Welcome to ComicsPriceGuide.com!
View market values for books, store your collection, and meet fellow comic fans!
Well, no. As much as we'd love to have every comic ever made in our personal collection (who wouldn't?), CPG doesn't purchase comics directly.
But don't worry! We have plenty of members and advertisers who might be interested in your treasures. Consider adding your collection to CPG, then listing your books for sale or placing a classified ad.
You can also submit your current collection to Quality Comix for a FREE professional valuation.
Want to learn how to sell on CPG? Check out this video:
Ah, the age-old question! It's one of the most common topics on our message boards. So common, in fact, that we wrote this comprehensive guide just for you.
So your comic is signed... now what?
First, determine what the unsigned issue is worth. Identify your issue, grade it honestly (we know you love it, but be realistic!), then check our price guide. For example, let's say Generic Super Hero Comic #1 is worth $5.00 in near mint condition. That's your starting point.
Signatures that matter: Pencilers, cover artists, creators, writers
Signatures that matter less: Inkers, letterers, colorists
Exception to every rule: Stan Lee could sign a box of Pop-Tarts and it would be on eBay tomorrow for big money! Also, having secondary signatures (like inkers) is fine as long as a "primary" creator signed it too.
In our example, Buddy Artist (cover penciler) signed our book. Nice! The value inches up. It's also signed by Jimmy Inker? No problem—he's a bonus since Buddy Artist's signature is the main attraction.
Scenario #1: You watched Big Name Penciler sign it at the 1985 Convention. Great! You have your word and your memory to verify it.
Scenario #2: You bought it from your cousin (the one still living in his parent's basement). You can compare signatures online, but here's the problem—signatures can be forged. Not saying yours is fake, just saying it's harder to prove.
Scenario #3 (The Gold Standard): Your copy is from Dynamic Forces or another reputable company with a Certificate of Authenticity. Cha-ching! These are easy to value and highly trusted by buyers.
Without certification from a reputable source, selling is tougher. Many sellers don't raise prices for non-certified signatures—they consider it a "bonus" feature.
The old comic book adage: "It's only worth what someone is willing to pay for it."
Consider all the factors above and check completed eBay/Yahoo auctions for similar items. Make sure buyers know upfront that the comic is signed—collectors looking for signed books will pay more (sometimes much more!), but those who aren't interested might not be happy to discover their "new" comic has been "written on."
Our example: We sold Generic Super Hero Comic #1 for $10 to someone who loves Buddy Artist. Double the guide value!
It can! A 10.0 book can't stay 10.0 after someone puts ink on it (that's just science, folks). Use standard grading guides and note that it's signed.
If you're getting it graded by CGC or CBCS, expect a "Qualified" grade (e.g., Qualified 9.6) with the signature noted on the label.
Above all, have fun with it! Collecting should be enjoyable, whether you're building a collection or selling your treasures.
Ah, the million-dollar question! (Or should we say, the Action Comics #1 question?)
Here's the honest truth: Your comic book is worth what your best buyer is willing to pay you. Values from any pricing guide—including ours—may not perfectly reflect rates in every market or every transaction.
We average prices from sales and auctions worldwide, and we factor in valuations from industry experts across different fields. Think of us as your friendly neighborhood comic book economists!
Use our guide to understand market trends and establish a baseline, then price your comic based on your own evaluation and market conditions. We're here to help you make informed decisions—not to set prices in stone.
Great question! Think of it like the difference between saying "I'm a good driver" and having a professional driving instructor certify you're a good driver.
A professionally graded book from CGC, CBCS, or another reputable grading service has been scrutinized by industry experts and sealed in a protective case that will preserve its condition for decades—like putting your comic in carbonite!
The market has determined that people will pay more for this guarantee of condition, so graded books typically command higher prices than raw (ungraded) books of the same condition.
See an issue without a scan? You can be the hero who adds it!
CPG keeps track of how many scans each member uploads—it's like your heroic deed counter! 🏆
Want to show off your actual comics? Gold members can upload personal cover scans!
Note: This premium feature is available for Gold members only.
Excellent! That's exactly what we need. Every database has gaps, and we rely on collectors like you to help us fill them.
Please report missing issues using the Forum. Our team will review and add valid entries, usually within a week.
Patience note: You may not get a reply confirming it's been added, but rest assured we're on it!
Most of the time, yes! But there are certain issues that defy the norm—variants can have significantly different values.
If you have a variant not listed in CPG, let us know and we'll research it for you. We love a good variant hunt!
While there's never a guarantee you'll get more money for a graded book, it usually helps establish authenticity and condition—especially for high-value issues.
We recommend contacting the Certified Guaranty Company (CGC) for professional grading services.
Honestly? You'll typically get 30-60% of what English versions command in primarily English-speaking markets.
This applies if the book was originally published in English and/or you're selling in a country that primarily buys English comics.
However: If a book was originally published in Germany and printed only in German, that's a completely different story! Original-language first editions often command premium prices in their home markets.
