What it cost me to collect the complete Action Comics Bronze Age of Julie Schwartz (with infographics!)
My
collection is complete!
For
my birthday I received $100 from my grandmother. It was a nice chunk of change
that normally goes into an imaginary pile, and I use it for odds and ends that
I want over the year. But this year I thought, let’s stop beating around the
bush with these Action Comics. I only have 11 left so let’s just buy them all
now instead of looking for them at various comic shops. Well, maybe that takes
away the fun of going to a comic book shop and seeing if they have the issue I
need, but honestly I didn’t have much time to do that anymore so let’s just get
it over with. And you know what I like doing even more than finding comics?
Over analyzing them! So here’s some thoughts and calculations from what it took
to complete the collection.
On April18th
2011, I inherited my Uncle Larry's comic book collection. That started me off
with 65 issues of Action Comics from this Bronze Age run.
On
September 11th 2017, (6 years, 4 months, and 24 days later) I received
the last few comics to complete the collection. My total expenses were: $142.67,
but the comics actually cost me $205.45 which is about $2.05 per issue. That’s
not including $54.44 in shipping. I saved a lot of money on trade-ins and
selling parts of my uncle’s collection. The only other expenses where a couple
storage boxes and the one time someone stole my eBay package of 26 comics.
Most
Expensive Comic:
Action
Comics 521 for $16
The
most expensive comics feature a first appearance of character that people care
about today. In the run of Bronze Age Action Comics, this is the only issue
with a first appearance of a character that is still used today. That character
is the Mari McCabe a.k.a. Vixen! I could have bought a lower quality book for
$8 but if I figured why not just pay another $8 to get a copy that looks really
good as opposed to one that’s a bit beat up. Action Comics 419 also had the
first appearance of the Human Target (a favorite of mine), and although he has
seen lots of spin off series and even a couple TV shows, he didn’t measure up
to Vixen.
Runner-Up for Most Expensive Comic:
Action
Comics 583 for $4.53
This
comic features the last appearance of the Silver Age Superman. It is Part 2 of “Whatever
Happened to the Man of Tomorrow” written by Alan Moore with art by lots of the
best DC artists of the day. After this issue, Action Comics went on hiatus for
3 months. During that time Superman was semi-rebooted in the miniseries “The
Man of Steel” in what most “historians” consider the beginning of the Modern
Age Superman. However, when Action Comics restarted, the issue numbering didn’t
change.
Cheapest
Comic:
Action
Comics 556 for $0.70
I
actually paid the same price for Action Comics 512, however, out of the 165
comics that I bought, Action Comics 556 is the only comic that I paid less than
the original newsstand price - although the listed price is only a nickel more.
That’s just crazy. What other mass produced books do you pay more than cover
price for a used copy? It really shows how buying comics is not about reading
at all. It’s a collectible. I wouldn’t think there was much of a market for the
vast majority of these Action Comics stories, but maybe just the name Superman
and Action Comics causes a boost in price.
I was
a little surprised how many of the comics I bought from eBay, but it was the
best place to buy in bulk, but that meant I was usually buying a few issues I
already had. MyComicShop was nice to pick up those hard to find issues at a
reasonable price, but shipping could kill you. While I loved perusing the Local
Comic Shop, I never bought too much there except when there was a sale. The
back issues collectors keep are usually top quality so the prices are high.
Coming
in at the top is again eBay (if you don’t count my uncle giving all the comics
to me for free). Besides the obvious cost saving of bulk buying, once I figured
out on eBay how to check what single issues were being sold by the same seller
I could save a ton on shipping when they sent them all to me in one package.
Combining those two factors brought the average price of an issue way down, but
if you were only buying one that might not help too much, and you’re at the
mercy of the person selling it to figure out how good the issue is. Fortunately
for me I wasn’t too concerned with the highest quality books. Following up at
second, the Local Comic Shop had some decent prices if you waited for the right
sale. The highest cost of MyComicShop.com can be attributed to two big factors.
First, the average was really broken since I bought my most expensive comic
there. $16 is over 3 times the cost of the next most expensive issue I bought.
Secondly, the shipping wasn’t cheap. But it was the kind of shipping you’d want
if you were buy a top notch issue.
Overall,
eBay was best for buying bulk comics to fill out a collection. MyComicShop.com
was best to buy specific comics. My Local Comic Shop was the most fun just to peruse,
explore and just see what was going on.
