How to Collect Comic Book Art

Whether you are 6 or 66, comics and cartoons can provide entertainment and enjoyment. A brief break from the daily grind can come from picking up the newspaper comics section or delving into the pages of a comic book. For the true comics lovers who aren't satisfied with simply reading about their favorite characters, there is another way to satisfy their passion: collecting comic art.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Determine whether you want to pursue one character/strip or just see what is available from all artists. Set your budget. Like most collectibles, the older and better preserved the artwork, the more expensive it will be.

2. Visit websites and comics stores in your area to determine how much you should pay for comic artwork. Visit sites like www.comartfans.com and www.comic-art.com/collect to get a feel for the market.

3. Visit comic conventions like San Diego Comicon, Chicago Comicon and Wondercon to buy directly from the artists. Also visit the artists' websites to make purchases. You can find the schedules for comics conventions at www.comicbookconventions.com,www.comic-con.org
   and www.bigapple.com.

4. Preserve your comic art by keeping it under glass and away from dampness and direct sunlight. Do not use tape or glue to secure the artwork inside a frame or under glass.

Tips & Warnings

• Even if you frame comic artwork under heavy glass, do not hang it in the kitchen, bathroom or any other place where it will be exposed to extreme temperatures or steam.

Resources

• Comic Art has a history of comic art collecting and tips on collecting.
• Comic Art Fans offfers galleries, a marketplace and links to other collecting sites.