Are my Marvel comics going up or down in value because of these Marvel movies from the past 5 years or so?

[Red]

My brother and I were raised on Marvel comics and we still have our collections boxed up, in plastic sleeves in the crawlspace.

I'd say we have about 2,000 or so comics, the bulk of which are from about 1985 - 1995. I'd say 90% of the comics are Marvel, the rest are assorted DC/Image.

Of the comics we have, the only notable ones I can recall are Wolverine #1 (like an orange comic with his 3 claws on the cover... think it's from the '70s or early '80s) ... Spawn #1. Some older ('70s) Marvel comics. Nothing significant.

I have tons and tons of X-men, Spiderman, X-Factor, X-Force, Fantastic Four, etc. Many sets of Marvel cards as well.

I don't plan on getting rid of my comics... I plan to give them to my future son in about 15 years (I'm only 23, don't plan on having kids until 30+).

Are the Marvel comics going up in value or down in value because of the movies? At first glance, you would think the movies would only help the value go up because the demand for comics may go up, but at the same time I think people have just become less interested in old, boring comics compared to new movies like X1, X2, and the upcoming X3.

 

[Queasy]

It really depends on which issues you have. Marvel flooded the market with comics in the 90s and that almost killed Marvel and the comic industry together.

I've got a few cases of comics that I really don't know what to do with.

 

[meltdown75]

I think Daredevils went up a bit with the release of the movie, but not much. The movie sucking donkey balls might have had a bit to do with it.

 

[leftyman]

This post made me think of the Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons..

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

a crawlspace in Cincinatti probably isn't the ideal storage solution

 

[RaDragon]

I would not worry about their value now because of the movies seeing that you aren't going to sell them and plan to give them to your son in the future. Just make sure you take good care of them (good moisure/dust/critters management and all that) and I'm sure your son will reap the benefits, should the need arise.

Nice collection, btw!

 

[Heckler 5th]

Originally posted by: leftyman
This post made me think of the Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons..

worst. analogy. ever.

 

[Aharami]

it should go up. if anything, the movie should generate more interest in the book. why? because no movie is better than the original book it was based on, whether that book be a comic or a novel...

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Heckler 5th

Originally posted by: leftyman
This post made me think of the Comic Book Guy on the Simpsons..

worst. analogy. ever.

thats not an analogy.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
a crawlspace in Cincinatti probably isn't the ideal storage solution

Thats what I was thinking. At this point, sell the things, or start getting serious about protecting them for the future.

 

[Coquito]

Alot of comics have been slowly dying, due to the rise in trade paperbacks. Spider-man has almost retained it's value since the mid nineties, but most else would be better to get graded(that's what everyone does now), & sell it off. The ultimates line where they revamp the original titles with modern storylines has been as popular as any comics, but it's not enough to save the industry.

Besides the basics, alot of small comics from little places like Valiant, Dark Horse, etc. are picking up more story-based ideas lacking in superheroes at all. That one that came out a few years ago(vampires attacking a town in Alaska where it's dark half the year), is being made into a movie. Value within 5-6 months of the initial issue was $30-$40 because of the smaller scale it was on.

Marvel cards are worth nothing. Even those rare one per crate holograms are only worth $5-10.

I would suggest looking over your collection, & replacing all those old backboards & bags with genuine acid-free materials(almost all older stuff destroyed comics).

 

[sygyzy]

Comics, as well as sports cards, are worthless collectibles. I should know. I have plenty of both. I have and alawys will be a fan of comic books but if you are in it for the money aspect, quit now, while you're ahead. I have all the original Image #1's (I know, not a big deal, but they once were). I have the Gen 13 series. Lots of Valiant titles like Harbinger 0, XO Manowar, etc. I haven't checked but I think they are all worth less than cover price. I remember the days when Sandman, Preacher, and Spawn made up 75% of the Wizard Top 10.

It's a shame. Even if you look at sports cards. The only valuable cards are ones that Upper Deck forced. Like this $50 packs of cards in which you might get a card with a snippet of Lebron's jersey. Then you can ebay it for $5,000. I mean seriously, what kid can spend $50 a pack?

What has this industry turned to?

 

[Red]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
a crawlspace in Cincinatti probably isn't the ideal storage solution

The comics are bagged with paper backs, stacked on each other (face up) in a couple large cardboard boxes. The cardboard boxes themselves are wrapped in thick plastic bags.

I'd like to keep them in decent shape but not trying to keep them mint or anything. Any precautions I should take?

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
Comics, as well as sports cards, are worthless collectibles. I should know. I have plenty of both. I have and alawys will be a fan of comic books but if you are in it for the money aspect, quit now, while you're ahead. I have all the original Image #1's (I know, not a big deal, but they once were). I have the Gen 13 series. Lots of Valiant titles like Harbinger 0, XO Manowar, etc. I haven't checked but I think they are all worth less than cover price. I remember the days when Sandman, Preacher, and Spawn made up 75% of the Wizard Top 10.

It's a shame. Even if you look at sports cards. The only valuable cards are ones that Upper Deck forced. Like this $50 packs of cards in which you might get a card with a snippet of Lebron's jersey. Then you can ebay it for $5,000. I mean seriously, what kid can spend $50 a pack?

What has this industry turned to?

I quit collecting sports cards when they went over a dollar per card. $8 for 6 cards.. I went wtf? and quit.