How unusual or easily replaced is the comic? The rarer it is, the more valuable it becomes. Low print runs, regional variants, and error editions all increase rarity.
Do you have multiple copies? If it's your only copy, you might be less inclined to part with it easily, which can affect perceived value.
How does this comic fit into a collection? Is it part of a complete run? A key issue? Or a random Donald Duck in a sea of Avengers? Books that complete runs have higher value to collectors.
That intangible quality that links you to your books. Sentiment doesn't affect market value, but it's priceless to collectors and those who inherit comics from loved ones.
How many potential buyers exist? The internet has revolutionized comic sales—online auctions, marketplaces, and collector communities mean your comics have a much better chance of finding the right buyer than ever before!
No! They're completely different things:
The individual book itself. Found on the cover—usually prominently displayed. There's typically only one issue of each number per volume.
A group of books. Found in the indicia (usually on the back of the cover or first/second page). The volume can contain many issues—think of it as a "season" of a TV show!
Example: Amazing Spider-Man #50 (Volume 1) vs. Amazing Spider-Man #50 (Volume 2) are completely different comics!
Yes! All scans must be in .JPG format. Please keep file sizes below 500KB if possible.
Our system will automatically resize approved images for the database, so don't worry about exact dimensions.
Important: PDFs will be deleted. Stick with JPGs!
It's simply not feasible for us to track every currency from every country around the world in real-time—we'd need Tony Stark's computer system for that!
We suggest finding the price you want, then using the Easy Unit Currency Converter to convert to your local currency.
Please report missing publishers to the Forum. We're always working to make our database more comprehensive!
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Comic Book Certification Service—an independent third-party grading company that authenticates and grades comics, then encapsulates them in protective cases.
Comic Guaranty Corporation—the original third-party comic book grading service. Think of them as the Jedi Council of comic grading!
Two definitions exist in the wild:
1. Legal ashcan: A mock-up comic used by companies to copyright characters and logos for future use. Often just photocopied pages stapled together!
2. Preview ashcan: A small-sized (typically black and white) preview comic given away to promote upcoming series.
Hard-cover. The fancy, durable edition of collected stories—like the Omnibus editions that break your shelf and your back!
A 1954 book by Dr. Fredric Wertham claiming that all juvenile delinquency was linked to comic books. Spoiler alert: He was wrong! Get the book if you want a laugh (or a lesson in moral panic history).
Created in 1954 as industry self-regulation guidelines for what was "acceptable for all ages." It was born from the Seduction of the Innocent panic.
Learn more at Wikipedia's Comics Code Authority page.
Trade Paperbacks. Collected reprints of selected comic issues in book form—perfect for reading story arcs without hunting down individual issues!
Soft-cover. The flexible, paperback version of collected editions—easier on your wallet and your wrists!
The era from 1956-1969, officially beginning with Showcase #4 (first appearance of Barry Allen as The Flash). The Silver Age brought us the modern versions of many classic heroes!
The period from 1938-1945, beginning with Action Comics #1 (first appearance of Superman) and ending with World War II. The birth of superheroes!
The period from 1980 to present. Also called the "Dark Age" or "Contemporary Age" depending on who you ask!
An inert, space-age plastic used to make high-quality protective sleeves and bags for comics. Mylar is a trademarked material by DuPont Company—the Fort Knox of comic book protection!
A comic book that contains a complete story in a single issue—no "to be continued!" at the end. Like a short film instead of a TV series!
Comics displayed on magazine and newsstand racks, typically featuring a barcode. These were sold to the general public, as opposed to direct market editions sold to comic shops.
This word has two meanings in comic history:
1. Paper type: The cheap, acidic paper used in early comics and magazines.
2. Magazine genre: Sci-fi, western, or action stories printed in "pulpwood magazines"—the predecessors to comic books!
Comic books featuring scaled-down pages of full-size comics, perfect-bound into digest-sized books. Think Archie Digests at the grocery store checkout!
Can mean either a second/third printing of a comic, or a literal reprint of older comics in a new format. Context is key!
The outer paper wrapping of a hard-cover book, protecting the cover art underneath. Often features different art or design elements!
The artist who goes over the penciler's work with ink pens and brushes. A good inker can elevate sloppy pencils; a mediocre inker can ruin brilliant artwork. It's an art form in itself!
A themed publishing line not necessarily connected to the parent company's main universe. Example: Wildstorm was an imprint of DC Comics with its own separate continuity.
A comic story presented in novel format—typically longer form, complete narratives. Think Watchmen, Maus, or Sandman collections!
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Collectors are familiar with the traditional long, white cardboard boxes that hold hundreds of comics—perfect for storage in closets, under beds, or stacked in your comic cave!
In honor of those classic long boxes, we've created digital "boxes" to help you organize your online collection. Group comics by publisher, era, character, or any way that makes sense to you!
Here's a video showing you how to manage your digital boxes:
