Comic shops will let you create a list of titles and issues you’d like them to pull back for you. This is a great and easy way to ensure you find the books you’re looking for, and it also helps build a relationship with your local comic book shop. Be aware that some shops might require you to leave a credit card number on file to immediately charge you for those books once they’ve been pulled.

How can I be sure I’m paying a good price?

If you aren’t sure whether or not you’re paying a good price for a book, look up its value on sites like Comics Price Guide or GoCollect. You can also search eBay sales history to see what others are paying for the same book.

What's the difference between raw and graded values?

A graded (or “slabbed”) book means it has been inspected by a professional third-party grading service such as CGC, given a grade of 1-10 and preserved in a hard case. This preservation, along with a guarantee from the grading service that the book is authentic, can greatly increase the value of the comic book and make it easier to sell one day.

A raw book is one that has not been professionally graded or encased in plastic. Raw books can be valued on the same grading system, but without professional, third-party inspection, the raw grade of a book is subjective and might differ from one collector’s opinion to the next. Professional certification eliminates this problem.

Learn more about the process of grading by watching this helpful video by CGC President Matt Nelson.

Can I buy raw books and have them graded?

Yes! One of the best ways to protect your investment is to buy books at their lower raw value, and then send them to CGC for grading to potentially increase their value. CGC is the premier grading service for all of your comics and pop culture collectibles, and CGC also offers opportunities to have your books signed by your favorite creators and authenticated through its Signature Series program.

You can also use the CGC website to verify a graded comic or sign up as a member to search through the CGC Census to see how many graded copies exist.

Why are some CGC labels different colors?

A blue CGC label means the book is a “Universal Grade,” and it is one of the best colors to receive on your book.

A yellow CGC label means the book is signed and authenticated by CGC. This is a universally accepted certificate of authenticity that assures the signature on your book has been verified and is authentic. Signature Series books can potentially increase the value of your graded book even above the price guide value because of the authenticated signature.

A green CGC label is for books that are “Qualified,” which means the book has a significant defect that needs explaining, or an unverified signature. The issue identified by a green CGC label can reflect a substantial difference in value compared to a comic book with a blue CGC label.

A purple CGC label indicates the book has been “restored.” Examples include replaced staples, color touch-up or a replacement cover. Restoration is a great way to make your old, beaten comic look new again, but it can also negatively affect the value of your book.

Learn about all the different colors and meanings on the CGC labels page.

Comic Slang 101: What does it mean when a book says 1:25 or 1:100?

That is called a “ratio variant,” or sometimes an “incentive variant.” To get one of these variant covers, the retailer has to order a minimum number of copies. So, for example, 1:25 means they can get one variant for every 25 copies of the standard cover ordered. The higher the ratio, the rarer (and likely more expensive) a variant will be.

Comic Slang 101: What is a virgin cover?

A virgin cover means it only has the cover art without any title logos, lettering or barcodes obstructing the art. Virgin covers are often rare incentives for retailers and can potentially be more valuable than standard dressed covers.

Similarly, there are also covers called “limited trade dress” or “minimal trade dress” that have no logos but might have the title of the book written in small, plain letters to identify the book.

How do I protect my comics?

Comics should always be kept sealed inside a protective bag with a cardboard backing. Mylar bags are more expensive than polypropylene (“poly”) bags, but they offer more protection. Keep tape away from the bag to avoid accidentally damaging your book, and only buy self-sealing bags. You’ll also want to be sure the sticky is on the back of the bag and not on the flap, or else it could still accidentally stick to your book and damage it.

Comics should be kept in a cool, dark space. Direct exposure to sunlight will fade your books over time. There are plenty of options for comic book storage available on the market, ranging from cardboard long boxes to hard-shell storage cases. There are even storage boxes specifically designed for larger graded books. When you submit a book to a third-party certification service like CGC, encapsulation in a clear, protective holder is included in the fee for the service.

How can I keep track of all my books?

There are many good reasons to keep a list of all the books in your collection. It can help prevent you from buying duplicates and show you what books you need. Some people keep lists for insurance purposes. You can do this in a notebook, or some people create spreadsheets. The CGC Comics Registry is also a valuable resource for categorizing and keeping track of sets in your collection, plus you’ll be eligible for recognition and prizes each year.

You can also check out inventory apps and programs like Comic Collectorz, Comic Geeks, GoCollect and Comics Price Guide.