Bio: Jay Katz, a comic book collector since 1983 and is the owner/creator of InvestComics LLC since 2005. InvestComics LLC was originally a magazine in 2005 before the website launched in 2005.
To grade or not to grade?
To grade or not to grade? This is the question many collectors ask themselves. Or the questions may ring out like this, to slab or not to slab, to encase or not to encase? During the process of asking one self this question, you may have the ‘other’ comic fan looking at you like you’re crazy. Those particular comic fans are the old thinkers, the nostalgia persons. “Back in my day, we rolled up our comics and put them in our back pocket!” Blah, blah, blah, haven’t we all heard that story? How about this one? “Comics are meant for reading.” Or how about this one? “Getting a signature on a comic defaces its value.” Well, with any sort of common sense, we all know these statements are utter nonsense. First off, who really cares these days if you rolled up your comic? So what really. So you did that…..and? Comics from yesteryear are worth a lot of money nowadays and collectors have set a ‘value’ to these funny books. The ‘rolled up….’ story simply does not hold in today’s market anymore. We live in the modern age where things are collected and cared for because of the possible value for it. It’s okay things are this way, accepting it would probably make you sleep better at night.
We all love to hear stories from our elders about how things used to be, but let’s understand that certain things have changed considerably and just because things are the way they are NOW doesn’t mean it’s ‘bad’. Then we have the ‘comics are meant for reading’ guy at the local comic shop. Yes comics are good to read, no one is disputing this claim at all. Why can’t they be for profit too?? The ones making the ‘comics are for reading’ statements aren’t ‘old-timers’ at all. They’re usually the same age as yourself. Here’s the thing with this crowd. Always ask the person making this statement if they would consider if you can view their collection and pay cover price for that Walking Dead #1 you find. The immediate answer will be a resounding “no way man!” Why wouldn’t the guy screaming “Comics are meant for reading” sell you a comic out of his collection for cover price? Tell them you’ll buy them the trade paperback that has the first ten issues all bound in one place. It’s about ‘reading’ right?
It is a known FACT that getting a witnessed signed comic graded in FACT raises the value of the book.
It’s a ridiculous statement and many fans should refrain from saying this….ever. Then the guy that states ‘Writing on the comic defaces it.” Really? Seriously? How about owning an original Picasso or a Rembrandt signed by them? Does that ‘deface’ anything? Of course not. Very silly non thought out statements like this could easily be combated if you make the individual understand what they are thinking is not very well thought out. It is a known FACT that getting a witnessed signed comic graded in FACT raises the value of the book. Just a FACT, no reason to make a statement about defacing, it’s simply not true. Not true at all. Complete false statement.
What to Consider
Now that we got those things out of the way, a comic collector sometimes runs into the issue of whether or not they should grade a book or not. Here are a few mitigating factors to consider when undecided.
First and foremost. What do you plan on doing with the graded book? If you are a seller, then there are a few things to consider. Is it a key? Is it a first appearance? A hot comic (first issue)? A news (media driven) book? And the most important question, will you get a high grade? All of these questions (and more) have to be considered before slabbing a book. This hold true for the modern books mostly here. If you are sitting on a Bronze, Silver, Golden key book, by all means slab it if you’re getting a grade you’ll deem acceptable for it. The moderns are a different animal altogether. What is hot today, may not be hot next week. It happens all the time. All. The. Time. Once in a while you’ll get that breakout Saga #1 comic, otherwise you’ll have to sell fast if you’re looking to consider flipping. Never hold a book too long if you’re not too sure about what to do. Sell the book, make your money, never look back. On a personal note. I had a Walking Dead #1 9.8, strapped for cash, I sold it for $250 twelve years ago. Oh well, that’s the way it goes. A seller should ‘sell’ if they are looking to turn over money. InvestComics has always advised against ‘falling in love’ with a sellable comic. Buy two and store one away forever if you’re looking for love, otherwise get into that business mindset and sell. InvestComics has always said, sell the moderns to get those Bronze books or something you really clamor for.
A signed (witnessed) comic will get you further in the money market if you’re looking to flip that hot book. Or key book. If you’re thinking you could get more cash for that hot book, you’re 100 percent correct…..but…..you better get a quick pass or fast pass or whatever they are calling it these day. If you do the snail mail grading, you’ve most likely will have missed the entire boat to maximize your cash intake on your profit. Snail mail grading + hot comic = LESS money. Just the way it works. FACT. Unless of course you’re looking to sit on it. Sitting on it just means you’re willing to take your loss(es) just to own that first appearance of Weapon H. If it’s important to you, then that’s what matters most.
One thing many of the naysayers do not understand is the unforeseen circumstances in life that may arise. Being strapped for cash with children, a sudden hospital bill, etc. now is not the time to figure out if you want to hold onto that first appearance of Spider-Gwen. Time to sell. One never knows what life may bring. Financial straits can hit at any given moment. A graded comic will always help as opposed to a raw book. Unless the raw book is a better grade than the graded book of course, but most of the time, the graded key will command the dollars and especially if it’s signed.
Always remember, the modern comics can always be bought again. Moderns are not the ‘be all end all’. They are props, they are meant to be read and enjoyed. If you happen to make money on it, fantastic, if not, move along. Moderns are mostly printed in mass quantity (not counting limited variants or indie’s), they are not ‘scarce’.
Graded Comic
Graded Comic
So should a comic collector grade, slab, encase their comic? Sure why not? There are benefits all around for it. Maybe it’s not for you, which is perfectly fine too, but don’t get down on someone who enjoys doing it. Don’t be ‘that’ guy. Let people enjoy what they want to enjoy.
A cheaper option for signed comics are always available on the InvestComics LLC Authentic Signature Facebook page. All signed comics come with a Certificate of Authenticity and an InvestComics LLC hologram seal. Another alternative to seek out.
-Jay Katz
Jay Katz, a comic book collector since 1983, is the owner/creator of InvestComics LLC since 2005. InvestComics LLC was originally a magazine before the website launched in 2005.
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