If someone were to refer to you as a pannapictagraphist would you: A. need to see a doctor? B. start a diet immediately? or C. confess to a priest and never ever do that again? You most likely wouldn’t do any of the these because you would be too busy hanging at the local comic book store. Pannapictagraphist’s are people who love to buy, sell, and trade comic books and many of them are searching for 20th century comics that you just might have!
It all began in June of 1938 with the release of DC’s Action Comics #1. Considered now to be the most valuable comic in the world, it contained the first appearance of a superhero, the man of steel himself, Superman.
Thus began the 20 year “Golden Age” of comics. From 1938-1955, the bulk of the major publishers, titles and characters that make up today’s collectible comics was established. The most popular characters, in addition to Superman, were Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain America. Innocent as comics may seem to us now, in the early 1950s they were considered by many to be undermining American young people and contributing to juvenile delinquency. With the 1954 release of Fredric Wetherman’s “Seduction of the Innocent,” many publishers were forced out of business and those remaining established the “Comics Code Authority” in 1954 to assure parents that their product was moral, decent and of suitable content for their children.
The “Silver Age” of comics, 1956-1970 introduced a new group of superheroes including: The Flash, the Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man. Many of the early comics, such as Green Lantern, Atom, and Hawkman, were revived in new formats in the 1960s with enhanced color and graphics. DC Comics and Marvel Comics from this era are of special interest to collectors. Also watch for Harvey Comics, the distributors of Richie Rich, Little Dot and Casper the Friendly Ghost.
As with all paper collectibles, the condition of a comic is a main determining factor in establishing value. Comics are “graded’” by mint, excellent, good, fair, or poor condition. Creases, dog ears, torn pages, and yellowing or detached covers will considerably reduce the value of most books. There are, however, a few very rare comics that will retain their value in spite of condition.
The criteria for establishing the value of vintage comics will parallel the guidelines for valuing all old books. Comics are not necessarily of value just because they are old. Age helps, but remember to factor in rarity, popularity and condition. Value guides are available to assist you in determining current market value, as are realized auction results from national auction houses including Christies and Morphy’s.
Preservation is a key concern to collectors. Humidity, temperature variance, exposure to light and poor air circulation are all factors that can deteriorate the physical condition of your comics. It is also important to always wash your hands before handling a comic book as the natural oils in the body can be harmful to the paper. Damage to the spine and missing staples will greatly reduce value. To minimize stress to the spine it is recommended that you lay your book on a table to read as apposed to holding it.
Seem like a lot of fuss over a comic book? Well, maybe so, but consider this: Recent prices realized at specialized collector auctions include $50,000 for a 1962 Amazing Fantasy CGC 9.6, $21,000 for an original 1957 Peanuts comic strip signed by Charles Schultz, and $12,000 for the 1963 Amazing Spider Man #1 CGC/PGX. And what about that June 1938 issue of DC’s Action Comics #1? A copy in mint condition is now considered worth $440,000. Bet you wash your hands before you read now! Until next time……..Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates and may be reached at 317-429-7887 or lkennett@indy.rr.com