Here are 3 of the top myths about comic books.
1 Comic books are just for kids.
If you’re seeing this, then you probably know that this one isn’t true…not at all. The last 20 years have been a new Golden Age for comic books, and one reason is because there is literally a comic book for everyone. The superhero stories from Marvel & DC are definitely aimed at teens & adults, and there are plenty of R-Rated comics for horror, sci-fi, and yes, even superhero fans (The Boys!). But there are more comic books for young readers than ever before…they just may look a little different than they did in the past. Comics like Dog Man, Cat Kid, Smile, Sisters, The Babysitters Club, Wings of Fire, Bone…the list goes on and on. Are there comic books for kids? Yes! Are there comic books for teens and adults? Yes! Comics are for everyone!
2 Comic books are good investments.
Every once in a while, a new visitor to the shop will ask me which of the new comics will be worth money. And my answer is always the same: I have no idea! The reality is that there are hundreds of new titles released, and a very small number of them will ever increase in value.
However, back issues/vintage comics are another story. Key issues (first appearances, character deaths, new costumes) have a proven track record of retaining and increasing in value. And then there’s grading. Love it or hate it, graded comics usually command higher prices than ungraded comics. To me, investing in graded comics is like investing in works of art. And there is actually data showing that key comic books have outperformed the stock market in some time periods.
But, my recommendation is this: buy what you like and you’ll never go wrong. And, talk to a financial advisor for investment advice.
3 Comic books aren’t as good as they used to be.
This myth has been around almost as long as comic books. Every decade or so, we hear this complaint. And it’s just not true.
One reason is that we’re fond of the comics that we started reading when we were teenagers. It’s the same reason that we usually favor the music that we listened to as teens more than any other kind of music. It’s nostalgia. It’s emotions. But it doesn’t mean that everything else is bad.
Some of the best stories of any medium are being told in comic books today.
The variety of art is much broader than at any other time in the history of comic books.
And, going back to the first myth, there are stories for everyone!
As fans, we need to remember what our parents used to tell us: “if you don’t have something nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” If you’re not a fan of a particular writer, artist, character, company, then keep it to yourself. But if you love something, shout it from the rooftops! The comic industry would be a better place if we all spent more time sharing the comics that we love.