Comic Book Shopper - Investing in Comics

Big Bucks In Collectible Comics
SYRACUSE, N.Y., August 4, 2003
(AP) Bob Storms takes his comic books seriously - and why not? They have made him some serious money.
Storms is among a growing number of investors who have tired of taking their bumps bouncing around on Wall Street's roller-coaster-like stock market
and have found vintage comics to be a safe equity haven. read more...

Superman, make me rich
Investors, there may be gold in comic books
BY NICHOLAS FAULKNER | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR

Paul Mullins not only knows that Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single
bound - but also that he can help you make some major cash.

Mullins, owner of Comic Book World, which has stores in Florence, Cheviot and Louisville, has been in the business of selling comic books for more
than 30 years. He says investing in comic books is less volatile than investing in the stock market. If you invest in the right comics, "your return can be
a lot greater," he said. read more...

Marvel-ous investments
Comics' collectors turn 'Man of Steel' into pot of gold
BY PHYLLIS FURMAN
DAILY NEWS BUSINESS WRITER
A "Marvel Comics" No. 1 dating back to 1939 just went for $201,250. A "Captain America" from 1941 featuring the stars-and-stripes clad superhero
knocking out Hitler and his thugs, roped in $96,686. And a top quality "Flash Comics" No. 1 from 1940 just captured a heart-pounding $273,125.

Ka-Pow! Comic books are soaring into the stratosphere again, luring everyone from big-time collectors to passionate fans. read more...

How To Invest In Comics

The mail is starting to arrive on my earliest columns, and it's clear from the spirited comments expressed by readers that I'm certainly eliciting visceral
responses. That's great! I'd rather write columns that get people excited (either pro or con), than to write the same old boring tripe. As I stated in my
very first column, you may love my opinions on comics retailing, or hate them, but I'll do my damnedest to never bore you.

This week I'm going to take on another taboo subject, by starting a series of columns on successful investing in comics. I consider this subject
currently off limits for most writers because of the general perception within the comics publishing and retailing community that readers of comics are
somehow saintly, while folks who consider a return on investment when making comics purchases are the scum of the earth. This dichotomy of
perception is a direct result of the damage caused by the over inflated market conditions of the early 1990's, which were fueled in great part by an
influx of remarkably gullible speculators in comics. During that period it seemed that there was no limit to how many comics you could sell if you either
printed "Limited Collector's Edition" on the cover, or retailed an issue by calling it Hot! Hot! Hot! (Limit: 5).
read more...

Buying Comics In Bulk

Last week, I promised you a strategy for investing in old comics that would drive your loved ones crazy. This strategy isn't for everyone, but I've been
utilizing it for 32 years, and it has been very successful for me. If you believe that the comics world is here to stay, and that people will still be
collecting comics in ten, or twenty years, then this technique is as close to a no-brainer as you can possibly find. read more...

Comics bringing many happy returns / There's room in portfolios for collecting
By PAUL SIMAO
Reuters News Service

ATLANTA - Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet and more powerful than a locomotive, but can he save your portfolio from the ravages of
a weak economy and declining stock market?

For some investors, the answer is a hopeful "Yes."

Demand for high-priced vintage comic books featuring the Man of Steel, Batman and other crime-fighting superheroes is growing as baby boomers
and others spooked by the downward spiral of stocks flee traditional investments. read more...

February 23, 2003
Bad Advice

I’m sure this fluff article on comics collecting has run in a bunch of newpapers already. Today it hit the Chronicle and sent comics fans in Houston to
the floor, where they all rolled with laughter.

As a former comics shop employee, I’m here to tell you: the way to make money in comics is to have put your collection from the 30s and 40s up in
your attic, rediscover them now, and sell them. I’m sure you can actually make money on investing in them now, but the idea of buying old comics for
money and not for the pure pleasure of having them is, well, wrong. read more...

Investing in Comics

Two to three decades ago, children spent their pocket money on sweets and comic books.

Since the 60s and 70s, the prices of some of those comics have tripled proportionately with age. Bet many people are still kicking themselves for not
spending less on sweets. Nevertheless, this lack of foresight is proving to be a sweet bonus in the investment market. Why did I have to use my first
Superman issue, Action comics #1, to swat flies? I could now be whistling my way to the bank with around $350,000. read more...

Vintage comics are more than funny business for investors
Looking for an alternative to the sagging stock market, some investors are turning to collectible comic books for a place to park their money.
By Monte Hanson/F&C Editor
February 15, 2003

With the stock market giving early warning signs of a fourth straight losing year, some investors are seeking refuge in the arms of the Incredible Hulk,
Superman and Captain America.

Sellers of collectible comic books say business has never been better — and they point to the falling stock market as a factor.

Nick Post, a partner at the Source Comics & Games, a Falcon Heights business that is one of the biggest sellers of vintage comic books in the
Midwest, said sales at the store grew 12 percent last year, driven partly by increasing numbers of what he calls “mercenaries” — people who buy
old comic books purely for investment purposes. read more...

Sick of stocks? Here are 7 alternatives
Wall Street isn't the only way to earn a profit. Trouble is, some ways work, some don't.
July 10, 2002: 4:58 PM EDT
By Martine Costello, CNN/Money Staff Writer

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Your losses are so big you would have thought you invested in a land development on a Florida swamp.

But no. You bought IBM, GE and WorldCom. Nevertheless, your money is nearly gone, and you're so fed up you're ready to invest in anything but
stocks. Of course, no sane person would advocate a mass exodus out of Wall Street. Market downdrafts are inevitable, and they're also a great
time to pick up quality stocks at dirt-cheap prices. While bears come and go, no one has ever lost money in stocks over periods of 15 years or more.
read more...

Reflecting on the Market
Colby D Lawhorn

If you have been reading the articles on this site for the last couple of months (and I know you have) besides noticing that my stories, at best, have
been neglected, you would have seen the comic market ping pong between ultra high dollars and bottom bucket prices. I admit that I`m not
omniscient, but it seems to me that the industry as a whole has begun to question whether there are any profits left to made or whether its time to
cut losses, throw in the towel and get the hell out of Dodge. read more...

Future Comic Book Prices
Gene Park

Many comic collectors that I know lack perspective when it comes to projecting the probable course of future comic prices. They claim that comics
can’t decline in value because “they’re art, they’re culture, they’re part of Americana”. They can’t decline in value because “while trends may come
and go, superheroes are forever”. They can’t decline in value because “they’ve never experienced a substantial decline to date”.

Phooey! It’s time for people to take off their fanboy caps and throw out these feel-good catchphrases that masquerade as hard analysis. Ignore the
siren calls of dealers and hype-mongers who are only too eager to separate you from your money. read more...

COMICS SHOW UP IN THE STRANGEST PLACES
by Tim O'Shea

I love it when comic books show up in the strangest places, so that’s why I was pleased to recently run across Steve Rosen’s August 3, 2003,
column for The Kansas City Star.

In his column he details how for more than half a century the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has published a series of comic books on varying
topics, including:
• "The Story of Banks;"
• "The Story of Checks and Electronic Payments;"
• "The Story of Monetary Policy;"
• "The Story of Money;"
• "Too Much, Too Little," (on the origins of the Federal Reserve System);
• "A Penny Saved;"
• "Once Upon A Dime;" and
• "The Story of Foreign Trade and Exchange" read more...

JOE FRIDAYS: WEEK 41

NRAMA: Every once is a while, we ask you if you’re noticing any industry trends that you feel are important or noteworthy, either good or bad.
Anything happening lately that’s caught your attention?

JQ: Yes. Two recent things caught my attention, they both thrilled me and scared the hell out of me. Let me flashback a bit to the mid-80’s. I was
sitting in my parent’s kitchen and I was leafing through my dad’s Daily News. At this point I had just rediscovered comics. I was floored by this two-
page spread that the Daily News did on comics and the collectability of comics - how they were a great investment and they cited books like Action
#1 and so on, books that are actually worth a minor fortune. I remember thinking how cool it was that comics were now in the papers and I felt like
was about to enter a field that was going to truly make a difference in the world of entertainment. read more...

Answer To a Customer Letter About Investing

Over the years, while I was buying comics, I always asked the dealers and readers what comics they would invest in for a 20 year investment.
Well, 20 years is unheard of to this day. Everyone always mentioned the hot comic of the moment which was quickly forgotten in 6 months.

I took no one's advice and invested in the DOW of comics and that is the comics with time-proven interest. I calculated 20 years in advance that
X-Men and Spiderman would become a Saturday morning cartoon show and would sustain the interest... and I'm sure there is more to come, live
action theatrical releases etc.

Stick with the big titles, and best artists. Reread How Made $2,000,000 at the web site. Check out various comic business articles too while you are
there. read more...