If
you’re really itching for stats, here’s a complete breakdown of everything I
tracked along the way.
Total Cost: $142.67
2011-Apr-18 Inherited Uncle Larry's Collection
$0.00 Collection Total: 386 comics/65 Action Comics
2011-Jun-20 Purchased Longbox
($5.99)
2012-Sep-21 Winning bid on eBay for Issues 557-583
($21.93) Package stolen
2013-Jul-11 Purchase at New Dimensions-Elwood City
($1.50) 455
($2.00) 456
($2.50) 483
($0.36) Tax
Status:41% (68 comics)
2013-Aug-14 Purchases on eBay
($23.33) 414-420,422,423,425,427,437&443 (6 issues will be trade bait)
($0.70) 512
($1.49) 517
($1.49) 524
($1.49) 525
($1.49) 532
($1.30) 544
($0.70) 556
($4.77) 557-562
($4.53) 583
($3.09) Shipping (saved $13.52 with the bulk buy)
Status:54% (89 comics)
2013-Sep-28 Purchases on eBay
($4.75) 431-433,435-436
($10.63) 437-441 (1 issues will be trade bait)
($6.85) Shipping (paid half price with bulk buy)
Status:60% (98 Comics)
2013-Sep-30 Purchases on eBay
($2.25) 429
Status:60% (99 comics)
2014-Jan-4 Purchases at New Dimensions-West Mifflin
($1.00) 449
($1.00) 492
Status:61% (101 comics)
2014-Jan-16 Purchases on eBay
($2.00) Superman 423 not part of Action Comics lot
($3.50) Shipping
Status:61% (101 comics)
2014-Jan-23 Purchases on eBay
($2.00) 421
($0.99) 424
($0.99) 434
($0.99) 447
($0.99) 453
($0.99) 457
($0.99) 475
($6.00) Shipping (saved $29 with the bulk buy)
Status:65% (108 comics)
2014-Jan-25 Purchases at New Dimensions-Elwood City
($3.00) 426
($3.00) 430
($3.00) 442
($3.00) 454
($0.72) Tax
Status:68% (112 comics)
2014-Apr-16 Purchases on eBay
($0.00) 444 normally $1.95
($0.00) 446 normally $1.20($0.00) 448 normally $1.20
($0.00) 451 normally $2.15
($0.00) 460 normally $1.20($0.00) 461 normally $1.20
($0.00) 465 normally $1.30
($0.00) 466 normally $1.20($0.00) 478 normally $1.20
($0.00) 485 normally $2.15
($0.00) 486 normally $1.20
($0.00) 487 normally $1.75
($0.00) 489 normally $1.20
($0.00) 490 normally $1.20
($5.05) Shipping (saved $20 with the eBay coupon)
Status:76% (126 comics)
2014-Apr-17 Sold on Craigslist
+$75.00 Longbox of 245+ comics
2014-May-3 Purchases at New Dimensions-West Mifflin
($6.81) 500 + New Longbox (Saved 25% on Free Comic Book Day)
Status:77% (127 comics)
2014-Aug-01 Purchased/Trade in on mycomicshop.com
($1.10) 501
($1.10) 502
($1.10) 504
($1.10) 505
($1.10) 506
($2.70) 508
($1.60) 514
($2.40) 518
($2.20) 520
($3.00) 527
($2.00) 533
($1.20) 537
($2.80) 539
($1.20) 542
($1.00) 546
($1.60) 550
($1.80) 551
($2.40) 552
+$30.39 Trade-in Value for 19 comics + 2 TPB
(~$25) Shipping
Status:88% (145 comics)
2016-May-07 Purchased at Pittsburgh Comics
($2.50) 510 - Back issue sale 50% off, Retail $5
($3.00) 553 - Retail $6
($1.50) 554 - Retail $3
($1.50) 555 - Retail $3
($0.51) Tax
Status: 90% (149 comics)
2017-Sep-02 Purchased at New Dimension Comics-West Mifflin
($3.00) 484
($3.00) 507
($2.00) 541
($3.00) 545
Status:93% (153 comics)
2017-Sep-05 Purchased on eBay
($14.99) 563
564
565
567
568 (duplicate)
569 (duplicate)
570
571
572
Status:97% (160 comics)
2017-Sep-06 Purchased on mycomicshop.com
($16.00) 521
($3.30) 574
($2.40) 575
