HOT COMICS, 2021 SPEC AND THE STATE OF THE MARKET DURING COVID-19: AN INTERVIEW WITH PHILIP LEE
Vintage Comics and Toys is somewhat new in the comic book community as a dealer but don’t let that hold you back; their inventory is full of keys and more keys. Visiting their booth at a random comic con and you will see an amazing comic book collection and heart-stopping eye candy toys on display, that, of course, EVERY collector wants. I am fortunate to personally know Philip Lee, who owns and operates Vintage Comics and Toys, and was happy to catch up. Here is our conversation on the future of the 2021 comic con season, hot comics to collect, go-to comic cons to attend, and the current state of the comic book industry. Please enjoy:
Q: First of all, how are you and your family/friends doing as we approach the holiday season and 2021?
Everyone is doing great. I gained a lot of COVID weight but other than that I feel great. It also helps to have a hobby to keep you busy. LOL!
Q: For those of us who are not familiar with you and/or your store, tell us a little 
about you, and what got Philip Lee started in collecting?
So, I deal in back issue comics and new and vintage toys. I started collecting toys, cards, and comics as a little kid with my siblings. My older brother would take trips across town every weekend to buy us comics and cards.
Q: Tell us about Vintage Comics & Toys. How and when did it get started?
When I moved to Los Angeles in 2008, I started to recollect comics and vintage toys. Started doing shows in 2013. Relocated to Northern Virginia in 2016 and we were super lucky to be able to buy few comic collections that helped us set up our business and to give us the volume to take on the biggest cons in the country.
Q: I follow you on IG and catch your live shows when I can. I understand you recently just started being a Dealer. How has your experience been so far? How has the COVID19 pandemic affected your business?
The business has been great, overall, my colleagues in the business have been very supportive of each other. A lot of the comic and toy vendors stay in touch, we are like a traveling circus show I feel like sometimes. There was a lot of scrambling around as show after show was getting postponed and canceled. You had to sell online to stay alive. Many vendors had to adapt. Luckily for us, we already have an online shop, but the challenge was to upload all of my inventory to eBay. eBay has been tremendous. I will say this over and over again eBay is “king” for sales.
Q: What are collectors looking for nowadays? What are the Top 5 comic book requests you are receiving from die-hard collectors? What comic books are you actively looking for?
So, everyone wants in no particular order a Fantastic Four #1, X-Men #1, Amazing Fantasy #15, Hulk #3, and a Journey into Mystery #83. There’s always a sense of urgency to buy these super keys. It’s just whether you want to pony up as usually these books cannot be bargained for. There was extreme urgency to buy X-Men #1 in low grade, that window closed pretty fast and it is almost now in the same universe as Fantastic Four #1.
Q: Philip Lee, can you explain why comics sales were so high during COVID19?
For one thing, the supply chains for people getting a hold of comics to sell was cutoff as many local comic shops were forced to close by their respective state governments. Not being able to dig into bins at local comic shops hurt resellers. Everyone had to acquire comics online and the buy-in got more and more expensive as resellers had to compete with collectors who subsequently were willing to pay more. COVID19 was also another opportunity for people wanting to complete collections and go buy the missing books or keys that they needed. I think a lot of people felt it was a big accomplishment getting a book they needed before the price went up again. I had many customers thanking me for helping them get the book they needed.
Q: What were the most popular books sold during the pandemic?
Modern Age comics went nuclear during this time. In my observation, I think with the protests and social unrest about racial equality, the comic community rallied behind minority super-heroes. Miles Morales comics spearheaded the market and other characters like Kamala Khan, Silk, and America Chavez went from $10 to $75 books to sometimes in the $100s raw and $1,000s when graded.
Q: When things get back to normal, what are your "go-to" must attend comic cons each year? Why?
Heroes Con is a must as it’s like an amusement park for comic collectors and you can literally spend all 3 days looking at comics and unfortunately not visit every comic booth. The show is so rich with comics. It is dollar comics galore there too if you’re willing to dig. You also see many rare high-grade raw books which are also nice. I also like Baltimore Comic-Con, all of the big and medium-size vendors come to this show. Reece’s Rare Comics and Victory Comics set up bargain booths and people go nuts for them. It is a good opportunity to see some local vendors that don’t make it to the big ones, and they have a solid inventory of hard to find vintage comics at fair prices.
Q: Some of the comic markets have dipped recently, any thoughts on why?
We did just wrap up con season. Although most shows were virtual, normally around this time of year people are looking for bargains and closing their wallets while they evaluate how much they can spend the next couple of months while planning for the holiday season. Some people actually think the price of comics went up too much and were being overvalued. I actually disagree overall with that sentiment as some other collectible markets such as Pokémon cards and sports cards are still on fire and are still going up. You can barely find any of these products on the shelf.
Q: So. you think there will be a rally in comic sales?
Yes, it’s only a matter of time. A lot of people jumped into the hobby this year during the pandemic. Vendors went all in trying to make as much money as they could. It is true some sellers have decided to auction off comics and take what they can get but overall, I am seeing the majority of sellers resistant to selling too cheap. There is always a seasonal dip, the question is for how long. Last year the dip only lasted what seemed to be only 2 weeks. This year it's lasting longer but you're still seeing record sales on certain books. In actuality, I would buy the dip as much as possible. Of course, be smart about it.
Q: Do you think there will be comic cons next year in 2021?
As of right now, it does not appear to be possible with cases in COVID rising and discussion of more states possibly temporarily being shutdown. I am planning on doing business virtually all year. I hope it gets better and maybe just maybe we have big shows in August, September, and October.
Q: Which comic character has the biggest potential in 2021?
I think a lot of people are discounting Kamala Khan. The actress playing her is unknown, but that casting appears to be very appropriate to her comic book profile. I have seen her in the Avengers Assemble Animation Universe, and I find her quite charming and entertaining. I think all of her books are undervalued right now.
Q: Last thing, for someone out there new to collecting and/or speculating in comic books, what kind of tips or suggestions can you give them as far as the hobby is concerned? Where would Philip Lee tell them to start?
It’s always good to future spec on books that could have a character or plot be in a show or movie. The further out you spec the better and the cheaper you pay. I would also pay attention to the studio that is optioning a comic property. Some studios have a small staff and a small budget and a movie or show may never happen if the studio is lacking financial backers and producers. Lastly, try to resist FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) if you can, it's very dangerous buying books that are climbing up in value too fast. If you missed out already at the cheapest prices before the climb, maybe best to sit it out until prices go back down a bit.
Q: How can people get a hold of you and/or check out Vintage Comics & Toys? 
So, we have our online shop at www.vintagecomicsandtoys.com and I am always available on the messenger on our IG account, handle @vintagecomicsandtoys
Thank You!
Thank you, Philip Lee, for your time in doing this interview. It was great to catch up and hear your thoughts on the comic book industry and how it is enduring during this pandemic. Also, your comments on what are some of the hot comic books in the market right now and what are collectors asking for are noteworthy. We always hear about it on YouTube videos and read the social media posts but to hear what’s hot and what’s not from a dealer's point of view is always good to hear. Wait, did you say pay attention to the studio that is optioning a comic property? Interesting. Thank you for sharing and I (we) look forward to seeing you in the Comic-Con scene next year! Until next time comic book junkies...
Please share your thoughts and any comments you have about the state of the comic book community. Do you attend multiple Comic Cons throughout the year? Which ones are your favorite and most looking forward to attending again? If you are a dealer reading this, have you moved to online sales as well? What are some of the top comics you are seeing a move in the market? Please share what comic books you are most actively looking for. I would love to hear from you.
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