Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


When many of us buy comic books we frequently read them and place them on a pile of old comic books or our book shelves. This attitude changes when we are collecting these comic books. In these cases we take great steps to preserve our comic book collection. There are instances where we may decide to sell comic books that we have doubles of or ones that we feel are bringing the value of our collection down.
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To ensure that you are able to sell comic books that you have no need of there are certain steps that must be seen to. As many people want to have good quality comic books whether it is just for reading pleasure or for serious collecting you will need to make sure that both the inside and the exterior of the comic book are in excellent condition.

To sell comic books you will need to preserve the appearance of your comic books. You can store them in clear plastic sleeves with a piece of acid free cardboard at the back of the comic book to give the comic book a strong support. With the help of the supporting cardboard you should store your comic book upright on your book shelves.

This way you can be sure that your comic book will not develop any creases in the cover from the pressure of the other comic books. Besides storing your comics in an acid free plastic cover sleeve if you want to sell comics books you should know what are the types of comic books that are very popular.

These comic books will help you to gain a profit from selling them but these popular comics should also be in excellent condition. The other types of comic books that sell well are the first series comic books. There are many people who love buying these types of rare comic books.

When you sell comic books like these and they are in mint condition you can be sure that you can get a very high price for these early edition comic books. The best places to sell comic books that you have no need of or ones that you are expecting to get a profit from is your comic book store.

The internet and auction houses are also good places where you can sell comic books. There are many comic book collectors who attend these places so they can see what sort of comics are for sale and hope to buy a rare or coveted comic book. When you are looking to sell comic books the main facts to remember is that the various comic books must be ones that are in demand and the condition of the comic books should be excellent.



KARL
Sep
25
Filed Under (Hobbies) by Kert
Krystle Green asked:
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In a tough economy, we find ourselves looking to make a buck. We act like superheroes trying to fight this volatile economy. Well, why not look to the superheroes themselves? Comic books make for a great investment. They are lucrative and can be worth a lot of money. However, investing in comic books may not bring a big payoff right away. It can take fifteen to twenty years for a comic book to be valuable. Who would’ve thought that a childhood pastime would make you some money, and at the same time you get to have fun while purchasing comic books that bring some joy into your life.

Comic books are rising in value because of the increased popularity of them. Hollywood producers are making recognizable comic books heroes the stars of their movies. For people who are not familiar with the characters, they soon find themselves becoming more interested in them. Or people are reminded of characters they loved as a kid after seeing movies such as Ironman, Wonderwoman, and Superman. They are inspired to buy the comics after watching the movie.

Investing in comic books requires some work and dedication from the collector. They keep their value when they are in good condition and stored properly. There is also researched involved. How popular is the comic, what is the initial cost, what is the current value, how rare is the comic? You also have to decide what type of collector you want to be. There are different types of ways to be an investor for comics.

Investors simply care about the bottom line. They don’t have an emotional side attached with the comics and look to see how much money they can make from selling the comics. Another form of the investor is the person out to make some quick cash. This comic collector buys and sells in bulk tying to make fast money. Usually they are selling the most popular comics, not rarities. The EBay investor is closely related to the person trying to make some fast cash. They auction off their comic books on EBay. Usually they read the comics first and then sell them to get money back, but of course at a higher rate. Unlike the other investors they enjoy reading the comics and have some emotional attachment. Excitement not only comes from the comic but also the auctioning off of the book. Another type of investor simply looking at the bottom line is the inheritor. There is no sentimental value for the comics that were passed on to them. They want to get rid of the comics, but at the same time make a profit.

On the other hand, there are the emotional types of investors. To these types of people, there is sentimental value to the comics and they invest, trade, and purchase comics with value. The reader has the comics for their traditional purpose, reading. They don’t care about preserving the comic and enjoy the superheroes come to life as they read through the colorful pages of a comic. A step down from the reader is the part time reader. They enjoy comics but pick up and leave the hobby when it suits them. Last but not least, are the obsessive collectors. They dream, live, and breathe comic books. They categorize their comics, preserve the comics, and are the go-to guys for comic information.

