It's only because of the movies they allegedly gain value, and maybe not even then
Yahoo's finance section is the latest to make the claim comics are a perfect investment, even though it's been proven in the past only the oldest do:
Investors looking to make some money are likely to take the traditional route and bet on stocks and bonds. But what about that stash of old comic books lying around in the attic? They have the potential to be more lucrative than you may think.The few times they may hold value is when movies based on them are released. Otherwise, the sums offered on what market exists are very small, and these news sites shouldn't be leading everyone to overestimate the value.
Gocompare.com collected information on comic books to determine those that have appreciated the most in price since 2008 compared to the S&P 500’s performance. The top performer was DC's Batman Adventures #12, first published in 1993. The original cost of the issue was $1.25, and in the last eight years, it has appreciated in price to $800, making a 26,567% return.Based on the actual past experiences of people who tried to invest, it's ill-advised to take the above claim at face value. What if you try to cash in on that Batman Adventures issue, and only get offered 8 dollars?
“We saw it really take off in terms of rising in value on news that a Suicide Squad spin-off might be in the cards. Then it really rocketed when the producer signed up in 2014, and it was confirmed. That particular comic features Harley Quinn, who we know is going to be one of the main characters in Suicide Squad,” said Nilsson. Suicide Squad will be released in August.
The second best performer was Marvel’s New Mutants, which appreciated 4,900% in value since 2008. The price of the comic when first published was $1.00. It now sells for $250. Similar to DC’s Batman Adventure #12, New Mutants saw its value surge on hype surrounding the movie Deadpool, which was released in February.New Mutants as an X-Men spinoff originally debuted in 1983, earlier than the book based on animated Batman cartoons, and that sells for less? IMO, that's laughable. And if value can only hold based on movies, then obviously, it can only go down after the film's left theaters. If market value can only be guaranteed based on movie-making, then there's not much point investing at all. Besides, as I've said before, the reading value is the real reason to buy the books.
In terms of value, the comic taking the number one spot is Action Comics #1, the edition in which readers meet Superman and Lois Lane for the very first time. The price of the comic when first published in 1938 was $0.10. Now it’s worth a staggering $3 million.Well, it's pretty obvious a pamphlet that archaic would be more guaranteed to hold value at this point. Even the Marvel series with Sub-Mariner's debut is surely worth millions too. But if newer products from the mainstream aren't worth so much, then it's an awfully risky business to invest in pamphlets instead of buying paperbacks for the reading value. Today, I own 3 compilations of the first Golden Age stories with Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, and paperbacks like those are enough for me; it's not the monetary value I should be in this hobby for. And a pity if these would-be financiers are.
Labels: animation, dc comics, marvel comics, msm propaganda, sales
"That stash of old comic books lying around in the attic" might have the "potential" to be "lucrative." Or it might not, depending on its condition, and also depending on the demand for it.
In the 1960's and earlier, comic magazines were generally considered cheap, disposable entertainment for kids. A lot of them were read once, then thrown out in the trash. (Also, many Golden Age comics got donated for paper drives in WWII. Plus, paper naturally decomposes over time, so even the comics that survived ended up in poor condition.) Consequently, Golden and Silver Age (and some Bronze Age) comics are relatively rare. That is, the supply is lower than the demand, driving prices up.
Since the 1980's, comics have been bought mainly by collectors, who save them. So speculators who buy a new or recent comic hoping to re-sell it at a profit could get burned. There is a catch-22: it can be hard to find a buyer who wants a particular comic, and who does not already have it.
Posted by
Tom |
11:05 AM
Tie-ins with movies and TV shows are no guarantee that a comic will appreciate in value. If the movie bombs, the comic probably will, too. If the movie or TV series is a hit, it still doesn't necessarily translate into comic book sales. Most of the movie goers and TV viewers are not comic book fans. They will go see the latest Captain America or Batman movie, or they will watch "Arrow" or "Agents of SHIELD" on TV, but they have no interest in buying comics.
Posted by
Anonymous |
1:03 PM