I’m not a collector of anything. However my Son-in-law is. He collects comic books and anything related to them. Another thing I don’t usually do is browse through flea markets. Except a couple weeks ago a friend dragged me into going. Once there I decided to focus on finding a comic book for my SIL, hoping to find a nugget.
Came across this random pile of comic books and one caught my amateur eye as I leafed through them. In the comic book world, condition is important. Although the book I was looking at was old, it was not so bad and I bought it for fifty cents. It was a Marvel comic from 1965 entitled Strange Tales, and was #130 in what was a series. It wasn’t so much that this edition contained the death of a certain villain that got my attention, it was a little note on the cover, an obvious attempt by Marvel to boost sales.
On the cover were printed the words, MEET THE BEATLES, and that piqued my interest. That plus one of the superheroes (The Thing) is depicted with a Beatle Hairdo. Couple days later I visited my SIL and took the comic to add to his collection. He checked it out online, something I never even thought of when I was searching through the pile. He actually belongs to some site that updates prices of comic books daily, if not hourly, just like the stock exchange.
The comic book’s condition he judged to be fine. He paid particular attention to the artists involved in the comic’s production. Stan Lee, Bob Powell and someone with the last name Kirby were on the list of credits. Apparently, just like real life, art is more valuable when artists are dead. This was more important than the story, my SIL doesn’t even read the books he owns. Also this was the first time Marvel had used The Beatles in one of their books, something they did a few times over the years.
Anyway the book was valued at $70. Not a huge sum but pretty good. My SIL is going to hang on to it until the remaining Beatles pass on and then see if their memorabilia prices go up. We’re not even sure if Beatle collectors know about this one but I’m sure some do. When I feel the urge to go to another flea market I go golfing instead.
Came across this random pile of comic books and one caught my amateur eye as I leafed through them. In the comic book world, condition is important. Although the book I was looking at was old, it was not so bad and I bought it for fifty cents. It was a Marvel comic from 1965 entitled Strange Tales, and was #130 in what was a series. It wasn’t so much that this edition contained the death of a certain villain that got my attention, it was a little note on the cover, an obvious attempt by Marvel to boost sales.
On the cover were printed the words, MEET THE BEATLES, and that piqued my interest. That plus one of the superheroes (The Thing) is depicted with a Beatle Hairdo. Couple days later I visited my SIL and took the comic to add to his collection. He checked it out online, something I never even thought of when I was searching through the pile. He actually belongs to some site that updates prices of comic books daily, if not hourly, just like the stock exchange.
The comic book’s condition he judged to be fine. He paid particular attention to the artists involved in the comic’s production. Stan Lee, Bob Powell and someone with the last name Kirby were on the list of credits. Apparently, just like real life, art is more valuable when artists are dead. This was more important than the story, my SIL doesn’t even read the books he owns. Also this was the first time Marvel had used The Beatles in one of their books, something they did a few times over the years.
Anyway the book was valued at $70. Not a huge sum but pretty good. My SIL is going to hang on to it until the remaining Beatles pass on and then see if their memorabilia prices go up. We’re not even sure if Beatle collectors know about this one but I’m sure some do. When I feel the urge to go to another flea market I go golfing instead.