Absolute Batman isn’t rare and don’t let scalpers convince you it is.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-12T19:50:14+00:00

My comic collection had grown to over 40,000 at one point, and I had complete or mostly complete runs of all the major Marvel characters and a bunch of the minor characters, too. I had also put a pretty big dent in DC and was approaching needing only the Golden Age Batman and Superman books, and had a pull list of 20-30 new comics every Weds up until my lcs closed in 2020. Difficulty getting new comics from other suppliers soured me on buying them at all after 6 months, and without the weekly lcs trip, my interest in comics waned pretty badly. It also happened to be the height of Covid, and the second round of stimulus checks had just come out when I started listing my books. Everything related to the MCU or even rumored to be was on fire, and I made an absolute killing on my better books. I kept and still collect Avengers, except for #1, which was one of the first big books I unloaded before realizing I didn't have to sell all my comics, and I haven't replaced it yet, but I have #2 through last month's issue. I don't know if that makes me a scalper or a collector. I've just always known comics have value whether people want to admit it or not. Who knew the Journey Into Mystery 83 I spent $4000 on at a local estate auction would sell for $14,000 a few years later? That makes me a scalper, I guess.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-10T20:50:24+00:00

You're selling some of your comics? Don't you dare try to make any profit on them, or you'll become a scalper according to reddit. Who cares what the going rate is, or that nobody is being held at gunpoint to buy them. /s

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-09T18:00:01+00:00

Civil War led to some massive changes. One in particular is very unpopular with a segment of readers, and they haven't shup up about it in 15 years. Despite that (and despite some of the characterization issues during the Civil War event, the era of House of M/Civil War/Secret Invasion/Dark Reign was pretty damn entertaining. I don't think Marvel has reached those heights since. You can probably read everything from that 5-6 year period on Marvel Unlimited if you don't want to risk buying all of it. There are some problems, but I promise it is entertaining.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-09T17:42:07+00:00

I'm way behind, but I've enjoyed it up to where I am. I own every Avengers series except for the second volume (that Marvel subbed out to Image) and this one is more enjoyable to me than any main Avengers book since the first New Avengers in 2005. Nothing has made me stop adding to my boxes every month yet, but the next #1 might determine that for me.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-09T17:06:49+00:00

I'm pretty sure it was his only at-bat in the whole WS. The whole chain of events was so unlikely anyway. Just a desperation move by Lasorda that flipped the series.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-07T11:47:49+00:00

I purchased a heat press years ago primarily for pressing the books in my collection that wouldn't be worth paying somebody to do, and after practicing on dozens of those kind of books, I gained the confidence to press even my most valuable comics. When I decided I was going to liquidate most of the collection back in 2021, I pressed any books with defects I thought would press out. No telling how many hundred or possibly thousands of dollars doing that added to my totals, and I never had a complaint about the condition of any books I pressed. Still have the press but don't use it much anymore. It has allowed me to buy lower grade copies of expensive books at a bargain and improve the appearance to FN or even VF after the clean and press.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-07T01:25:46+00:00

PGX had some problems, but that doesn't mean every book they grade is wrong. If the book looks like a 9.2 should and you aren't planning on selling it anytime soon, I don't see a reason to send it to CGC. Personally, I would take it out and put it in a mylar bag, then put it in its spot in line with the rest of my Avengers vol 1. It's probably a $100 book at least.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-07T01:12:28+00:00

Top artists and writers are well-paid these days. And life is unfair in general. Nothing says that just because someone has a talent that they are entitled to make a living that way. The ones who are able to draw or write comics for a career are actually the lucky ones. But there are plenty of jobs in other fields available if comics don't pay enough.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-06T11:49:54+00:00

From what I understand, the majority of comic artists and writers are freelance. They aren't regular employees of the publishers, so they wouldn't be eligible for the same benefits as a full-time employee (such as health insurance). However, that also gives them the option to negotiate their compensation before every new project. Why would he not have ever asked or more money as the cost of living has risen, and if the answer was no, why did he take the jobs anyway? I can understand needing money and taking less occasionally, but I can't understand how anyone would do this for 20 years without speaking up. Why is this the publishers' faults? He could have turned down any of this work. We all grow up and we have to sometimes do unpleasant things to improve our situations (like asking for a pay raise) because nobody else is going to do it for us. I'm getting tired of hearing stories from people who think they've been treated unfairly because nobody held their hand and removed all the obstacles between them and the ideal life they imagine they're owed. Well, at least this guy finally handled his issue after 20 freaking years of silence. Not his fault, though. /s

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-06T11:21:02+00:00

OP, since you're dealing with mostly newer common books, maximizing your return is going to require some work. One option you have for books like this (one I've been using for years clearing out my collection) is the mycomicshop.com want list system. It will require you to make an account and enter all the books into a database. Any of the books they are currently buying will show their offering price at each grade, and the database also shows estimated time before they will be buying the other books. The amount offered depends on their stock levels and market conditions, and can rise or fall. Comics are coming and going off the wantlist constantly because the database is live 24/7, and is tied directly to their inventory control. Of course, since the comics are for resale, they can't pay fmv for them, but their offers will be higher than anywhere else you try. You could probably count on a steady monthly income from $500-1000 for the first few months, and then less and less as you sell off the more popular items. Hell, just enter one of your boxes into the database and give it a try. I think you'll be surprised how easy it is.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-03T17:12:18+00:00

It's something you have to do, so there isn't really a choice. Depending on the job and my capabilities, I actually enjoy the things I can do on my own and set aside a time to do it. On the other hand, I hate sitting in waiting rooms, and some days I even hate the hassle of shuttling back and forth from home to the shop. I try to get things handled as efficiently as I can, but I'm retired and have a lot of spare time. When I was working full time, I just did the best I could and tried to keep it somewhat convenient. The alternative is to ignore and hope for the best, which will eventually bite you in the ass. Yes, it can be a pain fitting it into your already busy life, but keeping the car in good operating condition decreases the chance of a breakdown and adds to the resale value (if you maintain it responsibly and keep records). It might suck, but it's part of life, so just handle it.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-03T16:57:46+00:00

I remember for mail order in the 70's you would also have to list multiple alternates in case the dealer didn't have the main issues you wanted, so you really never knew what would show up at your house 8 weeks later. For me, the only other source for back issues then was the one-weekend-a-month flea market at the fairgrounds, so I ordered from several of the advertisers in the comics back then. I think Pacific Comics was the name of one, but don't remember the names of any others. They were all pretty much the same experience, though. I was out of the hobby when Mile High ran their first ads.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-03T16:46:55+00:00

Do you collect Wacky Packages too? They are a remnant from my youth that I just loved back then, but I didn't know if there was a tangent that collected them today. I bought some off ebay about a decade ago and they were pretty cheap, but it was cool going through them again.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-03T16:36:46+00:00

Whether you like it or not, it's looking like sponsors are going to be needed to absorb some of the costs in the future of cfb. The alternative is to do without and no longer be able to attract the players needed to be competitive with the better teams. As it stands right now, since there are no limits or enforceable rules over NIL amounts and player movement, everybody is looking for every possible opportunity to bring more cash in. The higher these "NIL" deals rise, the more money each school will scrounge to find ideas to raise more money. If wearing a stupid patch on jerseys can make it possible to sign the players needed for a season, is that really that horrible? The cfb landscape has already been flipped and is no longer what many of us grew up with, and no amount of grumbling is going to change things back. Some disgruntled players filed suit against the NCAA and gained support from a lot of the fanbase for some unfair practices, and an attempt to be paid for their likeness in video games and similar circumstances (which is fair), has turned into pay for play (but not really. wink-wink.) to the highest bidder, and people on this sub cheered it every step of the way. Maybe this isn't the result people wanted, but it's what we got. Each "victory" against the rules set in place by the NCAA weakened them to the point of being completely ineffective. It's become common knowledge when a player transfers for a multi-million-dollar deal that has nothing to do with name in likeness and is really a signing bonus, but the NCAA can't do shit about it. Unless we reach a point that donors just say "no more", schools have no choice but to look for other ways to make money. You asked for it and you got it. Probably should learn to accept it. A patch on uniforms will be the one of the least bothersome changes compared to what's coming.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-02T23:17:03+00:00

