The big two aren’t the only publishers who make quality comics.
There are a lot of great stories to read that are produced by publishers other than Marvel and DC comics. It is the age of the indy artist. And when you choose to limit yourself to those two you are going to be missing out on beautifully done stories and new ideas that the big two are too scared to try.
A pull list is “the” way to go.
You must understand that most stores only get so many of each comic cover. So if you want a specific one, there’s a chance that you won’t get it by just going to a comic book shop. Especially if it’s a key issue or a popular variant. Pull lists get priority. They aren’t saving a certain amount for the public. You should also be aware some people wait out on release days for the stores to open. So you’re getting what’s left.
Storytime: When White by Blackmask came out the quantities of the comic were so limited that the pull list had to be rotated so that each of us could occasionally get the 1st print of the comic. This meant that if you were looking for the 1st print of that comic in store, you wouldn’t get it.
Look up any comic price before buying because of these three things:
- Age alone doesn’t equal high value or rarity. Old≠valuable.
- Some comic book stores overcharge to the point that their sales are just average price at other stores.
- If you’re buying comic books from a reseller. There’s a good chance that many books are under and over prices depending on the employee’s comic book knowledge.
If you can buy a comic for under $1, do it.
The market is only going up over time. I remember early in my collecting days I would commonly find comics for $.15. The market has changed a lot since the 2000s. If you look online, even Free Comic Book Day Comics start at $1, so you can’t go wrong with buying cheap. As long it’s something you’re actually interested in.
You can help build your comic book collection for free by participating in Free Comic Book Day and Batman day.
The comics are free and many stores have some of their biggest sales on those days. So every year you can get a free stack of comics. Not to mention that certain ones do go up in value. My most expensive FCBD comic is selling online for about $80. Besides value, these comics will often highlight popular comics, cartoons, and/or manga from the year. As well as give you a little peak into what comics or books will be coming out later that year.
Ponderingsofablackwoman 