Getting rid of my comic collection

[goldenavatar]

This is a bit off topic, but I figured I'd ask anyway to see if anyone could offer up ideas on this delimma I've got right now.

As the subject header says, I'm looking to get rid of my entire comic book collection. However, I'd like to do something more beneficial with them then to just chuck them into the dumpster. I know someone is going to suggest an online auction, if so tell me your experiences with selling comics online otherwise I'll just ignore it.

I've considered the local comic museums, but the most recent information says, they're looking for golden/silver age comics exclusively, or they're asking for payment for storage. I have comics from the mid 80's to early 90's, mostly the super hero themed. So, with all that said, if you've any ideas on what I could do with the comics other then the above, I'm all ears.

[Magic Man]

what sort of comics are they and what condition are they in?

[figure2]

If the stories in the comics are not too adult-oriented, why not donate them to an organization like a battered women's shelter. Often the women are there with children who have little to do or keep them occupied. You might also look into local literacy programs who might be interested in using them as a teaching aid. This way you get a nice tax deduction at the end of the year.

[NoSeRider]

Xmen comics from the 80's are worth a mint.

Check out price guide. Comic books drawn by Frank Miller and John Byrne are worth a lot.

Paticular story lines like Phoenix saga in Xmen or Intro to Electra in Dare Devil can fetch you a $1,000 easily.

[DSillustration]

Xmen comics from the 80's are worth a mint..
yeah, but impossible to sell.
if you did an online auction, trying to get what they are worth...
it would be a full time job.

take out the really good ones, and sell the rest.
comic shops will sometimes buy collections about $0.25 an issue.
thats a really horrible rate,
but if your just getting rid of them anyways...
no loss.

HOWEVER,
the BEST thing to do...
stick 2 or 3 in a single bag,
and hand them out to the kids on halloween.
(something i always wanted to do, but my wife insists is lame)
personally, if i got comics on halloween, i would have been psyched!

[Torgovix]

That sounds like a great idea DS. I know I would have been stoked to get comics for Halloween.

[DavePalumbo]

I worked 3 years in a comic store and did alot of buying and selling on Ebay and with this experience backing me, I can tell you that neither one will get you anywhere near what a price guide suggests, but they're probably your best option.

Here's why: Comic stores have been in the toilet for selling back issues for years now, they have a hard enough time with the new stuff. Expect to get somewhere around 6 to 10 cents on the price guide dollar for anything you sell off to a store, especially if you bring in a large collection all at once. If you cherry pick the best out and sell those seperate, possibly to seperate stores, you might stretch your dollars a bit, then unload the others for whatever you can get.

don't even bother at a convention unless you're got something really unusual (and from the sound fo things you don't) because those guys are all scrambling to turn profit off their table and if they buy anything at all, it'll be lower than a store would go.

Ebay will definately get you the most for not too much effort, depending on the book, maybe even half or more what a guide says. The thing with ebay is, it can be alot of work and the money you get back is directly proportionate to the effort you put in. Here again, pick out the best stuff and sell them seperately. If you have some books worth $50 each, sell them individually. If you've got a group of $5 x-men books, try selling them together and hope for the best. Be honest in your descriptions of condition and try to let people know that you're being honest, as they're buying it more or less on faith, and always always always include a picture.

No matter what way you go, books from the 80's aren't in very high demand and books from the 90's even less. You'll probably end up with a large stack that is either going to go for pennies or get donated. I second that you should donate them. Who knows, maybe some kid will like them so much, he starts drawing, developes his own amazing look, and starts stealing jobs from us 10 years down the line :teeth: