So You Want to Sell Comic Books

When I was a kid I dreamed that one day I would have my very own store and that I would sell comic books to the local children. Comic books were so much a part of my life growing up and it was the same for my son as he was growing. When I was a kid it was Spiderman and The Fantastic Four, or any of the other Marvel titles. My son however loved Superman and he collected all the great Superman titles of the mid to late 1980s when Superman had a resurgence of popularity. I also saw this phenomenon repeated when my brother (twelve years younger) started collecting X-Men comics when he was growing up. I remember the great story lines from those X-Men and the incredible art by Gene Adams and others.

Comic books in the United States really began with the superheroes of the 1930s like Superman and then Batman (Robin came later). There was Captain Marvel and Captain America and his sidekick Bucky. If you are really interested in the history of comics you should immediately go to the library and take out a book called “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” by Michael Chabon. This is one of the great books of our era and takes place during the beginning of America’s involvement in World War II. This amazing book tells the story of two cousins who invent a comic book hero called “The Escapist” in New York City. The book won a Pulitzer Prize by the way.

During the war many comic book stories revolved around superheroes defeating Nazis and this caused huge sales to the war frenzied youngsters of the time. Many comic book publishers became very rich and comics became a part of Americana. After the war however sales shrank until by the end of the fifties comics were just about dead. Then came a man named Stan Lee and he realized that in order to sell comic books you needed a new type of superhero, one that had human frailties and weaknesses as well as super powers. America’s young men needed a superhero that they could relate to and Stan Lee created Spiderman and comic books were never quite the same again.

Today if you want to sell comic books the best way is to put them up on Ebay. Before you do that you need to get your comics certified. There are companies out there that will “slab” your comics which mean that they will grade the book and then encase it in plastic with a seal on it that ensures or “certifies” authenticity and value. This is a costly and controversial procedure that is only really necessary with rare or valuable comics. If the comic is not worth at least $50 you should not get them certified because the process costs that much usually. If you put any valuable comic books for sale on Ebay you will probably need to get them slabbed since collectors don’t usually bid on uncertified comic books.

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Dexter Color Changing Mug $13.49 Feeling murderous in the morning? Get out your Dexter blood-splattered mug and let the caffeine from a hot cup of coffee warm you up and restore your civilized side. This diabolical mug shows the two sides of Dexter: when cold, it is covered with blood, just like a newly discovered Florida crime scene; when hot, the blood disappears, leaving a grinning Dexter, who’s in on all your secrets….

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Feit Electric BPESL15T/BLB 13-Watt Compact Fluorescent Twist Bulb (60-Watt Incandescent Equivalent), Black Light Blue $6.36 Choose from many different colors of these 13 watt bulbs for a bright illumination equivalent to light output of 60 Watt incandescent. Perfect for parties and decor indoors and out, these lights also offer a variety of other applications. Use in lighting experiments with diffraction gratings. Line a darkened walkway in stylish light. Or, keep flying insects from crashing your backyard barbeque wit…

Joe Kubert’s Comic Book Studio Joe Kubert’s Comic Book Studio $15.31 With this kit, you will have everything you will need to complete a comic book and become a comic book author and illustrator. You just need to supply the desire and imagination. Kit includes a portfolio, 72- page instruction book, tracing paper, bond paper, lead pencil, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, drawing triangle, and one blank comic book. Kit measures 8 3/4 in. x 11 in. Running Press. ISBN 0762413433

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Placemats and coasters, ‘Comic Book Fantasy’ (set of 6) $79.95 Na�f artistry mixes well with bright colors under the creative intuition of Peru’s Rosa Maria Larrabure. The talented artist designs a set of six placemats with coasters, which are designed to bring entertaining elegance to the dinner table. Similar to a comic book page, each placemat features a playful sequence of events.

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Muscles in Motion: Figure Drawing for the Comic Book Artist Muscles in Motion: Figure Drawing for the Comic Book Artist $18.95 Superhero comic books usually call for two things: muscles and action. Comic book artists are constantly looking for sources for those superhuman muscles, and now Muscles in Motion will heed their cry for help. While most figure drawing books focus on static poses, Muscles in Motion analyzes the movement of bodybuilders and athletes, showing the flow of action in step-by-step intervals. With 800 dynamic drawings taken directly from the sketchbook of award winning artist Glenn Fabry, plus Fabry’s insightful commentary on those drawings, this is the single most practical book on figure drawing for comic book artists, beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Paperback book measures 7 1/2 in. X 10 1/2 in., 144 pages with 800 black and white illustrations. Watson-Guptill, 2005. ISBN 0823031454

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Comic Book Art Boards 11 in. x 17 in. bright white regular $13.45 The industry standard Quit doodling on that napkin and get to work illustrating your own REAL comic books. The boards are preprinted with traditional comic book borders, defining a 10 in. x 15 in. drawing area and a border area with space for notations including book, issue, and page numbers as well as the date. The smooth paperstock is perfect for use with pencils, brush and ink, watercolors, washes, and markers. The Pro series is recommended especially for use with acrylics or heavier inking.

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