Comic Book Resources

What is 'Wizard Magazine'?

Wizard Magazine is one of several published by Wizard. These are trade-industry publications that typically would deal with what is going on in the industry now. Including what's going on in the lives of the characters, are there new titles coming out, what's a new publisher going to issue etc. And there may be discussions of back-issues and values, or suggested prices on comic books. Wizard also promotes comic book conventions. And these type of magazines also deal with gaming, issues, cards, relating to superheroes, and can usually be purchased at their local comic book store or by subscription.

What does the 'Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide' provide?

The Overstreet Comic Book Pricing Guide --this is the bible of the comic book community. Bob Overstreet has had these books coming out, first published in 1970, and annually, since 1972. This sets the industry standard, as far as what values and now, it's a guide. A guide means that the values in this book are not necessarily what you would either pay, or sell your books for. It is to serve as a guide as to what a suggested value, or a pricing over years experts have determined this is the range. And it will discuss it by grade and by issue. And it's also just complete, or replete, with information on everything you want to know about comic books: The history, the origins of characters, the artists. If youre going to be in either collecting, or investing in comic books, this is the book you need to get.

What does the 'Overstreet Comic Book Grading Guide' provide?

The Overstreet Grading Guide is an accompanying book that you can purchase separately. And this is a book that will explain to you the different grading tenures of comic books from a scale of essentially 0.5, to 10 being the most perfect. It will explain and give you physical and visual examples of what a comic book looks like if it's in fine condition, versus in near mint condition, and it will explain the different defects that can be accompanied with each particular different grading category. This is a type of book that is very helpful to both novice and experts alike to try and come up with a standardized grading understanding. Grading, as with anything, is a matter of beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It's very, very subjective. But this is at least is to try and create that a 6.0, a fine condition comic book, hopefully will be somewhat the same from dealer A to dealer B and collector A to collector B.

What is a 'comic book convention'?

A comic book convention is something that was essentially invented in the 1960s. It's a convention where comic book dealers would come together in a community. It could be in a local hotel, a fire department, it could even be in a huge convention centre where hundreds of thousands of people come to visit the particular show. It will be comic book dealers, it will be entertainment memorabilia, it will be actors and actresses nowadays from television shows and your favourite movies, where you can go and enjoy a day, or days, of picking up your favourite comic books or memorabilia.

Where can I find a comic book convention?

Comic book conventions are held throughout the United States and the world all the time. You can usually go to your local comic book store to find out when there might be a show. It might be advertised in the newspaper, certainly in trade publications. You now have online websites, and you can even put in "comic book convention" and there are websites that will tell you that certain shows are being held in certain cities on these particular dates. There are numerous comic book conventions held once a year, and then there are comic book conventions that are held in smaller areas that are once a month, or every other month, and are usually on the weekends.

Why should I attend a comic book convention?

Comic book conventions are a great place to go and obviously purchase comic books. And not just to purchase comic books, but to purchase them at an amount of money that is usually less than say, if you would go to a comic book store. Why? Because this is where the trade dealers are going .This is where the competition exists. So after bringing all these books to a show, they are looking to strike a deal. Therefore you have a good amount as a collector investor of negotiating power to be able to purchase that comic book at the show. It also gives you an opportunity to find these back issues that you have had so much difficulty in finding ever before. Now the internet has changed all that of course, it used to be that comic book conventions was the place you would have to go if you wanted to be able to find those back issues. But there is still a great opportunity not only to find your comic books, but to mingle with other collectors and dealers and trade your comic books and talk. There are now panel discussions about when you go, so the artists will be there, the creators will be there, and those who created the history of comics, who you will be able to meet. And you will be able to experience not only your opportunity to purchase and read the comic book, but actually live and understand why that storyline was written the way that it was.

What are some tips for attending a comic book convention?

Comic book conventions today, are a huge enterprise. You can still find smaller shows, where you're just going to be able to walk into a local fire department on a Sunday morning, with some money in your wallet, and buy some comic books. But if you go to the big conventions now that are held in New York City, and San Diego, where hundreds, literally tens of thousands, over a hundred thousand people will show, and the place is from one mile to one mile long, you need a game plan. You need to decide where you want to focus on going; Do you want to focus on the comic book dealers? Do you want to focus on the memorabilia? In purchasing shirts? Or the action figures? And you need to have good walking shoes, whenever youre going. And understand if you are going to be carrying out boxes, or just your comic books. And you want to, obviously, be able to protect your comic books, once you purchase them. It's much more than a short-term venture. There is an adventure, when you go into these comic book conventions. And you want to make sure youre going to have a great time when youre doing so. And just be prepared, bring money for lunch and dont forget to eat lunch when youre at these shows.