top of page
Search
Writer's pictureJon

What info best makes for a comic buying decision?

Have you ever seen a book you are looking for and just bought it right away on impulse -its condition be damned? I know I have. Especially when it comes to low print run books, or issues I need to complete a run of a title. However, it strikes me that some collectors are looking for the most pristine, close to 9.8, copies available. These are the guys who might zoom in on every image, checking for cover wear, count spine ticks, check the corner condition, and see how white the pages are. I get the obsession and I appreciate the discernment from which they approach the hobby. Most times, I am more like the first collector.


But it is for the 2nd type that I attempt to list books for sale on this site. What I mean is, I have been taking 7 photos of most comics that I post: front, back, first page interior, zoom ins of all four corners. I then flip through the book to ensure there are no rips or marks in the other pages of the interior. I count any marks on the entire cover and then make an estimate on grade. I consult my Overstreet guide for price, then see if fair market value (FMV) has changed on a few sites on the internet (and no, eBay is not one of them...too many people listing books for way beyond FMV). I then list each book on the site by creating a "new product page." I also have to research the book for the description, when it was published, art by whom, story snapshot, etc. I did this with the intention of being as exacting as I could in honestly presenting condition of the book and with the assumed needs for information of that 2nd type of collector in mind.


However, what I have found is that the time it takes to grade, price and list just one comic is a time consuming process. If I want to list multiple books, there goes time that is taken away from other endeavors; Family, home projects, day job, downtime etc. I am at the point where if the book is not near mint quality I have been just taking 2 photos front and back (or just front) and listing it in the interest of time. What I am curious about is how people who look at my site as collectors feel about this? If I tell you the book is "good" condition (meaning 2.0 on the overstreet scale), are you satisfied with just one or two pictures or do you need to have the full 7 photos to make a decision to buy the book? What other information? Or are you more like me (the first type of collector) that you will buy a book you want with limited information? I am interested in perspectives, so I would love for you to drop me a comment/message or an email with your thoughts. Thanks for reading, take care.

10 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page