How to Buy Old Comic Books

Determine exactly which comic books you want to buy. Some collectors may want a particular issue to complete a set, while others are simply looking for books which carry stories about their favorite characters. Get together a list of the titles you're looking for, organized by year and/or character if you don't know the particular name of the title.

Determine the market price of the comics you want to buy. While this doesn't necessarily reflect the actual price you'll have to pay, it will give you a good sense of what the market is like and allow you to budget accordingly. The Comics Price Guide provides online data for different comics, as does Wizard Magazine's home site (see Resources below).

Look for online auctions selling the comics you want. Old comics sell daily on eBay. Look for comics sold in bulk, and pay close attention to the number of comics in a given package (including omissions). You can often get a good deal on a number of comics, rather than paying higher prices individually.

Go to comic book conventions in your area. Dealers will often sell back issues there, and while it may take a little hunting through bins, you are more likely to find what you are looking for. Price tags are often placed directly on the book at conventions, which makes negotiations easier. If you already have a good idea of the price before you arrive, you'll know which ones are overpriced.

Visit local comics shops in your area. These are less likely to produce rare back issues, but some may specialize in these. More importantly, you can establish a rapport with the owner (especially if you are a regular customer), and he may be able to fill you in on a particular issue that a colleague or fellow collector may be carrying somewhere else.

Check pawn shops, flea markets, swap meets and garage sales. While these are the least likely to produce the particular issues you want, they may also contain hidden treasures which other comic book collectors have missed. They are also more likely to sell old comics at a discount, since the owners are usually more interested in getting rid of them than making a huge profit.