($2.00) 576
($3.00) 578
($4.95) Shipping
Status:100% (165 comics)
2011-Apr-18 Inherited Uncle Larry's Collection
$0.00 Collection Total: 386 comics/65 Action Comics
2011-Jun-20 Purchased Longbox
($5.99)
2012-Sep-21 Winning bid on eBay for Issues 557-583
($21.93) Package stolen
2013-Jul-11 Purchase at New Dimensions-Elwood City
($1.50) 455
($2.00) 456
($2.50) 483
($0.36) Tax
Status:41% (68 comics)
2013-Aug-14 Purchases on eBay
($23.33) 414-420,422,423,425,427,437&443 (6 issues will be trade bait)
($0.70) 512
($1.49) 517
($1.49) 524
($1.49) 525
($1.49) 532
($1.30) 544
($0.70) 556
($4.77) 557-562
($4.53) 583
($3.09) Shipping (saved $13.52 with the bulk buy)
Status:54% (89 comics)
2013-Sep-28 Purchases on eBay
($4.75) 431-433,435-436
($10.63) 437-441 (1 issues will be trade bait)
($6.85) Shipping (paid half price with bulk buy)
Status:60% (98 Comics)
2013-Sep-30 Purchases on eBay
($2.25) 429
Status:60% (99 comics)
2014-Jan-4 Purchases at New Dimensions-West Mifflin
($1.00) 449
($1.00) 492
Status:61% (101 comics)
2014-Jan-16 Purchases on eBay
($2.00) Superman 423 not part of Action Comics lot
($3.50) Shipping
Status:61% (101 comics)
2014-Jan-23 Purchases on eBay
($2.00) 421
($0.99) 424
($0.99) 434
($0.99) 447
($0.99) 453
($0.99) 457
($0.99) 475
($6.00) Shipping (saved $29 with the bulk buy)
Status:65% (108 comics)
2014-Jan-25 Purchases at New Dimensions-Elwood City
($3.00) 426
($3.00) 430
($3.00) 442
($3.00) 454
($0.72) Tax
Status:68% (112 comics)
2014-Apr-16 Purchases on eBay
($0.00) 444 normally $1.95
($0.00) 446 normally $1.20($0.00) 448 normally $1.20
($0.00) 451 normally $2.15
($0.00) 460 normally $1.20($0.00) 461 normally $1.20
($0.00) 465 normally $1.30
($0.00) 466 normally $1.20($0.00) 478 normally $1.20
($0.00) 485 normally $2.15
($0.00) 486 normally $1.20
($0.00) 487 normally $1.75
($0.00) 489 normally $1.20
($0.00) 490 normally $1.20
($5.05) Shipping (saved $20 with the eBay coupon)
Status:76% (126 comics)
2014-Apr-17 Sold on Craigslist
+$75.00 Longbox of 245+ comics
2014-May-3 Purchases at New Dimensions-West Mifflin
($6.81) 500 + New Longbox (Saved 25% on Free Comic Book Day)
Status:77% (127 comics)
2014-Aug-01 Purchased/Trade in on mycomicshop.com
($1.10) 501
($1.10) 502
($1.10) 504
($1.10) 505
($1.10) 506
($2.70) 508
($1.60) 514
($2.40) 518
($2.20) 520
($3.00) 527
($2.00) 533
($1.20) 537
($2.80) 539
($1.20) 542
($1.00) 546
($1.60) 550
($1.80) 551
($2.40) 552
+$30.39 Trade-in Value for 19 comics + 2 TPB
(~$25) Shipping
Status:88% (145 comics)
2016-May-07 Purchased at Pittsburgh Comics
($2.50) 510 - Back issue sale 50% off, Retail $5
($3.00) 553 - Retail $6
($1.50) 554 - Retail $3
($1.50) 555 - Retail $3
($0.51) Tax
Status: 90% (149 comics)
2017-Sep-02 Purchased at New Dimension Comics-West Mifflin
($3.00) 484
($3.00) 507
($2.00) 541
($3.00) 545
Status:93% (153 comics)
2017-Sep-05 Purchased on eBay
($14.99) 563
564
565
567
568 (duplicate)
569 (duplicate)
570
571
572
Status:97% (160 comics)
2017-Sep-06 Purchased on mycomicshop.com
($16.00) 521
($3.30) 574
($2.40) 575
($2.00) 576
($3.00) 578
($4.95) Shipping
Status:100% (165 comics)