# A hypothetical comic book fanatic question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2006, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790 "2006-03-10T03:44:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/1 "2006-03-10T03:44:49Z")
Alright, so hypothetically speaking here. I might have just recieved boxes and boxes of old comics. Now, truth is that I’m not much of a comic book fanatic. I read them growing up but I never really got into the culture of it. Hypothetically that is. See, my grandmother used to own a book store in Tampa and she hypothetically could of possibly left me several thousand old comic books. And theoretically, were they in great condition, would pay my college tuition and a down payment on the house. Now unfortunately (and hypothetically still) these books aren’t in the best of condition. The quality ranges from utter crap to good, maybe. So now for the theoretical possibly interesting question. What exactly should one do with all of these? Most of these are out of collector’s quality range, and it’s a lot to sort through. Is an Ebay store in order to try and sell them? Or should I look for collectors and see what they find? Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/2 "2006-03-10T04:05:32Z")
Have you ever seen the movie _Comic Book Villains_? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/3 "2006-03-10T04:46:13Z")
In the Detroit area there’s a store that buys comics by the box. They look at a few and estimate the value of the whole thing. You could call local coimc shops and see if they’ll do that. The Ebay thing might be fun “Comics Grab Bag! 5,000 comics, mystery titles!” I think a number of comic fans might take the chance, but the shipping cost would probably be pretty high. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/4 "2006-03-10T13:43:44Z")
I’m hypothetically interested to know what’s hypothetically in the hypothetical collection. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/5 "2006-03-10T14:46:43Z")
I’ll email you off site CandidGamera, I don’t want to get in trouble with the mods. If anyone else is interested, let me know. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/6 "2006-03-10T15:01:45Z")
I’d sort 'em by title and issue number and pick up an Overstreet or similar price guide. It may take a weekend or so to go through the collection, looking for an issue that might potentially be worth a few bucks. Put anything valued under a buck in stacks of ten and sell 'em as grab bags, as described above, or hand them out to neighborhood kids. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/7 "2006-03-10T15:07:15Z")
E-mail me if there’s any Legion of Super Heroes ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/8 "2006-03-10T15:29:34Z")
Are there old Pulp Magazines? The Shadow? Weird Tales? Doc Savage? If so, I’d be interested. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/9 "2006-03-10T15:44:08Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > I’ll email you off site CandidGamera, I don’t want to get in trouble with the mods. If anyone else is interested, let me know. Well, thank you. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/10 "2006-03-10T15:44:47Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > E-mail me if there’s any Legion of Super Heroes I haven’t seen any yet but I will keep an eye out for you. ---
**Author:** ![Improv\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b3f665/32.png) [@Improv\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Improv_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/11 "2006-03-10T15:52:54Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Are there old Pulp Magazines? > The Shadow? > Weird Tales? > Doc Savage? > If so, I’d be interested. I know for a fact I have some of these, I don’t know what box they are in or what condition they are in, but once I know more I’ll email you. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/12 "2006-03-10T16:03:57Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > I know for a fact I have some of these, I don’t know what box they are in or what condition they are in, but once I know more I’ll email you. **YES!** In your face, Wormstrum! 😉😃 ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/13 "2006-03-10T17:27:09Z")
**ronincyberpunk** : I’m sorry to learn of your loss (assuming that I’m interpreting your OP correctly). I’ve been a Tampaniac for several years now, and I’m trying to think of now-defunct bookstores with large comic selections that I’ve patronized over the years. The name of your grandma’s place didn’t begin with an “M,” by any chance, did it? Just curious. In any case, I’m also interested to find out what your collection may hypothetically contain, so feel free to shoot me an e-mail as well when you get the time. I’m especially interested in late Silver/Bronze Age DC, horror comics, and any Disney titles you might have. I’m also remarkably indiscriminate as to the condition of said books, so if you have any left over that you think are otherwise unsaleable, I’d still be interested to see what’s there. I’ve been known to grab up discarded comics blowing around by the side of the road. ---
**Author:** ![HeadNinja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b4bc9f/32.png) [@HeadNinja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeadNinja)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/14 "2006-03-10T18:00:52Z")
If they are really trashed and not especially valuable (which is usually the case for old comics) you could explore loaning them to nieces and nephews. Comics back then were far more focussed on capturing children’s imaginations. One thing which you’ll notice is that there is a small market for individual issues of less popular comics. The big two have been pursuing an agressive reprint policy for their banner books, but a lot of less popular books get left by the wayside. So you end up with a 40 year old man who really wants to know how the story arc at the end of World’s Finest 46 finishes up. (What does happen with Superman’s and Batman’s kids anyway?) You can google for collectors sites and trade sites pretty easily. Ebay generally does not succeed very well at this, because of the small window you have to sell in. I would be a prime example of this market, as I ended up spending 3 dollars a couple years back on a book to find out how superman recovered from his death by fungal infection. (White Kryptonite kills all plant matter, and killed the fungus when his coffin went to near an asteroid cloud of it, I think) ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/15 "2006-03-10T18:02:12Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > **ronincyberpunk** : I’m sorry to learn of your loss (assuming that I’m interpreting your OP correctly). I’ve been a Tampaniac for several years now, and I’m trying to think of now-defunct bookstores with large comic selections that I’ve patronized over the years. The name of your grandma’s place didn’t begin with an “M,” by any chance, did it? Just curious. > > In any case, I’m also interested to find out what your collection may hypothetically contain, so feel free to shoot me an e-mail as well when you get the time. I’m especially interested in late Silver/Bronze Age DC, horror comics, and any Disney titles you might have. I’m also remarkably indiscriminate as to the condition of said books, so if you have any left over that you think are otherwise unsaleable, I’d still be interested to see what’s there. I’ve been known to grab up discarded comics blowing around by the side of the road. Terrifel, did you get a chance to read the list of my Disney/toon stuff I posted in that thread of yours a while back? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2006, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/16 "2006-03-10T18:41:54Z")
If you’ve, hypothetically, got any Richie Rich or Little Dot, I’m interested. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/17 "2006-03-11T01:30:50Z")
> [@ronincyberpunk](#): > > I know for a fact I have some of these, I don’t know what box they are in or what condition they are in, but once I know more I’ll email you. In the meantime, be SURE and watch “Comic Book Villains.” It’s a hilarious movie with Donal Logue, Cary Elwes, Natasha Lyonne and Michael Rappaport, among others. And it’ll help if you’re having trouble staying awake nights … ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2006, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hypothetical-comic-book-fanatic-question/347790/18 "2006-03-12T02:47:35Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Terrifel, did you get a chance to read the list of my Disney/toon stuff I posted in that thread of yours a while back? Opps… not until just now, I’m afraid. Somehow I successfully managed to entirely overlook that last post. I assure you, however, that I had a really good excuse for doing so _(holds up card that reads: “Official Card: Bearer Has Really Good Excuse”)_. I’ll peruse the contents further and contact you with my wish list.