Comic InvestingIn a previous post, I went over pitfalls to avoid. Now let's dig in to some comic investing strategies that tilt the risk/reward in your favor.

You probably noticed the word, investing, in quotes. If you read my previous piece, you know I'm not a big fan of the word when it comes to comic books. I think it is one of those words that help us kid ourselves. "I'm not buying this comic because I like it/want to, I'm buying it because I care about my grandchildren." Let's get into the positive stuff...

Comic Investing: Heroes over Villains

You don't have to be a fan of the Comics Code Authority to go with the good guy. In general, other things being equal, buy the hero. Villains tend to come and go and to be very dependent on movies and television. Can you make money going with the bad guy? Of course, and if you have success taking that road, my hat is off to you. There are few absolutes in life and I would never suggest there aren't many ways to accomplish the same goal. But there are also guidelines that can make decision making a little easier and that is what I am trying to provide here.

Comic Investing: Undervalued Characters

Take a look at your preferred universe (or as many as you have time for) and think about the characters you are always happy to see show up. One such group for me is the Robins. I like them all. Nightwing and Red Hood are two that are often used in stories. Their 1st appearances are pretty reasonable in terms of price it seems to me. Plastic Man is another character that seems undervalued. His origins go back to the Golden Age of comics. He is quite powerful and a lot of fun to read. That should count double coming from me as I tend to dislike silliness in my heroes (I like them grim and serious, you know, the way they are in real life). Kidding aside, I'll be writing more about Plas in the future.

Great Writer/Artist Teams

This is one is admittedly more of a hunch. But it seems to me, if there is a team you enjoy and are excited about, then collecting their first works together is another winning path. Now, keep in mind that the ones that come to mind for me (Snyder/Capullo, Lemire/Nguyen) are also at the top of everyone else's list. So you have to be choosy and go with the earlier work it seems to me. (Of course I buy anything Snyder/Capullo put out there, but I don't kid myself that today's offerings are investments). I remember going to the Batman panel at C2E2 as the New 52 Batman run was coming to a close. Hearing Snyder and Capullo go over their "origin" story was fantastic. Here were two guys that really clashed at first but that came to respect each other as artists and friends. I'm sure you have similar recollections with some of your favorite creative teams.

What About 1st Issues?

Great question, glad you asked. This was a pretty sound strategy for a while and one that I still employ on occasion. The problem is, the publishers and comic stores are on to us. The first issue of a new series almost always has a much larger print run than the later issues. Comic InvestingStill, it is (generally) a low cost way to capture some upside if a series gets picked up or leads to an extended run. I would be choosy. Are you going to miss some big hits? Most certainly. But go for the stories and creators that look interesting to you. Because (all in unison now) you may be holding them a while.

To Sum Up Comic Investing

I just won't let you get away from, "buy what you like." All of these comic investing guidelines are simply expansions on that simple rule. Remember, in general, go with the hero when looking for long term appreciation. Look for undervalued characters in your favorite comic universe. Collect those creative teams you love and be choosy about 1st issues coming to market. Good luck out there on your comic investing journey!