How Much are Comic Books Worth?

It can be exhausting searching the corners of the Internet to find the worth of a comic book in your collection. But if you have a well-preserved Superman #1 waiting in an immaculate plastic sleeve for just the right moment, you can take steps to facilitate the selling process.

If you'd like to sell comics from your vintage comics collection or if you'd like to know what your collection is worth for insurance purposes, here are some insights as well as some simple terms and guidelines on how to go about it.

Comic Book Pricing Guides

Collecting comic books began to rise in the 1960s as a popular pastime, with collectors often buying and selling from one another. A need arose for a set of guidelines and grading system for comics, a need met by Cohen and Horsky's Argosy Price Guide, published in 1965 as a one-off.

Five years later, Jerry Bails and Bob Overstreet collaborated, combining their extensive notes with business acumen, to create the first issue of Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, which is still the industry’s favorite resource.

Instantly an accepted resource tool to most collectors, Overstreet did not include underground comics, so other resources like The Official Underground and Newave Comix Price Guide, and Fogel's Underground Comix Price Guide have made buying and selling independent and self-published work simpler.

Price guides faced a challenge with the advent of merchant platforms like eBay, mainly because the online giant drove down the issues' prices. Instead of reporting the actual completed sales price of an issue, most of the time the data from eBay reflected the starting price, which devalued the comics on other venues.

To correct this misstep, resources such as CBG Standard Catalogue of Comic Books list the actual auction results and cover more extended periods than what’s reflected online by eBay.

GPAnalysis is another excellent tool for comic book traders as it has up-to-the-minute reports of prices and amasses data from different online auctions.

Whether you prefer Marvel comics or DC comics (everyone has a preference), or if you have a particular favorite superhero like Iron Man, Green Lantern, Captain America, or The Incredible Hulk, you'll be able to find the issue you're looking for in one of these comics price guides. 

Comic Book Grading Scale

Sometimes individual collectors disagree about the finer points of the most accepted grading scale for comics. There are, however, some standards that most of the industry has accepted.

The scale runs from 0.5, the worst condition possible, to 10.0, which is a mint or gem mint issue. There are also classifications like near mint or very fine. Sometimes a comic will get a composite score, like 5.0, very good/fine, with the lower grade followed by the better one.

Grades might also include descriptions as two comics could have the same designation, but have different technical anomalies of which to be made aware. Traders and collectors see the grading process as subjective, in the end, and accept that each will have their own opinions about the condition of specific issues. 

The Rarest Issues

Whether you bought your first issue for 12 cents at the local five-and-dime or inherited it from a friend or family member, there are certain volumes that are treasures. A few distinct issues continually pop for sale at an auction, causing stir at the enormous price tags.

In 1938, the inaugural issue of Action Comics introduced Superman to the world and forever changed American pop culture. Where would we be without the man of steel? In 2014, a flawless copy of this comic sold for $3.2 million at auction.

Another pop culture heavyweight, the amazing Spider Man's debut is an issue to put on your radar. He was introduced as a special character, and although the editor of Amazing Fantasy didn't think much of Lee's and Kirby's creation, the lovable web-slinger swung his way into people's hearts and became a hit. In 2011, Amazing Fantasy No. 15 sold for $1.1 million.

Pricing Your Own Comic Book

If you've decided to publish your comic book through an online printing service like Comix Well Spring, you will eventually need to assess a fair selling price for your creation.

Traditionally, comics were sold for the printing price multiplied by two; however, this calculation may not account for current trends in the industry. Look at some other comic books or graphic novels of similar length and quality on a couple of different sites to get an idea of how much to charge for your comic.

If it's your first publication, err on the cheaper side to invite widespread exposure. If this is an issue that's part of a more extended series, think about pre-pricing or packing them together as a deal to incite sales. 

Final Thoughts

No matter if your collection specializes in horror comics, superhero comics, or the much-beloved Tales of Suspense, you should know its value.

If you collect comics and need a better understanding of how much they're worth, or if you're trying to get an idea of what price to sell your comic book, scour some trustworthy resources for comparable products.

At Comix Well Spring, we take your idea from inception to fruition, and we're with you every step of the way.