Investing in comics has its rewards. Those rewards come in the form of money, joy, or excitement. Which collector are you and will you invest in comic books?

 

 



DON
Aug
15
Pamela Ravenwood asked:
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Comic books have been around in the United States since 1934. The term “comic book” was coined due to the fact that the first books were actually reprinted humor comic strips. But as any comic book enthusiast knows, comic books aren’t just about humor anymore as they tell stories and cross many genres.

If you have ever wanted to become an author of a comic book or create your own series, you might have asked what it takes and what is the process.

To start, most comic books are designed by groups of people. For larger and better-known comic book distributors, there are a series of people on staff that include a writer, a penciller, an inker, a colorist, a letterer, and an editor. Sometimes one person can take a variety of roles. For instance, in most alternative and small press comics, the same person will write and illustrate, although it is still common for a separate person to produce the color separations, and sometimes the lettering.  In Japan, where the comic book is called a mangaka, one person usually writes and pencils his own work while their assistants may handle the inking, screentone, and lettering.  In most European comics, there are usually two or three artists involved: a writer, an artist who provides lettered artwork, and a colorist where necessary.

If you are you are interested in starting your own company and hiring the people or friends to get your comic series off the ground, here are some steps to consider:

1.    Concept/World - Maybe you already have the concept or imaginary world of your comic book idea in your mind and this is why you are interested in creating your own comic book. This is a great start. But if you don’t and you just like the idea of comic books, then here is where you try to imagine a concept that nobody else has come up with yet. You can start by asking yourself questions such as who would be my hero or what would happen if this kind of person met this other type of person in an imaginary world? You don’t have to be the writer to come up with a concept, which brings us to number two.

2.    Writer/Story - Your writers are the people or maybe just one person, who takes the concept and turns it into a story. A good writer understands the story well and is great at writing dialogue. The writer or writers will also give the story its basic structure, rhythm, its setting, develop its characters, and help refine the plot.

3.    Penciller - The penciller uses a pencil to sketch out images to go along with the story. It is done in pencil so that changes can be made as needed. This person has the responsibility of creating the overall look of the comic. Many comic book enthusiasts are very critical about the artwork of a comic and can even choose comics solely by the artwork, therefore the work of the penciller is just as critical as the other positions.  

4.    Inker - The inker will take the pencil work and bring it to life with color. The inker will typically start off by going over the penciled in work with black ink, giving the lines more depth and more of a three-dimensional look. By enhancing the lines in black and white to start, it makes it easier to copy and color the images. Some pencillers will do this part themselves, but it takes a different kind of skill set than the penciller uses. Although the inker is basically retracing everything, they also are given credit for helping the art become a finished piece.

5.    Colorist - The colorist adds color, lighting, and shading to the inks of the comic book. Special attention to detail is critical here, because if the colorist doesn’t use the right colors, people will notice.

6.    Letterer - Without words to convey the story, your readers may very well be lost. During this stage of comic production, the letterer adds the words, sound effects, titles, captions, word bubbles, and thought bubbles. Some creators do this by hand with the aide of an Ames Guide and T-Square, but most people do this via computers.

7.    Editorial - The editor of the comic book gives it a final look through - overseeing the quality and identifying problems that potentially need to be fixed. The editor has fresh eyes or the project as well, and is able to see the comic as if for the first time.

8.    Printing/Publishing - Now for the printing and publishing. Some comics are printed digitally. Having your comic book printed and published is the final element and therefore the book should be complete in every way. Once published, all you have to do is market it and sell it, which could mean a whole other set of staff.

While these eight steps seem simple, the process of creating a comic book that is truly unique and catchy can be a challenge. But if it is your passion, then there is no harm in giving it a try. Who knows, you might have the next best selling comic.



EMILIO