Comic Books!

              If you are like most of us who read newspapers or watch television, you may every so often hear about a comic book that sold for thousands of dollars. Maybe for even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

                Yes, you heard right.  A flimsy periodical selling for all that money? You bet. Possibly you asked your mom or dad about what happened to your comics. Most likely their answer was that they threw them away. Why would they throw them out?  The simple reason is that they were taking up room, they were not being read, and that they were not worth anything.  And they would be right most of the time.  But there are always exceptions.

                Allow me to point out a few of the most valuable comic books of all time. If you had any of these you might want to stop reading.

                Let’s start with the comic that comes to mind to most people when they think of the most valuable comics.  I am referring to Action Comics No. 1, which came out in June 1938. It is valuable because it is the first appearance of Superman. Yes, the superhero that the two Cleveland high school pals, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, had sent to various magazines and newspapers, but were continually rejected. It is ironical that only the last ten pages of Action Comics No. 1 is devoted to Superman. But the editors of the new magazine Action Comics needed a cover and thought they would give it a try.  There is no exact number as to how many copies still exist, but probably fewer than a hundred. Of course, many of those copies are not in good condition, as they might have tape on them, staples, even thumbtacks holes.  There could even be tears.

                One company that grades comics, Comics Guaranty Company (CGC), separates the comics it grades into restored and non-restored copies. Of course, the non-restored ones are worth more, and CGC will designate them with a light blue label. A lavender label means that the copy is in restored condition.  Even a torn off front cover is valuable, possibly even upwards of $100,000.  The record sale of an Action Comics No. 1 is $3.2 million. You got it. A comic that your parents could have bought in 1938 for a dime has sold for a few million dollars. 

                Okay, how about a few other comics that are worth a king’s ransom?

                Detective Comics No. 27 was distributed in May 1939. That comic was the first appearance of Batman.  The highest sale price of Detective Comics No. 27 is $2.1 million.  Not too shabby for a ten cent purchase. 

                All-Star Comics No. 8 came out a couple years later in December 1941. The United States was just getting involved in World War II. This time the superhero was a woman. Yes, All-Star Comics No. 8 featured the first appearance of Wonder Woman. Now the country had both men and women heroes to admire. The highest sale of an All-Star Comics No. 8 was $936,000. 

                Other valuable comics include Batman No. 1, which were distributed in April 1940.  It featured the first appearance of the Joker and Catwoman. 

                Superman No. 1, which came out in June 1939, was the first solo Superman comic. It has sold for more than a half million dollars. Another valuable comic is Flash Comics No. 1 from June 1940. It featured the first appearance of The Flash. Sensation Comics No. 1, from January 1942 included the second appearance of Wonder Woman, but the first cover of her. 

                Captain America Comics No. 1 from 1941, Wonder Woman No. 1 from 1942, and Whiz Comics No. 1 from 1940, are also high on the list.  The Whiz Comics No. 1 displayed the first appearance of Captain Marvel.

                Keep in mind that in the cases of the most valuable comics, they are great investments. But you will not find them in stores or at garage sales and flea markets. Auction houses such as Heritage Auctions, Mile High Comics, and EBay are noted for handling high-end comics.

                It is a safe bet that any Superman and Spider-Man comic will appreciate. And remember that not all vintage comic books are valuable. They need to be of some significance to be valuable, such as the first appearance of Captain America or the first appearance of the Green Lantern in the All-American Comics No. 16.

                Go look in some old boxes in your house and see if you can find some age-old treasure trove of comics. Who knows, you might be surprised.  It is worth a try.