Comics as Investments? Sure!

We've talked about Lego and video games as investments, so why not comics?  As a former comic shop owner, I have made (and lost) thousands with the colorful, popular books. While investing is generally thought of as something that involves the stock market or real estate, it can also include adding pop culture collectibles, like comic books, to your portfolio. If you're a comic book fan, it might sound very enticing to invest in Wolverine, Venom, or The Avengers. However, when you invest in comic books, it is important to understand the market and what to expect. Investing in comic books - or any collectible item - can be very subjective and potentially expensive.

Here's what you need to know about how to invest in comic books. They might seem like strange things to invest in, but comic books are reasonably popular when it comes to alternative assets. Comic books have been around since 1837 when the earliest known comic book (The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck) was published. However, when many people think of comic books they think of superheroes, and the arrival of superheroes to the graphic page marks the dawn of the so-called Golden Age of comic books.

The Golden Age of comics is generally thought to have started in 1938 when Action Comics #1 introduced Superman - a creation of Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster. Other superheroes who appeared for the first time during the Golden Age are still some of our favorites today, including Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. After World War II, there was a decline in comic book popularity, as well as concerns about how comic books impacted children, which led to cancelations of favorite series. The Golden Age of comics ended around 1950.

Today, vintage comic books from the Golden Age in mint condition are highly prized by comic book collectors. However, comic books from the Silver Age, which historians generally place between 1956 and 1970, also have some pull in the comic book market. This is the era that saw team-up comics become popular and introduced us to Thor, Spider-Man, and the Hulk, as well as Iron Man and the X-Men.

Over time comic books have been elevated to an art form. Even though they aren't from the Golden or Silver Age, the somewhat darker aesthetic of Frank Miller's work is highly sought after. His artwork from The Dark Knight Returns sold for $478,000 at auction in 2013.

If you want to invest in comic books, it is important to have a strategy and be realistic about the situation. Depending on your goals, comic books could be an intriguing option as you determine how to diversify your portfolio. Some of the things to consider when evaluating comic books include:

• Issue significance: First issues are generally considered more desirable and are more likely to offer a return. However, issues that feature a turnover in writer or artist, or mark a significant story arc, could also become more valuable over time.
• Popularity of the artist or writer: If a writer or artist is well-known and popular, the comic books that contain their artistry can be valuable. Frank Miller is a good example of a popular artist. Similarly, the rising profile of Neil Gaiman has helped increase the value of the Sandman comic books, which he wrote.
• Rarity of the comic book: One of the reasons older comics are more valuable is due to their rarity. There are fewer of them around. More recent comic books, especially those from the modern era, are more likely to be saved, so they aren't as rare and may not be as valuable.
• Comic book condition: The condition of the comic book matters. A comic book in good condition is more valuable than one in poor condition.

If you're trying to get an idea of what the fair market value of a comic book might be, one resource is GoCollect. GoCollect is a comic book price guide that aggregates data on recent sales and comes up with a fair market value for comic books.One thing to keep in mind is comic book grading. Two comic book grading services are Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) and Comic Book Certification Service (CBCS). These services review comic books and generally grade them on a scale of 0.5 to 10.

When purchasing comic books for investment, your best bet is to look for purchases that are rated very fine, near mint, or mint. While you can sometimes see a good return for comic books that are fine or very good, they usually need to be rarer in order to make a good investment. In the end, though, a comic book is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

If you want to invest in comic books, it is important to remember that the market for collectibles is highly volatile, and there's a good chance you could lose your money, especially if the hype around a character decreases or if interest in comic books drops. Additionally, some comic books are already so highly-priced that it would be hard to make a return.

Personally, I like to collect comic books of interest to me (such as Transformers and GI Joe) that have some potential for future gains. Maybe you're more into Jack Kirby and the Fantastic Four. I don't consider myself a comic book investor, though. Some experts say you should only invest 5-8% in collectibles; take that as you will.