What happened to $2-3 for 15 cards.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: Red

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
a crawlspace in Cincinatti probably isn't the ideal storage solution

The comics are bagged with paper backs, stacked on each other (face up) in a couple large cardboard boxes. The cardboard boxes themselves are wrapped in thick plastic bags.

I'd like to keep them in decent shape but not trying to keep them mint or anything. Any precautions I should take?

you should realize that condensation trapped inside the bad could be rotting them away. And vermin might be getting in there too. They should be relocated to a cool, dry, dark spot and kept in non-airtight packaging.

 

[ahurtt]

The movies should have little if any effect on the long term value of the comic books. For the most part, comic book movies suck and are little more than summertime flash-in-the-pan money makers for the film studios. About 99% of the comic book movies are not going to go on to be classics. The will be long since forgotten in a couple years after they release on DVD and be sitting on shelves collecting dust.

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: Coquito
Alot of comics have been slowly dying, due to the rise in trade paperbacks. Spider-man has almost retained it's value since the mid nineties, but most else would be better to get graded(that's what everyone does now), & sell it off. The ultimates line where they revamp the original titles with modern storylines has been as popular as any comics, but it's not enough to save the industry.

Besides the basics, alot of small comics from little places like Valiant, Dark Horse, etc. are picking up more story-based ideas lacking in superheroes at all. That one that came out a few years ago(vampires attacking a town in Alaska where it's dark half the year), is being made into a movie. Value within 5-6 months of the initial issue was $30-$40 because of the smaller scale it was on.

Marvel cards are worth nothing. Even those rare one per crate holograms are only worth $5-10.

Edit: Not to mention, once you put them in those thick CGC graded shells, you now double or triple the amount of space they take up.

I would suggest looking over your collection, & replacing all those old backboards & bags with genuine acid-free materials(almost all older stuff destroyed comics).

Excellent write up but I question your recommendations. You basically agreed with everyone else in saying that the comics are basically worthless now. Then you go on to recommend grading and using acid-free materials.

How much is CGC grading? $30 a pop? I haven't checked. I know it's not cheap to ship both ways, have someone "grade" it and place it in a fancy thick protective cover. That's great that I can have my $5 copy of Spawn #1 graded and make it worth $45 but 90% of that is the cost of grading itself. That leaves me with $5 profit. If you had the chance to buy a $50 copy of a comic in a hard shell that was "graded" versus one that was in the same condition for $5, which would you get?

Also, last time I checked, those fancy archival quality, acid-free bags and boards were not cheap. $1-2 a set? Maybe more? So now you are spending $2 for comics worth at best $2-5 each to preserve them. I feel h orrible saying this as a (former) avid collector - what's the point?

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: sygyzy
Comics, as well as sports cards, are worthless collectibles. I should know. I have plenty of both. I have and alawys will be a fan of comic books but if you are in it for the money aspect, quit now, while you're ahead. I have all the original Image #1's (I know, not a big deal, but they once were). I have the Gen 13 series. Lots of Valiant titles like Harbinger 0, XO Manowar, etc. I haven't checked but I think they are all worth less than cover price. I remember the days when Sandman, Preacher, and Spawn made up 75% of the Wizard Top 10.

It's a shame. Even if you look at sports cards. The only valuable cards are ones that Upper Deck forced. Like this $50 packs of cards in which you might get a card with a snippet of Lebron's jersey. Then you can ebay it for $5,000. I mean seriously, what kid can spend $50 a pack?

What has this industry turned to?

Something that the collector craze ruined.

 

[Coquito]

Originally posted by: sygyzy

Excellent write up but I question your recommendations. You basically agreed with everyone else in saying that the comics are basically worthless now. Then you go on to recommend grading and using acid-free materials.

How much is CGC grading? $30 a pop? I haven't checked. I know it's not cheap to ship both ways, have someone "grade" it and place it in a fancy thick protective cover. That's great that I can have my $5 copy of Spawn #1 graded and make it worth $45 but 90% of that is the cost of grading itself. That leaves me with $5 profit. If you had the chance to buy a $50 copy of a comic in a hard shell that was "graded" versus one that was in the same condition for $5, which would you get?

Also, last time I checked, those fancy archival quality, acid-free bags and boards were not cheap. $1-2 a set? Maybe more? So now you are spending $2 for comics worth at best $2-5 each to preserve them. I feel h orrible saying this as a (former) avid collector - what's the point?

I was just giving him the options I see, one way or the other. If he did intend to sell them, the older comics do go up considerably when graded well. For just archiving them, 100 acid-free bags & boards go for $7.95 or so.

 

[meltdown75]

hmm. i wonder if my 1st-appearance Elektra DD is worth anything now.

was Elektra intro'd in another comic? or was it DD?

i think i need to re-read some of these.

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
hmm. i wonder if my 1st-appearance Elektra DD is worth anything now.

was Elektra intro'd in another comic? or was it DD?

i think i need to re-read some of these.

Given it's age and Elektra popularity it is probably worth a good bit.

 

[preslove]

I would think only the really good series that stopped long ago, but still live on in Trade Paper Backs are valuable, i.e. Sandman, The Watchmen, Akira, good runs of the X-MEN etc. The rest probably only have a few valuable issues. Most comics from the '90s are worthless because of the whole bubble stuff.