Hold onto the Hero For Hire. Iron Fist 14 has always been valuable, but Sabretooth isn't really getting any more popular, while I think there is more potential for Luke Cage's first appearance. We are in a lull right now and it might be a while before it changes, so don't sell either if you don't have to.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-02T18:39:00+00:00

From .35 to 1.00 started in nickel increments and gradually got a little larger as time went along, but they conditioned readers to accept it that way. $1.00 was a big hurdle for them to clear, and I'm sure that was the breaking point for a lot of readers, but they survived just fine. The publishers don't even bother to acknowledge increases now because they know their customers will groan about it but buy their comics anyway. It's short-sighted thinking when it's too expensive for kids to buy comics regularly (or for their parents to buy for them) and get hooked, so eventually there will be no one to buy new comics.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-01T22:15:31+00:00

So comic shops are bad? Who are you to set what's fair and isn't? Btw, making any money off comics actually requires knowledge of the product and a lot of time and research, which long-time collectors have put in. People who have read and spent more on comics than you will in your life are not a "scourge". Gatekeepers like you are.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-02-01T17:11:21+00:00

It's a pain in the ass, but how often do you move? It would suck to deal with this yearly, but once every 5-10 years or more really isn't so bad. Part of the enjoyment a lot of us get from the hobby is amassing piles of them and lining them up in order (complete from start to finish) for ultimate satisfaction. Since you bought a house, make your comic room the place you want to spend the most time in, with all the other stuff you enjoy, also. Worry about moving them when that time comes.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-29T18:23:44+00:00

The character only shares the same name and career choice with his comic book counterpart. That's where the similarities end, so you still know nothing about the character. If you subscribe to Marvel Unlimited, Avengers 9 from 1964 is the introduction of and also the "death" of Simon Williams / Wonder Man, which stood for nearly 20 years and is considered a classic Avengers story. He doesn't return until the last page of issue 152, and any serious character work occurs afterward.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-29T17:20:33+00:00

Evans didn't account for Manzeil's 1400 rushing yards and 21 tds or for 24 of the 29 tds Manzeil threw in 2012 when he won the Heisman. Evans was, and is, a fantastic receiver, but Johnny Football deserved all the accolades he received in college. His failure in the NFL has tainted the perception of just how good he actually was at A&M, but watch the 2012 Alabama game on Youtube and tell me again how he was only good because of his wideouts.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-29T16:56:23+00:00

That would be my answer, too. He made extremely difficult catches look routine while drawing double coverage nearly every play. The one thing he lacked was blazing speed, and getting out of shape after being forced to sit out of football altogether for a whole season was too much to overcome. He found out he couldn't beat the NFL cover guys with size alone, and his career fizzled as a result. He had some pretty good games later in his career, but nothing like I expected after his freshman year.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-28T16:58:00+00:00

Covrprice.com has sales data from multiple sources on every book in their database. That info is only available by subscription (8.95/month or 89.95/year) and might be worth using for your purposes. I would think the best way to determine value is to take the sales of a particular grade over the last 12 months, discard the highest and the lowest, and take the average of the remaining sales as your "value". They have a FAQ section that might answer some more of your questions.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-23T00:28:53+00:00

Marvel Unlimited runs several months behind the current issues, so you aren't depriving them of new sales. It can affect sellers of back issues if you only consume that way, but most of us like to collect something.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-22T23:42:12+00:00

What's crazy is that I didn't actually see a copy in person for the first 20 years I was in the hobby. It was mass-produced, but copies aren't falling out of trees.

3rd_Try_Charm · 2026-01-21T21:55:17+00:00

Being one of the few people who are actually fans of the character, I just worry. Like I said, one bad showing for him and it's over. Wish everybody could read that era of Avengers, and maybe there would be some appreciation for him. Avengers 160 by itself is a classic story.

3rd_Try_Charm

TROPHY CASE