|
A comic book collection can be a fun and challenging hobby that you can start at any age and on any budget.
Choosing a title that you’ll enjoy collecting is the best part. Most cities have at least a few comic book stores where you’ll be able to browse through different titles to see what you like. If there are no comic stores near you, try your local bookstore, which will probably carry a few of the more popular lines. You can also do a search on the Internet to find out about the different titles that are available. There’s something for everybody – from superheroes to aliens to animals to sci-fi.
Many titles have branch off series that you may want to buy, too. It all depends on how much you can afford to spend a month. You can get subscriptions to your favorites, which will save you money and you’ll be sure to never miss an issue.
You can find comic books in many different places if you are creative in your search. The most obvious is the comic store or bookstore, but also be sure to check your local newspaper for listings of comic conventions. Lots of used bookstores carry old copies of comics, too. Tag sales and flea markets are other great locations to check out where you might even luck out and be able to pick up somebody else’s old collection for a super price.
Be sure to store your comics so they’ll be in mint condition years from now. You can purchase acid-free cardboard comic boxes that will withstand the elements of your home’s changing air temperatures. Even still -- it's never recommended to keep these boxes in the cellar if there is any chance of flooding in your area.
Read your comic books very carefully and when you're done slip them into plastic sleeves with cardboard backings to keep them from bending. These can be purchased along with the comic book storage boxes at any comic book store.
It’s important to set up some kind of a tracking system for issues you have and what you still need. Make sure you keep it with you whenever you might run into a comic book store or other possible source.
Starting your collection sooner than later makes sense financially. The longer you wait to start, the more expensive those past issues will cost. One way to remedy this situation is to start with a brand new title. Your collection will not be valuable for a while, but you can be sure to have a full collection that you won’t have paid anything extra for.
If you find your tastes run the gamut of all interests, an option might be to collect only number one issues of series. This is a great way to ensure that in the future, whichever comic proves to be a big hit, you’ll have the number one and most valuable issue. This is probably the best option for a beginner, but once you have a taste of comic book collecting, you’ll probably find yourself branching out into more and older titles.
You can check on how much your older comics might be worth at your local library in guides to comic book values. They list entire series and any special issues that might be particularly valuable. These guides also list the conditions and how to determine if your comic is in fair to mint condition.
If you plan to collect comics just for the fun of it, or for the potential profit down the road, one thing's for sure -- you're going to have some entertaining reading to enjoy yourself along the way.
| 
