Comics For Free?

Remember that box you've got stored away?  That box in which you stashed your old comics?  You know:  Superman, Batman, maybe even some issues of Spiderman?  Well, that box of comics might be worth a few bars of gold.

"If they have anything with a 15 cent price tag or below, I would say to at least take a double look at it. The price range of these varies very widely.  It depends on the circulation of the issue, the condition of the issue. That copy of Amazing Fantasy 15 might sell for anywhere from $2000 to $100,000, maybe even more than that," says Ryan Brent, manager of Lee's Comics on the El Camino in San Mateo.

Brent, and Pacifica's Coastside Comics owner Rony Suguitan, may not see any copies of AF15 show up at their stores tomorrow, but they do expect some extra business.  That's because Saturday is National Free Comic Book Day at participating stores around the world.  Lee's Comics in San Mateo and Mountain View, and Coastside Comics in Pacifica, are participating.

"Customers come in, and they receive two free comic books," says Suguitan. National Free Comic Book Day has been held since 2001. "It always ties in with a new movie; this year, the Thor movie opens.  Thor is based on a comic book character."

Suguitan continues "We're trying to get more people out here to read comics.  They used to be very cheap.  Now, the price of a comic book is the price of a gallon of gas.  So, comic book publishers put out inexpensive comic  books for us to distribute on this day to the general public.  There is no obligation to buy.  You can come in and get yours for free."

Despite the higher prices, comic book sales remain good.  "Publications in general are struggling," says Brent. "What's kind of interesting about comic books is that people have been collecting since they were 10-years-old, so even with the economy being in a downslump, we still see pretty strong support here, just because people want to keep collecting comic books.  I've been collecting since 1991 - 20 years - and I'm not going to stop now."

Like a lot of fiction, comic books are often escapist entertainment.  But there has been evolution; for instance, there are now comic books that realistically detail the holocaust.  The true appeal seems to be the attraction to a graphic medium that's been around for many years, a story-telling medium that serves as a literary device to the old, and now, to the young.

"I am starting to see more and more kids.  For a long time, the store was totally vacant of kids, my generation being the last generation of people that did come in," says Brent.  "But I'm starting to see more and more parents bring their kids in, either wanting them to start reading, since it's a great tool for kids to get interested in reading, or parents looking back, saying 'I had a great time with these, let me bring my kid in to enjoy them like I did.'"

Just who are their customers?  "My customers are nerds," says Brent. "And I use that term entirely affectionately.  Around here, we have a nice draw from a variety of people, rich and poor.  People who work in the gaming industry, lawyers; some of my best customers are plumbers. It's a pretty wide range."

Suguitan notes a particularly unique shopper. "My own dentist is also my customer.  It's funny. When my dentist comes in, he will go back to the office, and when he starts reading, it's like he doesn't want to be bothered.  He is not available.  He's reading his comic books."

Now, back to that box of yours.  "The two that are constantly warring against each other as the most valuable comics are the first appearance of Superman, and the first appearance of Batman," says Brent.  "If you've got either of those books, you're probably sitting on a gold mine."